Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

T he Vault of Sky was comprised of a series of buildings which all towered around a central triangular courtyard designed for us to practice our fighting drills and master our elemental magic away from the prying eyes of our enemies. Some of the rooms in the enormous network of chambers were dedicated to mastering the various uses of air magic, others designated for the living space for this year's neophytes. There was a library bigger than the ballroom at some of the lesser palaces in the air kingdom and a bathhouse which made the copper tub in my apartment at Wrathbane look little better than a bucket filled with slop.

There was one tower in this section of Never Keep, the eight floors having been assigned as sleeping quarters for around twenty, but I'd claimed it along with Dalia and Moraine, demanding that anyone wishing to join us bested me in combat to claim their space. So far, there had been no takers. We'd tossed the beds we didn't require out into the hallway for the Fae who were now left without anywhere to sleep to brawl over, though Moraine had kept a spare in case she wanted to sleep with a different view.

I cared little for the sport of taunting those too weak to demand their own quarters, but Dalia and Moraine had made a game of rushing through the corridors and scaring the shit out of them while they tried to claim some rest in their poor excuses for beds.

I'd spent my evening arranging my room on the very top floor of the tower to my liking, drawing the four poster bed across the chamber so that I would have a clear view of the door as well as one out of the eastern window. I liked waking with the sun, but I knew in this northern slice of the continent that the winter nights were far too long to hope for that.

In that way it was like Wrathborn, the daylight lasting a matter of hours in the winter then sprawling across most of the day and night throughout the summer months.

With snow already on the ground, I knew we would be lucky to enjoy eight hours of full sun a day for the next few months, less once we reached the deepest part of winter. It was one thing I didn't enjoy about our kingdom and one of the more selfish reasons I had for joining the raiding party aboard Ironwraith when I had first been given the option after my enlistment. The battles sought out from the voyages of the wandering islands were the most dangerous but joining them meant seeing the world too.

Once I had the furniture where it was best positioned in case of an attack – including moving an armoire close enough to the door to drag it in front of it while I slept – I had tended to my weapons.

A warrior is only as sharp as their dullest blade. The old mantra from my early battle training hummed through my thoughts as I tested my swords, daggers, the spear I didn't often use but loved like an old friend, and each arrow in my armoury.

My windrider sat beside the window, ready to launch me into the sky at a moment's notice should the want or need take me. Technically, I would be able to move through the air without it once I had mastered my air magic sufficiently, but I was confident I would continue to use it all the same. From the back of the windrider, I could speed through the sky firing on my enemies without needing to focus on the magic which was propelling me through the air. I would also be able to imbue the runes which powered it with magic of my own now, meaning there was no limit to how long I could stay airborn anymore.

I slept well enough, my bed comfortable if unfamiliar, but I had long grown accustomed to sleeping in new places and forcing my body to shut down to claim the rest it required. No nightmares had escaped the locked box of horrors which I shoved to the farthest reaches of my mind and when I woke, I felt ready to face whatever the day had to offer.

I padded across the cool flagstone floor, favouring the deep red rug when I could and tossing a new log onto the fire to stoke the dying embers.

A copper tub sat in the corner of the room behind an engraved privacy screen, but I hadn't seen any servants about the place to ask them to bring heated water up to fill it for me. I paused as my gaze landed on the matching copper basin which sat beneath a gilt mirror, a bent pipe positioned over it with a round knob on the top of it carved with what looked like an imbued rune; the same kind as stored power in my windrider. But Laguz was the rune for life energy, imagination, dreams…water.

Last night I hadn't been able to puzzle out what the thing was intended to do but my skin chilled as I considered the dark magic my Sage had warned me of. The wicked power she had trained me in was used for many things, some of which were rumoured to command power over the elements. To seek that knowledge was a blasphemy which would earn a swift execution for anyone foolish enough to attempt it, but when teaching me about the runes and their varying meanings, she had once whispered which of them had the potential to affect the elements aside from air.

I glanced over my shoulder at the still firmly closed door, reaching for the brass knob and closing my fingers around the cool metal. The thrum of power contained within the rune seemed to confirm my guess that it had been imbued with power and if my understanding of Laguz's potential meaning was correct then…

I sucked in a sharp breath as I twisted the knob and a jet of water burst from the spout beneath it, splashing into the basin and beginning to fill it quickly.

