Page 8 of In Between Darkness
“Not much, why do you ask?” She looks at me curiously while breaking off a large piece of bread from the plate in front of us. She pauses for a moment and then slathers marmalade over it before taking a bite and waiting for my reply.
“No reason. I just saw them last night out my window.”
She practically spits her bread at me. “What?!” Then lowers her voice and draws her head in closer to mine as if she doesn’t want anyone else to hear our conversation. “Were they as terrifying as the legend says?”
I match her whisper, “It’s complicated…they looked like you and I, but their combat was like nothing I have ever seen. Let’s just say you really wouldn’t want to fight one!”
Her eyes widen. “You saw them in combat? Why do I always miss the good stuff?”
She looks at me with envy. “So, they look like one of us…”
Her eyes divert to the table behind us. “Do they look more like William over there or do they have more of an Alex Rotherman vibe?”
I laugh at her question and look over at William, still wearing his yellow and green scarf, trying to carry too many books for his skinny arms to cradle. He drops them to the floor and trips up a little before catching his fall.
I look back at Nala and smirk. “Definitely more like Alex but ten times hotter in a terrifying way.” Nala and I giggle at this. She pauses for a second and then says, “Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest.”
I fight back the urge to bite my lip and give Nala a friendly slap on the arm.
“You’re bad, you are,” I laugh. Still thinking of Him.
Miss Worthington makes her way to the centre of the dining hall. She takes a second to clear her throat.
“Ahem…I hope you are all well and rested for trial week.” She smiles. “During this week, you will attend each class in the hope of finding the ones you would like to pick. History, Numeracy and Enchantra are mandatory. Other than that, you will be able to choose from Taming, Combat and Weaponry, Medicinal Potions, Battle Strategy, Ancient Architecture and Garden Tending. It is up to you which ones you pick. However, you can only pick two, so choose wisely. When you are given your Gifts, that which you possess will become your speciality.”
An excitable chatter erupts from the students. I overhear someone at the table behind me and turn my head slightly.
“It’s my birthday in three days. I can’t wait to get my Gift.” I can hear the anticipation in his voice.
“Mine’s in four days. When’s yours?” Nala asks, blatantly eavesdropping with me.
“Not till next week. I was one of the youngest in my year at Pen school.”
Nerves take over me as I think about getting my Gift. Some people say they can tell which Gift they are going to get; they just have a feeling. On the other hand, I have no idea which one I am going to get.
“As soon as first meal is over, please make your way outside. Taming is always the first trial. Tomorrow will be Combat and Weaponry, followed by Medicinal Potions on Wednesday, Garden Tending on Thursday and Ancient Architecture on Friday,” Miss Worthington remarks as she makes her exit.
“Taming for the first trial lesson, they really are shoving us into the deep end!” I say under my breath.
“It’s how they weed out the weakest,” Nala replies. “Just stick with me, you’ll be fine.”
All students hurry onto the cable carts in groups of ten. This is the only way to Sovereign’s highest valley. They don’t look like carts. They are made up entirely of glass, including the base, with a bulbous-shaped viewing window that wraps around for a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the landscape. They look more like lightbulbs than traditional carts. I bet you can see the whole campus from up there.
The carts follow an invisible road that the Influencers designed. To board one, you must stand on the wooden decking positioned at the edge of the first hill in the valley. You must be quick; they only stop for a couple of minutes each time. Nala and I hurry on, her hand grasping mine so that we don’t separate in the rush.
The cart stands still for a minute before levitating in mid-air. All the students within it stand mesmerised at the view beyond the cart’s windows. You can see for miles from up here. I watch as our castle shrinks in size. I look down past my feet and through the glass at the base of the cart. My eyes fall ontoCampus B. I can’t help but wonder what the blindfolded one is doing now. Most likely, he is asleep. I wonder what he dreams about.
We are moving faster than I anticipated, and the end is in sight. I can feel the air getting colder the higher we get. I watch as Toby turns from a natural pinkish colour to a deathly grey. We are very high up now. Lucky for me, heights are not one of my fears. I turn and look at Nala, who has never looked happier. I am starting to think she is some kind of psychopath. The cart shifts suddenly as a vast gust of wind blows into us. My shoulders nudge Nala as the passengers briefly collide. The class turns in unison.
“My Gods.”
An elion in the flesh, soaring past us. Nala runs to the edge of the cart and places her hands on the glass to get a better look. I hold my breath as I take in the sheer size of the creature. I knew they were big, but standing next to one really puts it into perspective. Bigger than three of these carts put together.
I remember reading about them, their pure white fur as bright as the blankets of snow that warm the peaks of the valleys around us. Beasts of camouflage. It is impossible to see an elion on a cloudy day. Its fur is a perfect match to the clouds that hang above us, with white manes so thick it is said that a sheet can keep a family warm through the coldest of Palidonia’s winters. Enormous white feathered wings batter the air with each strong stroke, creating a ferocious “whoosh” sound.
The Book of Elions and Tamers says they have the strength of a thousand men. I gulp thinking about how I am about to be in close proximity with ten of them. I can’t believe people actually have the courage to ride them. I wipe a trickle of sweat from my brow as butterflies wreak havoc in my stomach. The sunlight pings off each talon embedded in its bulbous paws. My eyes size them up. One talon is bigger than my whole arm, and I dreadto think how big the teeth are hiding within its mighty jaws. The elion is just level with our cart now, soaring majestically, keeping pace with us. The cart is sent a few degrees to the left every few seconds with each flap of its robust wings. Thousands of white feathers, all lightly dusted with spatters of gold, cling to the length of its wingspan. I look at Nala, whose eyes are still glued in adoration.
“I can’t believe your mother rides them!”
