I was perched on an excruciatingly uncomfortable bench outside the rector’s office. Why on earth had he summoned me?
It couldn’t be about my studies. I’d aced all my exams. Summer was just around the corner, and I’d already been assigned a placement for my internship.
Nothing thrilling, mind you—shuffling papers in a magical clerk’s office and stamping documents. Still, for a girl like me, who isn’t from a lineage of mages, even that felt like a small victory.
Yes, I’m just an ordinary person, no better or worse than anyone else. But when I turned twenty-two, a magical gift awakened in me. Who knows why? In our world, that’s a rarity. Magic is usually inherited.
What else could it be? Maybe I forgot to return a library book? But if that were the case, I’d have gotten a reminder by now.
I glanced at the secretary, who was diligently moving stacks of papers from one end of her desk to the other, pretending to be swamped with work. She wasn’t fooling me, though! I’d seen her stash a romance novel in her drawer the moment I walked into the reception area.
I cleared my throat.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Rosanna, do I have to wait much longer?”
She looked up from her desk and replied in a high, thin voice:
“As long as it takes, my dear young lady, as long as it takes. You know how busy the rector is, so just wait!” And with that, she returned to her oh-so-important task.
I gritted my teeth.
The door to the reception area swung open. A tall, lean blond man strode in with a confident gait. Instantly, I felt the urge to jump out the window—never mind that we were on the third floor.
I knew this fair-haired—or rather, fair-eyed—man. Oh yes, you don’t forget a face like that! Sharp, chiseled features, full lips. He could’ve been considered handsome if it weren’t for one peculiar detail.
Picture normal eyes, but instead of a colored iris, there’s just pure white, with only a black rim and pupils. That’s something unique to elves, as my friend Ellie had explained to me.
The stronger an elf’s magical gift, the whiter their iris.
The mage glanced at me, and it was as if I’d been transported back six months. Goosebumps prickled my skin. I felt the cold, the pain, and the metallic tang in the air all over again.
I’d almost managed to bury those memories. Memories of being kidnapped by a megalomaniac mage who drained my magic—thankfully, he didn’t kill me. My classmate Diana wasn’t so lucky; she didn’t survive. And Maggie was left without her magic entirely.
I can’t recall much about my time in captivity, but that didn’t stop this pale ghost from poking around in my head. This Lye, if I remembered his name correctly, was convinced he could extract some information from me.
Elves are incredibly powerful mental mages. They can easily compel a person or mage to do anything. They read memories and sense mental waves with ease.
During the interrogation, I honestly felt I’d rather be kidnapped by that lunatic again than stare into those white eyes and feel my insides twist into knots.
“You’re putting up quite a resistance,” the white-eyed elf had said in a soft, pleasant voice. “Relax, let me see what you’ve seen.”
Just thinking about it makes my hands tremble! Thankfully, he got nothing out of me, and they eventually left me alone.
Mrs. Rosanna practically jumped out of her chair. Quickly smoothing her hair, she chirped in her most welcoming tone:
“Oh, Mr. Balmont! Good morning! The rector is expecting you. I’ll let him know right away!”
I clenched my fists at her blatant favoritism and was about to say something when the blond spoke up:
“Thank you, dear lady, but I’ll wait. I see someone else is already here for the rector,” he said, his gaze sliding over my face, his eyes narrowing. “Miss Flora… Flora Killy, isn’t it? It’s a pleasure to see you again. That dress suits you wonderfully!”
A pleasure to see me? My dress? How did he even remember me?
I wished I could turn invisible. Or was he mocking me? This dress is ancient—once a deep navy, it’s now faded to some indeterminate shade of blue. Plus, I had to magically alter it to fit, and sometimes the seams show.
My cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“Good morning, Chief Investigator,” I replied curtly. That was the only thing I remembered clearly about this mage—his title.
I wasn’t about to thank him for his dubious compliment. Who even compliments a stranger like that?
He studied my face intently. Not again!
“Stop staring at me!” I screamed internally.
“So, young lady, if you don’t mind, I’ll wait until the rector meets with Miss Flora,” he said politely.
The secretary flashed a fawning smile, leapt from her chair, and scurried off to the rector’s office.
The elf sat down beside me. Just what I needed! Couldn’t he have chosen the bench across the room?
“You seem awfully tense, Miss Flora. I assure you, I mean you no harm,” he said in a courteous tone.
Yeah, right, as if I’d believe that!
“I wasn’t thinking anything of the sort!” I snapped irritably.
