Chapter 40

Aelia

The following day continued as if nothing had happened. As if Arcanum hadn't skulked onto our campus and stolen our students' lives. No one cared that we had lost nearly a dozen Light Fae the night before, or that their bodies were already being shipped home to their families in sun-cursed blessed urns.

Heaton stood in front of our squad in the Hall of Ether, his battle wounds already on the mend thanks to our talented healer. Only two of his classmates had been killed, the majority of the dead having been unseasoned second- and third-years. He'd been speaking of the Ethereal Trials for a while now, but somehow, I could not seem to focus on his lengthy monologue.

"We will begin with Ethereal Light Sculpting, as it is one of the easier trials. The point of the exercise is to mold and shape pure Light energy into intricate sculptures or structures, demonstrating control and creativity."

"That should be an easy one for you, Aelia." Rue nudged me with her elbow. She sat beside me, doodling on the parchment spread across the desk. My roommate had already started studying for the Celestial Glyphs exam last night, while I'd been too consumed with guilt to do anything but wallow in the warm baths.

"Aelia?" My friend speared me with her pointy elbow again.

"Right, yes, easy."

Nothing ever seemed easy with my rais. One day my insides blossomed with power, and the next it was an empty void. But Heaton was correct, light manipulation should have been an easy one to begin with.

I scanned the massive auditorium in search of a certain temperamental Shadow Fae, but Reign was nowhere in sight. I convinced myself this was for the best after yesterday's outburst. I hated how cruel he could be, how easily he could take a life, even if it was to save my own.

Symon flicked Rue's braid and signaled at the parchment. "Shall we study tonight? Celestial Glyphs is one we should all pass easily, even you my little round-eared friend."

I threw him a good eyeroll, but the edges of my lips curled all the same. He was right. The written tests were the ones I'd likely excel in since they mostly only required memorization and little rais. I'd already mastered a few of the celestial glyphs, which imbued us with additional strength: the ability to hear at great distances, throw our voices, and other such useful abilities.

"Or are you too busy training with your gorgeous, broody professor?" Sy waggled his brows and heat ravaged my cheeks.

"Not too busy," I hissed. "And don't you mean our broody professor?" I couldn't very well tell them what happened with Reign and the Shadow Fae yesterday, which I hated more and more each day. I had never been good at keeping secrets, and hiding things from my only friends was painstaking.

"Let's begin," Heaton announced. "You'll have two days to prepare for this trial, then on Wednesday, you will present to Professor Gleamer. Each team will receive points for their display, which will count toward your final scores for the Ethereal Trials."

"Let's do this, ladies." Sy scooted his chair back and leapt up. Radiant light illuminated his palms, and as he twirled them around, a dazzling display lit up the back of the chamber.

"Show off," I muttered.

"Oh, come on, little Kin, show us what you can do." He threw me a playful smirk. "After all that after-hours practicing, you must have something to show for it."

Flashing my teeth, I sent my friend into a fit of hysterics. When his laughter finally fell away, I pushed myself out of my chair and drew in a deep breath. Come on, Aelia, you can do this. My skittish rais still only preferred to make an appearance when I was truly in danger—or apparently, on Shadow Fae soil. If I had any hopes of passing the trials, I needed to find another way to coax out my reluctant magic that didn't require Reign's assistance. I'd become entirely too dependent on my professor.

That is true. Sol's voice interrupted my internal musings.

Are you listening in on me?

Trust me, it's not on purpose. I'm still new to this body, and it will take me a while to build my mental barriers.

So you can hear everything? Oh stars, my lusty thoughts too?

Yes, those too.

A flare of embarrassment coated my cheeks, and I was certain my face radiated a rosy hue. Luckily, my friends were distracted and paid no attention to the internal conversation with my dragon.

Sol, it's complicated with Reign… Goddess, I couldn't believe I was trying to explain this thing with my professor to a dragon. It felt worse than having to admit the truth to Aidan.

I'm well aware, Aelia—likely even more so than you.

What does that mean?

I suppose you'll find out when the time is right.

Sol? Sol?The connection cut off and a snarl pursed my lips.

"Everything all right, Aelia?" Rue waved her hand about an inch from my nose.

"Yes, sorry, just checking in on Sol."

Rue's expression turned downright swoony. She was so smitten by her Pegasus it was adorable. "I chat with Windy nearly all day. The connection we share, it's just incredible."

"Griff is quite the chatterbox too," Sy added. "If he's not sleeping or hunting, he's prattling away. It's rather distracting, actually."

"At least you're lucky that your skyriders remain on campus. Sol is so big and his appetite so uncontrollable, he's forced to nest in the surrounding Alucian Mountains." It was pitiful, but I missed him. For the short week he was a dragonette, he slept at the foot of my bed.

"He's a dragon, what did you expect?" Sy shrugged as he tossed a sphere of pure light between his palms.

