“Well done. Tell me the steps of your process.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a command, as if I knew what I’d done.
I opened my mouth to speak, then shut it again. After I’d done that three times, I groaned and shook my head. “I don’t know.”
Professor Myali eyed me suspiciously. “Were you trying to make something?”
“I thought if I could touch the grass, maybe I could make it grow or something. But when nothing happened, I thought about the first time I’d made anything happen.”
“And that time, you’d made a bed?”
Both Professor Myali and Sabra stared at me. I felt the heat flush through my cheeks. “Not like that one, but I didn’t want to sleep on the ground, so one just formed.”
Professor Myali studied me. I wished I had the ability to sink into the soil at that moment. I shuddered at the thought because if vines could grow by only thinking about them, I didn’t need to see the ground open up for real.
“Picture a tree right over there in your mind,” Professor Myali commanded, waving her hand toward the knoll at the edge of the field.
“What? What kind of tree? You just want me to think about it and, what, see if it shows up?”
As I spoke, the memory of a beautiful cherry tree in full blossom popped into my mind. All the air left my body as I watched a twig sprout from the ground, rise, and fill out into the exact tree in my head.
Professor Myali smiled. “Yes, just like that.”
I brushed the crumbs off my lap as I stood from the grass after eating my sandwich. After working for hours with Professor Myali, I was mentally, if not physically, exhausted. With a smirk, I tossed my apple core to a spot about thirty paces away and watched it grow into a tree.
Determined to find a more battle-worthy use for my vine-wielding talents than reproducing household goods, I crouched near the ground. When someone spoke my name moments later, I rose with a coiled whip in my hand, a thick green vine with a comfortable handle and sharp thorns along the length of cord. My shoulders lowered. This was a weapon I could work with.
I turned to face whoever stood behind me, ready if they wanted a challenge. I came face to face with Donovan.
A slight grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Good choice.”
I didn’t want to speak to him. “Where’s Professor Myali?”
“She was needed by the council. Since I was on my way here already, I stayed to help where I can.” Donovan’s smile spread, and he glanced at my whip before focusing a serious gaze at me. “You need to focus if you’re going to pass second level before the trials. I’m glad to see you’re taking your abilities seriously.”
Across the field, I noticed a new addition to the class.
“Why’s Carlos here?” I wasn’t comfortable with Donovan right then, and needed to change the subject.
“He could have passed first level the day he arrived, but he didn’t have a reason—until now. I had a talk with him after the announcement last night. Convinced him it was a good idea to join everyone here.”
“What can he do?”
The kid didn’t seem overly special. Quiet and helpful, but not extraordinary.
“Enough that underestimating him wouldn’t be wise. If I were you, I might find a reason to train closer to him.”
I studied the young Peruvian as he stood with his back to me. He didn’t look like he was doing anything. Then he threw his hands out, and the entire field shook as dirt rained down on everyone. A crater large enough to fit four horses in appeared when the dust settled. Carlos put his hands in his pockets and kicked a clump of sod.
When I faced Donovan again, he flicked his brows and leaned closer to me. “He’s a mage, and powerful one at that.” He chuckled. “He just needed the right incentive.”
“And what was that?”
“A chance to make a difference. To prove he’s more than anyone believes he is. He’s much stronger than he knows.”
Pressure built inside my chest. I liked Carlos, he’d been helpful to me when I needed to pass my first level. But there were already too many students here who had a better handle on their new powers. Even though there wasn’t a limit on the number who could enter the early trials, I viewed one more as added competition.
“Good for him,” I said between tight teeth. “Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
If he didn’t bring up the quartz, I wasn’t about to either.
“This isn’t Valhalla, Niasa. There’s more to winning here than combat skills. Second level exams require an understanding of your element beyond weapons, including spell work.” He flicked another gaze to my whip.
I rubbed the handle with my thumb, feeling the energy of the life within the green. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Donovan smirked. “I’ll leave you to practice, then.”
After he sauntered away, I let all my frustration boil up inside. Gus was in some type of coma because of me, while ordinary humans embraced their powers all around me—and used them better!
I glared at a patch of grass ten paces away, and a torso-shaped target rose out of the ground. I uncoiled my whip and flicked it as a test. It wasn’t a weapon I’d ever used, but it felt as natural against my palm as a dagger. With a snap of my wrist, it cracked through the air and sliced out a section of my target.
A smile slid across my face.
9
For the first time since coming to Breasal, I hurried to class the next morning feeling inspired. My practice with the whip had given me a sense of control. I’d managed to form a net and a morning star as well, though the latter still needed work to make the handle stronger.
It scratched at my nerves that I wasn’t the first one to arrive at the field. Sabra and another novitiate I hadn’t met yet stood off to the side. Neither seemed ready to train, content in their conversation.
I strode to the same area where I’d practiced the day before. Everything was fresh and clear, as if nothing had ever taken place. My trees and furniture were gone. There wasn’t even a sign of the large crater Carlos had made. Was it Professor Myali’s doing? Sabra had said the woman was a powerful sorceress. That’s probably why she ran this class.
