Why? I wondered, staring up at my ceiling. Why Phoenix? Not even he knew. He said that his foster father had had students before, but I was willing to bet this was the first time that one had left. Maybe it was an issue of pride?
On the floor beside me, Larni snuffled in her sleep. My heart twisted again. Another person to worry about. All of these people, and tomorrow they might just be memories. There would be no new ones made, instead we’d all sit around saying, ‘hey, remember …? They were great’.
I pulled the blankets over my ears so that I couldn’t hear her gentle snoring. Over me, Morri slept on top of my headboard, twitching occasionally. By the time I’d fallen asleep, I could see dawn beginning to break outside my window, and I knew I’d only get a few hours.
The next morning dawned red, as though foreseeing the day’s events. I dressed with shaking fingers and ate with the others in the mess hall. The other mages were there, talking quietly.
“Did anyone sleep?” Dena asked, and it was clear by the state of her hair that she had not.
We all shook our heads. I couldn’t help but notice Petre’s hand in Rain’s. I ached to hold Phoenix’s, but held my fork instead, spearing scrambled eggs.
“Nothing could stop you eating, could it?” Theresa asked, and I wasn’t sure if it was a friendly comment or a nasty jab. With Theresa it was always hard to tell.
We took our turn patrolling the perimeter of the castle in pairs. I got put with someone I didn’t know from our class, whose soul mate was sick, because Iain and Netalia weren’t letting Phoenix out of the castle in case he did something stupid.
“You’re Sky, aren’t you?” the raven haired girl asked me.
“Yeah... I am,” I looked at her, puzzled. “How did you know that?”
“Everyone knows who you are,” she replied. She had eyes of a very unsettling blue; they seemed to stare through me. “You killed the Du’rangor.”
“Yes... yes I did,” I scanned the tree line, searching for anything that might be out of the ordinary. “Uh, sorry, what was your name?”
“Raven,” she said quickly.
“Ah,” it fit. I wondered if Netalia just came up with our names or if there was something else she consulted. “Who’s your soul mate?”
“Nero. I think you guys call him Red Hair, though.”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “We didn’t know his name, so we just stuck to what we know.”
“It’s alright. Before we knew your name we called you Green Eyes.”
My feet didn’t skip a beat, but I suddenly realised something about my classmates.
Our class had every colour of magic there could be. There was every shade, every hue of every colour, except for green. I was the only green eyed, green magicked mage in our year.
What was the reason? I wondered to myself as Raven kept chattering on. It couldn’t be a coincidence, surely. There were just too many of us to pass up a certain colour.
I had a feeling it was something to do with falling in love with my soul mate, something that had been forbidden by...
By whom? Argh, I didn’t know anything about my situation! I was frustrated by my lack of knowledge, but there was no way that I was going to inquire on it any further. I’d had one scare about my feelings for Phoenix being discovered, I wasn’t going to let myself have a second.
“What was that?” Raven asked, stopping and peering into the trees.
I stopped and looked with her. I couldn’t see anything past the first few trunks.
“Should we go and check it out?” I asked. “What did you see?”
“I’m not sure. It might’ve just been a bird.”
“Worth investigating?”
Her eyes scoured the trees, and I saw her fingers twitch towards what looked like a folded staff on her back.
“Maybe,” her eyes hadn’t left the trees. “Ok, let’s go.”
We strode away from the castle, knowing that the next pair of guards would round the corner any second. Raven walked ahead of me, and I saw a small quiver of arrows on her back next to the staff. Bizarre.
She crept through the trees and I followed carefully, making sure my swords were still within my reach. Jett had appealed to Natalia and – I wasn’t supposed to know this but thanks to my eavesdropping in the corridor, I did
– she had let me take the swords because I’d already been trained in them.
The hilts met my hands reassuringly, and I followed Raven deeper and deeper into the woods until we came to a rocky outcrop. She froze on the spot and then beckoned to me.
“It’s a scout. He’s gone that way. I’m gonna circle around and meet him, could you follow him? We should be able to take him down,” she whispered, her voice as quiet as a bird’s wing.
I nodded and headed off in the direction she’d pointed me. I unsheathed my swords as I went, almost crouching along the path. Raven was just on the other side of the rocks, close enough to hear me if I called for help.
I froze in my tracks. The scout had stopped as though sensing someone on his tail. His long cloak trailed in the leaves, and he turned before I could get off the path. “Wha-”
I was on him before he could finish the word. I didn’t dare call out for Raven; there might be others nearby.
Black magic twisted through the air as I neared him. My own magic warded it off, and my blade flashed through the air as his own came up to meet it. With my other sword I took a swipe at his side. I couldn’t let him get back to the others; I needed to take him out here and now.
Raven, hearing the clash of metal on metal, came dashing down the other end of the path, taking the folded staff from her back as she ran. The rogue and I were caught in a dead lock, his sword trapped between my two.
The staff unfolded with a click, and a blade sprang from one end. It was a scythe, I realised. Like Dustin’s.
Not like Dustin’s, I discovered quickly, as two bits of wood sprang from it the top of the staff, making it into a tall crossbow. Raven pulled an arrow from her back and fitted it to the string.
