InkSpelled (InkHaven Academy Book 1)

by Kenna Bardot

  Everyone stood, and I turned towards Emerson, drawing him into a tight hug. I whispered in his ear, “Good luck, darling.”

  He squeezed me, and I enjoyed the way I fit against him even as I watched Ronan and Alec Gaius rush towards the doorway. I sighed because, to my mind, they needn’t have bothered.

  “I should go, Emers.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and tiptoed to give him a kiss.

  “I’ll see you later, Precious Kai. Tell them the same too.”

  I nodded and walked slowly towards where Alec Gaius and Ronan stood staring, faces shocked and angry.

  I grimaced. “Let me guess. I’ll be up tomorrow?” They didn’t answer but they didn’t have to. I shrugged. “He’ll want me as unprepared as possible.” As one, they turned towards me, and I stared at the list of names for the next day. I was right. I was at the top of the list along with a majority of the people in Ronan and Alec Gaius’ class.

  They would have to watch me die and be able to do nothing. I was sure the Headmaster had orchestrated that and I was filled with loathing for him.

  “Kaia!” I heard Lottie’s shriek and turned towards her instinctively. She launched herself towards me, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing. Hard. “Oof, Lottie. Geez.”

  She unwrapped herself from me. “Zeevar, there you are. I worried.” Lottie flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked up at my men. She smiled at them sweetly. “Gentlemen, can I borrow my friend?”

  Ronan’s hand tightened on my shoulder. “I think it’s best if she trained since she’s going tomorrow.”

  Lottie hummed, but her smile didn’t dim. “Be honest with me. Will one night really make a difference?” Ronan’s brows furrowed together and Alec Gaius moved into our space at the same time. Before they could speak, though, Lottie held up a hand. “No, it won’t. You already have her ninety-nine percent of the time.”

  “She needs to train,” Alec Gaius insisted.

  “Ronan, Alec, it doesn’t matter. Not tonight. And let’s be honest, it hasn’t mattered. I’ve trained for months and nothing substantial has happened. Tonight won’t change that. Please.” I knew it took a substantial amount of love and trust for them to nod and let me go. I reached up and kissed them both on the lips.

  “I love you both. I’ll see you in the room once Emerson is back and maybe we can be complete tonight as well.”

  Ronan nodded and gave me a kiss on the head. “I’ll see to it.” He gave Lottie a hard stare. “Montgomery.”

  Lottie rolled her eyes. “Daniels.” She laid a finger on his chest. “I’m not scared of you but you have my word, she’ll be okay.”

  “Hey, she is right here,” I protested.

  “We just love you, Kaia Wren.” Alec Gaius wrapped an arm around my neck to draw me in. “Montgomery.”

  Lottie just laughed. “Zeevar, not you too, Williamson. I promise not to throw her out a window.”

  Alec vibrated as he laughed. “Good. Take care, baby.”

  I walked off with Lottie after one last squeeze of my men’s hands. I sighed and she threw me a concerned look. “Kai.”

  “Lot.”

  “Gardens or courtyard?”

  “Courtyard, I think.”

  She nodded, and we walked out towards the large, open stone courtyard and settled ourselves in an empty alcove. The spring air was crisp and cool and I sat next to Lottie, resting my head on her shoulder.

  “How do you feel, honey?” she asked me softly.

  “Not well, Lot. Not well at all. When do you go?”

  “Three days from now. It’s nerve-wracking.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I squeezed back.

  “Can’t agree with you more.” I sat back up. “Lot, if I die...”

  “Kaia Wren Shaw!” she exclaimed and gave me a gentle shove.

  “Lottie, I wasn’t even here a year ago, so I’m operating at an extreme disadvantage.”

  “You are. But I’m going to be positive and say you’ll make it because I can’t handle losing one of my best friends.” She beamed at me, and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

  “Trust you, Charlotte Montgomery.”

  “Yes, you really should.” She leaned back on the wall. “Wanna raid the kitchens and ask for something sweet?”

  “Fuck yes,” I agreed.

