Chapter 26 #2
The higher they climbed, the more her lungs burned. Each breath came harder, the familiar wheeze echoing in her ears. Peaks that had loomed above now lay far below, and her vision blurred at the edges.
No. Not now.
Focus.
The burning in her chest sharpened into claws. Her body shook.
It isn’t losing if you take the medicine .
One hand on her breathbind reliquary, she took a quick puff and dug her knees into Solflara’s sides, focusing on her breathing—inhale through her nose, exhale through her mouth.
Solflara slowed her wingbeats.
The constriction eased, but the relief didn’t stop the sting of needing it. Hating the weakness was almost as bad as the breathlessness itself.
“ All good now . Let’s go .”
Solflara’s nose dipped, speed building fast. The sensation of freefall sent a jolt of euphoria through her.
Now this is more like it.
Everything warped around her as they dove. Gods, this was freedom—wild, untethered. Every worry vanished in the rush of wind, the thunder of her pulse, and the heat coiling in her veins.
Magic shielded her eyes from the wind’s sting. She closed them anyway, soaking in the serenity—the sky, the stars, the mountains, and her joy.
The shift in Solflara’s muscles snapped her eyes open. She tugged the braid, easing them from the dive. Her breathing had steadied by the time they cleared the mountains.
One last look back showed the towering slabs of rock, scarred and smoothed by storms, still standing. Like her, they’d endured and been shaped into something stronger.
The land ahead lay shrouded in clouds.
Something moved in the distance—dark specks swarming in formation.
What the hell? Dragonfly-shaped constructs, carved from black stone, their wings cut like keys with metal spears slotted between ridges. A collaboration, no doubt, between House Cerebral and House Arborstone.
Without warning, they loosed a volley of spears.
“Bank left!” Alaire shouted. Solflara veered sharply, dodging the first barrage. Alaire pressed low into her feathers, the sudden drop making her head spin and muscles quake.
She pumped a fist in the air. “Try and keep up, you fowl-bladed contraptions!”
The constructs split into two groups, closing in from either side. Oh, they’re learning. Fantastic.
Solflara’s plumage flared as her body ignited in a brilliant blaze. She unleashed a current of fire at both groups.
Blinding light forced them to scatter, their metal spears melting midair and clattering to the ground below.
“You want a piece of this?” Alaire taunted. “Come and get it! Plenty more where that came from.”
Being burned to a crisp didn’t deter them. The constructs regrouped into a single swarm, their high-frequency buzzing piercing Alaire’s ears. Then their eyes glowed crimson as they split into four smaller squadrons. She’d never seen a simulation adapt like this.
Alaire leaned forward like a jockey. Solflara, catching her intent, launched upward in a tight corkscrew. Daring a glance back, Alaire saw the constructs faltering against the rapid ascent but still in pursuit.
Her stomach clenched as she pressed closer to Solflara, focusing on the rhythm of her wings and the flames trailing each beat. From the ground, they’d look like a butterfly with wings of fire.
Solflara dove into a bank of clouds and hovered, minimizing movement. Alaire tucked her face into the crook of her arms, the condensation freezing against her chafed skin. When the mist thinned, the constructs had flown ahead, searching for them.
“ Crafty , Solf .”
“ Insulted that you think my capabilities are limited to what your plain professors have taught ,” Solflara said, her voice dripping with mock offense down the bond. “ Watch and learn .”
Two clicks away, another checkpoint flag marked the mouth of a silver-stone canyon. Please tell me we don’t have to fly through that.
Solflara banked sharply and dove.
“Persistent little bastards,” Alaire muttered. She couldn’t see them, but the faint buzz closed in from every direction.
The phoenix’s flames illuminated the canyon as they wove through its tight twists and turns, every bit of their training put to the test. Alaire was suddenly grateful for all those early mornings Solflara had dragged her from bed.
But the canyon narrowed, stone walls pressing closer until barely enough space remained for Solflara’s wingspan. Muscles trembled beneath Alaire’s grip as her phoenix strained to maintain speed. Solflara squawked, drawing her attention forward.
The exit was a keyhole—no more than a sliver between two ridges of silver rock.
Lovely.
Solflara’s neck stiffened. Alaire’s breath came shallow and ragged; she couldn’t reach the breathbind reliquary, not in this position. Feathers scraped stone, leaving blackened scorch marks.
“ Hang on tight ,” Solflara commanded, voice taut.
Time slowed. The phoenix rotated smoothly onto her side, feathers slicing rock. The stone sizzled and dripped like molten lava. Alaire pushed forward, clinging to Solflara’s neck as one wing cut skyward, the other angled toward the abyss below.
With a powerful thrust, Solflara rolled free of the canyon and into open air.
Alaire fumbled for her breathbind reliquary and took a deep inhale, relief flooding her chest—followed quickly by mortification.
She was supposed to be Solflara’s rider, yet here she was, useless.
Absolutely fucking useless when she needs me most. She dragged a hand down her face. What if this costs us the trial?
“ Are you alright ?”
“ Thanks to you . I shouldn’t have … my body couldn’t …”
“ There is no need to explain . I chose you , knowing exactly who you are , Alaire . We lift each other up in times of hardship .”
Alaire bit her lip but managed a nod. “ I’m not good at feeling so helpless .”
“ True strength is not about never faltering . It’s about rising again when you do . You are a Vallorian . We rise .”
Alaire sent a wave of gratitude down their bond.
“ And what is that saying you and Kaia use ? Teamwork makes the dream work . Awful — but applicable here .”
