Page 7

A fter Deah shows me the other spaces that we’ll frequent, we make our way to the mess hall for dinner.

The kitchen somehow smells even better now, the scent of warm spices and fresh bread greet us as we enter through a side door. Deah chatters about training while we stand in line, and I gawk at the choices of food. Lamb, rabbit, duck all sit for the taking along with fresh root vegetables. At the end of the serving line, there are bowls heaping with salad and bread.

The food choices are so much more plentiful than what we ever had access to at home. It was bare bones meats and forged berries, little to no spices due to the droughts of Torrent. Every so often, farmers from the southern province—Ventris—would come to town and sell goods we didn’t have access to. I’d always spend my last coin to buy cinnamon for my foster mother and me to bake with.

I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror again while washing up for dinner, noticing how gaunt my face and eyes had looked compared to others here. It’s not that my foster family was penniless, but we did ration food and water like everyone else in Torrent. Baths were as hard to come by as a full meal unless you rinsed off in the frigid creek. Having running water at our disposal felt so strange—and this near endless supply of food? My mind tries to rationalize it all.

Thinking of my family back home rationing their water makes my heart squeeze in an unpleasant way.

Try the lamb, it is divine. Artemis sighs. If you can sneak me a piece, I’ll be eternally grateful .

You can hunt your own meals. I snort out loud, and Deah glances at me over her shoulder. While I place a single slab of meat on my plate, Deah piles hers high with various proteins. Based on her muscular build, I would be wise to follow suit.

“Is your bird sassy? Mine doesn’t have a humble bone in her body.” Deah shakes her head at my question, the corners of her mouth tugging up.

“You have no idea.”

Fine, I’ll wait until the farmers go to sleep. The chortle doesn’t make me feel any better about Artemis’s jesting.

The line ends, so I trail Deah across the large hall. Setting our trays on a table, I see a throng of people filing in the hall, heading through the serving lines. Deah pushes her food around her tray as a few other Novices drop their plates at the spots next to us.

Instantly I note their markings, each one of them has their own unique version; either lining their bicep, or running down their arm. Absent-mindedly, I run a finger over my new Phoenix marking.

“I hate when we sit here,” a dark-haired man complains as he slides in next to Deah. He bumps her shoulder lightly, a mop of curls flopping forward as he does. When he brings his hand up to shove his hair back, I note that his markings twist and turn, with a thin line running straight through it.

“You say that no matter where we sit,” a woman remarks as she sits next to me. “Hi, I’m Emmy.” She offers me a warm smile. Her tanned skin and chopped stark, red hair make her hazel eyes practically glow. A short-sleeve shirt shows off markings that nearly cover her entire right arm.

“Aledrya,” I say with a tentative smile.

“Oh, we heard,” the man next to Deah chimes. His dark curls once again falling over his tanned face. When he looks up at me from his food, I can see freckles dotting his nose, deep blue eyes staring back at me. He flashes me a broad smile, I can’t help but return it. “Deah told us about you earlier, and Lamond likely informed others. The Ravels isn’t that large of a group, so you’ll find most people have heard of your arrival by now.”

Deah rolls her eyes. “This is Lotog, and before you ask yourself ‘is he always annoying?’ The answer is ‘yes’.” She looks back at him. “Lamond has taken to her.”

“Of course he has, she’s attractive.” He points his fork at me, talking around a mouthful of lamb. When Deah sends an elbow into his ribs, he coughs abruptly and looks up at me. “Apologies. That wasn’t news to you though, right?”

“That so was not the issue with what you said. Don’t scare off our new friend,” Emmy grumbles, glaring toward Lotog. “Aledrya, it’s nice to meet you. Are you bunking with Deah?”

The term friend has exuberance buzzing under my skin like fireflies caught in a glass jar.

I nod, setting my fork down. “Yes, and training with her and Lamond.”

“Oh no, you’re training with all of us. We’re a package deal.” Lotog now turns his fork-pointing to Emmy. “Emmy and her bird, Solay. Deah and Adonis.” Then, gesturing toward himself, he gives me a wicked grin. “Finally, the most dashing man here and my bird, Hans.”