  ✽✽✽

  I walked into the room, a plate piled high with petite-fours in hand. I munched at them happily. I was already in such a sugar rush, and I knew precisely what I was going to use it for.

  Alec Gaius and Ronan stood from their beds the moment I walked in. I addressed them, “Hi, gentlemen!”

  “Someone’s happy,” Alec Gaius teased.

  Ronan agreed, “It’s the sugar.”

  I rolled my eyes at them. “Oh shut it, you two. I brought some to share. But maybe I should just eat them all.”

  “You’ll regret it if you do,” Ronan chided me.

  “Fine.” I set the plate down on the desk, popping one more mini cake into my mouth as I did so. At that moment, the door opened and Emerson walked in. We all turned to face him.

  “How was it?” Ronan asked him. It was a little worrisome since he looked slightly battered and bruised.

  “Fine. It wasn’t very easy, but I did pass.”

  I rushed towards him and gave him a big hug. “Wonderful! I never doubted you would do well, Emers!”

  He hugged me back. “Now, it’s your turn. Why aren’t you training, Precious Kai?”

  “Wouldn’t help, Emerson. I’ve trained as much as I possibly could.”

  He sighed and held my face in his hands. The door opened again and Gale walked in. “Kaia, here you are! I expected you would be in my classroom, training.”

  “Oh, Gaylord. Not you too! Please, I can’t train anymore. I just can’t. If I’m not ready by this point, I won’t ever be ready.”

  He winced, and I pressed my face to his chest. “I just want to feel. I want to spend my night being loved, because I-”

  “Don’t you dare,” Ronan growled behind me.

  “Please,” I begged, and Alec Gaius nodded in support.

  “Maybe the best thing to do is remind you everything you have to live for.”

  I smiled up at him, cupping his cheek. “I could never forget that.”

  I detached myself from Gaylord and walked over to the door, locking it behind us since all my men were there. And I was going to make sure we were going to enjoy the night together. I whipped my tunic off me with one smooth fluid movement and cocked my hip.

  “But we’re all going to spend the night naked, just to be safe,” I teased. I dragged Gaylord by the hand and gave him a shove so that he fell onto the bed, and climbed up to straddle his lap. He smiled at me, but it was marred by genuine worry. I looked over my shoulder at the rest of my men.

  “Are you all just going to watch?”

  The three smiled at me but I wanted them to be happier. I cocked my head. “Get naked, men.” I turned back to Gale who was looking at me so seriously. I kissed him and traveled my way down and when my lips hit his stomach, the muscles jumping beneath my touch, I finally earned a genuine smile.

  And I spent the rest of the night earning more of them from all of my men.

  ✽✽✽

  Gale spent the night, but he was gone before we even woke up although I think Ronan had sensed it since he’d been staring vacantly into space when I’d woken up.

  He hadn’t spoken, though, and I didn’t speak to him as well. Alec Gaius woke up and the three of us had gotten ready in silence. We left, leaving Emerson asleep and walked out towards the doors of the Academy where we were instructed to wait.

  Already waiting were the rest of the Fifth year Airs and my eyes caught Vali’s. He stared at me, and I knew he looked at the way Ronan and Alec Gaius each held one of my hands. I gave him a sad smile, and he squared his shoulders.

  He stalked towards us, but instead of talking to me, he stared up at Ronan, face set in hard lines. “I want to tal
k to Kaia.”

  I looked up at Ronan, who gritted his teeth. Alec Gaius tightened his hold on me and even without looking, I knew he probably wasn’t any happier than Ronan looked.

  “Woman, do you want to?”

  I didn’t need to think about it. “Yes.”

  They let my hands go and Ronan spoke through gritted teeth. “Fine. We’ll be watching, Madden.”

  I grabbed Vali’s arm and dragged him a few steps away. Still in sight but out of earshot.

  “Vali.”

  “Kaia, how are you feeling?”

  I held one of his hands in between mine but ignored his question. “Vali. I just want you to know that even though things didn’t go the way you wanted them to go, I’m still so fucking grateful I saw you again when I thought you were gone from me forever. Of all the good and bad things that InkHaven and the Order gave, that’s one of the best.”

