THE FIRST TRIAL
The first Arcalon was held in the 10thYear of Fire, forty years after Vallenna’s victory over Draknor’s corruption in the Dark War, in celebration of the gifts the Arcanth bestowed upon Vallenna in its wake.
–Caldris Historical Record, Vol. II
The day of bonding had been difficult. Gregor Brask of Durent had stood with his arms crossed all day, as silent as the stone his magic commanded. Oryen Tolland of Caldris treated every conversation like a strategy table, and Kara had given up trying to get a personal detail out of him before lunch.
Jax Corsair, the roguish Navyrian delegate, was another matter entirely. “I don’t take orders from girls who’ve never held a blade,” he’d scoffed. “Healers are all salves and sympathy.”
“Better than being sea-hatched and full of fish guts,” Kara had shot back.
Morra Feld of Sorrel had at least been easy to get along with, calm and authoritative. Even Jax seemed to listen to her – particularly when she suggested they find a tavern for the evening.
They’d heard the one closest to the barracks had good food, so they headed there as the sun started to lower. Kara stumbled over a loose cobblestone as they entered.
“Are you sure you don’t want that book on footwork, Healer?” Sebastian said.
“I’m fine,” she snapped.
He’d been at it all day. Irritating her had apparently become his favourite game.
He smirked. “At this rate, I’ll have to carry you through the trials.”
Her fists curled at her sides.
Not long after they’d taken their seats, two Durent men, clearly several tankards of ale in, had started a fight over a card game. The first had stood so fast that his bench toppled and the second reached for the dagger at his belt. Sebastian was on his feet in seconds, wrenching the man’s arm behind his back and slamming his head down onto the table. The blade clattered to the floor. The other man lunged forward, fist raised.
“I wouldn’t,” Sebastian said.
The man froze. His eyes darted up and down Sebastian, then he opened his palms in surrender and stumbled away, the whole tavern watching him go.
Sebastian released the second man. “Leave. Now.”
The man reached down to retrieve his dagger. Sebastian placed a boot on it.
“Don’t.”
He scurried away without looking back. Sebastian picked up the confiscated dagger and walked back to the table as if he’d simply gone to refill his cup. He paused at Kara’s chair and held the blade out to her.
“You might need this, Healer.”
She stared at the dagger.
“Don’t worry,” he added pleasantly. “I’m not going to stab you with it.”
Kara lifted her chin. “I didn’t for one moment think you were. But we don’t use weapons in Hale.”
“Suit yourself.” He sat back down. “If something happens to you though, there’s no one to heal the others. Seems like good strategy to arm you.”
“I managed last year,” she said coolly.
“Mm.” He tucked the dagger into his belt.
“Was all that necessary?” Kara asked.
“What?”
“All that, with those Durent men–”
