“Let’s get one thing very clear,” the wizened, white haired Major calls out, his voice carrying a certain authority despite his withered appearance, “You all may have been chosen, and you may have made it to our sacred school, but you are not yet apart of the honor that is Etari.”

  Major Fraith stands at the center of the stage, addressing the first years, most of the staff and students having already been dismissed. Only ten instructors remain in the now eerily silent room, each wearing shades of grey with colorful pins and badges that show just how long they’ve been a part of Leiyetta’s army.

  “While you are here, no matter how short of a time, you will respect our rules. You will hold yourself with dignity. And more than anything, you will not tell another soul of what is to come.” His pause is enough for my heart to clench, the room now holding a collective breath.

  “Etari is a mystery that the rest of Everneza wish to uncover. They want to know our secrets, and it is more important now than ever before that we do not reveal such information. Everneza is dying. The magic is fading. And it is up to us to stop it from happening.”

  The room falls so silent you can almost hear a shared heart, each soul in tune with one another, each recognizing this sacred obligation. It is true, what he speaks of. It is well known that the other countries of Everneza have been stealing magic from Savinel Erom, destroying the balance to bring more power to their thrones. It is why so many in Leiyetta have dedicated themselves to fighting against these terrors, why more and more children do not return home.

  “Keeping that in mind,” the Major grunts under a thick, bushy moustache, “It is essential that you all understand what is expected of you here. As I am sure you well know, at the end of the year, the choosing ceremony will declare which House you will spend your remaining three years in. This House will mean more to you than any relationships you make in your first year. Your House will stay with you if you graduate, and will lead you to your service.”

  “What House you end up in depends on your skills, but more importantly, on who you are. And while there is little you can do to influence which House and class you will be placed into, it is vital that you all work as hard as you can to prepare yourself for whatever follows.”

  “This year will not be easy. It is not meant to be. For none of your service will, and until we put an end to this rot sweeping across our land, life will never be easy.” Major Fraith looks around the group slowly, assessing each with his cracked monocle, his mouth tight with displeasure, “We will do our best to teach you to swim, but it is what you do with our lessons that will keep you from drowning.”

  It seems as if a frigid wind has swept in, by the goosebumps prickling at my skin. Some of the students have gone wobbly, others look set and determined. I can only imagine what I look like, likely shaken and entirely unsure.

  “Now, we will divide you into groups. These groups will be your family until you reach the choosing ceremony, as with the instructor, who will teach your group alone. It is crucial for you to make bonds with one another, there will be no other way through this year. What you will be asked to do requires teamwork, and most importantly, trust.”

  I swallow heavily. If Alec is in my group…gods help me, I know I’ll be dead by morning.

  The Major goes on to call out groups, and students stand as he does. At the end of each list, holding twenty students a piece, they take off with their instructor, and into the shadowed hall. Less than forty of us now remain, including all of Alec’s gang.

  “In Moonridge, students Blackhorn, Casanova, Elue, Fangera,” my heart stops at my own name, smothering out the others. At least I’ll be with Ryker, even if- “Nightawk, Thornbern, Thornbern, and Zepisky, follow after Sergeant Pineherth for your next instructions.”

  My heart unclenches at our gathered group. Some of the names called are not here, the two missing students presumably still climbing or otherwise searching for the door. But it does not matter to me, not when I made it with the boys, and we didn’t have to suffer with any of Alec’s brutes. Feeling more relieved than I have since the Major stood for his speech, our group follows after the Sergeant, and into the open hall.

  The hall is very large, with a sky high ceiling, and walls lined with crackling torches. There are tapestries and paintings, and most of all weapons, with worn rugs sprawling at our feet. Surprisingly, the castle is decorated quite well, with a collection of items that start well before my time, when Etari was just beginning.

  My footsteps are silent as the Sergeant leads us to the dungeons, winding down halls I do my best to memorize, with identifying markers all along the way. First years reside in the deepest levels of the school, where not even a glimmer of light will reach our chambers. Each group is housed in the same massive room, but lessons will be taught separately.

  After travelling so deep into the ground that the walls have changed composition, the Sergeant at last comes to a stop in front of a massive, steel door. She turns to us, her face blank and dull red hair pulled into a tight bun, and gestures behind her.

  “This will be your quarters. While it is not required, it is highly recommended you choose to sleep near your fellow group members. They will provide protection that the others will not. And while we do not condone killing within the bunk room, it is not an abnormality.”

  She looks at us seriously, her deep, brown eyes cold and bleak, “Now, I suggest you all get to sleep. We do not lie around here, so do not expect any coddling. I am not your mother, and you are not children. Understood?”

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  We grunt our agreement, some of the more eager nodding enthusiastically, a whisper of yes, Sergeant on their lips.

  “Good. Clothing is at the back shelves, get to it before the others clean out the stocks, then find yourself a bed. I will see you tomorrow, at five o’clock sharp. If you are not here, you will be left, and punishment will follow when you are found.”

  She pries the door open, and we all hustle inside, making a beeline to the back wall, where a ginormous, wooden dresser stands smothered by a mess of thrown fabrics.