Emmy swallows her food, leaning back in her chair. “In about two weeks she’ll be able to kick your ass, then I wonder if you’ll want to be the one training her?”

“Jokes on you, she could definitely already kick my ass.”

I can’t help but laugh then. “How about I don’t kick anyone’s ass and you all help me figure out how to survive here?”

“Deal,” Deah cuts in. “Are you both going to be ready after dinner?”

Lotog shakes his head. “I have to help Nalin move training mats after. I can leave within an hour. You can go without me if you want. I’ll catch up.”

“No,” Emmy says firmly, eyes narrowing. “It’s not safe to be alone navigating the path. And you won’t be flying Hans into town again after last time.”

I tear my attention from my plate to see Lotog shaking his head slowly. Before I can probe for more details, he chides, “You land your bird on a busy street in town one time… ”

Deah looks at him incredulously. “The townsfolk thought there was an attack underway!”

“Doesn’t even make the top ten most ignorant things you’ve done,” Emmy agrees ruefully.

“Well…that is probably an accurate statement,” Lotog grumbles, stabbing at the meat on his plate.

My cheeks begin to burn with how much grinning I’ve done in this conversation.

“So, we’re all Novices, is there a class after ours?” I ask, peering over my fork at Deah.

She shakes her head, ripping a bread roll in two. “No, after we graduate from training, we become ranked officers. We can be called up for war or to guard stations around the Fae Realm, including the Caves.”

“Ah.” I glance down at my tray, pushing the food around with my fork. “Thank you all for helping me.”

Emmy’s eyes light up, but her face hardens instantly, looking past me.

“You won’t make it to next week if these are the ones helping you,” a woman hisses as she strolls past our table.

She’s easily one of the most elegantly intimidating people I have ever laid eyes on. She has jet black hair cut into a razor-sharp bob, and her crystal green eyes seem to assess everything with the attention of a hawk.

“Not even the Phoenixes wanted to tether themselves to you, Ingrid,” Deah snaps back, anger lacing her voice. “It’s no wonder people avoid you, too.”

“I’m not tethered, yet I’m still here. What does that tell you ?” she snarls, baring her teeth at Deah. I draw back, then straighten quickly, hoping no one noticed my reaction. I’m not so covert, though. My moment of meekness has been spotted immediately.

“If you’re scared of that , you’ll never be able to endure training here, let alone battle,” Ingrid sneers at me .

“Ignore her,” Emmy instructs, leaning back in her seat. “Be gone, witch.” She waves her hand in Ingrid’s direction. To my shock, Ingrid rolls her eyes and stomps off.

I make a mental note to not piss Emmy off any time soon.

“Ingrid seems pleasant.” I pop a bite of potato into my mouth and watch her retreat to another table. Alone.

To my shock, the group bursts out into laughter. “She really is the worst, but Emmy is brave for calling her a witch,” Lotog snickers.

“Well, she is one,” Emmy retorts, scrunching up her nose. “Her power is strange. She can cast spells, it’s unnerving.”

“Cast spells?” That certainly snags my attention, I recall Lamond mentioning something about it during our travel.

Deah opens her mouth to answer, but Lotog jumps in before she can. “Yes. Like turn-you-into-a-frog type of shit. She’s a spell-master.”

“Oh, well, glad she and I got off on the right foot,” I mumble, turning back to my plate. “What did you mean it’s not safe on the pathway at night?”

The table grows quiet at my question. I furrow my brow at them, when I notice they’re all looking behind me. I rotate slowly in my seat, terrified I’ll find Ingrid there to no doubt turn me into a pumpkin. Instead, I’m staring at a man’s belt buckle. I lean back, angling my head up to meet Lamond’s stare.

“Walk with me.” It’s not a question, no leeway for argument in his voice. I stand, taking my tray with me and nodding goodbye to the group.

“I’ll meet you in our room in a little while,” Deah calls after me. I wave to her as I dump the scraps from my tray.

I follow Lamond toward a hallway I hadn’t noticed before. Nerves prickle in my stomach, my heart rate climbing in speed. “Where are we going?”

