by Marian Gray
“Stand here. Arm up,” he commanded. “All right, run through your spells.” The words snapped from his mouth.
His anger ate at me. My wand fell by my side.
“Arm up.”
“I don’t want to do this.” I shook my head.
“Then what do you want to do, Kim?” His eyes were severe.
My lips clamped together to hold back the building cry in my throat. He had never been cross with me, and it hurt. I didn’t know how to handle it. But I wasn’t going to cry in front of him.
He sighed. He could see the despair upon my face. “I’m sorry.” His legs carried him over to me and his arms wrapped me in a warm hug. “I’m just hurt, but I’ll get over it.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
The scaled chestpiece hung from my shoulders with an unexpected fit, light but a tight embrace. My fingers clung to the top, allowing my arm to hang. Heat radiated up my skin as I stared out at the crowd. Over fifty thousand had gathered for the opening game of the season, and now they all stared down at the six of us, expecting not just a win but a triumphant victory over our northern foe from Canada. Our competition joined us in the middle of the pitch and stood with their hands stiff at their sides.
“Gentle wizards and witches,” President Banach began in her delicate, sing-song voice. “It is with great pleasure that I stand before you today. I know we have all been anxiously waiting for spring, for with it begins—” A large cheer erupted from the crowd, muting her. She smiled and paused, waiting for their applause and shouts to die down. “For with it begins the holmgang season. Please rise for the playing of the O Canada and the Star Spangled Banner.”
Our two countries flags hovered high in the sky, waving in the air without wind or pole to move them. The anthems played and when the last note sounded, we were escorted to seats designated solely for the players. They were located on the arena floor, surrounded by our reserves and team aides, as well as individuals who had paid a rather hefty to price to be sitting so close to the team.
“Nervous?” Ryan leaned and whispered.
“You have no idea.” I swallowed hard to keep the bile in my stomach from emptying onto the field. My appetite had been nonexistent the entire day.
“You’ll do great.” He gave me a comforting pat on the back. “Eli wouldn’t have given you the spot on the team if he didn’t think you had what it takes.”
I swallowed a deep breath. “Do you think I have what it takes?” We had spent an entire semester seeing each other at practice three times a week. He may not have been as popular as Eli, but Ryan was still carving a name for himself in the sport.
“To be honest, the first day I saw you in practice, I couldn’t fathom why Elijah put you on the team over some of the reserves, but you have far and away improved beyond expectation. You’re better than all the reserves and can hold your own without a doubt.” He winked. It wasn’t a flirtatious gesture, but one an older brother would give to his little sister.
I returned it with a grin. “Thank you. That’s very kind.”
He shrugged. “Just telling you the truth, so relax and remember: a player is only eliminated from the game if they withdraw themselves or become incapacitated. The key to keeping your wits about you is all up here.” He tapped his head. “Maintain a clear and focused mind. You’ll be able to weather whatever harmful spell finds its way to you if you can concentrate on overcoming it.” He leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his pale brown hair. “Plus, Maggie, Andres, and I go first. You’ve got time to relax before you hit the stage.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s just more time for my anxiety to consume me,” I said as a pair of eyes caught my attention. I glanced over Ryan’s shoulder to spot Elijah watching us with an intent gaze. His stare should have been on the pair atop the field.
The wand rested with an easy familiarity inside my hand. I glanced to my left. Beth kicked her toes into the ground and shook her arms while Elijah stood stone still. He didn’t have the jitters, despite our opponents at the other end of the field. My blood pumped through my body with a reverberating thud. The pressure beat against my skin and thumped in my ears.
Night had fallen on the limestone arena, darkening the stands and forcing the several spotlights to blare across the crisp green grass. The hard light dimmed, creating a soft illumination across the grounds. The crowd exploded with cheers and applause. It was beginning.
“Remember,” Elijah said loud enough for only the three of us to hear, “stay in front of me. Two-one formation with Kim on the right and Beth on the left.”
