I was used to the Archons disliking me as an outsider; they’d generally ignored me. But when we left the class, wariness and distrust had wormed its way in to the reckoning. Dangerous scowls fired in my direction, and as I met each stare, I offered back a peaceful smile. I’d made a name for myself today, and I couldn’t take it back, but I really wasn’t here to make more enemies. It would do me no good.

  Torma was over the moon, slapping me on the shoulder once he caught up. “Look at their faces, Adam! Voice of the under, this is hilarious. It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen them all look so sullen.”

  I shrugged. “I wish I hadn’t done the arm bar, but my attacks weren’t hurting him enough. It was that or a choke hold if I had any chance at beating the big bastard.”

  “I saw your straight right,” he chuckled. “It hurt him a bit, but he took it well.”

  I clenched my fists in frustration. “I’m skilled, and on Earth, I’d be considered fast. Here, I’m not fast enough, and that lack of strength is a serious issue. They’re going to target me in future classes, and if they get smarter, I’m going to be screwed.”

  “Then you need to back on some muscle!”

  “Which means at least one night per cycle and on my free day, I need to fit in some serious resistance training. Do we have a weights room here? I haven’t seen one.”

  Torma laughed again. “Shit on the gym! I’ve got a workout that’ll get those muscles bulging. It’s an old Grunir technique. I’ll take you to the Grunir forge in Irala tomorrow after Strategy. My family owns a stake in it, and I’m well enough liked. They have an apprentice area that’s barely used.”

  I looked down at Torma. “Out of the academy? Are we allowed?”

  He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “It’s not a prison, Adam. Of course we are.”

  I felt a fool for not even having considered it before, but something didn’t seem right. “I’ve never seen any of you leave.”

  “I was out last free day. So was Ressa. We don’t really have much time to get out, if I’m honest. Not if we’re going to make the most of our training here.”

  “Fair enough. I’d quite like to get out of here for a bit.” A brief memory of the city I’d seen from the portal interchange surfaced in my mind, and I felt a little excitement at the thought of walking those streets. “What’s involved in the training?”

  “Pain. Lots of repetition and pain. But I don’t know a better way of increasing strength. We should be able to boost your overall Toughness by a good few points from this alone. It’s something all male Grunir are required to do as part of their early education. Get them ready for the mines and the forges.”

  “Sounds terrifying.” I gripped his bulging shoulder. “But judging by the size of these boulders, I’m willing to give it a go.”

  We were interrupted by Arun. His finger was thrust in my face like he wanted to jab me in the eye. “I won’t forget that. We were supposed to be sparring, but I don’t think you know what that means. So if you’re not playing by the rules, then next time, neither will I.”

  The whole hallway had stopped to watch the interaction. Not just first years but older students as well. All Archons, of course. Funny that my first thought was for Torma getting caught up in this and feeling bad for him.

  I swallowed and raised my hands in a peace gesture. “I was sparring. You have no marks on you.” I pointed to Valda the other Archon I’d sparred. “There are no marks on Valda either. I guarantee if you’d scored any of those power kicks on me that you would have caused a lot more damage than anything I’ve done to you.”

  “Lies. You used every sly trick you know against me, and you’ll pay for it. I don’t care if you’re a member of Garazal. I have friends in high places too.” He looked ready to attack again.

  I took a step back. “Arun. You’re four levels higher than me. You’re half a foot taller, and twice as wide. I can’t stand toe to toe with you.”

  “So you admit it! I am the better fighter?”

  You’re a fucking idiot, I thought, but kept that to myself. “Sure. Whatever you want.” Then I turned away as he preened from my meaningless words.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  Torma and I didn’t speak again until we got to our dorm. Once inside, I leaned against the door and heaved a sigh of relief. Ressa, Yoru and Ellaazi were already here, all lounging on the couches and chatting, though they stopped to look over as we entered.

  Torma was still in great spirits and spoke first, “I can’t wait for evening meal! It’s going to be so awkward!”

  I glowered at him. “For that, I think you can just bring my meal back to the room when you’re done.”

  “What’s wrong?” Ressa asked only a few paces away. I hadn’t even seen her get up.

  I didn’t want to get into it, but predictably, Torma had no such qualms. “Our boy Adam whooped Arun’s ass for him, as well as Valda!”

  Ressa gawped. “You beat them both?”

  “I did, yeah.”

  “How!” she said, eyes sparkling bright with amazement.

  I liked that look in her eyes, so it was with a little annoyance when it was replaced with Ellaazi’s hungry expression as she pushed in front of Ressa’s.

