Allyra opened her mouth to deliver a caustic retort, but none came to mind readily. She still hadn’t mastered the art of the quick comeback. Luckily Jason’s attention was focused on Eva and he missed her impression of a gaping fish.
“Ally.”
A much more familiar voice entered the fray. Jamie was wearing an easy smile, his hand stretched out for her. Instinctively, Allyra reached back to Jamie, allowing him to pull her out the chair.
Jamie extracted her gracefully from the fray, all the while maintaining a carefree smile. Eva was so fixated on Jason that she didn’t notice Allyra’s exit, but Jason looked up and watched her leave with an intensity that sent uncomfortable shivers spiraling down her spine.
Once they were out of earshot, she turned to Jamie. “Eva? What is she doing here?”
Jamie glanced over her shoulder at Eva, and he shook his head helplessly. “I don’t know. But we can’t trust her – she’s sleeping with Marcus.”
Allyra just about choked on her own tongue. “What?”
Jamie smiled mischievously and Allyra was instantly transported to their childhood, sharing guilty secrets together.
“That was my exact reaction.” He said with a laugh, and then sobered quickly. “But she didn’t come into our lives by some twist of fate, it was orchestrated, I just haven’t figured why.”
Her heart constricted tightly in her chest and a hollow ache spread through her. She tightened her fingers around Jamie’s hand, suddenly more afraid than she’d ever been. “Why is this happening?” She whispered, her breath hitching. “What do they want with us?”
Jamie drew her into a hug, his fingers tangling in her hair at the nape of her neck. “I don’t know.” He murmured. “But we’ll get through it together.”
Chapter 22 – Allyra
After approximately an hour, the Cleaner re-entered and called for the Atmospherics join him. Allyra’s heart leapt uncomfortably in her throat, but she got to her feet steadily.
The girl with pink hair also made her way forward. Allyra moved to follow, with Jamie’s whispered words of luck trailing behind her. They were said so softly that she heard them only because the sound of his voice was so well known to her.
The Great Hall was filled with people, but an unnatural silence fell upon them as she walked up the long aisle toward the dais where Marcus sat, along with the rest of the Council. Anticipation and excitement was thick in the air and Allyra felt it wrap around her, more tangible and heavier than the feather light cloak she wore.
Marcus stood as they came to a halt in front of the dais, addressing them directly. “The First Test will determine whether you are worthy of competing within the Elemental Trials. Pass it and you shall be allowed to participate, fail it, and your journey ends tonight.”
He paused and allowed the weight of his words to take hold. There was power in this pause; it allowed a thread of solemnness to weave amongst the excitement and anticipation.
“For the Air Element the test today is simple. Your task is to maintain the flame of the candle for a full five minutes. Other Atmospherics will work against you, in an attempt to put out the flame. As per the existing rules – a participant will only be tested by members of their own Element, as such only a single Element will be in play at any time. Do you understand?”
Allyra nodded, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the other girl also nod her understanding. The Cleaner held out a cloth bag and explained that the highest number would go first. Allyra reached into the bag and pulled out a tile and she handed it to the man who held it up for the crowd to see; it read two. The other girl picked a tile with the number one on it and Allyra prepared herself to go first.
She remained standing in front of the table with the candle while the pink haired girl was led out a side door. Once the door closed, Marcus nodded at her, indicating for her to begin. Allyra turned around and reached for the hood, allowing it to fall back onto her shoulders. She felt the eyes of the crowd on her, drinking in her appearance, seeing the magical, ethereal creature she’d seen reflected in the mirror.
Jamie had schooled her on what to say. She raised her chin and announced; her voice loud, clear and steady. “Allyra Warden, daughter of Samuel Warden, Atmospheric.”
Audible gasps followed her announcement, as the crowd realized her identity and with it, what was as stake for her.
She steadied her breathing and closed her eyes, reaching within herself into the core of her power. It was just as Alex had described it, warm and glowing, pulsing with energy. And better still, despite all her fears, the core of her power was considerable in size. It calmed her nerves knowing that, as long as she was able to control her Gift, she would be a formidable opponent for anyone here.
Keeping her eyes closed, the world changed into a tapestry a color: red, blue, green and yellow all woven together in a complex and endless pattern. The red thread of the candle flame was bright and strong. But she resisted the temptation to interfere with it, reaching instead for the pale yellow ones, the ones that formed the air around the candle.
Her mind worked quickly. The problem was simple – keep the flame alive. The easiest course of action would be to create a box around the candle – keeping out any errant gusts of air the other Atmospherics might create. The smaller the box, the easier it would be to control. She’d already lost control of her Gift once, but only Jamie had been privy to it. If she lost control now, it would be in front of an entire audience and it might just cost her life. Control would be tantamount, but the scientist in her realized that