In theory, this provided a better defense and didn’t allow our opponents to divide and conquer, nor to overwhelm any particular individual.
“We need to take down Brown first, as she’s not only the team’s lead but also the more powerful of the three. After that it’s Fletcher, the tall string to the left, and then Brodeur on the right. We’ve trained half a year for this. We are more than capable of winning this.”
A deep, rich echo filled the arena as the horn blew to begin the game. Its bass notes brought chills to my body and spiked my anxiety. My mind flickered with doubt, but there was no longer time to dwell on it. I had to play the game.
The three of us pushed off from the ground and launched into a run. Being the fastest caster on the field, Elijah preferred to play close rather than long-ranged. The less space there was between the two dueling parties, the less time either side would have to react. This maximized our advantage.
When our feet touched within fifty yards of the team, our Canadian opponents halted their approach.
“Incoming,” Beth shouted to us as their wands began to cut out spells in the air.
The ground shook beneath my boots. A rolling groan pierced the air as the field vibrated. My heart jumped into my throat, but I pushed forward.
“Up ahead,” Elijah yelled.
Five meters in front of me the grass split, ripped apart. A stone spike shot from the crack. I lunged to the side before the harsh point met my heels. My ankle landed with a slight twist that threw me off balance.
“Keep moving, Kim.” Elijah’s voice rallied behind me.
My toes dug into the dirt and legs kicked off to catch up to Beth. A raging fireball hurled toward her. She faded to the side, and it zoomed by her shoulder. Her pace didn’t slow.
A burst of black smoke consumed the Canadian players. From it burst forth another fireball, but this one was larger and faster—a flying sun.
“I got it,” Elijah said. His wand whipped in the air, and the barreling ball of flames cracked into a thousand tiny pieces. Rock rained down on the field. My head and shoulders were pelted. It forced my body into a gallop. My hands itched to enter the action.
My wand raised before me. “Maharin.” An arctic blue spear soared from my arm and struck the area beneath our opponents.
The field rumbled with a humid anger. Mounds rose and popped. Large jets of boiling water streamed into the air. The Canadians danced around the geysers. Brown and Fletcher hopped away with ease, but Brodeur was less fortunate. A shouting spring caught him on the elbow, turning his skin a painful crimson.
“Keep pushing forward,” Elijah yelled. The command was directed at me.
It wasn’t until I could see the whites of our opponents eyes did Elijah call for the onset of our assault.
My fingers ripped open a clasp upon my belt. I grabbed one of my three potions. Together, Beth and I launched our first concoction. The round bottom flasks broke upon impact, releasing a smoky haze of cobalt smog into the air. Beth’s cloud swallowed their entire end of the arena. It forced Brown, Fletcher, and Brodeur to flee, but they weren’t fast enough to escape the haze’s grasp. When they emerged from the blue, they stumbled forward with red, weepy eyes and a hoarse cough.
“Jump,” Elijah warned. I hadn’t heard him cast. I glanced behind me. A large cylindrical mound beneath the grassy carpet raced toward the other team. I leapt over the dirt wave as it rol
led forward, rocking the Canadians’ balance.
“Vient.” Beth whipped her wand across her chest. A crescent burst of wind cut through the air. The gust knocked them onto their backs.
But Brown hopped to her feet before another attack could be sent out. Her face held a marked determination, inflated with fury. With tears slipping from her eyes, she marched toward us throwing spell after spell at Elijah.
“Second potion,” he huffed in between his body’s sway as he blocked Brown’s onslaught.
Beth’s tiny vial made contact before mine, erupting into hundreds of slithering vines that stretched out their thorny limbs in search of ankles.
“Left,” Brown shouted, keeping her team together. “Release one.”
I saw the glint of glass in the arena field lights just as the conical flasks met the ground.
“Kim, run,” Beth cried.
