"The trial is simple," she continues. "I have placed elemental echoes at varying depths throughout the lake. Each of you must retrieve at least one echo to pass. There are enough echoes for all of you, but some will be harder to find than others."

She gestures, and an aide brings forward a shallow bowl filled with what looks like clear marbles. "These are minor water echoes—impressions left by water elementals. Finding one will require you to sense its resonance with your own affinity. Channeling will be necessary both to locate them and to survive the depths."

At this, my stomach drops like I've swallowed a handful of stones.

Channel to survive the depths. Channel to find the echoes.

Of course.

Am I going to have any chance of this when I'm not a real water affinity?

Maybe. Being submerged in water will give me a unique advantage here. I’ll be surrounded by a nearly unlimited supply of water essence. For once, I might actually be positioned to excel at something.

"Instructors and third-years will take you to various locations around the lake. On their signal, you will enter the waters and begin the trial. You will have until sunset."

"Please tell me that brilliant brain of yours has a plan," Mireen whispers, her teeth chattering as she eyes the black water.

I stare at the mist curling off the lake's surface. "Get in, grab the first echo I find, get out before anything eats me."

She bumps her shoulder against mine. "Simple. Elegant. Probably won't work. See you on the other side anyway."

We're separated and led to various points around the lake. I'm not happy to see a third-year with a dangerous glint in her eye is the one leading me. I'm reminded of Raith's warning. Malakai has friends in the upper years. Friends who told him where certain people will be entering the lake. For all I know, he’ll be making a line directly for me as soon as the trial begins.

But I can't hide forever.

Staying scared is only going to mean staying weak. And I'm fucking tired of being scared.

So if he wants to come hunting for me during the trial? Let him.

Let Malakai think he's going to ambush me. Let him think he'll have the advantage if he finds me.

My body feels electric with newfound resolve. Davrin couldn’t handle me two days ago during challenge matches. Let’s see Malakai do better.

They're brave thoughts from a shivering, half-naked girl pretending to be a water affinity—a girl whose knowledge about her affinity is coming a few paragraphs a night from an old book.

"Go," the third-year says from behind me. I don't miss the half smile she wears. Why the hells does a third-year want to help first-year waters kill one another?