by Bob Dattolo
Ookay? Why’s there a thin book crammed back here? It takes more than you’d think to pull it out, which then allows the vent cover to lean forward, which starts a whistling sound that has me shoving it back.
That’d be why this is back there.
The book’s old. Poorly dyed leather. Hand stitched, or so it seems. As I hold the vent up, I flip the book open. Which had my mouth running dry.
Do I have anything I can cram there? How about three miles of receipt and useless paperwork from the phone store? Thought to deed, the vent is wedged back in place, and I head for the front just as the silence spell dies. She looks pissed as I round the last corner.
“Uhh, something happen?”
She nodded, still staring at the door. “Not all customers are pleasant. Those that are powerful think they can lord it over others. While that’s true to an extent, it’s most definitely not always the case.”
“I take it they tried something?”
“They did. She had some nerve; I’ll give her that.” She turns away and sees the book in my hand, “Huh, what do you have there?”
She takes it as I hold it out, “You had it holding the vent in place back there? I thought it looked interesting.”
She looked it over, flipping through it without a care. “Wow. Okay. I forgot about this thing. That’s been back there for…shoot, the early 50’s, I think?”
What the hell?
She flipped it around again, then handed it back. “I don’t hear the vent. You stick something else there?”
“Yeah? A booklet from my new phone and one of the receipts. It’s wedged in there really tight, so I doubt it’ll ever fall out.”
She smiled at my response, “Good enough for me. As for this? I got this as part of an estate sale. If I remember correctly, it was stuffed inside something there, too. Not all that useful. You sure you wanted it?”
“Yeah? It seems really cool.”
She shrugged, “Then you can have it. For free.”
“What? Why?”
“Why not? Besides, you were pleasant. Plus, that was a freebie to me, and I’ve had it since way before you were born. I frankly forgot it was there.”
“I can’t take it for free, please, let me pay you.”
“I won’t say no to someone pushing money on me., but it’s not needed. This place may be small and rundown, but I’m actually pretty loaded. This is my hobby, so to speak. I actually sell way more books online in any two days than I do in here in a week. Sometimes in a month.”
“Wow, okay. That’s actually pretty cool.”
“Right? So, your call.”
That started an internal debate that ended with me handing her two hundred bucks. “Thank you. I’ll take this. I saw that most of the books nearby were about this much.”
She held the bills, “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
A huge sigh came from her, “You’re a nice one. I have to say that. My recommendation? Another one? Lose it, or the academy will tear you to pieces. I’m shocked you’re not already dead.”
My smile turned feral, and it’s obvious that she sees the change in my eyes and posture, “See now, that’s the funny thing. People see my size and the scars and think I’m something I’m very much not. People see the niceness and think I’m easy prey. Yesterday was my first full day at the academy and I killed someone in challenge that attacked me. He never even knew I was playing him.”
Her nose worked hard, “Damn, girl. You’re something else. You sure you’re not a dragon? You act like one. Hold yourself like one.”
“Thanks. And no clue. I was a pet to an earth dragon for four years, so maybe some rubbed off?”
She nodded slowly at my words, “Definitely more to you than there seems. Than there should be.” She gestured to the book, “Enjoy. I don’t know how it can help you or if it even can, but maybe it will.”
“I hope so. Love your shop. I’m sorry about the other girl.”
She laughed and started walking me towards the door, “Don’t worry about it. Not a month goes by that someone from the academy doesn’t come in to try to make me pay protection or some stupid shit like that. They don’t have a clue.” Her face reflected mine when I stopped at the door. Good, we’re on the same page that way.
A few polite good-byes, and I was gone, leaving her behind. Her place doesn’t have much, but I really do like her. There’s something about her that makes me feel like I found a kindred spirit. A really, really old kindred spirit.
My new book was hidden in the bottom of my bag as I walked. Definitely more kids out and about than earlier. It’s way later than I expected it to be. The desire to walk back waned pretty heavily when I took a look at the road coming into town and saw multiple people walking along.
