Chapter 44

Aelia

I stood at the precipice of destiny, my entire life seemingly leading up to this one moment. Which was completely insane. It was only the second Ethereal Trial, and yet, it felt like so much more. The training field sprawled before me, morphed into a brilliant display of light and shadows. Our task today was simple: to navigate through a labyrinth that constantly shifted between solid and ethereal states using light and shadow manipulation.

Drawing in a deep breath, I attempted to still the wild thrashing of my heart. For the past several days, I'd been ingesting small amounts of misthorn root in a, perhaps, foolish attempt to dampen the spell holding my rais hostage. The side effect had been unpleasant, but now four days later, I managed to function without spewing the contents of my stomach on a daily basis. And my reluctant rais was blooming.

Now, I only hoped it would be enough to get me through this maze.

Are you ready, Aelia? Sol's voice soared across my subconscious an instant before the flap of his mighty wings whooshed overhead.

I suppose I must be, right?

You are more than equipped to handle this trial, little Kin.

If you say so.

Just remember the true peril is not from the maze itself, but rather from its other navigators.

Right. Because today, one member from each of the eight teams would run the labyrinth at the same time. The first one out would receive a generous bonus to their score, while the last one would be disqualified and sent home.

"First-years, are you ready?" Headmaster Draven's voice boomed across the field. He stood at the top step of the Hall of Glory with our professors surrounding him. I couldn't keep my treacherous gaze from scanning through the rainbow of robes for a certain Shadow Fae professor. With the exception of class, he'd kept his distance as of late, which I'd convinced myself was a good thing. I needed the extra time to train with Sol anyway. Flying with my dragon had become my new favorite pastime.

Draven pointed to the azure sky above and traced the air with his fingertip. A gilded sundial appeared, the light illuminating half of the circle. "Initiates, you will have thirty minutes to complete the trial or forfeit your spot at the Conservatory."

Rue appeared beside me and tugged me into her arms. "Good luck, today, Aelia. I know you can do this!"

"Thank you," I murmured softly, hoping none of the other Fae would hear.

She darted off as quickly as she appeared, vanishing into the crowd of students gathered to watch the show. All eight of us were lined up now, each to enter the labyrinth at a different point. With how quickly the walls moved, I wouldn't be surprised if we all ended up in the same spot once we'd entered. As we were each from different teams, the rule of conduct did not apply. We were free to best each other by any means possible.

I glanced across the line and met a familiar pair of light blue eyes and short, blonde hair. Lucian. My fingers instinctively dropped to my dagger, brushing the metal hilt. I hadn't seen the Fae male who had attacked me this close up for months now. Every time we were in proximity of each other, he seemed to disappear. Today, that wouldn't be possible.

His lip curled into a sneer, eyes narrowing as he regarded me. I had a feeling that whatever, or whomever, was keeping him away from me no longer mattered today.

"Initiates, the time starts now. May Raysa be with you!" A horn erupted following the headmaster's words and the scene blurred before my eyes.

Forcing my feet forward, I crossed the labyrinth's threshold and a wave of power skimmed across my skin. The marvel of magical architecture pulsed with life, the ethereal walls crafted from rais and nox transitioning from solid forms to mere wisps of mist.

I took one step, then another, the walls slipping away as fast as I blinked. The path underfoot glowed faintly, lit by an internal luminescence that pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat. How in Noxus's name was I expected to navigate this thing?

A murky cloud of shadows loomed ahead and the hair on my nape bristled. I slowed, gingerly maneuvering around the corner.

"Out of my way, Kin!" A female with plaited silver hair barreled past me, knocking me to the ground. An instant after she disappeared into the whispering shadows, a scream erupted. My heart lurched up my throat, but I crept closer all the same, keeping my back pinned against the wall of light. As I loomed closer, a pit appeared, concealed by shadows. "Hello?" I shouted into the void. "Are you okay?"

No answer.

Calling on my rais, I summoned a flicker of light in my palm, then dropped it down the bottomless hollow. I followed it down, deeper and deeper, until the flame was swallowed up by the darkness. The girl was gone.

An unexpected pang seared my chest, but I shoved it down and forced my legs to keep moving. If I didn't want to suffer a similar fate, I must find the end of this moon-cursed maze.