  He bent down and touched his forehead to mine. “Little Bird, you’ll survive this. I don’t know if I could stand losing you.”

  “You might have to, Vali.” I gave him a nudge. “Hey, it’s your turn. I was the one left behind last time.”

  “I love you, my Little Bird,” he murmured softly. “I choose to believe that the day will end positively.”

  He looked over my shoulder and gave my forehead a lingering kiss. I let go and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I love you too, Vali Madden.”

  I turned around and walked back towards where my men stood. I placed my hands on my hips. “We good, gentlemen?”

  They gritted their teeth at me but smiled. “Yes.”

  “Good. I love you both lots and lots.”

  That got them to smile but it was short-lived when a black van pulled up. No transport orb then.

  The four other students in their year, plus Vali, climbed into the middle and front rows of the van, leaving the three of us to the back. Sitting between Alec Gaius and Ronan wasn’t enough to comfort me. A part of me wished I’d woken Emerson up to say goodbye, but he’d been exhausted the day before, and he’d refused to even entertain the idea of a farewell the night before. Another part wished I’d been up when Gale had left so I could have kissed him - I knew it would not be enough to simply see him at the Trial and pretend he was just my docent.

  Ronan rested a hand on my thigh, his fingers clutching my flesh through my uniform pants. I could feel Alec Gaius’ stare on my face, but my eyes couldn’t seem to stray from my knees as they trembled.

  “You’re going to be fine, baby,” Alec whispered, touching a hand gently to the side of my face.

  I raised my eyes to his finally, giving him an unconvincing smile even though I was trying to hide my fear from them. “Promise me you won’t watch.” His mouth dropped open in shock for the moment I looked at him before I turned to look at Ronan. “Promise me,” I begged.

  “Woman,” he growled with a nostril flare. “You’re going to be fine.”

  Tears pooled in my eyes as I stared at his steely gray eyes. Even I could see that he was lying to me. “Promise me,” I repeated, forcing some of his strength into my words.

  “Kaia,” Alec admonished.

  “I don’t want you to see.”

  Ronan swallowed, before nodding his head slowly with his eyes closed.

  Lie.

  We were all spending our last hours lying to each other, and I didn’t even know if I was comforted or hurt by it.

  We didn’t drive far, just far enough that we couldn’t walk to it with relative ease. We pulled up by the side of a massive empty field, and we exited as one, the guys flanking me like they could protect me even though we all knew they couldn’t.

  Not this time.

  The Headmaster waited along with Gale, Docent Ho, all the other Air Docents and what I assumed were even more Air Mages based on their uniforms. At the end of the line was a Fire Mage - healer - that I’d seen in the other Trials.

  The Headmaster again didn’t bother mincing words, though there was a twisted smile on his face this time. “One by one, you will be taken up in the glider. When you’re high enough, you will exit the glider.”

  I swallowed as Ronan’s hand tightened in mine. “All the other Air Docents along with a few other Air Mages are here to make flight more difficult for you. If you slow your fall enough to survive, then you have passed the Trial. Simple enough. Understood?” There was nothing but silence as everyone nodded.

  “Vali Madden.” Gale stepped up, and Vali nodded to him and followed him towards one of the gliders. I saw that one of them was already halfway up, likely carrying the other Mages and Docents.

  Taking them to their grim and grisly tasks.

  With widening eyes, I watched the glider containing Vali rise up higher and higher. When it was but an indistinguishable line in the sky, a smaller dot seemed to fall from it. Mere seconds later, the sky was alight with red swirls and jets. The dot became bigger and bigger, and I knew Vali was falling towards us.

  I gulped. I was going to have to do that, and I had no fucking clue how.

  “Stop looking, baby,” Alec coaxed me to look at him, but I shook my head. I wanted to know what would happen. I wanted my heart to be ready even as my brain and my body were not.

  I had to accept the fate Zeevar had given me.

  “Miss Shaw?” Frost stepped forward, and I took a sharp intake of breath. I was next and, somehow, I felt more than ready. I drew my hand away from Alec with a smile for him, but Ronan refused to let go. His hand trembled in mine, and I looked back at him to find him glaring at the Headmaster with a snarl on his lips. I reached my free hand up and cupped his cheek, drawing his eyes down to me.