"Less talking, more training," Heaton called out.

Rue whirled on her brother and rolled her eyes. "We are!"

Our team leader marched toward us and I muttered a curse. I hadn't summoned an ounce of rais since we'd been here chatting.

Heaton's warm cobalt eyes chased to mine, and an encouraging smile curled his lips. "Let's see what you've got, Aelia."

Pressing my palms together, I visualized the goddess's power igniting and flowing through my veins. A flicker of energy sparked, and I attempted to fan the flames. The feeling sputtered, then died all together.

Curses.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried again, searching for that mystical power. Even beneath my closed lids, I could feel Heaton's expectant gaze. Gods, I would never get this! A prickle of ice skated across my nape, a chill coursing up my spine in response.

"Now that your bond has formed with Sol, you can draw upon his power when yours fails." Reign's deep tenor sailed across my eardrum. My eyes snapped open and I searched the auditorium for my professor. He emerged from the shadows in the far corner of the hall an instant later, his penetrating gaze intent on me.

"Aelia, any progress?" Heaton's question jerked my attention back to the male standing in front of me.

"Sorry, just another minute."

He nodded, a patient smile on his face, unlike the one of the Shadow Fae glaring at me from across the chamber. Closing my eyes once more, I focused on the shimmery strands linking me to Sol. I imagined drawing from that powerful force and amplifying the tiny embers buried deep in my core.

The flicker immediately burned brighter, and I summoned the energy to my palms. Opening my eyes, I released a breath of relief as a brilliant glow lit up my fingertips.

"Good, Aelia," Heaton purred. "Now let's see what you can make with it."

I started slowly, molding the luminous light into a small sphere, then a larger one. Sol's energy blossomed, filling my chest with warmth. The sphere grew, encapsulating first me, then Heaton, and extending over Rue and Symon.

"It's a radiant shield," Rue exclaimed as she poked at the shimmery edges.

"Excellent, Aelia. That's quite a shield, but I'm asking for something else. Create an object, something that can take physical form."

Right. After spending the past few months at the academy writhing with jealousy over Reign's umbral blades, the idea came easily. Moving my palms, I twisted the light until it formed the shape of a weapon.

Symon let out a low whistle. "Aelia and her daggers…" He chuckled.

Daggers… plural. A faint memory niggled at the back of my mind. I hazarded a glance at the dagger strapped to my waistband and something felt wrong. Only one? And this wasn't the first time something felt off.

"Nicely done!" Heaton clapped, jerking my attention back to the ethereal dagger I held between my palms. "Now, let's see if it will hold." He motioned to the alabaster column behind Rue.

Focusing on the weapon hovering over my palm, I wrapped my fingers around the ghostly hilt and felt substance beneath my skin.

"Now throw it."

Excitement thrummed through my veins as I pulled my arm back and released. The glowing dagger flew end over end and plunged into the column with a satisfying thwack.

Rue spun at me with a beaming smile. "You did it!"

"Looks like all that extra practice with Professor Reign is paying off." Sy's light eyes sparkled with mischief.

As if Symon's words had summoned him, or he was using his shadows to eavesdrop on the conversation, Reign stalked up to our semi-circle. His eyes chased to the glowing dagger hanging from the alabaster. "Well done," he murmured.

I dipped my head, my cheeks heating for some unknown reason. Maybe because his praises were so infrequent—or worse, because his mere proximity had me flustered. "Thank—" I snapped my mouth shut before the whole forbidden phrase was out. "The last-minute tip was… helpful," I murmured instead.

"That's what I'm here for."

"Well, whatever you are doing with Aelia, keep it up, professor." Heaton patted Reign on the shoulder and the Shadow Fae stiffened, his entire body going as taut as a bow. His shadows vibrated around him, that aura darkening, and I wondered if anyone else was as attuned to his sudden change of mood.

"And you, Aelia, keep practicing." Heaton rewarded me with a warm smile. "If you continue in this direction, you'll pass the first trial with flying colors."

"And then the next and the next!" Rue added.

"Then we'll finally get to celebrate the Winter Solstice once the dreaded trials are complete."

"Winter Solstice?" My thoughts flew back in time to my arrival at the academy. Reign had mentioned it would be at the end of the term. I'd nearly forgotten all about it.

"It's a huge celebration," Rue replied. "It's part of our Fae ancient traditions, marking the longest night and the rebirth of light. It is a time when we honor the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, acknowledging the darkness but celebrating the return of the light. There will be music and dancing, and so much food and wine you'll explode!"

"Sounds lovely."

Reign smirked, his dark eyes flashing.

"It typically occurs right after the Ethereal Trials and before the final battle with Arcanum," said Heaton.

That didn't make sense. "Why not celebrate at the end?"

Heaton's easy smile fell away, and his gaze swiveled to meet Reign's dark one.

"Because not many survive to the end."