Chapter 51

Aelia

Chaos exploded before the last word fell from Draven's lips. Blasts of light illuminated the sky as radiant shields and solar flares burst from the ether. I was barely able to summon my own protective barrier as one of the first-years from Scorch team zipped by on his hippogriff and shot a blistering ray in my direction.

Sol banked left, angling his wings toward the earth, and avoided the brunt of the flash. More importantly, my shield held. Without the steady dosing of misthorn root, I'd feared my rais would remain hidden. Apparently, the thrill of battle had coaxed it to the surface.

"Incoming!" Rue shouted as another Light Fae barreled toward us, a torrent of prismatic light hurtling through the sky. Again, Sol managed to maneuver his massive form out of the way, but he was nowhere near as fast as Griff or Windy. The weapons made of pure rais sailed just over my head, and I released the breath I'd been holding.

After what felt like only a few minutes, a sharp screech echoed across the mid-air arena and my head whipped over my shoulder toward the sound. A female had been thrown from her skyrider and plummeted to the ground.

"Someone help her!" I shouted toward the mass of first-years from Burn Squad. She was their teammate.

Rue threw me a pity-filled smile when no one moved.

Except for her ligel. The creature dove after her but with an injured wing, it just wasn't fast enough.

Another horn blasted, this one a lower pitch, with a decidedly more somber tone. I already knew what it signified without dropping my gaze to the lush field below. The Light Fae female was dead. A mournful, beastly cry ricocheted through the chaos, only exacerbating the tightness in my chest.

What will happen to her skyrider, Sol? My thoughts flitted through the bond.

The ligel will mourn her loss for the designated mourning period of two weeks. If it does not bond with another during that time, then its soul will be recalled to Noxus's arms. Very few skyriders survive the death of their bonded.

That's so sad.

It is, little Kin.

Once the mournful cry subsided, the cacophony encircling me resumed, reaching a fevered pitch. Shouts, snarls, screams, and the clash of metal ripped through the air around us. Teeth, claws and wings flashed, and utter bedlam ensued.

If this was only a trial, I couldn't imagine how fierce the battle with Arcanum would be.

Let's move, Aelia. I would prefer to avoid these beasts if I cannot use my fire against them.

Only if they're a direct threat, Sol.

Fine. I could have sworn the big beast grumbled. He was just as bad as the Fae with their complete disregard for life.

"We're going to circle," I shouted at Rue before Sol's tremendous wings beat the air, propelling us higher up. As we ascended, I summoned my rais and drew the voice amplification celestial glyph across my chest. A swirl of light traced the movement of my fingertip as I formed the foreign loops and dots. "Can you hear me?" My voice boomed over the thundering flaps vibrating the sky.

Rue threw me a thumb's up from a dozen yards below, and I watched just long enough to see her draw her own glyph. At least that would help us hear each other over the chaos. I hazarded a quick glance over Sol's shoulder to see if Symon was doing the same, but instead I found him battling one of the first-years from Blaze Squad. Gritting my teeth, I prayed to the goddess to keep my friend safe, to keep my entire team safe, even the ones I didn't particularly care for. None deserved to die.

We circled for endless minutes as I watched the sundial. Move faster. Oh, please just let this blasted trial be over already.

Incoming! Sol's voice ricocheted through my mind in full blast. He swooped low, forcing me to clutch onto his wing bones to keep from tumbling down his neck. A deep growl rent the air, and I twisted my head over my shoulder to find Lucian on his monstrous ligel darting toward us. The creature's wings battered the air, and my heart catapulted up my throat.

"Go faster!" I cried out.

All you had to do was ask.

Now is not the time for jokes, Sol!

With one powerful beat of his wings, my dragon sprang forward, and my stomach smashed against my spine. Wisps of dark and light hair lashed against my face as the winds battered my body. Just overhead I could make out the edge of the radiant sphere, the topmost boundary of the flight arena. We soared higher and higher, until the air was so thin and icy, my lungs struggled to continue pumping. My head started to spin, and my thighs clenched around Sol's shoulder blades.

Please don't pass out, please do not pass out.

With a quick glance over my shoulder, I could just make out Lucian and his ligel falling back. Thank the gods. With Sol beginning to slow, I drew in a breath and relaxed my bone-crunching hold of the protrusions along Sol's wings.

Draw yourself a warming celestial glyph. It will protect you against the cold air.

Right, good thinking, Sol. I traced the air with my finger and a spark of warmth filled my chest.

As we continued to climb higher, the battle unfolded below, the frenzied melee of students across the sprawling campus. Already, more than half of the first-years had been eliminated. I glanced up at the floating sundial and already a quarter of an hour had passed. Only about twenty or so skyriders remained within the glowing parameters of the arena. I heaved out a breath and the puffy white clouds danced, twirling across my vision. Oh, no. Curses, I definitely should have spent more time flying at higher altitudes with Sol.

Bring us down. I'm not feeling very well.

Altitude sickness. You'll get used to it over time.

Maybe, but right now, I need to be closer to the ground or I may end up splattered against it.

Understood, little Kin. Hold on.

