Page 17 of The Fifth Heir

“Agreed,” Leander said.

Every head near the dais turned toward him.

The Frost heir stepped out of his circle. His torc remained pale blue, but the light inside its stones had dimmed when the beam selected me.

“We should not declare a fifth heir until the integrity of the Choosing has been verified,” he continued. His voice was calm, carrying none of the accusation in the gallery whispers. “Nor should we dismiss the selection before that examination.”

Malcolm inclined his head. “A reasonable position.”

“Reasonable?” Rafe asked.

He had also left his place, though no one seemed to have noticed him move.

“The giant ancient crystal shot her with light,” he said. “That looks fairly decisive from here.”

A startled laugh escaped someone in the Storm delegation. Rafe ignored it.

“It selected four heirs,” Leander said. “Four torcs awakened.”

“And then it selected her.”

“There is no fifth torc.”

I looked toward the empty display cases.

He was right. Torren, Sebastian, Rafe, and Leander each wore proof of the Prism’s decision. I had only a keeper’s badge and a beam that should not exist.

Sebastian had not joined the argument. He stood at the edge of the glowing floor pattern, following the newly exposed runes with his gaze.

“The fifth line connects to the others,” he said.

Malcolm turned toward him. “Step away from the inscription.”

Sebastian obeyed, though his attention remained fixed on the pattern.

Torren had moved away from the Fire line.

He was watching me rather than the runes.

Our eyes met across the Hall. His expression held none of Rafe’s challenge or Sebastian’s fascination. His gaze moved over the way I held myself against the wall, then settled on the beam pressing into my chest.

“Can you release her?” he asked Malcolm.

“If I could, I would have done so.”

Torren’s jaw tightened. Heat rippled around his shoulders.

For the first time since the beam struck me, something other than panic cut through my confusion.

He was angry on my behalf.

He did not know me. He had no reason to care whether the light hurt.

Yet he had noticed.

“Perhaps it will stop on its own,” I said.

Malcolm’s attention returned to me. “Have you experienced any elemental manifestation?”