by Ilana Waters
Greggers blew sharply on her whistle. “TIME!” she screamed. The sand in the hourglass stopped seeping down, glittery and suspended in midair. “Number One for House of Earth, Kumar, is OUT. One point to House of Fire.” The fire players cheered, and their section of spectators with them. Miles and I hollered along.
“Go, Pen!” he cried, even though it hadn’t been her play. Colleen held her arms open in front of the House of Fire section, and they cheered even more. There were cries of “Bollocks!” and boos from the earth section. Parveen kicked a clump of dirt in front of her, which swirled into the shape of an angry-looking Parveen. As the dirt settled down, she stomped off the field.
Greggers called for the game to resume. It wasn’t long before we saw that House of Fire wasn’t the only one who could throw a savvy spell. One earth player glamoured a fifty-pound note on the ground. An out was called when a fire player fell trying to grab it. And as Mason advanced menacingly on an earth player, everyone thought she was insane to start singing him a lullaby. But the sleep spell worked, and it wasn’t long until Mason’s eyelids started to droop. He stumbled several steps, then passed out cold. Another point for earth.
Geoffrey and Nadine soon joined him, and I was elated, sure Victor would follow. But so far, he’d managed to foil every spell House of Earth had thrown at him. He’d even taken out a few players himself. It was neck and neck between fire and earth: only three players remained on each team. Suyin and another fire witch had also gotten out, so that left Colleen, Victor, and Pen. I felt torn. On one hand, I wanted Victor to lose, because, well, he was Victor. But he was also one of fire’s strongest players. If he got out, Colleen might also lose the match. And that I didn’t want.
After twenty-five minutes in, the halftime break was called. I desperately wished I could get to the dugout to see Colleen. I knew Miles felt the same way about Pen. But the dugout was already swarming with spectators from the House of Fire section. We settled for some refreshments instead.
“Man, those were some crafty plays earth did,” Miles said, his mouth full of beef pie. We walked back up the bleachers.
“Well, they’re not called House of Earth for nothing.” I sipped my hot tea and stamped my numb feet. “They’re really using their element to its best advantage.” I gave him a sly smile. “Makes me wonder what House of Water has up its sleeve.”
“Like I’d let something like that slip!” Miles scoffed as we sat back down. “You know what we waters say: loose lips sink ships. You’ll just have to find out when you go up against us.”
I shrugged. “You probably’ve got nothing. Figures.”
“You’ll see,” he said. Just then, Greggers blew her whistle to indicate the game was resuming.
Our eyes were glued to the field as an earth player made thick roots shoot up from the field, sending Pen stumbling backward over them. She managed to catch herself just in time, flying into the air. She threw a few glamoured fireballs at her opponent. Their heat was so real, the other player leaped back. But he managed to stay on his feet as well. Pen, on the other hand, looked for a way to return to the ground amid all the emerging roots. But she was in the air for more than ten seconds, and Greggers called a travel.
“TIME!” she shouted. “Number Nine for House of Fire, Rigaletti, is OUT. One point to House of Earth!” The earth witch pumped his fist in the air, and the crowd went wild. This time, it was the fire section that booed and groaned. Pen cast her eyes down and walked off the field, shoulders stooped. Another long whistle burst out of Miles. She looked up at him, and smiled.
Now it was three against two, with only five minutes to go. It wasn’t looking good for the House of Fire. One of the earth players was advancing on Victor, using the same sleep spell that had been Mason’s downfall. But there was an evil gleam in Victor’s eye. His lips were moving; he was mumbling something. Smoke rose from the clumps of roots left by the previous spell.
The earth player’s eyes bulged as the roots advanced on him. Flames leaped in the air—real ones, this time. The earth player turned to run. But Victor’s fiery roots surrounded him until he had no choice but to fly upward to avoid them, risking a travel. Victor’s smile was huge now. He held up both hands, making the fire riser higher. Somehow, the earth player managed to get over the flames and back onto the ground. The flames followed him. Perspiration dripped down his face, his eyes still wide with panic. The earth player splayed his hands in front of the ground, sending huge sprays of dirt over the fire. It put out the blaze, but the force of the spell sent the earth player sprawling backward. He slammed into the wall beneath the bleachers, then slid down it. He did not get up.
Greggers was blowing her whistle furiously, running to where the earth player had collapsed. The rest of his team quickly followed, cursing at Victor and shrieking over their fallen teammate. Most of the fire players rushed over as well, and several spectators—friends and family of the injured player, I imagine. They were soon joined by Specs and Professor Stone. There were a few cries of “Bad form” and “Bloody loon” from the earth section.
