The Council of Five was the governing body not only of the Venandi but of the entire continent. At some point, it had been decided that those who risked their lives to save the world should also have the power to rule over it as if that would help minimize the risk. It seemed to have worked, and no one truly complained, though there had been rumors that the Council contributed to the forward momentum of the War with some of its underhanded and clandestine decisions, which would have explained her parents' utter distaste for them with the exception of Chey. As three of its members died in the War, and with Chey now as High Councilman, Alisa hoped it would be enough to right whatever potential wrongs the previous Council had committed, especially against her family.

"They say High Councilman Chey is the youngest Imerai ever to lead the Council."

The red-headed young woman sitting next to Alisa leaned in closer, her voice a low whisper.

Alisa glanced around, just to make sure she was speaking to her. "Is that so?" she asked, her voice just as hushed.

The stranger nodded. "However after the War, with the death of Thayn, it was decided he was most deserving of the position. And that's Zeud and Ostoa," her neighbor informed her. "The only two surviving Council members from before the war."

Alisa watched as an older bald man in robes and a woman in a billowing top and pants with grey hair pulled back tight into a bun each took their seat on either side of Chey.

"There were still some remaining questions about their part, which is why neither of them was promoted. Talura and Blase were appointed after the war, but there was much deliberation over their familial ties that the decisions took longer than expected."

Alisa watched two younger Council members take their seats. A woman about Alisa's mother's age with flowing brown hair in a fitted dress sat on Zeud's other side. A man about the same age with cropped blond hair in what looked to be close to fighting leathers sat next to Ostoa. All wore the same grey and white hues similar to Chey.

"What family ties?" Alisa asked, still distracted by the entering Council.

"Well, they needed to make sure there wasn't another Rousseau on the Council, as Chey was Alara Rousseau's Imerman. And they certainly had to make sure there wasn't going to be a Pacquette."

Alisa tried her best to hide her reaction upon hearing her grandmother's name. "What's wrong with the Pacquettes?" she asked as she turned to face her.

The girl blinked. "Other than their family line more or less created the War in the first place?"

"I.... did not know that."

"How did you not know that? Eldora Pacquette all but sold her soul to a Prince of Hell in exchange for the Venandi secrets! They say that's the reason Azima went through the Rift in the first place— to expose the spy and save the Parish."

No, Alisa had not heard that story before.

"Who knows what would have happened if Eldora succeeded."

"Or if Azima hadn't sealed the Rift, yeah?"

"Exactly." The young woman smiled. "I'm Leyani. Leyani Michaud."

"Alisa." She didn't know why she hesitated. "Rousseau."

Recognition flashed in Leyani's gaze. "Are you related to Azima?"

Alisa's heart pounded. "You could say that."

Leyani mouth opened and she looked as though she was going to press further.

"Presenters approach," a booming voice echoed through the chamber, and Alisa was grateful for Chey's interruption as he addressed the hall of would-be Initiates.

"That's us," Alisa told her newfound companion.

"See you after then," Leyani promised with a smile, and Alisa wondered if this unexpected warmth within her chest was what it meant to maybe have a friend.

Urging Bren to move from the bench, the two made their way to the end of the forming line down the central aisle of the meeting hall. Potential Venandi and Imerai alike stood with their families, waiting to be presented. Alisa and Bren found their spot and waited, and with each step closer she felt the stares of the presentation's observers boring through her.

You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else. Perhaps even more so.

Chey was right, but she wasn't going to use him to justify her being there either, so she looked anywhere but at the Council waiting at the front of the hall.

And found her attention drifting back to the blue-eyed, black-haired Imerai from earlier...

Who, again, was watching her. Intensely.

"Do you know him?" Bren whispered close, noticing her admirer.

"No, I don't." Not yet anyway.

As if he could hear her thoughts, the unknown man gave her a smile that made her toes curl and her cheeks flush and now she looked anywhere but at him.

