“Come.” Felix stood, slapping his thighs. “More time for introspection and existential crises later. For now, I need to get you outfitted and show you the rest of the Academy. Explain the procedures. That sort of thing. Your classes are mandatory and will start as soon as Mage d’Talionis returns from the field, which could be tomorrow or could be a week from now. Best to always be prepared.”
With that, I followed Felix out of our room again and down the staircase to the remainder of the Academy. We passed and spoke to a variety of Mages and Vessels, most of whom greeted me with a smile and a kind, if not gruff, word of greeting.
All the while, with every new introduction and every hand shook, I felt my early convictions begin to unravel as the knot in my stomach tightened.
Chapter 55
Ellowyn
Isaw the smoke first; big, billowing grey clouds of thick ash that nearly eclipsed the sun.
Then I heard the birds; the faint cawing of crows as they circled carcasses, occasionally diving to the ground below to feast on whatever flesh remained before rejoining their comrades in the sky.
The smell came next, the stench of rotting flesh wafting in time with the billowing smoke until it became so suffocating that it was impossible not to gag. It was so thick I could taste it on my tongue, the sourness of it sticking to the back of my throat and pulling bile from my stomach.
A few cadets retched as we grew closer, the smell of death and decay too pungent for their sensitive noses.
All conversation ceased as we slowly rode down the small hill toward the former city of Cellia. Alois had explained it was once a trading city just on the northern edge of the Borderlands, teaming with life as traders from all over Elyria came to exchange goods, information, and stories. Now all that remained was a burning husk of what was; buildings had collapsed, some still actively burning, while bodies were piled just outside thecity’s walls. I had no doubt that once we walked through the streets, we’d see more evidence of death and destruction.
My blood boiled hot in anger, my magic sparking with my emotion. I lost what little control I possessed as tendrils of Creation and Destruction bled from my pores. Cadets shot uneasy glances in my direction until I was able to clear my mind and wrangle control once more.
Lex held up his palm, a clear indication for our group to halt, before dismounting from his horse. He moved with a precise grace that was enviable, the long ride clearly not affecting him the same way it did me. My blisters had blisters at this point but, after the small introduction to destruction in Cellia, I decided that my issues paled in comparison to the pain these people felt before their deaths.
“We tie the horses here. There is no reason to risk them unnecessarily.” He spoke with graceful authority, and I dismounted with the remainder of the cadets.
“Dunia,” Lex called to a female with the darkest ebony skin I’d ever seen. She clasped her hands behind her back before nodding at Lex. “Construct poles to tie the horses to, please. But be careful you don’t use too much of your reserves. We’ll need your magic before today is over.”
Dunia nodded once before effortlessly channeling, wooden poles springing from the ground almost immediately. Without a word, the two dozen cadets and I secured the reins of our mounts to the earthen poles before turning as one to regard Alois and Lex.
The grim expression on Lex and Ilyas’ faces coupled with the almost feral savagery on Alois’ set my teeth on edge and had my heart pumping faster in fear and anticipation. I pulled slightly at my black tunic just to give my hands something to do.
“Intel says that this area is free of any lingering rebels,” Alois called, his voice ringing loudly in the quiet. The stark caws ofscavenging birds was the only reply. “We will move in teams on the off chance the intel was wrong. Lex, Ilyas, and Sasori will take the first half of recruits, and I will lead the second.”
We quickly separated ourselves into two groups of twelve, and I heaved a slight sigh of relief to see Leal on my right and the twins on my left.
“Water Mages, you’ll be in the front of each group and will work together to extinguish the lingering flames. Air Mages, you follow behind and blow as much of the smoke out of our path as possible. It’s important that we have a clear line of sight,” Lex instructed. “Earth and Fire Mages, stand on reserve for when we need you to dispose of bodies.”
He turned to his group, then, and I tentatively raised my hand.
“Ellowyn?” Alois barked, and I flinched incrementally.
“What about Creation and Destruction Mages? Or Pleasure and Pain Mages?” I was proud of my voice for not wavering even as I internally wilted beneath my husband’s critical stare.
“You’re the only one of all four with us today aside from Lex and his Vessels.” Alois shrugged. “And, besides, your control is not where it needs to be to help. I don’t trust you to not accidentally disintegrate one of your fellow cadets.”
His words were like sharp barbs and cut deep as they hit their mark.
Useless. Unhelpful. Uncontrollable. Wild.My mother’s voice echoed sharply in my mind.
I shook my head at the thought and balled my fists so tight I could feel my nails cut into my palms.
“You will walk with me, wife,” Alois said with finality, and I shook with barely suppressed rage.
“If that’s all?” Lex asked and, when no one else interjected, he motioned for his group to take the right side of the city while we took the left.
Leal squeezed my shoulder on her way to the front of the group while the twins and I held back.
“Ellowyn, with me,” my husband clipped. The twins shot me borderline pitying looks before joining Dunia at the back of the group.
