Azune left my side as we got back to the academy, leaving me there, soaked from head to toe from my numerous attempts to stay squatted as I sat in the glacial river water. I hugged my body tightly as I trudged through the great hall, my teeth chattering. Kaleigh, seeing me arrive, shoved her book into Ryan's hands.
"Oh my god, Kiri! Are you okay?" she exclaimed. I nodded, managing to squeak out, "Just freezing!" barely above a whisper. Ryan raised a brow and gave me a flat smile. "Endurance training, I take it? My dad mentioned something about how cold water and currents help with those things."
I nodded. "It was horrible," I said, trudging my feet up the staircases leading to the West Wing from the Great Hall, making my way to the section of the castle that had belonged to my family for generations. Once I reached my room, I led them inside and shut the door behind us.
As I slid my shoes off, I couldn't help but wince at the sight of my feet; they were a pinkish-red from the cold water. "I didn't think it would be that bad," I admitted, shaking my head. Kaleigh was watching me with concern, and I could see Ryan trying to suppress a smirk.
I turned my back to them as I slipped off my top and pulled on a fresh tank top, letting my wet trousers slide down to my ankles. Sitting there in my soaked shorts, I gathered my clothes and hung them over a cooking spit in front of the fire, hoping they'd dry quickly while I warmed up. I glanced over at Kaleigh and Ryan, who had settled into the chairs in my room.
“So, this is the Darksbane Wing, huh?” Ryan said, nodding his head. “It’s cozy.” Kaleigh agreed, her eyes scanning the space. “Better than our draughty old wing. "I might just request a room change.”
A smile spread across my face at the thought of having my friends up here with me. “Okay, so let’s talk. Did you guys find out anything more about the Battle of Telmytherin?”
Kaleigh nodded eagerly. “Actually, yes. Are you aware of the effects of Jarin root on a demon?” I shook my head, which made her smile widen. “It incites madness and a complete loss of control from the host if you mix it with Heavens beetle wings. That’s exactly what’s recorded, Tynon slipped it into Orin’s food the day before the battle. It caused the effects to wear off too soon—hence… our existence,” she said, gesturing between herself and Ryan.
I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re kidding!”
Kaleigh shook her head, "Nope, not one bit. In this book here..." She pulled out Dead Silence. "It says Orin was close to discovering something Tynon was hiding. It turns out Tynon rose to the head of the council by poisoning the former head. He used the same tactic on his son when Orin discovered the truth. Nyreah had no knowledge of it."
“Did you also know your mother argued fiercely against attacking Telmytherin?” Kaleigh added, her eyes wide with intrigue. I shook my head in disbelief.
“Why did she argue it but go ahead with the mission if it wasn't something she believed in?” I asked, my confusion evident.
Kaleigh smiled knowingly. “That’s easy. Your mother was birthed in Telmytherin.”
Ryan leaned in, his voice soft as he pulled out Dragon Fire, My Midnight. “After skipping the rather intimate parts, there’s an excerpt here.” He tapped a page, drawing our attention. “Your mother’s father was a zealous man in his pursuit of the dragons at Anthor’s Peak. He destroyed a dragon egg, and so the dragon threatened to kill him. Nyreah's mother was given a choice—spare her husband and her other five children and trade the infant daughter in return for her husband. I guess she expected the dragon to kill the baby. Instead, the dragons raised the child. She became Nyreah Shadowscale. Apparently, the dragons shared their blood with her, and since she was small, she could speak to them and harness their magic after 15 years.”
As he read from the book, I blinked in shock, absolutely stunned by the revelations. The pieces of my family’s history were unraveling before me, each thread more incredible than the last. I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that my mother’s past was intertwined with dragons and treachery, and that the very essence of magic flowed through her veins. Questions raced through my mind, but one stood out among the rest. “What does this mean for us now?”
Kaleigh met my gaze and gave me a nod. “We head down to the repository after hours. A stealth mission, definitely. We cannot be caught. We are not permitted access to those records. I am positive the truth is hidden there. Some informant from years ago went to a great deal of trouble to hide this knowledge within these books.”
I nodded; she was right, but we were missing one crucial element. “Okay, so we get to the repository. How are we supposed to get in there and around the guards?”
Ryan smiled as he held his hand up. “Leave that to me. I believe Zenna is on duty tonight, and Marrowyn Mallows.”
For once, I might have been grateful for Ryan’s connections, but the mention of Marrowyn made me pause. “Isn’t he Claudia Mallows’ son?” I asked, my mind racing.
Ryan snickered. “Yep, but he’s just as rebellious as we are. I know you told me not to say anything, but Marrow is my guy best friend, and we have no secrets. His mother has never fully seen eye to eye with Tynon. Apparently, from what I heard from him, she’s been waiting for proof of Orin’s innocence for a long time. She apparently loved him once; they had… an interesting past,” Ryan said with a wink.
It didn’t surprise me. My father’s own journal betrayed his unfaithfulness to my mother in detail. Not that he didn’t love her, but a forced arranged marriage had put quite the strain on their early years together. The idea of Marrowyn being involved made my heart race with potential and danger. This was my chance to dig deeper into my family’s past, but it was also risky. “Are you sure we can trust him?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Ryan shrugged, a mixture of confidence and concern on his face. “I’ve known him for years. If he’s as invested in Orin’s innocence as his mother is, he’ll help us.”
