Callie was summoned before the palace slept.

Not after, but before.

That small distinction mattered. It meant Darian wanted her alert, attentive, aware of every second she spent waiting. It meant anticipation was part of the lesson.

She stood outside the chamber, taking several deep breaths before entering, her palms damp, her back straight, her mind steady. The door opened silently at her touch.

The room was dimly lit; not dark, but deliberately so. Firelight reflected off the stone walls,