My skin prickled and I checked the door again, but this wasn't some hidden relic I had discovered and tampered with. It was simply an item in my room. An item which stored water magic.

The basin steadily filled until it threatened to overflow and I gritted my teeth, grasping the knob again and rotating it in the opposite direction, disabling the rune and stopping the flow of water.

I stared down at my rippling reflection for a moment then dipped a finger into it.

The water was cool and crisp like fresh mountain run-off. My throat was parched and I swallowed thickly, considering whether this might be some trap. But it seemed far too convoluted for that.

I raised my finger to my lips, inhaling deeply, hunting for the scent of poison before sucking the water from it. The taste was as clear as the liquid looked and I swallowed thirstily but refrained from taking more. I would wait to see if my body developed any adverse reactions before risking a further drink. I knew my poisons well, but there were a few which defied the clues of scent and even taste.

A deep ringing sounded from somewhere further into the Vault and I made quick work of dressing in my battle leathers, secreting six daggers about my person. We'd been told we weren't allowed to carry weapons when summoned to the common areas, but I'd be damned if I wouldn't attempt it. There were several rules in this place which the Reapers enforced, the most notable of which was that we couldn't kill the other elementals despite our feud, upon punishment of execution. But another was that there would be no leaving the Keep and surrounding island until our graduation.

There was only one exception to that rule, and I, as Sinfair, was it. If I was called to battle, I would be allowed to answer that call, but if anyone other than us left the Keep, their place here would be revoked. It was the intention of the Reapers to bless us by the stars during the six months that we were bound here, to ensure we all held equal chance in this unforgiving war, but there was no true equality in such things. Each nation prepared the strongest of their un-Awakened Fae for battle both before their time at the Keep and after, their tactics secret and ever-adapting. But only the kingdom of air sent those who hadn't completed their training at Never Keep into battle – and it was only the Sinfair who faced that fate. The crimes of our blood, be it by birth or relation to a Fae who had brought down such punishment on their future generation, we were the only magic-free combatants to ever set foot on the field.

I left my room and descended the curving staircase which carved a hole through the centre of our tower, making my way to the ground floor where Dalia and Moraine lounged on two of the deep blue couches that furnished the somewhat cosy space. There were rugs and tapestries, two huge fireplaces and a well-worn oak table with seating for twenty at the furthest end of the stone chamber. Clearly it was intended as a common area for the full unit this place was capable of housing, but the empty spaces suited me far better than the inane chatter of countless idiots.

"It's cold as a gnat's ass in this place," Dalia grumbled from her position with her legs slung over the back of the couch and her head hanging close to the floor, her short black hair brushing the dusty flagstones.

"Colder than that," I replied. "No gnats could survive this icy tundra."

Dalia sighed, flipping over and landing on her feet like a cat, which I supposed as a Chimera she technically was, at least in part.

"You look good, V," Moraine said, her assessing gaze roaming over me suspiciously, making it clear that was no compliment. "There's all kinds of innocent vibes clinging to you."

"I'm the picture of purity," I agreed with a shrug as though I had no idea what she was referring to.

"I count three," Dalia purred, flicking my forearm where I'd strapped a dagger out of sight beneath my leathers.

"Then there's bound to be more," Moraine accused but I scoffed dismissively and led the way out into the corridor beyond the tower.

A cold wind swept along the stone passageway, making the flames in the iron braziers flicker with a threat to go out.

It was too early for the sun to be up, but the eerie blue light caused by the snow coating the ground outlined the few windows we passed.

I took the lead, striding purposefully towards the Heart of Never Keep where the four nations would be forced to cohabit for meals, worship and instruction in the cardinal magics – the power which all of us had claimed alongside the use of our element.

We passed through the Vault of Sky, taking the most direct route and crossing through the lavishly decorated courtyard which held countless statues, idols and carvings dedicated to our zodiac signs and element, but was also so big that we would be able to practice both battle and magical tactics within it.

The archway denoting the exit to the Vault of Sky which led into the heart of the Keep was carved from a stone so pale it appeared white, a stark contrast to the black walls of the Keep. There were guards standing to attention around it just as there were no doubt guards barring entrance to the other Vaults too. We weren't allowed to kill each other here but obviously the real rule was that we couldn't be caught doing so. I had my list of targets from Dragor. I simply had to see them eliminated in ways which couldn't possibly tie back to me.

