Page 83 of The Fifth Heir

He retraced his path.

Not quickly. Not happily. But he came back.

The moment he crossed into the center chamber, all four elemental doors slammed shut behind us.

The clear rune expanded beneath our feet.

For the first time since the Trial began, all five torcs illuminated together.

No one had reached an individual Crown Gate.

No one had won.

We were alive, and we were together because each of us had chosen the others over an open Crown Gate.

The outer entrance remained sealed.

Chapter 12

Talia

The five torcs illuminated.

Red, violet, silver, and blue light traveled from the men toward the clear rune beneath me. My crystal torc answered with a sharp pulse that I felt against my throat.

Then the outer gate remained closed.

Rafe looked toward the sealed entrance. “That was dramatic for absolutely no result.”

“The Trial recognized all five torcs,” Sebastian said.

“It recognized them before admitting us.”

“Not simultaneously.”

Leander approached the center rune. Water ran from his uniform and collected around his boots. The white scales along his neck had begun to recede, but his skin remained too pale.

“You’re freezing,” I said.

“I’m a Frost dragon.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be cold.”

“It very nearly does.”

Torren took off his coat and held it out.

Leander stared at it.

“I’m not offering twice,” Torren said.

Rafe took the coat and put it around Leander’s shoulders before he could refuse, fastening it at the throat with exaggerated care.

“There. Your pride remains mostly intact.”

“Take it off.”

“The torc lights are fading,” Sebastian said.