DRAGONA

Aurelia

I had never seen the Grand Hall of Flames so full.

Banners hung from the vaulted ceiling. Red and silver, deep blue, and gold, each emblazoned with a crest of the old bloodlines. Along the walls, torches burned steadily, never flickering, even though no one ever touched them. They were said to be the first flames ever conjured by the ancestors.

I walked behind my mother, trying not to notice the way people shifted aside to give us a clear path. Some looked up with wide, curious eyes; others lowered their gazes, pretending they hadn't been staring at me at all.

Aric kept his shoulders squared at my side, quiet as ever. His hair was brushed neatly, his uniform immaculate, but he still looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.

When we reached the long registration table, a clerk in deep crimson robes gave a small, practiced bow.

"Lady Ferguson," he murmured to my mother, and then to me: "Miss Aurelia. If you would."

I picked up the iron-tipped stylus and leaned over the massive ledger. The paper was thick and yellowed, each name written in the same delicate, swirling script. My hand didn't tremble as I signed:

Aurelia Ferguson.

The moment the ink dried, a little flicker of heat traveled up my palm, like the book was recognizing me. For a heartbeat, something stirred under my skin, a pressure that didn't feel quite like the fire I knew, but then it was gone.

When I stepped back, Aric moved forward, but the clerk gently touched his arm.

"I'm sorry," he said, with an apologetic little nod. "Manifestation is required to enroll. If your abilities emerge before the trials commence, your name can be added."

Aric swallowed hard. "Right. Of course."

He looked away as another girl approached the ledger, her mother's hand on her shoulder. I wished, for the hundredth time, that there was something I could say to make it easier. But no words came.

We moved aside to stand near the massive stone brazier in the center of the hall, where the Convergence Flame waited to be lit.

It wasn't long before Elira arrived. She wore a pale yellow coat cinched at the waist, her hair glossy and perfectly arranged. Her mother walked just behind her, smiling graciously at everyone they passed.

Our eyes met. Hers sharp and cool, mine steady. She didn't nod or smile. Just turned away, her chin lifted.

I didn't expect anything else.

But when she reached the ledger, she signed her name with a little flourish, then set the stylus down as if she'd won something.

Elira Reynard.

The clerk offered her a murmured congratulation.

Her mother, however, spotted mine almost immediately.

"Lady Ferguson," she called, her voice bright. "How long has it been?"

My mother inclined her head with perfect composure. "Too long, Lady Reynard. I trust your family is well."

"All very well," Lady Reynard said warmly. She turned to me with a gracious nod. "Aurelia, it's been some time."

I forced a polite smile. "Yes, my lady."

For a moment, Elira had no choice but to look at me. Her mouth tightened, but she managed a crisp little bow.

"Good luck in the Trials," she said.

"You as well," I replied, though we both knew neither of us meant it.

Before either mother could prolong the pleasantries, a chime sounded through the hall. The Convergence Flame ceremony was beginning.

All registered candidates stepped in a wide semicircle around the brazier. The flame ignited in an instant, blue-white and almost blinding.

One by one, we were called forward to demonstrate. Some students produced flickering sparks; others conjured illusions or gusts of air.

When my turn came, I lifted my hand and called the fire easily. Bright orange flames danced across my fingers, warm and nice, like it's a part of me. A hush fell.

When I lowered my hand, the flame winked out.

Elira followed, her eyes fixed ahead, and raised both palms. Light shimmered and bent, forming a perfect replica of the Convergence Flame in her hands. The crowd murmured in admiration.

Aric stood behind the line of candidates, watching everything with an expression I couldn't read.

When it was done, the Convergence Flame shrank to a single blue spark.

The Trials were coming.

And no matter how ready I felt, or didn't feel, I was now officially committed