CHAPTER 7
THE SKYWALK
No ally shall be left on the field.
– Thorne Code of Honour, Tenet III
Kara found Sienna in the delegates’ hall, filling a plate with breakfast.
“Where have you been?” Sienna asked.
“Couldn’t sleep,” she replied. “Went for a walk.”
“You missed the news. The Council’s coming here to give instructions for the Air Trial,” Sienna told her.
“What?” Kara asked incredulously.
“I know. I’ve never heard of it before. They should be here any minute.”
“I should have said last night, but I’m sorry about Rosalie.” Kara laid a hand on Sienna’s arm. “Did you know her?”
“Not well before the Arcalon, but we travelled together,” Sienna said. “She was kind.”
Kara nodded once, grabbed a piece of lavender fruit and followed Sienna to their team’s table as a bell chimed softly.
The hall fell quiet as the High Council members entered.
After what she’d overheard, Kara watched them differently.
Evelyn Sorrel was clearly anxious, one hand fidgeting with her sleeve.
Her father was next, entering beside Elias Lyra.
Her father was unreadable – unusual since she could usually sense his emotions clearly.
The others followed, but none gave anything away.
Tobias Thorne brought up the rear. Sebastian tensed as his father entered.
Kara focused on Tobias, reaching out with the instincts from her mother’s Lyran blood, and felt...
anger. Not wild or blazing, but cold and controlled.
His face betrayed nothing. Blank. Impassive.
Kara might have admired the discipline – if it hadn’t felt so dangerous.
The Council members stood quietly at the front of the hall, and this time, it was Simone Navyr who stepped forward, ebony-skinned and striking in her blue oilskins marked with Navyr’s compass, her braided hair tied back with silver beading.
“Delegates,” she began, her voice commanding the hall. “You will all now be aware of the sad news of the death of Rosalie Faye.” Regret passed over her features before she schooled them. She bowed her head. “May the Four have mercy.”
The hall droned the words back.
“Lord Lyra,” Simone continued briskly, “has graciously agreed to supply Team One with a further delegate. Kristof Wren will be joining their team.”
A tall man with short dark hair moved into the room and took his seat next to Thomel on Team One. His face was carefully blank. Elias Lyra shuffled uncomfortably by Simone’s side.
“The Air Trial will begin at eleven o’clock,” Simone instructed. “You will report to the arena by ten-thirty where you will receive instructions. I need to inform you ahead of time that no magic will be permitted in this trial.”
A shocked whisper ran through the room.
They can’t be serious.
Simone ignored it. “You will depend only on each other. Any use of elemental power will result in disqualification from this round.”
She stepped back without flourish to stand beside Kara’s father.
The room was silent, but Kara’s own fear was mirrored in the faces of her teammates.
They were all remembering Morra on the boat deck, limp and half-drowned, saved only by her healing magic.
The faces of Team One when they’d returned without Rosalie.
Oryen spoke first. “If we can’t use magic, we’ll need to strategise. Listen to each other.”
Gregor grunted. Sebastian stared hard at his father as the Council left.
Then his gaze found Kara’s. She knew they were both thinking the same thing.
The ban on magic felt like a message. Kara didn’t speak as they left the hall.
None of them did. The courtyard was quieter than usual, with only the sound of a distant bell tolling.
“Ten-thirty,” Jax muttered. “That’s not long.”
Kara busied herself packing medical supplies – splints, bandages, salves, herbs.
Everyone from nobility to villager in Hale was trained in basic field care – not everyone could heal as quickly or as effectively with magic as she could.
Her magic, stronger through her bloodline, had always come easily, instinctively.
It’s why she hated traditional remedies. They let the pain linger.
But it was all she had.
The bell tolled again. It was time.
Together, their team entered the arena. It was already packed, the noise deafening. The entire arena floor was empty other than rows of stone pillars.
“Up there,” Oryen said.
Kara looked up. It was the sound she registered first.
Creaking wood.
High above them, suspended in the air, was a web of impossible danger in the form of four separate paths leading to a stone pillar emblazoned with a team number – their number four was to the far right.
Each path was built of ropes, swinging beams, and narrow planks shaking in the wind.
Platforms floated between the structures, some connected by thin roped bridges, others requiring leaps of faith.
The whole thing swayed ominously in the wind.
Kara’s stomach dropped before her mind had finished processing it.