Minutes later, as I still contemplated my surroundings, more students showed up. Then Professor Myali, arrived speaking with Carlos.
I stretched my hand toward the ground, not needing to touch the grass any longer for my powers to work. My whip rose like a serpent and coiled into my hand, as ready as I was to train.
Before I could form a target, Professor Myali’s voice vibrated against the dome.
“There is one ready for their exams this morning. Everyone, make your way to the front so we can begin.”
I hadn’t asked what the exam process was, but I knew it wasn’t like level one, where I’d written down all my answers. This would be a physical display, apparently, in front of everyone. Though it made sense to clear the field. No one wanted a stray fireball hitting them in the back of the head.
As I strode closer, my whip still in hand, I saw the girl who I’d watched make tornadoes the day before, and Carlos. The professor had said there was one taking exams. If it was Carlos, then there wasn’t a reason I couldn’t try.
I marched up to Professor Myali. “I’d like to take mine, too.”
I heard a derisive snort and recognized Orsika’s tone. Even Luca and Sabra made comments of surprise. I didn’t care, they could take all the time they wanted. There was too much at stake for me to ignore a chance to move on. Gus needed me to find out what happened to him so I could fix it, and I’d come to Breasal to stop the Legion. I couldn’t do either of those things stuck in a classroom. Not even if it looked like a battlefield.
“What are your limitations?” Professor Myali asked me. She seemed to ignore the others, which gave me hope she would let me try.
“What do you mean?”
“What can’t your powers do that would make you vulnerable to attack?”
; I stared at her without blinking. How was I supposed to know that? When you fought someone, you knew your limits when you found someone stronger who could beat you. Then you trained harder, and those weren’t your limits any longer. The question didn’t make sense.
“Do you know what using your magic costs you? What strengths you have that will overpower someone else? How do you use your whip against a sandstorm or a spray of arrows?”
The assault of questions made a trickle of sweat form at my temples. I rubbed my palms against my thighs as I tried to formulate an answer.
“You are not ready, Niasa. Stand back with the others.” Professor Myali turned her back to me in dismissal.
Fingers reached around my elbow, and I snatched my arm away. Luca raised his hands in surrender, then gestured for me to step closer to him. I felt my nostrils flare and heat rush my face as I complied and avoided making eye contact with anyone.
Professor Myali spoke with Carlos and the girl—Macy, her name was—while I fumed. When she had given them their instructions, she faced to the rest of us.
“Everyone, fan out across this end of the field and keep vigilant. While we don’t anticipate injuries, it can happen, and if you’re not paying attention, it will be your own fault.”
I huffed and stood my ground. The others could step away from me if they wanted space.
“It takes longer than a day to train. You shouldn’t be surprised,” Sabra whispered as she passed me. “You’ll get there.”
From my other side, Orsika sauntered over and twisted to stare straight into my eyes. Without intending to, I leaned away from her. There was something about how dark her eyes were, almost black against her pale skin, that prickled my nerves.
“You should take more care about showing your ambitions.” After another couple seconds of staring, she broke off and strode away.
She was a bizarre individual. Shivers ran down my spine as I returned my focus to who was about to take the field.
They didn’t appear in a hurry, and I was about to ask why we had to stand around doing nothing, when the door opened. Danú, followed by the entire council and Donovan, streamed through and made a semi-circle around Professor Myali and Macy.
Carlos made his way back to the line with the rest of us. Perhaps he’d been denied also. He was so quiet and slightly built, but I’d learned that he controlled three elements: terran, air, and water. The way he’d kept himself in level one made me think he didn’t have any powers at all. It was good to know he wasn’t ready to test yet, either.
“Thank you, honored Council and High Priestess, for coming. I present to you for exam, Macy with the power of air. She is efficient in tornadoes, gales, shielding, and sound.”
Why had the entire council come to watch? There were four levels. What made this such an important one that they all had to witness the exam?
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“Thank you, Myali. You may begin when ready,” Danú said with a nod.
I snuck a peek at those on my left and then my right to see if anyone else was as surprised by the audience as me. Orsika glared, but that might just be her way. However, both Luca and Sabra held themselves rigid and stoic. So I wasn’t the only one.
“Macy, please make your way to the center of the field,” Professor Myali said.
I’d never spoken to Macy before. In fact, the only new person I’d met in this level was Sabra, and only because I was forced to work next to her.
Macy had straight, black hair that shimmered. It was so neat and tidy, cut straight across the bottom in a precise row, it made me internally groan. I didn’t have a single curl that ever did anything precise.
As soon as she reached the center, she turned and faced the rest of us. I don’t know what I thought would happen. Perhaps she’d spin a couple tornadoes, or make wind whip around the dome.
Professor Myali raised her arm, and a tornado formed next to Macy. She barely glanced at it before she created her own wind tunnel swirling in the opposite direction. When the two collided, they canceled each other’s momentum, and both disappeared. It was entertaining, but didn’t seem difficult for Macy in the least.
