The Lion Soul by Amy Sumida
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When Kaelen returned, we made love slowly in his massive bed, with tender touches and locked gazes, as if affirming that what we had was real and no one could take it from us. The next morning, we were both relaxed and content, moving past our trauma. Although the issue with Kaelen's father would remain, we wouldn't let it hurt us any further. Kirran's visit had helped and to be honest, as much as I hated coming between him and his family, it had felt good to see Kaelen stand up for me.
We had breakfast in the garden, then headed to the Academy. The Lion Academy, though regal in appearance, was nothing like the Royal Palace. No footmen stood at the doors to open them for us and the entry hall was clogged with the passage of children and teachers instead of courtiers and servants, making it much louder than the Royal Palace as well. Glass display cases lined the walls and paintings depicting what appeared to be historic scenes of Lion Faeries in grand poses hung above them. No one even noticed that we'd arrived. It was fantastic.
Kaelen stopped one of the passing scholars. “Excuse me, we're looking for Master Vaarda and Mistress Nimalta.”
The man glanced at the huge gem that hung over Kaelen's chest, then inclined his head respectfully. “I'm not sure where they are, Lion Lord, but I can have someone—”
“We're here, Master Harrin,” Vaarda said as he approached us with his wife. “Thank you.”
The man nodded distractedly and hurried off.
“Good morning, my lords,” Vaarda greeted us. “Will you be staying for the lesson, Lion Lord?”
“Yes,” Kaelen said. “Before we get started, the Queen has asked that you and some of your fellow scholars offer an opinion about Rieyu's connection to—”
“Yes, my lord,” Vaarda cut him off with a pointed look around the room. “We've already discussed matters with the Headmaster and several of our more esteemed colleagues, and we believe that although there is a risk that he could use the Lion Valorian as a way past the mists, it is unlikely. Frankly, there would be no point to it for him. Being here gains him nothing.”
“And the Queen was satisfied with this conclusion?” Kaelen asked.
“Yes, though she did request that we teach Rieyu as much as possible, as quickly as possible,” Nimalta said. “So, shall we?” She waved toward a corridor.
We followed the couple down the hallway and around several corners until we entered a classroom. I assumed it was a classroom, though there was only one desk near the door. The left wall held a length of picture windows that gave a view of a grassy courtyard and brought in a vast amount of sunlight. Those golden rays shone off the polished stone floor and glinted off the surface of a large tub of water in a back corner. The opposite corner held a brazier with a stack of firewood nearby and bookshelves ran down the length of the right wall and behind the desk.
“All right, Valorian,” Vaarda said as he closed the door behind us. “First, I should have said this before, but I recommend that you shift daily and practice fighting in your Shirie form.”
I looked at Kaelen.
“We can use the back gardens,” he said.
“Good, now we need to determine which element to start with,” Nimalta said. “Rieyu, do you feel an affinity for any of the elements?”
“Affinity,” I murmured thoughtfully as I looked around the room.
I had been on many journeys over water, but never felt comfortable on a ship, so that left out water. Fire could be used to temper steel and shape swords. As a warrior, I appreciated that, but it also made me nervous. Not fire, then. Earth was grounding, stabilizing, and could grow food to sustain me. I felt connected to it as all living things did, but did I feel an affinity for it? No. That left air. I considered air—the incorporeal element. That which surrounded me constantly and gave me life every second. So unassuming. You could easily forget about air, but without it, we would die. It carried scent, rain, and even fed fire. Air was silently powerful until it wanted you to be known. Then it could tear the world apart. I liked that, and I'd like to think that I embodied some of its aspects. That was an affinity.
“Air,” I said decisively.
“Air?” Kaelen asked in surprise. Then he chuckled. “The Eagle Valorian had an affinity for earth, but the Lion Valorian likes air. I would have thought it would be the other way around.”
“Our beasts have nothing to do with it.” Vaarda shrugged. “We build relationships with the elements, as one would with a person. Those we have an affinity for are the ones we relate to the most. I can see qualities of air inside our valorian; it doesn't surprise me that he has chosen it.”
“Will I be able to fly?” I asked.
“That is the second time you've mentioned flight,” Kaelen noted. “I suppose I should have known that you'd pick air.”
“When was the first?” I asked.
“Back in Stalana, you said it would have been nice to have the wings of a Farungal.”
“Ah, yes.” I nodded. “And you said they'd get in the way.”
“I imagine you would grow accustomed to them,” Nimalta mused. “But no, you won't be able to fly as such.”
“You might be able to hover,” Vaarda added. “Or slow your fall, were you to jump off a cliff.”
“He will not be jumping off any cliffs,” Kaelen growled.
“It was just an example, Lion Lord,” Vaarda said. He smirked before adding, “Please don't attack my mate as the Eagle Lord did.”
“The Eagle Lord attacked you?” I asked Nimalta.
“I was testing the Eagle Valorian with a surprise strike,” Nimalta explained. “The Eagle Lord was understandably upset by it and attempted to defend his valorian. But Aidan didn't need his warlord's help; he defended himself beautifully.”
“And deliciously,” Kaelen said with a chuckle. At my questioning look, he added, “Aidan grew grapevines to block the attack.”
I blinked in surprise. Grapevines?
“Now, Rieyu, shall we try some air magic?” Nimalta asked.
I nodded, then glanced around the classroom.
“Air requires only space,” Vaarda said. He went to the desk and opened a drawer, then held up a feather. “And, perhaps, a little prop to help us track judge your success.”
