Page 3 of Lucent Academy 2: Trinity Awakens
It was only when I was alone that my mind turned back to improper, embarrassing thoughts of my mates.
After the Summoning Ceremony, some of the excitement had worn off. The day after, I had been floating inside a blissful bubble. A few days later, I had awakened with a feeling of doubt.What if it had all been some terrible mistake?Unaware I was doing so, I played with the pendant around my neck, the one my mother had given me before I had left for the Academy. I had promised to keep it safe, and so, I never removed it from my neck. It was supposed to have magical properties, to offer protection.
Now, I was lost in thought, back to the strange dreams I'd been having almost every night. I was finding the idea of three men fighting for my attention more intimidating than romantic. I had known boys before, and had regarded them with a mix of exasperation and curiosity as my body changed and I became a woman. I had only ever kissed one boy and had never thought much about the intricacies of being intimate with a man beyond the normal hand-holding and kissing. I knew how it was supposed to work, but I was woefully inexperienced. I had always imagined having a large family one day, but I hadthought all those things would come naturally once I met a man I wanted to marry.
My mates weren't ordinary men either. They were magical beings, with powers that were still beyond my ability to comprehend.
A frown creased my forehead as I fought against the feelings of insecurity that wanted to overwhelm me this morning. Surely I, Leah Wood, the daughter of a gardener, couldn't be the Trinity, the one who was supposed to stop the entire Void War?
What if Aldric, Caelan, and Vaerath recognize that it had all been a mistake? I've never been with even one man. Let alone three powerful, mysterious beings who were not human, but who were so much more.
What if they regretted answering my summons?
What if they decided to abandon me, and I was left with no mates at all? Would I be forced to return home, humiliated, the shame of my entire town?
Then again, I was feeling rather homesick already. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing. At least I'd be able to return to my parents, my brothers, and my little sister. I was already missing them very much. I wondered if it would be too soon to write home. I had to at least inform them of how the Summoning Ceremony had gone. I recalled my mother's reaction to the news that I was Manaborn. She had cried for days nonstop, knowing I'd have to leave them to attend Lucent Academy for three years, go off to war, and would end up living in one of the Pacted Realms with my mate if I survived. Would hearing that I was the Trinity reassure her or only upset her all over again?
I recalled Vaerath's reassurances after the Summoning Ceremony before the three of them had faded back to their own realms. He had assured me that all three were bonded to me for life. That they would come when I summoned, every time. Caelan and Aldric had reassured me of it, too. I smiled, recalling how sweet they had been, despite their obvious rivalry. Three very different beings of immense power, united under a single will. My will.
A pat on my arm distracted me from these thoughts.
"What's up with you?" Amber asked. "Did you sleep okay? I thought I heard you moaning a few times. Bad dreams?" She leaned over to grab another sweet roll from the mountain of pastries set on the table in front of us.
I didn't really want to share my uncertainties with Amber. She had bonded with a Platinum-Ranked mate from the Pacted Realms. A Phoenix called Pyrrhus, who had made her promises about fire, metal, and the art of creation. Unlike me, she seemed at ease with how the Summoning Ceremony had panned out.
I shook my head and attempted a smile. "Just feeling cooped up, I guess. I wish we could leave the room, at least. What's the point of being in a magical Academy if we're going to be confined to our dormitory all the time?"
Just then, a lovely, plump, grandmotherly lady entered our common room. Ursula pushed a cart in front of her. She was a cleaner and a cook, but I suspected her role was more as a sort of den mother. She had been assigned to our dormitory to bring our food and attend to our needs while we were confined to our rooms. The amused glance she shot me made it clear that she had heard my little rant.
Now, she smiled, and a set of dimples creased her round cheeks. "Ho, ho! Are we feeling a little grumpy this morning?" She winked at Amber as she took our empty plates and placed them on the cart.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Ursula," I said, wondering if she was offended. I hadn't meant to sound so ungrateful. "Really, everything you've been doing for us has been wonderful, but I, well, I..."
"Need to stretch your legs?" She asked and nodded as if she understood before I even had a chance to answer. "Of course. Young women need fresh air and exercise; otherwise, they wilt like flowers. Well, I have some good news. You are allowed to leave the dormitory and explore the castle grounds if you want. Your time of confinement is over, but you should still rest and take it easy these next few days. Save your strength until actual classes start. Your instructors won't be very happy with me if you show up drained and can't perform your spells."
"Oh, wonderful!" Natalie piped up as she jumped up and threw her book down on the chair. The other two girls followed her out the door in an instant, the three of them bickering about what they were going to check out first.
Amber and I quickly helped Ursula gather the rest of the dishes, glasses, and mugs the other three had left scattered across the common room. Despite her insistence that it was her job and that we didn't need to help her, I wasn't comfortable being served, and Amber didn't really seem comfortable with it either. She scowled at the other three women's messiness.
"What would you like to do this morning?" Amber asked after Ursula had left with her cart. "We have all this free time before classes start. I don't know about you, but I hardly ever get achance just to do whatever I want. I was kept pretty busy at home with chores and such. We could go down to the stables and see the horses! They're supposed to be some of the best in the Empire."
Lucent Academy's stables were much larger than any I had seen back in Hartwick. With a chocolate-brown painted roof and deep-red walls, it was a handsome cluster of structures. The smell of hay and horses brought deep nostalgia, reminding me of visits to the Baron's stables.
As we approached, Amber's eyes found a beautiful mare with a honey-colored coat and a snow-white mane and tail grazing near the fence. Amber was clearly in a state of rapture as she bent forward to stroke the mare's neck. The horse snorted loudly and shook her head, then moved closer to the fence, submitting to being petted by both of us.
The horse snorted again, shook her head, and sniffed at me. Amber and I laughed. She was probably looking for a treat, and I vowed to sneak her an apple from the kitchen when we came down next time.
"This one's name is Felicity," one of the stable boys said with a smile before wandering off.
"I'm a little nervous about learning to ride. Do you know how?" I was surprised. Amber was so grounded and easygoing. I had no idea there was any part of being here at the Academy that she was nervous about.
"No. I've seen plenty of horses. The Baron whose grounds we tended kept a few. I knew the stable boy, Ronan. Sometimes, he'd let me pet the new colts. But I never had an opportunity to learn how to ride."
Amber nodded a little sadly. I guessed that our lack of riding skill was only one more way in which the nobly born students would feel superior to students born to lower-class parents like we were. "I've always loved horses. I know how to shoe them, but not how to even get on one. Never thought I'd have to learn how to ride. Not many blacksmiths do."
We fell silent as I stuck out my hand and again touched the horse's beautiful coat on her flank. It gleamed healthily in the sun. All the horses kept by the Academy were very well taken care of. Since not all the students would have been tutored in the art of riding—only the noble born—lessons were given on Saturday mornings. They weren't compulsory, but highly encouraged.
"What's wrong?" Amber asked after a while. "You seem worried despite being out here in all this lovely sunshine."