Dammit. Let’s not go get involved with anyo…
“What did you do to me?!” A girl’s voice demanded from behind me, making me turn and back up towards the wall.
Maybe 30 feet away, a kid that I remember seeing in school looks terrified as the same girl from the other bookstore stares up at him. Her face is the epitome of rage.
“I…I didn’t do anything!”
“You didn’t do anything!” Her voice got louder, “I have witnesses! You shoved me down!”
“It was an accident! Someone pushed me!”
“And yet I still went down. I challenge you!”
“I don’t want to fight you! Someone pushed me!”
“Then you have rights to challenge them, just as I have rights! Challenge has been made. You fight, or you lose!”
“I don’t want to fight you!”
He looks terrified, although I can’t place why. He seemed weaker than normal the few times I ran across him. Maybe that’s it?
“Then I win by default!”
“No! This isn’t…I didn’t do anything!”
She held up her hand, which has blood on it, “And yet I’m bleeding. Choose. Fight me in challenge. Or I’ll tear you apart right here.”
“I don’t want to fight you!”
He sounds freaking desperate.
“Then you decide to die now. Pity.”
“No, wait!” He shouted as she raised her hands. “Can’t we fight to…I don’t know, first blood?”
Her smile was beyond vicious, “Hmm, first blood? I’m walking away with your power, so you can have your head torn off as your first blood. I’m okay with that.”
His shoulders fell, “Why are you doing this to me?”
She stepped into him, “Because I can? You’re weak. I’m hungry for more power. And besides, I am bleeding,” she showed him her palm again.
What the fuck?
Chapter 19
Parece caught me back in our room, sniffing as soon as she entered, “What the fuck happened to you? You’ve been gone for hours and now you smell agitated as all get out.”
Paige and Riley came in after her. I expected something snide or mean from one of them, it just didn’t happen.
“Umm, either of you know Mark Lewis? Air mage?”
Nods from all three. “Yeah? Weak. Shy. Not as bad as Kaylee, but close.” My roomie sits on her couch first. “Why, he start something with you?”
“No? I was in town, like I said? I was getting ready to leave when I caught him with some girl. I think she’s a student here? I didn’t see it, but she said he pushed her. Her hand was bloody. She challenged him. She was gonna kill him right there. He offered first blood, but…”
Riley laughed, cruel and harsh, “Fuck. Was the girl shorter than you are? Did you catch her name?”
“I never caught her name. Shorter than me by like two inches? Really pretty? Ice mage?”
Nods from all three, with a joint, “Alison.”
“Who the fuck is Alison?”
Paige sat as well, “Alison Lewis. Ice mage extraordinaire. Her parents are insanely powerful. They live in Colorado, basically rule it for ice mages.”
Dammit, I don’t ever recall hearing about them before. Yet I swe
ar I knew that.
“Assuming that was her...”
“You damn well know that was her.” Parece cut her off.
“Yeah, probably. Anyway, Alison? Ice mage. Third year. My understanding is that she’s far and above the strongest in her year. Vicious beyond belief. This’ll be her…seventh challenge from being in town that I’ve heard of?”
“Ninth.” Riley sounded confident. “You forgetting the two that she had in the same day?”
Paige’s mouth fell open, “Fuck, yeah. That’s messed up. Anyway, it’s always the same. She gets pushed. Her hand’s bleeding. She challenges. She drains them and tortures them to death. Then she moves on.”
“What the fuck? Why isn’t anyone stopping her?”
“Who’s gonna stop her? It’s fully legal.” The voice of unreason. Seriously, this is fucked up.
“How can one girl get pushed so many times?”
“Considering how often she does it with people that are way on the lower end when it comes to power? You tell me.” Paige’s smile isn’t a nice one. Nor does it strike me as supportive of what’s happening.
“Are you serious? Is she setting them up? Using magic to somehow push them into her? She said that he pushed her, but he said someone shoved him.”
