Velara suddenly exclaimed:

  "Before I answer your question, my favorite student… tell me—where did the Elan I was holding just moments ago go?"

  The three young students froze, caught off guard.

  Lucanis frowned.

  "What do you mean, Master?"

  Velara blushed slightly, wriggling in place like an embarrassed teenager.

  Lucanis repeated, perplexed:

  "…Master?"

  "Aaah, I love it when you call me that. It gives me a certain aura, don’t you think?"

  She immediately pulled herself together, cleared her throat, and regained her seriousness.

  "You heard me correctly. Look for the Elan I manifested. It’s somewhere in this cavern."

  She gave them a sly smile.

  "I’ll answer your questions at the same time. Go on."

  She pulled a chair out from under the table, sat down casually, and watched them with amusement as they began to move.

  While her students searched the cavern for the hidden Elan, Velara resumed speaking.

  "To answer your question, Kael… as for what happens after the Trial, it’s simple: you’ll be assigned to the Academy."

  She crossed her legs and continued, relaxed:

  "It’s a kind of school where you’ll be taught how to handle Elan in its most rudimentary and essential forms, so that the Revealed can reach the Channeler stage as quickly as possible. Well… when I say 'you,' I mean you and Lucanis. The princess already has private tutors capable of teaching her everything there is to know."

  Kael lifted his eyes toward Althéa. She did the same. Their gazes met briefly… then she looked away, almost reluctantly.

  Velara went on:

  "If she came to the Institute, it wasn’t to learn, but to socialize. Contact with the outside world—with the 'common folk,' as they’re called—is rare for someone of her rank. And yet, it’s essential. She needs to understand this world for her future reign to be legitimate and prosperous."

  Kael resumed his search, eyes on the ground. A faint bitterness rose to his lips.

  "I understand…"

  He immediately pulled himself together and went on, more pragmatically:

  "And how long does the program last?"

  "Between six months and a year, I’d say," Velara replied. "It all depends on your mastery of Elan."

  "Between six months and a year?!" Kael repeated, eyes wide. "That’s insanely long! How am I supposed to get back to the workshop? I have a job!"

  Velara shrugged, an amused smile on her lips.

  "Don’t complain. The Academy is an idyllic place for someone your age. Everyone who’s been through it keeps excellent memories of it."

  Kael narrowed his eyes, still unconvinced.

  "And after that? What kind of… 'professional' prospects are there, if you can even call it that?"

  Velara adopted a thoughtful expression, as if rummaging through her memory.

  "Well… you could become a bodyguard, an Overdrawn hunter, a scholar, a detective, even an explorer—for the more daring ones. And there are plenty of other professions I don’t even know about."

  She paused, then added in a more solemn tone:

  "The prospects are promising. And if you succeed in your Trial and obtain your diploma from the Academy, you’ll be considered part of the elite. Not just of the kingdom… but of the world."

  Velara went on, a sly smile curling her lips:

  "I won’t answer any more questions until you’ve found the Elan."

  The three students had been staring at the ground for quite some time, searching every corner, every crack.

  Althéa, visibly irritated, straightened up:

  "There’s clearly nothing on the ground. What kind of trick are you playing on us, Velara?"

  But Velara looked away, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

  Althéa clenched her teeth. Reluctantly, she continued, her voice slightly hoarse, as if the words burned her mouth:

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "…What kind of trick are you playing on us… Master?"

  Velara blushed and rejoiced inwardly, delighted.

  "Who told you it was on the ground? Were you not listening earlier at all? I told you to feel. Not to stare at the floor like idiots."

  So they started again—this time focusing on their sensations. Eyes unfocused, they moved slowly through the cavern, stopping here and there to feel what surrounded them.

  Lucanis, more methodical, extended his arms around him, using them like sensors. Then, suddenly, he stopped short.

  "It’s right there."

  He pointed at a wall in front of him.

  Velara applauded.

  "Well done! A good point for Lucanis!"

  She smiled, then went on:

  "Now tell me—what answers do you want? Ask your questions."

  Kael spoke up without waiting for the others:

  "You mentioned a diploma you obtain at the Academy. But how do you actually get it?"

  Velara nodded.

  "Generally, it’s merit-based. They take into account what you’ve accomplished over the course of your training. The Academy is an elite institution, Kael. Nothing is obtained easily there."

  Kael shrugged, his tone ironic:

  "Of course. Everyone knows that everything the elite possesses was hard-earned…"

  He added with a sly smile:

  "And when you say 'generally,' that means there are exceptions?"

  "A very pertinent question," Velara replied. "Yes, there are other ways to obtain your diploma."

  She stood up, as if to give more weight to her words.

  "One of them is to distinguish yourself in the manipulation of Elan. If you are far above the others, you can graduate even before the end of the curriculum."

  "And the other?" Kael asked.

  Velara crossed her arms, a touch theatrical.

  "Winning the Conclave."

  Kael raised an eyebrow.

  "The Conclave? That sounds… lethal, if you ask me."

  Velara chuckled.

