Raevynn Emberfall Moonwhisper carefully arranged the wildflowers she'd gathered, telling herself it was purely practical—their medicinal properties might prove useful, nothing more. The fact that their violet petals perfectly matched her eyes was entirely coincidental.

"I'm simply being strategic," she explained to a small sparrow perched on the windowsill. The bird tilted its head as if understanding her words, then chirped what she interpreted as sage agreement. The cool stone of the castle chamber sent a slight chill through her fingertips as she adjusted the final bloom, but her cheeks flushed with a warmth she couldn't attribute to the hearth fire.

She smoothed her emerald silk dress—a garment she'd initially rejected as too frivolous but now wore because the color brought out the mysterious flecks of gold in her impossibly violet irises. Not that she was trying to look appealing. She was merely... blending in with castle expectations. The subtle scent of jasmine from her hair mingled with the earthy aroma of the flowers, creating a fragrance that seemed to wrap around her like a secret.

A soft knock echoed from the chamber door, and Raevynn's pulse quickened in what was obviously battle-readiness, not anticipation. She'd simply grown accustomed to their evening conversations—purely for intelligence gathering purposes, of course. With one last glance at her reflection in the polished silver mirror, she assumed what she considered her most neutral expression, though her slightly parted lips and wide eyes betrayed her feigned composure.