Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1)

by Jonathan Michael

  I’ve decided to break free from the hole I’ve been hiding in. I cannot become dormant because I fear the pressures of the world. Because I shy away from my failures. It is time to start anew and face what it is I am so afraid of.

  30 Stone

  “I

  ‘ve spoken with the Taoiseach.” Astor pauses a long pause, standing in the doorway of the room she spared me at the Shalesheep Inn.

  Is she trying to build suspense? Because it’s just annoying. If her beauty weren’t so influential, I’d have turned my attention elsewhere already. “And?”

  “You’re in!” Her voice hits an octave that doesn’t agree with me.

  I gape at her. I try to smile alongside her beaming grin, but it’s a false smile. I never have anything this fortunate happen to me. Ever. My life has been full of ineptitudes and misfortunes. But is it even fortune, or am I willingly walking to my death? I am certainly walking away from Jaymes and Goose to start anew. She conspires against me. I know it. Why else would I be accepted into the Academy? Why would I want to be accepted into the Academy? But she is so kind-hearted. And…radiant. Why do I not trust her?

  I scratch at my head and brush my hair out of my face, recognizing I haven’t had any time to groom as of recent. My short, wavy, brown hair has become more of a thick rats’ nest. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I’m at a loss for words and, at the same time, realize how parched I am. I smack my lips together a few times then attempt to interrogate her.

  “I don’t understand.” My voice drums in a low beat. I turn my back to her and look out the window. “How can you waltz into the Academy after however many seasons and lay down a referral of admission without opposition? What’s your relationship to the Taoiseach again?” I turn to face her, waiting for a response.

  “Stone?” Her smile flattens and her face burns red. “I’m on your side. I spent a half dozen seasons on the Taoiseach’s campus. Every one of his graduates has a rapport with him. It’s nothing unusual.”

  “And why would I be allowed to join the Academy? You didn’t use the McLarin name, did you? And without payment? It’s absurd. There’s something odd going on here. How can I trust any of this?”

  “Don’t get too excited about it.”

  Is that sarcasm?

  “I thought you would be delighted.” Her arms cross.

  How is this turning on me? “I am delighted. Well…I have wanted to become a Noxelite since I was a boy. That or to play alongside the Iron Eagles in the Ironball arena. Both of which the Academy will lead me to. But that dream is long gone, thanks to the Taoiseach. You know he’s taken that life from me. I can’t do this, Astor. Even if he doesn’t know who I am, I know who he is. And what he’s done. I cannot just lay that to the side and forget it. Forget Goose. Forget Jaymes. And is it not strange for the Academy, and Harris Martelli of all people, to be so generous and allow a student into the institute free of charge? This isn’t right.”

  “It’s rare but not unheard of. Some of the best students…and worst…” Astor gazes into the distance for a quick moment. “…have been allowed into the Academy at no charge. To name a few, Ferrell the Fierce, who conquered the rebels back when the land was being overtaken by anarchy. Galvan Oaklander, who found great potential in small things and pioneered the use of thunderbugs as a source of light. And most recently, Carib Reign, a Hiberneyt with potential for greatness, who called the wrong group of peers his allies and one day just…vanished. He was believed to have joined the Celestial Cloaks after his exile, but only the rumor’s source knows the truth of it. All those icons were shallow in the pockets and allowed admission at no charge. The Taoiseach saw potential in them, and the same goes for you. Your talent is beyond most, Stone. You can be great.”

  “But you know nothing of me. How could you possibly know anything of my potential? And for the Taoiseach to offer enrollment merely based on your word? He doesn’t need a demonstration of my talent? I don’t think I’m worth the effort. He’s an intelligent man, Astor. I trust you understand my suspicions. I can’t do this.”

  She steps closer. Close enough for my nerves to flutter. Her scent leaves me subdued. A calm sensation wafts over me, and I suddenly feel at ease with the situation.

