Page 62 of Axis of Fire

“Forget it. You’re just my mentor. And I’m your trainee for the year. Why should we know anything about each other beyond abilities and whatever helps me survive this academy?”

“No one knows where I was born.”

My thoughts scattered instantly.

My body tensed.

“What do you mean?” I asked, hearing the distrust in my own voice.

“I was found on the meridian between the realms of light and air.”

Silently, I turned, pulling away the pillow I’d placed between us, and looked at him.

But Airis wasn’t looking at me.

He lay on his back, dressed in a white shirt that revealed his toned arms marked with strange symbols, staring up at the ceiling.

“You don’t know who your parents are?”

“No. I was taken to Istmond at thirteen, after they threw me out of the orphanage when my powers manifested.”

I saw the muscles in his arms tighten.

His hands clenched into fists.

I stayed quiet.

My fingers gripped the blanket—

just like my heart did.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like—

to be thirteen, discover magic,

and be handed over to strangers.

“Did you ever try to find out? Your past... your parents?”

“I wanted to,” he said quietly, his voice slightly rough.

“But from thirteen onward, I was under constant supervision. No time for searching. No time for anything but getting stronger.”

He fell silent.

Briefly.

But heavily.

“And when I finally did have time... I realized I didn’t want to know.”

A long pause followed.

“What do you think?” he asked suddenly.

“Can ordinary humans have a child with magic?”

This time, I wasn’t afraid of sounding stupid.