I shouldn’t trust him. But he’s the only option I have to get down. There’s no way I’d make a jump from this height without breaking anankle, or both. And while I could be stubborn enough to try and say fuck it, I’m just proud to say that I passed this stupid test.
With a heavy sigh, I climb like a monkey until my bottom half is dangling in the open air. The dry bark digs into the skin of my palms and I hang. ‘I’m letting go!’ I yell out, then drop.
I’m airborne for just a second before I thud, unceremoniously onto a hard body. Jed’s strong arms wrap around my body, catching me with impressive ease. Slowly, he lowers me to the ground.
‘Told you I’d catch you,’ he says with a crooked smirk.
I nod, inhaling deeply as my heart tries to catch up with the fall. ‘Th-thanks,’ I breathe.
‘What’s going on here?’ Sebastian steps out behind a cluster of trees that have large chunks of bark peeling off their trunks.
I freeze.
‘Silver was stuck in the tree,’ Jed replies casually, still not having let me go. Sebastian’s eyes drop to the hands settled on my waist and remain there as I explain.
‘I had to jump,’ I add, pointing to the limp pile of rope behind me. ‘Dropped my rope.’
It isn’t until I finally put some distance between Jed and myself that Sebastian’s gaze lifts to his friend. ‘Did you know she was up there?’
Jed shrugs, noncommittal.
‘Why didn’t you tag her out?’
‘I’m not her combat leader; therefore, she’s not my target,’ he answers as if it’s simple. ‘And now you owe me two gold coins!’
Sebastian scowls.
‘Wait. Youbeton us?’ I ask, exasperated. I watched Jed burn Marcus! Not to mention the other cries of pain that sounded in the distance. Who else was hurt? ‘What is wrong with you?’
Two sets of eyes flick my way.
‘Why are you still here, acolyte?’ Sebastian asks coldly. ‘Get back to the Training Centre with the rest of the first -years.’
TWENTY-FIVE
It took me until the water ran cold to wash the mud from my hair and body. It pooled at my feet in a brown swirl going down the drain. By the time I got out of the shower, my skin was raw, my head ached from where I scrubbed at it, and my entire body was shivering.
It was all worth it though, to see the resentful looks on everyone’s faces when I walked out of the trees and into the clearing. Even Nicks looked surprised. Only five of us had made it to the end. Myself, Cillian and Aiden, like I predicted, then Isla and another student named Leo. The others all were sent to the infirmary for healing. Which meant that Sebastian had caught Moira.
After my shower, I am desperately craving sleep, but the history class I’m currently sitting in had to come first. I can barely lift my pencil to write notes and find myself slumping in my chair, struggling to focus, my vision blurring at the edges. Luckily, I have Tilly to poke me in the ribs every time the professor glances in our direction.
Tilly’s eyes shine with worry when I start to doze off again. She’s been stealing glances at me the entire class and after what I just told her about the forest trial I went through this morning, I can understand why.
Finally, class finishes and I pack away the barely legible notes I took down on the war that’s raged for the last five hundred years. Tilly drags me to the dining hall to eat.
‘You’re not eating enough, Aria!’ she scolds me. ‘Malachite students need to be eatingtwiceas much as Opal or Agate students. You’re burning yourself out!’
I grumble in response and let her pull me along. But the second I step foot inside and dozens of eyes whirl on me; I can’t find it in myself to keep going. Jamie died here. If they can poison my own drink without me knowing, how can I trust the food?
I back out of the dining hall, not caring if it makes me look weak or like a coward. I’d rather starve than let them win by poisoning me.
Tilly rushes out after me. Surprisingly, Lillian is right on her heels.
‘Go eat, Revlock.’ Lillian reaches me first and winds her arm around my waist. ‘I’ll take Nocthare up to her room before she headbutts the ground.’
‘Oh.’ Tilly’s eyes flick to mine and she bites her lower lip. ‘Are you going to be okay?’
I assume she means with Lillian, so I nod. I trust her not to kill me at this stage.