“Really?” He shifted his unsettling eyes to my hands, still clenched into fists.
I hadn’t even noticed how tightly I was gripping my dress—so hard my knuckles had turned white.
“What’s it to you?” I exploded. “And anyway, couldn’t you sit somewhere farther away?”
It came out harsher than I intended, but I didn’t care.
The blond stood and moved to the bench opposite me. Somehow, that made it worse.
“My apologies if I’ve disturbed you. I always thought sitting on the other end of a bench from a young, sensitive lady wasn’t against the law,” he said with a hint of amusement.
Definitely mocking me!
Thankfully, Mrs. Rosanna returned and invited me to go in.
I’d never been inside the rector’s office before, and I was struck by the ostentatious luxury that surrounded me.
Furniture made of enchanted wood! I’d only ever seen such things in magazine illustrations. A high ceiling adorned with chandeliers shaped like Crygs—winged horses, if you’re unfamiliar. A panoramic window spanning the entire wall. In a word, extravagant!
Was this even legal?
In the basement my faculty had been relegated to, the plaster was peeling in places, and here they had silk wallpaper!
Anger twisted inside me. Today was definitely not my day.
The rector—a short, stout, bearded man who looked about a hundred years old, though I suspected he was far older—scrutinized me with sharp, dark eyes. His name was Olwin Gautier, a master mage and retired military officer.
“Good morning, Miss Flora…” He glanced at a folder on his desk. “Miss Flora Killy. Please, take a seat.”
“Good morning,” I replied, settling into an intricately carved chair.
This undeniably beautiful piece of wooden craftsmanship was even worse than the bench. Probably intentional, to discourage anyone from lingering too long.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve called you here?”
I nodded.
“Well, I have an interesting proposition for you. As I understand it,” Mr. Gautier buried his nose in the papers on his desk again, “you’re set to intern at the magical clerk’s office?”
“That’s right, sir.”
Where was he going with this?
“You see, your faculty is new, and I don’t believe the clerk’s office is the right fit for you.”
I tensed. Yes, the Universal Magic Faculty was established just this year, following a scandal and investigation—partly tied to the madman who kidnapped me. But what did that have to do with anything?
“So, I have a better offer. How would you like to spend the summer in the Elven Kingdom? You’d work in the library-museum in the heart of their capital.” The mage stretched his lips into a smile that looked more like a smirk. “You’d get to see the most beautiful city in the magical world, as they say. So, what do you think?”
What I thought was that this proposal reeked of trouble.
“May I ask a question, sir?”
“Of course.”
“Why me?” I asked bluntly.
“You’re a top student, and this is a great honor. Not every young lady gets an opportunity like this!”
“Really? Then why hasn’t half the academy jumped at the chance? We’ve got plenty of high-achieving aristocrats who’d give anything to mingle with elves!” I was starting to lose my composure.
“Well, aren’t you a sharp one!” He paused for a moment. “Here’s the thing—no one wants to go.”
“Why not?”
“Because elves are the most powerful mental mages, and for many young mages, that’s a problem… But you’re not so vulnerable. I’ve read the reports from your interrogations—you held up remarkably well. And besides, you’re studying here on a scholarship. Let’s not forget that. Frankly, I don’t even need your consent.”
“Are you threatening me?” I felt my magic surge heavily through my veins, sparks flickering from my fingertips.
“Not at all, Miss Flora! I’m merely explaining the situation. You’re old enough to understand that, in your position, you don’t really have a choice. Think about your future. After graduation, an internship with the elves on your record will open doors to truly excellent opportunities. Consider this a favor I’m doing for you.”
I mulled it over. Yes, I’m just a simple girl living with my grandmother in one of the poorest parts of town. My education is free, and who knows, maybe Master Gautier had a point.
“Why does anyone need to go there at all?”
“Oh, that’s simple enough, no mystery here,” he waved a hand dismissively. “We’ve signed an agreement for a student exchange program. This is the first trial run. If all goes well, perhaps more students will go next year.”
“And if it doesn’t go well?”
“Look, Flora, anything could happen. As you rightly pointed out, many of our students dream not of internships with elves, but of elven marriage bands. In that regard, you’re a much safer bet. Forgive my bluntness, but we both know where we stand, don’t we?” The rector cast a pointed look at my dress.
“What happens if I refuse?”
He paused, then stood and walked to the window.
“I’ve already canceled your placement at the clerk’s office, so finding another might prove… challenging,” he shrugged.
I felt like I might burst with rage.
“That’s illegal!”
