“So, where did you go to school before here, Quil?” Alissa asked trying to start a conversation.
Keten glanced at her questioningly and then looked to me with his kind gaze, maybe that was what was making me fail at speaking, I realized as I turned my face away from him and started playing with my bowl as Alissa had.
“I didn’t go to school, my dad taught me while we were traveling.” I said, not even thinking out my words.
Alissa sat back and nodded as I still felt Keten’s gaze on me, I suddenly, desperately wished I had kept my hair down even though almost all the girls here had theirs up in some fashion.
“That’s cool. Why were you traveling?” Zac asked, glancing up from the fencing match he was watching on his glass.
I looked up and my lips went to say the words, “to keep from being killed,” but stopping my lips, I worked hard as I caught Keten’s gaze and my mind drew blank.
“Was it for your fathers work?” Keten asked kindly, with a soft glint of amusement in his eyes.
I might as well have been deprived of air as I put a hand to my head and nodded, while internally I knew how close I had come to saying he worked as intel for the Skyjump alliance, or what was left of it that existed.
“Yes, that’s it. Sorry, it’s been a long day.” I said, knowing if he looked close enough, blush highlighted my cheeks.
Zac looked up with that, easy, not noticing anything attitude.
“Well, if you ate real food instead of leaves maybe you’d have energy.” He said and shrugged as Keten seemed to slightly side with Zac as he went on, “What do you like about eating animal food anyway?” He asked shaking his head.
Alissa spoke before I could. It was a good thing as saying the idea of how carrots were almost as sweet tasting as grass in the spring would have started me out to look insane or give Alissa more questions or make Keten think I was some kind of crazy person.
Oh, dear.
“It’s called being healthy. When you’re dying in fencing, we will both still be running.” Alissa said proudly, as she took a crunching bite.
Keten tilted his head,
“Well, when we are still muscular and strong, you let us know what we can do for you.” Keten mused and Zac put his fist out again to Keten, both boys nodded like thieving brothers as Alissa and I shook our heads.
Fire caught in my chest and I pushed on Keten’s arm and looked him in the eyes that may have been my one mistake.
“I bet we could beat you both.” I said, and my words fell far flatter than indented when Keten nodded and turned to me.
“Beat us at what?” Keten asked, with a touch of his own fire catching his eyes as I looked at him and could barely swallow.
He was too close, I felt like a fool and wondered if he could see my red nose as the bruise still ached.
“Skyjumping,” Alissa said slapping her hand on the table, “Quil will beat both of you.” she added with a nod.
Looking over to her my eyes suddenly drew worried and for the first time both Zac and Alissa caught it and looked at me like the day my father had taken me away.
“Well then Quil, I’ll take that bet.” Keten said, and just like that I looked back to him and though he may have seen the slight hesitation in my eyes, the fact he spoke my nick name made me feel light headed.
Oh, Equila Deshion De Skyjump, what did you just get yourself into?
Chapter 12
“The First Climb”
After dinner, we had spoken lightly and I saw the way both Zac and Alissa now wanted to talk to me. After Keten had offered kindly to walk Alissa and I back to the Girl’s wing, Zac had to try and keep up with Keten’s gesture so both accommodated us back to the crystal door to our dorm. We all parted ways but Keten called me again by my nickname and it made me feel conflicted.
I did not want to admit that I was tired. As Alissa and I parted ways, going into my room I felt like I was walking in a dream. Part of me wanted to be happy about Keten showing up. What if he had already been friends with Alissa and Zac and just kept showing up anyway?
Secretly, I deeply wished he did keep showing up for me, but again I realized I had unwittingly agreed and practically set up a SkyJumping match between the four of us, good grief!
Flopping to my bed I felt like I was laying on every wrong spring possible and no matter what I did I could not get comfy and worry sifted in my gut about what I would do.
I knew I thought too much about it all, but as my eyes softly felt pained from looking at the white wall, I finally drifted off to sleep, tossing and turning as I did.
In the morning, my wakeup call was a bang that made me nearly jump for cover for the second time from my bed as I cringed at the ache in my back. As I got ready I knew it had been Lucy slamming something against the wall and I needed no indication to know it was just to antagonize me, I brushed my teeth and pulled back my hair, trying to keep my mind from being angry.
I tried to use cover up and conceal the redness of my nose while pain made me cringe but deep down I worried about the next run in I might have with Keten, would he notice my ugly red nose?
Shaking my head as I walked from the bathroom I knew it was stupid to feel so taken by some boy I met, what? All of a day ago?
I rolled my eyes and looked to the ceiling where the banner still hung that made the room feel smaller, I decided in that moment it would be coming down when I got back from my classes.
Putting on my shoes, I waited to hear the door from Lucy’s room open and shut, I had no intention of being forced to walk beside that brat if I had the option.
Picking up my bag and turning to my desk I grabbed my papers that were due. I thanked the fact I had been forced to wait for the sound of Lucy’s door so I wouldn’t forget my homework, when a swift bang echoed though my room as I rolled my eyes and walked for the door.
Taking a deep breath, I put my hand out to grasp a knob and found nothing as the door started to sway open.
