Starrlings 1: House of Fire

chapter 29

A R I

After tailing the prince and princess of Kakaio to breakfast, and then following the princess to her first class, Ari needed to run to make it in time for her own first lesson of the day. It was her least favourite class.

Practical Application of Winter Magic was a class for the winter starrlings to learn how to use their magic, and Ari had never been good at magic. She loved learning the theoretical concepts, the history, and the rules. She knew the laws of magic more than most people in her grade. But when it came to creating ice and snow and cold, Ari found her theory didn't lend itself to skill.

The second year winter students had been split into three cohorts, and Ari was unsurprised to find herself in the bottom class, with fifteen other students who were lacking skills like she was. Their first lesson was in the gardens of the House of Winter, and overseen by Master Dahlberg, and his kinnwolf, a ferocious reddish wolf with brown feathered wings.

"Those with kinnwolves may release them into the garden for this lesson," Master Dahlberg called out, and about half of the students then spent ten minutes to find their wolf in the kinnhouses and lead them into the garden, while Ari stood as far back as she could, watching.

Most of the students attending Hilverton College came from wealthy families who could afford to purchase their darling children a kinnling companion when they were small children. A lot of the winter starrlings had grown up in huge houses in the countryside with at least four wolves in the house, and were very used to them. Those that couldn't afford kinnwolves, like Ari's fellow wards, often needed to save for years before they could purchase their own kinnling, and even then, they would find themselves rejected from the waitlists of the most elite breeders, and would instead have to buy from the shadier dealers.

While any starrling could perform some level of magic, it took a bond with a kinnling to create true power.

When the students were assembled with their kinnwolves, Master Dahlberg stepped forward. "Our first exercise is a warm up. I want you all to create small snow flurries. Concentrate your flurry only within the reach of your arms."

Ari took another step back, so that she was at the very back of the class, almost stepping into the flower beds. She raised her hands and then glanced around at the other students.

Those who had wolves were already creating flurries.

Ari thought very hard about the theory. Creating snow was a matter of forming tiny ice crystals in the air. There was a delicate balance between forming the snowflakes and then allowing them to drop before they turned into large shards of ice.

She'd read the theory, and she understood how snow was formed, but her power was temperamental at best. Either she could produce big clumpy chunks of ice and mush from the air, or she produced nothing.

If she had a kinnwolf, her power would be stronger. But even some of the other students without kinnwolves could create calm flurries of snow around themselves. Ari knew, after a year of attending Hilverton, that her ability to perform magic just wasn't very good.

Ari focused everything in her body in producing soft delicate snowflakes, like her classmates.

A rush of powdery white ice exploded around her, turning to mush and water and drenching the three students nearest her.

"Sorry!" Ari cried out.

One of the girls just gave Ari a vile look and moved further away, but the other girl and boy turned around and recognised her.

"Oh hello, Ari," the boy said. "I haven't seen you around in a while. I was beginning to think you were one of the kids who didn't come back."

Ari recognised the boy as Kris, a blonde-haired ward who had worked in the kitchens with Ari last year. The girl was Linn, equally as blonde, and a fellow ward who worked in the kinnhouses. Linn gave her a smile and a wave, and then proceeded to make a decent amount of snow.

"What do you mean?" Ari asked.

"Well we haven't seen you in the dormitories," Linn said. "And there's a few wards who haven't returned to school this year."

Ari was surprised to hear that.

"In my dormitory there are two girls missing," Linn said. "And I know of two others. And Kris says his dorm is missing three boys."

"But where are they?" Ari asked.

Kris shrugged. "Probably didn't fancy learning snow magic from Master Dahlberg, and wanted to make their own way in the world. I remember hearing Hanna saying as much last year. I expect she's found work in the city."

Ari accidentally sent forth a jet of icy blizzard, straight at Master Dahlberg, who was caught unawares.

"Alright, enough!" Dahlberg yelled, as he wiped his frozen eyebrows with his sleeve. "In pairs now, to practice blocking your partner's ice thrust."

Linn and Kris were already a pair, so Ari was forced to cross the garden in search of someone else who needed a partner, which meant she couldn't continue their conversation.

She couldn't believe that her fellow wards would give up their opportunity to study at Hilverton College. Yes, it was a gruelling five years of work and study, but the reward at the end would be worth it. And living on the grounds of Hilverton College was much better than any foster home she'd lived in. Why would anyone give this up?

After class, Ari was dripping wet from snow and ice, and she was freezing cold. She ran inside the House of Winter to stand beside the fireplace for five minutes before her next class.

"Why are you all wet?"

Sanna van Dael stood in the entrance to the House of Winter, with a pile of books in her arms.

"Winter Prac," Ari said.

Sanna raised one eyebrow, and then lowered her books to the long wooden table. "Who were you fighting?"

"Myself, mostly," Ari said.

Sanna smiled, and then caught herself. "Well," she said, crossing to the sideboard where a pot of hot tea was waiting. She poured herself a cup, looked over at Ari, and after a moment's thought she poured a second cup, which she brought to Ari.

"Thanks," Ari said.

"You need a better teacher," Sanna said.

"Master Dahlberg's the only Winter Prac teacher," Ari said.

"I know. I mean me."

"You?" Ari asked.

Sanna sipped at her tea.

Ari was confused. "You want to teach me to wield my winter magic?"

Sanna sighed. "You should graciously accept, and thank me. Don't bombard me with questions."

Ari opened her mouth again, and then rethought her question. "Thank you," she said finally.

"Tonight. We'll go down to the meadow," Sanna said.

"I'm supposed to be following the Kaio princess."

"After curfew," Sanna said. She lowered her teacup to the table, and then picked up her books. "You'll be late for class," she said, as she turned and left the house.

Ari stared after her, more confused than ever.

• Author's Note •

cheers, as always, for reading this chaaaapter!

see you next chapter!

elle xx