Parece groaned, “That’s the same MO, then. At least from what I heard.”
“That’s so fucking wrong!”
“There’s a reason those that are weaker are told not to go into town. That’d be one of them.”
“Seriously?” My roommate shrugs at my look. People are doing that to me a lot lately. “She’s gaming the system and murdering people?”
“Yup. They doing it here? What time?”
So casual about people dying. I just don’t get it. “They’re doing it here from what I understand. 4 o’clock.”
Riley hopped up, “We have maybe 20 minutes. I’m gonna go watch. You two coming?”
“Yeah, you know it.” Paige hopped up, pulling Parece with her. “Let’s go find Samantha, she’ll want a piece of this. Shame, Mark was nice the few times I spoke to him.”
Then they left me behind, seriously wondering if there’s any way I can help him. I’m just not sure how. If you interfere with a challenge, your life is forfeit. You can fight, but you lose even if you beat them. I’d have to help in such a way that literally no one knows I did it.
I’m just not sure how to go about doing that. And, I hate to say it, unless I can do it and get away with it? I’m not risking my life for someone I don’t know. Not like that.
The same challenge area was being used again. I had been standing by myself for a bit, just staring at nothing, when Kaylee joined me. “You heard?”
“Heard? Yeah. I was there when it happened, although I didn’t see it. Just the aftermath after she got up.”
My timid ally leaned into me, “You didn’t see it happen?”
“No.”
“Any chance…any chance she…”
“Forced it? Every chance, I just didn’t see it to know for sure. Couldn’t prove it either way.”
“Then he dies.” She joined me staring out at the circle, “It’s funny in a not so funny way, but…this is exactly why I hide away. I don’t want to die, you know? I’m 18. We’re all 18. We should have our entire lives ahead of us. We should be going off to college. Instead, we’re here in a legally sanctioned killing field. Those of us on the weaker end are walking power sources for those stronger and more vicious.”
“That’s what I’m coming to find.”
Three others joined us, coming up from my other side. Angelica was closest, “You’re here?”
“Hey. Yeah.”
She looked across me, “Kaylee.”
My first ally held herself and moved a step away, looking down, “Uhh, Angelica.”
Kynal was next, “You’re fine, Kaylee. We’re allies with Maddie as well. We may not be with you, but…”
Her nerves lowered a tiny bit. Just not much.
“What Kynal said. You’re fine. Now, what’s this? Alison Levy against Mark? Our Mark?”
“Yeah.” Angelica’s question was so matter of fact that it’s sad to me. “Somehow, he pushed her in town.”
Gage frowned, “Damn, again? I’m no numbers guy, but statistically? That’d be impossible.”
“You know as well as I do that she’s setting them up. It’s always someone at the lower end of power. It’s always someone that pretty much has zero chance of winning. Hell, Mark would have lost to any of us here other than possibly you, Kaylee.” Angelica didn’t look happy to say that. “Yet there’s never any proof. Nothing. You have to salute her thirst for blood and power. Just like you have to try to avoid her at all costs.”
“Umm, I ran across her twice in town. Or was nearby. I’m not sure she ever saw me, though.”
Eight eyes turned to me. “How the fuck did you make it out alive?” Gage looks like he wants to give me a high five.
“Umm, luck? The first time she was walking into a store when I was walking out. She was looking to one side, but I was on the other and stepped out of her way. She never even saw me. The second time, I was behind some shelves. I’m pretty sure that was her.”
“Well, you got lucky. If she sees you? I can’t imagine that she wouldn’t come hunting. You’re too tempting for her.”
“Looovely. Now I have even more to worry about.”
Angelica patted my back but didn’t say anything as the crowd parted a little to show the headmaster and Mark. He looks like shit. Like he’s been crying for hours.
I hadn’t realized it, but there’s a clear demarcation in the crowd, with one half being older looking kids and one half being…us. “What the fuck? They allow third years here for this?”
