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CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

G raduation day. The pivotal moment of my evaluation. I was destined to fall or rise and every action I took in my trial would decide the trajectory of my entire life.

No pressure then.

I’d spent the early hours of the morning following the ritual of prayers to the deities of the water, asking for their assistance in the coming trial.

After my time in the Astral Sanctuary I’d bathed in the Vault of Frost, recharging my power in the heated pools alongside plenty of other anxious Fae prepping too.

After that, I’d been taken to the courtyard for an initial assessment, standing in front of the Reapers one by one and casting spell after spell to prove that we’d learned the knowledge they had imparted.

Reaper Lily had been my assessor, calling spells to me at a fast pace, but I’d managed to keep up well.

When it had come to illusion and concealment spells, I’d faltered, the casts obviously inadequate. I’d cringed at the way she’d tutted at me, expecting her to expel me there and then, but instead, she’d carried on asking for demonstrations and had finally announced I’d passed the assessment.

Judging by a few muttered words to Reaper Pavros, I’d gotten through based off of my high level of casting in all other areas, showing a skill she said was ‘undeniable’.

So, feeling like a smug bitch over that comment and ignoring my downfalls, I took myself to Obsidian Cove alongside the other Raincarvers and boarded a ship to Helle Fort.

The fort rose out of the sea like a jagged thorn, its shadow cast upon the dark waters and calling us onward. The ship took a path through a sea cave that passed under the imposing fort where the choppy water carried us to our fated trial.

I wore navy leathers that had a trim of shining turquoise crystals, the fitted, supple armour imbued with blaze oil to keep the icy air from finding its way into my skin.

My boots were laced up tight to my knees and the shimmering violet cloak I wore – made from waterproof fabric – added a dramatic touch to my outfit that was fitting for a day like this.

Two Reapers stood upon a rocky outcrop above a wooden pier, waiting for us to alight.

Unfortunately, I’d managed to catch the same boat as Ransom, and he strode confidently off of the ship first, dressed in fine grey and blue training clothes.

The rest of us filed off the ship, clustering on the outcrop beneath the low cave ceiling where stalactites glinted sharply above.

“Your trial will be conducted in pairs to prove your unity with your fellow Raincarvers in intense situations,” explained a male Reaper with a golden head of hair.

I was pretty sure his name was Gentwick.

“Your instruction at Never Keep has brought you to this defining moment where you will discover if you have the mettle to become a warrior of your homeland. Collaboration and cooperation are key components in battle, and without them, you shall be a poor warrior indeed. So, two by two, you shall enter the Cavern of Judgement and the ancient power within these walls shall test your prowess and declare you worthy or unworthy of the path of a warrior.”

I inhaled a slow breath to calm the wild beating of my heart. This was it. The moment I had been training for for months. I’d given everything in the pursuit of becoming a warrior and no matter what I faced in that cavern, I couldn’t fail this trial.

“Come forth and each of you choose a feather that calls to you.” Gentwick held up a fistful of colourful feathers and the Raincarvers rushed forward to claim one.

I elbowed my way through the throng and grabbed myself a shimmering green feather with flecks of silver at its tip.

Gentwick ushered us back when every one of us had a feather in hand.

“Now the stars shall select a partner for you.” Gentwick raised his hands dramatically, tilting his head back to gaze up at the cave ceiling.

I glanced between the Raincarvers as a hushed silence fell over us all. Magic crackled in the air, tingling against my skin and the minerals in the stalactites above us began to shimmer and pulse with light.

My feather illuminated in a bright green glow, and the Raincarvers around me stepped back and pointed it out. They continued to retreat, leaving the single other Fae there whose red feather was glowing too.

“No,” I growled through my teeth.

“Runt,” Ransom snarled, his eyes flaring in rage. He wheeled toward Reaper Gentwick, his shoulders tensing and muscles straining against his shirt. “Not her. Anyone but her.”

“The stars have chosen,” Gentwick gasped. “Do you truly deny their all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wondrous knowledge? Do you dare defy their divine selection?”

Ransom looked nervous, quickly shaking his head. “No, of course not.” He bowed a little and I enjoyed the sight of him grovelling despite my own disappointment in this situation. “I accept their choice.”

