Pearl POV
The paper was still warm from my touch as I slipped it into the corner of my bag, tucking it beneath a small bundle of clothes. Just as I finished pressing the flap down, Cecil stepped into the room, wiping her hands on her apron. Her eyes immediately flicked to my bag, narrowing slightly with that familiar, quiet intuition of hers.
“You were writing something,” she said softly, more of a statement than a question.
I blinked, then forced a small smile. “Just… some notes. For the academy. You know, boring scholar stuff.”
Cecil raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Hmm. Alright.”
She reached for her shawl near the door and began adjusting it carefully over her shoulders.
I tilted my head. “Where are you going?” I asked, noticing how the shadows outside were growing lo
