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A lot of the other students were sitting forward now It was clear that while soht outside the gates, or knew because they had been there, a lot of theuess at what Rufus was about to say Call could see a bunch of Silver Year students leaning over toward Alex, one of the, Do you knohat this is about? He shook his head at the the back down, but his expression was thunderous

"I am happy to announce," Rufus said, "that we have discovered the existence of a Makar, here at the Magisterium Aaron Stewart, will you please rise?"

Aaron stood He was dressed in his black uniform, and the skin under his eyes looked bruised with exhaustion Call wondered if they’d let hiht about how s led away froh he was one of the taller kids in Iron Year

There were several audible gasps in the audience and a lot of whispering After looking around nervously for a moment, Aaron started to sit back down, but Master North shook his head and

Ta worriedly between Master Rufus and her parents, silent and thin-lipped Call had never been so glad not to be the center of attention It was like all the people in the roo Aaron with their eyes Only Tamara seemed distracted, probably worried that her fae and beat Master Rufus with a stalactite

One of the Assembly members had coe When Aaron spotted Ta his eyebrows as if to say This is crazy

Call felt the corners of histo sit beside Master North in the space Aaron left Master North leaned over and whispered so to Master Rufus Rufus nodded Of all the people in the room, Master North seemed to be the only one who didn’t look at all surprised by Master Rufus’s speech

"The Assee Aaron Stewart as having an affinity with chaos ic He is our Makar!" The Assembly member smiled, but Call could tell his s back whatever he wanted to say to Master Rufus; none of them seemed to have liked his speech Applause broke out at his words, though, led by Tamara and Call, who staaestured them to silence

"Now," he said, "it is to be hoped that all of you understand the importance of the Makaris Aaron has a responsibility to the larger world He alone can undo the daht, free the land from the threat of Chaos-ridden animals, and protect us from the shadows He must make certain that the Treaty continues to be upheld so that peace can prevail" At this, the Assembly member allowed himself a dark look in Master Rufus’s direction

Aaron sed visibly "Thank you, sir I’ll do my best"

"But no difficult path is walked alone," the Asseoing to be the responsibility of all of your fellow students to look out for you, to support you, and to defend you It can be a heavy burden to be a Makar, but he won’t have to bear it alone, will he?" On the final tords, the Asseain, this time for themselves, as a pro into one of the pockets of his unifor it before Aaron "We’ve been hanging on to this for reat honor to be the one to give it to you You will recognize this as an affinity stone, one you earn when you gain Mastery of an element Yours is black onyx, for the void"

Call leaned forward to get a better look, and his heart began to thud dully Because there, cupped in the Assembly member’s palm, was a stone that was the twin of the one in the wristband his father had sent to Master Rufus Which ed to a Makar There had been only two born in his father’s lifetiht have belonged to -- Verity Torres or Constantine Madden

He stopped clapping His hands fell into his lap

CHAPTER NINETEEN