Page 18 of Lake of Sapphire

That was only half true. I studied all the time, but I detested it. My studying mostly consisted of looking over my notes for a few minutes, then reading one of the novels I got from the library. I was envious of Vallie’s ability of knowledge absorption. She could skim anything once and retain it, making her the top student in our class.

“Vallie, I’m not drinking the night before my Trial. I have to fight tomorrow.”

“Come on, Scottie-cat. Just one drink. We won’t be out late, and it will help your nerves,” Vallie insisted.

Miles seemed to grasp my logic and turned to his sister. “Vallie, you know Scottie has never had a drink before. It’s not the best idea for her to have one tonight. She’s going to be fighting Kole tomorrow afternoon.”

I would be fighting a lot more Advenians than just Kole, but I didn’t push the issue. Vallie hated that I was Trialing for the guard. Growing up, she had tried to talk me out of it numerous times. Vallie was a social butterfly even before the two of them started drinking, and although Miles didn’t like many Advenians, he never turned down an opportunity to drink with his twin.

If you tried out for any other career, you wouldn’t have to train every day. You could go out partying with us. You could talk to cute boys, be a normal Advenian for once,she would plead.Eventually, she stopped trying.

“Ugh, fine. But you aren’t getting out of it this weekend! I’m having a drink with my best friend before you leave me forever to be a famous guard!”

I gave her a weak smile. Once Vallie realized I was serious about it, she was always so confident that I would pass my Guard Trial. Miles seemed to air more on the side of realism and understood that I had a slim shot. I didn’t know which one I preferred.

I turned to them both. “Fine, one drink, but not until after the Trials.”

Vallie’s smile broadened from ear to ear as she gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then she grabbed Miles by the hand and dragged him out to whatever party they were attending tonight. “Great! You heard it here first, Scotlind Rumor will be a normal Advenian this weekend and will finally attend her first party!”

“I said one drink, not a party, Vallie!” I called after her, but she was already walking out the door. Miles turned around to look at me before the door closed behind him, leaving me alone for the night. I sighed, locked the door, and then went straight to the bathing room to fill the tub. I waited the allotted time it took to heat the water over the coals, then soaked in the warm fluid until my hands turned to prunes.

I didn’t remember fallingasleep, but when I awoke the morning of the Trials, my roommate was sleeping half off her twin bed, still in her dress from the night before. Two pink heels had been tossed haphazardly onto the floor and light snores echoed throughout our small room.

Quietly, I dressed in my gym gear, leaving my workout bag. I opted for just a run this morning. I knew with my fights later on today, I didn’t want to exhaust myself now. So I ran just long enough to clear my head, to calm myself down a bit, but not enough to tire my muscles.

When I got back to our dorm room thirty minutes later, Vallie was awake and getting ready. “Good morning,” she smiled at me. “Hurry up and bathe. You stink. Miles is going to meet us in fifteen minutes to walk over to the Trials together.”

It always amazed me how easily Vallie recovered after a night of drinking. I didn’t know what a hangover felt like, but I had seen it on Miles. He would complain of headaches all day and beg me to make him some sort of fatty, greasy breakfast. Vallie, on the other hand, would be ready to go, cooking alongside me.

“Okay,” I said, rushing toward the bathing room. Knowing Miles was headed over here was enough motivation to move quickly. I wanted to be dressed before he showed up.

The three of us walked in silence as we made our way toward the Trials. Vallie’s arms were linked in between ours. Banners and decorations were scattered all around the school grounds for graduation, covering every single brick building. I hadn’t noticed them until Miles pointed it out. Little details seemed to lapse my attention when I got distracted. My mind would wander and it was like I became oblivious to my surroundings. I hated that about myself, it definitely wasn’t a trait for someone who wanted to be a guard.

All six schools in Tennebris conducted their Trials similarly, according to the standards placed by the Council. LakeWood, being the furthest village from the castle, was always held last. The makeshift arena they created for the event was at the NorthEnd of campus on one of the vacant fields.

The chilly summer breeze blew the free strands of hair that fell from my braids. A small trickle of sweat crept down my neck as we walked down the path, navigating through the brick buildings. Not from the heat, which was nonexistent in Tennebris, but from nerves. I was instructed to wear my training outfit instead of my school uniform, and even though it was thicker than the usual button down and dark gray plaid skirt I wore to class, I was thankful that I grabbed a coat to throw over it. Even if I’d sweat through it, the fabric was a thick, warm, non-transparent material that protected my back from being exposed.

The Light Kingdom’s constant protective shields did more than just block the mortals’ view of potentially seeing us. It kept the extreme temperatures at bay. The air was frigid, despite being summer in Tennebris, but I knew without the protective shields of Lux, it wouldn’t be survivable. The precipitation was left out when designing it. And mercifully, it held up most days of the year. Only remnants of seldom storms that occurred outside the shield would sprinkle in.

I tried to enjoy our slow walk to the NorthEnd. I tried to savor every second of it, but my nerves prevented me from embracing the moment. It would be my last walk to NorthEnd—the training grounds that became my second home. My last walk with my friends.

After today, our rankings and Trials would be over with. This would be my last weekend at LakeWood, where I’d spent most of my life. I looked over at Vallie and Miles. They were the closest thing to a real family I would get here. I pushed the fact from my mind that I wouldn’t see them again after this.

Vallie was the first person in Tennebris who made me feel like I would survive. Back when I cried all the time, randomly breaking down in fits of rage and sobs over my parents, over my counselor not believing me. I’d felt insane, confused, and scared.

One day, Vallie found me quietly crying to myself over some awful thing Kole had made me do. I’d never felt so alone until that day. This red-headed girl with the warmest smile walked over to me and handed me a lollipop. I didn’t even know what it was until she explained that it was a mortal sweet. How she got it, I still didn’t know.

“Don’t cry,” she said. “You’ll have better days.” I took the lollipop, and we have been inseparable ever since.

A couple weeks later, Vallie introduced me to Miles. Twins were rare in our society. In general, having children was considered extraordinary as it could take years, decades even, to conceive. Once Vallie found out I was an orphan, she forced me to tag along with her during the holidays.

Spending time with her family, laughing by the fireplace on Yule, having a picnic outside on Allium Day, would always be my most cherished memories. Probably my only elated memories of Tennebris. Vallie’s kindness was the only reason I didn’t fall apart entirely.

After graduation, everyone would go their separate ways. I didn’t want my life here without my red-headed friend, but we would be forced to part after this weekend. Dread filled my solemn steps as I realized I would be alone again.

When we finally arrived at the arena, my hands were throbbing. Looking down, tiny half-moon cuts were now embedded into my skin from clenching my fists too tightly. I shook my hands out and wiped the small amount of blood off on my long coat as I looked around. It was amazing what they had put together in such a short time. There were two pop-up buildings that were labeled “Rank Evaluations.” I looked closer and saw an “A-M” on one building and an “N-Z” on the other.

Someone standing at the entrance forced a pamphlet into my already shaky hands. I quickly mumbled a thank you as I opened it up. It was bare with nothing fancy written on it, like in true Tennebrisian fashion, but it contained the list of times for the day.

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