Page 156 of The Fifth Heir

“Using the exact conditions I described.”

“You confirmed the torc reacted most strongly when all four elements reached her.”

“And you passed that information to Malcolm.”

“The Keeper of Trials is responsible for conducting the evaluation.”

“Did you tell him she conceals pain?”

Father did not answer immediately.

The pause confirmed it.

He had taken a truth about Talia’s body—one she revealed only because she trusted the people near her—and converted it into council evidence. I had handed him part of that truth and never asked where it would go next.

“It was relevant to the safety procedure,” he said.

“It appeared in the official notes as justification for ignoring her own assessment of her condition.”

“The healer monitored her throughout.”

“From outside a barrier no one could lower.”

“No one requested an inaccessible barrier.”

“The positional wards weren’t included in the approved procedure either.”

I placed both hands on the table.

Cold moved beneath my palms. A thin layer of Frost spread across the first containment drawing before I pulled my power back.

“Who installed the black return channels?”

“The academy runemasters.”

“Under whose direction?”

“Malcolm’s.”

“Who inspected them?”

“The headmaster’s inquiry will determine that.”

“You reviewed the proposal.”

“We reviewed the legal purpose, not the construction.”

Father’s voice remained controlled. He had spent decades in council chambers where any visible emotion could be interpreted as weakness or aggression. I learned the same control from him.

At that moment, I understood how easily calm language concealed dangerous choices.

“You told me the demonstration would identify her power under controlled conditions.”

“That was the intention.”

“You already possessed confidential healer records. You asked whether the torc responded simultaneously. You knew she would continue even if the test hurt.”

“We knew she might minimize discomfort. That is why independent monitoring was required.”