" ...choose Edith Roswell."
Sheila blinked once, caught off guard by the specific name.
"Edith?"
"Yes."
"Why her?"
"In my eyes, she is second only to you when it comes to leadership among the second-years," Liam said. "She is reliable, composed, and less polarizing than me. Students are more likely to accept her beside you without turning it into a statement."
Sheila looked down thoughtfully.
Edith Roswell was not the loudest student in their year, nor the strongest, nor the kind of person who drew attention by force. But Liam's suggestion was not careless. Edith had a steady presence, a sense of responsibility, and a way of giving instructions that did not feel like domination. She had helped organize students after Nalim, quietly but effectively, and Sheila had noticed more than once that others listened to her without much resistance.
'He is right,' Sheila thought, though the admission came reluctantly. 'She would be easier for others to accept.'