“What’s happening?” Miles tried standing on the bleacher and peering over the crowd. When that didn’t work, he floated further upward in the air, but the rest of the crowd was doing the same. “Can’t see a bleeding thing.”
“I think he’s all right.” Between the heads bobbing in front of me, I could just make out the earth player struggling to his feet, rubbing the back of his head. He limped off the field with Professor Stone, and I heard a few cries of “Healing potion.”
Specs looked severe, with both arms folded across his chest. Greggers’s face looked so red, if she weren’t a witch, I’d swear she was about to have a coronary. But no one looked angrier than Victor, standing in the middle of the field, fists balled at his sides.
“Number Two for House of Fire, Wright, has one foul against him on behalf of his house,” Greggers screeched. “One more will disqualify him from the match, and give victory to House of Earth. House of Earth has priority.”
“Bollocks!” screamed Victor, stomping over to Greggers. I honestly thought he was going to lunge at her, perhaps wrap his infuriated fingers around her throat. “This is bias!” He pointed at Greggers, his finger almost in her face. “She’s only calling it for earth because that’s her element. It’s bias, plain and simple.”
“The hell it is!” Colleen burst between Greggers and Victors, knocking his arm away. “What in gods’ names were you doing? We never practiced that!”
“You are not allowed to purposely do anything that causes your opponent to come to harm,” Specs said to Victor. Coming from anyone else, it would’ve been a stern rebuke. Coming from Specs, it sounded like a death sentence.
Victor didn’t care. “The fire only would’ve harmed him if he was daft enough not to get away from it. It was earth’s roots, anyway. I was only finishing what they started.”
The field and bleachers had gone deathly quiet. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the scene before them.
“Like hell!” Colleen repeated. “Tripping over a few roots is miles apart from incinerating a body.”
Victor turned to Colleen in an ugly sneer. Instinctively, I leaned forward to . . . to what? Go down there and protect her? Colleen could handle herself. Besides, she had Specs, Greggers, and the rest of the earth team, if needed. Even a few of the fire players weren’t looking too happy with Victor.
“And you,” he scoffed. “Team captain. You’re supposed to be on my side. Fire witches should have each other’s backs.”
Normally, Colleen’s voice was a little deeper than an ordinary girl’s. She could make it go as deep as a man’s when she meant business. Which apparently she did. Now.
“Don’t expect me to defend you, you arsehole,” she growled. “Someone could’ve gotten killed, and you know it. Not to mention losing us the match. Where’s your sportsmanship?”
“Bend over and I’ll show you,” Victor grunted.
; I thought for sure Colleen would lose it. But she was better than me at controlling her anger with Victor. Better at it than most fire witches in general, actually. “Just get your head. In. The. Game,” she said through clenched teeth. “Before I tear it off your shoulders.” She whirled around and marched back onto the grass. Victor followed her, seething.
Specs stood for what seemed like an age, watching them, as if trying to make up his mind about something. Finally, he motioned to Greggers, who blew her whistle and ordered the remaining players to return to the field. There wasn’t much time left: the number three, emblazoned in gold, danced above the hourglass. 180 seconds to go.
The players faced each other again, and Greggers blew her whistle. Sand started falling through the hourglass. The two earth players looked at one another and gave sharp, decisive nods. They narrowed their eyes at the fire team and splayed their hands at their sides. A low, deep rumbling could be heard—and felt—all around.
It started in the ground surrounding the earth players, then spread to the entire field, the bleachers, the moors. The cup of tea I’d placed near my foot fell over, spilling brown liquid everywhere. People around us murmured and gasped as the rumbling grew louder, the vibrations stronger. The rest of Miles’s pie fell from his hand.
“What in Aradia’s name is going on?” he asked.
Colleen and Victor gathered magic in their hands, looking at each other in confusion. But not for long. Huge rocks and boulders began to burst forth from the earth, first in front of the fire team, then all around them. Colleen and Victor were tripping and stumbling, just as Pen had done before with the roots. I noticed some especially large rocks arising in Victor’s vicinity. I was pretty sure the earth players hadn’t forgotten what he’d done to their teammate.
The stones kept coming. Soon, one couldn’t tell where they ended and the ground began. They filled the field, from boundary to boundary. Colleen and Victor were forced to fly upward. At this rate, it would soon be impossible for them to keep their feet on the ground. They’d both be called for traveling; there would simply be no ground left.