The ivy green liquid splashed at my feet and shot into the air with a fury. The wet mist surrounded me as my leg lifted to sprint away. I blew through the dark fog. But each inch of my exposed skin tickled with an impending sting. Second by second it grew until a fiery rage radiated across my every nerve. My muscles flexed into uncontrollable spasms, and I toppled forward to the ground. My back arched and convulsed. Agony twisted around my spine. I screamed, wanting it to stop—needing it to stop.
But I refused to withdraw myself.
Like Ryan had said, I had to concentrate on overcoming this. I closed my eyes and pushed the battle away. The burn lessened. My mind stilled and cleared. I crawled to my hands and feet as the muscles released the tension.
When the ripples of pain subsided into a low strum, I pulled myself back onto my feet. Brown and Fletcher stared right into my cloudy eyes. They had positioned themselves between my teammates and I, cutting me off from the pack.
They lifted their wands, and incantations spilled from their mouths. I froze. I couldn’t take two players on at once. The arena flashed with light as electric bolts thundered toward me. My eyes shut and chest tightened, bracing for impact. But it never came.
I blinked. Piles of ash and soot rested feet away from me. Someone had disintegrated the spells.
I glanced passed my opponents to spot Elijah standing by himself, casting. He had blocked Brown and Fletcher’s attack. Beth stood a few feet away, engaged in a heated duel with Brodeur.
I raised my wand, confident this was the opportunity I needed. My muscles squirmed in protest, but I held steady. I lassoed my arm overhead before bring it down with a hard slash and follow through flick. “Imbior.”
A slender stream of white light shot from my wand with a breathtaking speed. It knotted around Brown’s ankle. With both hands, I yanked back on my wand. The spell magnified my strength. Brown fell to the ground and slid across the grass. Fletcher cried out a block spell, but it struck and bounced off my white line. It wasn’t powerful enough to break my hold on Brown.
I whirled my wand over head, watching as Brown lifted in the air and spun. When the speed had built, I released her. She flew high, her body twisting in fear as it barreled across the field and landed with a hard thud.
The crowd roared with unbelievable enthusiasm. My eyes turned to Brodeur and Fletcher, who laid in heaps on the grass—the work of Elijah and Beth. I glanced back to Brown unsure of what to do.
But the answer came quick. A low blare of a horn shook the stadium.
“We did it!” Beth clapped her hands together.
“What?” I called to them.
“We won,” she screamed before jumping up and down in celebration. She bounced over to Elijah and hugged him.
I grinned through my exhaustion. I wanted to join them, but my entire body shook from fatigue. My skin still radiated an agonizing red, and the scar along my forearm grew, inflamed.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rosewall’s Lover Revealed
By Ida Rivera
Ryan Rosewall has been the hot name on everyone’s lips, but whose hot lips have been all over Ryan? None other than our favorite failure, Kim Blackwood. Sources say that she’s the one our lovable athlete has been sneaking around with.
Come on Ryan. We know you can do better. Just last week—
I sighed and folded the paper before tossing it in the garbage without reading another word. How they spun that web, I hadn’t the faintest idea. Ryan and I had never been alone, and we only ever saw each other at events: practices, games, and the fall semester mixer.
I had hoped to see our victory on the first pages of the Emporium, but that piece of news had been left to the last page in the sports section. The table for Collegiate Holmgang ranked us in the upper half of the list with two points beside the university’s name. The Canadian college rested at the bottom with a flat zero beside their name. The points seemed to be relatively spread. Several universities had twos, some held ones, and others were saddled with zeros.
“What’s wrong, Kim? Upset Elijah turned you down, and now the world knows you’re barking after Rosewall?” Lili leaned against the corridor wall, watching me with intent eyes.
Exasperation surged through me. “At least the Emporium finds me interesting enough to write about. Your name doesn’t even appear in the paper unless I’m quoted mentioning it. It must be quite difficult living in my shadow.”
Her lower lip popped out, doubtful. “They write about you because they’re laughing at you. I’d rather never have my name appear than to have ‘favorite failure’ as my tag line.”