“Then proceed to your trial.” Gentwick ushered us toward the dark cavern which was lit with flaming stone braziers either side of it.

I ground my teeth, sure I could hear Cancer clacking her claws in amusement. Of all the damn Fae to pair with me, why did it have to be him ?

“My brother is just afraid I’ll outshine him,” I said sweetly, shouldering past him toward the cavern’s entrance.

“Ha,” Ransom barked, hurrying after me and trying to take the lead. I was one swift-footed bitch though and I kept half a pace ahead of him, pocketing my feather while he discarded his on the floor.

“If you jeopardise my chances at succeeding here, I will gut you like a fish,” Ransom growled.

“It’s you who’ll be jeopardising me if anything. You could have at least remembered to tie your bootlaces for the trial.”

He looked down, finding his bootlaces firmly done up and I sniggered.

“You child,” he hissed, realising I’d gotten an extra few steps ahead of him.

I came to a dead end where a golden wall held four swords, two hanging either side of a large wooden wheel that was marked with the symbols of the zodiac, sitting in the centre of an arched door.

I tugged at the wheel, spinning it in circles and aligning the water symbols at the top of it to try and get the door to open.

We’d been instructed to come unarmed to our trials, so I had no blade to jam into the crack and try to leverage it open.

But it was soon clear brute force wasn’t required here. This was a puzzle.

I looked closer at the four swords while Ransom had a go at spinning the wheel around and yanking on the door with grunts of effort.

The hilt of each sword represented an element.

From left to right, the first sword had a white hilt with shimmering crystals that created the design of a tornado, the next was darkest green with jade stones that created the image of a mountain, along from that the sword was cerulean blue with waves created by glinting sapphires, and the last hilt was blood red with rubies that formed the shape of a flame.

Above them was a stunning painting of the planets and earth’s moon.

“What is this nonsense?” Ransom grunted.

“It’s a puzzle,” I said. “And it’s our way forward so we need to figure it out.”

“I never said I wasn’t going to figure it out, runt. Be quiet so I can think.”

I prowled up to him, jabbing him in the arm.

“Look, I don’t want to work with you any more than you want to work with me.

But you are not going to be the reason I fail this trial.

I’ve worked too fucking hard, Ransom. So we’d better work together because if we don’t, neither of us are getting through this.

Do you want to return to Cascada a failure?

Do you want Father to greet you on the shore of Castelorain and find out what happens when you tell him you didn’t pass your graduation? ”

Ransom’s face paled, proving how important this truly was to him. “No,” he muttered. “So get thinking and stop wasting time.” He shoved me away from him and I stumbled toward the zodiac wheel, scowling and forcing myself not to retaliate.

I have to get through this. I am not going to let him ruin this for me.

We were both silent for a full minute, staring at the wall in thought, but Ransom strode forward with purpose and began moving the wheel.

“How about a little update there, bro ?” I said dryly.

“Water holds the greatest star signs of the sky. The wheel probably has to be turned to place each of them at the top of the wheel in order, like a code, to unlock the door.”

He tried each combination of Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio while I felt sure that it wasn’t that simple. But I did think he was onto something with a code.

When he inevitably failed, Ransom kicked the door and grumbled under his breath, ever the sore loser.

“Aren’t swords symbolic of kings and queens?” I murmured to myself. “Of monarchs…rulers. Oh shit, that’s it.”

“What’s it?” Ransom snipped.

“Rulers – ruling planets. Look.” I pointed at the mural of the planets above. “Every star sign has a ruling planet or moon – some have two. So maybe all we need to do is turn the wheel in order of which star signs are linked to each planet.”

“I don’t think it’s that,” Ransom said stubbornly.

I ignored him, moving to the wheel and starting with the first planet.

Mercury ruled Gemini and Virgo, and Gemini was first in the astrological calendar, so I started there.

Next was Venus which ruled Taurus and Libra, so using my initial logic, I twisted the wheel to them in turn.

Next of the ruling planets came Mars, so Aries and Scorpio were my following choices.

It was easy now as I turned the wheel faster each time until finally I got to Neptune – my personal favourite, because there was a single star sign it ruled and that was mine. Pisces.

The moment I turned the wheel so the Pisces symbol sat at the top, magic hummed through the air and a grinding of stone announced the door opening.