‘Better than the alternative,’ I mumble, stepping further into the house. The alternative being waiting around until he gets back and asking him to take me into town in the carriage, therefore forcing the two of us into the same space for a long period of time. I’d rather let the carriage run me over.
Corvin nods. He’s been around long enough to know the ins and outs of my rocky relationship with my father. His late mother was a friend of my mother’s, so we’d met a handful of times as children and played together in my backyard. Though it wasn’t until I started delivering medicine to him almost two years ago that we got close.
Corvin’s family home is on the southern outskirts of the city, an area that houses most of the lower income families. Corvin’s incomesupports both him and his father, since his father is too sick to work. What Corvin doesn’t spend to keep them both fed and housed, he uses to pay for his father’s medicine. Medicine that he paysmymother for, much to my dismay. We don’t need the money like he does, but he’s too proud and stubborn to take it for free like I always insist.
‘What was your father’s meeting for?’ He gestures for me to head toward the small kitchen softly lit by candles scattered about. I pass Corvin the medicine from my satchel and he gets to work preparing hot water over the coal stove.
‘Not sure. He left for the academy before I got up this morning. My mom told me when I went downstairs to get ready to head into the city.’
‘He went to the academy?’ he asks curiously. ‘I thought they ran meetings in the city?’
‘So did I,’ I admit.
Corvin moves around the kitchen with ease, pulling out a mug for his father, and measuring out the correct amount of medicine from one of the bottles while he gets the water ready to heat. Though my mother is skilled at her healing tonics, the one Corvin’s father takes has a horrid taste, and to quell the bitterness, Corvin mixes it in with herbal tea.
He turns and leans against the counter across from me, crossing his arms over his chest. ‘Maybe it has something to do with your brother?’ he suggests.
Maybe.
Though I can’t help but wonder if it has something to do with my application to the academy – more specifically my shortcomings. Shaking my head, I decide to change the subject and get it off my mind, or I’ll go insane.
‘Haveyouthought any more on applying for the academy?’ I ask. ‘I noticed your acceptance letter was all crumpled up in your room the other week after we spoke about it.’
Corvin’s eyes narrow. ‘The fact that you were in my room long enough to notice shows me that we need to set boundaries in our friendship, Arianell.’
I scoff. ‘Yeah,boundaries. Because that worked well last time.’
‘Hey,youwere the one that suggested we drink an entire bottle of wine. Each!’
‘Don’t blame the wine.’ My eyes roll. ‘We were completely sober the other two times.’
‘Whatever.’ He laughs softly. ‘The fact you found it scrunched up should be answer enough. It’s the last thing on my mind.’ Corvin turns away, pulling the now-boiling pot of water off the stove top. He pours a generous amount into the mug, and I stare at him, frowning, as he uses a spoon to mix the water, herbal tea and medicine together.
‘I’ll be back in a few minutes,’ he says before walking past.
I nod, hoping his father will be able to drink the concoction. ‘We can finish this discussion when you’re back.’
‘Sounds thrilling,’ he deadpans.
While he goes to his father’s bedroom, I remove my gloves and get to work on tidying up. As I move about the kitchen and living room, I hear his father spluttering and coughing and I can’t help but wonder if Corvin is anticipating the day he comes home from work to find his father laying lifeless in his bed. Stars, I hope I’m around when that day comes, to offer him a shoulder, to show him he doesn’t have to carry everything on his back alone. Like he so often does.
When Corvin comes back out, I’m sat on the chair at his round dining table with two mugs of tea in front of me – sans medicine.
‘Thank you.’ He sits and warms his hands on the mug, nudging my leg with his foot beneath the table before taking a sip.
‘You’re welcome.’ I give him a few minutes of silence before I bring it up again. ‘Tell me why you aren’t applying. You were offered a full scholarship, Vin.’
There are three ways to gain admission into Valmora Academy. The first is the most obvious: legacy. Your parents or grandparents were alumni; therefore, you are eligible based on familial ties. The second involves paying your weight in gold. Wealthy families may secure theirchild a spot into the academy by paying their way in. The third option, much rarer, is in recognition of talent. That was the case for Corvin. While all who attend the academyshouldbe talented, certain professors also search the continent for the extremely gifted. During our very brief conversation two weeks ago when I arrived as he was opening his acceptance letter, he let me know one of those professors happened to visit the mine that Corvin works in and took note of his magic.
Corvin’s element is water, which is incredibly beneficial in the mines for dust suppression, fire control and separating valuable crystals from rock. Not everyone is lucky enough to wield as naturally as Corvin. I know from experience how difficult it can be, seeing as I can’t wield at all. In fact, I don’t possess a single sliver of magic. I think that’s why I’ve been pushing so hard for Corvin to take hold of this opportunity; that, and the fact that I know if he made it out the other side of the academy, the money he could earn would be enough to live somewhere better and get his father the round-the-clock kind of care that he needs.
‘Scholarship or not, I have to pay for this house. I can’t do that while gallivanting up at some prestigious school, pretending I’m one ofthem.’
My nose scrunches. ‘One ofthem? What’s that supposed to mean?’
He sighs. ‘That came out wrong. I’m just … I’m not like you or your brother. Never once in my life did I think I’d get into the academy. My father worked in the mines and so did my grandfather before him. Mining is in my blood, Arianell. It’smylegacy and I like the work. Your entire family went through ValAc, so my reluctance to be shoved into a castle alongside a hundred students willing to kill each other for a top position in the army might not make sense to you. But it does to me. I’m happy down there.’
I look at him,reallylook at him and realise he’s right: I don’t understand his reluctance. I don’t know if I ever really will, since the academy has been such a big part of my life since I was a little girl. Everyone in my family has attended and gone on to serve in the army, as healers, soldiers, commanders and strategists.
