“A-Awesome,” Tipp whispered, grinning widely.
Beyond the door lay a staircase cut out of the ground itself, this one again traveling downward, but at a much steeper incline. There were no luminium beacons ahead, the path swallowed into blackness, but no one seemed the slightest bit perturbed, with Mirryn, Jaren, and Caldon all reaching for wooden torches that rested in a basket next to the door. At a wave of Jaren’s hand, the torches ignited into three bright flames, flooding the staircase with light.
Kiva repressed her apprehension and followed the group downward. Her thighs were screaming by the time they reached the bottom and entered a damp, earthy-smelling chamber, the burn from her morning exercise making itself known all over again. It only vanished when, with another wave of Jaren’s hand, fire shot around the chamber and ignited multiple sconces affixed to the stone walls, revealing a space that took Kiva’s breath away.
Before her lay a massive underground river cavern. Rich limestone walls rose high above her head, with long stalactites drooping lazily downward and chubby stalagmites climbing upward from the rocky ground. In the middle of the hollow expanse rested a pool of turquoise water that snaked around a bend and out of sight, the surface still but for a gentle lapping at the craggy edges.
“Whoa!” Tipp breathed as he looked around the cave.
“Welcome to our training space,” Caldon said, with a flourishing wave of his arm.
“Training for what?” Kiva asked, though she was beginning to guess.
“For our magic,” Princess Mirryn answered, confirming Kiva’s suspicions.
Jaren placed his flaming torch into an empty sconce and approached Kiva. Making a visible effort to shake off his feelings about the upcoming council meeting, he explained, “Most people assume that since we were born with magic, we automatically know how to use it. And that’s partly true. I told you last night that it’s like another limb, wholly ingrained into who we are. But in that same way, it’s also like a muscle. And like any muscle, we need to strengthen it.” He indicated the cavern and went on, “To do that, we need a safe space, hidden from the public.” He shuffled his feet. “Or I do, anyway.”
Kiva’s eyes widened with understanding. Only a handful of people knew that Jaren could control all four elements, so of course he would have to practice in secret. A quiet voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she, too, had magic that worked like a muscle, something she needed to use, stretch, grow, but she ignored the voice, refocusing on Jaren when he turned to Tipp and leaned down until they were eye to eye.
“You’re about to see some things, and I need to know you won’t tell anyone,” he said seriously. “I said earlier that I trust you. Was I right?”
More solemn than Kiva had ever seen him, Tipp nodded and said, “I swear it, J-Jaren. You can c-c-count on me.”
“Good man,” Jaren said, squeezing Tipp’s shoulder. He then stepped closer to Kiva and removed the snowblossom from behind his ear, gently transferring it to hers and saying, “Mind this for me, will you? It’s precious.”
The way he looked at her made her think he wasn’t talking about the flower. His thumb brushed her cheek in the softest of touches — just enough to make her legs wobble — and then he turned and strode deeper into the cavern toward the water’s edge.
Without a word, Mirryn, Ariana, and Caldon set off after him, Oriel doing the same but only once he’d shifted the still dozing Flox into Kiva’s arms.
Looking down at the softly snoring creature, Kiva shook her head with confusion and moved to follow the royals, but Naari held her back.
“Best we keep our distance,” the guard said, motioning to a large flat stone that jutted out in a slight overhang and looked straight down the mild slope to the river.
Taking a seat between Naari and Tipp, Kiva remained silent as she waited to see what was about to unfold. Even Tipp was unusually quiet, though Kiva could feel him buzzing with excitement beside her.
Combing her fingers through Flox’s soft coat — and earning a sleepy sound of contentment in response — Kiva found that her pulse was picking up speed, anticipation flooding her veins. She had no idea what she was about to witness, but she had a feeling it was something very few people would ever get to experience.
Down at the riverbank, Jaren’s back was to the water, his mother, sister, brother, and cousin all facing him, but keeping a large distance from each other. It was only seeing them standing in such a way that prompted Kiva to realize what they represented. Ariana had control over water magic, Mirryn’s strongest power was wind, Oriel was an earth elemental, and Caldon, being born to the Vallentis line through his mother’s side, had an affinity toward fire magic.