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

in the back of her mind searching for something she didn’t know if she wanted to give, whispering quietly for entry. The icy barriers that were just under her skin thickened, pushing away the sensation. His mouth quirked into a smirk. Eira gave a tip of her head and he returned the motion.

Ferro pushed away from the column, his guard’s eyes flicking back to Eira twice as they left.

“Mother above, woman, a perfect score!” Alyss nearly tackled Eira to the ground with her embrace. Eira was so focused on Ferro that she hadn’t even noticed they’d begun to clear the Sunlit Stage. “I knew there was no chance you wouldn’t pass but this proves you’re someone to watch out for.”

“They’re doing more than watching me.” The glares had yet to stop.

“Ignore them, they’re just jealous.” Alyss linked her arm with Eira’s and began leading them back toward the Tower. “Now, you mentioned wanting to show me something the other day?”

“Oh, right.”

“Since we have the rest of the day free, why not now?”

They went back to the Tower. Eira tried to set a slower pace than Alyss’s excitement wanted. As they returned, apprentices were settling in for their afternoon sessions—lessons and practicals. The library was full as they passed, as was the Waterrunners’ workroom.

Eira brought a finger to her lips as they approached the archway that was open to the workroom. An instructor’s voice echoed down the hall to them. Glancing around, Eira lifted a hand. She felt the moisture in the air shift at her beckoning. The light wavered ahead of them and a thin, watery line appeared between the opening to the workroom and storeroom.

Any apprentices in the workroom who had a view of the storeroom would continue to see the door shut tight and an empty hall. An illusion obscured the truth. Eira and Alyss slipped behind her magic facade, opening the door wide enough to sneak in. She shut it softly behind them and relaxed her powers.

“All right, the sneaking has my attention,” Alyss whispered.

“As will this.” Eira went to the back corner. She was getting familiar with where the lever was, and the door had been opened and closed so many times that the hinges were silent now.

“What in the Mother’s name?” Alyss stared at the secret room.

“Come on, before anyone checks the storeroom.” Eira had already squeezed around the barrel and into the room, holding out her hand for Alyss. When her friend was in, Eira shut the door behind them.

“How did you? Why? What?”

“I found it by accident. I don’t know why this room is here, or what it was used for.” Eira attempted to answer her friend’s questions in order. “Well, sort of don’t know what it was used for. I know another Waterrunner was here, at least based on these journals.” Eira took one of the journals off the shelf.

“This…Eira, this is dangerous magic.” Alyss flipped the pages. She paused on one. “Can Waterrunners do this?”

“I’m not sure, I haven’t tried.”

“Nor should you. It’ll just spell trouble if you fill your head with wicked ways to use magic.” Alyss closed the journal and put it back on the shelf. “I don’t know who was here but they—” She stopped, distracted by the opening in the back of the bookcase. “What’s back there?”

“I don’t know.”

“You haven’t explored it?” Alyss gasped.

“It looks like a natural passage so I was worried about getting stuck. I didn’t dare proceed without my favorite Groundbreaker.”

“Well, all right then, let’s go.” Alyss grabbed the candle on the desk and lit it.

“And here I thought the room was off-putting to you.”

“It’s a bit creepy, only because of those journals of magic that borders on torture.” She pointed to the bookshelf. “But flattery is going to get you everywhere, Eira. Trust your favorite Groundbreaker and we’ll explore.”

Eira laughed and squeezed into the passage behind her. The uneven floor was damp and slick. The rocks shifted under Alyss’s feet, always giving her sure footing. Eira followed suit, using her magic to allow an icy chill to radiate off her shoes. She left behind frozen footprints as arcs of ice covered her boots and melded with the floor.

The silence was heavy in the tunnel, almost eerie. Eira wasn’t sure why, but she had the distinct sense that they were the first souls to traverse this path in many years. The candle Alyss held only gave them a small aura of light to see by, so the void they marched into set her thoughts racing with a mixture of fear and excitement of what would finally emerge from the darkness.

They came to a fork in the tunnel.

“Which way?”

“Let’s go down.”

“Farther into the depths? Crazy woman.” Alyss shook her head but carried on downward. Thick algae covered slick, rough-cut steps that opened up to a large underground spring. Alyss’s breath collected as white in the air. She spoke with chattering lips. “We must be in the heart of the mountain now.”

“Maybe. Come on, let’s go back. There’s no way forward here.” At least not for Alyss.

As the light retreated, Eira stayed focused on the perfectly clear, icy waters. Deep beneath the glassy surface was an underwater tunnel. Where did it lead? And did a Waterrunner dare to explore those dark depths?

They backtracked, heading up the other fork in the road. The passage came to an abrupt opening in a dust-covered hall. A statue was slid to the side of the opening, thanks to a hidden mechanism on the floor.

“Where are we?” Alyss whispered as she set down the candle on one of the wide windowsills by the opening.

“Somewhere long forgotten,” Eira murmured. There were no signs of anyone having existed here for years. Yet they still spoke with hushed tones. As if by being too loud they’d scare the ghosts.

“This looks like the former emperor.” Alyss stopped by a faded and cracking portrait. Oil had flaked off to the floor like dying flower petals.

“Earlier.” Eira pointed to an inscription. “That’s the last of the Solaris