“Dear Miss Flora Killy, let’s do this—I’ll give you until tomorrow to think it over. If you refuse, you’ll need to find a placement on your own. If you don’t, you’ll be expelled from the academy. No one will bother with such trivial matters.”
The mage stared at me with his piercing black eyes, and I knew there was nothing I could do.
Where would I even go? Sure, I could ask Ellie for help—she’s from an aristocratic family—but I hate asking for favors. Even from a friend. I’ve always relied on myself. I’ve made it to twenty-two without anyone’s help, haven’t I?
Fine, to heck with this rector. Elves it is!
“I’ll do it,” I said coldly.
“Excellent. I knew you were a sensible young woman.”
“But I have a condition.”
“Which is?”
“I’ll need money. I doubt living in the Elven capital comes cheap.”
Mr. Gautier waved a hand, visibly relaxing.
“Don’t worry about that. You’ll receive a monthly stipend. You’ll be staying with an old Hink named Mrs. Shmok.” My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Yes, yes, you’ll get to see what they look like. If you have no further questions, you can start packing. You need to be there in two days. You can’t take a portal, so you’ll cross the desert on the Arrow.”
My head was spinning. Hinks, the Arrow, elves...
“Anything else?” the rector asked, a touch of irritation in his voice.
“They say the capital is enormous. How will I find this Mrs. Shmok?”
“Oh, she’ll meet you at the station, don’t fret!” He glanced at his watch. “Unfortunately, I’m out of time. The Arrow departs from the western station, Frost Hollow, on Tuesday at seven-thirty. Don’t be late! You’ll get travel funds from a Kmykh.”
Kmykhs are what we call the academy’s attendants. Legend has it they were created all at once.
Picture a stone humanoid dressed in a blue velvet suit. Their arms and legs are as thick as tree trunks. A massive head somehow balances eyes, a nose, and a mouth—all crooked and uneven. And the cherry on top? A hat. Still, Kmykhs are incredibly reliable servants and guards.
“Well then, I’ll be going, sir. I won’t say thanks.”
“We’ll talk about that when you return. Farewell, Flora Killy.”
I stood and left for the reception area.
The pale elf was still sitting on the bench, sipping coffee as if at a high-society gathering. His long legs stretched across the small space, practically dividing it in half. I had the sudden urge to give them a good kick.
But noticing me, he rose effortlessly, setting his cup on a tray.
“Mrs. Rosanna, thank you for the excellent coffee,” he said, then turned to me. “Miss Flora, it was a pleasure to see you again!”
With that, the elf strode into Mr. Gautier’s office.
A pleasure to see me! That pale creep!
I stormed out into the hallway and headed to my room. On the way, I picked up the travel money from a Kmykh.
Living with a Hink! That was intriguing. Hinks are a brave and fiercely independent people, famous for literally fighting for their right to live among elves. Elves, generally speaking, aren’t exactly friendly to outsiders, and few can coexist with them.
Long ago, elves roamed in search of new lands and stumbled upon the Hinks on an island. They didn’t think twice before enslaving them and using them as servants.
When the elves finally settled in what is now their kingdom, the Hinks rebelled. They fought so fiercely and valiantly that their former masters had no choice but to grant them freedom and the right to live among them as equals.
Though, according to some books, certain restrictions still apply to Hinks. What the books don’t mention, however, is what they look like.
Well, that just makes it all the more exciting to meet one in person. As much as I love books, they can’t replace real experience.
Back in my room, I found Marta waiting. Short, curvy, with long white curls, she looked like a marshmallow cake and was just as lighthearted and cheerful.
“So, what did that old fossil want?”
I didn’t catch on right away.
“Oh, you mean the rector,” I said with a smirk. “They’re sending me on an internship with the elves.”
My friend’s already large blue eyes widened to the size of saucers.
“What?!”
“Exactly. And I can’t say no.”
As I recounted my conversation with the rector, Marta’s hair practically bristled with anger. See, Marta had one of the strongest magical gifts in our faculty—maybe even the entire academy.
For one, magic that awakens in ordinary people like us is different from the kind inherited by lineage mages. Ours is universal, meaning we can heal a wound or roast an enemy if needed. Of course, it depends on the strength of the gift—mine is average.
Inherited mages are different. Their gift awakens at eighteen, while ours can manifest at any time. Plus, they excel in only one of four magic types: healing, creation, protection, or combat. Based on that, there are four faculties: Healing, Creation, Defense, and Warfare.
