by Kenna Bardot
“Good. Get mad, be fucking pissed. Do something.” I struck the heel of my palm out at his face, and he swatted it away like I was a bug, twisting my arm to bend me forward and flip me over onto my back again.
On and on it went.
Over and over and over my back hit that mat with a thud.
Everything ached.
Everything throbbed.
A blow to my side made me fall to a knee and whimper, clutching it protectively.
“Do you want to die?” Ronan asked, standing over me when I failed to get back up finally.
“Screw you, you bastard,” I snarled. He helped me to my feet and much like he’d done, I swatted his hand away. He grabbed it anyway, and pulled me to my feet easily, raising a hand to my face like he might be affectionate with me. Flinching away from his touch, I watched his jaw clench and eyes get pissed.
“You do not back away from me,” he whispered, taking my chin in his hand. “I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive. Do you understand me?”
I wanted to snarl back at him but was too tired to do so. I simply nodded back even though I knew my face was still twisted into something ugly and angry. He backed off finally, and Gale stepped forward.
“Dismissed,” Gale said, and the rest of the class filed out of the room.
Vali stopped by the doorway to look back at me. “Are you okay, Little Bird?”
I gave him a small smile, “Vali, I’m-” I was interrupted when Alec Gaius stood in front of Vali to block his view of me.
“She’s fine. Move along, Madden.”
From my vantage point, I saw Vali’s fist bunch, and I worried there might be a fight in the future. “You don’t control what I do.”
I moved forward to stop them but Ronan put a hand on my shoulder. “Piss off, Madden.”
I saw Vali move forward, and I must have made a sound because his gaze cut to mine. In fact, all their gazes cut to mine. “Vali, please. Not today.”
He scowled at me before nodding. He gave Alec Gaius one last push on the shoulder.
“Alec Gaius, you too.” I stopped Alec Gaius from punching Vali on the face. Vali walked off with a smirk, and Alec Gaius swiveled to give me a stare. “What the fuck, Kaia Wren?”
I shook my head, shoulders drooping. “I’m just exhausted. Just go.”
“Baby-” “Woman-” Ronan and Alec Gaius both spoke up and I looked at them both and pleaded, “Please.”
They looked at one another and both nodded though they were none too happy. They left with one last glance at Gaylord who said, “We need to speak alone anyway.”
Once the door closed, I very nearly collapsed against the wall.
I couldn’t believe I’d spent an entire class getting knocked on my ass, but my body’s protest at every movement agreed I probably had.
“Stretch,” Gaylord ordered, and I knew it was smart to listen. If I didn’t stretch, my muscles would lock up, and I wouldn’t be able to move. Gale’s hands pushed my stretches further, pressing into my sore back muscles as I bent forward to touch my toes. There was little distance between our bodies as he stood behind me and pressed me forward. Thank Zeevar my men were no longer in the room.
When I stood, Gale took an arm in his hand and rotated it out and around more slowly and torturously than I’d have managed on my own. He did the same with the other, before moving to do the same with my legs. They popped in their joints, protesting the handling, but I groaned and pushed through the discomfort.
Although Gale’s touch managed to reassure me somewhat, and I relaxed as he worked my muscles over, my feelings were still a bit raw from the way Ronan had put me through the motions. I knew he just worried since I was going to be having my exam that evening and he wanted to make sure I’d pass, but I still resented the fact that he’d been emotionless through it. After I’d told him about Gaylord’s intervention last time, he was determined that I would not need it any longer but I just wished he didn’t have to be such a barbaric caveman about it.
I limped my way to my desk and sat with Gaylord’s assistance. He chuckled softly. “Well, Ronan certainly has a temper.”
I smiled. “He does. He just worries.”
“I can see that, Kaia. He nearly injured you today from pushing you too hard. I’m glad to see that you held your own.”
I smiled even as my muscles protested. “Thanks. He was a hard one. But he’s really just worried about my exam - he really wants me to pass. Perhaps even more than I do, and I really, really want to.”