A fall from there would kill. No question.
“Well... that looks easy,” Jax muttered sarcastically.
Gregor eyed the ropes suspiciously, but didn’t move. Sebastian strode purposefully towards their team’s starting spot. He looked back impatiently. “Staring at it isn’t going to make it any lower down.”
Kara sighed. He was right. The rest of them followed, casting nervous glances at the terrifying course above them.
“I’m not even sure I can look at that,” Sienna said. “Let alone climb it.”
Morra exhaled slowly beside her. “Then don’t look. Just move.”
As they gathered near their starting spot, a voice rang out from the neighbouring pillar.
“Race you to the top, Seb!” Cass shouted across from Team Three’s pillar, eyes bright with challenge.
Sebastian shot her a cocky look, hand ready on their ladder. “You’re on, Cass.”
Confidence or bravado, Kara didn’t know. Cass grinned at him, reaching for her own ladder. But not before she threw Kara an assessing look over her shoulder. Kara didn’t know what to make of it – she’d never even spoken to this woman.
The Fatàn judge stepped forward. “Delegates, you now face the Air Trial. Your task is simple: reach the final platform as a full team. No magic. No shortcuts. For each person who falls or fails to reach the end, your team will lose one point–”
Kara and Sienna shared a dark look at that.
Not everyone has to make it?
But the judge was still talking, so Kara forced herself to focus.
“–if any of your team use magic, your whole team will be disqualified. As with the other trials, the first team to finish will be awarded a maximum of four points.”
The judge paused and stared over at their team; at Sebastian in particular. He didn’t notice, focused on the rope ladder in front of him, but it made Kara uneasy.
“You may begin.”
No one moved for a heartbeat.
Then Sebastian began his climb with ease.
How hard can it be?
Kara gripped the rope and climbed up after him. The ladder shook a little under both their weight but held. She looked down and could see Sienna frozen at the base. Without her magic to calm herself, her hands were shaking.
“You can do this, Sienna!” Kara called. “Stay with me!”
A faint tremor on the ladder told her that Sienna had started the climb.
Sebastian was already halfway to the top, with only Cass keeping pace with him.
Kara looked across the rest of the teams – their progress was as slow as hers.
But within a few minutes, the whole team were up on the first platform – shaky but determined.
Oryen in particular had struggled with the climb, Gregor had hoisted him unceremoniously up the last section.
The wind was stronger up here, making the ropes ahead creak ominously.
Don’t look down.
The first section was narrow beams swaying dangerously on ropes. Gaps stretched between every one – forcing them to step from beam to beam with perfect balance.
“Single file,” Gregor said. “We move one at a time. No rushing.”
Jax gave a low whistle. “This is not built for size twelve boots.”
Morra went first, calm and collected, but slowly. She lost her footing only once, but recovered quickly. The crowd below cheered.
“She’s got it,” Oryen said, gaze locked on her progress.
Sebastian went next, keeping his weight low and movements controlled. Kara followed. But Henry’s team had nearly completed their first section. Her team had to pick up the pace if they wanted to win. Kara tried to focus on the beams in front of her and not how far she would fall if she misjudged.
“Keep your eyes up, Kara. Eyes on me,” Sebastian called.
Her head jerked towards him, but the movement made her slip. Her foot skidded sideways into nothingness and she fell to her knees, gripping the beam tightly. The crowd groaned down below as she struggled to regain her balance.
Not helpful.
“Keep going, Kara,” Sebastian called, but he sounded different. Anxious.
She made it to the platform, legs shaking, and Sebastian offered his hand. She didn’t strictly need it, but found herself taking it anyway. His hand was warm, but there was no surge of magic this time.
“Thanks,” she managed.
“Good recovery,” he said, releasing her immediately, turning to watch Sienna – frightened but determined.
The rest of their team made quick progress.
Oryen light on his feet, Gregor stony-faced.
Kara allowed herself a single breath of relief.
One section down. They turned to the next obstacle.
Several platforms hung at intervals between this pillar and the next, suspended by ropes, swaying precariously.
The only way forward was to leap between them, with nothing below but empty air.
Off to the side, she caught Oryen eyeing the gusts of wind with obvious frustration, his fingers twitching.
He was clearly wishing he could summon his magic – bend the air as he did to send messages in Caldris – to carry himself across with ease.