by Martha Carr
“Thanks! You know, I can feel him right here,” she said, tapping her chest. “It’s like I know how he’s feeling today without being near him.”
“I know what you mean. Maxwell and I are bonded like that. Where is he? Is he waiting for you at the academy?”
“No, I haven’t gotten that far.” She tore off another bite. “We’re still working on that.”
They got to the edge of the woods that lined the road toward the town.
He frowned at her. “If you can fly a dragon through a ring and throw fire, you’ve bonded. Why not try? You only have three days left.”
“I want to, but if I do it too early and fail, that could be it. Headmaster Flynn has agreed to let me try, which is a victory all by itself. If I try and Leander fails, the headmaster could say it’s too dangerous to try again, and I don’t have a backup familiar. I don’t want one. He even gave me a special test that I can’t share with anyone until the time is right to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
“Way to leave a teaser. Not even a clue for your oldest friend?”
“No, I can’t take the chance. If the headmaster figures out I told someone, it’s an automatic fail.”
A cart full of chickens in wire cages passed them, pulled by two donkeys. “You kids want a ride?”
“That’s right, we do!” Henry took a jump and landed on the back. “Come on, your turn.” He held out his hand and Raven took it, throwing herself onto the back, landing face-first in the hay, her head grazing the chicken cages. A gray and white Sussex chicken pecked at top of her head as the wagon rolled along at a nice pace.
“Ow!” She sat up, glaring at the chicken.
“Maybe that’s a sign a chicken is your familiar.”
“Or lunch.”
“Oooh, back up, chickens. Raven knows how to use a fire spell, and you could be barbeque in no time. I am still hungry if you want to. No?”
“Very funny. I’m not picking a chicken, and I can’t bring Leander yet. It’s still too dangerous. I bring him in, and I don’t have control over him, I could be humiliated and kicked out and be responsible for destroying Fowler Academy at worst. I have to be sure.”
“How do you do that?”
“Good question. William’s taking me to the dragon races held by other trainers from all over the kingdom. It’s the night before the tests. If we can pass, then I know we’ll pass the finals.”
The wagon got to the edge of town, where the shops were already bustling with early morning shoppers waiting for the doors to open.
The cart rolled near the town square, and Raven called, “We’ll get off here,” jumping off the end of the cart. Henry followed her, and they walked toward the fountain. Murphy was sitting on the edge, waiting for them. She lifted her head and saw them, her smile growing as she waved and got up to meet them.
Raven walked by the board and did a double-take. “They’re gone.” She stopped in front of it.
“How much longer do you need to stare at that bulletin board? Come on, I’m sure it’s changed very little from the last time you looked at it.”
Murphy came and stood by the board on one side of Raven. “What’s gone? There’s nothing here.”
“Exactly. All the fliers are gone.”
“What?” Henry said, annoyed, checking the shadows around him. “I can’t be late every day.”
“They’re all gone.” Raven jabbed her finger at the empty board. “All the reports of missing ranch hands. They’re gone.”
“So what?” Henry asked, shrugging. “They’ve moved on with their lives. Maybe they all went out for a beer and stumbled home.”
“Who’s missing?” Murphy leaned over the pool of water in the fountain. “Anyone get the potion communication spell? I tried to reach my aunt in Killeen and got a cranky wizard out of bed. Whew! If I couldn’t see his face, I’d have sworn he was a screeching bird. Fitz about lost his mind.”
A wooden sign painted with red letters had been nailed to the top of the board: BE WARY OF BANDITS.
“Bandits, no. That can’t be,” Raven whispered, confused. “It’s not bandits.” She looked in the bakery’s direction but saw no sign of Peter. “Something’s not right. I can feel it.”
“Isn’t your plate already full? Come on.” Henry took her by the arm and led her away from the bulletin board.
Murphy slipped her hand into the crook of Raven’s other arm. Fitz followed them at a distance, sometimes taking a break to hunt something small and furry.