  “Of course you can, Stone.” She places a hand on my shoulder. Her eyes are pure. “The Taoiseach knows not who you are. But you know him. If anything, this is a chance to get closer to the man who destroyed your life. And with Goose and Jaymes already free of his grasp, this is the best way for you to protect them. To get closer to your enemy and find his weakness.”

  “Yeah.” Her words are clear, but I find myself lost in her beauty. In her honeyed scent. Merely agreeing without comprehension.

  She pulls back. “So, you’ll agree to attend, then?” Her smile returns.

  Her words make sense. If the Taoiseach doesn’t know, then what’s the harm? Would anyone recognize me? I was a mere boy when I attended the Academy last. Too many students don’t last more than the first season, so it’s not likely any of my previous mates remain. Even then, they were but mere acquaintances. And of the masters, I was but another pupil lost in the mix of hundreds. Thousands by now. Even if I told them my real name, they would only pretend to remember their former student. They wouldn’t recognize me.

  “Yeah. Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll attend the Academy.”

  “Wonderful!” Her tone shifts to something more assertive as she paces. “Now. Though you’ve already experienced a couple seasons of schooling, you’re going to have to start from the beginning. With your newly acquired alias, there’s no record of you attending prior to now, so your only option is to start fresh.” She halts and smiles at me.

  “Yeah, okay. A refresher is probably best. When do my courses start?”

  “That brings up another issue.” Her smile fades into something sterner. “All your courses began at the start of summer, so you have many lessons to catch up on. Your schedule is going to be tight, and classes commence first thing tomorrow.”

  “Huh? What do you mean, ‘lessons to catch up on’?” I casually retreat away from her, suddenly weary again.

  “Just that…there are eight months of summer remaining, and you need to complete eleven months’ worth of lessons. I would recommend getting yourself caught up within the month, or you’ll fall even farther behind.”

  “What? There’s no easing me into it? I get dumped into the deep end of a river of which the flow is controlled by Harris Martelli, and I’m expected to swim without any say in it. That’s worse than swimming with the gators. And I’d know. I’ll drown! I never was a good swimmer.”

  She sends me an odd glance. “They’re letting you learn from the best, free of charge.” She’s taken aback.

  I throw my hands in the air. I don’t care. This is an unfeasible challenge I don’t need to jump into.

  She slips closer and leans in. Honeyed lavender fills my nose with pleasure. It smells just like the black fruitlets of the Yao grass back home. It puts me at ease again. “Yes, the deep end is your one choice.”

  The deep end it is. “Yeah, okay,” I agree.

  She ambles to a table across the room and leans against it.

  “Susy’s shits!” I comb my hands through my hair, shaking my head. “What courses am I enrolled in?”

  “The foul language is not necessary,” she lectures. “Let’s see.” She pulls out a scroll of parchment and lists them off. My fingers raise with each. “Intro to the Talents, Intro to Regeneration, Stealth and Combat, History of Lahyf, History of Azure, Organics.”

  She pauses, and I hold up my hands with elation. “Six courses a day! You’re right, I can handle that.”

  “I’m not finished.” Her brow draws inward at my interruption.

  I merely gawk at her in response.

  “Armaments, Aeronautics, and Social Etiquette. And not all of them are daily courses, so it should be no problem.” She looks up from her list and smiles. “So exciting! I wish I could atten
d with you.”

  “Social Etiquette? Aeronautics? Is this a jest? What would I need those for?”

  “You have to remember, Stone, you’re starting you’re schooling at the age of seventeen, whereas most students begin at ten to twelve, depending on their talent. Also, the Academy has limited resources, and taking you in was more than generous. I was able to convince Harris of your worth, but you’re an exception. And exceptions lead to more exceptions, which eventually leads to anarchy. Consider yourself lucky to be able to learn so much all at once.

  “You not only have lessons to make up from this season but previous seasons as well to get up to speed with your peers. Aeronautics is a revolutionizing mode of transportation, and Harris demands all his students, Nox or Solstice, to be current on the topic. And Social Etiquette…well, everyone should learn proper manners. When you are associated with an elite level of soldiers, you must learn to present yourself in such a fashion that demands respect. Social Etiquette will guide you there. Any more questions?”

