7. Seven

Seven

I was going to be sick.

My knees hit the ground first, followed by my hands as I collapsed, wincing at the sharp pain that surged through my body. The grass tickled my palms, and I could feel my heart pounding against the earth beneath me. My stomach lurched, expelling its contents onto the spongy forest floor. I dug my nails into the damp moss, anchoring my body in place as I tried to catch my breath and stop the spinning world around me.

The moment I had touched the stranger’s hand, my body vanished into a whirl of inky shadows, and my limbs felt like they were being torn from my body. I lifted my head and gazed at the sky, trying to bring myself back to the present moment. The sun was dipping behind the tips of the pines, casting a somber veil of gray over our surroundings as, somewhere to my right, the trees began to rustle. The woman’s voice echoed not too far away from us.

“Well, that was fun.” She laughed quietly.

“A little warning next time would be nice,” Ardan grumbled, dusting off his shoulders as they emerged from the trees into the opening.

“We need to get out of the light,” the man stated in a hushed tone. “There is a cave not far from here, we will rest there until it is safe to keep moving.” He strode off into the woods before any of us had a chance to question him.

We stumbled after him, our legs and arms burning from the wounds we sustained. Adrenaline still pulsed through my veins, but as we slowed, the pain crept in, and I found myself wincing and groaning with every step. Ata and I draped our arms around each other’s waists in an effort to stay upright as we fell to the back of the group.

“That cut . . .” My gaze followed the jagged line of the wound across her face, she flinched as she tenderly touched it with her fingertips.

“I’ll be okay.” She let out a sharp breath. “I’ll clean it once we stop.”

“What happened?”

“I was ambushed in our room. If Wren hadn’t shown up when he did, I would probably be dead.” Exhaustion coated her words and I pulled her close, tucking her deeper into my side as we pressed forward.

This was not the day I had imagined. A string of questions ran through my mind as I smacked my lips together, running my tongue across their gritty, dehydrated surface. We needed water and rest before we started comparing details. Questions would have to wait.

“We are here.” The man pressed his palms together, stopping at a hollowed pine as I looked around the clearing in confusion.

“This is a field,” I said flatly. He smirked as a noise came from the tree he stood by. My eyes followed the sound as a third stranger stepped out through the vines that hung in front of the excavated tree.

Ardan and Taft stepped in front of us, backs straightening instinctively with renewed alertness. The hooded figure said nothing as we watched him, trying to catch a glimpse of his face.

“Let’s go,” Wren’s voice cut through the tension. My throat bobbed and I hesitated.

I trusted Wren, and it seemed as though Wren trusted them, so I forced my feet to move forward—keeping my hands locked in Ata’s grip. Wren pushed the vines aside as we followed the strangers into the carved-out tree. Thick air caught in my lungs as I looked around the vast cave the opening led into. It looked like we had stepped back into the school’s gardens.

I pushed myself through the entrance and my boots sunk into a lush carpet of vibrant green moss. Delicate, overgrown wildflowers scaled along the cracked edges of the crevice. Once we were all inside I watched as the entrance melted into the stones around it and claustrophobia pricked at the hairs on the back of my neck.

Ata reached into her sack and pulled out two large canteens, taking a long sip before passing one to me and the other to Ardan. I groaned as I guzzled it down.

Ardan took a long swig, wiped his mouth then passed the canteen to Taft. His eyes locked onto the strangers and this time his voice was commanding as he asked the man again, “Who are you?”

The stranger sat down on a stone, propping his legs on the rock in front of him. I watched as he crossed his ankles and locked his hands behind his head. It was such a casual movement, given the circumstances we were in. His arrogance shone through as he smirked at Ardan, then trailed his eyes over the room before they stopped, locking on mine. And, as if we were the only two people in the cave, he introduced himself.

“My name is Landers.” He nodded his chin to the other two standing on both sides of him. “This is Prianaan—”

“Pri,” she interrupted, pulling her golden, flowing locks into a bun on top of her head. “Call me Pri.”

