“Is this how students are taught now, Matron Olsander?” Nuwin asked, then laughed lightly as he sauntered into the room.
A rush of his magic had my body turning in midair. Blessed Mother. Prince Nuwin was like his brother. He held an air elemental affinity as well.
When I was vertical again, he set me down. My feet touched the floor so lightly it was as though I was weightless. He was that strong. That powerful. But I winced when my burned soles met the hard mat.
“All right then?” the prince asked me, giving me a wink for good measure.
I bit back a cringe, determined not to let anyone see that I was in pain. “Yes. Thanks.”
It was all I could manage. I’d just been burned and had almost fallen to my death. My air elemental affinity had failed me when those electric jolts had skittered through my veins. It was as if the electricity that had been coursing through me was so strong that my magic was condensed.
“What in all the realm happened?” Matron Olsander gave me a shrewd scowl, her cheeks ruddy.
“Um, you tell me.” My hands were still shaking. That plummet through the air had been terrifying. I’d truly thought I was going to die.
“You don’t know?” she demanded.
I shook my head. “I thought I was controlling my air affinity and magical Shield well, but then those electrical sparks began running up my—”
I stopped short when Georgyanna coughed and covered her mouth. Her palm hid her face, but I could have sworn she was concealing a triumphant smile.
I frowned. Did she . . . ? No, she wouldn’t have.
I tilted my head up to the beam. It soared above me, looking like nothing other than a plank of wood. But my magical Shield had been strong. Nothing should have gotten through it, so if Georgyanna had used her electrical affinity to cause those jolts, how had it gotten through my Shield?
It would if she’s stronger than you. That whispered comment drifted through my mind.
I curled my fingers into my palms, not liking at all where my thoughts were tumbling or what they implied.
“Well, explain yourself!” my tutor demanded, and I realized she had no idea what Georgyanna had done.
Georgyanna arched a silver eyebrow at me. She stood solemnly now, but she’d dropped her hand, and her expression was dripping with challenge. Come and get me, it seemed to say.
Nostrils flaring, I inhaled sharply. No. I wouldn’t buy into her petty games and accuse her of something I couldn’t prove. That would only make me look weak and defensive, as though I was looking to blame someone for my failure.
I reminded myself that I was new to my magic. Prince Norivun had told me repeatedly not to mistake strength for winters of practice. I simply didn’t know my magic well enough yet to have controlled my descent as Prince Nuwin had done, and I lacked the expertise to fend off Georgyanna’s attack.
“Well?” Matron Olsander demanded again when I remained silent.
“I can’t explain it. I must have slipped when I felt those . . . sensations,” I finally said.
Matron Olsander sighed. “I didn’t command this room’s magic to do anything electrical.” She tapped her chin. “I shall have to call in one of our casters to recalibrate the room’s offensive magic. It’s been several winters since it’s been properly utilized. Perhaps it’s in need of a few adjustments.”
Huffing, she waved her hand toward the door. “That’s all for today. This shall take me the rest of the afternoon to fix.”
I smiled tightly and gave Georgyanna one last look.
A grin split her delicate features.
Squaring my shoulders, I turned carefully as the males around Georgyanna snickered. Considering the female’s aura was plentiful, I knew she was using her manipulation affinity again, and she apparently didn’t have any problems with playing dirty.
Blessed Mother, she’s truly like Vorl.
My lip curled as I walked toward the door, trying not to limp. It took me a second to realize someone walked right behind me.
I swung around, wincing at the movement, but I was ready to confront whoever followed.
Nuwin held up his hands in surrender. “I come in peace. On the Mother’s honor.”
It was only then I realized I was snarling, and I smoothed whatever feral expression I wore. “Sorry,” I muttered.
“Don’t be. I quite enjoy seeing you look like an angry kitten.”
“A kitten?” When I made a disgruntled face, he laughed. “What are you doing here anyway, my prince?”
We resumed walking toward the door. I could feel the rest of the Trial’s participants watching us, but I didn’t glance back at any of them, not even at Meegana, who’d looked horrified when I’d nearly become splattered brains on the mat. I couldn’t. My heart was still pounding, and I was two seconds away from losing it completely. I’d nearly died.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in the council meeting?” I added distractedly as pain sliced through my soles. I had no idea how badly Georgyanna had burned me, but I prayed my skin wasn’t sloughing off.
“Indeed, but we’re on a break, so I decided to visit the kitchens for a meat pie, but then I heard a shriek so came to investigate. And it’s a good thing I did. You were moments away from landing headfirst on the floor.”
I shuddered. The shriek had come from Meegana. Everything had happened too quickly for me to make a sound.
“Thank you for saving me,” I said quietly when we stepped into the hall. I winced when the nerve endings in my feet prickled.
Nuwin glanced down. “Oh my. You’re injured.”
“It’s all right. I’ll be—”
“Nonsense.” He swept me up in his arms before I could protest. “I consider it a great honor to assist a damsel in distress.”
“But I’m not that in distress. I’m just burned.”
He smiled cheekily. “Play along with it, darling. It does stroke my ego.” His lips split into a grin, and for a moment, his likeness to the crown prince took my breath away.
Shaking myself, I smothered a smile. “Oh, all right, if it pleases you.”
“It does, especially when Nori learns that I got my hands on you.”
I began to snort, but then the hall vanished in a blur of mist and shadows, air and wind.
Nuwin, who could apparently also mistphase, took me to the healing infirmary and promptly asked Murl to assist me.
One potion, two cast spells, and a healing tonic later, I was no longer in pain, and my burned feet were mending. The skin was pink and new, but Murl insisted that by morning I would be fully healed.
“Thank you,” I told Nuwin once we were back in the hall.
He gave a small bow. “Always happy to assist a lady in need.”
My lips twitched as Sandus strode toward us, coming from around the corner. Considering the irritated expression my guard wore, I didn’t think he appreciated our mistphasing within the castle without him.
“Where are you off to now?” I asked the young prince.
He sighed dramatically. “Back to the council meeting. Lord Thisslewater from the Dresher Islands has arrived, which means the next few hours will be sly diplomatic discussions, acting as though we don’t need the Dresher Islands’ help to replenish our food stores while my father grumbles, Lord Crimsonale and Lady Wormiful further their argument for leaving our continent, and other council members share their fears and gripes about the state of our nation.”