  “Yes, what in Susy’s four hells am I getting myself into?”

  “You should really stop cursing like that. It is not fitting for a student of the Academy. Or any gentleman. Here.” She holds up a fancy surcoat. “Shall we?”

  “Shall we what?” I grab the jacket reluctantly.

  “Begin your orientation. Someone needs to show you around campus and introduce you to your instructors.”

  “What’s this for?” I inspect the coat.

  “You need a new wardrobe, but this will do for now. And you should at least comb your hair. We don’t have time today, but we need to get you cleaned up. Your attire and grooming are not to the standards of a student attending the Academy. We can fix that later, though. The surcoat will be enough for today. Come, let’s go.”

  “But…” I reach for Life Bringer. I don’t want to leave it unattended at the inn. It’s all I have left of my family.

  “What? No…” Astor pushes my arm down. “You can’t bring that. It’s a family heirloom. The spectacle of it alone will draw far too many questions. You must keep that hidden.”

  “I can slide it under the surcoat. It’ll be unnoticeable.”

  “Hardly. You’d have horns sticking out of your back. Find a more suitable harness for it, then we’ll discuss carrying it about campus. Not today. Leave it.”

  Astor walks out the door into the hallway of the inn. I brush my fingers through my hair. My scalp feels oily and gritty, and I’m sure it doesn’t have a pleasant smell either.

  I scramble to put on the surcoat and rush out the door to catch up. On the way to visit the first of my long list of instructors, Astor informs me of which courses are more important than others and which courses I need to be well behaved in and which courses I must exceed expectations in. I wait for her to tell me which classes I can casually drift through, but there are none. Tardiness is intolerable, and expectations are to be exceeded. I suddenly feel sick to my stomach with all the restrictions and expectations. Four seasons on my own without any form of authority, and now it sounds like I can’t even skip bath time. Once again, I’m wondering what I’ve committed myself to. I should be out searching for Jay. The only proof I have that she is alive is Astor’s word. It’s not that I don’t trust her. Reality is I don’t even know her that well. Yet, her kindness and something else I cannot pinpoint are proving to win every battle over my hesitations. Why does she have this hold over me?

  Astor jabbers too long and too quickly, so not everything sinks in, but what I do hear is Stealth and Combat and Armaments will be demanding of me physically, which is expected. And Intro to Regeneration is key to my success in the program. The last thing she mentions is the instructor of the Social Etiquette class is someone I will struggle with but must learn to tolerate. I desperately want to turn back and hide in my room as we near the Academy.

  There are students all about the commons as we stroll through. It leaves me unnerved being around so many people. So many potential threats. I keep my eyes close to the ground or out in the distance to avoid them.

  The buildings are just as I remember. Finely crafted grey stone bricks towering into the air with much detail to the ornament. Cornices decorating the parapets, quoins pronouncing the corners, elaborate stone columns supporting the entryways, stone banding wrapping the structures midway up. They surround us on all sides as we stroll through the courtyard between them. Many windows arrayed in a uniform fashion. Buildings behind those that circumference the courtyard tower even higher. There is one I don’t recall that stands out amidst the others. It’s a wooden structure. Elegant in its own way, but not matching the other buildings.

  “What’s that building over there?” I point to it.

  “That there is the flight chamber, young sir.” A man’s voice calls out from behind us. “Miss Greyheart?” We both turn to look. She squints in the low-rising sunlight and brushes her platinum hair over her ear with a smile forming.

  “Miss Greyheart! What a delight. What brings you here?”

  A tall man wearing tight, boisterous green warrior’s garb approaches. He is a man with a charming appearance. Light-brown locks that appear to be brushed daily run down to his shoulders. Bright-green eyes shimmer in the early light. Large muscles, and a complete set of pearly whites. In fact, they are more than pearly. Pearls have a slight tinge. These are brilliant, almost blinding. I have an urge to greet them with my knuckles. I don’t know why. And look at the way she smiles at him.

