Page 19 of Wings of Ash & Flame
As if he’d measured her worth in that single glance and found her lacking.
The dismissal in his cool stare ignited something in her, an inferno erupting where moments ago there had only been embers.
Who was he to look at me like that?
Alaire straightened her spine and squared her shoulders, meeting his stare. She arched a single brow, a silent challenge.
Arrogant ass.
An entitled Cielorian fae male with an extra-large chip on his shoulder.
Her initial attraction twisted into revulsion despite the burning in her chest.
He held her gaze for a long moment before abruptly turning away. But not before Alaire caught the slight clench of his jaw. The only sign their encounter had affected him at all.
The group surrounding him paused to look at her. Their expressions ranged from curiosity to barely concealed scorn.
Her mouth curved into a grin that was all teeth. Vicious creatures. If Alaire showed even one hint of vulnerability, they would eat her alive.
The group moved as one through the doors. She caught a faint chorus of voices before theslamechoed through the halls.
Small clusters of fae trickled into the chamber, but unlike the others, they didn’t proceed through the doors.
First years, like her.
Alaire pressed her back against the wall and took a deep breath. Her shoulder still ached where he’d clipped her, but it was nothing compared to the fire his gaze had ignited in her blood.
She’d come too far to let some dickhead fae stand in her way.
No matter how her heart had quickened when those ice-chip eyes had probed hers.
Relief washed through her as a familiar mustache-wearing fae in a tweed ensemble made his way to stand above the Consortium’s sigil amongst the students. His voice rang out, silencing the murmurs.
“Welcome, novices, to Aeris Academy—a place where legacy and history entwine. Within these walls, the next generation of elementals will be formed. I am Professor Ross, instructor for fliers’ Symbiotic Synergy.”
His gaze swept over the gathered students, lingering on her for half a second.
“Your time here will be fraught with trials both seen and unseen. Shadows encroach on Elithian’s borders, and all must rise to meet them. Most of you join us from one of Elithian’s six houses, each with its own element, traditions, and strengths. Your peers will become your family within these walls.”
Alaire’s palms had grown damp. What had she gotten herself into? She wasn’t ready for a world of magic and fae aristocracy. She didn’t belong here. She never would.
“You’ll learn spells and be taught to wield your magic with precision.
You’ll analyze Elithian’s history, because by understanding the past, you’ll be better prepared to make informed decisions for the future. Those bonded to celestials will partake in a specialized set of courses.”
A collective silence settled over the crowd at the mention of Celestial Familiars.
“You will question everything you think you know about yourself, and it will demand more than you ever believed you had to give. If you can endure and rise to the challenge, you will be ready to enter Elithian society and greet the world beyond these walls. As some can tell you, it’s not a forgiving one.”
She felt as though he were speaking directly to her. Maybe, in a way, he was.
He turned toward the sweeping archways that led deeper into the castle.
“Now, follow me. I’ll lead you to the dormitories for novices, where you will change into your attire and attend the welcoming address in Historia Hall. Today marks the beginning of your journey to who you were always meant to become.”
Six
Within Eclat Castle, dormitories were divided between first-year students, known as novices, and second-year students, called veterans.