“Yes, of course. You’ve come too far and trained too hard to fail now. Speaking of which, I did need to talk to you about that. The panel has decided to hold your exam tomorrow morning instead, an hour before the sun rises. I’ll be escorting you from your room instead of from the dining hall.”
I blushed at this. Zeevar, great, just the thing I wanted to talk to my teacher about. “Ah, Docent Por - Gale, I’m staying in Alec and Ronan’s room now.”
For a brief moment, his face changed or so I thought it did. I was sure I’d been imagining the surprise there since his face was once again calm and formal. “Okay, I’ll be there fifteen minutes before the start of your exam. Please be ready.”
I got up on wobbly legs and nodded at him briefly. “Yes, Gaylord, of course. Thank you.”
I limped towards the door slowly, turning back around and scratching my head. “Ah, Gaylord?”
He hummed at me and I smiled at him sheepishly. “Maybe make it thirty minutes before? I’m at turtle speed at the moment.”
“Ok, Kaia Wren.” And I left the room in the echoes of his chuckles.
✽✽✽
Gale
The Academy was a quiet place before dawn, and as I walked the familiar path to the boys’ dormitories, I enjoyed the way the sound of my shoes hitting the hard granite floors echoed off the stone walls and empty hallways.
I reached the door to Alec and Ronan’s room. Sighing, I remembered how embarrassed Kaia had been to tell me she slept there now but I hadn’t really been that surprised. While I probably only had myself to blame for bringing them into training sessions with Kaia Wren, I was glad to note that it had benefited her overall. But, it still didn’t take long for those two to stake their claim on her. I knocked on the door softly three times and kept my face blank as Kaia crept out of the room and closed the door behind her quietly.
“They’re asleep, and I didn’t want to disturb them. Thanks for coming to get me, Gale. Good morning.” She yawned and stretched.
Her scent reached my nostrils - an intoxicating mix of Ronan, Alec Gaius, herself. I cursed myself inwardly for my thoughts. “It’s my pleasure. Are you ready?”
“More than I was last time but sleepy.” She yawned again and proved her words.
“Unsurprising, as it’s quite early. Come on.” I led the way down the halls in silence - the predawn seemed to demand silence - that was only broken by her occasional yawns. When we reached the same ornate doors as before, I rapped my knuckles against it until we were told to enter.
As I did last time, I walked in before Kaia and presented her. I looked around and saw that the normally empty room was even more spare and the four were simply standing in the middle.
Tomos gave me a small nod as Kaia and I walked forward.
Abigail spoke up, “Miss Shaw a pleasure to see you and apologies for the early hour. And Gale, of course. Ah, Gale?”
“Yes, Docent?” I gave her a tiny bow.
“Sit this one out please.”
My head snapped back up at her words, and I stared at them and then at Kaia. My head swung back and forth and the sheer terror in Kaia’s face scared me as well. “But, Docent…”
She interrupted me, “Please, Gaylord. We won’t hurt Miss Shaw. You have my word.”
I nodded - it felt like a betrayal - but had no choice but to comply. I carefully walked backwards. My eyes never left Kaia’s as I tried to show how sorry I was. The door closed and my hands fisted impotently. I pressed my
ear to the door and cursed, they’d also managed to soundproof the room so I couldn’t even hear what was going on inside. Still, I stood there - straining my ears to listen for any hint of Kaia's wellbeing - for far too long before restlessness ate away at me.
I spun around and walked towards the window, allowing my forehead to rest against the cold glass. I prayed to Zeevar that Kaia would be fine. I did not know how I could live with myself if she failed, and I was not able to do anything to help her. I would never survive having to be the one to tell Alec Gaius and Ronan she was gone.
The light hit my face as the sun rose and it was bright as it glinted off the snow that was already slowly melting. I stared down at the pristine white and sighed, not really seeing it. I remembered yesterday and how Ronan had very nearly beaten the thief to breaking point, but she’d endured it. My little thief had grown and Ronan, passionate creature that he was, had taken to her as surely as I was taken with them both. I wanted to hold them both, annoyed that it couldn’t be done. Now, as much as I worried about her, I worried about her men. How would they feel if they lost Kaia now? I banged a fist against the glass and felt the cold hit my skin.
