1. Aviara Academy #2
“We’re lucky enough to already know each other, makes the whole settling-in-thing easier. The name’s Cassian.” The young man offered his hand to shake, which Aeden accepted. “And this is Rowan.”
“Are you two related?” Aeden asked. “Brother and sister, I assume?”
“Not quite,” Rowan laughed. “We get mistaken for that all the time, but we’re cousins. Our fathers are brothers.” Rowan shook Aeden’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Aeden, Aeden Harrington.”
“It feels kind of strange, don’t you think?” Cassian said. “Gathering around like we’re getting a serious education. We’re nothing more than cattle if you ask me.”
“Cassian, keep your voice down,” Rowan said with a hiss, tugging on his arm.
“Being invited into the prestigious Aviara Academy is the highest accolade,” a voice called from behind. The accent was well spoken and seething with passive aggression.
Aeden turned to see a young man standing straight and holding himself as if everything around him held a bad smell, much like the man Aeden had bumped into in the main hall.
His platinum-white hair was slicked back into a tight plait that dropped down to his shoulder blades.
He was wearing his academy blazer, but it was buttoned up at the front, his tie sitting perfectly around his neck.
Aeden studied him with caution. This was certainly someone who thought highly of themselves and held the academy in high regard.
“Although it does seem like they’re lowering their bar for new recruits.” His ice-blue eyes roamed over Rowan and Cassian before landing on Aeden. “Must be a numbers thing.”
Aeden stood his ground, holding the man’s stern gaze.
There was a sudden tension in the air, and Aeden knew in an instant that whoever this person was, he didn’t like him.
“You probably won’t make it through the first week,” the young man sneered. “Even you two. Your family may have coin, but that doesn’t mean you should ride with the rest of us.”
Cassian moved towards the man, but Rowan stepped in front of him to stop him doing anything rash.
“Pah,” the man laughed, amused by Cassian.
“I would like to see you try. Still, as much as I would savour the opportunity to put you in your place, now is not the time.” He eyed up Rowan and Cassian as if he was analysing them both.
“I wouldn’t lower myself by scuffling with a Scout.
” He grinned as he glanced at the crowded grand hall.
At the front of the hall, there was a stand that sat on a platform, which was where the first address would be given by the director of the academy.
The man gave one last snooty look before moving on, making sure to intentionally bump into Aeden on his way past. Aeden felt a flash of anger as the man disappeared into the crowd, pushing his way through dismissively, presumably to get to the front of the hall.
“Who was that asshole?” Aeden asked .
“His name is Kael Blackthorn,” Rowan said with a sigh.
“And if there was ever a sign that he was no different from any other Blackthorn to step into the academy, that was it.” She gave Cassian a scolding look, but he barely acknowledged her.
He was too busy staring into the crowd where Kael had just disappeared into.
Rowan gave Cassian a shove in the chest to regain his attention. “He is not who you want to be getting into fights with, especially not on your first day.”
“What?” Cassian said. “He totally started it.” He had a grin on his face.
“That doesn’t mean you have to react!”
Aeden was familiar with the Blackthorn family name. They were one of, if not the richest families in Nevaria, with links to the Queen herself.
“I agree with him,” Aeden said. He knew all too well how important it was that he didn’t come across as a pushover in the first few days at the academy.
“Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t intentionally go looking for a fight, but I don’t see any problem with standing your ground and sticking up for yourself. ”
Cassian grinned. “Kill or be killed, right?”
Rowan let out a gasp of despair followed by a growl of frustration. “You boys will be the cause of all my stress here at the academy, I can already tell.”
Cassian laughed. “Like you would expect anything different from me.”
“Cassian, please don’t act so nonchalant. You know as well as I do that the Blackthorns are not a family to be messed with. They are held in the highest regard at the academy, and Kael himself comes from a direct bloodline of prestigious Aer-Kin riders.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like him.”
“But it does mean that if his attention is on you, you best get out of his way.”
“Well, as long as he stays out of my way, then we won’t have an issue, will we?” Cassian gave a glance over his shoulders. “It’s not like our family doesn’t have its own prestige.”
“This is me you’re talking to,” Rowan said with a pleading look. “You don’t need to puff your chest out in front of me.”
Cassian’s cheeks reddened slightly, but he tried to shrug Rowan off. “I’m not puffing my chest out,” he said, folding his arms.
Aeden felt awkward as he watched the two of them continue to bicker. He wasn’t sure whether to hang around or make his excuses and move to a different part of the hall.
The room continued to grow busier as more fresh-faced students filled the hall, an air of anticipation and excitement leaving a static charge in the air.
Aeden looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall and took a moment to appreciate some of the finer details that were painted onto the mural above them.
It felt fitting that it was so high up above them.
It was a fierce battle, one that saw a wide variety of Aer-Kin and their riders locked in combat amongst darkened clouds.
It gave Aeden a swell of pride in his chest, one that he wasn’t expecting. Even though this was the very reason he was here, to become an Aer-Kin rider, that was not his sole purpose, but rather more a means to an end for him. Sure, he had deeper motives for being here, but first things first .
He needed to train to become a rider.
Hushes started from the front of the crowd, reaching Aeden and the others who were standing about halfway between the entrance and the front of the Great Hall.
It did not take long for Aeden to realise why.
Footsteps echoed over the Great Hall as the commanding presence of the academy director was laid bare for all to see.
Her presence in the room brought the hall to near complete silence as she took to the centre of the platform, stopping at the lectern to give the students their first address.
This was it. Aeden’s time at Aviara Academy was about to begin.
He had made it through the doors, which meant he was in the best position he had ever been in to find out exactly who was responsible for the deaths of his parents.