Page 6 of Elemental Affections

She’d read the acceptance letter over and over again, until every word was committed to memory. The thick paper had acquired so many creases from her clutching fingers and being folded or unfolded to be read again that it was threatening to tear in half.

It might’ve felt like a dream, except Anadae had been too stressed for her situation to retain any idyllic qualities. She’d been notified of her eligibility to take the aptitude test within weeks of applying for the scholarship, though that hadn’t even required a trip up to the Valley of Sylveren, only a few hours at a testing center in Graelynd’s capital, Grae Port. She’d demonstrated her ability to channel her magic, calling light and extinguishing it at will. The test would’ve been nearly done at that point if this had been her first foray into secondary education via an Initiate’s degree. For the first tier of Adept levels—the entry point of graduate studies—and with a focus on water magic, the remainder of the test had centered around evaluating Anadae’s ability to manipulate water. Lots of fussing with the color and transparency and temperature of varying amounts of it; freezing a jarful of it solid, transmuting it from ice to boiling liquid without breaking the glass. Even though she’d taken longer than the others undergoing aptitude tests the same day, she took comfort in the knowledge that she’d still been able to complete all the tasks within the allotted time.

Nor had she had much time for fretting afterward; the acceptance letter followed mere days later.

Anadae took her acceptance letter out and read it for the umpteenth time before laying it on the table in the parlor. She made herself sit in a chair, leaving the wrinkled ivory paper out instead of cramming it back into a pocket. No more stalling. Anadae couldn’t put off this reveal any longer. Her mother would be home soon, and Anadae had already told Brint to be here to uphold his end of their bargain. Perhaps no more than an hour from now, she’d be free of him and the manacle of their engagement, and she could embark on her new journey as a mage unburdened. Future-Anadae would be free of the dread curdling in Present-Anadae’s belly at the impending conversation.

Though she’d told her parents that she wanted to reevaluate her role in the Helm family business, she hadn’t found a way to voice her interest in magical study. Even now, a cowardly part of her dug in its heels at the sight of the letter. She hadn’t sent inheracceptance of the scholarship yet, though the deadline loomed. She could still keep on as she had, not throw herself into this foolish venture. What business did she, a twenty-nine-year-old woman with an Initiate level degree in general studies, have attending a magic-focused school like Sylveren? It was absurd.

You were chosen out of hundreds of candidates.

The notion made her feel exhilarated and sick in turn. She hadn’t felt like she’d earned a victory in so long. Sometimes, the letter tasted of vindication. At other times, Anadae’s mind turned in a loop of denial and imposter syndrome. Because really, at her age? With so little training over the years, aptitude tests be damned. Perhaps Brint was right; itwasembarrassing. Disrespectful of the institution, asking them to consider her application.

She glanced at the wall clock. Brint was late. Unsurprising, but nonetheless irritating. Anadae stood and began to pace, running back through her practiced argument to convince Mama that this was Anadae’s choice, and a good one. Sylveren University! Chosen out of hundreds of candidates! This wasn’t a decision made on a lark, nor was Anadae doing anything to sully the Helm name. Plenty of people had gaps between Initiate levels and pursuing further degrees. Brint himself hadn’t immediately gone for his Adept Two—that decision had only come about this year. They’d both be going for secondary degrees … he was just further along the path.Hehad been encouraged to pursue more schooling, unlike—

Anadae made herself take a long, slow breath. The past didn’t matter. It all changed now. Mina Helm was both educated and practical—she would see Anadae’s reasoning. Couldn’t argue with the official document on the table recognizing Anadae’s worth.

Which was necessary, because Anadae needed her mother’s status in extracting her personal finances from the family accounts. The scholarship covered tuition and provided a small stipend, but it wouldn’t be enough to live on. An unfortunate side effect of Anadae having been in the family business for her entire life was that she had always enjoyed access to the Helm account, never needing one of her own. Setting one up hadn’t been a problem. A significant transfer of funds, however—that had given the bank pause. Anadae couldn’t proceed without alerting her parents. The thought of taking the money and disappearing in the nighthadcrossed her mind, but only for a moment. She was determined to go down the path of magic, but it would be a lie to say she wasn’t hopeful for her family’s blessing.

Anadae glanced up as motion at the parlor door caught her eye. “About time! I was expecting you—”

She faltered as not Brint but her mother walked in. “Mama.” Her heart sank further as her younger sister Calya followed Mina Helm into the parlor. “Caly.”

“Were you expecting someone else?” Mina said, eyes roving over Anadae’s face before settling on the paper laid out on the table.

“You didn’t run into Brint out there, did you?” Anadae said.

Disgust bashed against panic as both her mother and sister shook their heads. Great. An audience for an already uncomfortable conversation, and her backup was nowhere to be found. She hadn’t gotten the time wrong. Brint was punctual when he cared to be … but today was not one of those days. As she should’ve assumed. Lying bastard.

Forcing a tight smile, Anadae offered the acceptance letter to her mother.

“Sylveren,” Mina said without looking at the paper. At Anadae’s nod, Mina sighed. Her eyes hardly touched the letter before they were back on Anadae’s face. “When did you apply for this?”

“Months ago.”

Calya made a sound at that, but Anadae couldn’t tell if it was surprise or dismay. The four years separating them had grown wide over time, and though they were not estranged, Anadae had never really known her little sister well. Once Anadae went off to the Valley, that gulf would only widen. That she couldn’t decide if she felt any particular way about it probably said something about them both.

“Ana.” Her mother pressed the letter back toward Anadae, eyes closing as if steeling herself for a fight.

“I’m going.” The words spilled out of her, unprompted, neither defiant nor a plea for understanding. More a statement, softly spoken. A touch apologetic.

“This goes against everything we’ve raised you to be,” Mina said, her tone even. “Everything you’ve worked toward.”

Anadae wanted to shrivel inward, struggled to keep the burn in her eyes from turning fully into tears. The boldness she’d felt in finally being free of caring what Brint thought evaporated at her mother’s disappointment. “I know,” she whispered. “But it’s what I want.”

“What you want,” Mina said quietly. “You’d be leaving just to start over, after all this time—that’s what youwant?”

“They—they think I have merit.”

“What about the Avenors? Or your work for the company? People will think—”

“I’m not marrying Brint.” The words came out in a rush. Anadae winced, eyes darting between her mother’s narrowing expression and Calya’s surprise. She pressed on, voice wobbling, “We’ve agreed to call off the engagement.”

“Brint agreed to this? You’ve already discussed it with him?”

“Yes. He’s supposed to be here…” Anadae cast a hopeful glance toward the door even though she knew it’d be empty. Brint had never planned on being here. She hadn’t heard of anything amiss with Avenor Guard’s projects in the months since they’d made their pact, which was all well and good, she supposed, except it meant Brint’s business infidelities were useless as blackmail. Something he had grasped quicker than her.

“Perhaps he recognized the foolishness of this”—Mina’s mouth twisted—“plan.”

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