64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo6YYoJ9gmThe class shifted toward the treeline as Coach Ura barked out her orders. Eilara felt a sudden pang of isolation; Quinn was already deep in training with the boys, and Kael had been acting cold ever since Zedrick started joining them for lunch. He’d snapped at Zedrick in the library, convinced the Summoner was playing some sort of long con.
"Focus, students!" Ura’s voice cut through Eilara's thoughts. "Today, we move beyond the training grounds. You will find a tree—one that calls to you. That tree will be your bonding mate. If you cannot connect with the earth, you cannot hope to master the elements."
"Bonding mate?" Mary Beth giggled, nudging Eilara. "With a tree? Is it going to take us to prom?"
Eilara didn't laugh. She stared into the dense forest bordering the lake. The air here was cooler, smelling of damp moss and ancient magic. While other students scrambled toward the sturdy oaks, a weeping willow near the water’s edge caught her eye. Its dark green leaves swayed like silk in the soft breath of the wind. A thick, twisting vine wrapped around its trunk, decorated with delicate pink blossoms and bitter red berries.
It was hauntingly beautiful.
Eilara stepped forward, her boots sinking into the soft mud. She reached out, pressing her palm against the rough, cool bark.
A sudden swell of energy surged through her veins. It wasn't a shock; it was a hum. An invisible thread snapped into place, tethering her soul to the deep, reaching roots of the willow.
"Magnificent!" a voice chirped, startlingly fast.
Eilara jumped, pulling her hand back. "Thanks! You scared the life out of me."
Standing there was a girl with hair the color of a midnight sea and eyes like a summer sky. Her uniform was rumpled, her tie askew, and—
"Oh my gosh!" Eilara gasped, pointing down. "Your cloak! It’s on fire!"
Orange flames were licking at the hem of the girl's garment. "We need water! The lake—"
"I’m glad you’re worried for me," the girl said, her lips curling into a calm smile as the flames danced higher. "But fire is my element. It won't bite unless I tell it to."
Eilara let out a long breath, her heart finally slowing down. "Thank god. I thought I was about to watch a classmate spontaneously combust."
The girl gestured to the willow. "Is that your tree?"
Eilara looked back at the sweeping branches and nodded. "Yeah. It's beautiful."
"It definitely is," the girl winked. "But we’d better get back. Ura is about to start the incantations."
As they hurried back toward the clearing, Mary Beth stepped out from the shadows of a cedar, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Eilara! You have to see this. I found the best place ever."
She led them through a dense thicket where three massive trees leaned into each other, forming a natural fortress. As they scrambled through the leaves, a cloud of birds erupted into the sky, their wings thrumming.
"Wow," Eilara whispered, her eyes widening.
Inside was a hidden clearing, dominated by a single, glowing cherry blossom tree. Pink petals had drifted into a deep, soft pile at the base. Mary Beth didn't hesitate—she dove headfirst into the petals.
"I bonded with Elanore!" Mary Beth announced defiantly, popping her head up from the pink pile.
"Elanore?" the fire-element girl asked.
"That's the tree's name," Mary Beth explained, turning her focus to Eilara. "Well? What about yours? What’s the willow’s name?"
Eilara closed her eyes, feeling that invisible thread tugging at her heart. A name drifted through her mind, old and sturdy. "His name is Lucas."
Mary Beth wrinkled her nose. "Lucas? Honestly, Eilara, you can do better than that. Sounds like a librarian."
"Come on," the fire girl urged, glancing over her shoulder. "We need to get back before we're caught."
They tried to slip back into the main group unnoticed, but the class was already in chaos. Some students were struggling—their trees were actually striking back, lashing out with branches to test their bond.
"There you are," Coach Ura said, her voice dropping an octave.
Beside her, Lucia stood with a jagged, evil smirk. "I told you, Coach. They just wandered off. I was soooo worried about them," Lucia sneered, her eyes dripping with fake sympathy.
Eilara didn't flinch. She looked Lucia straight in the eye and then turned to the teacher. "It’s none of her business where we were, Coach. I’m ready. Show me the spells."
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Ura’s lips quirked into a rare, sharp smile. "Bold. Fine. Let’s go."64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SAUDvxyEu
and then Add to home screen.