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

for that to ever happen. Which, speaking of…we should get ready for dinner.”

* * *

The candidates’ dinner was held in the usual mess hall following the regular dinner hour. Eira and Alyss were some of the first to arrive and Eira didn’t miss a few of the envious looks non-competitors cast their way. A rift was already forming between the apprentices who were candidates to be competitors and those who weren’t.

A rift that would no doubt grow worse thanks to the pins instructors were handing out. They stood on either side of the mess hall entry, giving a single pin to every current candidate, and instructed that it was to be worn on their right breast underneath their collarbone.

The pin bore the symbol of the Tower—four circles interlocking in a diamond shape. There was a triangle in each that corresponded with the elemental affinity from each of the four different regions of the Solaris Empire. In the center of the circles there was a fifth circle that was usually solid and unadorned. But on this pin it had the number 5 embossed into what would’ve been a blank space. No doubt to represent the Tournament of Five Kingdoms.

Eira inspected the shiny gold pin throughout dinner. Its glint caught her eye multiple times and Eira touched it more than once.

“It’s not going anywhere,” Alyss teased.

Eira knew it wasn’t, but she still couldn’t believe it was there to begin with. Even if nothing else worked out for her, she’d made it this far. That counted for something, didn’t it?

Dinner was not made by other apprentices, but catered by palace staff. As such, the quality was leagues better than any of them were accustomed to. Every plate was cleaned, even Eira’s, despite her having a second helping of the largest hunk of cake she’d ever seen.

“You seriously have a gift for packing sweets away. It’s unnatural,” Alyss said, glancing up from the book she was reading. There were two things Alyss was rarely without—some kind of over-the-top romance novel and some kind of clay or wood to mold. It was normal for them to fall into easy silences over meals as Eira got lost in her head, or a book of her own, and Alyss tinkered away making something.

“Maybe one of these days it’ll stick to my hips and make me look more like a woman, rather than a pre-pubescent boy.” Eira scraped icing off her plate.

Alyss snorted. “You’re beautiful.”

“As are you.”

Another snort and a turn of her head. Alyss gazed over to a group of people clustered about. It was obvious that the favorites for the tournament were beginning to coalesce. Marcus and Cullen sat together. Noelle and Adam were at their table, along with a few others that Eira recognized but had never spoken to.

“I can’t believe he’s not sitting with you,” Alyss murmured.

“It’s fine.”

“He’s your brother. He should be celebrating your accomplishments.”

“It’s complicated.” Eira recalled her uncles’ expressions and the uncomfortable conversation with Marcus in her room. She hadn’t told Alyss yet about the letter from her parents, either.

“Is it? It seems pretty simple to me. You’re both great. You’re both talented. Let the best man or woman win. Support each other along the way.” Alyss brought her gaze back to Eira, thankfully before anyone in the group noticed her staring. “You’re happy for him, right?”

“Yeah, I am,” Eira said softly. She was well and truly happy for her brother. “If he’s the one to beat me in the end, I’m okay with that. I just want the chance to put up a fight. To show them what I can do.”

“Well you certainly did that today.” Alyss snickered.

Eira couldn’t fight and win against the grin that spread across her cheeks.

“Congratulations, all,” Fritz said as he walked in. The echo of his voice in the rafters mingled with his applause. “Well done to each of you. You’ve made it through the first trial.” He went to the front of the mess hall, where the buffet had just been cleared away. “I know you all have questions about what’s next. So let’s get right to business, that way you all can get to bed.

“Foremost, the pins you were given are to be worn henceforth. Every candidate for competitor has been given one. Part of being a competitor will be to represent Solaris and that means you will always have eyes on you. Your actions will be judged around the clock.”

Eira grimaced at the notion.

“Consider these pins the beginning of that. Any conduct unbecoming for a representative of Solaris will get back to me and you will have your pin and candidacy revoked.”

“We can get eliminated when we’re not in a trial?” Noelle asked.

“Indeed.” Fritz continued, “Now, speaking of trials, your next one will take place in three weeks, as we will need ample time to set up and prepare. To assist you in these trials, your classes, workshops, and other Tower responsibilities are not mandatory for pin holders.

“For the next trial we will be testing your magic in an obstacle course. The field will be cut by a third after this trial. Those who complete the course with times in the upper two-thirds of the pack will proceed on.”

“Minister—”

Fritz held up a hand, stopping the interruption from a Firebearer. “I know what you’re about to ask. There are fifteen Waterrunners and six Groundbreakers still in competition. These numbers are easy to reduce by a third. But what happens to the Firebearers, who have eleven candidates? We will be rounding down in such instances. So three Firebearers will be eliminated by next week’s course.”

Eira leaned toward Alyss and whispered, “There will be only four Groundbreakers after next week. You’ll have a good shot!”

Alyss shh’ed her. There was a nervous smile on her face. As if she couldn’t believe either how close she already was to being selected as a competitor.

Eira did a quick scan of the room, seeing if she recognized the other five Groundbreakers still in the trials. She knew