Page 23 of Wings of Ash & Flame
A wry smile curved her lips. “My kind? I guess you’re right. I have felt out of place amongst the mediocre talent around here.” She pushed herself up to stand.
Yup.She didn’t even reach his chin.
She could practically see the hatred rolling off him in palpable waves. He looked down his nose at her, nostrils flaring.
An equally imposing figure with white hair stepped forward, grey eyes narrowed. “Don’t flatter yourself, human. Aeris Academy requires more than sheer luck and brazenness. Without magic, all you are is an inconvenience.”
The dark-haired fae’s gaze roved the length of her form like he was cataloging weaknesses.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Alaire retorted, her gaze flicking between them. “I tend to stick around just long enough to see the look on people’s faces when they realize they’ve underestimated me. It’s quite the treat. You’ll be pleasantly surprised, I assure you.”
Kaia stepped beside her, arms crossed over her chest. She didn’t behave like any fae Alaire had ever interacted with before.
The one who’d slammed into her inhaled sharply, eyes narrowing to slits. “Don’t get comfortable. We don’t welcome outsiders here. You might find the academy… challenging in ways you didn’t expect.”
A drumming sensation pounded through Alaire.
“Is that a threat?” Her voice was calm, but her eyes sparkled. “Because it sounds like you’re trying to scare me, and if that’s the case, you’ll need to do better than that. It’s not like you’re telling me anything I don’t already know.”
He stepped closer, his presence oppressive.
“This place will chew you up and spit you out. You’re nothing but a spectacle—one we’ll soon grow tired of and stomp out on our way to bigger and better things. You don’t belong at Aeris Academy.”
Alaire leaned in, her shoulder brushing his chest as she bent close and murmured, “Here’s a little tip—don’t mistake my restraint for fear. I’m not the kind of woman who backs down. So if you and your shadow want to come for me, ensure you’re prepared for what follows.”
A sinful smile curved his lips. “It’ll be a pleasure to see this place tear you apart for me. I doubt you’ll last the month.”
Her heart jumped at his prediction, but she’d never give a fae the satisfaction of seeing her react.
“If you’re the bar for success around here, I’m sure I’ll have no problems.” Alaire grinned right back.
“Quiet,” Professor Ross warned, done with his sidebar with the headmaster.
Without another word, the broody fae and his shadow followed the rest of the veterans as they filed out of the hall.
Alaire let out a slow, deliberate sigh. “And here I thought this place would be boring,” she muttered to Kaia.
“Girl, you are so in over your head. Of all the people to antagonize, you went straight for Dawson Knox—the Prince of House Aetheris. And Caius Vale, his pet dog. They’re not brothers by blood, but they’re an inseparable pair all the same. Both are Aeris Academy’s most renowned fliers.”
Alaire shot a glare at her new acquaintance until Kaia finally added, “But I mean, I do love me an underdog.”
Of course he was a prince. She always had impeccable aim when it came to trouble.
When the door echoed shut, Headmaster Carth took his place back atop the stage. This time, though, he sat on the edge, facing the novices seated in one of the four tips of the diamond, legs dangling.
Smart—to make himself seem like one of them.
“Lying would be a disservice, and I won’t insult you in that way. Aeris Academy will test who you are at your core.” His gaze swept over the novices, widening in recognition when it landed on Alaire.
He knows exactly who I am.
“Monsters await you beyond our borders. How will you answer the call? What difference will you make?”
He clapped his hands on his thighs. “The decisions you make and what you learn here will help you shape that. However, first and foremost, Aeris Academy is an educational institution—one where you’ll learn, question, and studyallaspects of society.”
Alaire looked down her row, surrounded by fae novices her age who’d spent their entire lives preparing for this moment, while she’d spent hers simply trying to survive. Most sat with squared shoulders—bred for this. Others fidgeted with their fingers, staring up at the impressive ceiling.
Headmaster Carth aimed to intimidate, and he was succeeding.