I turned back towards the door wondering what was taking so long. If the sun had already risen that meant she’d been in there for almost an hour, which was longer than her last exam had been. What were they doing to her?
Suddenly, as though it had heard my thoughts, a bright red light shone from the crack at the bottom of the door, and I panicked. I banged my fist against the door. “Kaia!”
✽✽✽
I opened eyes that had automatically closed when the bright red light flooded the room. I’d been warned, but I had seriously underestimated exactly how powerful Docent Woods was. I squinted and saw a thin wall of red enclose me - Headmaster Shaw and the three docents stood on the outside and looking hazy against the thin red wall. I felt a trickle of panic clog my throat at the feeling of being trapped in there. I breathed in hard and raised my hand to touch the wall, it crackled but unlike the wall that Docent Frost had created before, it wasn’t completely unfriendly.
I still felt the desperate need for freedom. “Let me out!”
Tomos Woods opened his mouth but his voice was muffled, sounding far away, “Please relax, Miss Shaw. This won’t take too much longer.”
My tears were falling - I could not help them. For what had felt like an eternity, the four of them had attacked me, mentally and physically, and a part of me knew that I had performed well but this seemed like pure and simple torture.
“We’re done now, Miss Shaw,” Docent Woods announced and with a gentle pop, the light disappeared, leaving with it a comforting warmth around me. I opened my mouth wide and took a deep breath of air before I collapsed onto my knees, tears streaming down my face and my body wracked with sobs. I hated showing such weakness but I could not help it.
I heard Docent Ho walk forward. She laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Miss Shaw, please. You’re safe, it’s done. As I promised Gaylord, we would never bring you any harm.”
“I can’t- I can’t handle tight spaces now. Not since-” I looked up and saw her kind eyes and an outstretched hand, which I grasped. She helped me gently to my feet and I stood on legs that felt like jelly.
“Headmaster, she isn’t ordinary. She is definitely one of us,” Docent Woods proclaimed.
“So she is an Air Mage?” Headmaster Stuart gave Docent Woods an arched eyebrow look.
“I cannot definitively say that she is, but I cannot declare that she isn’t.”
“That doesn’t help, Woods,” spat out Frost.
“However, it is my analysis,” came the calm answer.
“I think this means that she passed,” Docent Ho interjected. “Does anyone have any strong, valid objections?”
“No.” Headmaster Stuart glared at me. “Congratulations, Miss Shaw.”
“You may go,” she said in a tone that was kinder than the Headmaster’s. She cocked her head towards the door. “I believe your knight in shining armor is about to break down the door.”
“Thank you!” I sped towards the door, desperate to escape the suffocating energy inside the room, and when I opened it, Gaylord nearly fell forward. He’d been leaning against it so I pushed him out and closed the door behind me before I hugged him. My arms snaked around him tightly and he wrapped his arms around me as tightly in return.
“I passed! And Docent Woods says I have power in me.” I was thrilled.
He grabbed my arms and unentangled himself from me. His dark eyes met mine, and I saw them crinkle in pleasure from the smile that lit his face. “You did? I knew you would! Congratulations, I knew you were one of us.” His face sobered when he saw the tear stains on my cheek. He ran a thumb over them, gentle and sweet. “What’s this?”
I shook my head not wanting to think of it. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. Come on, let’s tell the boys I passed.”
So I dragged him along after me as we sped away from the Air Spire. I didn’t notice that I held his hand the entire time.
✽✽✽
A few days passed and my life carried on as normal. Lottie had been so happy that we were finally classmates and Pia, disdainful. I’d celebrated with the first and ignored the second. I was just glad I had no more exams to come and could finally settle into a routine for the rest of the school year.
The first trial after the Tumult would come in a few days, but I was still high on passing my Second Exam. Even though the guys were thrilled for me, there were very few opportunities to celebrate considering how regimented our lives were.
