Page 89 of The Fifth Heir

“Elemental conflict is part of the Trial.”

“Was the collapsing structure part of it?”

“The Trial is dangerous by design.”

“You ordered Talia to return to the observation platform, yet the central rune physically restrained her. If one portion of the established procedure failed, we cannot assume the remaining mechanisms functioned correctly.”

Malcolm looked toward the sealed mountain.

Runemasters continued attempting to restore the external controls. None had succeeded.

“The result will be reviewed,” he said.

“Then it has not been established that she disrupted anything,” Leander replied.

The headmaster watched him with an expression I could not interpret.

Malcolm’s attention moved to Torren. “Did Talia interfere with your path?”

“Yes.”

My stomach tightened.

Torren continued before Malcolm could respond.

“She stopped me from killing Rafe.”

The field fell silent.

Rafe lifted one hand. “I appreciated it.”

“She recognized the connections before any of us,” Torren said. “She coordinated four elements without training and brought us back to the entrance alive.”

“She prevented completion of the Trial.”

“She saved us.”

Red light flickered once through Torren’s torc, as if his dragon agreed.

Malcolm looked at Sebastian.

Sebastian held up his injured hand. “My Shadow concealed a collapsed bridge after Rafe’s wind carried it ahead. I would have stepped into the opening without Talia’s warning.”

Rafe nodded toward the mountain. “And I would have lost my platform when Torren lit the final brazier.”

For the first time since the Choosing, all four heirs stood together without positioning themselves as rivals.

Leander did not add anything else.

He didn’t need to. He had surrendered an open gate, challenged Malcolm’s account, and placed himself on my side in front of every watching official.

The headmaster addressed the waiting officials.

“The First Trial is suspended pending examination. No heir will be credited with victory or penalized for failure.”

“Inconclusive,” Malcolm said.

“For now.”