Caroline heard the voice in her head again, but this time the words were a bit clearer. [i]...centuries, and they're only just now... Reivaer owes me an ale.[/i] Caroline tried to isolate the voice, but it was gone again before she could pick it out. A brief vision of a dark cave and an ancient suit of armor flashed through her mind, and was gone. [i]I'll get it next time, for sure.[/i] she thought to herself, settling down and concentrating.

Elizabeth stood slowly, keeping herself composed. She walked to where the queen was sitting, coming up behind her chair. She raised a fist to her mouth, planning to clear her throat for attention, stopped, opened her mouth to speak, stopped again, then finally she simply placed her hand gently on the queen's shoulder. "My liege," she began, trying to keep her voice level, and knowing full well that the only person in the room who wouldn't be fooled was the person she was trying to hide her emotions from. "With your permission, I would like to inspect the academy's defenses myself, as well as the placement of troops and the integrity of the perimeter. If everything is as you fear, these walls will surely be our final line of defense."