Mist veiled the docks of Grayport in the early morning light.
The sea breeze, thick with salt and the stench of fish baskets, mingled with the acrid s-moke of burning firewood. Elena stood at the edge of the wharf, her tattered linen tunic clinging to her frail shoulders as the wind pressed it against her skin. Clutched tightly in her hand were five copper coins—her earnings from yesterday. She was still three silver short. Three more silvers in two days… that was all she needed for the Starflame Academy's Trial registration. Ten silver coins—a mountain too steep to climb, yet climb she must.
The docks bustled with noise. Fishing boats came and went, and merchants' cries echoed all around. Elena kept her head low and wove through the crowd, careful to avoid the scornful stares. Her cloth shoes were worn thin, and every step on the gravel bit into her soles, but she didn't slow down. Time was running out. Tomorrow was the last day to register. If she failed, eight-e-e-n years of struggle would vanish like foam on the tide.
"Hey! Orphan!"
A gruff voice called from behind. Elena tensed and turned to see Old Jack, the dock foreman, leaning lazily against a piling, chewing tobacco with his greasy face glistening in the morning sun. He eyed her up and down with a crooked grin, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth.
"Still short on trial money, huh? Here, haul these fish baskets to the warehouse. Ten copper."
Ten copper—one whole silver.
Elena's eyes lit up. She nodded. "I'll do it."
Rolling up her sleeves, she marched toward the mountain of fish baskets. Each was coated in slimy scales and reeked with a foul, choking stench. They were so heavy her arms trembled with the effort. Around her, the dockhands murmured. Someone snickered, "She's lost her mind. Risking her life for a test?"
Gritting her teeth, Elena dragged one basket after another. Sweat streamed down her forehead, mixing with the salty air and stinging her eyes. In her heart, she chanted: Three silvers. Just two more days.
She still didn't know what last night's strange glow in her necklace had meant—but that fiery starlight had ignited a flicker of hope in her chest. She had to seize this chance. She would prove she wasn't the "trash" Lilith always mocked her to be.
By the time she finished the third basket, her arms were trembling uncontrollably. As she paused to catch her breath, a teasing voice rang out beside her.
"Well, someone's working hard! But hauling fish won't get you into Starflame Academy, y'know."
Elena turned to see a girl leaning against a crate, a stalk of dry grass between her lips and a sly grin on her face. She had cropped chestnut hair and wore fitted leather armor, a dagger strapped to her belt. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, like they held secrets of their own. She was half a head taller than Elena, her posture casual, but with an edge of wild confidence.
"You are…?" Elena narrowed her eyes, wary.
"Vira. Freelancer," the girl replied, spitting out the grass and hopping down. She clapped the dust off her hands.
"Let me guess—you're signing up for the Trial? Not many in Grayport dare. Takes guts."
Elena didn't relax. "What do you want?"
"Relax!" Vira grinned, waving her hand. "I'm short on cash too. Need a partner. You've got that stubborn look—I like it. Want to team up? I've got some leads at the market. Quick jobs, fast coin."
Elena hesitated. Vira had come out of nowhere. Could she be trusted? She didn't know. But time was tight, and she had no other options.
"What kind of jobs?" she asked cautiously.
Vira stepped closer, lowering her voice. "There's a black market on the east side of the docks. Weird goods, rare stuff. A shipment's moving tonight. One job, five silvers. We split it."
Five silver coins! Elena's heart raced. That would nearly cover the full registration. But the black market… it was dangerous. One misstep could mean trouble she couldn't afford.
Still—Lilith's sneer came to mind, as did the burning starlight from her pendant.
"I'm in," she said through gritted teeth. "But if you double-cross me, I'll make you regret it."
Vira laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Now that's the spirit! East docks, moonrise. Don't be late."
She vanished into the crowd like a cat, nimble and gone in a blink.
⸻
Noon, Market Square.
Elena kept hustling. She scrubbed boots, hauled crates, washed vegetables—anything for a few copper coins. The sun blazed overhead, soaking her tunic with sweat. She had just earned three coppers from a fruit vendor and was heading to buy a chunk of hard bread when she heard a mocking voice behind her.
"Well, if it isn't the fish-hauling princess! Back to disgrace herself again?"
Her stomach sank. Lilith.
She turned to see the girl in a flowing sky-blue dress, fanning herself with a feathered fan, flanked as always by Brandon and Theo—senior students from Starflame Academy—and a few noble-born lackeys.
Lilith s-mirked like a peacock in full display.
"You still haven't given up, Elena? You really think a beggar like you belongs in the Trial?"
Brandon scoffed. "Lilith, don't waste your breath. Someone like her won't even afford the entry fee. She'll just end up dead."
Elena clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay calm. She knew Lilith wanted a scene, wanted to humiliate her in public.
She took a deep breath, raised her head, and met Lilith's eyes.
"I'll get the entry fee. And when the Trial begins, you'd better hope we're not on the same team."