  All of the clothes are the same shade of charcoal grey, though in different sizes and styles. Ryker has the hardest time finding clothes that will fit, eventually resorting to a ribbed tank and linen pants. Kieran opts for a long sleeve top, and a sash with spots for many knives. I go for flowing pants, with pockets all over and in every size. My top is similar to Kierans, but the neckline cuts lower, and it crops at my bony waist, exposing mangled scars. The sight makes me frown, but there is nothing to be done. Everything else was far too large.

  After we have chosen, we wind to where the rest of our group has begun to introduce themselves, shaking hands and deciding their beds. There will be three to a bunk, which is a relief. At least I know who I will be put with.

  “I can take the top,” I offer, craning my neck to the third bunk, which nearly brushes the ceiling.

  “Better you than me,” Ryker winces, throwing his new clothing onto the bottom bed before looking back at Kieran, “Unless you want it to break.” He glances up at the second.

  Kieran’s mouth twitches as he mutters, “It would be rather funny.”

  The Thornbern twins chose the bunk tower next to our own, their third a loud and funny girl with long, black braids and sparkling skin.

  I look around and find that most have begun to strip their clothes, tossing them into the roaring fire which sparks in the center of the room. The rest of the dorm hall is quite bare, the only part of the castle without decorations. The walls are black, as much as the floor, which is not smooth but rather cracked, making quite the eye sore. The bunks each hold a thin mattress, with grey comforters and a single pillow, and a tall, metal ladder that could scrape the clouds.

  I swallow heavily as I realize the lack of privacy. I am not used to being this intimate, least of all around people my same age.

  Deciding to just get it over with, I frantically strip my clothes, grateful for the boys who have turned their backs. Quicker than I could have hoped, I am once again clothed, with Dax’s knife tucked into the secret slot in my top, the perfect place should I need it in haste. I pin the token to my chest, securing it tight, as if I expect someone to demand proof of my enrollment.

  Just as I reach for a rung on the ladder, a sharp voice rings through the room.

  “Well, well,” Alec Ambrathi strides to our group, his gang of brutes at his heels, “So good, putting a face to a name.” He sneers, his sharp, blue eyes filled with eager taunting.

  “Fangera,” he looks me up and down, his face scrunched with distaste, “I’d wondered what the Colonel’s son would look like. It’s safe to say I’m disappointed.”

  His brutes chorus into laughter, all expect the raven, who simply looks bored.

  “We all heard that the Colonel’s heir would be attending,” Alec continues, and I feel every hair on my neck stand on end, “How could we not, when it was your father that led to the fall of Rakile.”

  A hush falls over the room, and the realization of so many eyes planted on mine has me stepping backwards, stumbling into Ryker, who stands still as stone.

  “What do you want, Ambaby.” He spits, earning himself a smudge of nervous laughter from our group, “Here to make a bigger fool of yourself? Was the Colonel not enough for you?”

  Alec straightens at the retort, his group bearing teeth and flexing menacingly, “What did you say to me?”

  “Are you deaf as well as blind?” Ryker pushes in front of me, stepping up to Alec, who has suddenly realized the drastic difference in height, “Or are you only here to whine?”

  Alec flushes but does not yield, and soon smoothes his face to a cocky sneer, “I only came to give Fangera a welcome.” He turns to me, scoffing with disgust, “Your father is the reason our families are dead. I’d planned to kill his son for it, but seeing as the fates have done the job for me, I suppose I’ve a new target instead.”

  My eyes widen but I can’t find it in me to move, almost as if I have been glued to the floor. I know well that father’s failure resulted in a large loss. How could I not, when he was nearly met with the same end. But it is strange, to not know the Ambrathi name, when the failure has clearly stolen so much from them.

  Ryker stands firmly in front of me, and even Kieran has taken his place. Alec looks between them, something strange crossing his features, before looking back to me, his eyes flickering with the same promise as his previous glare,

  “Your guard dogs won’t be here forever, Fangera. And trust me, I intend to play.”

  With that, he turns heel, and strides to another crop of beds, sprawling on the one closest to the floor, his pack surrounding him with a new wave of hatred.

  At last free of his presence, I take a deep breath, but the tension is still coiled tight around my spine. I should have expected that some may feel this way. My fathers loss was felt by many, especially in the White’s. It is his fault so many died, one wrong decision having changed his whole life.

  Ryker turns back around, gathering our forgotten clothes from the ground, and gestures for me to follow him to the fire.

  Swallowing heavily as he tips our belongings into the sweltering flames, I sputter out, “Thanks. Without you, I…”

  “Nah, don’t worry,” Ryker smiles genuinely, bumping my shoulder with his, “Ambaby will get over it. He’s just mad from before, that’s all.”

  I nod my agreement but know without doubt that there is more to his desire than just our besting him. And though Ryker may deny it, I know he does too. Alec will not relent, nor will he allow me a moment of peace while we both walk these halls, no matter what I do.

  “Besides,” Ryker continues, as he slides onto his bed, unlacing dirt caked boots, “We stick together, right?”

  “Right,” I smile hesitantly.

  He looks at Kieran, who watches the room, leaning casually against our bunks' ladder.

  “Right?”

  Kieran snaps back, seeming somewhat shocked to be addressed, and raises his hand in mock oath, “Right.”