Her mind ran through the possibilities. She only knew two Elemental High Masters, and it certainly wasn’t Marcus who’d granted her this privilege—the last thing he’d want was for her to roam around, possibly discovering whatever secret he was trying to hide. Which left only one real solution, and as she looked into Alex’s inscrutable, fathomless blue eyes, Allyra knew it to be the truth. Sometime in this Alex’s future, once he became the Elemental High Master, he would speak her name and grant her this unprecedented access. The Sentinels were unbound by time, and therefore, her name and this privilege had been waiting for her for a hundred and fifty years.
It was the real answer, but she couldn’t share it with Alex. This Alex, who was still haunted by his visions of the future, struggling to come to terms with his powerful Gift and who certainly didn’t trust her yet. He didn’t need the added pressure of knowing he would one day become the Elemental High Master. There was still a spark of youthful exuberance and carefree joy in his eyes, a spark that would be gone by the time he rescued her in the Between. She didn’t want to be the one to extinguish that fire, and she hoped fervently that she wouldn’t have to see the moment it was snuffed out.
“Guess there’s an Elemental High Master out there that likes me,” she replied blithely.
His mouth quirked into a half-smile as he continued to watch her thoughtfully, waiting for a more serious answer. When none were forthcoming, he shrugged gracefully. “So, want to tell me why you are trying to break into the Council Chamber?”
She blushed, embarrassed, but forced the truth out. “I saw you before, in the Council Chamber, watching me. I wanted to find out why.”
The half-smile turned into a real one, lighting up his face. “I’m flattered.”
“Don’t read too much into it. I was also bored and restless.”
His smile turned into a smirk. “In my world, the first answer is the only answer.”
“Selective hearing—never a good trait to admit to.”
He laughed, and she raised her eyebrows at him. “You’re more cheerful than usual,” she said. “Why are you here?”
He grinned. “Come and see.”
He offered his hand to the Sentinels, and once they had performed their check, the two of them walked through the open doors—
Into a celebration.
Applause surrounded her.
The Council Chamber was filled with people, perhaps as many as twenty, all on their feet and applauding.
She glanced at the front of the room, at the dais, and saw the five members of the Council. Four of them were applauding, the fifth accepting their congratulations. But before she could get a better look, the crowd surged forward, obstructing her view.
Alex hung back with her, leaning against the wall, both looking toward the dais.
“What are you celebrating?” she asked.
A genuine smile crept across his face, chasing away the darkness that seemed to cloud him all too often. He’d never looked more handsome, and her heart clenched at seeing him so happy and carefree.
“It’s my brother Thomas. He’s just been chosen as the new High Master of the Terra College, the youngest one ever chosen into the Council.”
She smiled. “You’re proud of him.”
“Yes,” Alex replied simply. “And grateful that I wasn’t born the eldest son. Thomas is much better at living up to my parents’ expectations.”
Allyra turned and looked at him. In time, he would outshine his brother in every way, becoming not only the youngest chosen into the Council but into the lofty mantle of the Elemental High Master.
“Isn’t this what you want?” she asked quietly.
He huffed out a quick laugh. “No,” he said emphatically. “I want to see the world. I want to go to the ends of the Earth and know what true silence sounds like. I want to know if I can truly disappear.”
Allyra wanted to tell him that he burned far too brightly to ever disappear.
“I have to go,” Alex said quietly.
She nodded.
He started to leave before suddenly turning back. “Which Final?”
“The First.”
He hesitated for a moment. “You need to understand your fears. To survive the First Final, you’ll need to understand what it is that makes you afraid.”
He gave her a final, wry smile, then turned, and walked away.
Chapter 11 – Allyra
The redwood trees towered over Allyra, so tall that the tops of them disappeared into the morning fog. She took a deep breath, relishing being in the fresh air after almost a month deep underground at the Training Grounds. It was still winter here at the Terra College, and the air was cool and damp with a wonderful earthy scent.
It was time for the First Final, but Allyra couldn’t help but savor the sudden feeling of freedom. Her heart soared like a bird darting through the treetops, breaking through the wisps of mist and fog. She grinned.
“What are you so happy about?” Jason snapped from beside her. He could always be counted on to put an instant damper on her good mood.
“Would it kill you to take one moment to enjoy our magnificent surroundings?” Allyra retorted sarcastically.
Jason shot her an incredulous stare.
“Obviously not,” Allyra muttered under her breath.
“Get your head in the game,” Jason demanded. “After this, they’re eliminating ten pairs, and trust me, even with our added advantage, we’re not exactly favorites to get through this.”
And as far as she was concerned, the advantage they’d won from the challenge wasn’t much of an advantage at all. They hadn’t been given much information about the First Final beyond the fact that they would have to make it through a huge swath of the redwood forest. All the Competitors would be guided by their
