Chapter 5 - The Decision

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Gale stared at her reflection above the washbasin, and her reflection stared back.

Above her brow, standing as stark as ever beneath her hairline, was a single line looped around itself in graceful sweeps.

And it was broken.

The section slanting at the center of the runelock had a wide gap through its trunk where unmarked skin showed through. A sliver remained connected.

Is this the mark the Usaelis were talking about?

The wall held steady where it lay across her magic. Tall and thick, a reinforced fortress, and she had but a sling and pebbles to combat it. However damaged the rune may have been, the wall remained impenetrable. She shook her head with tightened lips and turned away to finish getting dressed.

Her belongings, few as they were, had arrived sometime in the night while she slept, along with new robes. Still of black wool, they had a dark gray collar in place of the white she'd worn for two terms. She kept the same boots, underthings, and winter apparel, though, and was glad to see her books stacked atop the fireplace mantel.

She hadn't had much time to learn to read with the Trials coming up, and she looked forward to continuing her lessons with June. She hadn't made much progress in reading, but her vocabulary grew with each passing week.

Her stockinged feet made little sound on the circular carpet between her bed and the fireplace. She reached the folded robes on the only chair in the room, placed in the far corner beside a square window. It was a larger room than she ever would've imagined having when she was in Ternsill, but with her belongings piled in random corners, it seemed smaller than it was.

She'd have to put her clothes in the wardrobe later in the day before the mess drove her to distraction. However much time was left until she was supposed to leave for Sarcen, there had to be enough for her to organize her things.

A knock on the bedroom door startled her from momentary stupor, and she threw on her robes as quickly as her hands would move. She hurried to tie her boots and a gray sash around her waist, and she opened the door to meet June's grin with her own.

The other girl's smile faded, eyebrows lowering over a slight squint, but she pushed past into the room. "Hey, how are you feeling? Lady Q told us we're not supposed to wake you until lunch so you could eat."

"Lunch?" She gaped. "What day is it?"

June laughed. "Don't worry, you didn't sleep that long. It's the day after the Trials." The squint returned, more defined. "Is...everything alright?"

Gale touched her runelock and thought about the pain of touching her magic. "Just a side-effect of the Trials, I guess. The Usaelis were upset that I nearly broke one of their relics."

June blinked. "Whatever your reasons for trying to break a relic, I'm sure it's not a big deal." Gale opened her mouth to correct her, but subsided. "Now, come on, I'm starving!"

Looping her arm through Gale's, she skipped out of the bedroom, down the hall, and through the empty commons room.

They stepped outside into the sunlight, birds singing from the trees nearby. Shadows flitted over the ground as more passed overhead. Students were out on the green, including new first years being led by their patron on a tour of the grounds, enjoying a day's breather and the uncommonly serene weather.

"Where's lunch going to be?" Gale asked.

"It's by the library, today. Most of the usual spots are taken."

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