“Oh, come on, Murphy! What is that?” Fitz had laid a dead mouse at Henry’s feet and was sitting back, satisfied, licking his fur.
Murphy beamed, patting the top of the cat’s head. “He must like you. He brought you a prize.”
Henry stepped around the dead mouse, making a face. “Okay, not hungry anymore. Is that the cat’s special power?”
“Cats are the best. They can amplify a spell and carry secrets from one mage to another,” she said, counting them off on her fingers. Raven did her best to listen to them as they kept walking, even as she wondered about the sign.
It sounded like chatter circling around her as they made their way to the school.
“You’re quiet,” Henry said as they passed under the wrought iron sign saying, Fowler Academy. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s bandits, and it seems like someone is trying to sell us on it.”
Henry furrowed his brow. “Why? What’s the big deal?”
“This isn’t bandits. I flew Leander to that satellite ranch last night and saw it for myself. Bandits don’t work like that.”
Murphy’s mouth hung open. “You flew a dragon to a what?” She covered her mouth with both her hands. “You have a familiar. You trained a dragon to be a familiar. You will be legendary!”
“Keep it down, Murphy,” said Henry. “We need to get to class.” He looked around, scowling.
Raven looked in the same direction and saw Jenny standing alone by the steps. She smiled at her friend. “Go on without us. We’ll meet you in the arena.”
His mood changed, and a nervous smile spread across his face. Raven saw Murphy’s smile slip, and she wrinkled her forehead as her friend watched Henry wander away.
Raven tapped her on her shoulder. “He’s not my familiar yet, Murphy. I have to show I can control him, and if I even use that word ‘control,’ he turns his back on me or throws me like a beanbag at the nearest stationary object.”
“Yeah, sure.” Murphy still followed Henry’s every move across the grounds.
“Hey! You have something you want to share with everyone?”
“What? No, I’m fine, nothing wrong.”
Raven smiled and slung her arm across her friend’s shoulders. “Not what I asked, but okay. Let’s go with that. You ready for class today?”
“Weapons class? I don’t know. We have to fight each other in the arena. I’m not much of a fighter.”
“That’s what Henry said.”
“He did?” She looked in the direction he had gone.
“More or less.” Raven shook her head. How did I not see that before? “Murphy, we’d better hurry. Professor Fellows doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.”
“No, you’re right. I haven’t seen him smile all semester. Have you ever been to the arena?”
“Only at orientation, but it’s a good day for it. Come on, we can get another look at where the fighting squad trains.”
“It’s where all soldiers train. If you’re to be a mage like that blood spell said, you will train there too.”
They hurried over to the arena beyond the barns, lining up single file to wave their rune at the entrance and gain admittance. Raven waved her arm and watched her skin glow. The symbol she first saw at orientation appeared on her forearm, removing the wards around the building and allowing her to follow everyone inside.
In the arena, the murmur of voices was growing with anticipation at the chance to fight each other. The arena was wide and c
ircular, covering an acre and a half and open at the top. The same fine silt as the barn covered the ground, and it had the same style of bleachers around the perimeter.
Murphy and Raven found seats together on the first row in the section between the two large openings where the rest of the students had gathered. The rest of the bleachers stood empty.
In the center of the arena stood Professor Fellows already waiting with two soldiers from town dressed in padded gear and helmets, holding long poles. Professor Fellows pulled out a pocket watch and pursed his lips, holding up his hand and with a quick flick, closing the doors. A late student yanked on the door from the other side, but to no avail.
Raven and Murphy’s eyebrows shot up, and Raven looked around for Henry to make sure he had gotten inside on time. He was sitting a few rows behind her, looking just as surprised.
A hush fell over the arena, and Professor Fellows nodded to the two soldiers to take their places. Without a word, the two fought, swinging the poles at each other. The taller man swung the pole at the other’s feet, but his opponent leaped just in time, avoiding the sweep and swinging the pole at the taller soldier’s head. It struck him on the helmet and knocked him onto his side.
