The infirmary doors whispered shut behind Sylvie, the faint hum of the wards fading as she stepped onto the wide stone landing outside. Cool evening air kissed her cheeks, carrying with it the scent of fresh rain on old stone and the quiet, distant echoes of students sparring in the lower fields.
She exhaled, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
And then—
A figure leaning casually against the base of a lamppost caught her eye.
For a moment, her mind didn't register it. The evening light painted everything in hues of silver and gold, the breeze tugging at his cloak, making him look almost like part of the scenery.
But then he shifted—straightened—and she saw the unmistakable glint of yellow in his gaze.
Her breath hitched.
"…Brother?"
He smiled easily, as if they had agreed to meet here all along. His cloak bore an unfamiliar crest now—a half-risen sun over a distant horizon, stitched neatly onto his shoulder.
Solstice Dawn.
