Laena could be said to be a goddess inside of Wyrmwood Academy, having countless admirers.
But when compared to Nymeria Xylaria, it was like the difference between a real angel and a mortal.
Nymeria was considered the undisputed queen of Wyrmwood Academy as a whole, the rider and magic academy included.
Nymeria walked past Laena and Landon without giving them a glance, her high heels clicking on the polished stone floor.
She walked straight to the high seat that was vacant at the center of the hall's far end.
She pulled off her black leather gloves, throwing them carelessly onto a small table beside the seat.
Next to the seat was a heavy stone hearth, like the ones meant for ceremonial fire.
Nymeria stretched out her hand, her expression was natural.
"Pyra Alaris"
She muttered and immediately, a crackle of fire erupted from her palm, lighting the wood in the hearth.
Nymeria then settled into the high seat, crossing one leg neatly over the other.
Only then did she shift her dark eyes to Laena and Landon.
Landon stepped forward, shielding Laena protectively with his body.
"Laena was telling the truth, Nymeria," Landon stated, his voice was tight but he controlled it. "The Starweaver boy was invited to take the trial early when he was fifteen because his parents were great riders. But he failed then. He didn't make it past two steps into 'The Thousand-Step Ascent.' He is a non-issue."
Nymeria's eyes shifted past Landon to Bram. Bram, knowing the order in her gaze, cleared his throat and turn to Landon.
"He is not a non-issue, Landon and he is not weak." Bram's voice sounded. "Reynold Starweaver took the last four preliminary trials. He earned a 98 93, 89 and 90 respectively."
Hearing it, Landon's eyes widened with a look of unbelievable shock showing on his face. Laena, behind him, gasped.
Bram continued, a taunt now lacing his tone. "Without even taking the first trial, Professor Valerius accepted him into the Academy immediately. Does that sound like a weak person to you?"
Landon struggled to regain his voice. He tightened his jaw. "Are you sure, Bram? Did you mistake the name? Did you confuse him with another candidate?"
Bram let out a sigh. "Do you think I'm a fool, Landon?" He didn't wait for Landon to answer. "The scoreboards are already updated on the Academy's main nexus. Every student who cares to look knows the name: Reynold Starweaver."
Landon was completely knocked off balance, as he clamped his jaw shut.
Laena, however, wasn't ready to accept it. She knew Reynold. She had always been the stronger one and he had always been the weak one, the weak one she had easily beaten every time they sparred back in Terraverde City. How could he now possibly be the highest scorer in the Academy's history?
"That's impossible!" she shouted, pushing past Landon. Her voice in denial. "The Reynold I grew up with could never have pulled that off! He has always been weak!"
All eyes in the room snapped to her.
"The girl is delusional. Sounds like she just lost her meal ticket," a nasty, low voice from the corner scoffed.
"Look at the pampered little dragon rider girl, throwing a tantrum because her weak ex-boyfriend is suddenly better than she is," another nasty voice that clearly belong to a magic user sneered.
Laena gritted her teeth, her cheeks burning with shame.
She was not going to be the fool here, not in front of the Bonded
"Something is wrong!" Laena insisted.
"Maybe the scoreboard is faulty, or the testing array was corrupted! It has to be!"
A young man with silver hair, standing beside Bram, spoke up. "Be careful with your words, Cadet Laena. Those scoreboards are runic and calibrated by the Top Professors of the Magic Academy. Are you indirectly accusing them of incompetence?"
Nymeria's cold voice suddenly sounded through the tension in the hall.. "It does make one wonder."
Her head tilted slightly with a playful look in her eyes. "Someone who failed the physical selection four years ago, but now holds the highest scores in four foundational trials… Do you truly think he is so weak, Laena? Or perhaps," she paused, her cold eyes locking onto Laena, "perhaps he simply didn't want to enter the Academy back then... because of someone?"
Laena dropped her head, her confidence utterly crushed. Her stomach twisted with a mix of anger and maybe, regret.
Could it be? Had Reynold purposely failed his trial four years ago? But why? Because of her?
He had only been pretending all this time because of her?
But this was no time to dwell on old wounds or silly feelings.
Her chance to join The Bonded was now slipping away because of this..
She had to fix this.
Before Laena could open her mouth to beg, Nymeria's voice sounded more like a whip.
"Landon. Laena. Get out."
Laena's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. Get out?
Landon's face turn into a frown. He tried to protest, stepping forward. "Nymeria, please, we just got here! I brought her as a.."
"Do not finish that sentence, Landon," Nymeria commanded. "I told you that your membership to The Bonded does not grant you the right to bore us with your petty dating drama. Now, take your little pet and get out."
The public humiliation made Laena's breath stopped.
Just then, a deep, easy voice sounded from the back of the hall.
"Landon, did you not hear Nymeria?"
Landon's eyes snapped to the voice. He saw his cousin, Cian, leaning against the wall, a half-full glass of amber liquor in his hand. Cian was a magic user.
Landon hurried toward him, dragging a stunned Laena by the wrist..
"Cian, please. Talk to Nymeria. Let her give Laena a chance. I promise, Laena will be useful; this Reynold thing is a non-issue. Just tell her to pardon us.."
Cain took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes lingering on Laena's horrified face before meeting Landon's gaze.
"Just leave, Landon," Cian said flatly, pushing off the wall. "You've already said too much. You won't get a second chance tonight."