“You’ll be fine,” Kael said, rising from his seat and hugging her before she could leave.
“I know,” Bree said, hugging him back. “Make Mom and Dad proud.”
She stepped away, he mussed her hair, and then Bree followed the over-secretary out the door and into the nearby room.
The classroom, one in which Bree learned history from Teacher Lechek, had been cleared in preparation for the evaluations. All the desks were removed but for one, a long oak desk at which sat Headmaster Simmons, Instructor Adam Dohn, and Instructor Randy Kime. Bree wasn’t surprised by the absence of her other teachers. As much as they insisted that history, protocol, and strategy were important, it would be on the basic mechanics of flight and elements that they would be judged.
All three wore their pristine uniforms, and it was weird to see the two instructors without their wings. A single chair waited on the other side of the desk, and Bree took her seat. As she did, she analyzed the faces of her superiors. Instructor Dohn’s black hair was smooth and combed, and that made him look far less intimidating for some reason. Instructor Kime was smiling at her as he always did, every student seemingly a great friend to him. Headmaster Simmons, however, looked troubled, and he refused to meet her eye.
“Breanna Skyborn,” he said, glancing over a single sheet of paper before him. “This is an evaluation of your talents and weaknesses, as perceived by your instructors as well as myself. This is not a time to defend yourself, nor argue things you disagree with. Please remain silent, and listen with an open mind. Do you understand?”
Bree nodded.
“I do,” she said.
The headmaster shifted to his left, and he waved for Instructor Dohn to begin.
“Bree, I’m not going to mince words,” Adam said, folding his hands before him and leaning on the desk. “You’re supremely confident, almost arrogantly so, and doing anything you consider beneath your skills wears on your patience and bores you tremendously. Because of this, you tend to focus on improving yourself instead of helping your fellow students learn. It may not be my field to critique, but you’re a terrible leader, and not much better at being a follower, either. All that said, you’re a damn fine flier. In only six months, your times on the obstacle course are better than most graduate students’. I don’t say this lightly, but you’re the most natural-born flier I’ve seen in a decade.”
Bree felt taken aback by the incredible praise.
No matter what happens, at least I will always have this, she thought. Hearing such praise put a chink in her emotional armor. To think she’d never realize her full potential…
“Instructor Kime?” Jay said when Adam settled back into his chair.
“Yes, of course,” Randy said, and he drummed the fingers of his right hand on the table, while his left arm tucked up against his chest. The man cleared his throat, then reluctantly forced his blue eyes to meet her gaze.
“Breanna,” he said hesitantly, “despite all my months of effort, you have shown no progress whatsoever at mastering your fire element. The moment you initiate a connection between yourself and the prism through the use of the harness, you lose all control. I have tried everything, and while I would normally accept the blame for a student’s difficulties, I cannot do that here. I’m not sure how to best explain it, but let me try. If the use of an element is like playing music, I fear you are tone-deaf. Nothing will change that. It’s not your fault. It’s not from a lack of effort or skill. I believe, and this makes me so sad to say this, but I believe you were simply born this way.”
Tone-deaf, thought Bree. That wasn’t a bad way to describe how she felt when attempting to control the fire bursting out from her gauntlet. In many ways, she felt helpless as it happened.
Instructor Kime drummed his fingers again, and he nodded at Jay to show he was done. The headmaster cleared his throat, and again he looked over the sheet of paper.
“I will keep this succinct,” Jay said. “Bree, you are reckless, temperamental, and give in easily to anger, even going so far as to attack fellow students. You also show little regard for tradition or protocol. Your willingness to go after Eric Drae after Dean’s death illustrates a worrisome tendency to think of yourself over others, and it makes me question how reliable you would be in battle, when staying in formation is of the utmost importance in keeping a squad protected. In short, you have a lot of room to grow.”
It was such a thorough drumming of her character, Bree almost laughed, and she would have had the atmosphere of the room not been so somber. Whatever regrets she’d started to feel after hearing Instructor Dohn’s evaluation were completely stomped and done with after the other two. However much she belonged in the skies, it wasn’t as a member of the Seraphim. In battles waged with fire, stone, ice, and lightning, battles that relied on tight, controlled formations, there was no place for a reckless girl wielding only swords.
“With all that said…” Headmaster Simmons paused, as if debating. “All that said, these evaluations are to judge not just what you have already accomplished, but what you may accomplish with enough training. This decision was not an easy one, but I have been convinced that because of your skills in flight you should be given another chance to properly develop mastery of your element.”
The statement hit her like a sledge. They weren’t expelling her? But why? I have been convinced? The way he said it felt wrong, and she lurched to her feet.
“What is going on?” she asked. “You said earlier I would be expelled.”
“I said nothing of the sort. I merely warned you it was a possibility.”
Except that wasn’t the case at all. She knew what he’d meant. Jay was hiding something, lying perhaps, but for what possible reason? It didn’t make sense. Loramere insisted no Seraph would lie, which meant if Jay was, it was under extreme circumstances.
