The old mage gazed around the room almost as if he was looking for someone. I was about to ask Kaja another question when he approached the podium.

Blood rushed in my ears, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure the entire room could hear it. What or who was he looking for? Did he know I wasn’t supposed to be here until next year? He couldn’t know that … right?

I squirmed, remembering what Dad told me about the abilities of the High Mage Council—they could do just about anything. Mind reading was definitely in their capabilities … to what degree, I didn’t know.

The old high mage held no microphone, and yet his voice amplified so we could all hear. “Welcome to Alpha Island. As is customary, my brethren and I are here to host the elemental affinity ceremony.”

I glanced at the four other high mages, none of whom were looking at the old mage or the alpha heirs. One yawned, and another leaned over to say something to the high mage on his left. All four appeared bored at best. Clearly, we weren’t their favorite yearly obligation.

A woman, who I assumed was an elemental mage teacher, wheeled out a giant crystal cluster with jutting points of various widths, lengths, and colors. The entire room did a collective ahhh, including me, and we leaned forward.

As a wolf, I loved the earth, and something about natural crystals resonated deep within me. I had an entire row of pretty stones I’d collected over the years in Montana, but I’d never seen a crystal quite like this. The tips were clear quartz, but inside of the crystal where it was a single mass, colors swirled within—wisps of red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, and even black. Could such a piece naturally occur?

“The Affinity Stone was gifted to us by the Mother Mage herself. May she rest in peace.”

“May she rest in peace,” we coursed, giving honor to the woman who created our magical races. It was said she held a multitude of DNA strands within her magic, and she borrowed matter from the mortal realm to construct the first of dozens of magical races: mage, shifters of all kinds, and vampires. The Mother Mage, also known as the High Queen, was the “mother” to us all.

The old man’s voice grew reverent. “After the queen created the magical races, she grew weary and rested from her labors. All of her creations left, off to explore the magic lands and seek their fates. All but one. An alpha wolf shifter remained, her most loyal companion. After a century together, he became her mate, and she decided to honor him by bestowing their offspring with elemental magic. And so you were created. A spark of high mage power for those who lead their kindred, a reward for love and loyalty.”

I bowed my head in respect. Out of hundreds of Crescent Clan wolves, only Nolan, myself, and my father and aunt would bear any elemental magic, and it was all due to the Queen Mother’s love for the alpha wolf she spent her life with. It was a grand love story. It was said not even death parted them. The High Mage Council had since banned interracial breeding—like under penalty of death—but the High Queen’s love story showed just how powerful a race could be when combined.

The mage finished his story and cleared his throat. “Her final gift to the alpha heirs was the Affinity stone. Once we know your element, you’ll be matched with your mage master teacher.”

My gaze ran the length of the wall where a half dozen teachers stood. The elemental mage masters could make or break your education here. I didn’t know much, but I knew that. I needed to have a strong affinity and be assigned a powerful mage master. Someday, Nolan could challenge me.

And I’d do all I could to discourage that.

Chapter 5

The high mage at the lectern stepped closer to the Affinity Stone and then continued his address. “When I call your name, you’ll come to me. I’ll prick your palms with the sword of truth, and then you will place both hands on the crystal.”

What—what—what … the hell is the sword of truth? Prick my palms?

No, no, no…

I glanced around the hall again, but no one else seemed disturbed by his announcement. Not even when he held up the biggest dagger I’d ever seen—at least a foot long. Was that silver?

This whole thing was weird.

I ground my teeth, but my decision was already made. I wanted my elemental power. I needed it. That magic not only set me apart from the other wolves in my pack; it would filter to my pack when I became alpha.

I stood straighter.

The Affinity Stone pulsed, splashing rainbows across the room, and my heart raced.

A hush fell over the crowd, and we waited for the first victim—er … student.

“Mallory of Daybreak.”

The high mage said her name as though reading it from a list, but there was no list. Just a creepy old high mage waiting to impale us with a silver weapon.

I swallowed hard, rising up onto my tiptoes so I could see. A tall willowy young girl with long blond hair stepped forward boldly; she kept her chin cocked up, giving an air of superiority. She reminded me of the Barbie doll my father had given me when I was seven.

Holding out his gnarled hand, the old man dropped his voice so the rest of us couldn’t hear. He said something to Mallory, who had placed her palms out in front of him. She nodded, and he grabbed her wrist, driving the tip of the blade into her left palm and then again to her right.

My stomach plummeted. Holy mage. I’d rather join the undead than be stabbed in the palms in front of all my classmates.

So much blood.

“Now, place your hands on the crystal,” he said in a soft tone that nevertheless carried to everyone.

Mallory rested her hands over the crystal’s tips, and her blood dripped onto the cluster.

Wow!

In an instant, red, orange, and yellow lit the room. The magical live flames climbed up her arms until her entire body was covered by the beautiful iridescent glow. She withdrew her hands, and the magic around her disappeared as she turned, facing us. With a smile of triumph, she held her hands aloft, her palms healed even though the magical fire continued to dance there.

“Ah, how exciting,” the high mage exclaimed in a tone that indicated the opposite. “A fire elemental. Thank you, child. You may take your place next to the mage masters and older students of fire.”

He called Kaja up next, and when she looked at me hesitantly, I gave her a thumbs-up. Her blood dripped on the crystal. Within seconds, she held glowing gold rocks, indicating she was an earth elemental, and was placed with a mage master of that ability.

There was no predisposition based on pack or lineage, or so it seemed. I now wondered if I would have fire like my father or something else entirely. I looked beside me to see that I was now alone. Everyone else in the room hugged the walls, indicating they were older years, which meant…

“Naima of Crescent Clan,” the old high mage said, yanking me from my stupor. My stomach clenched, and my palms slicked with sweat.

Pull it together, Nai!

I met his gaze, and the universes swirled beneath the cloudy depths of his eyes.

Queen Mother, have mercy. I didn’t expect to be this terrified. I shouldn’t be.

What if I didn’t have an elemental affinity? If I had no magic, they’d throw me out. There would be no need to even be taught here—I would go home a failure, leaving Nolan to take my place as heir in the first position. It happened every century or so; they said it was a curse, and if any clan were to be cursed … it would be mine. Then I really would bring shame to my clan.