I stared at her in awe. Somehow she had become more beautiful than the first time I laid eyes on her, only an hour or so ago. Her face blended softness with commanding allure. Light, delicate features carried a subtle sharpness, demanding attention without relinquishing an ounce of grace. Her skin, like honey, seemed to almost light up the air around her.

But it was her eyes that I couldn’t tear my gaze from—a mesmerizing duality. One eye was deep brown while the other was a luminous light brown.

Landers gave her a warm smile before continuing, “And this one here is Andrues. He is not as polite as I am, but if you stay out of his way you will be fine.” He chuckled to himself as Andrues slowly lifted the leather hood, letting it fall to meet his shoulders.

Twin scars were etched into his cheekbones and large, burn-like scars twisted around his neck, disappearing underneath his leathers. The remnants of the burn creeped out from beneath his sleeve onto his right hand. It looked so similar to the burns currently aching on my wrists and ankles. The pain there flared at the thought and I tried to hide the wince it sent through my body.

My gaze drifted back to his face. His eyes, like two large sapphires, rested under dark brows matching the shade of his black hair. His skin glistened with sweat, and I swallowed.

Gods. Where did these people come from?

Ata let out a quiet whimper beside me as we stared at this man in awe. He straightened, and he clasped his hands behind his back.

So he was the serious one in this trio.

Landers leaned forward, dropping his feet to the ground with a loud thud, breaking the silence, and rested an elbow on each knee.

“Andrues is a necromancer and an exceptionally practiced healer.” He stood, clapping his hand on Andrues's back, squeezing his shoulder. “And this beauty”—Landers threw an arm over Pri’s shoulder and she smiled up at him, grasping his forearm in her fingers—“she is an intelligence officer. Like Wren, she has her own special way of getting information.” He winked at her and I blinked back at the three of them.

Their mannerisms toward each other reminded me so much of us. It was almost like watching our reflection in a mirror. We stood there, staring at each other, as Wren began to speak.

“When the whisperings started in the realms, Asrai had me reach out to Landers to obtain any information I could. That is when he introduced me to Pri, and we have been traveling through each realm together, gathering intel and reporting it back to Asrai.” He crossed his arms and paused, looking at Landers in a silent command. Landers nodded.

“Early this afternoon, when Pri delivered the warning to Wren, Asrai called on me to help get all of you out of Redelvtum in case things went sideways. Her only ask was that we get you to Locdragoon safely.” Landers paused and peered at me as if he knew what I was going to ask next.

“Once this one made it known that she could wield more than lesser magic, without proof of a pure bloodline”—he gestured his chin toward me and I recoiled slightly—“we made getting her out the priority, even if the rest of you refused to come. The decision you made to use your magic so openly put a target on your back. What you possess is a very powerful magic that others would kill to get their hands on; or kill you to keep it hidden.” He raised a brow at me and I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

“How do we know we can trust you? Asrai has never spoken of you,” Ata said, her gaze finally pulling away from Andrues and focusing back on Landers. Taft nodded in agreement.

“You don’t,” Landers said simply, shrugging as he pushed his hands into his pockets. “Other than the fact we are risking our lives to get the five of you out.”

Everything he said sounded arrogant.

“We can trust them.” Wren stepped forward. “Asrai trusted them and I have been working closely with them for the last year. They have never faltered on their word.”

Rage heated my skin at the image of those men wearing the same war leathers as Asrai.

“But can we trust her ?” Everyone’s heads twisted toward me and Taft’s eyes landed on me with confusion creased between his brows. I continued, ignoring their glowering. “She was wearing the same exact battle leathers as the men attacking us. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence,” I snapped and Landers fleered at me. “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head and annoyance rose in my chest as he crossed his arms, I fought the urge to slap that smug smile off his beautiful face.

“I see you don’t know her story.” His voice hummed out of his throat, his lips curling and kissing every word.

“She was orphaned”—I motioned to everyone around the room—“like us.”

