Arcane (The Arinthian Line Book 1) by Sever Bronny

Council of Elders about you though. They’ll need to give their consent.”
    “Yeah, they might have a problem with a lightning student,” Robin said, taking a big bite of bread.
    “So I would be the only one studying lightning?”
    “Yes,” Bridget replied, “but the Council might think it beneficial for other students to train with you.”
    “Ah.” He hoped that would indeed be the case.
    “Doubt it!” Robin sang.
    Bridget looked like she was going to say something to Robin, but scoffed instead as if he was not worth the effort. They finished lunch in silence, packed up, and continued south.
    Bridget caught up beside Augum again. “Hey, tomorrow evening the village is going to have a naming ceremony. There’s going to be a feast and everything. Maybe you and Mrs. Stone would like to come?”
    Augum felt a surge of excitement. “That’d be great, but I’ll have to ask Mrs. Stone.” He could practically see her disapproving expression. His hope of going dimmed.
    “Oh, of course. How about we meet at the northwest base of Mt. Barrow then. Say … tomorrow at sunset?”
    “All right.” His insides tingled. Nobody had ever invited him to anything before.
    Leland began to dance and sing in his squeaky voice. “I can’t wait! I just can’t wait! Wait wait wait! It’s going to be so much fun! Fun fun fun!”
    Bridget shook her head. “I swear he likes singing more than arcanery.”
    The day grew long as the group plodded on through the snow. Mt. Barrow loomed ahead, half obscured by low gray clouds dropping fat snowflakes. It was around sunset when Bridget finally spotted a familiar set of trees.
    “This is where we should turn west. We can continue a bit further together—”
    “—yup, this is the spot,” Robin interrupted. “We don’t need to keep walking together—anyway it’d be faster for him to walk straight south from here.”
    They looked at Augum.
    “Um, yeah, I guess it would be faster—”
    “—it’s settled then.” Robin turned to leave.
    Leland, with his grubby wolf pelt and sleepy eyes, turned to Bridget. “Tomorrow can I come too—?”
    “We’ll see,” though she used a tone that suggested it was not likely. “We have to deal with our parents first.”
    Leland’s face fell.
    Augum smiled at Bridget and Leland, his two travel companions and, dare he say it, friends? Like him, they were probably itching for a warm fire and a steaming mug of tea. A hollow feeling in his stomach developed that had nothing to do with appetite. Having never really needed to say goodbye before, he did not know what to say, so he just stood there.
    “Well, see you then,” Leland said, sticking out a dirty paw.
    “Okay,” Augum said, shaking Leland’s hand, before abruptly turning to walk away, feeling stupid.
    “Goodbye, Augum!” Bridget and Leland called after him as they caught up to Robin.
    Okay? Is that all that he could have come up with—just okay ? He had not even said goodbye to Bridget, let alone thanked them for helping him with his quest …
    Nonetheless, he felt a door had opened for him, one he had always hoped would appear—a door to friendship. For the rest of the trek home, he recounted his adventure.
    Finally, with his extremities prickling from the cold and his stomach hollow with hunger, he stepped over the lip of Mrs. Stone’s cave. Night had long descended by then, bringing with it a sharp mountain wind. The leaded-glass windows that flanked the door were lit with an inviting orange glow, a glow he suspected only he could see.

The Little Bird
    Augum stepped inside to find Mrs. Stone snoozing in her favorite rocking chair, a large book on her lap. Shadows generated by the hearth gave the room a gentle sway.
    He closed the door quietly, took off his boots, coat and mitts, and cleared his throat.
    Mrs. Stone snorted. The book fell from her lap, nearly landing in the fire. “Close the door, Livie, you are letting the cold in.”
    “It’s me—Augum—the boy you