by Priya Ardis
“Yeah, exactly how is that going to work out?” I said. “Do they know we’re coming?”
Billie replied, “The Council sent Matt to recruit candidates. We’re here with him. He’s all we need.”
Matt’s cheeks flushed red.
I recognized the look. He was keeping something back. A curl of unease tightened inside me. “Matt, what’s going on?”
“Not to worry. You’re all candidates.” He ushered us into the first van.
I would have pestered him more, but I was too tired. I let him hustle me into the van. The van itself was tiny- not exactly the giant SUVs we had driven back home- but from what I’d observed in my short time in England I doubted the cars got much bigger than this van.
Matt sat beside me, looking out the window. The white-knuckled flyer had vanished the instant we’d landed. The further out into the country we got the more relaxed he seemed. My head bobbed as the van ambled over seemingly endless rolling hills. The one-lane road we drove on seemed was the only sign of civilization.
I yawned. I wanted nothing more than to rest my head against Matt’s shoulder, but it seemed weird after what he’d told me about his brother. Not that I’d done anything, but I still felt somehow guilty. I yawned again.
“We’re almost there, Ryan,” he said without turning his head.
My cheeks heated. “Is this place protected? Do the gargoyles know about it?”
“The wizard community has kept it hidden for centuries.”
“How is it protected?” Grey asked. I could hear the apprehension in his tone.
“There is a shield over the stronghold. Any supernatural creature not specifically invited is restricted from entering it. An ordinary passerby would just see hum-drum little buildings.”
A dilapidated brick estate stood in the middle of grey fields. A stonewall surrounded it. We stopped at iron gates, but the buildings inside were hardly impressive. Two manor-houses, two stories tall and not very wide. The houses connected by a small archway. It was… quaint. And didn’t look as if could house more than twenty people.
Our driver got out of the van and went up to the gate. He shouted something. A harsh wind burst through the air, and open-sesame, the gates opened.
Our driver jumped back in the van. As we crossed the archway, I noticed a small wooden plaque next to the gate. It declared, “Avalon Preparatory Academy.”
The van followed the driveway up to the closer of the twin buildings. The driver stopped the van just before large double doors.
“Everyone out,” Matt said.
We all emerged hesitantly from the vans. All of the candidates had befuddled looks on their faces as they took in the nondescript manor. Matt and one of the guardians went up to the double doors. Spanning the wood of the doors was a seal, an intricate carving of a lion with wings.
“The lion symbolizes the Keltoi,” Matt explained. “The wizards.”
The doors opened.
A svelte woman stepped out. With straight dark hair and long legs. Her gauzy moss-colored dress flowed around her like a soft cloud. Her eyes passed over us in a single sweep before coming to rest on Matt. She smiled—a luminous smile that made her whole face glow and made its recipient want to bask in its glory.
The sweetness of it made my teeth hurt.
She held out her hands to Matt. “We are so glad you are back. It has been too long.”
Matt clasped her hand briefly. “Marilyn, it is good to be back. Is the Council ready?”
The smile on her face dimmed just a bit at Matt’s perfunctory greeting, but she said cheerfully, “We are ready. When you sent the list of all who were coming I was stunned. I can’t believe that you have found so many. We searched for years and only identified three or four families.”
“I am known for having a certain knack,” Matt said dryly.
Marilynn giggled as if he’d made some hilarious comment.
Matt glanced at me. “Although even I had a bit of a surprise. I found one more than I expected.”
Marilynn frowned at his intent expression. She followed his gaze to me. Her smile faltered. “Please, candidates, follow me.”
She disappeared back into the manor. Matt took a step after her.
“Matt,” I stopped him. “Where are we?”
Matt flashed white teeth in a smile. He made a sweeping gesture to usher us into the manor. “Welcome to Avalon, candidates. Welcome to wizard school.”