He rolled onto his shoulder, still grasping the pole, and regained his footing. The silt covering his entire right side fell off in a fine mist. He wasted no time twirling the pole and tilting it right and then left, lunging and striking. The other soldier backed up step by step, blocking each blow but having no time to counter.
Professor Fellows took a step back, watching the duel without expression. Raven and Murphy were on the edge of their seats and some of the students were already standing, still holding back from cheering.
The soldier stopped moving backward and saw his moment. He swung the pole at a sharp angle and caught the taller man in the ribs, knocking him flat. He moved in and held the tip of the pole against the man’s throat, his foot on his chest. The soldier on the ground growled but didn’t move. The fight was over.
Professor Fellows stepped forward as the remaining students rose to their feet and cheers went up. He nodded to the soldier still standing and the man backed off, holding his pole against him. He offered his hand to the soldier on the ground and the man took it, getting to his feet as a rain of silt poured off his back. The two men took their places next to the professor and stood silently.
The professor held up his hands, the same icy expression on his face, and waited for the arena to grow quiet and everyone to take their seat. “Thank you to our two volunteers, Privates Furnby and Lane. Well done, gentlemen. A worthy display of how to use bō staffs in combat. Thank you. You two may report back to your regiments.”
The two men nodded and took off at a trot for the doors as the professor flicked his hand, unlocking the main doors. A few students slipped in the door past the departing soldiers just before the professor flicked his hand again, locking the doors.
The professor held up a parchment and let go, letting it float in mid-air. “You’ve been practicing how to use the bō staff, and it’s time you try it out in a controlled battle. Find your name and next to it, your partner’s name. Get a bō staff and put on your helmets and padding, and we will begin. Four teams spread out at the same time. Be quick about it.”
The students poured off the bleachers toward the parchment, elbowing each other to get a look. “Oooh, Jenny, you’re fighting Anne Lundt,” said Murphy.
Jenny looked at the short, stocky girl, who usually stood on one side of Bella. Jenny swallowed and shrugged, heading off to find padding and a helmet. Murphy ran her finger down until she found her name. “Figures. I’m fighting Tweedledee,” she whispered to Raven. “She’s already getting her helmet.”
She hitched her thumb toward the pile of helmets. Nina Quint struggled to pull a helmet over her stocking cap. “Who did you get?” They both turned to the parchment to look together. The crowd was thinning out by then, and only a few were still making out names.
“Nooo!” Raven and Bella said it together and glared at one another. Bella let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course, I got you. This is my fate for the next four years, isn’t it?” She trudged off to get her padding.
“What if she’s right?” Raven shook her head. “I wonder if the teachers know.”
“Know what?”
“Both Bella and my mother were war mages and knew how to fight with magic and weapons. They protected the city.”
“Whoa. Fighting Nina doesn’t seem so bad.”
“A few rules, people!” Professor Fellows' voice rang out inside the arena. “Today, we stop playing games and learn how to defend ourselves without magic and to attack using weapons we’ve had for thousands of years. But this means I am entrusting you first years to behave like young adults.”
“He’s still hot,” whispered Murphy. Raven elbowed her in the ribs and suppressed a smile as they made their way to the pile of padding and found their sizes, pulling on the various pieces.
“One! No striking the face. Two, you stop as soon as your opponent says stop, and most of all…” He stopped and took a moment to scan the crowd, one dark eyebrow arched as he spotted the cluster of boys, including Henry, already jostling each other. He lowered his chin and glared at them until they froze where they were, staring at him. “No spells of any kind. Break that rule, and you will end up in detention…or worse.”
Raven found a suitable bō staff, grabbed her helmet in her other hand, and went to stand with the others, waiting to hear her name called.
“Jenny Connors and Anne Lundt, take the left quadrant.”
Jenny made her way from the middle of the crowd and followed Anne. “At least I can get this over with,” she muttered as she passed Raven. Raven patted her on the back and whispered, “You can do it!”
