“Some of my colleagues have asked whether the result of the duel should be accepted,” Prodominus said, glancing at the Dogmatic wing. “They question whether Centarch Tanax, once he knew your panoply belt had failed, could have fought at full strength.”

“He offered me the chance to yield,” Maya said. “I refused, and accepted the consequences.”

“Even so—” a woman on the Dogmatic side began.

Prodominus held up his silencing hand again. “The Council questioned Centarch Tanax fully as to his state of mind at the time.”

“And he said he was holding back?” Maya felt her fury boiling over. Of course. “Don’t you think—”

“Centarch Tanax,” Prodominus interrupted, “confirmed that he fought to the best of his ability, as was his duty to the centarchate, in spite of your vulnerability. He asked that the result of the duel stand.”

The Dogmatic woman crossed her arms, disgruntled, and her companions looked equally unhappy. On the Pragmatic wing, there were quiet smiles.

Maya prickled uncomfortably, her triumph soured by the frustrating feeling of being in Tanax’s debt. No. I shouldn’t owe him for doing the right thing. The exhausting part, she reflected, was that he would probably agree.

“Therefore, as dictated in the founding rules of the Twilight Order and the Inheritance, the Council recognizes your skill and courage,” Prodominus went on. “You are hereby granted the rank of Centarch of the Order.”

I’m … Maya blinked. That’s it? Just like that?

Everyone was staring at her, and she realized she was supposed to speak. Maya coughed.

“Thank you, Kyriliarch. I am honored by the Order’s trust.”

Prodominus continued. “As you know, tradition dictates that new centarchs receive a cognomen from their masters. With Centarch Jaedia’s absence, that duty falls to us.”

Maya tensed again, waiting for the Council to stick in the knife. A highly respected agathios would receive a cognomen held by many centarchs before them, the more prestigious the better. One who was in disfavor might get a ‘virgin’ name, with no prior lineage. She could guess which of the two someone who had challenged the Council was more likely to receive, without a master to speak for her.

To her surprise, though, Prodominus fell silent, and Baselanthus spoke up.

“Jaedia was my own agathios. In spite of what she stands accused of, I have always believed in her. She told me what cognomen she intended to grant Maya, on the completion of her training, and I shall honor her wishes.” He cleared his throat. “The Council names you Centarch Maya Burningblade.”

Burningblade. At first Maya thought she’d misheard, especially since the murmur around the edges of the room swelled to a quiet roar as soon as Baselanthus fell silent. The name was on everyone’s lips. Burningblade.