She woke up after dark. Malkia, curled up in a chair beside her bed, stirred as soon as Inoua moved to get off the bed.
"You're awake! That's a relief. They said you passed out soon after Zaed was rescued. Are you hungry? "
She wanted to say no but her growling stomach betrayed her.
"I'll have the maids bring you your dinner. I asked them to keep it warm for you."
"Won't you get into trouble?" She asked.
"Oh. As long as she doesn't spot me everything will be alright." Malkia gave her a conspiratorial smile. She smiled back.
The meal arrived quickly and she eagerly devoured it.
Suddenly, having gathered her courage, she dared to ask, "Sister, what would you do if I don't make it through the trials?"
Malkia's face grew grave. "Don't speak like that. Of course you will succeed and ascend to patroness."
She sullenly nudged the food around her plate.
"Do you want to talk about what happened?"
She opened her mouth, wanting to tell Malkia everything; the voice, the threats it made and how powerful it was. Yet all that came out of her trembling lips was a silent whimper that betrayed the fear in her heart. Malkia gathered her up in her arms and hummed soothingly as Inoua finally broke down in tears. She vented out her fear of the future, fear of the threatening voice she couldn't tell anyone about, the cold distant utilitarian relationship with Vata Luika and the rejection and disgust of her partner in the selection.
"Oh, Inoua. It's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
Malkia rocked her gently, humming a familiar tune as she cried her heart out.
Finally, after her emotions stabilized and her cries turned into thirsty hiccups, Malkia set her back down.
She finished up eating in silence, her eyes drooping heavily with sleep. The exertion of the day and unexpected emotional outburst had drained her completely. Malkia picked her up and held her, the warmth and exhaustion drawing her to slumber. As Inoua dozed of she heard Malkia's voice.
"Such a burden on your shoulders. Don't be afraid Inoua. You always have me by your side."
When she woke in the morning, Malkia was gone again.
Breakfast was the usual silent meal. Having composed herself, she followed Vata Luika to the study thereafter.
"What happened at the lake?" she asked
"What did he say happened?" Inoua asked back.
Luika sighed. " He says he fell in accidentally after getting too close to the edge. That you tried to save him and after you were unsuccessful, went to call for help."
That liar
"Yes. That is exactly how it happened."
Luika sighed deeply. "Although no one was seriously hurt, I have to give an explanation to the Isi family about this incident. So please be honest with me. Why were your clothes dry when you went to call for help?"
Silence
Another sigh. "I can't help you if you aren't honest with me."
"Can I change partners?" she blurted out.
"Why?"
"Can I?" she pressed.
"No. It's too late. The remaining six have all been paired off. You will have to face the trials together."
She paused, hesitant. Then in a softer tone pressed again.
"What happened at the lake?"
Inoua wavered. "He tried to hurt me. He wanted to push me into the water but I dodged and he fell in himself."
There was a look of disbelief on Luika's face.
"Why would he do that?"
"He said – he believes I am a fake."
" That scoundrel Isi. I knew I couldn't trust him but he was the only one willing to pair with you on account of…" her voice trailed off.
"My lack of a gift," She said.
"Yes. But why would he try to eliminate you knowing your fates are tied to each other?"
They looked at each other with dawning realization.
"Because he himself is a fake!" they said at the same time.
"Damn." Luika slumped back in her seat. After a moment of silence she spoke.
"I'm sorry Inoua. I seem to have made a big mistake. I will try to find you a different partner, but you must be aware that should I fail you may have to fight alone. Having to be vigilant against your partner alongside the rest will make the already difficult task much harder. But I do believe in you."
Her piercing gaze, filled with apology, vulnerability and hope.
Inoua was not too frazzled by the realization. She had been fighting silent battles alone since she was in the shell. Trust was not something she handed out easily. What she needed to focus on was training to become stronger. Twenty years of preparation seemed like a lifetime.
Vata Luika's voice drew her out of her reverie. "That was not the only reason I called you here. The council alongside the church have decided to set up a special Academy to train the candidates in a unified manner for the next few years. It is a boarding school like Malkia's."
An opportunity to meet the other candidates and assess their strengths against her own. She was a little excited and apprehensive
"When will I leave?" she asked.
"In a fortnight. Until then you shall continue your studies as is. Try and learn as much as you can from your instructors."
"Who is allowed to come with me?" She asked.
"Every student is allowed to bring one assistant with them to the school. No guards or maids allowed. I will arrange for a suitable list of candidates for you to pick from."
"Thank you, mother."
After leaving the office she wandered the halls aimlessly, her mind turning over the events at the lake.
She had observed that her spars with the voice made her mental power a degree stronger when facing others of the same level. Her abilities trumped theirs until they were exhausted and she became more vulnerable to their abilities. Three times was her current limit.
She was suddenly eager for the voice to appear more often that she may hone her strength against its sharp edge.