Angelica’s voice went low, “Yeah. Inter-year like this? They always do. Like the paperwork says? We’re not forbidden from visiting the other areas, it’s just frowned on. A lot. I can almost guarantee that there will be other challenges from this. Look at ‘em. They’re scoping out everyone they can.”
People in front of us thinned, with others behind us nudging us forward, putting us at the edge of the circle. “Kaylee? Get behind me.”
She jerked but moved behind me quickly enough.
“Stay there, but don’t look like you’re hiding. This is fucked up.”
She held my shirt from behind but didn’t say anything as I looked across the older students. Year three students…they shouldn’t look that different from us. Not really. They’re only 20, at least for the most part, yet…they’re harder. Much harder. It looks like a hard-won two more years. Like they spent their youth to get where they are.
“Look at the two groups. Do you see it?”
“What do you mean?” Gage’s voice dipped to mirror mine.
“Look at the difference. It’s so easy to see year one students compared to them. It’s like they’re veteran warriors looking at the kids in bootcamp.”
“Yeah, I see it.” Angelica didn’t look happy at that. “My parents told me about that, but I never really caught it before. The trials and everything that they’ve gone through…it changes them.”
“This so isn’t necessary.”
“Yet it’s still happening. What do you think? He dies in less than five minutes?”
None of us took that bet. I’m glad I didn’t. The challenge started and he went full tilt on her, attacking physically while trying to hit her with some magic.
He never even got to touch her.
She beat him down like it wasn’t even a challenge. Destroyed him with magic. Destroyed him physically. Belittled him. Stripped him. Unmanned him. Made him beg and plead as she literally tore pieces from him.
She made him eat his balls.
Then she stood over him and hit him with power. Then more power. Then even more. He screamed so long and loud that bloody froth sprayed from his mouth. That’s when the lightshow started, and his power began draining from him into her. She made that last, too.
He died choking on his own blood and shattered throat as she stomped on him. He wasn’t quite dead when she pissed in his face.
Our little bubble of kids was nearly silent as I whispered, “What the fuck was that?”
Kaylee squeezed my arm, then left me. I can feel her cutting through the people behind us to get far away from this nightmare.
Alison stood victorious in the circle, arms up in victory as her third-year classmates cheered her on. And way too many of us did as well.
She moved slowly in a circle, eyes glaring in triumph as she looked across her admirers. Angelica, Kynal, and Gage had been nearly silent, but they started clapping and cheering as it became obvious that she’d be able to see us. Samantha, Parece, Paige, and Riley were farther around the circle, and they were cheering as well.
I was the only person left on this side that wasn’t pouring out my adulation on someone that I’m pretty sure is a murderer. If you set the other person up, even if it’s legal? Then to me? Say hello to being a murderer. Too bad my opinion matters not at all to the police, to the courts, or to anyone in the magical world.
How quickly did she home in on me as being the only holdout not bowing down to lick her boots? Umm, is there such a thing as negative time? I swear it happened before it happened. Her frozen turn and slowly lowering arms got people to quiet down in a ripple going out around the circle. Those closest to me began to edge away, with Angelica whispering, “You just had to stand out, didn’t you!”
Alison’s arms reached her side, and she slowly approached, appraising me from head to toes and then back again. She does not seem amused. I can feel magic flaring up from others around me, so I let some of my magic move as I fought from letting my hair light up. It felt somewhat easier today than yesterday. I just don’t know what spell to use here. If any.
She stopped maybe six feet from me, pushing her voice out to be heard by the silent group around us, “Well, well, well, what do we have here? Someone took the trash in instead of out?”
My smile matched hers, “I know, right?” As did my volume, “I’m not sure how you got in here either.”
Her eyes dimmed, “Did you insult me?”
“Huh, let’s see, you insulted me. I repaid you. I can draw you up a chart if you’d like if you didn’t catch that. I’ll go for small words and pictures. Maybe you can color them in in between psychotic episodes where you set people up to be challenged.”
