The Gifted competed in The Five Finals in pairs, and since Jason had come second to her in the Elemental Trials, he would form the other half of her pair. This wasn’t news to her—she had known it and prepared for it, fully expecting to watch her back during The Five Finals. She just hadn’t anticipated having to watch her back while she slept.
“I know what you are.”
Those were the last words Jason had said to her after she’d beaten him in the Final Trial. Five words that had a multitude of meanings. None of them good.
Did he know she was an Elemental? Perhaps, but unlikely. That kind of information was worth something, and if Jason knew it, then his mentor, Marcus, the Elemental High Master, would also know it. And if that was the case, then—
Well, then she would’ve been in the dungeons already.
No, Allyra didn’t think that particular secret was out the bag. It was probably something much more prosaic—like she was a liar. At least that was what Allyra liked to tell herself.
Allyra turned to the Cleaners urgently. “There’s got to be some mistake. I’m not sharing a room with him.”
The Cleaners didn’t reply, their blank masks making a farce of her emotions. A mocking laugh floated across the room to her.
“You’re wasting your time trying to get them to talk,” Jason said sarcastically. “You’re wasting even more time trying to get new lodgings. You’ll be seeing a lot of me in the next few months, Allyra, you might as well make peace with it now.”
Allyra scowled at him, filling her look with as much poison as she could muster. However, inwardly, she acknowledged the truth in his words. She didn’t bother trying to argue, turning her back deliberately on him, which only earned her another mocking laugh.
The Cleaners hadn’t reacted to Jason’s words, but one walked past her, and with the barest touch on Allyra’s arm, the Cleaner led her to a wardrobe. It was filled with rows and rows of identical black trousers and black shirts, all lined with silver to indicate her origin from the Elemental College. On each shirt were embroidered four horizontal wavy lines in yellow, identifying her as an Atmospheric.
Next, the Cleaner pointed out a single sheet of paper on the nightstand next to the bed. Allyra picked it up and saw that it was a simple note of welcome. Typed and impersonal, it simply stated that dinner would be served in their room tonight, while training for The Five Finals was scheduled to start the next morning at seven in the Training Room. The wording was polite, but it was easy enough to read between the lines—her prompt attendance was not being requested but demanded. The note ended with Marcus’s scrawled signature.
Allyra nodded her understanding, and having completed their task, the Cleaners retreated quickly through the door, closing it silently behind them, leaving Allyra alone with Jason.
Chapter 4 – Jamie
“Mr. Thiessen.”
Jamie blinked, his vision bleary and unreliable. Memory started to return—Pete, his uncle Sebastian, the Golden Mask. He was in, recruited by the Cleaners. He was also slowly dying of blood loss…
“Mr. Thiessen,” the voice said again.
This time, when Jamie opened his eyes, he could bring the owner of the voice into focus. Slowly the picture swam into focus. The Golden Mask stood over him. Along with four other Cleaners. Which meant Jamie was lying on something soft, staring up at the ceiling.
The Golden Mask nodded to the other Cleaners, and they took up positions around Jamie. One at his head, another on his right, one on his left and finally one at his feet. They stood quietly and then light flared to his left, just on the periphery of his vision. Then, another light, also on his left, but closer to his feet. In short succession, two more lights flared, both on his right. Jamie started to turn his head, trying to get a closer look at the source of the light, but the Cleaner at his head took hold of his head and held it in place.
“Hold still,” she murmured.
A gentle warmth swept over him, and the pain from the spikes retreated, carried away by the smoothing wave of energy. His breathing steadied and lengthened, and he relaxed, almost lulled into slumber.
The four bright lights dimmed, and the Cleaner at his head slumped, held up as the other three Cleaners came and led her away.
“How do you feel?” The Golden Mask asked.
How do I feel?
Jamie rotated his neck and stretched, testing his body. He lifted his arm and looked at the back of his forearm, where he expected to see a gaping wound from the spike driven into him. Instead, all he saw was smooth skin with only a small round scar, only visible if he turned his arm to the light.
“How?” Jamie asked in wonder.
“The Cleaners are more than a fighting army. We are also healers, administrators, teachers, and protectors,” the Golden Mask replied. “Healing requires access to all four Elements. The Elementals were once prized amongst the Gifted, for what they could accomplish. We lost so much in the Betrayal; without the Elementals, the Gifted became weaker. But the Cleaners have always believed in the concept of teamwork, bringing together the four Elements.
“The Earth Element has always been closest to the healing arts, but a Terra without access to the other three Elements cannot bring about true healing. But, join all four Elements together, and the Terra is able to guide the energy into the body and direct it where it needs to go. That’s how your wounds have disappeared.”
Jamie brushed his fingers along
