Radiance - The Alight Archives Book #1

42. High Autumn Days

It had been a while since last she'd written to her family, but once the messenger hawk appeared at her window that Nymor afternoon, she knew that she couldn't keep them in the dark forever, lest her mother get a panic attack. Gritting her teeth, Elaine stared blankly at the page before her, not a word written on it, and this was because, well, she wasn't certain as to where she should start.

Sitting at her desk, Elaine began to put down her thoughts on paper, only to quickly realize that so much had happened since her last correspondence that she would need more than a single page to cover everything. She picked up her pencil and tapped it on her forehead, trying to recall all the events that had taken place. If nothing else, she wanted to alleviate them of their worries. They were aware of how challenging Glyph Academy could be, just as they knew most students in attendance were of a higher class than herself. 

Her parents always fretted that she might not be able to blend in with the aristocracy, and although it took some time, Elaine liked to think that she had adapted to her new lifestyle. This was a significant change from her rural upbringing. No more was she that humble country girl who got anxious whenever a newcomer came strolling into town. So again, where was she to begin?

But then, Elaine realized that she had not yet mentioned that she did, in fact, have friends, two of whom were nobles. She smiled to herself and picked up her pencil, the tip scratching against the paper as she began transcribing her thoughts. Slowly but surely, lines of text began to fill the upper half of the page. She would go on to elaborate on how her roommate was an expert Medical Mage—Aeris knew they needed a few more of those in Page—as well as she was skilled in Plant Magic. Despite a rocky start in which Elaine had nearly gotten her face bitten off by Gulp the veladora snaptrapper, the two had quickly become close friends. If it were possible, she'd love for Ellend and Liam to meet them as she knew they'd get along well given how naturally kind Fearne was.

Then there was Custas, the fast-talking mage who hailed from the far-off country of Urista. She included how he'd been the one who had helped her attain a wand holster that rested on the table beside her, even if he had to swindle a vendor using his charmspeak to do so—Elaine made sure to exclude that part as it wouldn't make for the best first impression. What's more, Custas was a Summoner, a rarity but never the less an impressive attribute.

Custas once told her that he was Bonded to a total of four spirits, but she'd only ever seen him Summon two: Serpens the Elusive and Felis the Seeker; the latter of which had assisted them both during a test for their first Black Magic Defense lesson. She was eager to see him Summon the others, however, he'd made it clear that he was but only a beginner—much like how Fearne was still a novice Medical Mage—and he would only count on the spirits' powers if it was absolutely necessary, which made sense, she supposed. 

But when he wasn't beckoning an otherworldly being, he resorted to using his Wind Magic, the same kind that let people soar across the air or jump thousands of feet off the ground. He had done neither, but with some more training, Elaine was willing to bet he could pull it off, and she'd coerce him into doing so if he refused.

As she reached the halfway point of her page, Elaine felt the burning on the sides of her face, and she realized what last she'd written were two words: Kliff Dresden. As she dwelled on it some more, she recognized that she really didn't know a whole lot about the guy, well, discounting what she had already heard from others. He was the heir to one of the most powerful Noble Houses in Incante who owned a remunerative wand-making enterprise that spanned across the entire country. Honestly, Elaine could have never imagined making friends with someone like him, and yet, there she was, sitting in her dorm room, scarred with a blush, a stupid grin stretched between both of her cheeks.