Crown of Flames and Ash (Courts of Aetheria #2)

Chapter 56

Chapter Fifty-Six

A elia

A flurry of students fled the Hall of Rais after Aurora Weaving class, reminding me of the night before last when the alarms had been triggered in error. Our grand moment had been interrupted for nothing. Hundreds of students, initiates and fourth-years alike had charged down the steps of the Hall of Glory prepared to fight invaders only… none ever came.

As we’d retreated into the dormitories an hour later, I caught sight of a familiar gray dragon circling. There was only one skyrider of that hue that existed in these parts—Mordrin, Ruhl’s dragon.

Reign had been certain his brother had set off the alarm, but to what end?

The chaos it had caused had been temporary and no damage had been done. The whole thing was a mystery.

Rue raced up behind me and pushed off my shoulders, launching herself up and over my head. The glittering celestial glyph shimmering on her back giving her the added momentum to nearly achieve flight. As much of a disaster as our escape into Arcanum had been, I couldn’t deny that my friend seemed much happier since that night.

She’d made quite an impression on Blyte, the Shadow Fae initiate she’d met at the bacchanalia. So much so, that I’d caught an errant shadow creeping across the river onto our training field only yesterday. The little dark messenger had been sent by the male from Phantom team, whispering sweet nothings in my roommate’s ear as we practiced with luminous shortswords.

Rue had tried to play it off as nothing, but whatever he’d whispered had my friend’s cheeks flaming. And that did not happen often.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow!” Rue squealed as she circled back.

“For the last trial, or because you’ll get to see that hot, broody Blyte again?” Symon’s eyes sparkled as he regarded the faint crimson tingeing her face.

“Both.” She shot him a smirk. “Please, don’t act as if you didn’t enjoy yourself with that female from Shade Squad.”

Symon grinned, looking smug as a bug. “I did enjoy myself immensely, but I didn’t go as far as exchanging names with the female. Everyone knows that relations between Light and Shadow Fae are strictly forbidden.”

My stomach plummeted like a stone. Not only had my parents been guilty of the great sin, but I was also following in their footsteps. Although, technically, since I was part Shadow Fae, it was a bit of a gray area.

“And you know rules were meant to be broken.” Rue ruffled Sy’s perfectly styled hair. “Speaking of Shadow Fae…” Rue waggled her brows at me. “Where is our favorite professor?”

“Oh, are we speaking to him again?” Sy threw his arm around my shoulders. “I simply can’t keep up with the two of you.”

“I think they’re doing more than speaking , right, A?” Her light eyes twinkled with mirth at my expense.

After the false alarm, all the staff had been called into a meeting with the headmaster, leaving me all hot and bothered and with a desperate need to divulge at least something to someone. Luckily, Rue and Symon had stumbled home shortly after the commotion, providing the perfect cover for their return. I had filled in my roommate on bits and pieces of my reunion with Reign.

“We’re taking it slow,” I whisper-hissed. Which felt like a much bigger lie than it was. I hadn’t actually seen my mentor for more than a few rushed minutes in the past two days. Suddenly, Draven had enlisted him to take on all sorts of inane projects, including preparations for the end of the term. Then there was Liora, who abruptly needed him by her side every moment of the day.

Reign’s faithful shadow messengers kept me company, but they were a poor substitute for the real thing. I was trying not to let it get to me, but after finally making the decision to be with Reign, despite the possibly disastrous consequences, I simply wanted to be with him already. The cuorem bond itched beneath my skin, begging to be completed. After we’d come so close the other night, the mystical tether seemed beyond frustrated. And it wasn’t the only one.

The past two nights I’d heard the call of the cuorem, the relentless drumbeat pounding across my skull. I had become so agitated I’d considered sneaking into his room and forcing him to make love to me simply to make it stop.

Only the fear of getting caught so close to the end of the term had halted my feverish thoughts. Tomorrow was the final trial, and soon we would be granted leave once again. Perhaps, it would be better to wait so that we could enjoy a week together without being forced to skulk and hide.

“Aelia, are you even listening to me?” Rue flashed her hand across my face as we walked across the flight field, nearly hitting my nose.

“Sorry, I was distracted.”

“Clearly.” She shook her head, smiling. “Are you sure you’re up for one more practice flight before the final trial tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, did you say you’re flying?” A familiar female voice echoed from behind, and I suppressed the urge to groan.