Kaleigh crossed her arms, her thoughtful expression returning. “So, what’s the plan? We can’t just waltz in there.”
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of our mission looming above us. “First, we find Marrowyn and get him on board. Then we’ll scout the area and come up with a distraction for Zenna and i think ryan can cover that part. But we need to be careful—if we get caught, we might not only lose this chance at the truth, but we could also put ourselves in serious danger. even face exacution, although from my fathers map the most sensitive records are kept under blood seals from the council we would need tynon selia silverwind or torrence stone to get through them” i said softly.
Kaleigh raised a brow. “And? Aren’t you friends or something with Azune? His dad, Torrence, may be able to unlock the vault. and with azune being is son he may be able too open it as well”
I shifted in my seat, heat rising in my body at the thought of Azune—the way his hands felt, the way our bodies pressed together. I pushed the thoughts aside. “Yeah, except he knows nothing about this, and he just left on a mission,” I sighed, leaning my head back.
Kaleigh nodded empathetically. “Then while he’s gone, we work with Zenna and Marrowyn to convince them of our cause.”
Ryan chimed in, “Exactly. Though I’m sure Marrow will agree, he has respect for Orin and you, Kiri. His mother may be on the council, but everyone there has their own agendas and secrets. Nobody on the council really trusts each other. According to Marrow, his mother would have preferred to see Orin at the head of it rather than Tynon.”
I nodded, considering his words. Claudia’s admiration for Abraxes could play into our plans; it seemed there was a chance she might be useful later. “Alright then, we work on collecting them to our side.”
Five whole months passed as I diligently worked through my endurance training and stealth techniques, pushing my limits to the point where I could now hang from my fingertips for four hours, a staggering fifty feet in the air. Testing day arrived faster than I had imagined, and a deep concern creeped into my mind—had Azune met his end in this relentless pursuit of mastery?
As I walked alongside my classmates toward the cliffside—a hike from our school—I could feel the weight of anticipation in the air. The cliff was flat but imposing, its walls jutting out like towers that stretched halfway up the marvelous cliffside. Above them hung a series of obstacles that we were required to complete in order to pass. Scaling these walls was no small feat, and I could feel the tension building.
“Alright,” Professor Linwick called out, standing beside our flexibility instructor, Professor Callihan. His demeanor was serious, and it set the tone for what was to come. “Today we test your strength and endurance. You will need to scale the walls and make it to the top. I will demonstrate this once. After that, you’ll have no assistance—you’ll need to do this entirely on your own. If you fall, you will die, so be sure to keep moving.”
With that, he took off toward the wall. I watched in awe as he executed a perfect run-up, propelling himself up the rough surface with remarkable agility. He transitioned seamlessly from wall to wall, each movement fluid and calculated. It was as if gravity had no hold on him as he climbed higher, caught a structure beam, and effortlessly swung himself on to it running on his tip toes as he flipped and jumped landing on a platform.
His feet barely touched the edge of a platform that jolted downwards upon contact, but he was already airborne again, grabbing a beam jutting out from the rocky cliffside. Incredibly, he cartwheeled across a beam thinner than the bridge we crossed when getting here while dodging spears that shot out from hidden crevices. Each dart missed him by mere inches. I was captivated, thrilled, and slightly fearful as he climbed a flat wall, using only his fingertips to grip the scant footholds. It was a marvelous display of skill that left me in awe.
“You have 12 minutes to pass. If you don’t, your training repeats itself!” he shouted from the top, his voice echoing in the stillness that followed.
The looming threat of failure chilled me. I felt a rush of adrenaline surge through me, knowing that if the training hadn’t killed us, this—this daunting challenge before us—just might. I glanced at my classmates, their faces a mix of determination and apprehension.
I braced myself when my turn came, taking a deep, steady breath as I crouched, readying myself for the fast-paced run toward the wall. I launched myself forward, sprinting silently as I scaled the wall, my feet skidding slightly as I pushed upward. I propelled myself from wall to wall until I finally reached the structural beam above it. Hanging there for a moment, I glanced down to see Kaleigh, below, biting her knuckle and gazing up at me, clearly nervous. Callista was already starting to scale the wall herself.
I shook my head and pulled myself onto the beam, finding my footing as I crossed it. I might have been moving slower than I'd like, but it was easier than it had once been. At the end of the beam, I leaped, catching the platform with my feet, only to feel it lurch downward, nearly causing me to fall backward. I threw my arms out to steady myself and quickly ran to grab the pole jutting out from the wall. My fingers found it just in time, and I quickly readjusted my grip for stability.
Then, I heard Callista scream. My heart dropped as I glanced back to see her miss the structural beam and plummet to the ground with a sickening crunch. "Noooo!" I screamed, my focus wavering for just a moment as the reality of her fall hit me. I reminded myself I was a hundred feet above the ground and shook off my heartache.