Most of the air conscripts had arrived ahead of us, the deep chiming of the bell still clanging away somewhere overhead as we all filed towards the Great Stair which sat at the very centre of the Keep.

Moraine barked a warning to those who hadn't noticed our approach and a pathway appeared to allow us through the masses.

A tense silence hung as we climbed the stairs, a line of Raincarvers marching up them at the same time, a foot wide division between us and them.

I kept my gaze ahead, ignoring the stares of our enemies while keeping my senses sharp and tasting their desires with my gifts so I would know if any of the bloodlust aimed my way spiked in preparation of an attack. The Raincarvers were a fierce people, their warriors cunning and known for their unpredictable natures.

The ceiling opened up above us as we stepped through the wide doors which led into The Galaseum and I allowed myself a glance up at the vaulted glass spires overhead which offered a view of the dark sky above.

A glimmer of green and pink announced the presence of the northern lights and I had to force myself to look away from them before I was captivated by their beauty. The Sky Witch didn't stare at pretty lights in the sky. At least not in public.

The diamond-shaped room descended away from us, a wide, flat space taking up the base beyond a banister of carved white wood. Stone benches rose away from it, creating an amphitheatre with four defined sides, the corners arranged to leave a clear gap between each of the warring nations.

Most of the seats were filled already but that made little difference to me. I led the way down towards the banister where the view of whoever planned to address us would be clearest, moving through the ranks of Fae in black fighting leathers which marked out the Skyforgers.

I didn't even have to say a word as I came to a halt before the three warriors who had already claimed the best position for themselves; they got to their feet despite their imposing statures, making way for our trio of beasts.

"I would trade all the gold in my family vault for a taste of your lips," the woman in the centre of the group said in a seductive voice, leaning in to grasp my arm.

Moraine had a dagger to her throat before I replied. "I'd suggest you unhand the Succubus," she warned while I gave the warrior a cursory glance. She was beautiful, I'd give her that, her lips full and figure fuller. I might have even been tempted if she wasn't so blinded by my allure and I wasn't now bound by my vow to Dragor.

"Another time," I purred, brushing my fingers against the satin skin of her cheek and feeling the rush of her desire as it stoked the furnace of power within me, a heap of her magic becoming mine just like that.

The man with her grunted an apology, dragging the woman away and I settled into her seat with a contented sigh.

"If you're looking to get laid then warn me, will you?" Dalia grouched as she took the seat to my left, Moraine dropping down beyond her. "I don't need to get caught up in a whiff of your seduction when you switch it on like last time."

"I'm well aware of the way you pounced on me like you'd been possessed by the spirit of a horny goat," I assured her, remembering how she had lunged at me and half gagged me with her tongue a few years ago.

"You turned that shit on while I was feeling vulnerable."

Moraine choked on a laugh. "Vulnerable? Your emotional range swings from bloodthirsty to murderous. You're about as vulnerable as a rabid wolf."

"And I didn't ‘switch it on', I was wiping guts from my knife at the time," I pointed out, wondering if I should confide in them about the deal I had made with Dragor. "I guess that's just what gets you going."

"Well it certainly did more for me than your knuckles colliding with my jaw did," Dalia grumbled.

"I was saving you from yourself. I know I'm not your type."

"Yeah. Your cock is too small," Dalia agreed.

I barked a laugh but it fell flat as a shadow loomed over me, forcing my eyes up to find Cayde lingering in the spot before me like he might actually be considering trying his luck in making me move.

"You really want me to show you up in front of all the other elementals?" I asked because I may have been pointedly ignoring the fire, water and earth conscripts so that they knew how little I was concerned by them, but I was well aware of their presence.

"Relax, sweetheart, I'm saving you for dessert," Cayde replied dismissively, hauling the guy on my right out of his spot and dropping into it smoothly.

His wings were out for some obnoxious reason and the thick leather of the one closest to me knocked against my arm as he made himself comfortable.

"Back off," I hissed at him.

"Worried your fan club will get the wrong idea about us?" he taunted, jerking his chin at the Fae who sat across the open space from us.

