Page 17 of A Kingdom so Crimson

He started full-on belly laughing, sitting up beside me and ruffling out his hair. "Could you imagine Lady Annabelle in the tournament or one of your evaluations?" Calum chuckled, shaking his head.

"She'd probably try to duel with a fan," I replied curtly.

"Or faint at the sight of her own shadow."

"You're terrible," I said, nudging him playfully, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"Ah, but you love me for it," he retorted with a grin.

"You wish."

"What was that earlier?" he asked, touching his lip and turning the conversation somber. My mind returned to the sharp sting that shocked both of us.

"I don't know," I stopped, shaking my head, genuinely puzzled. "Maybe if you didn't have such a magnetic personality, the moonbugs would stay away."

He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm irresistible?"

"More like trouble."

"Well, they do say the best things in life come with a bit of trouble," he replied, laying back on the ground and pulling me with him.

I couldn't stop my laugh, which echoed through the trees.

We fell silent, listening to the nocturnal insects sing, until his breathing gradually slowed, indicating he had drifted off to sleep. With a nudge, I roused him, and together, we retraced our steps back to the estate, both wrapped snugly in the shawl. The wind had grown stronger, chilling the damp air around us as we quickened our pace.

Upon reaching the estate, we bid each other goodnight and went to our separate rooms. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow, only to be abruptly awakened by Aoife's cheerful voice as she drew back the thick curtains, flooding the room with warm sunlight. A groan escaped my lips as the sun touched my face.

"Oh, you have always been one for the dramatics," Aoife teased, perching herself at the edge of my bed. "You didn't train all night again, did you?" she remarked, gesturing to my clothes, which were still on from the night before.

I shifted my weight onto my right elbow, raising myself to face her. "Oh, no," I responded flatly, annoyed at being woken so early. What time was it, anyway? I managed fine on minimal sleep, but today, my mind and body rebelled against the lack of it.

"Jesri expects you at breakfast as soon as possible, and then it's off to warm up for your final evaluation," Aoife said with urgency in her voice.

I sat up, blinking against the sunlight filtering through my window, noticing the large, daunting gates being assembled outside. A knot formed in my stomach as I suppressed a rush of thoughts about what the potentialcreaturesmight be.

I palmed my eyes, releasing a sigh of frustration. The echoes of last night's conversation persisted in my mind like murky water, stubbornly refusing to fade away. With a groan, I determined to push the thoughts aside and focus on succeeding in today's evaluation.

Yet, my mind refused to obey and wandered aimlessly to thoughts about the Spellcasters, the innocent Magics, and the deceit taught for hundreds of years. It all was much too confusing to comprehend.

"Well, aren't you a cheery one this morning?" Aoife remarked, laying out clean training attire by my feet. "Come on now, don't make Jesri upset at the both of us."

I scooted off the bed, landing on the cool wood floor. Rubbing my eyes, surely red from little sleep. I slid off my clothes from the night before and quickly slipped on a new pair of black pants and a dark green top, lacing my boots up while Aoife combed my knotted hair.

"I can finish here, Aoife. Thank you," I said, yawing and beckoning her to leave.

"You'd best get down there on time, Eliah. And be careful with that arm of yours," she said with a wink. "Good luck, my dear. I know you'll do wonderful."

She hurried out the door, knowing she had a hundred and one things to do before lunch.

I quickly braided my hair, letting it fall down my back, and followed suit. I went down the staircase and nearly reached the door when voices echoed from the dining hall. My boots squeaked with the sudden change in direction as I turned towards the source, recognizing the familiar tones of Jesri and Calum conversing.

"Happy Evaluation Day," Jesri said, buttering his biscuit with jam as I entered the room. The dining decorations were cleared, leaving the large room feeling empty, like Jesri's cheery welcome. Calum greeted me with a smile, his eyes were also red from little sleep. I approached the table and took my usual seat next to him, scanning the room for any sign of Levon.

Jesri noticed my confusion. "Levon is preparing for your test," he explained, taking a bite of his biscuit, causing crumbsto scatter onto his plate. "Hurry and eat," he urged, gesturing towards my plate with cold eggs and a small, stale biscuit.

I took a bite, grimacing at the wetness that should not come from cooked eggs, and swallowed it with a glass of water. Calum stayed silent as he watched me gulp down the food, pausing to eat his extravagant gravy with onion-laced biscuits, toasted to perfection that made my mouth water. I shot him a reassuring look, silently urging him not to worry.

I stood up abruptly, not caring for the hard biscuit nor wanting to spend more time in Jesri's presence than necessary.

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