I just needed to make it through another day, I thought as my father’s image blotted out everything from Keten to my classes in my mind.
“I need to get letter paper today.” I said to myself as I left my room and started down the hall, never before now had I forgotten so easily about the only consistent person in my life.
Going to my first class I narrowly escaped a run-in with Lucy. Class went by long and winded as Mr. Deplen talked about animals, repeating himself often as he named simple facts.
Throughout the lesson I wondered why on earth my father had put me in this class.
Glancing to the side, as I doodled swirls on my paper, I caught view of Lucy and a soft cringe caught my lips. She had taken away one simple thing from me and it was my music. I glanced down to my page, I knew as I took notes on birds daily lives that she would never see my camera in fear she could find some way to blackmail that into nonexistence as well.
Once the class was over, I rushed out and made my way haphazardly to room 307 and slid in next to Alissa and Zac with a smile. Before any of us could say more than hello, the blobs floating in the class blared a bright orange and with a slight poof Mr. Jacobsen stood in the center of class.
For the rest of the time we were too enthralled with his words about where certain Mages come from to try and talk to one another. But the feeling of being with Alissa and Zac felt much better than trying to survive a class where I wanted to gore Lucy in my Skyjump beast form.
Honestly, the moment I thought it, the words felt harsh but a part of me would love to see her face when she realized I was not just some dumb girl.
Then again, as I thought about it, she probably never would think anything different even if I turned into a Skyjump beast, truth be told, what did it matter?
Exiting Mr. Jacobsen’s class, we made small talk on our way to our next class.
“Later, Zac.” Alissa and I called as we turned into the Defense 101 room.
Alissa turned to me and nodded as we got to the back of the group that again had ta
ller students keeping our eyes from seeing what we might be doing today.
“So, you really don’t know Keten?” Alissa asked, though it sounded more like a fact.
Turning to her, I glanced around not wanting people to think anything about me or him, or us. Good grief Quil, there was not even a chance of an us!
“What do you mean?” I asked her, furrowing my brow.
Her face held calm as she looked me up and down, I still felt quite out of fashion with nothing metallic on as even Alissa wore glimmering bangles and a faux silver fur vest.
“Well, it’s just Keten is the guy every girl goes for and he never shows the slightest interest beyond being nice to the girls who chase him.” She said, still glancing at me, with a soft smile.
“And?” I asked, feeling extremely stupid or naive not to know what she was implying, if she was implying something.
“And Keten has purposefully showed up when your around, twice now.” She said, smirking as suddenly I caught on.
“Wait! You think he…” my words softened as I leaned closer to her though the crowd would have drowned the sound once they left my lips in the din, “…likes me?!” I asked like a child.
Alissa rolled her eyes at me,
“Well duh, boys don’t just hang around for no reason.” She said nodding to me.
I opened my mouth about to ask how that worked with Zac when a voice yelled above the crowd’s noise.
“Everyone, back in a line!” Mr. Sheplar’s voice was firm and beastly as the group started to shift to the back wall in a line as we spread out.
Once we were backed up, Alissa nodded and mouthed ‘we’ll talk later’ as Mr. Sheplar scanned down the line.
“If you’re in my class today, this is the first climb and every day after is a step,” he said turning to face us.
He glanced around the room and nodded, taking in one scrawny boy and then looking to a hefty girl and then me and seemed to scrutinize me as his eyes held a hard line before he passed on. His glare had rested on me longer than any other student, I noted as he finally spoke.
“You.” he pointed at me and I felt the whole class turn their attention to me as I stiffened and felt cold sweat bead on my neck.
“Yes?” I answered and he shook his head and swatted the air as if trying to get a fly away.
“Your name.” he said.
“Oh.” An audible snicker crossed the room as my cheeks caught fire.
“Silence, I will have no mockery. This class may be training, but if you ever face a challenge you will realize what I teach for and the circumstances we portray will be no laughing matter.” Mr. Sheplar threatened as the students stiffened.
When his gaze fell on me again he nodded for me to speak.
“Deshion.” I said, knowing he wanted my last name by the way my voice would not let me speak my first.
He pointed to the course of the Skyjump wall and all that we had seen him and Delphine do before.
“Miss Deshion, do you think you could face the course and make it?” He asked, tilting his head as his assistant Delphine watched my reaction like a vulture.
I felt like a fire was held in my throat and just to muster the courage to speak was like trying to kill a flame with oil. Glancing at the course I fought internally as the seconds stretched on and the student’s whispers caught my ears.
Should I lie about how easy I felt the course would be save maybe swinging on the trapeze?
My eyes fell back to Mr. Sheplar and his gaze I found had not wavered as I gulped down my fear and made my mouth move.
“I don’t know...” I said honestly and for one moment I saw a glint of some emotion pass behind his eyes that felt less threatening.
He nodded and motioned to the class.
“Miss Deshion, looked avidly at the course and you all saw what happened yesterday. Does anyone here think they could do it?” The moment his words finished two boys raised their hands.
Both wore sports jackets and with blue hair and I realized twins upon closer inspection.
Mr. Sheplar nodded.
“Who feels this course is above their capabilities?” He asked and he seemed slightly surprised I had not raised my hand as his brow furrowed after passing by me.