I spun around to find Liora jogging after us, her perfect hair plaited into a crown around her head. “Yes, we are.” Forcing my mouth into a smile, I attempted to look sincere.

“Would you like to join us, my lady?” Symon bolted in front of me, dipping his head into a ridiculous attempt at a curtsy.

She giggled and Sy preened like a peacock. “I would love to. I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of the commands. Fuego still thinks he’s in charge, and frequently I have little say in the matter.” Liora had been gifted a phoenix at her Choosing Ceremony, and quite an ornery one from what I had seen.

“Oh, that is terrible.” Sy tsked dramatically. “Shouldn’t your mentor be helping you with that?” He cast a playful smirk in my direction, and it took all my willpower not to hurl an obscenity. Instead, I settled on a pinecone which bounced satisfactorily off his head.

Sy grimaced, but easily recovered as I cackled internally.

“Reign is just always so busy.” She stuck out her bottom lip, and I barely restrained an eyeroll.

“Where is our Shadow Arts professor anyway?” Rue asked.

“I’m not sure.” She shrugged. “He was supposed to meet me this morning to train, but he never showed up.”

A hint of unease unfurled in my gut, but I shoved it down, convincing myself Reign was likely tied up with Draven, as he had been for days preparing for the end of the term. There was to be a grand ball at Arcanum after the final trial—assuming we all survived—and apparently, Malakar had requested some assistance from the Conservatory’s staff.

Rue’s worried gaze chased to mine. It seemed I wasn’t the only one that found it strange.

“Maybe I should go?—”

“Relax, my little round-eared friend, I’m sure our professor is just fine.” Symon’s eyes flickered to Liora who was regarding me curiously.

Did I look panicked? At times it was easy to forget that amidst all the countless reasons Reign and I couldn’t be together, the fact that he was my professor was still at the top of the list.

“Right, I’m sure he is.”

“He can certainly handle himself, that's for sure,” Rue added.

A familiar presence soothed the building turmoil, and I glanced up to the edge of the flight field. Sol pawed at the earth, his talons sinking deep into the dew-kissed grass. Griff and Windy stood on either side of him, both seeming as anxious as he was.

Are you ready for a ride ? I threw my voice across the mystical tether between us. I hadn’t seen Sol in days, and that familiar longing to be in his presence returned at the sight of him.

I am. As apparently you were only two nights ago .

Heat raced up my neck, warming my cheeks at the insinuation. Excuse me ?

I heard you nearly completed the cuorem bond with Reign. Don’t you think it was something you should have discussed with me?

I bristled at his tone. I thought you knew everything, Sol? Aren’t you some sort of all-powerful, omniscient creature ? Even through the bond I could hear myself shouting.

As I’ve told you before, I attempt to block you out so I’m not privy to every whiny moment of pining over that Shadow Fae traitor .

I halted mid-stride, his words like a knife to the heart.

Gods, Sol, tell me how you really feel .

I’m sorry, Aelia, but I do not believe you are thinking clearly. There are far-reaching ramifications ? —

Like what? You’ve skirted around the subject for months now, Sol. I know there’s something you’re not telling me. Please, stop hiding the truth from me !

Can’t you simply trust me?

No ! Is this about the prophecy? Is that what has you frightened ?

The connection between us cut off, the shimmering, mystical ties going silent once more.

Sol ?

I glared up at the stubborn dragon with my hands on my hips, but his golden irises glazed over. Symon barreled into me from behind, chattering away with Liora, tearing me from our mental argument.

“Sorry,” I muttered at my friend, canting my head over my shoulder.

“You okay, A?” Rue inched closer, our skyriders only a few yards away now.

“No,” I gritted out. “I’m sorry, but I can’t fly today, after all.”

“What? Why not?”

I scowled at the enormous dragon, his scales aglow beneath the luminous sunlight.

“Is it because you’re worried about Reign?” Rue whispered.

“No.” Stiffening my spine, I cast one last furious glance at my dragon before whirling on my heel. “I simply remembered there was somewhere important I needed to be.”

The moment the last word was out, the pounding of wings lifted the hair on the back of my neck. I didn’t bother turning around because I knew Sol would already be gone.

What was wrong with him, and why was he so angry? And most importantly, what in all the realms was he keeping from me now?