I stayed where I was, my empty shoulder prickling as if the minxpip still clung there. Around me, my friends worked with their beasts. Bryson’s furless, puppy-sized creature with nubs for antlers hopped around with excitement. Lexie’s fist-sized fuzzy badger peered into her face from her shoulder while she looked back.
I had no one. Nothing but the echo of teal-and-silver wings vanishing through the door.
Frustration curled in my gut, though I wasn’t only upset with the bird.
I was to blame. I’d essentially rejected her. Refused to open to her today as well, though I had a good reason.
I wasn’t welcoming the bond.
No wonder my minxpip was refusing to work with me.
When Nia clapped her hands for one of my friends, the sound snapped me back into the present. I forced my shoulders straight and set my jaw.
I’d watch what the others did. If my minxpip came back, I’d be ready. Surely I wouldn’t have to reveal everything to her to make this work.
As far as I knew, no one had been kicked out of the castle because they couldn’t solidify the bond with their companion, though I hadn’t exactly asked.
I moved to the far edge of the training hall, hoping being out of sight would make me look less like the lone failure in the room. My shoulder felt naked without the little creature’s warm, twitchy presence.
The other warriors were already doing amazing things with their companions. Lexie had started to tap into Levar’s magic and levitated herself about a foot off the floor. She fell back down and even landed on her ass, but she laughed and leaped up. Sweeping up her badger, she twirled it around while it made high-pitched squeaks of joy.
Even Beau was teaching Bryson. A flick of the older man’s finger, and the corner of one of the mats caught fire.
Nia put it out quickly with magic and lifted her voice as she spoke to him. “This is why we learn together. Do not practice drawing power or wielding it outside our classroom, not until you’ve been granted permission by me or one of the other instructors. And even then, there are strict guidelines. Use only simple spells you’ve proven you’ve perfected.”
“Like what?” Kerralyn asked, taking notes in her journal.
“Tugging a platter of food closer. Lifting clothing off the floor to place in a basket. When you’re ready, we’ll give you the list.”
“So no battling Skathes yet, then,” Maddox said, using magic to lift a sword off the wall and sweep it through the air to him. He jumped up and grabbed the hilt, landing squarely on his boots before slashing the blade around and poking it in my direction.
“Maddox,” Nia said with an edge in her voice. She removed it from his grip with power and returned it to the wall. “No threatening others. Save that for the sparring mat.”
“Oh, I will.” His sneering gaze met mine. “Believe me, I will.”
Nia clapped her hands. “Back to work. We have at least an hour left for practice before you’re dismissed.” She slanted a sharp look my way but didn’t say anything, only turned to Derren and helped him hone his magic-fueled lifting skills with various objects left on a table for this purpose.
I wiggled my fingers until my knuckles cracked. Around me, magic hummed through the hall, from the faint tang of smoke from Maddox’s sleek black cat, to the dry, mineral scent of Kerralyn’s mole. Overhead, faelights shone down, putting my insufficiencies in full view.
Maddox struck out with power, toppling one of the heavy training dummies, and it hit the stone floor like a felled tree. Nia didn’t even look, just flicked her fingers, and the dummy righted itself with athunk.
“Good job,” she said. “Move onto the larger dummy, if you please.”
Maddox sent me a slick grin and continued practicing.
I slunk lower against the wall.
Laughter rippled through the group. Easy, warm, and in a language I couldn’t speak. Maddox grinned at something Bryson said, shaking his head in mock disbelief. Inside jokes were already forming, threads of camaraderie winding between them while I stood on the outside.
When Nia praised Maddox for his control, he smirked at me as if he’d scored a personal victory. I gave him nothing back, but the burn landed anyway.
That’s when the hair on my neck prickled.
I glanced toward the viewing gallery above. The glass caught the faelight, turning the surface into a sheet of gold, hiding whoever might be behind it.
The thought of disappointing him stung more than I wanted to admit. His opinion of me shouldn’t matter. I had a purpose here that may not involve him.
Finally, Nia’s gaze swept over the room, lingering on each of us in turn.
