Unsure what was so special about that particular manifestation of fire magic, Lory shrugged. “I didn’t even know I had magic until I came to Ashthorn,” she reminded them. “Not that I came willingly.”
Anees waved a dismissive hand. “I know that, trust me. I had a front row seat when they first captured you.”
Lory pulled back her hands, tucking them behind her back. “About that… You were there to get information out of me that day in the brig, right?”
To her surprise, Bleek answered the question. “They would have killed you then and there had they believed you’d known about the Almelyte. Lord Airmal Ycken usually carries it with him in case he comes across potential magic wielders. It’s the only way to be certain they do have magic.” He pointed at the wall he’d been pressed against a minute ago, which Lory recognized as the one that had lifted when Khayrivven had locked her and Aiden in that very same room. “Ashthorn is using it to trigger slow students, and Ulder’s Advisor on Magical Affairs is using it to expose wielders.”
“Advisor for Magical Affairs? Is that Airmal Ycken’s official title?” Lory was about to laugh at the ridiculous name, but Anees interrupted her thoughts, and her mind went blank.
“Ycken does advise the king, but the person in charge is Bohem Cann. He pulls the strings of all things magic eradication, while Ycken is tasked with finding rare gems in akingdom filled with useless rocks.” Anees paused, taking in Lory’s wide-eyed expression with a slight frown.
Bohem Cann. The same Bohem Cann who’d sat beside the king at the dance. Her father.
Before Lory could ask questions, Anees rolled on, “As you know, most of Ashthorn’s students applied to come here. They come from loyal magical bloodlines, ready to defend the kingdom and its current ruler. But some are brought in as an alternative to execution—just like you and Aiden.”
A sharp pain ran through Lory’s chest at the mention of Aiden’s name.
“Thosecriminalsare perhaps the most powerful wielders at the academy, and Khay is instrumental in keeping them in line. With his own powers of dreamweaving, he is good at sowing seeds in people’s minds, but you have heard that before, so I don’t need to bore you.”
Suppressing the many questions gathering in her head at the news that her father was advising the King of Brestolya on everything magic destruction, Lory asked a question she had never asked Khayrivven because their limited moments were never enough to fit everything. “How does that work exactly? The powers, I mean… Do people have more than one ability, or is that just Khayrivven with his Flame-born fire and the dreamweaving?”
For a moment, Anees chewed on her lower lip, her eyes darting to Bleek, before they returned to Lory.
“Lots of magic wielders have more than one power, but they are all connected to their element or their category of magic. Take me, for example: I have matter manipulation fortextiles. I can stretch it to leather, but that’s about it. When I manipulate, I can change color, texture, and consistency. I can add material and make it disappear, but eventually, all of that is temporary. It’s a lot of different skills, but they are all related to the same power.” She shot a glance at Bleek, who gave her a slight nod.
“If you take Hadrian, his magic is more unique and less practical than mine, even when it is very useful for missions and for his specific discipline of tutoring.”
“Would you like to guess?” Bleek winked at her, and Lory’s stomach did a flip she wasn’t aware had been coming.
So fast her neck hurt, Lory shook her head. “Just tell me, already.”
That earned her a grin from the Gilded phantom, and her skin tingled as Bleek held her gaze for a second longer than necessary.
“Hadrian is an empath,” Anees quickly explained before Lory could wonder where those strange emotions were coming from.
Bleek’s grin widened. “And byempath, she means read emotions, change emotions, summon emotions—the full spectrum.”
Even when the strange tingle on her skin had to be Bleek’s doing, Lory was certain the nausea rolling in her stomach was real. “You can dowhat?”
“Manipulate your emotions,” he simplified. “But only while you’re in the direct vicinity, ideally while I touch you in some way. Hence the Gilded department,” he amended with a shrug. I’m Khay’s best asset when it comes to finding out who’s loyal and who isn’t.”
“To him?” Lory bit her tongue before the words were fully out, and Bleek let no time pass as he clarified, “To Ashthorn, of course. What else?”
But Lory sensed the true meaning of his words, that he was protecting himself by using official Ashthorn wording. Knowing who was loyal to the academy meant knowing who wasn’t. The difference was what he did with that knowledge.
“What else indeed,” Anees repeated with a smile so false Lory nearly choked on her breath.
“That’s a wicked skillset, Bleek,” she said, unsure if the bubbling sensation in her chest was of his making or just the relief of getting information for once.
“I need to get really close to people in order for it to work, and I can’t run around touching people, can I now? So it’s still not as airtight as I’d like, but a lot better than knitting fabrics, anyway,” he said with a quick wink at Anees. “By the way, please call me Hadrian,” he insisted, inclining his head the way he always did in Gilded practice. “And I entirely agree. Wicked.”
“Do you have any other abilities?” Lory wanted to know. “Did Aiden?”
How she found the courage to ask, she didn’t know, but both Hadrian’s and Anees’s expressions fell.
“Bellmont was one of the most skilled magic wielders I’ve ever met,” Hadrian admitted with no lack of admiration. “His power wasn’t subtle like mine, but a banner that made the Triad covet him. As far as I know, ice was the only thing he controlled, though.” With a sideways glance at Anees, Hadrian inhaled a deep breath. “Regardingmyother abilities, I can offer good looks and charms.” He chuckled to himself. “I’m also gifted between the sheets.” He cocked an eyebrow at Anees, who shook her head in a gesture of disbelief.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Bleek. You made me comeonce, and that was after a whole lot of trying.”
