The herbs for my seclusion lay forgotten in my room as I stood outside the Pavilion Master's residence, still reeling from my unceremonious ejection earlier. My shoulder throbbed where Mariana's finger had flicked me—a casual gesture that had sent me flying like a ragdoll.
I took a deep breath and knocked again.
"Enter," came her dispassionate voice.
I pushed open the door, finding Mariana Valerius seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion. The fragrant scent of Enlightenment Tea filled the air—a rare brew said to cost more than most cultivators earned in a decade.
"Third Elder," she acknowledged without opening her eyes. "You're persistent. I'll give you that."
"Pavilion Master, I need clarity," I said, standing respectfully at the threshold. "Your words earlier—"
"Were perfectly clear," she interrupted, finally looking at me. "Go to Veridia City. Find Isabelle Ashworth. Time is running out."
I frowned. "But my cultivation plan—"