“Headmaster…,” she said, trying to find the proper words. It felt like she was at the heart of some giant prank. She’d made peace with leaving. She’d accepted returning to Aunt Bethy and living a life outside the academy knowing she’d given it her all. But this… this felt wrong. It felt forced. She wanted to be happy, but how could she when she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she didn’t belong? Bree stared at her instructors, and now they all looked upset, even Randy.
“I don’t understand,” she said weakly.
“You don’t need to. As of now, you may resume attending classes and participating in drills. Archon Willer has declared no additional punishments necessary for your duel with Eric Drae.”
It was too much. Nothing for that, either? She’d suffered worse for attacking Saul with a broom handle. But what else was she to do? Demand punishment? Something else was at play, but it seemed she would not be given an explanation. Doing her best to smile, she turned to leave, and that’s when she saw them. Her blood froze. There in the corner, hidden from view of the entrance, stood two gray-haired theotechs in their red robes. A fire lit in her breast, and she stormed their way as Jay and Adam leapt from their seats.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” she said.
The two men stared back, refusing to say a word. Their arms remained crossed over their chests, each hand tucked into the sleeve of the other. As if they didn’t care. As if they hadn’t watched every single minute of her evaluation. Vyros’s earlier cryptic words came back to her with a vengeance.
“Is this your gift?” she asked, her face mere inches away from theirs. “Is it?”
They started toward the door, but Bree jumped in front of them, refusing to let them pass.
“What am I to you?” she asked as Adam grabbed her arm. “Why do you even care?”
She struggled, trying to free herself, but Jay joined him, the two wrestling her away from the theotechs so they could leave.
“Tell me!” she screamed, lunging one last time toward them. “What do you want from me? What do you want?”
The door shut behind them. The theotechs gave no answers. They never made a sound.
CHAPTER 23
Kael felt ready to give up ever understanding his sister. When he’d come back to his apartment, he’d found Bree already inside, Brad having let her in.
“She’s pretty upset,” Brad had whispered.
“Figured she would be,” Kael had whispered back as he went into his room where she waited.
Except she hadn’t been removed. What should have been the greatest news possible, that she’d remain a member of the Seraphim, seemed to only frustrate her. Yet when he asked why, she gave no answer.
“It’s not right,” she kept saying, never clarifying. “It’s not. Something’s wrong.”
When she finally left, the midnight fire consumed the sky. Kael watched her cross the street toward her own apartment, wishing he could understand. Knowing she’d still be there every day as he trained filled him with relief and elation. Why could she not feel the same?
The next morning, he woke, dressed for his run, then ducked his head inside Brad’s room. To his surprise, Brad remained in bed.
“Wake up, lazy,” he said, kicking the side of the bed with his foot. Brad rolled over, ran a hand through his curly red hair as he yawned.
“I’m not going,” he said.
“What?” Kael asked. “Why not?”
“Not feeling well,” Brad said. Kael frowned, not liking the way his friend seemed hesitant to meet his gaze.
“Are you sure?”
“Am I sure I don’t feel well?” Brad gave him a look, as if the question were the stupidest thing ever, but Kael didn’t buy it. After a brief moment, Brad gave up. “Fine. Bree told me to stay here instead of going on our morning run, and to just pretend I was sick or something.”
Kael crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
“Did she say why?” he asked.
Brad shook his head.
“Something spooked your sister, and bad,” he said. “And I have a feeling she isn’t the kind to get spooked too easily.”
It was true, not that he’d admit that to Brad.
“I’ll find out what’s wrong,” he said. “Enjoy your extra sleep, you lucky bastard.”
“Will do.”
Alone, Kael walked to the bridge in the center of the academy grounds, enjoying the crisp morning air. It was normal for Bree to be upset, he told himself. She’d convinced herself it was for the best for her to leave. To suddenly be wrong, and have to readjust mentally to the day-in, day-out training, well… surely that couldn’t be easy.
Bree waited for him at the bridge, stretching her legs. The weather had steadily grown colder, and unlike for their earlier runs, she wore her jacket. Kael crossed the bridge, and he smiled at her as if it were any other day.
“Ready?” he asked, not bringing up Brad’s absence. He was curious if she’d mention it herself, but it seemed even pretending was beyond her. She looked tired, with deep black circles underneath her eyes. Her hair, which she normally straightened with near religious consistency, was still tangled from sleep.
“Ready,” Bree said after glancing about, though for what, he had no clue. They began a jog north, following the stream. Neither talked, and Kael wondered if he just needed to wait it out before things returned to normal with his sister. It wasn’t like this was new. She’d gone through foul moods before, particularly after their parents died. When they reached the north wall, Bree suddenly slowed to a walk.
“You all right?” he asked, slowing so she could catch up with him.
“I’m fine,” she said. “We need to talk.”
Kael hid his frustration, telling himself this was a good thing. Whatever was bothering her would now be out in the open.
“That’s what I’m here for, I guess,” he said. “So let’s talk. Is this about your evaluation?”
“Mostly. Kael, was there anyone else in there with you during your evaluations? Besides the instructors, I mean?”
Kael frowned, confused by the question.
