Page 36 of Unseen Eye (Aetherian Chronicles #1)

Izzy springs back up, her eyes narrowing.

We begin circling each other again, the intensity ramping up.

She feints left, and I instinctively move to block, but she quickly pivots and strikes right, catching me off guard.

The impact reverberates through my arms, and I barely manage to parry her next flurry of strikes, each faster than the last.

In the midst of our exchange, my elbow clips Izzy’s cheek. She grits her teeth, retaliating with a sharp jab to my jaw. Pain flares as her hit lands, leaving a bruise that I know will be visible later. I stumble slightly but always keep my eyes on her.

I spot an opening as she overextends on a swing. I sidestep and bring my sword down in a controlled arc, stopping just short of her shoulder. Izzy freezes, acknowledging the hit with a nod.

“Good job, ladies,” Theo says, slipping into his general voice. “Now, again.”

We spar for a while longer, our movements growing sharper with each exchange, until Theo finally calls it. He hands us water, taking a moment before switching back to his authoritative tone. “You both have things to work on.”

He turns to Izzy first. “You need to work on your defense. You’re too focused on attacking, which makes you vulnerable.” He adds, “I know I trained you better than this,” earning a hard look from Izzy, who opts for a drink of water rather than listening to Theo’s critique.

Then he turns to me. “Eva, your form is solid, but you need to be quicker with your counters. You hesitate too long, giving your opponent time to recover. And work on your footwork. You did well sweeping Izzy off her feet, but you need to stay light and ready to move.”

Izzy smirks at Theo. “Any other tips, oh wise General?”

Theo grins back. “Just one. Don’t let your temper get the best of you. It’s a sparring match, not a war.”

Izzy rolls her eyes but smiles. “Yeah, yeah. Good fight.”

“Thanks,” I reply, catching my breath. “You too.”

“Now can we please go eat breakfast?” Izzy asks. “I’m starving, and if you expect me to be a happy trainer, I need food.”

“Let’s go,” Theo says, taking both our swords and returning them to the rack.

As we walk through the halls toward the dining room, curiosity gets the better of me. “Theo, what’s your affinity? Are you an air bender like Izzy?”

Izzy snorts. “He wishes he was, but alas, he’s not.”

“Now, now, Izzy, don’t be jealous,” Theo says slyly. Looking at me, he continues, “I can sense and create runes.”

“I don’t understand,” I say. “Can’t everyone see runes around us?”

“Exactly,” Izzy drawls as we near the dining hall.

“Sort of,” Theo explains. “Anyone can see runes, but not everyone can instantly know what they mean or manipulate them. Take my sword, for example.” He draws it from his waist, revealing intricate designs on the hilt and blade.

“To you, this might just look decorative, but when I summon it, it can do different things.” He points to one etching that resembles fire.

In an instant, the blade is engulfed in flames.

Before I can blink, the flames vanish, the blade turns to stone, and then it shines as if made of diamond.

“We get your point,” Izzy says, clearly getting impatient.

“That’s awesome,” I comment. “Can you do it on any surface?”

“I sure can,” Theo remarks, clearly proud of himself.

We fill our plates with a bounty of food before finding an empty table. I take a bite of the pancakes I saw the cooks preparing earlier and let out a satisfied sigh. They taste as good as they look. It dawns on me how little I’ve actually eaten in the past week, as if on cue, my stomach grumbles.

Theo laughs, commenting, “I might not be the only one going for seconds.”

Changing the subject, I ask, “Where’s Callon this morning?”

“Where isn’t Cal?” Izzy remarks through a mouthful of food. “Trust me, it’s easier not to keep track of him. He’ll just show up eventually.”

“So dramatic,” Theo says, taking a bite of bacon. “Knowing Cal, he’s probably dealing with the aftermath of yesterday’s attack. Like a good prince.”

“Yeah right,” Izzy snorts. “Since when does he act like a prince? Half the time I forget he’s the heir.”

“Really?” I ask, finishing off my glass of orange juice.

“Oh yeah,” she says with a grin. “Except for occasionally bossing us around or making smart-ass comments, he’s a pretty normal guy.”

“I mean,” Theo comments, “I’d be a bit of a know-it-all too if I had his power. The last documented person with a ley line affinity was from the time of the gods. That’s pretty fucking badass. He can boss me around all he wants.”

Theo tries to swipe a piece of bacon from Izzy’s plate, but she smacks his hand away.