***
We entered into a huge foyer. At the end of it, I could see a set of stairs but most of the dark hardwood space was empty. A glass door stood near the stairs yet light didn’t reach far inside. Marilyn led us to a small bar, the only other piece of furniture in the foyer. Behind the bar, rows of cubbies held papers like some old fashioned hotel.
So this was wizard school. It seemed so ordinary—not exactly an impressive castle fortress.
“Welcome to our admissions area. This building holds the administration—it used to be an inn,” Marilynn said. “The second building holds some more office. The school is actually past the glass doors.” She pointed to end of the foyer.
Marilynn pushed a button on the bar and a flat-panel computer screen rose out of the counter. “Now let us confirm that I have your names in the system. We need to ensure your records are in order so you look as if you have properly enrolled into school.”
She took out a large cardboard box from behind the bar. “But before we begin, I must ask you to turn over any electronic devices you may have brought. No cellphones, no music players, nothing from the outside will be allowed. You will be provided with everything you need.”
“The guardians already took our cells,” Oliver said.
Matt had already taken mine. My fingers still itched for it. There were a few grumbles while everyone pulled out watches and music players and put them in the box.
“Good,” Marilyn nodded. “Let us begin.” She started rattling off our names. Everyone confirmed that they were present. When she came to the end of list, she nodded. “Good. Nothing is out of order. Most of you have led fairly ordinary lives.”
Paul stepped forward.
“What about me?”
Marilynn raised a brow and clicked a few buttons on the keyboard. “Paul Mason. You’ve led an interesting life.”
“A life that is now in the past. Here and now is what matters. The future hinges on you, candidates. The past no longer applies,” Matt interrupted.
A clapping sound came from the other end of the lobby.
“Nice speech, brother. Shall we test whether you really mean it?” a voice drawled.
A man walked down the stairs into the foyer. I did a double-take. It was the history professor from the news, Dr. Northe.
“Vane,” Matt muttered.
Vane hooked his thumbs in tight jeans. His face was eerily similar to Matt’s. His hair was slicked back. He was lean but well-built. His hazel brown eyes sparkled with brilliance. I didn’t have time to notice anything else.
A blue fireball shot through the air at Vane.
The fireball had come from Matt. Vane laughed and threw it back at its owner. Matt volleyed the ball back again and added a second one. Then, he added a third and a fourth, creating a barrage of balls. Matt’s double halted them in the air one by one. He pulled them into one big fireball and shot it back at Matt.
A candidate let out a small yelp as the blue fireball whizzed by him, catching a few strands of loose hair. The bitter smell of burnt hair filled the room. It was enough of a warning shot to make us all step out of range of the firefight.
Matt halted the giant ball before it reached him. He hurled it back across the room with enough force to make the room shudder.
“Enough,” a loud voice shouted.
A group of white-robed men and women entered through a side door. A wizard with a short white beard glared at Matt and Vane. The giant fireball stilled at the center of the room. It shrank into nothing.
Matt immediately created another on
e. He didn’t hurl it, but held it ready. Vane copied him.
“Council-Member Aurelius, why is my brother here?” Matt demanded.
“Second Member Aurelius,” the white-robed wizard corrected. “Vivane is here for the same reason as you. He has brought candidates.”
“Please, do call me Vane. Vivane is so…”
“Girly?” Grey snickered quietly behind me.
Vane’s sharp eyes went straight to us. He blinked in surprise and… recognition when he saw me. For some reason, I tensed. His gaze passed over me and I relaxed. Vane turned back to the men and women in white robes. They had moved to stand a semi-circle. No doubt the infamous Council.
“Do you know who he is?” Matt spoke from the floor. “He’s a murderer.”
“Is that any way to talk about family? I know you are a mite upset with me—”
Matt exploded, “You tried to kill me!”
“Yet you are not dead,” Vane shrugged carelessly. “Hence, no murder.”
“No thanks to you,” Matt said. “You entombed us in a cave!”
Vane crossed his arms across his chest. “And when you got out, you left me trapped.”
Matt ground his teeth. “How did you get out?”