  "Nothing lethal, no. Well… under normal circumstances."

  She paused, her gaze growing more serious.

  "The Conclave is a kind of tournament. All Trame Bearers are placed at the Academy three months after the end of their Trial. As I told you, the curriculum lasts between six months and a year—it all depends on when the authorities decide to hold the Conclave. To put it simply, the Conclave is an unconventional but highly effective way to push the Revealed toward Channeling as quickly as possible."

  Velara called out to them again:

  "Keep looking for the Elan. I’ve hidden it somewhere again."

  They resumed their search, more focused than ever.

  Velara, still seated, continued her explanation in a detached tone:

  "The Conclave takes place every year. It’s a very popular event. A lot of people travel to attend it."

  Kael raised his hand, curious.

  "I have another question, Master—"

  But Velara raised her own hand in turn, cutting him off sharply:

  "No more questions. Find that Elan first."

  They all went back to it, this time imitating Lucanis: arms outstretched, legs stiff, moving forward like disjointed puppets.

  Velara burst out laughing, doubled over in her chair.

  "You should see yourselves, seriously! You look completely ridiculous!"

  Althéa clenched her fists, furious, and strode quickly toward Velara, ready to lash out. She was stopped by Lucanis, who restrained her calmly, and by Kael, who added:

  "She’s not wrong…"

  They resumed their search. But despite their efforts—nothing. No trace of Elan.

  Lucanis finally raised his voice:

  "Master, I think you lied. There is no Elan here."

  Velara raised an eyebrow.

  "But I assure you, it is here. Keep looking."

  The group persisted, again and again, exploring every corner of the cavern. Then, without warning, Althéa lunged forward and dove into the basin at the foot of the waterfall.

  A few seconds later, she emerged from the water, dripping.

  "I’ve found it, Master. It was in the basin, stuck to the wall."

  Velara applauded, radiant:

  "A good point for the princess! Well done!"

  Kael hurried to raise his hand, excitement brimming with curiosity:

  "Master!"

  Velara straightened slightly, taking on her role as instructor very seriously.

  "Tell me, my dear student."

  Kael then asked, his tone a little more measured:

  "I wanted to know… are there more Fragmented or Unyielding?"

  Velara answered without hesitation:

  "There are more Unyielding. An overwhelming majority of Trame Bearers are, in fact."

  She went on, one hand resting on her chin, thoughtful:

  "I’d say that roughly ninety percent of Trame Bearers are Unyielding."

  Kael, Althéa, and Lucanis exchanged a surprised look.

  "Only ten percent are Fragmented?!" Kael exclaimed.

  "Exactly," Velara confirmed. "It’s very rare for a disturbance to be deep enough to seep into a bearer’s subconscious, shape their nature… and trigger their Trial."

  Kael frowned, unsettled.

  "But… what could I possibly have, then? I’ve never had any trauma, or anything like that. I really don’t see why I’d be Fragmented…"

  They all turned toward him, surprised.

  Althéa broke the silence, slightly hesitant:

  "Wait… you’re Fragmented, Kael?"

  Lucanis added immediately:

  "I always thought you were an Unyielding in the making. I’ll admit, that surprises me."

  Velara interjected, a sly smile on her lips:

  "An Ombrevu bearing a Fragmented Trame… you’re a rarity, my boy. But I’m not truly surprised either."

  Lucanis looked at her, intrigued.

  "Why is that, Master?"

  Velara leaned back in her chair and replied calmly:

  "Growing up in an environment as unstable as the Broken Crown… That can only encourage a Fragmented Trame to emerge."

  Lucanis then raised his hand.

  "Master, I have a question."

  Velara replied at once:

  "I’m listening. Go ahead."

  "How do we actually expel Elan from our bodies?"

  "I’ve always wondered about that. Manipulating it once it’s inside us, I understand. But extracting it… that escapes me."

  Velara looked him straight in the eyes.

  "I’m not going to explain it to you."

  Her tone was categorical.

  Lucanis, surprised, asked:

  "Why?"

  "Could you explain music to a deaf person?"

  Lucanis paused, then slowly nodded.

  "Hmm… yeah. Fair enough."

  "Alright," Velara said as she stood up, "find the Elan again."

  They went back to it without arguing. One minute. Ten. An hour. Two. Still nothing. Yet none of them doubted her word. They searched again and again, convinced the Elan was somewhere in the cavern.

  Meanwhile, Velara ate calmly, occasionally throwing mocking remarks at the three relentless students.

  Then three hours passed. The sun began to sink, bathing the entrance of the cave in an orange glow.

  Kael finally sat down, exhausted.

  Althéa saw him and snapped, irritated:

  "That’s not how we’re going to find the hidden Elan! Get back to work!"

  But Kael didn’t listen. He remained there, sitting cross-legged on the damp rock, eyes closed.

  Suddenly, without warning, he extended his arm behind him.

  Straight toward the hidden Elan he had suspected had been moving around them for quite some time.

  And everything blurred.

  Silence fell upon him—absolute.