“Anyway, after breakfast, let’s see if you and Izzy can work on that light-wielding of yours.

I’ve got some important general stuff to handle, but I’ll check in on you ladies later.

” He starts to get up but turns back. “Don’t summon the light without me, Eva. I’d hate to miss it.”

Izzy throws her fork at him, which he catches and sets down with a grin. “And Ingrid thinks I am the one without manners?” He complains, walking away.

Izzy and I laugh, finishing our breakfast, and helping ourselves to more bacon.

Not long after, Izzy leads us back to the war room we were in last night.

“I thought we were working on my affinity,” I say, confusion seeping into my voice.

“Theo said we were training your affinity,” Izzy corrects, a playful smirk on her lips. “I simply said we were training.” She shuts the door behind us with a click.

“So, what are we working on?” I ask.

“Easy,” Izzy says, plopping down in one of the chairs and resting her feet on another. A bruise has started to form on her cheek where I managed to check her with my elbow earlier. As if reading my mind, Izzy adds, “Your face isn’t much better.”

She stretches out lazily across the chairs.

“Anyway,” she continues, “Growing up, we’re always taught to use lesser magic before our affinities show up. I see no reason why we shouldn’t start there with you as well. So lock the door,” she says with a teasing grin.

“Wait, you can do that sort of thing with magic?” My excitement bubbles up unexpectedly. “It can’t be that simple.”

“Oh, but it is,” she counters, completely unbothered. “Watch.” Her eyes flicker with a subtle glow, and she focuses on the door, the lock seeming to bend to her will. With a delicate flick of her wrist, the lock clicks into place.

“See? Easy!” To prove her point, she unlocks it just as effortlessly. “Now you try.”

I stare at the lock, trying to picture myself walking over and locking it. I imagine the click, the motion of my wrist. I open my eyes.

Nothing. The lock remains stubbornly unchanged.

“Attempt number two,” Izzy calls out, lounging back in her chair, clearly enjoying this.

This time, I dig deeper into myself. I think back to when I summoned the light—the desperation, the anger that swirled inside me. I let those emotions build, feeling the heat rise in my chest. I focus on the lock, imagining it turning. I open my eyes.

Still nothing. Fuck, this is hard.

Izzy groans, grabbing the dagger Callon threw at Theo last night and starting to absentmindedly twirl it. I roll my eyes, bracing for a long day.

Minutes blur into hours. Izzy dozes off here and there, only to snap awake with a half-hearted pointer, most of them sounding like she’s explaining something to a child.

Frustrated, I take a deep breath. Kendry’s lessons flood back—his endless speeches about breathing, focusing, finding my calm.

My mind drifts back to yesterday, to Callon’s gaze, to the feel of his fingers brushing against mine before everything went to hell.

My breath hitches in my throat, and I throw my hands up in exasperation, frustrated with myself.

He’s the prince of Coire, the heir. And me, well, I don’t even know who I am yet—still a work in progress.

But then, I hear it: the soft click of the lock turning. My eyes snap open, and I glance toward the door, my pulse quickening. It’s locked.

I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.

“Yay,” Izzy says, drawing out the word with exaggerated sarcasm, clapping slowly. “Now unlock it,” she orders, clearly unimpressed.

“Well, shit, here goes nothing,” I mutter to myself, focusing again. I think of Callon, of that rush of emotion, feeling it rise within me. I picture the lock turning, willing it to move. Sure enough, I hear the satisfying click.

Izzy stands up, genuinely impressed. “Congratulations, you’re now a ten-year-old. Whatever you were doing, don’t forget it. Now try again.”

A few more embarrassing thoughts and attempts later, I finally manage to repeat the action to Izzy’s satisfaction. The last time I unlock the door, I hear clapping from the other side. I hurry to open it, expecting Theo, but instead, it’s Callon.

His bright blue eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the world goes still.

The clapping stops, and Izzy’s voice is nothing more than a background noise.

I find myself trapped in his gaze, and my heart skips a beat.

What is he thinking? Why does it matter to me?

My cheeks flush as I remember my earlier thoughts, and I quickly look away, embarrassed.

Damn, we’re tied now, though I doubt anyone else is keeping score.

“She’s all yours,” Izzy says, using a gust of wind to shove me aside, breaking the moment. “She can unlock a door now. Watch out, Abyss, here she comes!” She jokes, before walking off. Leaving me alone with Callon and a swirl of conflicting thoughts.