Coal. I have to find Coal, I thought, my feet already moving as I headed out of the arena.
It didn’t take long. He’d gone outside and was standing at the edge of the grassy field. His arms were crossed in front of him, his jaw tight as he gazed off into the distance, staring at the sloping hill, the towering pines, the distant mountains.
I moved up next to him, crossing my arms across my chest as well, but in my case, to shield against the brisk gust of wind whipping towards us. Neither of us said a word.
“How is Rowan?” he finally asked quietly.
I bit my lip. “Serafina helped him out. I’m sure they’re at the medical ward by now. He was able to walk with assistance, so I don’t think the damage should be too bad.”
A brusque nod was his only response as he continued to stare out, the planes of his face hard, a darkness to his eyes different from any I’d seen before.
No, that wasn’t true. I had seen it before. One other time.
When he’d been fighting against Blaze in the combat training session.
“Do you think they will try to hurt him again?”
He shook his head. “No. Their plan failed. From what you told me, they wanted to teach Serafina a lesson, to make her stop hanging around Rowan. They tried to make him look weak today. And yet, all they succeeded in doing was make Serafina more defensive of him, protective even. Basically, the opposite of what they intended.”
He was right. I hadn’t even realized it. But what I did realize was that he’d just gone against people from his own Society to defend someone from mine. To defend my… well, the person who used to be my best friend.
“Thank you,” I murmured slowly, and he gazed down for the first time, those turbulent eyes meeting mine. “It couldn’t have been easy, especially since those are the people you grew up with.”
“I may have grown up with them, but it doesn’t mean I like them.”
“I would have to agree with you on that.”
✽✽✽
I was on the path again.
I was chasing my mother. Again.
But as fast as I raced, as hard as pushed myself, I just couldn’t get any closer to her. Branches hit my face. Rocks tore at my feet. But I didn’t stop. Just kept going and going, managing to keep my gaze on the dark tendrils of hair dancing through the air. The muted gray dress whipping behind her.
The crimson circle glowing on her neck.
Kept clinging to her image. Kept pushing myself toward it. Until…
My legs froze to the ground.
I couldn’t step forward. It was as if an invisible wall had been slammed down in front of me. The dark branches of the trees above shook as wind rustled through and I gazed up to see tiny flakes of snow begin to fall, melting into icy drops of water as soon as they touched my warm skin.
Lowering my head, I gazed back to where my mother’s retreating figure had been only moments prior. But no one was there. She was gone.
Shaking my head in despair, I turned slowly, not knowing where I was or how to get back or where to even go back to. But as I did, a gasp clawed his way out of my throat, my heart thudding painfully.
She stood there. Right in front of me. Close enough to touch.
“Mom,” I whispered, my voice catching.
She gazed at me, her green eyes wide but…vacant again. Vacant in the way they had been when I’d left Earth Society. When she gave me the ring.
Just as she was doing again now.
Raising an arm, she held her hand out to me, her slender fingers curled into themselves. Slowly unfolding, the ring was revealed. The silver twists of metal, it’s onyx stone, seated there in the center of her palm. Slowly she brought my own hand up and placed the metal hoop in it.
“Take it. Use it when the time comes. It will lead you to where you belong.”
Everything began to fade, the edges of my vision growing dull, hazy. “What do you mean?” I cried desperately.
But “…where you belong” was the only thing I could hear her say. Continuing until everything finally disappeared into blackness.
Gasping, I shot up in bed, blinking my eyes.
For the second time since coming here, for the second time in my entire life, I’d had a dream that felt so vivid, so life-like, I couldn’t discern it from reality.
I shuddered, my mother’s words still echoing about me. And this time I didn’t miss the difference.
When I’d left Earth Society, she’d only said that I’d know what the ring meant when the time came.
But the dream, this dream, was different. The words were different. Lead me to where I would belong.
Where did I belong?
✽✽✽
The days continued to pass, one after another. We were in our third week now and despite the boastful tones of some, everyone was beginning to feel the pressure as the final challenges grew nearer.
Coal and I had gotten into the habit of going into the arena when the group training sessions were over to prepare for the stealth challenge. While he had no need to practice climbing up and rappelling down the walls, his upper body strength alone helping him excel, his large size became a hinderance when it came to avoiding detection. And so we trained over and over, eventually figuring out that going just a little slower allowed him to be more conscious of every movement and avoid the lasers successfully.
But as I practiced scaling the wall myself, my thoughts kept travelling back to Rowan, and what had happened the last time I’d seen him climb it.
And though a part of me felt guilty for it, I hadn’t gone to see Rowan.
I knew I wouldn’t be welcome, anyway.
He’d left the medical ward with a just brace on his knee, nothing more, though Serafina seemed to be by his side more than ever.
Of course I was thankful Rowan’s injuries weren’t worse. And yet, every time I thought of his words, of how he’d so easily deserted me, of how he’d told the others not to be around me, told them why they shouldn’t be around me, waves of fury raced through me.
