“To weed out the unworthy,” Drusilla added with a meaningful glance toward the path where Lady Cantius had just appeared.
She walked alone, her posture straight and her expression focused. Unlike most female cadets who wore their hair elaborately braided even for training, her dark hair was pulled back in a simple style that emphasized the clean lines of her face. She moved with an economy of motion that spoke of physical discipline, her eyes taking in the course with calculated assessment rather than apprehension.
I found myself watching her longer than was proper, admiring the quiet confidence of her bearing. When she caught my eye, I nodded briefly in acknowledgment before turning back to Valeria’s group.
“The unworthy will reveal themselves soon enough,” I said neutrally. “There’s no need for preliminary judgments.”
Valeria’s smile tightened almost imperceptibly. “Always so diplomatic, Jalend. It’s one of your many admirable qualities.”
She laid her hand on my arm, smiling up at me, and I immediately stepped back out of her reach. I didn’t want to give her even the slightest hint that I might welcome her advances. Even if I was interested, whoever I married would not be up to me, but my father. I had already heard rumours that hewas exploring several diplomatic arrangements both within the Empire and on our southern borders.
Her face tightened, but before she could say anything, Legate Varius called for our attention. The full complement of first-year cadets had arrived to watch the trials, though only our team would be attempting the second run of the course. We gathered at the edge of the lake as Varius explained the course and the expectations.
“You will complete four challenges,” he announced, his voice carrying across the water. “First, a deep-water swim across the lake. Second, retrieval of a weighted object from the lake bottom. Third, navigation through the underwater obstacle field. Finally, crossing beneath the waterfall to reach the finishing platform.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping across our assembled faces. “Those who cannot complete all four challenges will be reassigned to ground forces. The Empire has no use for dragon riders who fear water.”
A murmur ran through the group. Reassignment was effectively expulsion from the Elite program, a public acknowledgment of failure that would disgrace both cadet and family.
“You will proceed in groups of five,” Varius continued. “First group: Lord Northreach, Lady Valeria, Lady Cassia, Lady Drusilla, and Lady Cantius.”
We stepped forward as the other cadets moved back to observe. I removed my outer tunic, remaining in the fitted training clothes designed for water exercises. As I prepared myself mentally for the challenges ahead, I noticed Valeria and her companions clustered around Lady Cantius, their voices too low to overhear.
From Lady Cantius’s rigid posture and the smug expressions on the other women’s faces, I could guess the nature of their conversation. The petty politics of the Academy exhausted me,but I had learned long ago that direct intervention often made such situations worse. Lady Cantius would have to navigate these waters on her own.
“Take your positions,” Varius called.
We lined up at the edge of the lake, each of us assuming the diving stance we’d been taught. Lady Cantius stood at the end of the line, her face now a mask of concentration. Whatever Valeria and the others had said seemed forgotten, or at least set aside for the moment.
I bit my lip as the rising sun lit her up from behind. Next to the scantily clad noble women, the short, thin tunic she wore seemed conservative, but the dawn sun had silhouetted her from behind and I could see every curve of her body. She looked over, and I immediately dragged my eyes to hers, giving her a quick nod of encouragement.
This time we had to swim across the lake to the course itself, and although I didn’t doubt her resolve, I was worried three days had not been enough time to build up the stamina she would need.
“Begin!”
I dove cleanly into the water, the shock of cold instantly focusing my mind. Years of training had made me a strong swimmer, and I pulled ahead of the others with powerful strokes. The first challenge — crossing the lake — was primarily a test of endurance rather than skill. I set a steady pace, conserving energy for the more difficult tasks ahead.
Glancing back, I saw Valeria and her companions swimming competently if not exceptionally. Lady Cantius brought up the rear, her technique less refined but effective. She showed none of the panic I’d seen during our early lessons, moving through the water with determined efficiency.
I reached the far side of the lake first, hauling myself onto the small platform to catch my breath before the next challenge.Valeria arrived shortly after, followed by Cassia and Drusilla. Lady Cantius was last, her breathing heavy but controlled as she pulled herself up.
“Well done, Lord Northreach,” Varius acknowledged from his observation boat. “The rest of you, acceptable. Proceed to the second challenge.”
The weighted retrieval was positioned directly below our platform, a series of metal rings attached to the lake bottom approximately fifteen feet down. Each cadet needed to dive, retrieve a ring, and return to the surface — a test of lung capacity and comfort in the underwater environment.
I dove first, cutting cleanly through the surface and angling my body downward. The water grew colder and darker as I descended, but I kept my eyes fixed on the gleaming rings below. Selecting one, I grasped it firmly and pushed off from the lake bottom, ascending quickly toward the light above.
As I broke the surface, ring in hand, I heard the splash of the next diver—Valeria, maintaining her position behind me. I swam to the central platform where Varius waited to verify our retrievals. One by one, the others completed the challenge, each presenting their rings for inspection.
Lady Cantius was again the last to surface, her face slightly pale but her grip on the ring steady. I noticed she had chosen the deepest placement, whether by necessity or strategy, I couldn’t determine. It was an impressive recovery for someone who had been terrified of deep water just days ago.
“Third challenge,” Varius announced. “Navigate the underwater obstacle field to reach the waterfall. You may surface to breathe as needed, but you must pass through all marked sections in sequence.”
This would be the most difficult test for Lady Cantius. The obstacle field required brief periods of underwater swimming through narrow passages, some obscured by swaying waterplants, others by deliberately murky water. For someone new to swimming, the combination of restricted vision and limited breath could easily trigger panic.
We dove into the water again, this time spreading out as we each sought the most efficient path through the obstacles. I moved confidently, familiar with the lake’s layout from previous training sessions. The cool clarity of purpose that always accompanied physical challenges settled over me, narrowing my focus to the immediate task.
I was halfway through the obstacle field when I heard a commotion behind me. Surfacing briefly, I saw splashing and struggle where the three noblewomen and Lady Cantius had been swimming. Through the spray, I glimpsed Valeria's arm pressing down on something — or someone — beneath the surface.
