Shards of Silver

FOUR

Isren felt like she lost herself in a blur of confusion and the sorrow that kept biting at her heart just seemed to fill her. Her and her squadron were not seated back with the audience, no, they were led towards a vacant room backstage before hesitant claps came from the crowd. The room was small with only a few chairs and a table standing in the middle with a landscape portrait of the town hanging on the wall. 

Yelling could be heard outside of the room even through the other side of the closed door. It didn't matter how hard Isren strained her ears to catch the words, she couldn't recognize the voices. The yelling wasn't calming and in fact, it made her nervous.

"I can't stand this," the ruby-haired girl spoke up as she stood from her seat. Isren had to crane her neck to look at her. "I'm Aerelle Deyrin."

"Isren Castennali," she spoke with a low voice.

"Calvan Meribane," the boy said, disinterested. He didn't make eye contact.

Aerelle smiled, almost wickedly as she placed her hands on her hips. "Now that introductions are out of the way, how did you get chosen as a Valirus?"

That was a good question and it was the same one Isren did not have an answer to. She shook her head as she spoke. "I have no clue. I'm just as confused as you are."

"But the court knows everyone's fate," Aerelle said the words with questioning curiosity. "Did they make a mistake?"

Calvan, who had been standing beside Isren's seat and leaning against the wall, bristled. Even Isren was shocked that Aerelle had the guts to question the court out loud like that even if Isren was thinking it herself.

"Don't say that," Calvan growled with a warning. "You'll have us kicked out before we can even begin."

Isren had to turn her entire body to look at him. She saw his red irises flash with frustration. He noticed her looking at him and he raised an eyebrow in question. Isren turned away again.

Aerelle didn't seem to heed his warning. Instead, a mischievous glint entered her eyes as she poked Calvan. "Look at you, defending the court. No wonder you were originally chosen as the leader. You fit the job."

Calvan's expression hardened at her words ad he glared at her. He got away from her poking finger.

"You still haven't answered my question, sweetie," Aerelle said over her shoulder to Isren. She flashed her a grin.

Isren let out a sigh before answering, "I'm not going to say anything against the court but ideally, yes there is some kind of mistake in all of this."

"You could be committed for treason against the court," Calvan whispered. Aerelle didn't say anything, simply grinned and didn't bother to hide it.

"Well I can assure you that there is no Esteral marking on me. Do you want me to pull down my sleeve to show you?" Isren stood from her seat, facing them. "There was no flame, no light, no shadow. There was nothing coming from my hands when I touched that gem, and everyone knows that gems created by the Greaters will reveal any magic."

The Greaters who made no mistakes in the stories that were told throughout all the different courts. Greaters who made sure that the future generations would live in peace despite the different magics. Greaters who had lived during the times of old, ancient magic that was possibly the most powerful in all of Axcia, their land. Greaters who were either going to bless Isren with some kind of magic or simply help her humiliate herself. She didn't want to know what they were planning.

"Maybe you're just a late bloomer." Aerelle's lips quirked to the side in amusement. Isren's own lips were stretching to the beginning of a smile even if her own heart was still aching.