He looks at me as he turns to open the door. “I’m showing you something.” He angles sideways to hold the door open for me.

“Not really an answer, but okay.”

Stopping in the hall, I let him take the lead. Instead, he stops next to me, gesturing for me to walk along with him. I can’t help but steal a glance at him. His long hair is still tied back. Today he’s opted for a sleeveless black shirt that shows his marked arms. When I was with him in the woods the other night, I hadn’t realized how many markings he actually had.

He clears his throat, and I snap my eyes back to the path in front of me, feeling like I just got caught red-handed ogling him—which is precisely what I was doing.

“This way.” He points through a side hall, grabbing a lit lantern off the wall to ward off the darkness ahead. “Not everyone realizes this is here. But I think you may appreciate it.”

The short hall gives way to a massive, heavy wooden door. He pushes it open, revealing the most vast and baroque library I’ve ever seen. My breath catches as I step into the inviting space, not bothering to get approval to do so.

The bookshelves are dusted and orderly, as if well cared for by someone meticulous. The shelving is made from a heavy wood, reaching all the way to the vaulted ceiling above. My mouth falls open as I follow their shelves up, seeing the golden chandeliers hanging above. The lighting is warm, making the space feel cozy. I could spend days down here undisturbed. This halcyon library offers all the comforts one could ever desire.

Distinctly aware that Lamond is still here, I force my attention back to him. He smiles softly, gesturing to the space.

“This is available for anyone to use, but not many spend their time down here. I thought someone with as many questions as you seem to have would like free access to information.”

The smile I offer is genuine. “Thank you.” I turn back to the shelves. “Does that mean you aren’t going to tell me what is so dangerous out there?”

Lamond clears his throat. “There are a lot of dangerous things out there, like the Abacae. Just be careful and don’t go out alone.” He avoids my gaze, looking past me.

Nodding, I point toward the door. “May I come here anytime I please, or do I need permission? ”

Lamond shrugs, gesturing around the library. “As you can see, it’s not busy. No reason you can’t visit when you’d like.”

“Mm-hm,” I hum uselessly. I take one last moment to memorize the details, keeping my hands to my side so as not to drag them over every book spine I pass. With disappointment, I remember I can’t spend all night admiring the tomes. “I should get back to Deah, I’m heading out with them tonight.”

Lamond’s gaze turns intense, and I fight the urge to look away from him. “Be careful,” he repeats, opening the door for me. “Do you need an escort into town?”

“No, it’s Deah and her group of friends, we should be fine.”

We walk in an uncomfortable silence for a moment toward the Novice hall. Lamond clears his throat before splitting off from me. “Seems like maybe they’re wanting to be your friend too, Ale. Give them a chance, eh?” With a wink, he disappears down another corridor.

When my door comes into view, I spot the group waiting outside. A wild smile forms as I wave in their direction. Relief washes over me to see they are all still dressed in their field clothes like I am.

“I’m so glad you’re coming with us.” Deah gives me a broad smile, locking our door with a wave of her hand. I’m glad she’d taken the time to show me how to summon the lesser power earlier. I’d picked up on it quite easily, rather than needing the key the first few weeks like other Novices.

Lotog throws his arms around both Deah and my shoulders, Emmy walking backwards in front of us. “Ally, you are going to love the town,” Lotog tells me, grinning ear to ear.

Narrowing my eyes, I stretch up so I’m as tall as he is. “Rule number one of being my friend. No calling me Ally.”

“But—”

A snicker comes from Emmy as she turns to walk forward.

I jerk my hand up, holding up two fingers. “Rule number two, you owe me a drink every time you offend me. ”

Deah cackles, and Emmy throws a smile over her shoulder. I can appreciate being in the presence of people who don’t mind the banter.

Lotog’s jaw drops, removing his arm from my shoulders to place it over his heart. “All—Aledrya. Ale? I’m hurt. After all we’ve been through. I told you that you’re attractive!”

The noise that bubbles out of my throat is the first deep, genuine laugh I’ve had in a very long time. “Ah, yes. I had forgotten about that. In that case, I was wrong. You owe me two drinks.”

