The mention of Ariana Merdin's name did not draw the same kind of stunned reaction that had followed Erica Roswell's rise or Lucian Kellor's continued presence in the top ten. The hall did not break into murmurs, nor did many students turn with visible surprise toward the auburn-haired girl standing among them.
But that lack of reaction was not because they thought little of her, not anymore. Months ago, some might have looked at Ariana and seen only a delicate girl with glasses, gentle smiles, and a mind far more suited to books than battle.
Some might have assumed her high position had come from theory, magic aptitude, or the novelty of being a Primordial rather than anything she could actually prove when left alone.
Now, after the past months and especially after Nalim, that assumption had become harder to hold. Ariana had not risen in rank, but remaining within the top ten after an assessment like this was not something anyone could dismiss lightly.
