The academy was not quiet The first thing Evan noticed when he crossed the arch was sound Not shouting Not chaos Training noise Focused noise Bodies moving feet striking stone blades cutting air water crashing and holding shape without falling It sounded like a firehouse in full drill time Everyone moving with a job no one wasting breath

They walked along a wide path of pale stone The ground under his boots felt damp but not slippery The air was cooler inside the first ring of walls The water in the air felt thicker here Like the whole place was alive and listening The path curved between open courts where groups of young men and women stood in lines They wore simple gray uniforms tied at the waist Their hair was pulled back tight No jewelry No loose fabric The instructors walked between them in long coats with the same wave crest from the banners

Evan watched as one student raised both hands and tried to lift a column of water from a shallow pool The water rose and shook and then burst back into the pool soaking him An instructor smacked the back of his shoulder with two fingers and said Hold your center not your arms The same way a senior firefighter would tap your SCBA and say Check your line before you run into that hallway

Lira leaned close without touching him and said Walk steady Eyes forward Do not look impressed Act like you have seen this before Evan nodded He tried He failed a little His eyes kept moving The power here was loud

On the far side of the yard a pair of older students were sparring without blades They moved fast Water wrapped around their forearms and shins like armor It hardened before impact and then melted when they pulled back They were not trying to kill each other But they were not playing either Each hit landed with the sound of a heavy glove on a training pad Clean contact Controlled follow through No wasted motion

Back at his station back in his city that was what told him who would last Not the loud ones Not the big ones The controlled ones That was here too

A group of younger trainees stopped and stared at him as he passed He felt their eyes on his face his shoulders his hands Some looked curious Some looked jealous One looked scared He wondered what he looked like to them He wondered if he looked like a stranger or like a warning

Two guards walked behind him and Lira close enough that he felt watched Every step The tall one from the gate stayed in front leading them down the curve of the path toward a broad open building ahead The building sat low in the center of the ring It was made of stone so smooth it almost reflected The front had no door Only an arch with calm water hanging in it like a curtain The water did not fall It held in place

The tall guard stopped outside and said Wait here He went inside through the hanging water and vanished He did not push it aside He just passed through it The water touched him and stilled again No splash no drip

Lira finally exhaled Her shoulders dropped three inches Evan leaned a little toward her and kept his voice low Okay so far how dead are we She answered We are still walking so better than I feared She glanced at his face and gave him a look between warning and praise You did well at the gate

He said softly You were shaking after I was done She looked annoyed by that You were not supposed to see that He almost smiled You saved my life in the marsh Pretty sure I am allowed to notice when you are scared She let out a little breath that was almost a laugh Careful Ean You talk like that in front of Hall and they will call it disrespect He nodded Right Ean Remember He caught himself quick He still hated the false name but he got why she gave it

The guard returned through the water and motioned with his chin Hall Master Corren will see you now Do not waste his light The way he said light felt like a warning

Evan looked at Lira Her eyes told him everything Listen Do not argue Do not offer anything She stepped forward first He followed The water curtain hit his skin cool and smooth It felt like walking through heavy rain without getting wet The room inside was dim and wide The air was cooler here A slow blue glow moved under the floor like distant moonlight under shallow water

At the far end of the chamber a man sat on a stone seat that was not quite a throne but not simple either He looked older than Lira and older than the guards but not weak His hair was gray at the temples and tied back His coat was darker blue than the others The way he held his shoulders said he was used to command Not loud command but quiet command The kind everyone follows because it is easier than fighting him

Next to him sat a woman with short hair and a long scar that crossed her mouth and chin like a hook Her eyes were hard and watchful She wore no coat Only simple sleeveless training gear Her arms were corded with muscle Her hands were still wet like she had been working water with force right before they entered

Lira and Evan stopped ten feet from them Lira bowed low This time deeper than she bowed to the gate guards Evan remembered and dipped his shoulders not a full bow just a respectful drop Corren watched both of them for a while without talking The silence stretched long enough to feel like pressure