  “Caveman,” I teased with a bitter laugh as the first tear fell down my cheek. “You have to let me go now.” His face pinched in pain, but his hand released mine. I backed away from them with one last look, turning away and walking across the field with Docent Frost at my side. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the red Air swirling, but I knew Vali was okay. I had to believe he’d go on.

  It was a far walk, and every step felt heavier and heavier. Frost climbed into the glider first, and I paused, glancing back at where my men were one last time. Their faces weren’t recognizable, but I saw them in my mind’s eye anyway - all my men. The four I freely loved and the one I wished I’d been able to love more. A sob broke free, but I stepped onto the glider regardless. It rose instantly, and I stumbled, grabbing onto the edge of the door to get my balance. The glider kept rising, until I couldn’t even see the faintest imprint of the men standing below.

  It rose some more. Far past a height that would be necessary to kill anyone, until it finally stopped. Frost kept it hovering steadily while I clung to the door.

  “I’ll die,” I whispered.

  “Yes, Miss Shaw. I do believe that is the point,” he grunted at me, merciless and cold. His hand hit my back, giving me a firm shove that was likely only meant to convey my time was up. Instead, I tripped on my own feet.

  I fell.

  And fell.

  And fell.

  The air whipped at my skin, compressing my chest to the point I couldn’t breathe, let alone scream. The air stung my eyes and I felt the tears sting as they flew against the wind. A sudden gust hit me in the side, shoving the little air I had from my lungs as I swore I felt my ribs crack and my body tumbled through the sky. I focused deep, trying to ignore the deafening roar of the wind as I fell so that I could find that connection with the Air, but it just didn’t want me. A sharp blast hit my arm, and red sprayed from three slashes in my bicep. Another shove caught my leg, and I cried as it felt like it was wrenched from my body.

  Zeevar it hurt.

  Everything hurt.

  The ground loomed closer. I could see Ronan and Alec Gaius clearly - blond and black. To the side, I even saw Vali - tan and brown, and I smiled. He had survived. I only wished he didn’t have to watch me go. I wished none of them had to watch me go.

  Ronan was physically restrained by the other stud
ents, his mouth open, roaring, but I couldn’t hear a sound as I fell. I saw that Gale was on the ground beside Alec. They looked on in horror as I fell, frozen to the spot. Another blast of Air hit me, tilting me to be parallel to the ground so that I watched it approach. My hands went out to catch me of their own accord, even though I knew I’d be dead as soon as I hit.

  My eyes closed, I couldn’t watch it happen. Zeevar, I didn’t want to leave them. Not like this. Not ever.

  Silence.

  Nothing but silence. No wind rushing around me, I felt dazed. Confused.

  Opening my eyes, I stared at the ground a foot away from my face, trembling in disbelief.

  “KAIA!!” Ronan’s voice echoed in the empty field, anguish ripping through the sound. My arms glowed - a dark red beneath me - where I hovered, and I somehow maneuvered myself to stand on solid feet, wobbly and shaken but on solid ground.

  I looked at the guys, already running for me before I collapsed in a fit of heaving breaths to suck in air. My leg wouldn’t support my weight, and I crumpled to the other side even though it sent a wave of pain through my torso. Blood dripped down my arm, but when I looked across the field my eyes met with the Headmaster’s shocked ones. My lungs heaved with effort, but I shoved myself to my feet, leaning my weight on my good leg. I couldn’t walk, but held my head high as I glared at him where he stood. My arms tingled, red wisps of air pulsing around them like I couldn’t disconnect from the Air now that it’d broken free. I raised my uninjured arm, enjoying the way the Air danced along my skin like a caress.

  Ronan hit me first, no one else would be able to keep up with those legs of his, and he scooped me up into his arms and crushed me to him. I cried out in pain, and he set me to my feet, cupping my cheeks as he looked me over. His eyes landed on the wounds on my arm, narrowing on the blood still seeping from it. Gale and Alec came up to us next, and Alec pressed his forehead to mine in relief.