21. Amber

The Abbot's eyebrows arch,his gaze sharpening even more.

I wait for him to tell us we have the wrong place, or that he has no idea what we're talking about, or to kick us out entirely.

"Very interesting," he finally says. "Please, come with me."

Without another word, he leads us back inside the monastery through a narrow, winding passage. I glance at the others, but none of us speak as we pass a series of ornately carved doors and stop before one that's open to a room bathed in soft, natural light.

There's an altar with a large Buddha perched in the center, candles burning by his feet.

Three people—tourists—are wandering around the room.

At the sight of the Abbot, one of them sheepishly stashes her phone into her bag mid-way through taking a selfie.

"The monastery is closed for the day," the Abbot tells them.

The girl checks her watch. "I thought we had a few more hours?"

"As I said—we're closed for the day." He fixes her with a serene gaze that somehow feels threatening, and after the tourists hurry out, he turns back to the four of us. "I'll get the others. Wait here."

"What others?" I ask, but he simply gives me a look of warning and heads out.

I frown and look at the others.

"Do you think this is our first test?" I ask, studying the room for any clues about what we're supposed to do.

"Unsure," Damien says. "If it is, I suppose it could be a test of patience."

I groan, since I hope not.

Patience is a virtue I definitely don't have.

"I hope it's straightforward." Blaze walks up to the Buddha, looking at him closer. "A fight, or a test about how well we can use our magic."

He brings out his dagger and examines its sharp blade, as if he can't wait to try it out now that it's supposedly invincible.

Morgan's standing in front of one of the columns, running her fingers across its intricate patterns. "Somehow, I think they're aiming for deeper revelations than how well we can throw a punch," she says, but before we can speculate further, the sound of measured footsteps signals the return of the Abbot.

He's accompanied by eight other monks, including the one Morgan approached for directions, all of them in matching red robes. Some have stern faces carved from years of their disciplined lives, others with softer, more serene expressions.

"Thank you for your patience," the Abbot begins, his voice echoing ominously in the otherwise quiet room. "It is time for us to proceed to the location of your first trial."

He makes his way to a door in the back corner—one that blends into the wall so well that I didn't realize it was there—and opens it.

"We'll walk in a single file line, with my men positioned between each of you," he tells us, retrieving one of the lanterns near the Buddha's base. "Understood?"

I shift uneasily and glance at the others.

The only one who looks unfazed is Damien.

"Understood," he says, and the rest of us voice various versions of the same.

The door leads to a narrow spiral staircase that descends deep into the heart of the monastery, so there's no choice other than to walk single file. The walls are close—almost oppressive—and the air gets chillier and muggier as we make our way down.

I continually reach for the railing, needing something to steady myself and remind me that I'm not at risk of falling to a dark death.

None of us speak. Assumedly to respect the monks, since they're the ones leading us through their sacred space.

Then, finally, we reach the bottom of the staircase and stop in front of a small, wooden door. We're standing in a group now, and while the monks remain in their places between us, I'm finally able to look around at the others.

Blaze and Morgan are on guard. I can practically feel their fire magic ready to ignite at any moment.

Damien, however, looks paler than usual.

He's always so composed that it confuses me at first. Then, I look back up at the dark staircase that took us deep into the earth, and it hits me.

Damien's affinity is air. He's at home high in his skyscraper or flying in a plane… basically anywhere other than deep in the ground. The subway tunnels must have been manageable for him, since he's used to them, and since they're not that deep.

Now… I have no idea how far under we are. But when I try to think about it, I feel claustrophobic, too.

The sun is farther away from me here than ever before. It's suffocating, almost oppressively so.

Then, my light warms inside me, calming me.

Because yes, I'm energized from the sun. It helps me rejuvenate. But my magic is mine. It's here with me, nestled inside my soul, ready to bend to my command whenever I call for it.

I've got this.

The others do, too.

I'm snapped back into focus when the Abbot removes a keyring from his robe and unlocks the door. It creaks on its hinges as it swings open, and I hold my breath, ready for anything.

Luckily, nothing jumps out.

Walking through it is like stepping into another world—a dark, expansive chamber that feels both ancient and untouched. The air is thick with the smell of moss and earth, and as my eyes adjust, I notice the floor is marked with intricately carved sun disks, spread randomly through the room.

But I don't focus on the discs for long. Because a large door stands in front of us, its surface rough and embedded with a glowing crystal about the size of one of those big, bouncy exercise balls.

An amber crystal.

The Abbot faces me, his expression almost sinister in the flickering light.

I shiver, not breaking his gaze.

"The first trial takes place here," he says. "You must prove yourself worthy of journeying to find the Solar Scepter by using your sun magic to activate the portal." He motions to the door with the crystal, as if it's not obvious that it's the portal we'll be entering. "Unlocking the portal requires you to direct a beam of sunlight through a smaller crystal and into the large one on the door."

"Got it," I say, since given the nature of my magic, there's no reason I shouldn't be able to do this. "Should I do it now?"

"Patience, Star Touched," the Abbot says. "I've not finished laying out your task."

"Okay," I say, although my magic's pulsing through my body, ready.

"If you want your friends to join you on your journey… which I'm assuming you do?" he asks, and I nod, since I'm obviously not leaving them behind, and he continues, "Then there will be another element added to your challenge."

Morgan moves to my side, and I appreciate her support, given that Blaze appears more interested in staying as close to the door as possible, and Damien refuses to look at me.

The Abbot's gaze remains on me. "You and your friends will select a sun disc on the floor to stand on, while holding smaller crystals," he says. "You'll use the reflective properties of the crystals to direct your sunlight not just through the one you're holding, but through theirs as well, connecting your light to the large crystal on the door so it can empower you all."

"Like reflecting light off mirrors?" I ask.

"Exactly," he says, and he looks around at the other monks, who are waiting along the sides of the room. "Hand the crystals out to the participants, and we'll get started."