“ Now let’s finally singe these suckers. ”
“ With pleasure .”
Solflara dove into three half-loops, then cut sharp zigzags, her rapid maneuvers throwing the constructs that had survived the canyon into chaos. They regrouped, pressing in as one massive swarm.
Her body vibrated with tension as power coiled within her. The air crackled, charged with heat. When the constructs surrounded them in their final push, Solflara unleashed.
A wall of fire detonated outward.
Protected within the translucent blaze, Alaire braced as waves of heat rolled over her, the air itself burning. Holy gods . The swarm disintegrated, their shadowy forms erased in the inferno. Nothing remained but smoke and scorched earth.
This was what they were capable of together.
This was why they would win.
“ I can’t believe you can do that . So cool .”
“ Told you all the praise had merit .” Solflara dimmed her flames to a subtle glow, letting out a proud chirp.
Adrenaline sang in Alaire’s veins as she gazed at the scorched sky. The night stretched ahead—vast, untamed, and theirs.
The Silver Plains stretched before them like something out of a dream—rolling hills and pockets of trees blanketed in silver-hued grass.
The high of their earlier victory collapsed into bone-deep exhaustion. Solflara’s wingbeats slowed as they took advantage of the brief respite from the constructs. Every muscle in Alaire’s body screamed with each movement.
The plains stretched endlessly in every direction, deceptively vast. Ahead, the sky darkened. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach as thunder rumbled across the distance. Solflara picked up speed. The quicker they crossed this storm, the better.
The sky cracked open, unleashing a deluge that hammered her skin.
Water sluiced down her neck, soaking through the layers beneath her leathers.
The magical barrier shielded her eyes from the wind, but not from the flood of rain.
She tried shielding her face with her hands, but the force gave her no respite.
Solflara let out a distressed cry, wings flaring as she shook off water.
“ You alright ?” Alaire pressed her hand through the wet feathers.
“ Fine .”
Alaire bit her lip, unconvinced. Lightning illuminated the storm ahead—swirling clouds, columns of air twisting toward the earth. House Aetheris and House Arculum’s handiwork, no doubt.
Solflara banked hard, straining against the gale. Lightning split the sky in blinding bursts. Then came the screech—sharp, pained.
“Soflara!” Alaire cried.
The phoenix’s beak dipped toward a singed feather, throwing them into a violent freefall. Solflara strained to right herself, but pain bled down the bond, raw and staggering.
Alaire’s decision was instant. She slid down Solflara’s slick feathers, clinging tight as the storm battered her—one hand in front of the other, slow and steady, her breath shallow and ragged.
Thunder boomed overhead, the wind threatening to tear her loose.
Her thighs and calves clamped around Solflara’s body, anchoring her as her hands slipped on wet feathers.
Every jolt wrenched her stomach, but she refused to let go.
“ What are you doing ? Get back in your seat !”
“ Absolutely not .” Her teeth clenched. “ You’re hurt .”
“ I’ll be fine .”
“ We lift each other up in times of hardship . Remember.”
A reluctant huff shuddered through the bond. “ Be . Careful .”
Don’t look down. Just move.
Solflara’s wings thrashed against the storm, each beat reverberating through Alaire’s body. Her fingers were numb, knuckles aching from gripping so tightly. Fear gnawed at her, but determination blazed hotter. They’d come too far to falter now.
At the base of the charred feather, she froze. Relief surged through her—already, a pale purple feather budded where the ruined one had been. Still, several twisted feathers knotted together, hindering Solflara’s range of movement.
“Come on, come on…” Alaire muttered, working furiously. “Almost got it.”
Her thighs burned as she stabilized herself, hands moving deftly through the feathers. She paused now and then, flexing her fingers against the cold despite Solflara’s attempts to keep them warm with faint heat. With each feather freed, Solflara’s flight steadied, their rhythm slowly returning.
Gratitude rippled down the bond.
Alaire’s legs trembled as she climbed back toward her seat.
Solflara guided her with subtle shifts, keeping her steady until she collapsed into her seat.
The storm still churned around them, but Solflara’s movements were once again assured—confident.
A shrill note of thanks burst from the phoenix’s throat.
Lightning flashed in jagged spears. Gods, she was bone-tired. Every muscle screamed, every drop of rain stung like needles. Her lungs burned with each inhale of frigid air, her stomach hollow with hunger. Still, she smiled. Pain and hunger—old companions. Better to focus on them than on fear.
She let the pain sharpen her, cling to her, root her here.
Professor Ross’s words echoed: You must win the trial. Your very survival at the academy depends on it.
They had to win.
As they broke through the last of the storm, Solflara’s flames surged back to full strength, golden light blazing against the night, chasing away lingering shadows. A triumphant stream of fire cut through the sky. Ahead, Alaire spotted one final checkpoint.
They’d made it.
But Solflara banked sharply, veering toward a hollow in the ground.
“ What are you doing ? The finish line’s that way .” Alaire jabbed a finger ahead. “ I’m beyond ready for this to be over .”
“ Look at the silver grass .”
“ It’s beautiful and all , but I’d prefer food and a bath .”
“ Open your eyes .”
Solflara dove closer.
Alaire’s breath caught. Dark crimson stained the silver grass below. Her stomach lurched as she dismounted, the metallic tang of blood thick in the air.
At the edge of the hollow lay a body curled in on itself, hands clasped over their head. Blood pooled beneath them.
Her gaze locked on a single auburn corkscrew curl spilling from between their fingers.
Kaia .