“Bella Chase and Raven Alby, you take the center quadrant.” Raven felt her heart pound in her chest and looked at Bella, smiling a little too hard.
“You’re every bit as good as she is, and a bit more,” said Murphy, monitoring her opponent, who was glaring at her from the other side of Bella. “Go get her!”
Raven marched to the center of the arena under the wide opening, the sunlight shining on her red hair, and put on her helmet. She turned to face Bella, bō staff held across her chest.
You’ve got this. Picture her as an elf with a goat.
Raven charged at Bella, twirling the staff and swung hard, tapping her on the shoulder. Bella dodged at the last moment, so the hit wasn’t hard. Bella rolled out of range and spun around, coming at Raven with her staff.
Raven blocked the blow, the poles knocking together, and she shoved, grunting as she pushed Bella off-balance. She swung the pole behind her back to get the right angle and brought it around, catching her at the waist. She saw the look of pain and surprise on Bella’s face despite the padding and let a small smile escape.
Bella narrowed her eyes and came at her, her eyes flashing with anger and the pole spinning in front of her. She flipped forward, still spinning the pole and landed on her feet, bringing the pole down on Raven’s helmet before Raven could block it.
“Not at the face!” yelled the professor from the other side of the arena where he was breaking two large first-year boys apart.
Raven blinked her eyes twice and bit her lip, regaining her focus.
Okay, so it’s like that. Come on, elf girl. I play rough too.
She was breathing hard, and her heartrate picked up, even as her head throbbed. She took small swings at Bella, backing her up and clacking bō staffs, changing the rhythm to throw her off. Bella smiled as if she had figured it out and leaned in to swing, leaving her side open.
Raven saw her chance. She let the pole slide through her hands and stepped forward, letting her weight carry her, then swung, bashing Bella in the ribs again, this time knocking the wind out of her.
Bella dove headfirst into the silt and rolled onto her back, her face dotted with dirt. She was growling and baring her teeth, holding
her pole across her chest even as she gulped for air.
“One, two, three…” Raven counted the seconds for a match to be over if an opponent was down. She approached Bella to hold the staff at her throat and end the match just as Bella surprised her and leapt to her feet, still gasping.
“Bella, we can stop now. You were down for the count.”
“Not a chance, Alby. I’m not letting you win.”
“You didn’t let me do anything. I won. Rules say three seconds.”
“Fuck the rules,” growled Bella, and she swung her pole.
“Enough!” shouted the professor, making his way across the arena, dodging swinging bō staffs from other teams still competing.
After a moment, everyone noticed the problem in the center of the arena and stopped to watch.
“Calm down, Bella. It’s just a class.” Raven took a step back, and realized too late someone had dropped a helmet behind her. She tripped and fell over it as Bella swung for her head.
Raven rolled out of the way, got to her knees, and held up her staff in time to block the blow, too late to get her fingers out of the way. She felt a sharp thwack and winced, getting to her feet, her staff moving right and left like a seesaw. She countered each of Bella’s moves, not giving an inch, and pushed her back until their faces were inches from one another.
“Enough, Bella,” she said, between clenched teeth.
“Not ‘til I win!”
Raven could feel Bella’s hot breath on her face and she sucked in air, shoving as hard as she could. The strength she had gained from learning to ride Leander paid off. Bella fell on her back on the ground, defenseless. She raised the pole, about to leap forward and press the tip against Bella’s throat, when Bella whispered something too low for anyone to hear.
Raven’s pole heated in her hands, turning to ash inch by inch until she had to let go.
“Magic!” yelled Raven, her hands free of any weapon.
Bella got to her feet, ignoring the professor, who grabbed Jenny’s bō staff out of her hands and dashed across the arena toward them.
Bella rushed at Raven, who contemplated using a spell. She backed up until she was close enough to another team and reached out for another bō staff. The student handed it over.