The girl and boy who he had scrutinized had both raised their hands, again he nodded. He turned to the wall and motioned with his chin as his arms held behind his back just as Zac described him as a marshal.
“Miss Deshion, and all who raised their hands will be first to test the endurance part of this room.,” he said and motioned before my mind had caught on to a white line before the Skyjumping wall that he pointed to, “Everyone else watch and observe as they race.” He said and everyone started walking forward but me.
Alissa came to my side and nodded for me to go to the white line as the group moved forward to watch.
“You’ve got this.” Alissa said but again she caught the way my lips twitched and I struggled glancing around me as if to find some way to escape.
What would my father think!
“Miss Deshion?” Mr. Sheplar asked and with a swift push from Alissa I was stumbling up to the SkyJumping wall like a fool.
Mr. Sheplar eyed both me and Alissa over but then nodded as those of us who had been told to come to the line now stood before it. Looking up my mind instinctively charted a path as I thought about how to get out of this.
“You will try and make it to the blocks at the other end of the room.” Mr. Sheplar said and motioned to them.
The scrawny boy asked in a squeaky voice,
“Will this count on our grade?” his voice quivered so much I felt sorry he was tangled into this as much as I was.
Mr. Sheplar eyed us over,
“This is training and to train I need to see what you can do and teach after seeing,” he said as he nodded to the wall, “Get ready.” He started and it made me turn my head back to the wall as the larger girl looked pale and the scrawny boy seemed red from his freckled nose to his red tipped ears.
Was he really going to just start us all?!
“GO!” Before I had time to think my mind started me up the wall and I heard audible gasps as I was nearly up a five-foot section in seconds.
STOP! I yelled to my brain and my movements slowed as the others stared up at me. Glancing down I noticed Delphine’s tilt of her head as she watched me and the way Mr. Sheplar’s lips shifted as if he was puzzled.
Suddenly a swift shout came from Alissa as I was motionless.
“GO QUIL!” she yelled, as if angry I had stopped.
I started moving again but tried to make my movements slower as I purposefully ignored where my mind wanted my hands and body to go.
The one cocky twin had already got stuck at the gap in the wall as I looked over and caught his shocked face; why had I not gone over there?! I questioned, but as I reached the top of the wall I suddenly realized I was not as good at ignoring my instincts as I thought. Though the scrawny boy was close behind me with the larger girl climbing right behind him.
Reaching up at the net I grabbed, pulling and moving I slightly threw myself up into the net’s moving embrace. Swaying in the air felt like when I jumped at the last Skyjump competition yet part of me felt slightly sick at the height I was at looking through the gaps of rope to the floor below.
Dizzily shaking my head, I moved as the scrawny boy caught up and needed to climb in as I clumsily crawled. Though, not looking down completely, as I felt a slight tension in my stomach that I had never yet felt in my life when I was high up SkyJumping.
Turning around as I got to the middle where Mr. Sheplar had shot with magic to break the rope tunnel I looked down in slight panic but I quickly realized Mr. Sheplar stood waiting, arms folded to see just all who made it this far.
I caught the other twin reaching to grab the larger girl’s leg as she pulled herself into the net. Right before he could pull her down and make her fall, the hand-hold of a knob he held slipped to the side and he plummeted to the
ground, for once I noticed that Mr. Sheplar had made him fall.
The large girl and scrawny boy had made it this far in the rope tunnel when Mr. Sheplar aimed up at us with a fire arrow.
“Grab a rope!” I yelled as I went for the cross of a rope that went to the wall.
I needed to hold the rope that crossed down, it being attached to the ceiling, would enable me to swing.
The moment my hand grasped the rope my legs fell and I screamed as the boy yelled and the girl said something about hating heights.
My breath caught out of me and I looked down to find the ground and students far below as the world slightly wavered, what was wrong with me!
“Never look down,” my father said when I was little and he had just started teaching me to SkyJump.
Looking up, tightening my grip on the rope as my arms were tunt and my body hung limp in the air. Glancing over, I saw that the girl held onto a rope that was small and not long enough to swing with as the scrawny boy held one plenty long but he seemed to be having trouble not sliding down while keeping a firm grip.
“Do you think you can swing to the trapeze, any of you?” Mr. Sheplar asked from below.
The girl was the first to speak as I gauged how far away it was, it loomed what felt like miles from me.
“I... I won’t make it with this rope.” Said the larger girl, quite calmly as she glanced down.
Mr. Sheplar nodded with a satisfied turn of his lips.
“In that case you can let go and a net will catch you. And for you two?” he asked as she let go of the rope and fell.
I did not look down as she went, my hand slipped on the rope that ate at my palms as I felt all I could do was look to the trapeze.
I noticed how the scrawny boy watched to see what I would do, glancing to the trapeze I felt the eyes of students below and I focused on the bar; maybe it wasn’t as far as it looked. I just need to swing.
Without answering Mr. Sheplar, I started swaying back and forth and for a few moments it felt like I was a fish on a line as my movements did nothing. When I started to sway more and more, wind brushed my face from the momentum I was creating.
Sky Jump Page 12