After everything, after he’d stood by my side all those years, that he could sever that bond between us.
Just to be in Regent.
I realized he missed his sister. Knew how close the pair of them had been when she still was in Earth Society. Understood that he wanted to see her, needed to even.
But it did nothing to take away the utter betrayal and hurt I felt.
✽✽✽
Two swords lay out on the ground in front of me.
It was the next afternoon. I’d again gone to meet Coal for another few hours of practice. But as soon as I reached our usual place and saw what he was planning for the day, my stomach sank.
He’d been delaying this. Waiting because of what happened in the Combat practice challenge. What we had done to each other. But the final challenges were quickly approaching which meant I had to learn how to properly fight with a sword, whether I liked it or not.
I stared down, a lock of dark hair falling in front of my eyes before I shoved it back roughly, again reminded that I’d managed to snap the single hair tie I’d brought with me to the Training that very morning. I shook my head, feeling the weight of my curls against my back. Foolish, I’d thought to myself as I held the broken pieces earlier that day, to bring just one. So foolish. And I thought it again, now, staring at the gleaming metal in front of me. The image of what happened to Serafina’s hair popped into my mind again.
Though Coal still faced away from me, kneeling besides the swords, running a clean cloth over one blindingly bright blade, his head tilted ever so slightly, hearing my approach. Gaze remaining focused on the blades in front of him, perhaps he sensed my tension as he said quietly, “We don’t have to practice with the swords today if you don’t want to. But I know you’re ready.”
I nodded. Then, realizing he couldn’t see that, said, “It’s fine. We can’t keep avoiding it. Let’s just get it over with.”
“Right,” he responded, then rose, t
urning to face me.
His eyes widened as his gaze landed on me, mouth gaping at the mass of curls spilling heavily down my back. Wondering, clearly, why I’d chosen to wear it down today of all days.
I arched a brow and he pressed his lips together, remaining silent as he held out one of the swords to me. I took the heavy blade, carefully cupping both hands around its hilt. A bead of sweat slid down my back as light glinted off its razor-sharp edge.
“When we were fighting in the practice challenge, how were you able to defend yourself so well?” Coal asked.
Lowering the swords pointed edge to the ground, I thought back to that day. Even though the memories were chilling, I still remembered the point when I started fighting back, took some control into my own hands. “I recognized a pattern you were making with your movements. They repeated over and over.”
A nod of approval. “That’s what you need to do anytime you engage in a fight. Defend yourself until you can decipher the movements your opponent is making. Everyone has a pattern, as you said. You just need to break it. Once you figure it out, wait until you have an opening, and then take it.”
Nodding, I crouched down, and held the sword tightly in front of me, my body angled towards Coal’s. He did the same, then paused, eyes studying, assessing.
“Spread your hands apart. Just a little.”
Gripping the hilt, I shifted my left hand down a couple of inches.
“That’s better. Positioning is crucial for control. The more comfortable you are holding the sword, the more control you’ll have over it and the more success wielding it.”
And it was true. I did feel in control. The sword felt more stable and less heavy in my hands.
His dark blue eyes locked on me. “First step is defense. When I come at you with my sword, you block it.” He shifted his weight, angling his blade towards me, and I swallowed thickly, my throat bobbing.
He noticed. And hesitated.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “We’ll start slowly at first,” Coal added, his eyes still on my own. “Slow movements, just practicing. Blocking.”
He waited still, until I gave him a nod to continue. “Okay.”
Raising his blade up, he jerked it slightly to the left, then held it there. Gingerly, I tapped mine against it. The pressure of his increased against mine just enough until he pushed my sword off and away from his, then twisted to the other side.
We kept doing this, the movements becoming more and more complicated, though Coal went slow, never pushing me more quickly than I felt comfortable. Eventually, instead of waiting for me to tap his sword, he started to angle and propel it towards me, forcing me to block his advances. It was difficult to not leave myself exposed and took all my effort to concentrate on the movements.
Despite the cool air, I grew heated from the exertion, dampness forming on my neck. Gritting my teeth, I ignored it, continuing to swing my blade back and forth.
And so, after nearly an hour of this, I could block almost every move he made. When he darted right, I darted left. When he brought his sword down upon me, I deflected it upwards. The movements were like a dance that continually grew more complex. The metal echoed loudly as the swords clashed upon one another, the tremors of the blades reverberating up my arms.
But I couldn’t concentrate fully. Constantly having to shove damp strands of hair from my eyes, I would lose focus on the sword coming at me, having to step away instead of blocking it with my own.
Finally, after I paused to push my hair back for what seemed like the twentieth time, Coal spoke up.
“What’s wrong? Why are you getting distracted?”
I groaned internally. “It’s nothing,” I snapped, annoyed with myself.
One of his eyebrows rose, but he remained quiet, waiting for an answer.
I rolled my eyes. “I broke the only hair tie I brought with me. So forgive me, but it’s a little difficult concentrating on swinging a sword when you have a mouthful of hair. Not to mention the fact that the image of Serafina’s sliced hair keeps popping into my head.”