Now, they’ve created a department for us too. Before, the best people with gifts could hope for was a special course, after which they’d get a worthless certificate saying they could work as maids or assistants to healers or creators.
But back to my friend—Marta struggles the most with controlling her powers, which leads to all sorts of mishaps. Setting things on fire, blowing up classrooms—sparks from her fingers or her hair standing on end are nothing unusual.
“Listen, we can talk to Ellie! Let her husband or uncle pull some strings with the rector. This is outrageous! And traveling through the desert, full of ancient evil spawn? No wonder the aristocrats aren’t going! Who’d let them?”
Marta stomped her foot, and the window glass cracked.
“Calm down. I’m not asking Ellie or her husband for anything.”
“But why?” she asked, baffled.
“I just don’t want to! Besides, they’re finally on vacation at Lava Island. I’m not about to ruin that. No way!”
“Then I’ll tell her myself!”
“Marta, you know once I’ve made up my mind, that’s it. Maybe the rector’s right. An internship with the elves could help me land a good job in the future.”
“Yeah, if their magic doesn’t fry your brain first!”
“It won’t. Don’t worry.”
Truth be told, I wasn’t so sure about that, but as the saying goes, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
“I leave on Tuesday.”
“Oh, that’s so sad!” Marta whined. “I thought at least you’d stay here with me. Now I’m doomed to spend the whole summer attending classes with Mr. ‘Teaching a human unworthy of magic is beneath my dignity’!” She sighed dramatically.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Marta,” I snorted, pulling out my suitcase. “I doubt Poker will drive you up the wall by summer’s end.”
We nicknamed Master Darkness, who taught dark spells and combat magic basics, “Poker.” Tall, bald, always dressed in black, with big green eyes and an earring—he looked more like a pirate than a professor.
He earned the nickname because anyone who didn’t do their homework had to scrub pokers until they shone. And doing that without magic? Good luck! Where did he even get them? It was pure torture! Try scrubbing centuries of soot off something thin and slippery!
Marta flopped onto her bed.
“By the time you’re back, I’ll need new hands. I can feel it—I’m going to wear mine out scrubbing those stupid pokers!”
“Just do what the professor assigns.”
Marta sat up and threw her hands in the air.
“I try, but it’s hard! And what does he keep saying to me? ‘Nature wasted such a powerful gift on you!’” she mimicked in a deep voice. “‘You should’ve been a man! What do those curls need brains for?’” She bared her teeth. “I could just strangle him!”
“Well, to be fair, no one’s ever heard a compliment from him. Rumor has it he used to teach at the Triune Academy for boys.”
“Wonder why he ended up here, then?”
I shrugged.
The Triune Academy for men got its name from its three faculties: white mages, dark mages, and absolutists—those who wield both kinds of magic.
Located in the capital, it seemed odd that Poker would teach here now.
I didn’t have much to pack, so I was done quickly.
“You’re not staying until Tuesday?” Marta asked, eyeing my suitcase.
“Sorry, friend, but I want to spend a few days with my grandmother. I haven’t seen her in three months. You know she doesn’t like using the crystal, so it’s just letters. I’ve missed her so much!”
“Fair enough. I’ll walk you to the portal, then.”
I nodded. Recently, a portal was installed on academy grounds just for students, making it easier to get home.
“You know, I’m kind of glad I’ll be stuck here all summer,” Marta said, staring at her feet.
“Because of your dad?” I guessed.
“Yeah. I won’t have to deal with all the suitors he keeps pushing on me.”
I chuckled. Marta’s father, a wealthy merchant, dreams of marrying her off to one of his business partners or some other rich man. He refuses to acknowledge that she’s a mage, and humans generally don’t take kindly to mages. Plus, Marta herself hasn’t liked any of them.
“The last one, when Dad mentioned I study magic, nearly jumped off the balcony!” She laughed.
We stopped at the portal—a tall white arch in the middle of an evergreen garden.
“Well, Marta, wish me luck!”
We hugged and stood there for a moment.
“I hope your internship brings you tons of new experiences!”
“And I hope Poker doesn’t work you to death in his dungeon!”
We burst out laughing.
“Alright, bye! Write to me, don’t forget!” Marta shouted as I raised my transition bracelet to the pillar. The passage lit up, and as I stepped forward, I called back:
“Byeee!”
Dear Readers!
Here begins a new story about Lye de Balmont and Flora Killy!
They will embark on a journey full of adventures, though, as always, a happy ending awaits them.
I hope you enjoy it, and for now, here’s a little visualization.
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