By the time the yard filled, the wind had settled and the talk had not. People stood in clumps under the notice boards, waiting for Pierce to pin the results. You could hear the wagers in the way some nobles breathed—tight and hopeful—and the way the first-years shifted—ready to brag if the ink agreed with them.
Pierce walked up with a slate and a stack of sheets. He didn't clear his throat. He didn't smile. He pinned the top page with two firm thumbs.
"Ridge Relay results stand," he said. "Sector penalties applied. Unsafe discharge is recorded as such. Coordination and restraint were scored higher than spectacle, as written."
Eyes went straight to the list.
Cael Veyron — first. No one argued.
My name sat under his. A few people blinked. A few others swore under their breath because they had lost money. Elara landed third. Marcus fourth. Ariadne fifth. Aldric found his rank halfway down the sheet with a red mark beside his name: unsafe discharge; anchor damage; caution.
