CHAPTER NINE: THE TRIAL LOOMS (Part four)
Somewhere across the room—
so far back, most had forgotten she was even present—
Rhae stood.
Not abruptly.
Not to protest.
Just… stood.
Shoulders squared.
Eyes forward.
And walked toward the exit.
No one stopped her.
Not even Liraen.
No name was called.
No role assigned.
She simply passed through the glyph threshold of the classroom—
and was gone.
Kaelen noticed.
His gaze flicked up, tracking her exit.
He didn't move to follow.
Didn't call her back.
Didn't whisper her name.
Because this?
Was always how she intended to leave.
Yolti sighed through her teeth.
Didn't say anything.
Selka watched the dust settle where Rhae had stepped.
The trail faded too quickly—
like the world didn't plan to remember her at all.
Zephryn sat back down.
Not from defeat.
From calculation.
He didn't need to fight for space anymore.
Because the silence had already drawn its battle lines.
Behind the pillar, Riko's eyes narrowed—
and he vanished before Liraen finished the briefing.