Page 26 of The Song of Sunrise
“I know it’s not much—”
“It’s perfect,” I say, walking over to the bed. I brush my fingers along the soft quilt.
At once, exhaustion sets in. Adrenaline from standing up for myself to the Elder Superior quickly wanes to the fatigue from traveling.
I sit at the desk, unlace my boots, and climb up into the bed.
Mybed.
This still doesn’t feel real. “I’m going to turn in for the night, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. You don’t have to ask me. You must be exhausted,” Ramona lets out in one quick breath as she flicks off the light and crawls up to her bed. “Goodnight!”
“Goodnight,” I say back as I roll to the side facing the wall.
I clutch my pendant necklace and wait until I hear Ramona softly snoring. I lean forward and begin to scratch some of the paint off the wall. I lean back and admire my work.
Another hash mark, another day.
I tuck my pendant away and grab the small square of Teller cloak that Marrow gifted me. An empty patch yet to be stitched with a harrowing tale. A tale of my own making.
I blink away the tears welling in the backs of my eyes, not allowing them to release.
Because if they do, they might never stop.
9
Introduction to Talent
Aray of sunlight pierces the room in shades of orange and pink, slicing the night’s shadows as daylight peaks.
I quietly climb down from the bunk and rush to the tufted seat by the window.
My breathing hitches at the sight.
Snow-capped mountains loom in the distance, cloaked in different shades of green and white until their tops disappear into the mist. An expansive lake glimmers through the pine trees, so clear and vibrant. More hills, forests, and grassy fields surround the castle. Even the boulders and wildflowers are shining in the morning dew.
The door makes a small clicking noise, and I turn.
“Didn’t know what you liked, so I brought a few options.” Ramona carries a small silver tray of steaming cups toward the bench. “Don’t get used to this type of service, but I know I couldn’t survive any morning without my tea. Especially for our first day at the Academy. I’ll never admit this publicly, butI am nervous… A lot of family expectations to live up to and everything.”
“You are a savior!” I hug Ramona. Her arms are awkwardly pinned under me, and I get the feeling that she isn’t really the hugging type.
I reach for the darkest cup. “I’m a bean brew person myself,” I add before quickly gulping down the steaming black liquid until my soul is properly reacquainted with its long lost love. It tastes of rich mahogany with a hint of cherry.
Good to know that I can count on a good cup of bean brew at this place.
“No cream or sugar; no nonsense. I like it! We are meant to be friends!” Ramona plops down next to me. We sit there for a few minutes sipping our drinks in comfortable silence until Ramona divulges all of her favorite types of teas, even going as far as naming the territory of origin they come from. I share my favorite bean brews and Eastlander meads.
By the end of our conversation, I can’t stop talking either. We jump from topic to topic as easily as a monkey swinging from one branch to another and another and another.
Eventually, Leaf stops by and interrupts our chat. He helps himself to a cup of brew and leans against my wooden desk. His smug grin is barely contained and oozing “I am taking credit for this friendship” like some sort of match maker.
Once we’re all fully caffeinated, Leaf and Romona take me to a room on the first floor of the castle, where I’m fitted for a uniform. They explain how the Academy works. Open study time in the morning, classes alternating from an introductory general course all first-years take—Old World History, Elementation, or Nature Studies—every other day. I’m assured that Battlefield is almost every day, sometimes twice a day, depending on the weather. I shudder at the thought of training out in the mountains during winter and try to convince myself for theeleventh time this morning that enrolling in the Watch was a good idea.
I’m poked, prodded, and measured, until I have a set of fitted battle leathers and multiple sets of blue sweaters with matching trousers, two additional pairs of lace-up boots, and a gray cloak.
Not a “Watcher Blue” cloak just yet. That color is earned at the end of the year at the Stone Ceremony.
