In the days since the treaty was signed, the world had felt as though it were exhaling for the first time in centuries. The Frostbound Houses and the Academy had begun a cautious dance, learning each other's rhythms, sharing knowledge that had once been jealously guarded behind ice and runes. In that fragile ease, I found myself haunted by one name more than any other: Lilith.
I had last seen her on the night the First Flame had consumed everything she was, leaving behind a memory of her warmth but not her form. I had retraced her path in my mind countless times, imagining the moment her presence faded and the emptiness it left behind became my constant companion. I told myself it was enough to keep her memory alive in every treaty I signed, every lesson I taught, and every decision I made. But there was a longing inside me that no amount of duty could dispel. Finally, I could not bear it any longer. I needed to see her again.
