Zain.
So,thisis Sebastian’s grandfather? The notorious headmaster Lukas told me about, the one Sebastian hates. I study him for a beat, trying to pick out the similarities between the two men, though I don’t find any. Then I remember being told that Sebastian takes after his late mother, and Bartollo is from his father’s side, who also is no longer alive.
Tilly curses beside me as everyone starts to applaud, yanking me away from my observations of the headmaster.
‘What are you going to do?’
I turn in her direction. ‘Sorry?’
Her hazel eyes roll. ‘Well, you sure as hell can’t choose Malachite like your brother did, given the way the unit leader looks like he’s five seconds away from bursting a blood vessel just by looking at you.’
‘How do you …’ my words trail off. She noticed Sebastian looking at me. I fight the urge to turn back to him, just to see if he’s still watching. Did anyone else notice? Moreover, she knows my brother, or knowsofhim at least, though that’s not a big surprise. He has become rather infamous.
‘Oh, Stars!’ Her voice dips low, as the clapping around us dies down. ‘Are you planning on choosing the Warrior Unit?’
‘Maybe,’ I say, though I’m not sure why. I’d always envisioned myself being in Opal. I’d spent the last few years watching over my mother’s shoulder as she tinkered with healing tonics, picturing myself one day doing the same. But when Lukas died … everything changed. My father wants me to succeed at the academy, has ordered me to put my head down, to right the wrongs that he believed Lukas created and bring success to our family name once more. But me? I want to find out what happened to Lukas. Whatreallyhappened.
Opal no longer feels like an option for me. Malachite is the unit my brother was in, and it’s the best place to start looking for answers. While I know my parents were grieving the loss of their son, I despise the way they both simply accepted the punishment the council had already befitted my brother. He did not deserve to burn. He deserved a trial at least, a chance to prove his innocence.
Headmaster Zain begins to call students forward. His baritone voice echoes throughout the room, stealing everyone’s attention, including mine.
‘Amalie Abbott.’
A girl of medium height in the front row stands with her shoulders back. Something about the way she confidently strides toward the unit leader of Agate tells me she’s a legacy student. Her head dips in acknowledgment before she walks past and hovers her hand a few inches from the stone gate.
Tendrils of air wisp from her outstretched hand and absorb into the stone. A second later she is yanked forward and disappears.
My gasp echoes that of several other students. Even Tilly jumps beside me, her hand finding my arm and clutching it tight.
We look at each other, her wide-eyed expression mirroring mine.
‘I’m sorry.’ She relinquishes her death grip and settles back in her seat.
‘It’s all right,’ I tell her. ‘I wasn’t expecting her to get sucked in like that.’
A small smile curves her lips. ‘I know! I’m afraid I’m going to fall on my face when I get to the other side.’
I hadn’t even thought of that. Great. Howdoesone get sucked into a magical stone wall and walk out on the other side of it gracefully?
Two more students get called forward. The second gets sucked into Agate after using their element, also air. The third gets pulled into Opal after a few drops of water dribble from his palm and seep anticlimactically into the stone.
Someone ahead of me sniggers at the weak display of power. If that’s funny to them, they’re in for a bloody treat when I step up there.
‘Xavier Davis,’ Headmaster Zain calls out next from his list.
The student in question stands and, instead of walking toward one of the three gates, makes his way toward the dais, until he’s standing in front of the headmaster.
‘He mustn’t be able to wield his element yet,’ Tilly whispers beside me.
I’m glad I’m not the only one.
I watch with rapt attention as he holds his hand out, palm facing up, and wince as the blade is sliced across his skin.
Xavier’s sharp hiss echoes through the hall before he turns with his hand cradled against his chest.
He heads toward Malachite.
I sit up a little straighter. No one has chosen Malachite so far. I’m yet to see what happens when they do. From what I know, Malachite always has the least number of initiates. Those who do get accepted risk their life during their three years of training. Even if you survive the ruthlesstraining challenges, there will most often be someone ready to stab you in the back to get a higher ranking and climb their way to the top.