  “We must fight.”

  Ressa moved around her. “Adam and I are training this free day. You can come, but you cannot hog him,” Ressa said, nudging her way back in front of me. “But I still want to know how?”

  “You’re training these two as well?” Torma asked. “So that’s Aeloria, Ressa, and Ellaazi, and then me with strength training. You know how to fill a free day, lad, I’ll give you that.”

  “Aeloria?” Ressa snapped, forgetting her original question.

  I shook my head. “I haven’t agreed to any such thing, though she told the teacher I was training her.”

  Her hands were on her hips now, and she looked furious. “So she just took it on herself to commandeer your free day! Typical. Do you want me to have a word with her?”

  I laughed to break the intensity. “No. Not at all. I’ll deal with it if it comes up again. She ignored me after class, so maybe she just had a little mental break.”

  “Okay, but let me know if you need my help. Now come on. Tell us all what happened in Unarmed Combat. I want to know everything.”

  I sat down with them and gave them the full breakdown before we went for a very uncomfortable dinner. Thankfully, no one bothered us through our meal, and I got out of there as quickly as I could.

  Enchantment class the next morning was no different. I was watched like a hawk as I entered. As we walked to the back of the room, I noticed that Arun was glaring daggers at me. He seemed even angrier than the day before.

  We took our places, and Ellaazi tittered, “You really got under their skin, Adam. It is good to see.”

  The moment she spoke, Master Mornar decided to start the class and slammed a tome down on the table. ”Silence! You’re in my class now, and you will pay attention.”

  He glared at Ellaazi as she spoke, despite the fact that some of the other Archons had still been chatting.

  “Those of you who have mastered the Radiant Glow enchantment, can you please turn to page sixty where we will begin Blissful Breeze. This has been one of my favorite enchantments in the past, it is excellent for gentle cooling and far safer than water or ice enchantments for novices. Please familiarize yourself with the runes required in your notebooks for the first half of the lesson. The second half of the lesson, I expect to see thirty-three Blissful Breeze enchantments. And…”

  His eyes tracked back to Ellaazi and me. “Two Radiant Glow enchantments. It is page 55 for you two. Practice the enchantments for the first half of the lesson, and hopefully, we can get functioning enchantments out of you today.”

  Ellaazi looked down sullenly, pulling out a notepad and leafing through the book. I raised my hand and cleared my throat to get the Master’s attention.

  An irritated frown crossed his face. “Is there a problem, Adam Henshaw?”

  “Not a problem as such, but we both created Radiant Glow last free day, and I feel confident we can move on to the next enchantment without too much difficulty.”

  “I saw your rods. But being able to engrave directly from the book over three hours is not the same as competent engraving.” He eyed Ellaazi. “And from what I’ve seen from you this year, I am not convinced you will ever perfect the art.”

  His arrogance was unbearable, but I pushed down my repulsion of the man and replied calmly, “Both Ellaazi and I worked hard on free day to be able to do this, and I assure you that we’re both ready to carve the Radiant Glow rod.”

  A voice from further down the class shouted up. It was Arun. “You’re full of yourself, Henshaw! Now you and Ellaazi are disrupting the class for the rest of us.”

  Master Mornar turned on him, his expression was one of irritation, but he didn’t stop the student from spouting off further.

  “Do what you’ve been told, or I’ll be making a complaint to the Dean and to my parents that you’re a disruption.”

  Apparently, that threat stepped over the line with Master Mornar. “Silence, Arun. I will decide when interruptions constitute a serious issue in my classes. Everyone get to work.”

  As papers shuffled and pages turned, the Master walked to the back of the classroom and stood in front of Ellaazi and me. “Notebooks out now.”

  We both jumped to obey, opening to a clear page.

  “So you have both practiced, have you?”

  “Yes,” I confirmed. Ellaazi looked like she wanted to curl up and die.

  He tutted at her and then pointed at the enchantment tomes. “Close those.”

  We both did as he asked.

  “Now draw accurately, and neatly draw all of the runes required for a Radiant Glow enchantment rod. If you succeed, you may recreate them on a rod, and if that is successful, then I see no reason for you not to progress onto the Blissful Breeze enchantment. If you fail, you will be back here on your free day to revisit the lesson.”

  Ellaazi side-eyed me as he spoke, her normally stoic face full of horror. Her hand clenched around the pen like it was a raft in a storm.

  I was so focused on her fear, and trying to project calm to her, that I almost missed the Master’s command to begin.