Page 7 of The Scars Within
Alone, each elemental is a powerful force. But twin elementals… their magic would be amplified into an unstoppable entity, hence why twins are highly coveted at Mageia.
Shayde and Rhodes showed each quad to their bedchambers. We all share the same hallway in the western wing. Being last in the alphabetical line-up, our chambers are the furthest from the central part of the college. The good news is that we will be getting our exercise. Bad news, heavy books were going to be a pain in the ass to carry.
First-year cadets share a single room with two sets of bunk beds. Then, for the second year, they are upgraded to a shared space with just one roommate. By the third year, cadets are finally granted their own rooms.
The Wylder twins’ room was the first door on the left after turning off the turret corridor. Adjacent to their room were the bathing chambers, separated by gender: one for ladies and one for gents. I am ecstatic beyond words at the prospect of experiencing my first shower. Indoor plumbing is a luxury afforded only by the wealthiest families of Kalymdor. The idea of bathing alongside other females, with only a half-wall separating the spaces, doesn’t bother me at all. I would bathe openly in the main hallways if it meant standing under a stream of continuously running, clean water.
I was the last to enter our bedchamber. My three roommates had already claimed their beds, leaving the remaining top bunk for me. I have never slept in a bunk bed before, and just the thought of sleeping so high off the ground fills me with dread. I regularly have nightmares that have me tossing and turning all night.
I slowly approach the bunk as anxiety begins to eat me alive, and the pounding of my heartbeat echoes in my ears. The conversations around me faded into an indistinct murmur as I stared at the ladder.
Snapping out of my trance, I saw Delaney jump off the bottom bunk and approach me. “Hey,” she whispered, “would you mind if I took the top bunk instead?”
Relief washed over me in waves. “Oh, yeah, of course,” I stammered, grateful for the unexpected reprieve.
She ascended to the top bunk and settled cross-legged against the wall. The room fell momentarily silent, but soon, conversation resumed.
Delaney chimed in with a giddy squeal, clapping her hands together. “Welcome, roomies! Perhaps we should go around and introduce ourselves.”
“I’m Tatum Sinclair,” declared Miss Leader-Pants, raising her hand proudly. “My family lives in a small village just off the path from Dorlvar. I’m the youngest of six brothers, so I can be a bit overbearing at times. Growing up with so many brothers toughened me up—survival instincts and all that.” She waved her hand.
“Holy elements, six brothers!” Delaney gasped, her jaw dropping to the floor. “How did you ever find any privacy?”
“Well, this room with you three is the most privacy I’ve had in my twenty-one years of existence,” Tatum chuckled.
The quiet girl on the opposite top bunk raised her hand slowly. “I’m Cleo. Only child.”
Tatum playfully pounded the bed above her with her fist. “Oh boy, I’m going to have fun roughening you up a bit!”
“I, uh…” Cleo muttered nervously, her eyes wide as dragon eggs.
Delaney cut in, trying to ease the tension. “Tatum, don’t scare her to death! She’s just kidding, Cleo. Scar, what about you?” She leaned over the top bunk, catching my eye as she hung upside down, her long brown hair flowing freely.
There wasn’t much to say about myself. I didn’t come from a big family, wasn’t a top scholar, or even attended the local schoolhouse. After Cora left for Mageia, I lived alone in our modest cottage. Her savings ran low after a few years, so I began working odd jobs. I wasn’t as skilled as her with our plot, and merchants hesitated to deal with a child.
Luckily, a tavern nearby was run by a kind-hearted barmaid named Jaelyn. She allowed me to bus tables and clean up behind the bar on evenings when I wasn’t tending the plot. Eventually, she trusted me enough to wait tables, though she soon discovered I couldn’t read when she handed me a menu. Jaelyn, who had lost her youngest sister to a fever, took pity on me and began teaching me basic reading skills an hour before the tavern opened each morning.
That was my routine for four years: early morning lessons, tending the plot, and working at the tavern. By the time I turned fourteen, I couldread as well as anyone my age. Jaelyn became like a big sister—protecting me from unruly patrons and teaching me to stand up for myself.
We worked well together until the economy soured, forcing Jaelyn to sell the tavern. The new owners transformed it into the Happy Roast, though it was far from joyful. They cared only about profit, neglecting our well-being and treating us poorly.
“I’m Scarlet Thorne,” I stated evenly. “There’s not much to tell about me. I’ve worked hard since I was young, and now I’m here. Elemental magic runs in my father’s lineage, so I was accepted. Even though I haven’t displayed any magic yet, I’m determined to make a difference here.”
Delaney grinned widely, still hanging upside down. “I have a feeling we’re going to be great friends.”
Tatum jumped up from her bed and began unpacking her satchel. “Both of my parents are elementals, and all six of my brothers channel as well. But everyone in my immediate family channeled before they were initiated here. So I’m guessing I’m just a late bloomer.”
“My big brother is a water elemental. Are any of your brothers still cadets, Tatum?” Delaney asked.
“No. All of my brothers have graduated and been stationed already.”
The silence that followed made me feel like Delaney was looking at Cleo in silent question, but Cleo’s gaze shifted down to me, so I spoke up. “My father wields air.”
“Is he enlisted in the military?” Tatum asked.
I froze, the words caught in my throat. I didn’t know. The last I saw of him was his back walking out the door.
A noise rang in the hallway, and I was saved by the bell.
