Page 13 of Wings of Ash & Flame
Freedom.
The word stirred smothered dreams of a cottage nestled in the woods, next to a river. Books piled beside a window seat. A garden of wildflowers. It was the dream that fueled every desperate decision she’d made since leaving the orphanage—a desire that grew each time chains were clamped around her wrists.
He pushed off his forearms, allowing the light to fully reveal him. His sandy blonde hair was swept to one side.
The fae settled back, content to let the silence stretch between them. Alaire observed him. As hungry as she was for more information, she wouldn’t be the first to break.
His hand slid across the wooden surface, an offering. “Professor Rhettus Ross.”
“It seems you already know my name.” She clasped his hand briefly, noting the calluses that contradicted his polished appearance. “The type of freedom you’re offering always comes with a price. What’s your angle?”
“I’m here to offer you a place at Aeris Academy.”
Aeris Academy was the most prestigious fae academy in all of Elithian, where the elite of the seven houses honed their magic, cultivated connections, and amassed power—where bloodlines determined worth and status was the only currency that mattered.
A sharp laugh escaped her. “That wasn’t the question.” She folded her arms, the fabric of the prison tunic rough against her skin. “No one offers a place at Aeris Academy without expecting something in return.”
She gestured to her rounded ears. “In case it somehow escaped your notice, I’m human. I don’t have magic. So what’s your angle? Why waste your time on a prisoner without a dime to her name nor a drop of aether in her veins?”
“Aeris Academy prides itself on cultivating strength in all forms.” He rapped his knuckles against the table. “Elemental aether manipulation is merely one form of power.” His eyes locked onto hers. “Strategy. Resilience. You’ve endured what would break most people. I believe you possess something… uniquely valuable.”
She could see the image he was trying to paint, but this man was spewing a crock load of horseshit, and they both knew it. No fae ever valued human resilience. Not unless it served their purpose.
How far was he willing to take this?
“And my record?” She gripped the edge of the table. “If I accept your deal, I want it wiped clean. Regardless of what happens at the academy. I’m not leaving here with the threat of this place still hanging over my head.”
Professor Ross stared into the hearth for a long moment. “That can be arranged, if you accept the offer. You’ll have a fresh start.”
His gaze turned to her, mouth set in a thin line. “But understand this, Alaire. Should you fail to uphold your end of the bargain, you won’t return here. You’ll be sent straight to the front lines, where you’ll face creatures who salivate at the thought of tearing your kind apart—limb by limb.”
If she failed, she’d trade one cage for another.
Alaire leaned back in her chair. “You’re asking me to throw myself into a school of fae—freaking fae—where I’ll be a walking target. Why would I willingly take that risk?”
“Because we both know, Alaire, anything I offer is better than an endless future rotting in this prison.” Professor Ross steepled his fingers, a knowing smile on his face.
“Aeris Academy could be a place where you stop surviving and startliving. No more scraping by. You’ll be given all the comforts you’ve been denied—warm meals, a bed and room of your own, and resources to build whatever future you choose once this is all over.” His eyes softened, just barely.
Alaire’s heart had dropped somewhere near her intestines. She would accept the deal; she knew she would. The promise of a bed she could call her own, with actual pillows, food that wasn’t cold or stale, and a moment’s peace was too enticing.
Yet she still didn’t trust him.
“Why do you really want me at the academy?” She searched his face for tells, anything to give her a read on him. “This kind of opportunity isn’t offered to any other inmates, and they’ve suffered just as much as I have.”
Elodie’s broken body flashed through her mind.
There was a brief flicker in his eyes, as if weighing how much to reveal. He traced a finger along his thin mustache.
“Elithian grows more dangerous by the day. Forces are at play beyond what many anticipate.” His voice dropped. “Unfortunately, that’s all I can share for now. The rest will be revealed in time—I give you my word. Whether or not you trust me, this offer is the only one you’ll receive.”
He gestured to the room around them. “I won’t try to convince you if you’d rather remain here.”
It felt like a trap, a carefully designed snare. The alternative was worse, even knowing there was more to this bargain than he’d revealed.
Alaire nodded. “I accept your offer. But let’s get one thing straight—I don’t trust you. And I’m nobody’s pawn.”
“I would expect nothing less.” His smile was faint, a glimmer of approval in his eyes.
