The board went up at second bell. Pierce slapped the slate, chalked columns, and let the yard crowd itself into a ring.
"Second Practicals," he said. "Wilderness Convoy: Crosswind Route. Five sectors. No rune-lamps. Scores for coordination, restraint, and simple fixes. Unsafe discharge is a penalty. Captains confirm kits. Sponsors will observe Route B."
No one cheered. A few nobles groaned. Aldric rolled his shoulder like he was itching to throw lightning at the sky. Seraphine stood near the sponsors with her hands folded and her face arranged into polite interest. She didn't need to say the word optics; it lived in the way she angled her chin.
I checked the roster. Route B, Team Two: me, Gareth Blackwater, Pelham Gray, Mira Kade. Lyra listed for Sector One as Refuge observer. Good.
Gareth found me first. "Your kind of exam," he said, grinning. "Fix things and don't set them on fire."
"Let's try to keep it boring," I said.