I pushed my feelings aside and swung my legs forward, propelling myself onto the next beam, barely clearing the landing. I rolled forward on my hands, palms gripping the beam tightly as I lifted my legs, twisting my body to land on my feet halfway across. In a split second, I executed a back handspring across it, narrowly avoiding the spears that were positioned along the way.
Panting heavily, I glared up at the wall that looked painfully smooth and tried to catch my breath. I heard Kaleigh’s encouraging voice behind me. “Keep going, Kiri! You’ve got this!” she shouted, making her way over the first structural beam with determination etched on her face.
I nodded and turned to the wall, determination flooding through me. I could do this; I had to. I ran at the wall, launching myself upward just enough to grab onto the jagged edges, my fingers finding purchase as I climbed. Just before I reached the top, a pale hand shot down, grasping my wrist and pulling me onto the ledge. My heart raced as I looked up into silver eyes that I had missed so much—Azune.
Without thinking, I pulled my fist back and punched him square in the face, causing him to stagger back. "Are you crazy? What the hell, Kiri?" he exclaimed, clearly taken aback by my reaction. I stepped closer, adrenaline coursing through me, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Before I could second-guess myself, I kissed him fiercely. His hands tangled in my tightly bound hair, deepening the kiss before I finally pulled away, glaring at him.
"Don’t ever leave again without at least sending a raven here and there to inform me you’re alive! I thought you were dead!" My voice trembled with waves of emotions.
He sighed, brow furrowing slightly. "My bad, Kiri. I was on a top-secret mission. Any communication in or out was forbidden." I felt a rush of frustration, realizing I had forgotten for a moment how deeply our work was shrouded in secrecy.
I nodded, trying to calm the storm of feelings inside me. As I turned to see Kaleigh helping Marrowyn Mallows up onto the ledge, I couldn’t shake the relief that washed over me. My attention shifted to Ryan, who was struggling to get past the spears jutting out from the wall. I winced as one of them snagged his uniform but was relieved to see it hadn’t cut flesh.
He finally made it up the wall, breathing heavily but without injury. “You really went all out on this climb, didn’t you?” he joked, flashing a strained smile as he adjusted his shirt. I couldn’t help but smile back.
As the final students approached the edge of the cliff, Professor Linwick scanned the class with a solemn expression. "A moment of silence for our fallen comrades," he declared, bowing his head. We joined him, the gravity of the moment weighing heavily on us. After a minute, he raised his head and continued, "Congratulations, initiates. You are officially apprentices today. Those of you who made it have demonstrated true mastery in the skills your mentors have diligently taught you. Today, you earn a gift."
He produced a uniform from behind him, the fabric rich and dark black, adorned with crimson ties that complemented the starkness of the traditional black. The uniforms had accents of leather belts for our daggers, designed to enhance both function and style. "These may not look like much, but they carry significance," he said, tapping the chest of one uniform. "Imbued with magic by our esteemed mage unit, these uniforms can withstand strikes from steel arrows. Your chests will be protected, but keep in mind that your necks, midsections, and shins remain vulnerable."
A chill ran through me at the realness of his words. The protection offered felt faintly comforting, yet it simultaneously reminded us that danger was never somthing we could completely evade. As he distributed the uniforms, I couldn't help but feel the pain from those who died to earn these uniforms. We were no longer just students; we were now apprentices, entrusted with the knowledge and skills that came with our new titles initiation was over we were now full members of the shadowbriar acadamy.
"Now, take a moment to reflect on what these uniforms represent," he continued, his gaze sweeping over us. "They are not just clothing, but a commitment to the acadamy and to the shadows we honor in every mission we complete. Wear them with pride and remember the sacrifices made to bring you here." how could we ever forget the screams of our fallen friends who died to get where we were.
we were ordered to fallow behind professor linwick as he led us through a cavern that conveiniently led to the dungeons of the shcoolThe flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows that danced across the damp stone walls, creating unsettling shapes that flickered in and out of focus. We descended step by step, each footfall echoing ominously in the silence, and I fought to keep my breathing steady despite the grotesque sights that met our eyes.
The decaying corpses shackled to the walls were ghastly reminders of the school’s darker areas of expertise. Some hung limply in oversized bird cages, their bones bleached white and gleaming in the low light, while others seemed to be caught in eternal torment. A chill ran down my spine as I caught sight of the man who, once could have been a noble, was strapped to the Rack. His body was contorted in unimaginable ways, and the sight of him filled me with a mix of horror and pity. He was blindfolded, and the droplets of water from above were likely his only solace, a cruel tease meant to prolong his suffering.
"Wh… who’s there?" he croaked, desperation lacing his voice. I felt a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach at the sound of his pain.
Professor Linwick approached him with a chilling calmness. He placed a wooden lever in the wheel at the side of the Rack and cranked it forward. The man’s yowl echoed through the chamber like a death knell.
“Shhh, pain is only part of your journey, friend,” Linwick taunted, his tone almost casual. “Had you been smart, you would have exposed the information we asked you for.” He patted the man’s cheek dismissively, as if they were merely engaging in casual conversation rather than a confrontation filled with agony, and then turned to us, raising two fingers in a silent gesture to keep moving.
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