Soon enough, they were next to be called, and Alisa's chest tightened. There were so many people packed into the one room, and all of them were looking at her. Staring at her— judging her. The daughter of the Venandi all they owed their lives to, who didn't even know who her father was. Who wasn't allowed to train with real swords. Whose mother protected her so efficiently that it seemed as though no one knew who she was or that she even existed.

Just that she was standing there, with her brother at her side, and no one to present them to the Council.

"Present yourself."

Alisa looked up at the Council. The one Leyani named Zeud was standing, looking at her with cold eyes with an even colder tone while the one called Talura remained seated as she wrote names within a large tome on the table before her. Ostoa and Blase remained sitting and Chey—

"I present to the Council young Bren, of Northwick," Chey announced, moving forward to stand with Alisa and face the Council.

Zeus raised a brow, robed arms crossing over his chest. "Isn't he a little young to be presented as an Imerai, High Councilman?"

"He is not here as an Imerai. He is here to be accepted as a Cleric."

"Family name?" Talura asked, without looking up from her scrawling.

"Rousseau."

A murmur of awe circulated throughout the hall. Alisa watched her brother from the corner of her eye, his head bowed and cheeks flushed. He hated this as much as she did.

"And what about her?" Ostoa chimed in, frowning in Alisa's direction as though she already fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

"She is Alisa Rousseau," Chey announced, almost proudly. "Azima Rousseau's heir."

Another murmur followed this time, but one more of recognition and perhaps even surprise. The looks on the Council's faces varied. Zeus's was one of disgust while Ostoa's frown deepened. Talura looked up from her book with a smile and Blase's seemed of bewilderment.

"The Savior of the Rift has had an heir this entire time and never sent her to the Parish?" Blase observed.

"Azima had her reasons," Chey said.

"And Azima herself could not even present her heir personally?" Ostoa sneered.

"You and I both know her choice. And the agreement the Council made with her. And we have respected it for the last eighteen years. We are not going to disrespect it now."

"Well, I do hope she doesn't expect any preferential treatment because of that name," Zeud said dismissively, his attention already focused on the family behind them. "Present yourself."

And that was that.

Chey nodded and led Alisa and Bren out the nearest side door, looking as irritated as Alisa felt.

"They really do not like us, do they?" she murmured to Chey once they stepped out of the room.

"As you said— they're jealous," he said with a slight smile. "But now you know what you're up against, and what you need to prove to them."

"That the Rousseaus don't take the Council's shit?"

Chey's smile beamed. "Exactly."

"So what now?" Bren asked, shifting slightly on his feet.

"Now, I will take you to the Master Clerics and introduce you personally. They'll show you to your new rooms, you can make yourself comfortable and wait until your training begins."

"And me?" Alisa chimed in.

"You will wait," he informed her. "The presentation will end, the new attendees will gather with the ones that were already here and you'll begin your training. Every day. For the next month."

"Sounds wonderful," she murmured.

"You wanted to come, remember?" He winked.

She rolled her eyes and turned to her brother. "You're going to be fine, you know that right?"

"I know," Bren confirmed, looking at her. "But it's you I still worry about."

"I can handle a few nasty stares," she assured him.

"It's not the stares that I'm worried about. Stares can't hurt you. Stares can't cut flesh and break bones."

"Hey." She put her hands on her brother's shoulders to make sure she had his complete attention. "I can cut flesh and break bones just as good as the rest of them, remember?"

"I know," but he didn't sound convinced.

And nothing she would be able to say in the few last moments they had before they parted ways was going to change his mind either. So instead, she pulled him into a tight hug. He squeezed her back but said nothing else as he stepped away.

Alisa looked to Chey who gave her a nod. "He's going to be a lot safer than you are."

"I know. Let's keep it that way."

The High Councilman led Bren down the circular hallway, and Alisa stood there, watching them until they were out of sight. Only then did she let her shoulders sink.

No matter what happens... don't ever let them see you cry.

She wondered how many times she was going to have to remember her mother's words of warning before the month was up.