“I managed as I always do…by myself. But that is all in the past, as you said.” Vane’s eyes roved over the candidates standing behind Matt. A slight sneer curled his lips. “But what do we have here? These are your mighty set of Regular candidates?” He eyed some of the kids in the group in ratty jeans and travel-worn t-shirts. “Wherever did you pull together this rag-tag pack? I say we send them all back home—for their own safety. My wizard candidates are the only ones we need.”
As if on cue, seven or so kids came downstairs to gather behind Vane in pack formation. Boys in tough street-wear and one girl with dyed red hair and a dragon tattoo looked on with impassive expressions. A large brutish boy—obviously the leader—stood in front of the rest. The girl stood beside him, in girlfriend position.
Vane’s boots clicked on the wood floors. He strode in front of Aurelius and faced the Council. “Merlin trained Arthur to take the Sword. Like you are proposing to do with these candidates. With the wizards on his side, Arthur enjoyed every advantage. But what did he do with such a gift? He used it to betray us.”
“Then, what happened? Did he thank us? No, instead he blamed us.” Vane ranted, “When Arthur’s knights couldn’t hold the kingdom together, they cursed us. They blamed magic for their problems. They drove us out of our homes. When I woke I learned after Mt. Camlan, they drove us into hiding. We’ve been hiding for over a thousand years. Our kind lives in the shadows. But no longer. Our time is now.”
He turned to look at us. “We should learn from the past. A wizard candidate is far superior than any regular.”
Matt snorted. “You were never tolerant—“
“And you are too tolerant. Even after all they’ve done, I wager you’d still rather talk to the gargoyles—”
Matt protested, “I know we’re past that—”
“What happens when the one gets the sword? No Regular can resist the temptation to use its power. What happens when they turn the sword back on us? Regulars are too easy to corrupt. At least we can trust our own kind—”
“Please.” Aurelius raised a hand. Quiet fell over the room. “Vane, we realize you have a point.”
“What?” Matt exclaimed.
“That is why we have devised an admissions test. All of the candidates- the wizard and the Regular ones- will prove to us and to themselves that they are truly candidates. We have gathered water from the Lake of the Lady.”
Matt made a sound of disgruntlement. “My candidates do not need to take a test. I have seen them. Or are you questioning my visions now?”
Some of the Council members demurred. Aurelius held up his hand. “No, indeed—”
“My candidates will happily take the tests,” Vane said. “We are not afraid.”
“Neither are we,” said Billie, who was standing beside Grey.
Vane smiled in satisfaction.
“Let me talk with them,” Matt told Aurelius abruptly.
Aurelius nodded.
Matt drew us to a corner of the room.
“What is the test?” someone said.
“I’m not ready to take any test,” Oliver said anxiously.
“I thought we came here to get ready,” I said.
“I wouldn’t mind a second confirmation that I really am a candidate,” Paul said.
Matt looked over the group. “You are candidates.”
“What are we supposed to do with this water?” I asked.
“You’ve no doubt heard of the Lady of the Lake. In Arthur’s time, she alerted Merlin that the Sword had appeared in the lake. Merlin moved it to the center of town. We later found out that the lake had special properties. If you take a drink, you will see. That is all you will have to do. Take a drink. Tell us what you see.”
Oliver nodded earnestly. “That’s it?”
Matt reassured, “I have no doubt that you can do this. All of you. If you want to.”
“What if we don’t see anything?” I asked.
“That’s the point. If you see anything, you are a candidate. The water only interacts with those who it has an affinity to. Just like the Sword.”
Grey crossed his arms across his chest. “Let me understand clearly. You brought us here to train but the Council wants us to prove that we actually are candidates in order to receive the training. If we don’t then…what?”
“I don’t know,” Matt admitted. “We need their help. We need their protection.”
“Good to have choices,” Grey muttered. “Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?”
“No,” I said. “What aren’t you telling us, Matt?”