“Down,” she commanded, and I withdrew my swords and hit the forest floor hard, tucking into a ball.
She fired, and the rogue, who’d be turning as he realised there was someone behind him, was caught by the bolt in his shoulder. He fell to the ground with a cry, and I pounced on him, flattening my hand over his mouth.
“Let’s take him back to the castle,” she said, panting, folding the scythe-crossbow thing up and fitting it back on her back. “He might have information.”
“You’re incredible,” I told her as we bound and gagged the older man. “What is that?”
“It’s a scythe,” she replied, as we heaved the rogue to his feet. “And also a crossbow. Close range and long range.”
I want one, I thought, as we dragged the man back to the Academy.
We’d pulled the bolt from his shoulder and dressed the wound, so he wasn’t in too much pain. I think he was suffering more from the fact that he’d been beaten by two students.
We brought him before Iain and Netalia, who were shocked, though they immediately took him in for questioning. Out in the hallway, Jett admonished us for going off on our own.
“You’re there to guard, not investigate,” he told us furiously.
I wasn’t put off by it though. Raven had earned my respect, and I told her so.
“Oh please. I never would’ve engaged him on my own. You’re very brave, Sky.”
“You know, a lot of what people say is bravery is actually just stupidity,” I told her, and she laughed.
I introduced her to my group, and I noticed something flicker through Dustin’s eyes as she shook his hand. It was the same look he used to turn on me. I should’ve been bothered by it, and I guess I was a little bit. But I was glad Dustin could move on. I didn’t want him knowing how fast I had.
Raven spent the rest of the lunch break with us, and Ispin was absolutely intrigued by her weapon. He almost got shot by getting her to show him how it worked
, and then getting too close when she demonstrated.
The rest of the day passed by quickly, as though on fast forward. Everywhere, people were talking in corners, and the Armoury was full of people sharpening their weapons. Just when I thought we were going to get another full day of peace, a horn sounded in the distance, and the Academy came to a standstill.
“What was that?” Dena asked fearfully.
Ispin and Petre ran to the nearest window with Theresa and I close on their heels. We all peered out of it.
I blanched at the sight. A small army of mages dressed in brown and black were advancing, coming from the west as Iain had predicted. As we watched, they sounded their horn again.
“What are they doing?” I asked no one in particular, perplexed. “Do they want us to know they’re coming or something?”
Theresa gripped my shoulder and peeled Ispin from the window.
“We’re going downstairs with the others. You and Phoenix stay here, like Iain said.”
I watched them go, numb to the bone. Phoenix and I were left alone, standing in the corridor, looking at each other.
Outside, the Academy’s horn sounded.
The attack had begun.
~Chapter Twenty-Two~
“Get your back to the wall,” I instructed, drawing my swords easily after months of practice.
We backed up against the wall and the large window which allowed light into the corridor. Downstairs we could hear Iain’s booming voice and the shouts of the rogues outside.
My heart beat a tattoo in my chest. Behind me, I heard Phoenix draw his own sword.
“Why did they want us to know they were coming?” I whispered furiously, not taking my eyes from the top of the stairs. “Unless-“
The window behind me shattered as the grappling hook smashed through it, gripping the inside of the window. Phoenix leant out of the window and then quickly withdrew when an arrow narrowly missed his head.
“Apparently they want me dead or alive,” he said wryly.
I sheathed one sword and ran to the window, also peering out of it. Three rogues were climbing the chain with murder in their eyes.
“Time for a little bit of magic,” I said to myself, and then grabbed the grappling hook.
I sent a pulse of magic down the chain like a lightning strike. The mages howled as the shock jolted them from the chain and they tumbled to the earth below.
“Get rid of that,” I told Phoenix, pointing at the hook. I unsheathed my second sword. I could hear the sounds of fighting downstairs, and my heart seemed to be locked in an icy vault of worry. All of our friends were down there.
“We have to go to them,” Phoenix said with anguish in his eyes. “Sky, they could be dying-”
“We were told to stay here,” I replied, though my resolve shook as a scream echoed up the stairs. “Phoenix, we can’t move from here.”
We waited out the battle, my nerves humming like a plucked bowstring. I swung my swords in loops, keeping my muscles warmed up; ready for anything that might come up that staircase.
A racket at the bottom of the stairs suddenly snapped me out of my reverie. My heart broke out of the vault, pounding louder and harder than ever. Behind me, Phoenix shifted anxiously.
Six rogues came up the stairs, all clearly wearing the scars of the battle downstairs. The one in front, a large fellow with long brown hair tied back, had a large cut that almost cleaved his face in half. It bled freely, the blood trickling into his beard.
“Aloysius,” I heard Phoenix whisper behind me and I realised he was scared.
I was terrified.
“Diego,” Aloysius growled, and I realised that was Phoenix’s name. “We’re here to bring you home.”
“Over my dead body,” I snarled, repeating my comment from Iain and Netalia’s office.
Aloysius raised his eyebrow, smiling slightly.
“And who’s this?” he asked. A few rogues laughed and I clenched my teeth so hard they creaked. “Your soul mate, Diego?”
“Yes.” Phoenix replied quietly.