Then he spoke You found him in the wildlands Lira Yes Hall Master She said voice controlled By the mirror lake south of the pale marsh Corren One man alone at the mirror lake Lira Yes Hall Master He was pulled through the gate with force The lake would not release him

Corren’s eyes moved to Evan And you What do you call yourself Evan felt Lira tense at his side He opened his mouth and almost said Evan Brooks from Seattle The instinct was still strong to answer like he was at a fire board review giving his name rank station Then he caught himself and said Ean Hall Master Corren nodded slowly Ean Nothing else No house no banner

Evan said No house No banner Corren watched him with the focus of a man looking for cracks in stone You are marked He said It is clear from here Have you ever trained in the shaping of water No Hall Master Corren lifted one brow Lira says you crossed the flats without drowning my watch says you bent a river and turned a strike in the same breath Those are not beginner moves

Evan said I do not know the rules yet Hall Master The woman with the scar leaned forward Her voice was rough and low He talks like ground But he moves like combat That is not normal Corren said to her Quiet Mara I did not ask for your pulse yet Mara leaned back but did not look happy

Corren stood He did it slow and with purpose His coat shifted like water as he came down the two stone steps He stopped close Very close Evan could see faint lines around his eyes This man did not sleep much Corren lifted his hand and reached out palm toward Evan’s chest May I he asked

Evan nodded The hand pressed flat over his sternum It was not heavy It was firm He felt a slow cold flow move from Corren’s palm into him Then he felt it come back like a wave returning Corren closed his eyes You carry open tide marks and something else Something I do not like

Lira spoke careful Hall Master With respect He is balanced He is not a danger Corren did not look at her His hand stayed on Evan’s chest Fire Corren said soft almost to himself I smell fire on you

Evan felt an ache move through his ribs The word fire hit him in a way nothing else had since he woke here He saw again the third floor hallway The smoke The kid with his arms locked around Evan’s neck His crew yelling from below His heart twisted so hard it almost hurt more than Corren’s touch

Corren opened his eyes and lowered his hand His face had changed His voice had changed Tell me the last thing you remember before you woke in this realm Ean Evan looked at Lira She gave him the smallest nod That nod said Tell him But only part Evan understood

He said I was inside a burning building Third floor There was a kid trapped Smoke was too heavy Stairs were gone I put him in my arms and broke a window We jumped I heard my team yelling below Then white light Then water

Corren watched him without blinking The woman Mara leaned forward again Her eyes sharp and hungry That is a flame gate crossing She said Her voice sounded almost pleased He came through fire He is flameborn

Lira spoke fast Hall Master he is not No Corren lifted a hand and Lira stopped in the middle of her breath Her mouth stayed open but no sound came out He did not touch her He did not raise his voice He just lifted his hand and the air around Lira’s throat hummed Evan felt his jaw tighten He hated that

Corren said slow and calm to Evan Flameborn do not walk into the Academy They are carried in chains Or they are killed at the border You walked That interests me very much So listen to me now Ean If you lie to me I will know If you hide from me I will find what you are hiding If you are dangerous to my people I will end you myself Is that clear

Evan held his eyes and answered Clear Hall Master

Corren watched him a moment more Then nodded Good He turned slightly and the air released Lira She drew a breath sharp like she had been underwater Evan steadied himself He wanted to step toward her but did not He remembered her warning any move that looked like protection could be read like threat

Corren said to Mara Take him to Still Water Hold Mara grinned That I can do Corren looked back at Evan You will sleep there until I decide your place If you lose control in Still Water the pool will drown you and take you apart So do not lose control Ean I have no wish to scrape you out in pieces before morning

Still Water Hold Evan said The words sat cold Mara stood and rolled her shoulders You will like it she said It is quiet Corren did not smile Send for me at first light Mara Yes Hall Master Corren turned away That was the signal The meeting was over