We were leaving the dining hall to return to our rooms one night, when I looked out the windows of the giant front doors. Snow fell in a thick blanket and the moonlight glowing on the white snow, the only light. Still, I turned to Emerson and captured his hand with mine and tugged him toward the doors. Alec Gaius paused in whatever he’d been talking to Emerson about. He’d probably been bragging about something. Zeevar knew what I felt about the man, but Alec Gaius was not known for his humility.
“Kai, what are we doing?” Emerson laughed, but stopped his protest when he saw my smile. It felt like it might reach my ears, my cheeks bulging from the force of it. The smile faded from his face as he stared down at me.
“Come onnnnn,” I teased, making a show of tugging on his hand to pull him out the doors. As they closed behind me, I saw Alec and Ronan glance at each other uncertainly. As soon as we were clear of the school, I tipped my head back and opened my mouth to catch a snowflake on my tongue. I hummed in delight when I caught one and heard Emerson’s chuckle.
Looking over to him next to me, I saw him doing the same thing. “You look ridiculous,” Ronan grunted as he stomped towards us.
“Don’t care”. I stuck my tongue out at him playfully. Alec Gaius shrugged, making his way closer. I caught another flake on my tongue, and Alec Gaius kissed me even though it had already melted on my tongue.
“Get your own.” I poked him in the abs and bent to pick up a handful of snow. My hands protested at the sharp bite of cold on my bare skin, but I didn’t care for the moment as I molded it into a ball.
“You’re going to freeze,” Ronan sounded displeased and stalked nearer to us. I threw my snowball at him, catching him in the chest. He paused, staring down at the snow lingering on his shirt in disbelief for a moment before he turned those stormy eyes my way.
“Don’t be a turd nugget.” In hindsight, sticking my tongue out at him again in that moment was probably not my brightest moment - like poking a bear. His full lips twisted into a smirk, and then he was running full out in my direction. His long ass legs carried him far faster than I could ever hope to outrun. I wasn’t stupid enough not to try. I yelped, turning on my heel and speeding off in the opposite direction to no avail. Emerson and Alec laughed behind me.
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to run from a predator?” Emerson teased, and I shot him the finger over my shoulder.
The asses on
ly laughed harder.
“Ronan!” I screamed when his arms wrapped around my waist from behind and lifted me up off the ground. I reached behind me, digging freezing hands beneath the collar of his shirt. He jolted and dropped me on a hiss. I backed away from him, smiling even through my apprehension. I dropped down to gather up another snow ball, and his smirk transformed into a heart-stopping smile that transformed his normally harsh face.
He charged me, lifting me off my feet again. He stared up at me with that smile, and I grinned down at him. The cold became irrelevant, I felt the warmth flow inside me as his eyes smiled up at me. To break the moment that had suddenly become too important to process right then, I shoved my snowball into his hair.
“You’re going to regret that, woman,” he laughed.
“Oh I’m so sure, caveman.” I beat my fists on his back and forced a serious scowl to my face. “Me caveman, you woman.”
Then we were falling.
Falling to my back in the snow with Ronan leaning over me. I gasped from the cold, and he grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it inside my top. He gave me one last grin, forming a snowball and winking at me before he turned his attack on the innocent bystanders that were Alec Gaius and Emerson. Emerson’s eyes widened before he ducked down to avoid the snowball that narrowly missed him to hit Alec Gaius square in the chest. I laid on the ground, watching as both Alec Gaius and Emerson rushed to gather up snow for themselves.
Ducking low, Emerson made his way to me and helped me stand. My back was frozen, but I grinned at him anyway when a snowball hit him at the side of the face. Reaching up, I brushed the snow away from his skin, and he shuddered beneath my fingers. Our eyes met, and I felt my appreciation for my easy-going friend only grow when he winked at me. A weight hit my side, and Ronan gathered me up in his arms as he ran, using my body as a shield to protect himself from the wave of snow Alec Gaius flung our way.