A Trial of Sorcerers: Book One by Kova, Elise (universal ebook reader .txt) 📕

Eira scowled and didn’t take the bait. “You have no control over this. The trials will be public.”

Cullen seemed genuinely surprised at that information. But the expression quickly vanished on an unseen breeze. “All the more reason for you to back out when you can. No reason to make your humiliation a public affair.”

“I’m going to compete and I’m going to win,” she vowed as much to herself as to him.

His face twisted with disgust. “Think of your brother.”

“I think I’m the only one in this Tower who is. Good night, Cullen. If you need me, you can find me at the first trial.” Eira stepped away, heading in the opposite direction as him. He continued upward, no doubt to go to Marcus’s room and tell him of Eira’s lack of control and her sour demeanor.

Think of Marcus.

How dare they. The statement was a betrayal on two fronts. The first was a betrayal to Marcus, as if the world was content to let him be her keeper. If Eira never stepped out of his shadow then he would forever be saddled with responsibility for her. The second was a betrayal to her. None of them believed she had a shot. They didn’t even have the decency to pretend they did.

For a second night, Eira didn’t go to her bedroom. Instead, she went to the mysterious room behind the secret door. She read into the late hours and, for the first time, dared to attempt some of the stranger, magical instructions in the long-forgotten journals.

* * *

“What’s wrong?” Alyss said the moment she sat next to Eira at one of the long tables in the lecture hall.

“I didn’t sleep well,” Eira murmured, flipping through the blank pages of her notebook and envisioning the pages of the journal she’d been reading an hour ago.

“This is more than that.” Alyss grabbed her hand. “You’re staring at blank pages; you look a mess; and you weren’t at breakfast. It’s skillet cake day. There is nothing you love more than when they stop serving us that gruel and make us hot, buttery skillet cakes.”

“The explanation of how wonderful the skillet cakes were was really not necessary.”

“Tell me what’s going on and you’ll get one.”

“What?” Eira straightened.

“I sneaked one out of the mess hall—now tell me what’s going on.”

“Cake first.”

“No, you first.”

Eira groaned. “Fine. You know my uncle called me last night to meet with me…” Eira recounted the events with Marcus, her uncle, and even Cullen in the hall after. When she finished, Alyss blankly passed her a grease-stained parcel. Eira put her bag in her lap and rested the skillet cake on top—the last thing she wanted was butter stains on her dress.

“What absolute dolts,” Alyss said, finally. “The whole lot of them are idiots.”

“Easy on the insulting, they’re still my family. Except for Cullen…have at on him,” Eira said between bites.

“We’re going to show them, you and I.” Alyss nudged her with her shoulder. “I’m proud of you for not backing down.”

Eira licked her fingers and said, “There’s something else I need to tell you about.” She’d been debating when was the right time to tell her friend of the secret room. But since it seemed like it was going to be more than a passing fascination, now was as good a time as any.

“What?”

“Well, showing you would be easier…”

“Now you have me on pins, what is it?”

They were interrupted by a shrill laugh. Noelle entered the lecture hall with Adam and their usual posse. They never seemed to go anywhere without their admirers and accomplices. Eira brought her eyes back to her notebook, wiping her mouth with her fingers.

“They all signed up, too,” Alyss said softly.

“Good,” Eira whispered back. “I’ll really enjoy crushing Adam in the trials.” Even if Eira wasn’t chosen as a competitor…showing her family she could look after herself and putting Adam in his place would be a good consolation prize.

“All right, everyone,” their instructor, Mister Levit, said as he walked in. “We have a lot to cover today, and so you’re not all distracted during class, I will address what is no doubt the most pressing thought on your minds—the trials.”

Murmurs were exchanged by just about everyone in the lecture hall. Most eyes went to Noelle and Adam’s group. But a few wary glances were cast Eira’s way.

“The first trial will be held over the next week. As you all know, there will be one sorcerer of each affinity sent to the tournament. So every participant is really competing only against the others who share their affinity. Thus, each affinity will be tested on a different day.”

As he spoke, Mister Levit wrote in chalk on the board. In four days, the first trial would begin with the Firebearers, then Groundbreakers, and then Waterrunners on the final day.

“Now, I know the candidates among us are all burning to know the details of their first trial. And I know that even the non-candidates of the Tower are already invested.” He wiggled his fingers in the air, sparks of fire dancing between them on the word “burning.” “I will tell you everything I know and we’ll leave it at that. Since the Tournament of Five Kingdoms is meant to celebrate a joining of cultures and mutual respect, there will be many events and opportunities for cultures to mingle. Naturally, we want to send the best among us, who are not only skilled with magic but who also will display tact and grace in navigating the cultures of Meru.

“Thus, the first trial is indeed…a test. A written examination that will assess the competitors’ knowledge of Meru, its cultures, and customs.”

“HA!” Alyss blurted.

“What?” Noelle nearly shrieked at the same time.

“Ladies, please.” Mister Levit sighed.

A written test…on Meru. The blank expression Eira had trained on her face in the presence of Adam and Noelle cracked into a smile. This first trial was hers. No one in the Tower was more fascinated with Meru. No one