Aloysius tilted my face up towards him before I could step back. He seemed to be searching for something.
“Ah, the green eyes,” he said after I’d wrenched myself from his grasp. “Of course.”
“That’s a good way to lose some fingers,” I snapped. “Try it again, I dare you.”
“Green eyes. But this means... ah,” Aloysius smiled a secret little smile. “Should I be congratulating you on finally finding someone you can love, Diego?” The other rogues laughed along with him.
Suddenly, one of them started yelling in panic. He was being attacked by a small black bundle of feathers and talons. One of the other rogues shot an arrow at the bird, which missed, hitting the stone wall with a clatter.
I whistled to Morri and held out my arm. The bird shrieked and flew over the rogues to land on my arm.
An explosion from downstairs seemed to rock the Academy to its very foundations. We all staggered.
“Right, enough chit chat,” Aloysius snapped. “The place is going to come apart. Diego, time to leave.”
“I’m not going with you,” Phoenix said, and I was relieved to hear that his old strength seemed to be returning to his voice. “You know why I came to the Academy. That reason still stands!”
“Fine,” Aloysius said dangerously, drawing his sword. “Well, if you won’t come peacefully, we’re taking you by force!”
I immediately raised my hand, prepared to blast the skin from his bones. Aloysius saw, and clucked his tongue in disappointment.
“Uh uh,” he said, waving his finger in a way I found especially irritating. “Don’t make it too easy for me, love. Surely they’ve told you all about how our magic will infect yours?”
They had not. I risked a glance at Phoenix, who nodded almost imperceptibly.
“Guess we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way then,” I told Aloysius through gritted teeth.
“My thoughts exactly,” he hissed.
I was attacked by the closest rogue on my right. I dodged his first attack, moving quickly to the side. He wasn’t expecting me to move so quickly, and was too slow to block an opening. I went for it purely out of habit.
As my sword sank into his body, I was mildly surprised to see blood running down my blade, instead of straw puffing through the wound, like the practice dummies. Despite my disbelief, I forced the sword deeper until the hilt was pressed to where his heart was.
Blood, hot and sticky, stained my hands and face. The rogue slumped against me, and I looked up. Our eyes met. I saw his widen and then the life fled them. As though a light switch had been flicked, anything that made this person who he was left his body. Shocked by what I’d done, I pushed him off of me, pulling the blade free from his body, and I realised I had just killed another human being.
Before I had time to fully realise this, Aloysius roared with anger and attacked.
I blocked his first blow with one of my swords, Morri launching himself into the face of one of the other rogues.
Aloysius disentangled himself, stepping back. I held my swords in the ‘guard’ position. I could feel my nerves buzzing, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins made it obsolete. Aloysius shed his cloak for freedom of his limbs.
With deadly speed, he swung the sword down, aiming for my shoulder. I parried the blow with my left sword. My arm felt like it was going to break off; he was incredibly strong. Whilst he was focussed on my left sword, I twisted from beneath him, drawing my right sword across, trying to gash his side. He darted away nimbly, and I missed.
I settled into what Jett called ‘the Scorpion’. My left sword pointing dead out in front of me, the right arched over my head. From this position, I could swing straight into one of my deadly Tornado dances. Aloysius gripped his short sword with both hands.
“Give it up, girl,” he snapped. “You don’t stand a chance.”
I ignored him.
He came at me with such speed I only just
managed to dodge the sword. I felt it slice the air next to my throat. Before he could recover, I whipped my right sword down and back up. I nicked his tunic. My left sword blocked his as he went to return the blow.
In terms of combat, we were evenly matched. My only worry was if he started using magic; I knew his powers would double mine.
As if hearing this thought, he pointed at me and whispered something. I felt the strength leave my limbs, and I felt as if I hadn’t slept in years. Fighting to keep my eyes open, I saw him chop down towards my left side. Everything was happening in slow motion.
I watched him sweep towards me, sword raised. With all of my strength I managed to raise my left sword, in an attempt to block his attack. I felt the impact break my wrist, and I cried out in pain. I fell to the ground, clutching my wrist and dropping both of my swords, glancing up just in time to see him chop down towards me. I rolled out of the way, still bracing my wrist. Time fell back to normal as I clenched my teeth against the pain.
Holding my injured wrist close to my chest, I rolled out of the way of his next attack, but not far away enough that I couldn’t pluck the broadsword from his grip, which I proceeded to do. He hadn’t been holding onto it properly, not expecting me to try anything.
Behind us, I heard Phoenix fighting the other mages, four against one. Out the corner of my eye, I saw my bird fly at the face of one of the rogues, who was stumbling further and further back. I almost cried out to warn him as he stepped back one step too far and went crashing down the stairwell. The mages Phoenix was fighting turned towards the stairs just as their comrade’s cries broke off with an unpleasant crack.
Aloysius lashed out in a savage kick, taking advantage of my distraction. I rolled out of the way to avoid it and pushed myself off of the ground in the same movement. He brought his fist down, trying to hit my broken wrist. I dodged it, and twisted around his side, kicking the back of his knee. His leg collapsed, and suddenly he was kneeling on the ground.
Soul Fire Page 26
