The door stayed closed for a long time.
Elara sat on the floor, back against the wall, a wooden toy held between her hands.
It was simple. The edges were worn. One piece spun when she pushed it with her finger. The sound was small. A short scrape that started and stopped.
She spun it.
Stopped.
Spun it again.
The light from the window shifted slowly. Too bright at first. Then slanted. The square on the floor slid until it no longer reached the toy.
Elara moved to follow the light.
Her knee bent without protest.
She bent it again, slower this time, waiting for something that didn't come.
The toy spun.
Stopped.
Noise rose in the corridor.
Footsteps.
Far at first. Then closer. More than one rhythm layered together. They stopped on the other side of the door.
Elara went still.
The toy slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dry sound.
The door opened.
The two tutors entered first. Together. Too fast. They stopped near the wall without coming farther in.
Behind them, the two hunters crossed the threshold.
Elara didn't lift her face right away.
The air in the room shifted.
"Sit," said a voice she had heard before.
She sat.
The toy stayed on the floor, forgotten near her foot.
The man reached into his pocket. Took out a folded cloth. Opened it carefully. Inside, a small metal object, plain enough to be overlooked.
"Yesterday you fell," he said.
Elara nodded.
"Where?"
She pointed to her knee.
"Did it hurt?"
"It hurt."
"Did it bleed?"
"It bled."
The other man watched in silence, arms crossed.
"And today?"
Elara looked at her leg.
"It doesn't hurt."
The man tilted his head slightly.
"Did you do anything after?"
"No."
"Did they put anything on it?"
"No."
"Did you sleep?"
Elara hesitated.
"I slept."
The man nodded once.
He brought the metal object close to her hand.
"Hold out."
Elara did.
Metal touched skin. Cold. Nothing else.
The man waited longer than seemed needed. Then put the object away.
The other man took out a small blade. It didn't shine. He set it lightly against the tip of Elara's finger.
"Stay."
She stayed.
The blade pressed. A minimal cut opened. A drop formed slowly.
The drop fell onto the cloth the man held.
It shone.
Brief. Uneven. Too alive.
The tutors drew in air at the same time.
The men watched.
Waited.
Nothing but the glow.
"Does it hurt?" one of them asked.
"It hurts."
The cloth pressed the finger. The blood stopped too quickly. The man folded the cloth and put it away.
They exchanged a short look.
Neither spoke.
The first man turned to the tutors.
"Watch her at all times from now on."
The words landed plain.
"Keep her separated from the other children."
One tutor nodded too fast.
"She could frighten the others," the man added. "Or confuse them."
They didn't look at Elara when they said it.
Elara didn't understand.
They turned.
The tutors stepped aside. The men passed. Boots moved away down the corridor.
The door closed.
Elara stayed seated on the floor.
Her finger burned faintly. Her knee remained too quiet.
One tutor came closer and picked up the toy from the floor. Set it back into Elara's hands with too much care.
"Stay here today," she said, low.
The light at the window was already weak when the door closed again.
Elara spun the wooden piece.
The sound was the same.
Outside, the day had passed.
And night was already coming in.