A Flawed Alliance

Chapter 10- Phoenix Hunters

"Vance," I asked. "Is that your real name?" I asked Ace, striding alongside him.

The dark shadows didn't hide the lines of muscle and veins beneath his shirt. I shivered just by looking at him. Even with the long pants, there wasn't much for him to defend against the cold winds.

"Vance isn't my real name," he replied easily. "Ignore him."

His blonde hair buffeted against the wind, chaotic and wild, but his eyes could not lie about the annoyance he was feeling.

"What was the matter with it?"

"What else?" Ace retorted. "Bad memories. I don't want to be reminded of them every single time someone calls me."

"Bad memories..." I murmured. "Did you skip any years for The Evaluation at all?"

Ace nodded. "A couple of years. Six years."

He was twenty-seven then, six years after the first year someone could take The Evaluation. The bad memories connected with his name must have also been connected with those years and maybe more.

We were the last to make it to the hill. The clearing looked different than what it had looked like in the morning. I had been past here recently because of my trek to the shack, but now it was serene, different from how I experienced it days ago. Everything was still, even the river, lapping quietly against the sides from the cold gusts of wind.

Blended with nature were all our animals, wading in the river and extending themselves alongside the edge of it, immersing themselves with the coolness of the water. I saw Nix hanging around the shadows of the tree, poking lethargically at the grass. Ember was next to him, prodding the grass and fluffing her wings behind her. Their fire lit up the whole clearing. It was hard not to notice the two fireballs in my vision, especially how they were the only animals avoiding the water.

Aaron started, "I will be calling everyone one at a time, two sometimes, and we will be discussing your animal, your current status in training, and your future choices. While you are waiting, please make sure you are getting to know your animal more and strengthening your Phluid."

His pale, taut skin looked scary under the moonlight and the only indication that told me he was in front of us was his waving hands. Mr. Hrodvitnir stood still next to him like always.

"Alright, don't go farther than the boundary lines of the trees."

Along with the crowd, I set out to find Nix under the tree. He was done pecking at the ground and was instead nudging Ember to scoot over as if he found a different grass area to peck at. Ember ruffled her wings and snapped back, her eyes diverted straight at Nix with a sudden flare.

"Nix," I called out. His head turned to the sound of my voice, snorting as he did so. I smiled and went over, petting him casually on the head.

I continued to stand near Nix, feeling the wind buffeting around me while feeling the intense warmth of Nix. My long hair whipped around me, covering some of my vision and blanketing me against the wind. I wasn't sure if I was shivering because of the wind, or because of the sudden nervousness I felt.

Aaron called out, waving his clipboard in the air, "Iridian Cantor and Ace Ashfeld!"

My eyes found Ace staring at me. Why would Ace be in the same room as me? If anything, Logan would be in the same room as me. I started forward at the same time Ace began walking to Aaron.

I hurried faster to catch Aaron before he completely disappeared. Mr. Hrodvitnir moved away from the trees' cover and started to stalk Aaron like a shadow, weaving his body around people and trees. I eyed him closely but he didn't seem to notice me, only at Aaron.