BELINDA

BELINDA Belinda's place at Arcane Acre carries the weight of her past. She is teaching beside Sela, someone with whom she has a long and hostile history. The school asks readers to see her in a position of responsibility for young people, and the students don't all accept that without questions. The first evening gives her a smaller, more personal challenge. Shang asks her to help Skye because Belinda understands what it means to feel isolated. She approaches Skye at dinner and tries to encourage her to talk to the others. It doesn't magically fix the problem. Skye is worried about how everyone will see her, and Belinda can't remove that fear with a few reassuring words. But the scene gives Belinda something constructive to do with an experience that has caused her pain. The early school material also lets Violet challenge her over who she used to be. A new role doesn't erase an old history, especially for people who have reasons to distrust it. Belinda has to live in that uncomfortable space while trying to demonstrate that her decisions now can be different.