Shale couldn't quite comprehend what'd just happened. One moment, all was just as it'd ever been and in a matter of minutes, it'd changed forever. Her feet carried her, of their own volition, into the prayer room.

SanMother Luriene turned at the sound of her footfalls. Her smile dissolved. "What are you doing here, girl?"

SanMothers Zeera and Matiera were next to spot her. Their expressions became portraits of inquisitive rage, but Shale stared beyond them, into the town.

"Don't you dare, girl," SanMother Zeera said. "Don't even think about it."

But it was this very challenge that woke something in her, a fire that spurred her into action. As quickly as she could, she pelted for the door.

Luriene reached out, but her fingertips only brushed fabric as Shale pivoted to the side. Zeera and Matiera came together in the middle of the aisle, as if to form a wall, but for a split second, there was a gap between them.

Just as she had in the clearing, Shale dropped as dead weight. As soon as her body hit the floor, she rolled, squeezing through the two hapless SanMothers. When on the other side, she pushed herself back up and continued her momentum. Soon she was through the vestibule doors and kicking up clouds of dust as she ran through the main thoroughfare.

Onlookers, who'd moved roadside, into alleyways and atop buildings and stalls to clear a path for the Kersaja, watched her now. It took her some time to realise why they stared. It wasn't until the thunder in her ears abated that she realised she was shouting. The knowledge of it did nothing to stop her. She continued yelling, right until the Kersaja were in earshot.

Eventually, one by one, the procession stopped and turned around.

"What's this?" Mastari Farin said.

Shale slowed to a walk. All the townsfolk were focused on her; many whispered and pointed. A few were even laughing. Upon seeing that, it took everything in her power to hold back the tears as she closed the gap between her and the Kersaja.

Mastari Farin took her in, as one might view a wounded animal, concerned but unsure how to aid it. "Is all quite alright, little girl?"

Little girl? Was that what she looked like? Just a dramatic little girl, unable to control her emotions? No, she had to have a warrior's heart.

Shale balled her hands into fists and steeled herself. "Take me with you."

This caused a fresh flutter of laughter to travel through the onlookers. Some of the lightboys even joined in, including Marus and Palaris, who she'd always considered almost-friends.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to come with you. I want to be a Kersaja."

And that was it. It was as if before, she was warming up the crowd with light antics and now the court fool had reached her punchline, the crescendo of her act. Silverwood rang out with riotous laughter. Beaming, Shale wondered if she could just keep walking forward and disappear into the depths of the Arinoa Sea.

"You're a lightgirl?" Mastari Farin asked.

"Yes."

"And you want to join the Kersaja?"

"Yes." What was so hard to understand about that?

"Why?"

"Because it's honourable and I want to help."

He frowned. "But you're already in honourable work."

"No I'm not."

"But you are. Due to our recruitment, there will be a shortage of Lightservers in the next generation. More than ever, we will need our SanMothers to act as spiritual conduits for the Hekkari, to give the people prayer and guidance."

"I don't want that," she shouted. "I don't want to hide in a monastery, lighting candles and taking confessions while my friends are fighting."

The crowd didn't laugh this time. They fell as quiet as lightchildren during supper.

Mastari Farin wore an expression like he'd been slapped. It was clear he was unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner. Only his fellow Kersaja saw the funny side. Their armour shook as they attempted to suppress their amusement.

"Well, if you knew your Hekkari Codes, you'd know that girls cannot join the Kersaja."

Before she could think of a reasonable response, there came the sound of clattering feet behind her. Turning, she saw the three senior SanMothers had finally caught up to her.

"We apologise profusely, Mastari," said the red-faced SanMother Zeera. "This one has always been the wilting stalk of our crop."

"That's quite alright, SanMother." He raised a placating hand. "This isn't the first time our recruitment has caused distress among the gentler sex."

Gentler sex? Just put a sword in her hand then she'd show him the gentler sex. SanMother Zeera reached out for her, but Shale wrenched away. "But I can fight." She searched the lightboys until she found those familiar emerald eyes. "Tell him, Alashar. Tell him that I can fight as well as any of them."

The other lightboys nudged and teased Alashar.

"I'm sure you're a fine sparrer, young one, but that has little relevance. Not even the Haeryn is exempt from Hekkari Code."

There was a sinking stone in her stomach. The steel within her was replaced by jelly. As her warrior's heart fled her, tears flowed, running down her cheeks.

Having enough of the spectacle, Alashar pushed out from the lightboys and Kersaja, and came to her.

"Please, Alashar, tell him I can-"

Her words were cut off by his embrace.

Her muscles relaxed into the hug. Her tears soaked into the shoulder of his tunic. In a quest for the right words, she found the worst ones. "I don't want you to go." She hated herself for speaking them. How could she be so selfish to deny him his dream?

He squeezed her tighter, as if needing her as much as she did him.

"I know, Shale. Eleven, I know. But we were never going to be friends like this forever. I'm thirteen. I'd only have two more years in the monastery before they sent me to an elegantry to finish my training. What we had was everything to me, but this day was coming."

Finally, it was out. In the same way most people ignored death, the pair of them had never openly acknowledged the fact their friendship was destined to end prematurely.

"I thought we had more time." Bragan, the colourful leaves and sun of the forest seemed a hundred years ago.

"Me too. I'm so sorry, Shale, but I never wanted that path. You know that. Could you imagine me as a Lightserver?"

She laughed at the idea of him clad in an overflowing robe the colour of red wine, wearing a midnight blue sash, with hair down to his waistline, braided with beads and woven with flowers. The very image of him singing holy hymns amid a cloud of incense was like picturing a hound, wearing a crown and ruling a kingdom.

Once she told him that, they stood in the middle of town, hugging and laughing together. How could she still laugh when her heart was breaking?

"It's hard to explain, but I know deep down this is what I'm meant for. I'm meant for the sword, not the sash."

She couldn't disagree with that.

"I have to save the world, don't you know?" he said, chest puffed out as he did his haughty Kersaja impression.

She lowered her head, no longer finding it so funny.

"But once all is safe," he whispered in his normal voice, "Once it's all put to right, I'll come back for you. I promise."

The world beyond his shoulder sparkled and blurred through her tears. She blinked, trying to banish them. "I believe you," she whispered back.

"I understand your close friendship," Mastari Farin said, walking up just behind Alashar, "But we really must be going, young one. It's time to leave this life behind."

"Yes, Mastari." Alashar detached himself from her and favoured her with one more, lingering smile, before he turned and rejoined the procession. That was when Shale realised there was a wet patch on her shoulder too.

She stood there, in the middle of the dusty thoroughfare and watched as lightboys and Kersaja continued their march toward the harbour. The heart of a warrior, she told herself, she must have the heart of a warrior. She forced herself to stand tall and powerful, trembling only when she felt a hand grip her shoulder.

When she turned, she saw SanMother Zeera's pale eyes, staring down into hers.

But rather than relent, rather than be dragged back to endure her punishment, Shale remained for a few more minutes, rooted to the spot, and watched as her best friend boarded the White Nimbus, to leave Silverwood forever.