“Yes,” he drawled, “but from where? Have you not wondered?”

“I-I. . .” I stammered. “I guess I assumed she didn’t know because she never spoke of it.” My voice trailed off as my mind processed what he was saying.

I felt a shudder travel up my spine, and my mouth gaped open at him as it came to me: she was from The Silliands.

“There it is.” He grinned back at me. “Yes, your matron, your teacher, originates from The Silliands.” He chuckled. “The Soul Territories have never been pleasant for children, and I highly doubt five hundred hundred years ago they were any better.”

“Why us? Why did she want you to get us out?” Ata asked as my mind still scrambled to process Asrai’s origins. How could I have never put it together? I had seen drawings in The Stories , but it had never registered in my mind.

“That woman loves the five of you like her own children. She took the opportunity to protect your lives even when it meant risking hers. And when Hyacinth gave up her little secret, she knew she would be killed for it.”

I glared at him, guilt gnawing at me as I absorbed his words. I had barely met him and he was already treating me like a child. I knew the danger of using my shadows like I had. Asrai had tirelessly warned me of the consequences if anyone found out.

Taft stepped out in front of me, sliding my body behind his as he said, “Don’t you dare put this on Hyacinth. Asrai knew what she was doing when she taught them to wield. She knew the consequences, and she knew they would eventually be forced to use their magic.” My eyes widened at Taft’s statements, I wasn’t the only one Asrai had been training. I whipped my head to Ata and there was no inkling of shock on her face from what Taft had said. She knew. She knew Asrai was teaching me.

“Did you know she was teaching me to wield? And you didn’t say anything?” I asked Ata, surprise and confusion seeping through my tone.

“I only just found out, Cin. That’s why she wanted to meet with Ardan and me this afternoon.”

My head swirled with so many questions.

“What did she say?”

“She knew if things went bad, you wouldn’t hesitate to use your power to protect the students, and in doing so, it would be a death sentence.” Ata said, glancing over to Ardan. “She instructed us to get the supplies we would need to get you out of the academy safely, in case it came to that.”

“How long has she been teaching you?” I snapped back at Ata.

“I—” Ata paused, sucking in a shaky breath. “I am a pureblood Hanth. I’m from Ammord.” Her words tumbled over each other as if they couldn’t wait to escape and she exhaled deeply, as if releasing a burden she had been carrying for ages. “I was left at the academy with all of my paperwork so Asrai was able to prove blood purity to the House of High. She has been teaching me since I got here.”

“You have pure Hanth blood,” I repeated her words back, dragging them out as I willed my voice to stay calm. “But . . . your ears . . .” My eyes darted to where her hair was tucked neatly behind long, slanted fae ears and gasped as the tips slowly shifted into rounded edges. She wasn’t fae at all. She was a pureblood witch.

“I have chosen to wear fae ears so I could avoid this .” Ata’s tone grew sharp as she said the words.

“And you still kept it from me even though you had no reason to?” I scolded as Ardan’s spine stiffened and his gaze fell to the ground. He stared intently at the moss as if searching for something.

He knew too, he already knew.

Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw clenched tight. Her posture shifted as she crossed her arms over her chest, putting up a defensive barrier between us.

“I had my reasons,” Ata said, her voice tight with suppressed anger. She squared her shoulders, readying herself for a potential argument.

“I need a minute.” I dragged both hands over my face, and searched the large cavern for any spot I could go to think. I needed to be alone. I needed quiet.

I strode toward the back of the cave, feeling everyone’s eyes on me as I followed the curve of the opening until I was out of view. Pressing my back against the cave wall I took three deep breaths; pushing my hand against my chest as it rose and fell, in an effort to calm the anxiety. A familiar burning sensation crept up from the pit of my stomach to the back of my throat, threatening to bring tears to my eyes.

I don’t know why I was so upset. It’s not like I had told her about my magic; I had kept a secret too. But I had to, I didn’t have a choice. I assumed she knew. Everyone at the academy knew the shadows clung to me, but she never asked.

