Page 214 of The Fifth Heir

The design showed four passages carrying power toward the center. At the convergence point, the lines joined and traveled downward into a chamber beneath the floor.

A fifth anchor rested directly above it.

My anchor.

“Those lines point inward,” I said.

“Yes.”

The black channels from the demonstration had done the same thing.

Torren looked at Camilla. “Who altered the chamber?”

“I don’t know.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“It’s the only one I have.” She pointed to several small markings near the outer passages. “These are Stone Dragon reinforcement runes. They control how the chamber responds when elemental pressure increases.”

Leander examined them. “Can you read the signature?”

“There isn’t one. The runes are correct, but they’re facing the wrong direction. Instead of supporting the outer walls, they’ll force any released power toward the central anchor.”

Toward me.

My stomach tightened.

“Could that be the original design?” Rafe asked. “Five powers enter, one emerges.”

“No.” Camilla shook her head. “The foundation beneath the central anchor isn’t built to hold the full discharge. If all four passages activate, the stone will collapse.”

Torren’s dagger struck the table as he set it down. “Malcolm.”

Camilla flinched.

He noticed.

The room changed.

Sebastian’s shadows rose from the floor, sealing the door. Frost spread across the windows. Rafe moved between Camilla and the corridor, and Torren stepped closer to her.

“What did you do?” he asked.

Camilla backed into the table.

“Torren,” I said.

He stopped, but the heat around him remained.

I looked at my sister. “Answer him.”

Her face crumpled in a way I had never seen. Camilla had always known what expression to wear. Pride before our instructors. Patience with me. Confidence before the Choosing, even when her hands had shaken.

Now she looked frightened.

“I went to Malcolm after I left the Fifth Wing,” she said.

The words were quiet.