If she recognized me, then she should know.
I've always studied realism rune-craft and territory mapping—not traditional moon-ink sigils.
I only entered this rite trial because my parents mentioned Selene was one of the Council Adjudicators. They specifically asked me to give her a nice surprise.
I registered on a whim. Never intended to place.
Then those strange omens appeared and threw me completely off balance.
Darian wiped his tears dramatically. "You're obviously a repeat offender. All those honors you've won—you stole them too, didn't you? We grew up in neighboring territories. I can't just stand by and watch you keep making mistakes!"
I couldn't make sense of his rapid-fire accusations.
When had I ever stolen anyone's work?
And as for Selene and me "growing up together"—
Our fathers' packs had formed alliance pacts a few times. We'd met maybe three or four occasions at formal gatherings, the last one seven or eight cycles ago.
How did that qualify as growing up together?
The omen-feed calling me her "ex-intended"? That was just pups playing at courtship. Selene and I had never actually been promised to each other.
Yet she'd already pronounced me guilty.