“As you have learned in casting class, and the world saw last night—I’m not a failure. And even if I were, what then would that make you? Every time we’ve met, I’ve emerged the victor.”
“So, you mean the one and only time our wands have met, you squeaked by?”
“I don’t know if ‘squeak by’ is the phrase I’d use to describe how badly I beat you.”
She took a step toward me, and her arms unfolded. “Well, why don’t we give it another go?” Her wand slid into her hand. “If you are the powerful witch you claim to be, this should be a piece of cake for you.”
Hot blood pumped through my veins and resounded in my ears. I wanted nothing more than to end this squabble once and for all. I knew I had the better technique and more strength than she did, not to mention the knowledge. I didn’t care if Lili had grown up with magic. That just meant she could clean a house better than I could. “I would love the opportunity to make you eat your words and shut your smug mouth.” I withdrew my ancient wand from my backpack’s side pocket.
Lili stepped into her aristocratic stance with a trained grace. Her arm raised in front of her with proper etiquette and her wand pointed at me.
My back foot slid out behind me and fingers tightened into a crisp grasp around the worn wood. It was the same stance Elijah had taught me six months ago.
The trickle of students making their way to class, halted and filled in around us. Whispers flitted around the congested hallway. The air buzzed.
“Whenever you’re ready, Banach,” I spat, egging her on.
She didn’t let another moment pass. Lili’s wand whisked toward me as she whispered her spell. A burst of bright cyan shot from the tip. It jetted through the air like ink shot through water.
“Rem.” I waved the spell away. My arm swung back with a spell of my own on my lips.
“Ladies.” Professor Dart barked as he pushed his way through the small crowd. The sound of his voice sent more than half of the spectators running off.
My arm fell to my side. Piercing panic flit through me. Fighting on campus grounds was considered an unsanctioned duel.
“Professor Dart.” Lili’s wand snapped behind her back. “We were just practicing our casting together.”
“Oh.” His lips flattened in disbelief. “In the corridor? Is that true, Blackwood?”
“Yes, Professor.” The lie hurt to spill, but I couldn’t risk my spot on the team or my attendance at the university.
“Why are you practicing in the hallways inst
ead of the designated areas?” From the tone of his voice, he knew we weren’t being truthful. Lili and I shared a desperate look, but neither could pull an answer out of thin air. “I suggest you two leave the rivalry in the classroom and be on your way to wherever it is you need to be.” He turned to me, his eyes severe. “I expected more from you, Blackwood. Abuse of knowledge and strength to thwart others just makes you a bully.” His glare then turned to Lili. “And you, the university president’s granddaughter—what kind of example are you setting for your classmates?” He shook his head. “This is a school of prestige not brutes.”
“Yes, professor,” I muttered.
Professor Dart turned on his heel, but stopped when greeted by the onlookers’ faces. “I think it best if you all were to be on your way.” They scattered like cockroaches before he could say another word.
But Lily stood her ground. She glared at me through the moving crowd. I didn’t return the look. My feet carried me past her and onto my dorm.
It wasn’t fair for Professor Dart to label me a bully. I hadn’t entered in the fall. That was Lili. Whatever ability or knowledge I possessed was obtained through hard word and determination. Standing up to her wasn’t an abuse of my power, it was a defense. Perhaps he had forgotten all the times she mocked and ridiculed me in class. Perhaps the grief she threw at me was acceptable because it was all in good fun—all for the rivalry.
I stormed to my door and slid the metal key in the lock. But stopped. There were a series of lines etched into the door around the knob. They hadn’t been there before.
I knelt and peered closer. The marks looked like scratches as though someone had raked their nails across the door multiple times.
I rose to my feet, drawing in a deep breath. My eyes glanced to either side of me, expecting to catch someone watching me, but there was no one in the hallway. No heads poked out from open doors. The place was empty.
My fingers gripped the cold key and twisted, listening for the unlocking click. But it never came. A chill crept over my body as I stared at the door. It was unlocked.