  One thing that’s off about him is the countless scars. One large one across his face and several across his shoulders and chest. Astor is basically drooling, though. She doesn’t seem to find them grotesque at all.

  “Master Sephyre! How wonderful to see you.” Astor greets him in an unrecognizable light and airy voice as she delicately brushes her platinum hair behind her ear again.

  “It’s been a few seasons, hasn’t it? Your beauty is more breathtaking than I remember.” Astor’s face turns pink. “What could possibly pull you from that quaint port down south and draw you back to the capital?”

  Astor hides it well, but I see a flash of sadness on her face at the mention of her hometown. “Let’s just say opportunity has guided me here. We were just on our way to go visit Master Stormwood. Oh…excuse my manners. This is Sto… I mean…a new student, Elder. Elder Alderock. I’m showing him around the campus. Helping him get familiar with his new surroundings and introducing him to a few of his new instructors. You were on our list to visit today.”

  “Is that so? It is a pleasure to meet you, Elder.”

  With a gloved hand, he shakes mine. A firm grip, but why the gloves in this heat?

  “Master Slate Sephyre, the flight master. I assume since I was on your list, you’ll be attending my class?”

  “Uh…yeah.”

  Astor nudges me.

  “I mean, yes, sir.”

  “Are you familiar with aeronautics, Elder?”

  “No, sir. I’m not.”

  He ponders for a moment with his hand under his chin, looking me up and down. I’m sure it’s because he thinks me a half-wit for not knowing what aeronautics is or…he recognizes me. I clench my fists and tap my heel on the ground, trying to patiently wait for his scrutiny to go away.

  “Tall, thin frame,” he speaks up. “If your legs can handle it, you’ll do great on a raptor. I recommend studying before you arrive. So you’re elevated to the level of your peers. I’m sure our lovely Astor here has you up to speed, but if not, you can obtain the proper scrolls through any of the Academy scribes. I’m easy. My minimum expectation is that you can tell me what aeronautics is on your first day.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Master Sephyre beams his brilliant ivories at me then turns to Astor. While doing so, his hair flips over his shoulder in an arrogant and boisterous manner that makes me want to hit him again. That emotion flees when his swooshing hair reveals a missing ear. A small portion of it remains, but a mere nub of cartilage. The scars o
n his face and the missing ear spark an uneasy feeling within me. The amount of effort this fellow goes through to appear glamorous, yet he has so many imperfections. I don’t know what it is exactly, but something is off. I wonder if I know him from father’s days in Parliament. He says he’s easy, but I presume this is not one of the courses I’m going to catch a southernly wind and breeze through.

  “Thank you, Master Sephyre, for taking the time to introduce yourself to Elder.” She beams her own gleeful smile in return.

  “Oh, I think it is you who should be thanked, Miss Greyheart. You’re the one who spreads smiles to all in your proximity and who has brightened my day to the fullest. It was my pleasure.” He gently grabs her hand and kisses it.

  Every part of me wants to pummel him into the ground with that hollow act of kissing her hand. What is he trying to tell her?

  “Thank you, sir,” I interrupt. “I’ll be sure to find out what an air knot is before my first lesson tomorrow.”

  He nods his farewell to me and smiles at the girl before continuing with his day. I get a swift smack in the back of my head right after Master Sephyre has fled the proximity of Astor’s beauty and my thin frame. Asshole.

  “What…” I yell in surprise.

  “My apologies. I spent too much time in the woods with that miscreant, Ellia. I think she may have rubbed off on me a bit, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you, but air knots? What was that? You should’ve kept your mouth shut. Now he thinks you’re an imbecile.”

  “I am an imbecile when it comes to aeronautics. And he’s an asshole.”

  “He is not.”

  “Says you.”

  “You are going to need more fine-tuning than I thought.” She flips her hair, turns, and stamps away without waiting for me.

  I follow close behind, not paying much mind to my surroundings. Not intentionally, it’s just that the sway of her hips entrances me like embers rising from a flame, snowflakes floating in the sky, or the current of a stream flowing by. There are some things in this world that are hard to peel your eyes away from.