Mara jerked her chin at Evan Move and he moved Lira started to step with them Mara held out a hand No He comes alone Lira’s jaw set Hall Master said temporary holding rights under my name Mara shrugged I heard He still sleeps alone

Evan looked at Lira She looked at him Her eyes said a lot She said none of it out loud He gave her one short nod that said I got it I am still breathing She gave him a nod back that said Stay that way

Mara led him through a side arch and down a sloping hall that seemed to go under the main floor The air grew cooler The glow turned dimmer The stone under his boots felt wet now Real wet Not smooth damp like the main yard This was more like standing in shallow water after a storm

He heard it before he saw it A steady low sound like a pool fed by slow underground current Mara pushed open a final stone door with one hand and motioned inside With respect do not try anything in there she said You will not like the answer

He stepped in The room was no cell he expected No bars No chains It was a round chamber carved from pale stone The ceiling was high and shaped like a dome The light was soft and blue with no fire source The floor around the wall was dry smooth stone with a low bench carved into it The center of the room held a pool

The pool was not large Maybe twelve feet across Still water dark water Perfectly flat No ripple No wave Its surface looked like glass but he could feel it breathing He could feel it paying attention He could feel a pressure in it Not like anger Something colder like judgment

Mara leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms This is Still Water she said Her scar shifted when she talked It watches You sleep here You do not touch it unless it touches you You do not try to shape it If you do I will be scraping you with a bucket by morning and I will not cry That clear

Evan said Clear Mara tilted her head You do not scare easy Ean Most men shake inside the hall with Corren You did not Her tone had a flick of interest not kindness just curiosity You fought before You have that feel like someone who breaks doors I know that feel

I am rescue he said The words just came out It was muscle memory I pull people out She studied him and gave a slow hard smile Yes I thought so She tapped the scar along her chin with one finger Some people only know how to hurt Some people only know how to run The ones who know how to pull that is different That is useful

Her smile faded quick Do not give Corren a reason to chain you Flameborn die fast in chains even the calm ones You keep breathing and maybe you walk out of here with a name

Evan asked and if I do not Mara shrugged Then you go under Still Water and no one says your name again She pushed the door mostly closed then paused You should know one more thing Before dawn Corren will test you again It will not be like the yard test He will not hit your body He will hit your mind Some people scream Some sink and sleep for days Some break all at once If you feel yourself start to break bite your tongue until you taste blood She tapped her teeth It helps hold you here

He stared at her That is real That is not a story Mara nodded dead serious That is real You stay present You do not drift If you drift the pool will take you and Corren will say it was your choice I have seen it

Then she closed the door

Evan stood alone in the blue light The room hummed quiet around him He walked to the wall and sat on the carved bench His muscles were tired The cut on his arm was now a pale line His throat still ached from where the guard had tried to choke him His mind buzzed with everything Corren had said Flameborn Chain Cage Drown

He leaned forward elbows on his knees and let out a slow steady breath He talked low to himself the way he would after a hard call back at the station Okay Brooks Keep it together You got this You made it out of worse You made it out of that warehouse fire on Fifth Street You made it out when the roof went and you crawled blind for twelve feet with Captain Ross on your shoulders You do not die sitting down in a quiet room You are not done

He rubbed his face with both hands then dropped them to his lap His eyes drifted to the pool again Something in that black flat surface felt wrong and familiar at the same time It reminded him of smoke It reminded him of standing at a doorway and not seeing anything but knowing the real heat was on the other side

He whispered without thinking I am not your enemy I am not here to break you I only want to go home

The pool answered The surface did not move But the air in the chamber cooled and thickened and he felt something reach back A weight A presence A voice not words but close to words

Home

The word was not his It was not spoken out loud It pressed straight against his mind like a hand to the chest Home The still water repeated the shape of the word then changed it Mine

He felt a pull A soft pull like a slow tide reaching for shore It was not violent It was not cruel It felt patient and endless and certain like it could wait forever and still win He felt his thoughts start to blur His body relax like