Page 3 of Cursed Dreams (Shadow and Dreams #1)

She shifted her weight, willing herself to steady.

The energy in the room felt thick, charged with expectation.

"You will be tested in three areas,” Elara said, her voice measured and calm.

“Your knowledge, your practical healing skill, and the depth of your magical reserves.

There is no single way to pass or fail, we assess not only your ability but also your potential.

" Potential. That word did little to soothe her.

“Do you have any questions before we begin?

" A dozen flitted through her mind, but none seemed worth voicing.

Instead, she shook her head. Elara smiled gently.

“Then take your seat, and we shall begin.

" Thalia stepped forward, the sound of her boots against the stone floor too loud in her own ears.

As she lowered herself into the chair, she clasped her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling, her fingers curling against the fabric of her skirt she could feel her heart pounding.

The three examiners observed her in silence for a moment, quills poised above parchment, before Professor Selene cleared her throat and began.

"We will start with your knowledge,” she said smoothly, tapping her fingers lightly against the table.

“Explain the properties and applications of Everdew essence in healing.” Thalia exhaled, relieved that the first question was something she had studied extensively.

“Everdew essence is primarily used in the treatment of magical burns and arcane poisoning,” she began, her voice steady despite her nerves.

“It has regenerative properties that allow damaged skin and tissue to heal without scarring, and it can also be used in potions to soothe internal injuries caused by unstable magic.” Selene nodded approvingly, making a note on her parchment.

“And its limitations?” Thalia didn’t hesitate.

“It loses potency when mixed with iron-based ingredients and becomes unstable if exposed to prolonged heat.”

“Good,” Selene said, not offering praise, but not finding fault either.

She flicked her wrist, gesturing toward the basin of shimmering water.

“For your first practical test, purify this water of its contaminants. There are three different poisons within it, remove them without affecting the water’s integrity.

” Thalia stood, smoothing her hands against her thighs before approaching the basin.

Peering into it, she frowned slightly. The water looked clear, but she knew better.

Magic often disguised what the eyes alone couldn’t see.

Closing her eyes, she reached out, letting her magic extend like a thread through the water, feeling for what didn’t belong.

Her magic brushed against something slick and oily, another part sharp and bitter, and a third part sluggish and thick like syrup.

She inhaled and began her incantation, whispering the necessary chants as she wove her magic into the water.

Slowly, the contaminants lifted, three distinct colours swirling to the surface before vanishing into the air.

She stepped back. The water gleamed, utterly pure.

Professor Selene inspected it with a practiced eye before giving a small, satisfied nod.

“Acceptable.” She made another note before gesturing for Thalia to return to her seat.

Master Cedric leaned forward, his kind expression making Thalia’s shoulders relax, until he gestured to the side, where a low cot lay with a figure sprawled upon it.

A fae woman with silver hair and a sickly pallor lay still, her breathing shallow.

How had she missed her when she entered the room, once again her fear and self-doubt reared its ugly head.

"This is an enchanted construct,” Cedric explained.

“She mimics symptoms of real ailments. Your task is to diagnose and stabilize her." Thalia swallowed and nodded, approaching the cot, with an air of more confidence than she felt. The construct’s breathing was irregular, and her skin had a faint luminescent sheen, symptoms of Moonvine poisoning. But there was something else, something deeper beneath the surface. Thalia pressed a gentle hand to the woman's forehead, extending her magic to sense what was wrong. The poison was there, but it had already began affecting her mana flow, causing dangerous fluctuations in her energy. Simply extracting it wouldn’t be enough, she needed to balance the energy first. She pulled from her training, murmuring the necessary chants as her magic wove around the construct’s body, tentatively steadying the unstable energy before drawing out the poison.

Slowly, colour returned to the woman’s face, her breathing evening out.

Thalia exhaled a slow breath arms trembling.

Master Cedric smiled, marking something down.

“Good instincts,” he said. “Many young healers rush to extract without stabilizing first. That would have made the condition worse.” Thalia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and stepped back.

Vaelith, the Ability Assessor, stood. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, colder, as his eerie silver-white eyes fixed on her.

"Come,” he said, voice like a whisper of wind against ice.

Thalia hesitated. Unlike the others, he did not have a simple task for her.

Instead, he raised a hand, magic curling at his fingertips.

"I will test the depth of your power." Something about the way he said it made her stomach knot with unease; panic filled her chest, would her strange white healer magic be strong enough to pass this final hurdle, no amount of studying could save her now, Fear coursed through her body making her visibly shake. She stepped forward, nonetheless. Sending silent prayers to any and all the gods that would listen. Vaelith extended a single hand toward her. “Brace yourself.” was his only warning as pain erupted through her. It was unlike anything she had ever felt, like her magic was being dragged from her body, unwilling and raw. She gasped, knees buckling, but she refused to fall. Her vision blurred, her pulse hammering in her ears. It felt like he was reaching inside her deeper and deeper, pulling at the very essence of her being, searching for something, something he hadn’t expected to find.

Suddenly she could feel her magic rise within her as though in greeting to this intrusive magic burning her from the inside out, where her magic touched an almost cooling calming feeling came over her making her slightly euphoric.

His hand recoiled, and the pressure vanished so suddenly she nearly collapsed.

Vaelith staggered back, his pale face creased in something dangerously close to shock.

His silver eyes flickered, darting over her as if seeing her for the first time.

"What…” He hesitated, then steadied himself, his voice sharp.

“What is your lineage?” Thalia, still catching her breath, frowned.

“What?” she managed to get out through her raw throat “Your family,” he said, expression unreadable.

“Your ancestors. Who are they?”Thalia swallowed hard, still disoriented.

“My parents are Goldora and Rodric Evermere.”

Vaelith’s lips pressed into a thin line. He glanced at the High Priestess, who held his gaze with unreadable calm.

“What magic do they possess?” Vaelith’s voice had lost its initial cold detachment.

Now, it was edged with something else. Curiosity.

Intrigue. Thalia hesitated. “My mother, Goldora, is an earth affiliate. She can command the land, make things grow, and imbue plants with magic. My father, Rodric, is also an earth affiliate, though he’s—” she faltered, unsure how to phrase it.

“He’s less serious about it.” She was mumbling now.

Vaelith’s fingers flexed at his side. “Less serious?” Thalia gave a half-hearted shrug, her breathing slowly levelling out.

“He has the same power, but he sees it as… playful. He grows things with ease, but he prefers making things like fruit trees in strange places, covering houses in ivy just to annoy people, and creating stone sculptures when he’s bored.

”Vaelith studied her, his expression unreadable.

He was no longer writing notes. Instead, he stared at her as though she were something unexpected, something he hadn’t accounted for.

"Curious,” he murmured again. Thalia's skin prickled.

She hated that word. Had heard it whispered so often growing up.

The High Priestess finally stepped forward, her presence warm yet commanding.

“That is enough, Vaelith. Thalia’s paternal grandmother was a fabulous healer, she served for many years in the Great temple and is someone who I had the immense pleasure of working along side in my early training years” Her voice was soft but firm, she gave Thalia a small satisfactory nod.

“She has completed her examination.”Vaelith didn’t look convinced, but he inclined his head and took his seat once more.

Thalia, still shaking, turned to Elara. “Did I pass?” she asked, her voice hoarse.