The thick scent of magic permeated the space, calling to my own unenthusiastic abilities, as I followed the gilded path. Thanking all the gods I'd seen the Fae female fall, I avoided the shadows when they appeared, trailing only the light. Bright bursts of light solidified paths, locking them in place, while deep shadows caused the walls to dissolve, opening new routes or closing old ones with a whispering hiss.

I wandered through the meandering shadows and glittering light for what felt like hours, but when I hazarded a glance at the sundial overhead, only a quarter of an hour had passed. Stars, there wasn't much time left and I was no closer to discovering the end of this maze than the true cause of my finicky rais.

Turning a corner, I hit a solid wall of alabaster and muttered a string of curses. Muffled voices seeped from the other side, one I clearly recognized because it starred in my nightmares for weeks after Lucian and Kian's attack.

"Forget the Kin," a male voice hissed. "Let's get out of here. You already saw what happened to Rutelia."

A prickle of goosebumps cascaded across my flesh, and suddenly, I was extremely thankful for the solid wall between us.

"She was weak and compulsive, and I am neither. I'll find the Kin and still make it out in time. If you doubt your own prowess, then go."

"I hope to see you in the winner's circle, Lucian."

"Coward," he muttered.

I refused to linger to overhear more. I needed to find a way out of here before I crossed paths with Lucian. Doubling back, I hit yet another immoveable wall. "For Fae's sake," I hissed. A sliver of shadows coalesced from the ether and unease slithered through my insides. Spinning around, I darted down another path.

The shadows followed, a familiar presence pushing against my own powers. I stopped midstride and whirled around, fully expecting to find my moody professor lurking in the hazy mist. But only his dark minions remained. They slithered closer, and this time I didn't run.

A tendril of night slipped around my neck and another wave of goosebumps rippled across my flesh. "Use your rais to slip through the walls, princess. You're wasting precious time." Reign's rushed whisper brushed across the shell of my ear.

"Where are you?" I hissed.

"Not inside the maze, if that is what you are thinking. That violation would be a grave one, and I would be a fool to risk it. Now stop the chatter and do as I say."

The shadow glided down my arm then hovered in the air expectantly.

"Okay, okay, I'll try." Wonderful, now I'm speaking to a shadow.

Spinning back in the direction of the wall where I'd overheard Lucian and the other Fae male, I raced across the golden path. The immense barrier of pure, immoveable alabaster stone towered over me. Reign's shadow henchmen followed, zipping up and down the wall beckoning me closer. Couldn't they just shadowtravel me to the end of the maze? That would certainly make things easier.

"There you are…" Lucian's voice raised the hair on my nape. He stood only yards away on the other side of the wall which was no longer solid. Only a whisper of light stood between us now. Pressing his hands together, a sphere of brilliant rais pulsed between his palms.

Curses, not now!

Slivers of darkness curled around me, inciting a spark of energy in my depths. "Right, I understand. I'm supposed to use my rais. Now, get off me." I tried to yank off the ghostly bindings, but my fingers slipped right through the shadows. "Oh, for Fae's sake!"

The annoying little creatures of darkness whirled around me, faster and faster until they practically vibrated as Lucian loomed closer. The hair on my arms prickled and streaks of energy coursed across my flesh. The flare of power blossomed, pure rais pulsing from my core and expanding to my fingertips.

My head whipped back and forth between Lucian and the towering structure, and my hands moved of their own volition. Sparks of golden light flared along the tips of my fingers and liquid lightning coursed through my veins. I threw my hands out and a wave of pure light exploded from my palms, vibrating the air with an intense cacophony of wails. I clenched my teeth as the sharp keening sound ravaged my eardrums. The wall trembled, quaked, and a few shards of alabaster came loose, white dust dribbling on my nose. I glanced up and Reign's shadows zipped by, pummeling into me.

I staggered back an instant before an avalanche of alabaster rained down. Shards of stone and rock pounded to the ground and the earth trembled beneath my boots. I barely managed to get the radiant orb up in time before I was buried in the rubble. Through the safety of the shield, I watched as the enormous wall crumbled, a mixture of shock and awe battling it out in my insides. From the corner of my eye, I caught Lucian scrambling away as the storm of boulders and debris hit the ground.

Once the dust settled, I rubbed the fine soot from my eyes and peered through the gilded shield encircling me and beyond the wreckage at my feet. What the stars?

Row after row of the mystical labyrinth had toppled over. Nothing but piles of ash remained of the luminous maze.