I woke to pale morning light filtering through the medical wing window.
My body was stiff, sore, but functional. The worst of yesterday's agony had faded to a persistent ache.
I sat up carefully and saw the clothes from yesterday were gone.
Replaced with a clean set laid out on the chair. Simple grey tunic and dark trousers, similar to what Kyle had given me before.
I dressed slowly, each movement a negotiation with my battered body.
A note sat on top of the folded clothes:
Trial Two begins at 8th bell. Report to Central Courtyard. Food available in main hall starting 7th bell. - Academy Administration
I checked the window. Sun was maybe an hour past dawn. That gave me time to eat, prepare mentally, figure out what magical aptitude testing even meant.
The medical wing was mostly empty when I left, just a few other candidates in various states of injury, some sleeping, others being tended by healers.