“Yeah, there was,” he said. “Two theotechs from Center were in the corner near the door. I didn’t see them when I first came in, only when I left.”
Bree nodded, as if that confirmed… something.
“They were there for me, too,” she said. “But I talked to Amanda. They weren’t there for hers. I’d bet if you asked Brad, he’d say the same thing.”
“I don’t get it, Bree,” he said. “If that’s true, why would the theotechs have any interest in us?”
“I don’t know,” Bree said, and she glanced around the field as if fearful of hidden ears. “But it’s because of them I’ve had special treatment. Think about it, Kael. I should be dead after what I did to Eric, but I was let off without even a slap on the wrist. Headmaster Simmons made it perfectly clear in our meeting I was to be expelled, but a theotech was waiting for me outside the room, and told me I should be careful so I can repay them for their ‘gift.’ One day later, the headmaster changes his mind, and I get to stay. That doesn’t seem odd to you?”
“It could just be coincidence,” Kael said, but even he didn’t believe it. Bree sensed his hesitation, and she leapt on it like a starving dog on a dropped bone.
“You know something,” she said. “What is it?”
Kael took in a deep breath, then let it out.
“I never wanted to tell anyone,” he said. “It’s… well, it’s kind of embarrassing, but I was worried it might get me in trouble, too. Back during our tests, I didn’t have water affinity, Bree. I was light.”
Bree didn’t look the slightest bit surprised, which made him feel better for some reason.
“You should have been a ferryman,” she said. “Yet you’re not. Why?”
By now they’d reached the curving northwestern edge of the academy’s surrounding wall, and Kael stopped before it and leaned against the brick as if he were tired. The beginner flight field stretched out before him, the grass a faded yellow.
“A theotech came and spoke with Dioso,” Kael said, thudding his head against the wall. “After that, he came back in and changed the results so that my minor affinity with water was labeled major instead.”
Kael looked to his sister, and he felt a worm squirming around inside his chest.
“What does this mean?” he asked.
“It means they’re watching over us,” she said. “Making sure we become members of the Seraphim.”
“But why? It doesn’t make any sense. We’re nothing to them.”
Bree pulled at her lower lip with her fingers, a nervous quirk he hadn’t seen her use in years.
“I don’t know,” Bree said. “Maybe something involving our parents?”
Kael shrugged.
“Maybe,” he said. “But what could either Mom or Dad have done to explain why theotechs from Center would meddle in Weshern’s affairs, just for us? I think a better guess is they were close with the Willers. Isaac knew our parents, and they flew with one of his sons. He might be able to influence the theotechs to some degree, and he certainly has the power here to ensure you don’t fail out.”
“It’s possible,” Bree said. “We need to find out for sure.”
“How do we do that?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know. But we need to try. If we’re involved in something, I want to know. Yesterday will be the last time those theotechs catch me by surprise.”
She started walking south along the wall, and Kael pushed off so he could follow.
“It could be nothing,” he said, trying to rein in her recklessness. “Just some coincidences and politics we don’t know about. Maybe someone’s repaying a debt to Mom and Dad, and we’ll never—”
He stopped as a horn suddenly blared to life from the center of the academy. It gave three long blasts, paused, then another three. Beside him, Bree tensed as if expecting a punch.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“The horn’s calling all Seraphim to gear up,” Bree said. “We’re under attack.”
Under attack? Kael f
elt a cold sweat building on his neck.
“Does that mean we…”
“No,” his sister said, shaking her head, and there was no hiding her disappointment. “Not us, Kael. Not until Argus says we’re ready.”
In the far southeast corner of the academy just opposite the armory were the graduate barracks. As they watched, distant silver shapes rose into the air above, gathering into formation.
“Come on,” Bree said, grabbing his hand and pulling. “We need to climb.”
Every six hundred feet or so, ladders had been built into the surrounding wall, and the twins ran south until they found one. Bree scampered up, then turned to face the gathering forces of the Weshern Seraphim. Kael joined her, and for some reason it amused him how uneasy he felt given the lack of rail or protection on either side of the wall. He could fly thousands of feet into the air, but standing on a flat wall maybe ten feet high still made him nervous? Instructor Dohn had insisted some fears were rational and could be conquered, while others were irrational and never would be. Heights, according to him, were a rational fear, though Kael’s current unease seemed to argue otherwise.
For several more minutes they watched the number of Seraphim steadily increase in the sky. Not since last year’s parade had he seen so many gathered in flight at one time. The horn continued to blare at least once a minute, three long notes that seemed to grow more ominous with repetition. Starting to wonder if they’d ever move out, Kael spun on his feet, scanning the horizon.
“Oh my God,” he whispered, and he grabbed Bree’s shoulder so she’d turn to look.
Flying in from the west, like a swarm of golden wasps, came the enemy Seraphim.
“Red,” Bree said softly. Each island used a single color for their jackets to help distinguish themselves in the confusion of battle. Weshern’s was black. As for red, that color jacket was burned into Kael’s mind five long years ago.
“Galen’s attacking,” Kael said. “But for what?”
“They’re coming for me,” Bree whispered.
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