{Elira}
~**^**~
By the time I trudged back to the dorm, the sun was still hanging high, slanting through the windows in golden stripes.
My limbs ached from training, every muscle throbbing in protest, and all I wanted was to collapse face-first into my pillow.
But the second I opened the door, my friends looked up from their bunks and desks, their cards already in hand.
Nari bounced up immediately, waving hers in the air. "Okay, confession circle! What color did everyone get?"
Cambria lifted her pale yellow card with a small smile. "This."
"Green," Tamryn said simply, holding hers up.
"Blue," Juniper added, spinning hers between her fingers before tucking it back into her notebook.
Then, four sets of eyes turned to me.
I swallowed, pulling the crimson card from my bag. Its sharp red gleam looked even harsher under the light. "Red."
For a moment, the room went quiet.
"Red?" Cambria repeated softly.
