Page 52 of The Fifth Heir

“I redirected it.”

Malcolm’s gaze moved to the containment wall. “That degree of control should not have been possible once the rune overloaded.”

“I didn’t say it was easy.”

His answer came without hesitation.

The two examiners nodded, relieved to have an explanation that fit something they understood.

I let out the breath I had been holding.

Torren had stopped the flame. Of course he had. I had seen light on my hands because I was surrounded by fire and wearing a crystal torc. Fear had made the moment feel stranger than it was.

Except Torren had been looking at my hands before Malcolm asked the question.

And Sebastian was still looking at them now.

I pushed the thought away.

The assessment had proven exactly what I expected.

I possessed no recognized element. I had no dragon form, no flight capacity, and no chance of meeting the physical standards required of an heir.

The headmaster descended from the gallery.

I removed my hands from Torren’s grip, though he had already released me.

“Headmaster, I would like to request—”

“Not now,” he said.

“But the results—”

“Will be reviewed after the chamber is secured.”

He turned toward the examiners, ending the conversation.

I looked at the four men waiting outside the circle.

Leander’s expression was unreadable, but he had positioned himself between Malcolm and the damaged control. Rafe no longer appeared amused. Torren remained close enough to catch me if my knees failed, which they would not.

Sebastian traced the path of the redirected flame through the air with one finger.

Not the path Torren’s fire had taken.

The path from my hands.

Then he looked at the crystal torc around my throat.

He had seen something.

I didn’t know what.

Chapter 8

Sebastian

Torren had not redirected the fire.