Morning in the East Wing started with a trumpet blast.Not the normal kind — this one was magical, vibrating through the walls and rattling the glass in the window.
Thalen sat bolt upright in bed, heart pounding. "What was that?"
"Breakfast bell," Finn mumbled from under his blanket. "We have fifteen minutes before the kitchen seals the doors and you starve until lunch. Better move."
Thalen was already moving. His new uniform — dark tunic, black trousers, a sash in deep blue — lay neatly folded on the chair by his bed. He wasn't sure if it had been placed there by magic or by a very stealthy staff member, but he slipped into it quickly.
The common hall was already buzzing when they came down. The smell of bread warm from the oven, spiced porridge, and something smoky and savory made Thalen's stomach growl. The dining hall itself was massive, with long tables stretching beneath a ceiling enchanted to look like the open sky. At the moment, it showed bright morning light… even though outside the windows, the storm clouds still churned.
Students sat grouped by race in some areas: dragonkin with steam rising faintly from their plates, shadow elves in a shaded alcove where the sunlight didn't reach, a cluster of winged Aetherborn perched at a balcony table. Humans seemed scattered everywhere, some mingling, others sticking together.
Finn plopped onto a bench and waved Thalen over. "Rule one: grab food fast. Rule two: don't sit in Cade's spot unless you want to get your face introduced to a wall."
Thalen glanced at the far end of the hall, where Cade lounged like a prince among a small group of dragonkin. One of them noticed Thalen looking and whispered something in Cade's ear. Cade's smile was slow and deliberate.
After breakfast, students streamed toward the main courtyard where a giant stone pillar stood in the center, runes glowing as names appeared on its surface. Finn leaned over Thalen's shoulder, reading the list. "Looks like we're in the same morning classes. Combat Arts first, then Magical History, then Elemental Control. You ready?"
"I'm not sure," Thalen admitted.
"Don't worry," Finn said with a grin. "It'll be fine… probably."
The training hall was a vast circular arena, its floor marked with chalk rings. The instructor, a broad-shouldered woman with a silver eyepatch and an arm made entirely of glowing crystal, barked orders that made even the dragonkin stand straighter. "You will pair up," she announced, "and you will not hold back."
Finn ended up paired with a girl who could turn her skin to stone; Thalen was assigned to Cade.
From the moment the match began, Cade came at him hard. Claws flashed, the air sizzling faintly with heat from his dragonkin bloodline. Thalen dodged, barely avoiding a slash that would have torn his tunic. He didn't know if he was supposed to attack back or just survive.
Cade's smirk widened. "Too slow, storm boy."
Then it happened. Cade lunged, Thalen's instincts screamed — and a burst of invisible force exploded from his chest. Cade was thrown backward as if he'd been struck by a giant's fist, landing hard enough to skid across the chalk lines.
The room went silent. Even the instructor stared.
Thalen's hands trembled. "I… didn't mean—"
"Enough," the instructor said sharply. "Aric, with me."
She marched him out of the arena and into a quiet corridor lined with windows. Outside, the storm still hung over the mountains, but now lightning flickered more often — and it looked uncomfortably close to the Academy. "That power," she said, her voice low. "Where did you learn it?"
"I didn't," Thalen said honestly. "It just… happened."
She studied him for a moment, her crystal arm faintly glowing. "You'll need control. Power without it gets people hurt."
The next bell rang, and she sent him off to Magical History. Thalen spent most of that lesson staring at the maps of old battles, his thoughts drifting back to Cade flying across the arena. Once, he caught Serenya Moonveil, the shadow elf girl, watching him from across the room. She smiled faintly when their eyes met, but it wasn't the kind of smile that said hello. It was the kind that said I know something you don't.
Elemental Control went even worse. The class was supposed to practice summoning small sparks or streams of water. Thalen tried… and ended up splitting the practice stone in half with a surge of raw energy that made the lanterns flicker and the instructor drop his chalk. By the time the final bell rang, whispers were following him down the halls.
When Thalen finally reached the dorm, Finn was waiting with two steaming mugs of tea. "So… you planning to tell me what that was back there?"
"I don't know," Thalen said truthfully, sinking into a chair. "But whatever it is… I think it's getting stronger."
Outside, lightning flashed again, and for the briefest moment, it formed the shape of wings.