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

had people in high places looking out for her—just like Marcus and Cullen. They might have the empress and Minister of Sorcery. But she had the ambassador from Meru, Instructor Levit, and a series of notebooks that might help her survive the next day.

She didn’t quite recall leaving her bed, but she must’ve. Because Eira now stood at the entrance to the secret room and debated with herself. She had promised Alyss she wouldn’t “go back alone.” Alyss had just meant the tunnels, right? Certainly not the room. She had been here enough times that it was markedly safe. Yet something about standing there felt like she was breaking a promise and making a new secret.

Alyss didn’t know about the day at court, either. Well, she knew Eira had gone with Cullen. But Eira had dodged all the follow-up questions this past week until Alyss grew bored of the topic.

She was already keeping secrets from her friend, what was one more? She’d already crossed more lines than she could count. Eira pushed ahead.

In the dim room, Eira scavenged the bookshelf, skimming the journals. There were techniques in here that might help her with the trial—now that she knew what she was looking for. Eira spent the rest of the night reading, pulling herself from the text only at the last moment.

By the time Eira emerged, she had to rush through bathing and dressing for the day. Instead of wearing her hair loose, as usual, she plaited it down her back and then coiled the braid into a disk on the back of her head. She wouldn’t have it catching or snagging on any part of the course. She’d just finished when Marcus knocked on her door—four fast knocks, pause, two slow knocks.

“You ready?” Marcus asked, hovering in the hall.

“I think so.” Eira stood, adjusting her apprentice jacket over a sleeveless shirt underneath. She wore leggings today and her sturdy boots. “What?” she asked, catching Marcus tilting his head this way and that.

“You look like you could actually be a real competitor.”

“Of course I do.” Eira breezed past him. “Let’s get Alyss.”

“Good call. It’ll be more realistic for you to look like you’re making an effort before you throw your attempt.”

Eira just hummed, ignoring the remainder of his nervous chatter.

They went with the rest of the candidates to a holding room not far from the training grounds. There, all thirty-two Waterrunners, Groundbreakers, and Firebearers spent the day sequestered so they couldn’t watch each other’s runs before completing their own. The atmosphere was thick and charged, like before a summer’s lightning storm. Eira perched herself in one of the seats by the windows with Alyss and they passed the hours reading two books they discovered forgotten on a bookcase in the study.

Around lunchtime, they were brought food. But the majority of the candidates just picked at the spread. No one’s stomach was up for eating.

It was around two when the first Groundbreaker was taken away. Gwen arrived in her formal palace guard armor, called a name, and then escorted the individual without a word. The room became quieter after that. In part, because the trial had become real. But also because their numbers quickly dwindled.

Eira bid Alyss farewell with a fierce hug and a whisper of vague advice. She was the fifth Groundbreaker to leave out of six. After, the eleven Firebearers were escorted away one by one. Soon, there were only the fifteen Waterrunners. By then, Marcus had made his way over to her.

“Are you nervous?” Eira dared to make small talk.

“A little.” He chuckled. “But I’m reminding myself that I just have to be better than five people. Four, really, since you don’t count.” Eira looked out the window, avoiding his quickly probing stare. “You are throwing it, right?”

She said nothing.

“Eira, tell me you’re going to throw your run,” he demanded.

She pressed her lips into a line. She should just tell him. He would accept it, surely? Eira brought her eyes back to him just as the door opened once more.

“Marcus Landan.” Their aunt’s voice cut through the tension.

“Good luck.” She grabbed for and squeezed both his hands. “I know you’ll do great.”

Marcus gave her a wary look and pulled his fingers from hers. “I look forward to seeing how your run goes. Mom and Dad will be watching, too.”

She stewed on his words as the rest of the Waterrunners were escorted away. Eira was the last one called. She was waiting when Gwen opened the door.

“Are you ready?” Gwen asked.

Eira nodded. “How did Marcus do?”

“He’s in third place. He’ll be progressing,” Gwen said with a smile that quickly fell. “But he didn’t seem too pleased…”

He was worried about what she would do. Eira nibbled on her lower lip.

Gwen slipped her hand into Eira’s, giving it a tight squeeze. “Don’t worry about him.”

“But—”

“This is your run, your chance. Don’t throw it away. Do it for yourself and no one else. Whatever it is you’re called to do.”

Eira gave a small nod and Gwen released her. There wasn’t time for any more words of assurance as they emerged from the long, dark hallway and Eira stepped into the blinding sunlight that illuminated her next trial.

13

The training grounds were even more transformed than she’d last seen them. The obstacle course ran the length in four columns, three switchbacks between them. She stood on a raised platform at the starting point.

Opposite her, on an even higher platform, sat the Imperial family plus the Ministers of Tome and Sorcery, the head of the palace guard, and Ferro. Underneath their balcony was a stone tablet, much like they’d used for the first trial. On it were fourteen names with a line drawn above the lower third—the cut-off line. Four names at the bottom had dashes instead of times. Four people hadn’t even finished. Eira swallowed and gathered her courage. All she had to do was be better than the one person beneath the cut-off line with a time and she’d