Regardless, where she was from, or how pure her bloodline was didn’t matter. It wouldn’t have changed the way I saw her—the way I cared for her.

Somewhere down the winding enclosed pathway I could hear water crashing. I pushed off the wall to investigate, letting my fingers graze along the ridged stone and moss that was protruding through the cracks. With one hand on the damp wall for balance, I rounded the last sharp bend.

The narrow passage opened abruptly, revealing a breathtaking display of nature’s power and beauty. A magnificent waterfall, cascading down from the towering rocks above sparkled like diamonds in the faint light. The sound of rushing water filled my ears as I stepped closer, drawn in by the shimmering pool at its base. Dragonflies darted around me, their wings creating a soft hum as they flitted around the vibrant lily pads floating on the crystal clear water. A grin exploded onto my face as I gazed in wonder, marveling at the hidden oasis.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Lander’s voice mirrored the intensity of the rushing water as he snuck up behind me. I kept my eyes focused on the scene in front of me, suppressing an eye roll. This guy was a prick. Did he really think I would have let innocent children die just to keep my magic secret? If that was the kind of man he was, he could go to hell.

He sauntered over to my side, standing in a battle stance with his hands clasped tightly at the small of his back and waited for me to respond.

I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

His scent wafted off him like a gentle breeze had swept through his hair; a subtle aroma of coffee and moss blended with a soft woody fragrance. Giving in, I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye as he gazed at the scenery and his jaw feathered as if reacting to my stare, but remained silent.

His chiseled jawline led to a strong neck with a solitary vein throbbing beneath the surface of a black ink tattoo. I shifted my weight and finally said, “Is there something I can help you with?”

He chuckled and slowly turned his gaze toward me. His emerald eyes pierced through mine beneath a fringe of thick black lashes. I felt my cheeks grow warm under his intense stare, and looked away. I was absolutely not going to let him see me blush; although I doubted he even could under the blood that was still caked onto my skin. He turned back toward the waterfall, picking up a rock by his boot and skipping it across the water.

“I came to make sure you were all right.” His words sounded sincere enough, but I scoffed at them regardless. The last thing I needed was another guard dog like Taft keeping tabs on my whereabouts.

“As you can see, I’m fine.” I gestured my hands towards the length of my body. “So you can go now.” His eyes slid over my body from head to toe, and I forced myself not to shrink at his gaze. A grin crept onto his face as his eyes met mine again.

“You look like shit.”

This time, I didn’t suppress the eye roll.

“Great,” I said, turning away. “Being trapped with an asshole is exactly the birthday gift I asked for.” His laugh clashed with the sounds of running water and I pushed my lips into a hard line.

“If only you had told me, I would have brought a gift.” He smirked and I sneered back at him. Silence fell between us again and I looked out over the water, wishing so desperately this day had gone differently. Wishing that we could have stayed until we knew that the students were safe. That Asrai was safe. What would they do to her now? Now that they knew she had been training students to wield their magic. I pushed the thought from my mind.

A few moments of silence passed before Landers turned to face me again. He towered over me, his muscular frame clearly evident beneath the layers of leather that clung to his body. My heart picked up speed as he looked down at me, taking a step closer and locking those dark eyes onto mine.

“May I escort you back to the group?” His minty breath breezed across my face, catching in my eyelashes as I breathed him in. A slight hum of electricity buzzed between us and I cleared my throat, taking a step away from him.

“I got myself here, I can get myself back.”

“As you wish,” he said with a wry smile, turning and taking two long strides toward the opening before stopping to face me again. “May I offer you a piece of advice?”

“I have a feeling you’re going to no matter what I say.”

He smirked, then continued. “Do not hold Asrai’s decisions against your friends. They are all you have right now.” He paused, searching for the right words. “I know she is like a mother to you, but she is also your High Commander. If a secret was kept, time will tell us why.”

I stared over my shoulder at Landers for a moment before turning back toward the water and listened as the echo of his footsteps disappeared down the corridor.