Page 24 of Wings of Ash & Flame
“During your first year at Aeris Academy, in addition to your classes, you will need to pass two trials. These are not mere examinations. They are competitions that will determine whether you advance to your second year or…” He paused, letting the implications settle. “Find yourself pursuing other opportunities outside of Aeris Academy.”
Alaire’s spine straightened.
“Most elementals novices will participate in the same set of trials—ones designed to test not only magic ability, but also wit, loyalty, and strength of character. However, those bonded to Celestial Familiars will face entirely different challenges. Trials that will either forge you into Elithian’s elite fliers—or break you completely.”
Alaire’s stomach clenched. She had no magic. She was an empty husk.
Already doomed to fail.
“Make no mistake,” Headmaster Carth continued, “these trials have claimed lives before. The academy’s standards are absolute, and the trials will separate those destined for greatness from those who merely hoped for it.”
Whoops and cheers erupted in the crowd.
Kaia elbowed Alaire in the ribs.Ow.
Headmaster Carth’s voice rang through the grand chamber, echoing off the vaulted ceilings.
“True power derives from the courage to confront one’s vulnerability—to strip back the façade and reveal the raw,unvarnished truth of one’s soul. Fear is a constant companion, shadowing every stride you take toward greatness. You must not cower before it, for failure is merely a step toward success.”
Each word seemed to hang in the air, a challenge and an invocation urging each listener to rise with a fierce and open heart.
Alaire’s heart lodged in her throat.
She’d keep her mask of snark and indifference exactly where it was, thank you very much. The last thing she needed was to give these noble bastards more ammunition.
But his words about trials nagged at her.
What exactly did they expect from someone without magic?
What tests awaited the woman who didn’t belong?
Seven
Alaire was running late for her next class. Leather-bound books clutched in hand, she took a sharp corner and flung open a heavy door, heading toward the Aether Ascend Towers.
She slammed directly into a fae, his robes billowing behind him like wings.
The man’s eyes lit with pleasure, as if she were exactly who he’d been waiting for. It made her skin crawl.
“Sorry,” she gasped. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“No need to apologize,” he said. White hair fell in a severe bowl cut, framing the fathomless pits of his eyes.
He looked familiar, but Alaire couldn’t quite place him.Was he a professor here?He was thin and slight, with sallow skin that emphasized the deep lines around his eyes.
Clack, clack, clack. His heeled boot tapped against flagstone in a rhythm that set her teeth on edge.
“Excuse me.” Alaire moved to step around him. She really didn’t want to be this late.
He moved with her, blocking her path. “In quite a hurry, aren’t we?” he remarked with a thin smile.
“Can I help you?” Alaire clenched her jaw, holding his stare.
He tilted his head, taking in her rounded ears with the satisfaction of a collector examining a prized specimen. “Ah, you must be the one causing all the…disruptionI’ve heard about.”
“Apparently.” Her books pressed tighter against her ribs as she narrowed her eyes.
He began to circle her—slow, deliberate—cataloging her from every angle. “A human amongst fae. No magic to speak of, yet somehow you’ve managed to land yourself in these hallowed halls.” He smacked his lips. “That alone raises fascinating questions. And I don’t believe in coincidences.”