Ruthless. I like it, Artemis purrs, her pride rippling through our tether.

Lotog is still cracking jokes about him buying me drinks when we reach the front entrance to the cave. I find it hard to believe I’d arrived here only this morning. Deah steps out on the platform, and we squeeze in next to her, not wanting to venture too close to the ledge.

“And just how do we get down without our birds?” I question, squinting at the dropoff.

“We have options,” Deah replies, stepping way too close for comfort to the edge. “There are tortuous stairs to your right. By Phoenix, which you already know. Or you can dispatch.” She grabs my arm, voice raising with the last bit.

“What is tha—” Before my question is fully formed, we’re hurling through what feels like a blender in darkness. Wind suffocates me, and strobing light flashes disorient my senses. When we land in the middle of town, I stumble facedown, gagging at the vertiginous sensation. I stay on all fours as the world spins.

I would feel embarrassed, but Emmy is retching behind me. “I hate when you do that shit, Deah.”

I push myself back so I’m resting on my heels. Lotog is splayed on his back, palms pressed to his eyes. “I would have preferred the stairs, quite honestly.”

“Agreed,” I tell him, still panting at how dazed I feel. Deah looks ready to take on the world though, crossing her arms and grinning down at us. “It didn’t feel that intense when Lamond did it. ”

“That’s because he can zip , not dispatch. Zipping isn’t tearing a rip in the universe. All he’s doing is moving quickly.” Deah’s face is still smug as she scans the busy street.

I grimace up at her. “Well, zipping didn’t make me sick.”

She ignores that. “Come on you lot, drinks await.”

Our walk through downtown is slow since I get distracted by everything we pass. The entire town seems like something out of a storybook I read as a child. Vibrant colors in the form of flowers and clothing choices by shop patrons. Lively music floating through the air from one of the restaurants. No ones lingering in dark corners. No drunks peeing into bushes or harassing passing women. Even the bar we finally step into is clean and smells of lavender.

Embarrassment settles into my chest, though. “Deah?” I lean in, so only she can hear me. “I don’t have money to pay, maybe I should go back.”

“Oh.” She tears her gaze from the bartender to look at me. “You’ll get wages from being in the Ravels. I’ll cover your drinks tonight, though.”

I’d never had my own wages before. I quite like the way that sounds. It sounds strikingly similar to freedom .

We sit and I order what the others do, because I haven’t a clue what kind of alcohol to drink here. My interactions with drinking have been limited since we didn’t have extra coin for something as expensive as alcohol. Our drinks arrive, and the cold liquid looks like any other brew I’ve seen in Torrent. Bringing it to my lips, I notice it smells similar, but sweeter.

Tipping the glass back, Deah places her hand on my arm. “Have you had mead before?”

“No,” I tell her honestly as I set the drink down.

“It’s strong, so keep your wits about you. Or don’t. We’ll make sure you get back to the Caves either way.” She drinks deeply from her glass, and I realize I desperately want to be friends with Deah. She’s outgoing and audacious in every way I aspire to be.

Sipping with caution, I listen to the group gossip about people in our Novice ranking with us, making mental notes of each one .

Emmy talks with her hands, but as her drink flows, she becomes increasingly animated, slapping the table to punctuate a thought. “Rory is going to take it all in sparring. Have you seen his swordplay?”

“—I could see Sanja being a contender, though. Her tethered bird is fierce. He scares the shit out of Hans.” Lotog shudders.

“—I wonder when Ridge will show back up.” I snap back to attention at Deah’s comment, it’s the second time she’s mentioned Ridge.

Clearing my throat, I place my drink down on the sticky table. Shit. I’m feeling a little heady after only one mead. “So Ridge isn’t a Novice, but no one is sure of his role in the Ravels?”

Deah shakes her head, already draining her second glass and showing no signs of effect from it. “He’s a mystery, just like Lamond. But he’s so handsome it’s difficult not to be intrigued by him.” She sets the glass down, running a finger around the rim. “Like I mentioned, I’m pretty sure he outranks the Major. But even that is a guess.”

