I tried to resist the possessive surge I felt at her smiling at a man who was three times her age, but it was impossible to ignore. The woman literally implied I had a small dick earlier, and instead of being pissed, I found myself wanting to carry her away from an older man who was simply being friendly to her. Those smiles belonged tome.
Unfortunately, being a Divine Weaponsmith didn’t seem to be in the cards for Kieran. Minutes later it was announced that she had failed the trial. I waited eagerly as they moved onto the fifth, and probably my least favorite, trial—one that would test if she was a possible Potions Master. I was glad they were saving mine for last, but watching her do this particular trial brought back memories of my own when I mixed together two unfortunately toxic chemicals and almost scarred my face permanently.
Unlike the major placements, which had several sections to each of them, the minor placement trials were a bit more cut and dry. She’d get through them quickly. Hopefully, she would exert far less effort than she had with the first three, which had led to her being sick.
“Please combine the herbs in front of you to create a healing potion,” Caleorfin explained, her patient composure causing Kieran to visibly relax, her shoulders dropping from their tense position and the smallest bit of warmth filling her gaze once again. “Use the mortar and pestles to mix the ingredients and put them into the vial, the mixture will then reveal if you have created the correct combination. If you have an affinity, you’ll be called to the correct ones.”
Kieran immediately began to examine the herbs, and I watched with a bit of pride at the care and effort she put into trying to figure it out. I knew she had never succeeded before, and while Potion Masters had an innate sense and instinct for this type of thing, it was clear Kieran had tried to prepare by studying. After she brought several herbs together and mixed them in the mortar, I held my breath as she emptied the paste into the vial that was already filled with liquid. For a moment nothing happened, but then the liquid inside turned an inky-black tar color. I saw the disappointment on Caleorfin’s face, and I knew that Kieran hadn’t missed it either. I was beginning to get the impression that Kieran’s many years of failed trials were well known by these instructors, and it seemed that many of themwantedto see her succeed.
The moment they announced that she had failed trial five, I stepped in. Niz’s feet danced around on my shoulder in excitement as I looked around the training space, knowing that the opening in the center of the field would probably be the best place for this considering his size.
“Ready?” I asked, stepping back ten feet or so. Keeping my gaze solely on her, I found myself determined to make this a good experience.
I didn’t think she was a Beast Tamer, but I had never seen Niz react like that to anyone before, so it was a viable option. Would her father even be pleased if she was placed with us? As a whole, Beast Tamers were often discounted by placements like the Angelic Army and other major placements, despite us playing such a vital role in taming and training the beasts they used for their damn cavalry.
But as a whole, minor placements were looked down on compared to the major placements, and it was something I’d grown used to. I was proud of what I did, and my daily tasks included working with everything from gryphons and dragons topegasus and phoenix. I was not only good at what I did, but I loved it, and I wanted Kieran to find a placement that gave her that same joy.
“Yes.” She nodded, her gaze moving to Niz who flew from my shoulder and left into the open field.
I offered a high-pitched whistle that signaled I was comfortable with him shifting as magic sparked through the air. Our connection thrummed with excitement as he suddenly shifted from a small, shoulder-sized creature to a massive, fully grown wyvern.
“Woah,” Kieran breathed out in surprise, her eyes widening while taking a step forward instinctively, which was the opposite of what I expected.
Her movement brought a smile to my face. Wyvern were terrifying creatures to most people, seeing as they refused to cooperate with the angels before Niz bonded to me. Not much was known about them, and they went out of their way to prove that they didn’t take well to being controlled. Usually, they outright refused to follow orders and possessed an aggressive temperament that struck fear into almost everyone that came across them. I couldn’t help but love the sight of the other specialists and her father distancing themself from my big baby.
Wyvern were revered even above dragons because of that exact shift. While dragons couldn’t change their size, wyverns could, allowing them to be tactical and amazing for reconnaissance. They were seen as a tool that we were being heavily pressured to give to the army now that I’d successfully tamed Niz. A protective feeling wormed its way through my heart, remembering the greed in the Archangels’ eyes when they first saw him. It’s like they thought the wyvern was the answer to all their problems with the fallen.
I’d handed over plenty of successfully trained beasts in the few years I’d been doing this, but something was different with Niz. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to part with him.
“You can approach him,” I told her softly. Because of our connection, I could feel the instant interest and affection that Niz seemed to have for Kieran, so I knew it was safe for her to do so. His black scales glinted in the sunlight as he lowered himself to the ground, his large wings resting on the field—his position was submissive and friendly.
I inhaled, loving the soft and delicate hope on Kieran’s face as she approached him and placed her hand on his large snout—a huge difference from the small wyvern she’d just cuddled to her chest. Even with his head lowered, the top of her own only came to his chin, and I barely contained a laugh as she kissed his snout in this form too. Niz preened in return, soaking up the attention from her before cutting a glance to me that reeked of smugness in our bond.Little bastard.
My gaze moved toward the other specialists, and I noticed that her father’s anger seemed quelled, just a tiny amount. His gaze was speculative and curious as he watched the interaction. There were several other creatures she would need to meet to make sure that she had an affinity. This connection with Niz was unusual, even for Beast Tamers, especially since she hadn’t been the one to tame him.
“I would like to suggest further examination of this possible placement,” I said loudly. “If it's okay with all of you—and Kieran, of course—I would like to conduct more introductions of beasts at the Taming Center in the Southern Forrest where most of the beasts are kept, in three days. It's very possible she may have an affinity for this, especially with how he’s reacting to her. However, I’d like to test her with a mixture of tamed and untamed beasts.”
Her father’s gaze narrowed on me as he stepped toward Niz and Kieran. “Never before has she shown any aptitude for beast taming?—”
The growl that Niz offered him shook the ground underneath us as his head snapped in her father’s direction, a vicious light entering his gaze. I couldn’t hold back my smile. I might not always be able to express my frustration with this bastard, but Niz? Niz could do whatever the hell he wanted.
“I’d love to do that,” Kieran said loudly before turning her attention to me, hope glowing in her eyes. “I want to explore this as a possibility.”
“Sounds like we have a plan moving forward,” Caleorfin announced happily. “I’d like to have a bit of recess and lunch break before moving forward with more placement tests.”
“Food sounds sort of good,” Kieran murmured as the other specialists made their way back toward the front of the building. Her father stood there staring at Niz and then back at her, seeming to calculate something.
“I would highlyrecommendgoing to the library to study every day before then, so you’re prepared for further testing. If there’s a chance of you having an affinity for this, I expect you to fully embrace it.”
It didn’t sound like a recommendation of a concerned father, more like an order from the general of our army.
“Right,” Kieran agreed as she rubbed Niz’s scales once more before looking back toward me. “See you then?”
“In three days,” I agreed as she nodded and followed after her father, looking a bit more hopeful than at the start of trials. I had no idea if she had an actual affinity for a Beast Tamer placement, but it made me happy to see that bit of light shining in her gaze.
Whether she proved to have an affinity for this or not, I was just glad to not add more negativity to such a miserable experience for her today.
The moment the two of them were gone, Niz shifted back and came to rest on my shoulder. My hand came up to rub his head as I felt a sadness and sense of longing in him. My eyes narrowed on her father as he spoke in low, harsh tones to Kieran. Her arms crossed over her chest defensively, but their words were lost to me. Niz let out a low rumble of concern, and I nodded in understanding, not liking that we felt like her own father posed a threat to her.