We were opposite the earth wielding Fae from Avanis, the Stonebreakers' rugged appearance indicative of the brutal existence carved out by the nation of war lords and ruffians. They were big bastards, not one among them even close to my small stature as I let my attention sweep over them. There were bulging muscles, thick scars and plenty of heavily-inked skin, marking their bodies with stories of their accomplishments if the rumours I'd heard were true.

Even in this place I could see the subtle divisions within their ranks, the scattered loyalties to the various crowns they coveted, meaning their alliance against the rest of us was never as cohesive as it should have been.

Likely it was why Avanis hadn't won the war already, because even I could admit they held the most ferocious warriors, their battle-hardened armies a force to be reckoned with. But it was their fractured leadership and chaotic governing system that let them down. They wasted time on infighting when they should have been utterly united against the forces beyond their borders, not squabbling like miscreants and costing themselves precious lives and land.

The front row of their section was made up entirely of male Fae, one of whom was drooling as he stared at me transfixed, the others caught between blinkless staring and gawping.

"I guess they don't get many Succubae in Avanis," Moraine sniggered.

"I wonder how susceptible they are to my power then," I mused, pushing myself forward and resting my forearms on the railing before me.

I smiled slowly, sinking into the depths of my power and focusing on the Fae opposite me as I reached out with my gifts and took hold of their mounting desires. Lust was beyond apparent and it was so easy to manipulate. I tugged, urging those emotions to heighten, encouraging them not just to lust after me but to hunger for a taste of my skin, to need me with a desperate yearning.

Several of them pushed to their feet, one knocking another onto his ass, curses rising angrily from their lips. I met the gaze of one of the biggest assholes towards the far end of the line and very deliberately winked at him as if we shared a secret.

The Fae who had been so set on staring at me descended into a chaotic clash of swinging fists and furious claims of my affections as their desire quickly turned to jealous rivalry and violence.

I sat back, smiling to myself as the Stonebreakers fell into a wild brawl just in time for the door at the base of the amphitheatre to swing open and six Reapers to emerge from the passage beyond. The Stonebreakers' desire for me, for glory, for the win, all fuelled my power until I was burning with the glow of it, my fingers tingling with the desire to unleash it once more.

"Fucking idiots," Cayde grumbled beside me and I gave him a heartbeat of my attention before looking diligently back to the Reapers.

"What is the meaning of this?" a cold voice echoed up from below, loud enough for all of us to hear but only because the Reaper had amplified his voice with magic, not because he had raised it.

Several of the Stonebreakers scrambled to disengage themselves from their brawls but a few of them seemed too far gone to even try and stop. It was rather entertaining.

A rush of magic struck the Fae who continued to fight one another and they dropped to their knees, clutching at their chests and throats, eyes wild with alarm, glaring over at the Skyforgers as if we were to blame for whatever was happening to them.

"If one cannot breathe, one cannot brawl," a female Reaper said serenely, her eyes sweeping around the room at the thousands of conscripts who peered down at her. Those at the back of the enormous amphitheatre were practically lost in shadow.

"She did it!" one of the earth warriors yelled, pointing at me where I sat innocently in my chair, a picture of composure and decorum.

"Did what?" I drawled.

"Marry me!" a man from water screamed, drawing the attention of the room to my right.

Dalia cackled delightedly but I didn't react in any way.

"Please suck my dick," another begged and then he was choking too, several others who had looked like they might be tempted to make declarations of their own falling back in their seats or from their chairs, panicking as the air was stolen from their lungs.

Tittered laughter and jeers broke out from the Skyforgers behind me, some of them praising the power of the Sky Witch, others simply sneering at the fools who had fallen for my power. Though they were no more immune to it than those in the surrounding tiers of seating.

"I wanna lick your toes," some asshole panted in my ear, his face pushing though the strands of my hair from behind.

My fist snapped up, driving into his throat with enough power to knock him back into his own seat and the Fae either side of him hastily yanked him away from me. I suppressed a shudder and cast a furtive glance over the Reapers to make sure they hadn't seen me do it.

"Ah, so it isn't all sunshine and orgies then?" Cayde asked, his wing brushing against my side in that infuriatingly distracting way.

