Page 42 of Above
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9240 AS
“Hello, trainees, it is so wonderful to see you all.” Father’s voice was far too austere, the meaning gone with the tone. On my right, Quinn huffed as if in annoyance. We were all long tired of our parents, but it was Quinn, who always silently obeyed, that was the most on edge. Apart from me, that was. “Today is your final in the grey phase. Tomorrow begins the black, which will not only test your fortitude, but your very sanity.”
Out of the three phases, I feared this next one the most. It wasn’t that I thought I couldn’t do it. I knew I could and would graduate the academy and become an elite. However, I was distinctly aware of exactly how broken someone could be and still continue on.
“Therefore, I, along with all nineteen colonels, will sit in and assess each of you. Do feel free to utilize magic during these sessions. While I know your initial instinct will likely be to show-off, I encourage you to continue as if we are not here. We seek sustainable excellence, not singular moments of falseperfection.” With that, he clapped his hands, summoning said colonels.
“Begin!” Captain Zade shouted. Above us, a glowing silver list appeared. Match listings. My name was paired with one of the stronger trainees in the number seven column and had the wordsfight until unconsciousnessbeside them. Easy.
Above my listing was a name I loathed to see. Tershetta had been matched with a trainee nearly twice her size, the beast that had once gotten a decent hit on me.
I made my way to the mat, patting both Quinn and Cal on their shoulders as I passed them. Tershetta was far scrappier than I originally gave her credit for, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she managed to win, but I figured she would take some hits regardless. Beside her fight readfight until a bone is broken.One of the more brutal tasks. I had once knocked out a girl who had to be woken up so I could then shatter her collarbone. I didn’t mind, necessarily, but it did seem like a waste of time and energy.
Tershetta was already standing on the mat, her face void of emotions, as the brute of a man stepped up. He looked larger beside her, his pink-tinted skin stretched across corded muscle. When I had faced off with him, he had been slow, easy to defend against as long as one possessed the endurance to out-move him. While she wasn’t particularly fast, the akhata was smart.
Father stepped up beside me, just as entranced with what was to come as I was. For once, we didn’t trade vocal blows or attempt to outwit the other. Instead, we watched in silence.
“Let the first matches commence!” Captain Zade boomed, using her magic to amplify her voice. The sound of it made my teeth grind, a pair of glass shards scraping together more pleasant to the ears.
He moved first, summoning fire from some source near him—the flames bright as they soared his way—and blowing it at her.Tershetta ducked, using the momentum to roll before forcing herself to stand and willing some sort of chain to appear in her hand. Darkness pooled around it, as if her shadows clung to it somehow. She wrapped the chain around his leg, tugging and bringing him down to one knee, but he was still the stronger of the two. Gripping the chain, he yanked, sending her flying toward him. His fist collided with her stomach, ripping a shriek of pain from deep in her chest at the exact moment he dove forward and slammed his head into hers.
Silencing herself, she shoved her elbow into her opponent’s neck, causing enough discomfort to force him to let her go. She darted away, her eyes closing for a brief moment before opening wide as what looked like a small glass of a clear liquid appeared in her hand.
What was she up to?
Father twitched beside me, adjusting his weight to his other leg. Uncharacteristically antsy. We all were though. No one wanted an akhata to be an elite. They had already slaughtered the other two that successfully completed academy. But now, with no one holding the stars and talk of resistance amongst the eadi, we were particularly wary of her kind finding roots within our ranks.
Tershetta looked over her shoulder, watching for but a moment as her opponent approached. Within his hand, the barest hint of a flame still lingered, glowing brighter as he flashed it her way. In response, she merely folded further into herself, as if she were giving up. He seemed to think so, because his crooked smile grew wide as his hand fully accepted the flames. Impressive magic, though not the most effective or safe.
From where I stood, I was afforded the sight of Tershetta tipping the liquid into her mouth, her honey eyes scrunching closed and her slightly fuller upper lip overtaking her bottom one as the glass disappeared. It had been oddly familiar. One Icould have sworn I had held in my own hand. Another wince pinched her face.
Stars, what was that?
An answer came moments later when the trainee attempted to bend down with his hand still lit. Tershetta whipped around and spit out the liquid. A sort of explosion of flames surrounded the pair, surprised shrieks coming from the crowd. Father shielded his face with his arm, not bothering to ward off the fire. After a few seconds, a figure rose, a glowing sphere of silver surrounding them.
Tershetta looked down at the burning man, doing nothing but lifting her leg and bringing her boot down hard on the hand that had once held the flames. Silence had overtaken the masses enough that I could hear the sickening crack of bone. A ding came, followed by medics rushing to aid the trainee, one of them seeming to bounce off Tershetta’s dome when they accidentally touched it.
“She warded. That’s impressive,” Father deadpanned, his voice empty of the rage that showed so clearly in his scowl. Neither of us wanted to acknowledge her abilities or talent. We wanted her dead. One of the few things we agreed on. “No matter. During your fight, I expect a much more exciting show. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Yes, Father.” This was how it always was. Do better or die trying. Create, kill, conquer. Nodding, I stepped forward, attempting to take my spot on the mat, but Father grabbed my arm and tugged me back to him. His lips nearly brushed my ear as he spoke, his hissed whisper meant only for me.
“Tonight you will propose to the Otarn girl. I don’t care how you do it or what agreement you make with her, just get it done. We must secure our position as the plan is set into motion.” I was offered no time to argue before he pushed me forward,making me stumble onto the mat. I didn’t bother to turn around, I already knew he’d be gone.
“Hey, Pri,” I mumbled as I appeared in her room. Unlike mine, hers had been decorated in bright colors. Pastel lavenders and pinks coated the walls and visible surfaces, living flowers everywhere the eye could see to bring it all together. She had always been that way. Eager to make a home no matter where she was.
“What do you want?” she asked, her voice dripping disdain as she dyed her nails and hands while sitting on her plush purple bed. Groaning, I fell into one of her fluffy chairs, a chunk of faux fur flying up and getting stuck in my eyelashes.
“You can’t possibly still be mad about the akhata,” I practically whined, my head falling back as I pulled out the lump of fur. I was so exhausted.
“Actually, I can be,” she screeched, pointing the brush at me. “You saved her! We would have had her if you would have minded your fucking business. Dove is in a constant panic and might as well be sleepwalking through training. Killing that beast would’ve fixed her. It would’ve fixed everything!”
“She isn’t your problem,” I mumbled.
Internally, I worried about Dove. She was soft and sweet—if not blunt when needed—just as her brother had been. That was how it always was. Priya and I were the sarcastic and cranky ones, always being soothed by Dove and Talon’s joy. Caleb made sure we never stopped having fun, and Quinn kept us all in line.
Things were falling apart quickly with Talon’s absence.
“Oh, but she’syourproblem somehow?”
