Page 7 of The Fifth Heir

Eastern wall, she mouthed.

I folded my cloth, slipped it into my pocket, and turned away from the unfinished inscription.

Whatever it meant, it had remained hidden through countless ceremonies. It could wait until this one ended.

I went to change my robe.

Behind me, beneath the western lamp, the buried rune pulsed once.

Chapter 2

Talia

The eastern wall offered a clear view of the Prism and almost no chance of being seen.

Usually, I preferred it that way.

Today, with hundreds of candidates gathered beneath the galleries and my sister standing among them, the shadows along the wall felt less like shelter and more like confirmation. Camilla belonged at the center of the Hall. I belonged beside the records door in a clean gray robe, ready to assist if anyone required oil, a translation, or an object retrieved from storage.

I had changed into my spare robe, pinned my keeper’s badge over the left side of my chest, and taken my assigned position between two senior assistants. Master Orin stood several paces ahead of us with the ceremonial inventory tucked beneath one arm. He had checked every item himself before allowing the bronze doors to close.

The final bar dropped into place.

The Hall fell silent.

Hundreds of candidates filled the circular floor in orderly rows, grouped loosely by known element but not separated by rank or family. The Prism stood at their center, dark and transparent. Without sunlight passing through it, it looked less like crystal and more like a tall sheet of glass.

Nothing about its stillness suggested it would decide the realm’s future within minutes.

The galleries above were full. Families occupied the lower levels, while academy officials, political representatives, and members of the royal court watched from the upper tiers. My parents sat at the front of our family section.

Mother wore slate gray to honor Camilla. Father had chosen the same color for the sash crossing his formal black coat.

Neither of them looked toward the keepers.

They knew where I was. I had shown them my assigned position when we toured the Hall the previous week. Mother had even remarked that the eastern wall would give me an excellent view of Camilla.

There was no reason for them to search for me now.

Their attention belonged to my sister.

Mine did too.

Camilla stood in the second row with the other Stone candidates, close enough to the Prism that I could see the bronze embroidery on her sleeves. Her hands rested at her sides, and her expression revealed nothing. If she still felt nervous, she had buried it well before entering the Hall.

Leander stood at the front of the Frost candidates. He wore no jewelry or family crest, but he didn’t need either. Anyone who followed royal affairs knew his face. His bloodline had produced advisers, generals, and crown contenders for generations. The current king was his grand-uncle, and every account I had read described Leander as the strongest candidate from the northern territories.

He looked as composed as Camilla. Colder, perhaps. His pale hair had been drawn away from his face, and frost dusted the shoulders of his blue uniform despite the warmth of the Hall.

Torren stood with the Fire dragons, broad-shouldered and motionless in the dark red uniform of the Ember Guard. A narrow scar cut through one eyebrow. Unlike the candidates looking toward their families, he kept his attention fixed on the Prism.

He had already marked every exit when he entered. I had watched him do it.

Sebastian had placed himself near the end of the Shadow line. He was studying the runes carved into the floor again. If he felt the weight of the ceremony, his curiosity had apparently won the argument for his attention. His lips moved once as if he were silently translating an inscription.

Rafe was watching the galleries.

His gray Storm uniform fit him too well to have been issued by the academy. Silver thread traced the cuffs and collar, flashing whenever he moved. I couldn’t tell whom he was searching for, but the corner of his mouth lifted when someone above caught his eye.