The professor then created throwing stars made from some form of metal, and flung them one after another at the girl. So many came at her in such fast succession that I couldn’t keep track of the number as they blurred through the air.
Macy swirled her hands in front of her body, creating a current that misdirected the sharply pointed discs—for the most part, that was. Several small cuts trickled blood down her arms and legs.
Could someone die in these exams? The professor had asked me what my limits were, but the real question now was what were Macy’s?
For the next hour, we watched as Macy built air shields, deflected a number of weapons that increased in danger, and created wind gusts that whistled so loud they had us covering our ears. At one point, Professor Myali stumbled backward, but ultimately kept her balance. The display ended when Macy created a tornado that spun so fast, a shock wave pulsed out with an explosion that knocked everyone except Danú off their feet.
It took several minutes for anyone to hear again. After that, Professor Myali promoted Macy to second level, and the girl left the room immediately with the council. The rest of us were dismissed to resume our studies.
I stomped over to my area, more determined than ever to develop my abilities.
Though, after what I’d just witnessed, I wasn’t as confident that I could pass this level before the end of the week.
10
The sound of the whip—the whistle, the crack—still rang in my ears as I sat at a table with my dinner that evening. The sweet melody had soothed my nerves. I’d worked on creating other weapons since, but the whip had quickly become my friend. The way the vines anticipated my intention and adjusted to my movement to hit exactly where I wanted them to created a sense of power I’d never felt.
I was in control, and it was euphoric.
My internal peace only lasted until the others plopped themselves down around me. What made them think I’d invited them into my space baffled me, but I said nothing. Keeping my head down and trying to enjoy the roasted vegetable stew they’d served me, I concentrated on the smell of carrots and potatoes, forcing myself not to notice the thick, brown, gravy-like sauce. A good pile of bacon or chunk of ham would satisfy more after a hard day’s practice.
I peeked a glance around the table, surprised to see Carlos. Orsika sat silently at my side while Luca and Jacob joked like a couple of berserkers. I couldn’t help the bitterness that flashed through me thinking of Gus alone in his room while everyone continued their lives like always.
“Why is Georgia Anne sitting by herself?” Luca asked no one in particular. He didn’t seem to notice that only Jacob turned to look in the direction he’d nodded.
“Is she the only novitiate in first level Mystics now?” Jacob asked. “That shouldn’t mean she has to sit alone.”
I winced as he pushed away and went to speak with her. A few moments later, Jacob returned followed by the petite redhead. She stood at the end of the table with her tray of food, as if she was afraid to sit.
“Come on, join us. Niasa especially has been missing your conversation.”
Even though I could hear the laughter in his words as Luca tried to sound sincere, I snapped my eyes to him with a glare that would wither a one-hundred-year-old oak.
When Georgia Anne first sat down, she seemed changed. In fact, everyone at the table got quiet and seemed more interested in eating. Though Luca and Jacob kept darting glances at everyone like they were confused.
“We all want you here, Georgia Anne,” said Luca.
“Well, Jacob said y'all wouldn't mind. But he also said Niasa was talkative, so I don't think I can believe him.”
I rolled my eyes and kept eating. From the corner of my eye, I saw Orsika smirk.
“I'd never lie, just stretch the truth a bit.” Jacob chuckled.
Luca
joined in with added encouragement. “You've been by yourself all day. There must be things you need to talk about.”
“It was lonely. But I learned a new formula, so I'm one more step closer to takin’ my exams.”
“Good for you, keep working at it,” Jacob said with genuine kindness.
I peeked at Georgia Anne and saw her face light up like a beacon at his words. He shouldn't toy with her like that. Though I wasn't sure he understood he was.
“That big quake was something, wasn’t it? I asked Professor Liber about it, but he said he didn't know what caused it.” Georgia Anne paused and leaned forward. “But I think he does. When I went out to the courtyard at lunch, I sat down to eat my sandwich, and I found a new girl who’d just joined the illuminators. We got to talkin’, and apparently, the Illuminator masters told their novitiates that they think it was blood magic. They didn't think anything else would make such a big commotion. Nobody’s supposed to do blood magic, especially not here in Breasal.”
The food in my stomach turned to stone.
“She said they were told that's usually just from the demons. They live in Apollyon, which is like a neighbor to us here. That's what’s got ‘erybody all riled up. They think a demon’s made it into Breasal. Or they were tryin’ to get here maybe, they don't know for sure. That's why they need so many more to investigate. I’m envious that all y’all get to go check it out while I’ll still be here studyin’.”
Georgia Anne stuffed a bite of roll into her mouth while everyone sat in stunned silence—partially to process the assault we’d experienced at the onslaught of words, but also the information she’d shared.
I hadn’t intend to use a dangerous magic, though I really had no idea. In Valhalla, seiðr magic used herbs together with crystals . . . at least, that's what I thought. I’d never actually learned how it worked. In the harvester hall, they used it all the time.
The desire to talk it over with Gus seized my throat, and it took extra effort to swallow the bite of food in my mouth.
Time Academy Page 5
