Chapter 6
“What the fuck were you thinking, releasing a Celestials be dimmed Ritherin!?” Sully roars as the ground outside of the pit rumbles in his rage. A guard goes flying as he tosses them aside like a rag doll on his way to the council, perched upon their dais.
I’ve never seen Sully so infuriated. I’m stunned by his strength, even after how much the cough has weakened him. He’ll tear apart the administrators if I don’t get to him in time.
“Come on, grey ol’ bear, you’ll get me in trouble. I survived. We’re okay. I promise,” I whisper, grabbing his shoulder.
He roars, “This isn’t right. They can’t just do this. Adding a monster at the last second. A Ritherin at that!” Silver tears pool in his eyes. He’s terrified and worried about me.
A darkly dressed, thin male rises into a tall figure, standing out of the slew of administrative representatives.
With his pale skin, white hair, and light blue eyes, his Arabellian lineage drips off him with the superiority of his presence.
Slowly, he drags his icy gaze over us. As if he’s mesmerizing every detail.
“Correction. We can administer the trials however we please.” His cold and uncaring voice grates on my nerves.
“With the enemy strengthening their efforts each day, the stakes are higher than ever for new trialists and recruits alike.” He scowls directly at Sully.
“And since this one got her name on the list by being trained by the great Ellian Knight Sully Stonewall, I had no doubt your apprentice would be capable of rising to the challenge. As Fate would have it, I was yet again correct.”
The way he said the word correct makes me want to punch the word right down his throat for his asinine remark. I’d fucking love to show him the correct way to land a punch.
I have half a mind to act on my violent thoughts, but I’m too busy holding Sully back. It’s clear Sully and I agree this administrator needs to be taken down a peg or two. But I am not going to risk my chance of getting into Gildorea because of my short temper—or Sully’s.
I whisper in Sully’s ear, “That pompous ass isn’t worth everything we’ve worked for. Let’s go celebrate my win, big ol’ bear.”
His muscles finally relax under my death grip. He turns for the exit as I bow to the Arabellian administrator, showing my respect to his royal bloodline and whatever position he holds.
“Thank you for the chance… and challenge. We will take our win and leave now,” I say coolly as we retreat.
“I look forward to seeing you at the next trial, Savaé Entropaé. It will be my delight to watch you rise to my next challenge,” he quips.
Sully rips his head around, showing me he’s about to lunge at the guy. I place one hand on his right shoulder and pull his wrist behind his back before pushing him forward, making sure he knows leaving is the only option I am giving him.
Just outside the inn, a coughing fit rips at Sully’s lungs, painting the snow in crimson splatter that plunges a dagger right into my heart—twisting deeper and deeper—as I usher him into the warm pub.
I follow him up the stairs, my eyes drifting over the five trialists who lived, celebrating with friends and other local folk.
I guess I won’t be getting any sleep tonight with all this racket.
“Typical,” I mutter to myself as I take in Mr. Fuckboy standing on the bar, twirling the classically beautiful blonde round and round as everyone cheers.
His eyes meet mine, an odd longing in them as they linger on me, settling like a swift kick in the ribs, hacking at my racing heart and seizing the air from my lungs.
What the actual fuck? I sling a scowl at him as I throw up my shields, my old friend, numbness, seeping over me.
I don’t have time for whatever Ritherin-shit that was, not with Sully all wound up.
I need him calm and resting, especially after the blood he just coughed up.
We head to the end of the hallway, to our adjoining rooms. Sully sits down on the chair by the table while I open the window to let in the fresh air.
White fire magic blooms from my hands, igniting the hearth beneath a hanging kettle. Steam billows from the brassy pot as I sprinkle a slew of herbs inside.
I set down the full mug in front of him. “Drink. It will help with the cough.”
He won’t even look at me. He’s never behaved like this with me. After a long silence, he finally mumbles out some words.
“We are going home tomorrow.”
“We’re what? I must have heard you wrong. Because I know you didn’t just say what I thought I heard. Not after all our work,” I seethe. A strong emotion is a sure way to let your shields slip. I don’t have many strong emotions, but I already know this conversation will be an exception.
“We. Are. Going. Home. Tomorrow.” He punctuates every word to ensure there’s no mistaking him this time.
My blood turns to liquid fire inside my veins.
I want to scream and throw the Celestials be dimmed kettle at his head.
The thought causes a crackling beneath my skin, purring at the feelings of destruction.
Instead of giving in to the brewing darkness, I take a deep breath, calming myself as I raise my shields once more.
My voice is low as I say, “We. Are. Not.”
“I did not stutter. And this decision is final. I won’t let them take you.” His anger lashes me like a whip.
