Eira kept her objections to herself. Certainly, if Gwen’s story was true, it was pretty serious. But the person she had hurt willingly stepped into the sparring ring. They accepted a chance of injury.
They also walked away with their life.
Three years ago, Eira had stepped into a classroom with a heart filled with naive hope. She had confessed her love—a love she’d thought was true and real—to Adam and he’d decided to make a game of it. He’d lured her in with a note of false promises. He’d given her the idea that he might actually have feelings for the awkward and gangly girl she’d been.
Noelle and the others were hidden when she’d arrived. Just as he’d gone to kiss Eira, they’d leapt from their hiding places with jeers. The jest had been on her.
Worthless…ugly…not even your mother could love you…
Eira could hear a thousand voices and she would never forget those. Ice had replaced the blood in her veins that night. Their cruelty had exposed her fragility and her power ran rampant. She’d covered half the Tower in frost, two sleeping students in the thick of it. One experienced severe frostbite and never returned to the Tower. The other was young, and had a weak constitution… She never woke up.
It was a wonder Eira hadn’t been expelled. Her actions were met with severe punishment, but since she’d been young, and not in control, she was spared irons—barely. The senate had certainly called for a more severe punishment. After that, most of the taunting happened from the shadows, rather than outright. And Eira could never look at any of her classmates the same.
“I hope you’re right,” Eira said softly to placate her aunt, shaking her head and sending the dark rats of her past scattering back to their usual shadows.
“I can tell you don’t believe me. But I am.” Gwen was settling back down underneath the covers so Eira stood. But her aunt caught her hand. “You have to move on eventually. Throw your hat in the ring. Fight to be a competitor.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“No one—no one loves the Crescent Continent—”
“Meru,” Eira corrected. The land had been mostly forgotten to time. Those who did know of it referred to it as the “Crescent Continent” not knowing any better. But it had a name now; as far as Eira was concerned, people needed to start referring to it properly.
“My point exactly.” Gwen smiled and pulled Eira’s hand so she was leaning over her. “No one loves that place more than you. You were born to go there, to see the wide world and find your place in it, I can feel it.” Gwen kissed her cheek. “So sleep well, niece of mine. When you wake up, follow your heart. I’ll help smooth things over with your uncle if needed.”
“Thanks, Auntie.”
Eira retreated back to the Tower, the shadows of her past and the possibilities of the future trailing her every step.
The next morning, she met with Alyss as planned and they suffered through classes.
After instruction was done for the day, Eira, Alyss, and the rest of the Tower met once more for an announcement in the main atrium at the Tower’s base. Every student and teacher hung on bated breath to the minister’s words.
“We all know why I have summoned you, so I will not make you wait.” Fritz stood on a table to address them all. “This week, I had lunch with the empress, which sparked many meetings with both the empress and emperor, as well as the head of the Guard and Minister of War on this upcoming tournament. In addition, I have met with Ambassador Ferro and his delegation, discussing the details further.”
“Get to the point,” Alyss hissed under her breath.
Eira shh’ed her. She was having a hard enough time focusing on Fritz over the murmurs, the voices that haunted her from the walls, the remnants of Gwen’s encouragement, and the frantic beating of her heart.
“It has been decided, after much discussion, that one sorcerer of each affinity will be sent from the Solaris Empire as our competitors in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. This will mean the other four kingdoms—territories—will send four of their best sorcerers as well to compete.”
Whispers of excitement scampered across the room like eager children during the autumnal celebrations at the Festival of the Sun.
“Four of us, they’re sending four!” Alyss shook Eira’s shoulder.
“Only one of each affinity though.”
“Don’t be a downer.”
Fritz continued before Eira could say anything. “Any apprentice over the age of fifteen or instructor is welcome to sign up as a candidate to be considered for competitor. To make the selection of final competitors fair, there will be a series of five trials to take place over the next three months that will determine who our champions are. Trials will begin after sign-ups here in the atrium. Firebearers will be able to sign up tomorrow. Groundbreakers the day after. Waterrunners will be last. Sign-ups begin at dawn and last until sunset.”
“No mention of Windwalkers,” Alyss muttered. “He’s not going to have to compete in these trials, is he?”
Eira knew exactly who Alyss meant when she said he. “Of course not; they’re not going to send the empress. And Cullen is the strongest, oldest, and most skilled of the Windwalkers that have awoken. He’s the only viable option.” Eira grimaced. “Maybe we shouldn’t sign up. If we were chosen, we’d have to compete alongside Cullen.”
“It’d be worth putting up with him as a teammate for a chance to compete against the other sorcerers from other kingdoms,” Alyss said with a shake of her head.
“If you have any questions, please direct them to your instructors. Good luck, everyone. You have a chance to represent Solaris on the greatest stage ever known,” Fritz finished, his voice echoing overhead with the weight of destiny.
5
Eira and Alyss weren’t the only ones curious about what “sign-ups” meant. The next evening they hovered with other apprentices up on the walkway where they’d listened to Fritz the night before. All eyes were focused on the board surrounded by a ring of fire.
“I wonder if this counts as the first trial,” Alyss said.
“Hmm?” Eira had yet to look away from the sign-up board.
“The minister said there would be five trials to narrow down the candidates to four final competitors. I wonder if crossing the fire counts as the first trial.”
“I don’t think so. He said the trials would begin after sign-ups.”
“Oh, right. He did.” Alyss glanced up from the wood she was magically whittling away, a rain of sawdust pooling at her feet. “Look, he’s going to try.”
A young apprentice walked forward, hesitating at the edge of the flames. He had the capped sleeves of a Firebearer. Yet, apprehension radiated off of him. He looked like he was barely fifteen.
Naturally occurring fire, water, wind, and earth couldn’t hurt sorcerers within their own affinities. A Firebearer couldn’t be burned by the flame of a candle, or flames they created. However, if the fire was created by another sorcerer, then it became a battle of strength.
Focus overcame the young man’s face. Sweat dripped down his neck as he stared intently at the flames. They flickered, wavering a moment. He stuck his hand forward and pulled it back with a hiss. The fire roared, brighter than before. The young man walked away, dejected, giving up on signing his name.