"Enough," a Reaper growled from the heart of the group, pushing back his gold hood and I noted the four stars on his cloak marking his high rank. A true hush fell at last as every Fae in the room dropped their eyes to the ground.

"Praise the fading light," thousands of voices hissed as one, mine included. I hadn't expected a Grand Maester to be among the Reapers tasked with instructing us, his rank far superior to most of the Reapers I had encountered here so far. And by the horrified gasps and soft pleas for forgiveness, I had to assume no one else had either. It was sacrilege to disrespect any of the servants of the stars of course but Grand Maesters were said to converse directly with the creators of our fate and disrespecting one of them was tantamount to spitting in the eye of the heavens themselves. The only rank above theirs was that of the Cardinal Reaper himself who was practically a deity in his own right and leader of their order of worship to the stars.

"Those of you who prove to be so weak of will as to succumb to the Order gifts of those surrounding you will not make the cut for elevation beyond the walls of Never Keep," he sneered, his dark skin holding something of a papery quality to it, his vibrantly blue eyes blazing with accusation as they scoured every Fae within the room.

"Praise the fading light," many voices repeated as he finished but my lips had fallen still and I was simply watching the Grand Maester from beneath my lashes and between strands of pink hair.

"Enough of that. If you praise the light every time I utter a sentence then we will likely never progress beyond your basic induction. You are here because you managed to place at Never Keep – you passed the trials and claimed your elements and now tread the path all warriors before you have so faithfully followed for the countless years in which the Endless War has been waged. As you know, we have rules. You will not kill within these walls."

Muttering started up again but was quickly silenced by the sharp gazes of the Reapers in their pristine cloaks.

A few of the Stonebreakers who'd had the air stolen from their lungs collapsed as they lost consciousness but no one moved to help them and more continued to pass out as the Grand Maester went on.

"Today is about understanding the path. Tomorrow you will be tasked to walk it. So, back to the rules. Beyond the point of midnight, all conscripts shall return to their allotted Vaults. On the first day, third day and fifth day, of each week you will attend Astral Sanctuary. Instructions on the cardinal magics – meaning the use of your power without the interruption of your element such as silencing shields, concealment, amplification, etcetera will take place here in the Galaseum. Meals can be taken in your vaults, but if you require hot or freshly prepared food then you will attend the refectory here in the heart of the Keep where you will again cohabit with Fae of other elements. I repeat – you will not kill within these walls. This is a place beyond the sway of war, a sacred sanctuary and to besmirch these blessed stones with the blood of your enemies is akin to spitting in the eyes of the stars themselves."

I glanced over to the Flamebringers who sat rigid and silent in their uniform rows, their clothes emblazoned with the tiger insignia of their people. I gave myself to the count of twenty to search their faces in hunt of the first name on my list, though as I only had a copy of an old portrait to go off of, I wasn't surprised I didn't spot him.

"Today, as so many of you have proven that you need improvement on the subject, we will focus on mental shields," the Grand Maester finished and I suppressed a groan, wondering if I might be able to excuse myself. That wasn't even real magic – any competent Fae would have a solid mental shield in place already and have had plenty of prior training in how to erect and maintain it against the work of psychically gifted Orders such as Sirens, Cyclopses or Basilisks.

My gifts hadn't slipped past mental shields anyway, they weren't a psychic ability so couldn't be stopped in that way. It was strength of character and self-control that held Fae back when falling under my influence. If they weren't easily tempted into action by the presentation of their desires, then they wouldn't be swayed by the kiss of my influence.

I gave the rest of the instructions only enough attention to be able to answer any questions which I might have been called upon for, and to make sure I looked attentive. In reality, I spent the following hours scouring the mass of enemies who surrounded me on three sides, weighing and measuring each of them and hunting for my prey.

My eyes fell on the Raincarver girl who had headed into her Combat Trial first yesterday, her wild hair and wilder clothes making her stand out even from her position in the back row where the shadows clung to her. She was easily noticeable among the bland masses of Fae who were dressed to match their comrades, and I found I liked the uniqueness she offered among a sea of sheep.

She met my gaze and didn't flinch from it and I offered her the hint of a smirk as I noted her mettle before moving my attention on to hunt the rest of the faces surrounding her.

Dragor had a list after all. I wouldn't disappoint him by making him wait on its fulfilment.