I wince, and a deep sorrow furrows his brow. His odd choice of words rumbles like unturnable stones in my chest. “No one is taking me anywhere. This is my choice. I don’t know what you’re going on about. I still have two more trials to pass. We are a team—”
“This was a mistake. We need to go home. I shouldn’t have brought you here.”
The fury in my blood simmers into violent rage as I stand.
“No one forced me to be here! We came here together. This is everything we have worked on for nearly eleven years. You can’t be fucking serious, Sully.
I know you are mad about the challenge, but because of your training, I won.
I will take on whatever they fucking throw at me. Just like you trained me to.”
He just stares down at the mug clutched against his chest.
“Sully. Look at me!” Then, softening my tone, I plead, “You can’t mean this.”
He finally looks at me, silver streaming down his face. “I can’t lose you, too, little dragon.”
My heart wails seeing him weeping silently. I grab a cloth from the table, getting down on one knee next to him, softly wiping the tears from his face. I sweep over his beard, which is now salt-and-pepper grey, matching his hair. I take his hand and give it a squeeze.
“You are not going to lose me, grey bear. You trained me too well. I promise.” He squeezes my hand back before wrapping his arms around me, suffocating me in a hug that nearly snaps my ribs. “Can’t. Breathe,” I squeak out.
He chuckles softly, letting me collapse to the floor. I stand. His sullen face needles my heart, which has become far too squishy and vulnerable around him. My voice softens into a plea once more. “I want to do this. Please. Let me do this.”
Another tear tumbles down his face. Defeat highlights the wrinkles dragging at the corners of his eyes. “Okay.”
He finally drinks his tea as I leave to change into something nicer to wear out.
I have a few options: two black leather outfits which I frequently wear, a blue tunic, and the black velvet dress that wraps around my neck with a slit up one side—the one I traded for yesterday with the eccentric Pesche.
Since I’m behind closed doors, I allow myself to use my water magic, pouring over me, cleaning off the blood, dust, and sweat, before fire magic licks up my skin, drying me and my armor.
I decide to wear the dress over my basilisk armor, which will blend with my skin in the light of the pub and appear dark in the night’s shadows.
I fix my kohl, connecting a black line on my upper lid, extending it out at the corner.
My gold freckles shimmer uncovered along my cheeks.
I don’t know what it is about the darkness of the night that gives me the confidence to let them shine.
Maybe it’s the comfort of the surrounding shadows, knowing I can easily slip away if someone makes an untoward remark.
I return to the common space between our rooms. “Want to come grab a beer to celebrate with me, Sully?” I ask while crossing my fingers in hopes he’s too distracted by our earlier conversation to realize I used magic to clean myself off quickly. I really don’t want another fight with him tonight.
He’s deep in thought when he looks up at me. “Stay away from that boy who fought before you in the pit. Promise me. He and his blood lineage will bring nothing but trouble.”
“I could have told you that he’s trouble. It practically ripples off of him.” I laugh.
He grabs my wrist. “They will try to break you for what you are, for who I am to you, and for who you are to become.”
Oddly cryptic, but that’s the Sully I know and love. I place my hand over his. “They won’t be the first to try to break me. Or the last, Sully. I know you think you can, but you can’t protect me from everything. I love you for trying, but remember: I am not easily broken.”
I lift his chin up, making sure he looks at me.
“The fury of this little dragon is an Emberhell all of its own to be reckoned with. You taught me that. You taught me everything. You’re my father and, apparently, the famous Sully Stonewall.
Even if your name puts a target on my back, I wouldn’t trade you for all of Elyndor. ”
I have no bloodline, and being trained by someone well-known will already mark me as needing to prove my worth. I could tell by the way the administrator glared at Sully, he didn’t retire from the Golden Legion amicably.
Sully smiles at me with glowing pride, wrapped in a delicate sadness and drenched in love all at once. Yet my heart hangs heavy with the melancholy in his eyes.
I change the subject before my heart splinters under the weight of his pain. “Are you coming to get drunk with me, ol’ bear? I don’t know about you, but I need to celebrate defeating a Ritherin!” I smile.
He shakes his head silently as he looks down at his tea again.
“I won’t be gone long. I promise,” I say softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of the head. I hesitantly close the door behind me as the sound of his cough lances my heart like a Ritherin claw.
I remind myself there is nothing more I can do.
It’s far beyond my Sangre healing powers, and I have used every herb I know that might help.
I pause outside the closed door before striding down the hallway.
I can’t look at him anymore tonight without my heart breaking from his disappointment that I insist we continue with the trials.
I don my mask, letting my feelings about the argument melt away as I walk down the steps in a sultry rhythm. I am hunting for prey, something to distract me from the chaos of the evening. Who knew defeating a Ritherin would be the easiest battle of my day?