Angling his wings toward the earth, we began the descent. I narrowed my eyes and scanned the remaining competitors for Rue and Symon. My heart beat out a frantic pulse until my gaze landed on the familiar chestnut hippogriff and silver Pegasus.

Each of my friends battled other first-years, blasts of blinding light radiating all around them. Rue had conjured light spears and was hurling them in rapid fire at the male from Spark team. Symon and the female he sparred with flew circles around each other, their skyriders hissing and screeching.

The hairs on my nape prickled an instant before a shadow curled around my ear. "Aelia, watch out!" Reign's warning came an instant too late.

I spun around as Lucian dropped from the sky and landed atop Sol's back. My dragon released a roar of indignation as the Light Fae scaled his prickly spine and staggered toward me. "There's no one to protect you now, Kin," he snarled.

Releasing my dagger from its sheath, I stood up, facing Lucian and flashed him my blade. "I'm afraid you've got this all wrong. You are the one in need of protection."

"So arrogant for a lowly half-breed." He unsheathed his sword and staggered closer.

I almost laughed. He had no idea how right he was… only my other half was decidedly not Kin. Reign's shadow hovered in the air between us, a barrier of delicate smoke dancing on the blustering winds. I sprang forward, my blade clutched tight in my fist. A whisper of energy surged through my palm, calling my attention to the crystal encrusted within the hilt. A flicker of light flashed within the prism before it was swallowed up in shadow.

Lucian leapt at me, thrusting his sword, but his balance was off and he missed my chest entirely. Instead, his blade nicked my shoulder armor and rebounded off. I gritted my teeth and pressed forward, my own legs shaky as I scaled Sol's uneven spine.

I cannot buck him off without risking you falling. Sol's voice hissed across the wind.

I figured as much. Don't worry, I'll get him off.

Please be careful, Aelia.

Pushing aside the warmth flooding my heart from Sol's apparent concern, I slashed at Lucian's chest, and he leapt back with a snarl. His boot landed on a jagged spike, and he let out a howl as the barb pierced the sole. "Noxus's nuts!" he roared, staggering back.

Gritting his teeth, he twisted his head over his shoulder, clearly searching for his skyrider. The ligel circled, staying well away from Sol's reach.

"Just admit defeat and I'll let you go unharmed."

"Never," he ground out. "I will never run from you."

Raysa, why were Fae so gods' damned stubborn?

"Why must we kill each other when our enemy is across the river?" And to be quite honest, I wasn't even certain the Court of Umbral Shadows was our enemy…

"This is just how it is, Kin. You wouldn't understand because you did not grow up at court. You have no idea how our world works, which is exactly why you do not belong in it."

A feral growl ripped from his lips, and he lunged.

My radiant orb flickered to life an instant before his blade arced down. The broadsword bounced off the shield and sent him staggering back. I pressed my advantage and sliced at his chest with my dagger. He dodged the hit and parried, our blades clashing in a dark symphony. We pranced back and forth across Sol's perilous spine, each move a dance with certain death.

Sweat trickled down my spine despite the icy air, and my muscles burned from the strain. How much longer could I continue this mid-air battle? Fighting atop dragonback was nothing like my days training on the field with Aidan.

With my thoughts distracted by the past, Lucian sprang forward. His massive biceps curled around me, pinning my arms to my sides as we fell. A sharp sting lanced across my back as I landed on a cluster of spikes. I hissed out a curse, but somehow, I managed to keep hold of my dagger. I thrust it into Lucian's belly, and a cry rang out. Warm blood seeped onto my hand, and I released my blade as nausea clawed its way up my esophagus.

The Light Fae released me, sitting up to survey the wound. I crawled backwards, shimmying my behind along Sol's spine as Lucian struggled to pull my dagger from his gut. The ligel circled again, an ominous growl renting the air. "It's not too late," I shouted. "Just go!"

"No!" He wrenched the dagger free, gripping it in his hand, before slamming on top of me once again.

"Aelia!" Reign's shadow suddenly appeared again, carrying my professor's frantic voice.

Lucian had me pinned to Sol's vertebrae, his massive weight driving the spikes into my back. Blinding pain shot up my spine and stars sailed across my vision.

Cold metal pressed against my throat and a pair of icy blue eyes bore into me. "This is how you die, Kin, at the edge of your own blade." Lucian sneered down at me, the hatred in his eyes all-consuming.

The glint of the crystal in the familiar hilt caught my eye. The flicker of light grew brighter as he pressed it against my chest and the medallion hidden beneath my tunic warmed. Radiant energy coursed through my flesh, igniting my veins in fiery heat.

Sol, drop us!

No, absolutely not, Aelia.

I'm not asking. If you don't spin us off your back this instant, Lucian will kill me.

You'll die anyway.

I won't. You'll catch me.

Aelia… we've never practiced?—

Lucian moved the blade to my throat and I bit back a scream as warmth oozed down my neck.

Do it now!

The sneer on Lucian's lips vanished as Sol's wings pumped, and the enormous dragon flipped over.

"No!" Lucian's hands flew out, wildly grasping at nothing.

I felt it the moment Sol's spikes dislodged from my skin, tearing from my flesh.

And we fell.