He stared at me a long moment, his expression unreadable. As usual. Then, without a word, he reached up and quickly undid the leather tie holding his hair taut at the base of his neck. It spilled down loosely around his face.
“Will this work?”
“You don’t have to do that,” I objected.
He sighed, this time rolling his own eyes. “Sage, you need this more than I do right now. My hair isn’t going to get in the way of our swords. Yours might.”
Digesting this, I reluctantly held out my hand. The small black leather tie dropped into my outstretched palm. Seconds later, I’d gathered the strands up into a knot and off my shoulders, my vision clear now. “Thanks, that is better,” I admitted sheepishly.
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Ready?”
Gripping up my sword, I took the proper stance, and nodded. Our swords flew at one another once again, the clang of metal echoing through the air.
✽✽✽
A couple hours later, I bent over after a particularly intense round of sparring, muscles burning from the exertion. “Okay, that’s it,” I managed, my words broken up between my gasps for breath. “Enough practice for today.”
Coal said nothing, but I didn’t miss the twitch of his lips as he lowered his gaze from me, bending to gather our weapons together into a neat bundle. My breathing still heavy, I leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree, glancing around. The sun was slowly setting in the distance, its rays touching down on us, but no longer delivering any warmth. The long shadows of pine trees wound their way along the ground as a frosty wind blew and the branches above us jostled.
“So,” Coal said. “Are you nervous about the Division selections?”
I blinked at him, surprised he’d brought that up. I’d been trying not to think about it. Because thinking about it meant acknowledging that the decision regarding where the rest of my life would be spent was getting closer and closer. A decision over which the only control I had was how well I performed here.
“Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about it,” I admitted. “I don’t really feel like I’m meant for any one of them. But I wouldn’t fit in at Regent or Proletariat, of that much I’m certain,” I muttered carelessly, the words slipping out of my mouth before I could stop them.
I pressed my lips together tightly, cursing at myself. Coal didn’t know what happened in my past to make me feel that way. What I’d done.
And I didn’t want him to.
Already a questioning look was working its way across his face. I had to say something. Give some explanation.
“Because…because of something I overheard Eden say. About Proletariat that is,” I added, purposefully schooling my face into a casual expression.
The wind blew a couple of stray chestnut locks around his face and he shoved them back as he considered my words. Instinctively, my hand rubbed the back of my head, feeling the knot of hair there, secured with his leather tie.
“What did Eden say?”
I nearly let loose a sigh of relief.
“She was with River. I’d been walking past the classroom and overheard them talking. She told him how she hated lying every time new trainees came through here. Lying about Proletariat. And then she mentioned something about those that entered Proletariat and how they would be controlled somehow. To prevent resistance. But that no one would remember what was done to them.”
I paused, surprised that I’d pretty much forgotten about that conversation until now. I’d been so caught up with training for the challenges and practicing with Coal and dealing with Rowan, I’d let it slip my mind. But now, as Coal’s gaze narrowed at my words, I tried to recall other small details, any fragments of information I’d gleamed from my eavesdropping. “I don’t really understand what she meant. But I remember Eden told River about a twin sister she had who ended up in Proletariat. And how she was so upset they were separated. But that it’s worse now… now that
she knows what happens to those in Proletariat. And what could possibly happen in the future. She said that was what scared her the most.”
Coal rose slowly to his feet, frowning as he laid a palm against the tree trunk, his fingers slowly strumming along the bark, contemplating what I’d just revealed.
“What do you think she meant?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” he answered finally, now rubbing his chin in thought. “And to be honest, I don’t think we’re going to find out. At least no one here is going to tell us willingly.” He paused a moment, then let out a contemplative sigh. “You know, from what you said, it doesn’t seem like Eden or River understand what is going to happen in the future either. Just that things are changing. And likely not for the better.”
I replayed the conversation in my head, this time trying to remember the tone, the emotion of it. The way their voices sounded. The fear and pain in Eden’s. The exasperation and reluctant acceptance in River’s. A nervous tremble raced through me.
There was a long silence as thoughts churned through both of our heads. A sudden gust of icy air brought me back to the present and I bent down, picking up the smaller of the two bundles. And for the first time, noticed that slinging a bag of weapons over my shoulder didn’t weigh me down like I’d expected. Come to think of it, for days I hadn’t noticed the strain it used to cause. I didn’t get exerted nearly as fast and had muscles now in places that used to be soft. I glanced up to see Coal watching me, as if he’d guessed my thoughts.
“Well, I don’t think you have to worry about what happens in Proletariat. I would be very surprised if you didn’t get chosen for Combatant,” he said. Picking up the other pack, he nodded his head and we made our way back up the hill.
I glanced sideways at him. “Do you think you will you be in Combatant?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how silly they sounded. Of course he would be in Combatant. Anyone who took even one glance at him knew that.
Awakening Earth and Fire: Earth and Fire Trilogy Book 1 Page 23