The letter was waiting on the Villa 4 table when she returned from Thorne's grueling session.
It bore the House Sol seal in dark red wax, the heavy family crest pressed cleanly into the center. The cursive on the outer fold belonged to her father's assistant. That detail alone meant her father had dictated the message rather than writing it himself. In turn, that meant the contents were formal enough to warrant dictation instead of the brief, handwritten notes he typically sent for ordinary family correspondence.
She picked it up and stared at the wax for a long time. Finally, she slipped the envelope into the inner pocket of her jacket and went silently upstairs.
She only opened it once she was safely inside her room.