CHAPTER 7
AVALON PREPARATORY
“You are candidates,” Matt repeated. “You will not have a problem. Believe me.”
“The gargoyles came after my whole family,” Billie said grimly. “They put my brother in a hospital. They didn’t do that without reason. I believe Master Matt.”
From the other side of the room, Vane let out a loud yawn. “Should we order lunch while you dither?”
My eyes narrowed. I muttered, “I’ll take the test just to shut him up.”
The tension on the fourteen faces surrounding me broke.
“So will I,” said Oliver with a laugh.
“So will I,” Grey said.
The others echoed the agreement.
Matt looked at Aurelius and nodded.
“Councilmember Thornton, please bring out the water,” Aurelius commanded.
A pedestal holding a plain glass bowl was brought forward. Thornton picked up an urn. He poured a bit of ordinary looking water into the bowl. Light from an overhead sconce reflected off the water’s surface. I thought I saw a faint blue shimmer.
Aurelius said, “Who will go first?”
“We will,” Vane said. His candidates shadowed him. Vane nodded at a brutish boy who stood in front. “Mark, step up to the water.”
Mark strode to the pedestal. He cupped his hands together. Thornton prompted him to move his hands over the bowl. Mark complied. Thornton poured water into his hands. He slurped up the water. Around me, everyone stilled in equal parts apprehension and anticipation. Nothing happened for the first few seconds. Then, Mark let out a small grunt. He sank to his knees and started dry heaving.
I found myself taking a step toward the pedestal.
“Do not disturb him,” Aurelius warned me off. I stopped.
Matt moved to stand beside me. “Look at the bowl.”
Water in the bowl on the pedestal shimmered brighter and brighter. Images flashed through the water—Mark dueled with Vane, Vane defeated him, and Mark fell to the ground.
“The water shifts through the past,” Matt explained. “In this case, they’ve linked it to the one who drinks the water.”
“How is that possib
le?” Oliver asked from behind us.
Vane gave him a sardonic look. “Magic.”
I leaned closer to Matt and whispered, “Why these images?”
Matt’s breath tickled my skin. “It must be the most significant event on his mind. It’s different for everyone.”
On the floor, Mark shuddered. Thornton set down the urn and helped him up.
“Well done, son,” Aurelius told him. “Those who see the water are confirmed as candidates.” He gestured Mark to go to Marilynn. “Please report to admissions. She will give you your schedule and room assignment. Welcome to the Avalon Preparatory Academy.”
The brutish boy tried to retain a tough demeanor, but I saw how slowly he moved as he walked to Marilynn. The rest of Vane’s candidates glanced at each other. Gone was the air of arrogance.
“No pain. No gain.” Vane crooked his finger at the lone girl of the group. “You’re next.”
She chewed her lip, hesitating. Vane whispered in her ear. Whatever he said, she must not have liked because her short red hair swung around her face like razors as she marched to the pedestal. Vane watched her go with an impassive expression.
Aurelius signaled the Councilmember to proceed with the urn. The girl took the water in cupped hand. She swallowed it quickly. A moment later, she let out a loud scream and fell to her knees. She dropped to her knees. Her whole body shook.
The water in the bowl shifted, showing brutal images. A woman, an older version of the girl, probably her mother, hit the young redhead over and over again. As she watched the beating, the girl started crying.
I had to look away. Grey let out a low growl.
“Matt,” I said. “Stop this.”
Matt raised his hand and the water in the pedestal sloshed, breaking the stream of images. He went to the girl and offered a hand up.
The girl got up angrily. “You shouldn’t have interrupted the test.” Her hands fisting, she looked at Aurelius. “Did I pass?”
Aurelius nodded. “Please see Miss Marilynn.”
Vane signaled another candidate to come forward. A young boy who couldn’t have been more than fifteen walked bravely to the pedestal. Thornton poured water into his waiting hands. The boy didn’t move to swallow it. Instead he just stared at it. Vane cleared his throat loudly. With a start, the boy swallowed the water.