Emmy giggles drunkenly, lips still brushing the rim of her drink. “I don’t think Ridge is a Novice at anything. Can you imagine him—”

Lotog shoves his hands over his ears. “Please gods no. That man is a legend and you will not ruin it with whatever despicable thing you were going to say.”

“Oh, please continue with your debauchery.” Lamond materializes next to our table, sliding into a seat beside me.

Holding up a finger for the bartender to bring a mead, he flashes a grin in my direction. The man who was with him earlier joins him, and I notice Lotog’s mouth is hanging open like a fish.

“You two never join us for drinks,” he sputters, looking between Lamond and his confidante. “I have invited you both countless times.”

“I can’t imagine what would bring them here tonight, can you, Aledrya?” Deah mumbles faintly, giving me an implicative look over her glass.

Lamond chuckles, leaning forward on the table toward Lotog. “Well, I’ve finally taken you up on it. Can’t have you scaring our new Novice, can I? ”

“Nalin, I’m shocked to see you here,” Emmy says, her tone turning sultry. I flick a glance down the table at Nalin while he takes a long drink from his mead. Every Fae male seems drastically more attractive than any man I had ever seen on the other side of the Woven Wall. Those crystal brown eyes assess the patrons around us, scanning the space like he had done when I met him in the training hall.

“I’m here all the time, just usually not at the time you’re patronizing this bar,” Nalin remarks, tilting his head back to regard Emmy under half-masked eyes. “Lamond usually drags me here past your bedtime.”

The others engage in a back and forth of snarky remarks, but I notice Lamond looking at me from the corner of his eye. I feel a prickle of discomfort, I’m not used to this much positive attention from anyone, let alone a male.

“And are you enjoying yourself?” he asks, gesturing toward my drink. “Hopefully you’re not feeling the mead too much.”

I snort, the sound painfully exposing how intoxicated I am. “Yes, Deah warned me it’s stronger than what I’d be used to, but I am enjoying myself. You didn’t mention earlier you were coming here?” I recognize that I’m babbling and clamp my lips together.

Turns out my lips are numb to boot.

“I think perhaps I should assist you in getting back to the Caves. You have an early morning for training tomorrow,” he reminds me, ignoring my question.

Like I could have forgotten my early wakeup call.

“Are you going to dispatch us to get us back?” I change the subject, the thought of dispatching again makes me queasy.

“No, I can’t dispatch. But we are going to move quickly,” he warns, a smile tugging on his mouth.

“Oh yes, the zipping .” I hiccup, slapping a hand over my mouth as I giggle uncontrollably.

Lamond looks surprised for once, eyes flaring wide. “How did you already learn that it’s called zipping? ”

“Deah explained it. I have many sources of information now.” I waggle my eyebrows at him. “Zipping sounds less terrible than dispatching,” I slur as I push the chair back. Swaying on my feet, panic lurches in my stomach. I am way more drunk than I’d thought I was, I hardly know any of these people.

Nalin waves Lamond off when he says he’ll be back in a bit. Lamond offers me his arm, no doubt realizing how unsteady I am. “Are you certain you’ll be all right if I zip us back?”

“There has to be a better term for it than zipping,” I babble, unable to contain my laughter, although it comes out sounding more like a cackle. “I would have thought it would have a more formidable name.”

“And what term would you use?” Lamond stops, forcing me to concede to his pace and consider.

I put my finger on my chin, thinking. My face lights up when a word finally comes to me. “Blazing.”

Lamond snorts with laughter, a wild grin forming on his face. “Shall we walk, or will you be okay with blazing ?” He scrunches his face like he’s fighting a grin.

I wave my hand in his face, a gesture I know will haunt me tomorrow. “Blaze away.” Lamond looks at me skeptically, before grabbing my arm and darting toward the mountain.

We somehow zip to the mountain and up the stairs before I can even blink. When he stops, I waste no time gripping the cool wall and losing my dinner. Lamond stands back a respectable distance, crossing his arms and waiting for me to finish.

“I offered to walk,” he mutters under his breath.

Gods, tomorrow is going to be terrible.