“Blimey!” cried Miles. “They summoned rocks from all over. There’s no way fire’s getting out of this.” I nodded grimly. I had to admit, it was an incredible feat.
And Victor didn’t like it. He snarled at the earth players, throwing magic wildly at them both. But they just summoned more rocks in front of them, and the magic ricocheted off, nearly hitting Victor. He fell back on the stones, roaring in pain when he landed and was called out. House of Earth’s section cheered, and I had to smile.
But not for long. The sand at the top of the hourglass had almost run out. Only nine seconds remained, and Colleen was the last player for fire. She looked to the right and left, frantically trying to come up with an idea. Then, her head stopped swiveling, as if something had dawned on her. Shooting up off the last patch of grass, she circled around so that she faced the now-setting sun—and both earth players. The ribbons in her hair came loose, yellow waves tumbling over her shoulders.
“What does she think she’s doing?” Miles asked.
I didn’t care. “COME ON, LEENIE!” I screamed.
“Nine! Eight! Seven!” the crowd started counting down. Colleen reached crosswise into her left pocket, and a sword appeared in her right hand.
There was a collective gasp that momentarily stopped the crowd from counting. She hid a sword on her? But how? I suppose it was a shrink-resize spell, but she must know she can’t use a foil. Cutting your opponent down with a sword would surely break the no-harm rule.
But Colleen had no intention of harming anyone. She held the sword before her at an angle, slowing rotating her wrist back and forth. On the ground below, the earth players squinted, shielding their eyes with their hands. They weren’t concentrating on the rock spell. The stones on the field stopped cropping up, and some withdrew into the ground entirely.
“She’s using the light to blind them!” I exclaimed. The sheen of her sword and the reflection of the late-day sun was enough to block their vision. Colleen’s hand trembled as she struggled to magic the rays at just the right angle. Incredible. She can focus light the same way she focuses her temper. I knew she was still furious with Victor, and every ounce of fury was being channeled into that spell.
The earth players stumbled back. They were losing their footing. If they went down, Colleen would’ve spent less than ten seconds in the air. She wouldn’t be called on a travel, and the earth team would be out. The crowd continued counting down, and Miles and I joined them.
“Six, five, four, three, two, ONE!” we cried. Both earth players fell. Greggers blew her whistle. The hourglass burst into a thousand pieces.
“TIME!” she bellowed. “Numbers Ten and Four for House of Earth, Singh and Weathersby, are OUT. House of Fire is the victor!”
Most of the crowd erupted in wild screams and applause. They jumped to their feet and waved their flags furiously. The Earth section groaned and grimaced, hurling their flags at the ground. Miles thrust his fingers into his mouth and whistled, but the sound was drowned out by the rest of the spectators’ cries.
Colleen threw her sword in the air. It caught the last ray of sun and shot it out, like a beacon, toward Equinox. Then, she retracted it and replaced it in her pocket. She flew down and extended an arm each to Singh and Weathersby to help them back up. The rest of the fire team rushed the field and floated Colleen above their shoulders while she waved to the crowd.
I had half a mind to let earth win, after what Victor did to them, she thought. Again, a private message, meant only for me.
No, you did the right thing, I thought back. Not giving it your all would’ve been unsportsmanlike. Too much like Wright. It cheapens victory. Besides, you showed him no one has to resort to low-level tricks to win.
She flashed her Colleen smile at me. Instantly, the lingering autumn chill vanished. I felt an incredible warmth spread from my chest to my stomach, then my arms, then all over. It was stronger than the rays of sun she’d just wielded. The love of a fire witch.
I watched Colleen’s beaming face as her team carried her back inside. I was less happy to watch Victor get to his feet and dust himself off, glowering at Colleen and everyone else as he slunk in after them. I caught a glance of Victor’s parents. His father’s eyes were still glued to his cell phone, and his mother was looking at it over his shoulder. I didn’t even know if they lifted their heads to watch the play-off.
“What a game, huh?” Miles slapped me on the back and stood up. “I’m so glad Pen’s team won.” The band took up again, and crowds starting coming down from the bleachers. The warm feeling I had vanished. Instead, a cold sensation settled around me as I realized what this victory really meant.
Whoever battled for the Chalice in Tournament would face the House of Fire.
Chapter 16
Most of the next month passed in a whirl of parties and various other celebrations. One of the biggest bonfires and rallies of the year had just been held. And for a least a week after the play-off, people kept coming up to Colleen, Pen, and the rest of the fire team, patting them on the back, congratulating them. Greggers, however, was not happy with the way the earth team tore up her field with their stone spell. I think they spent the next few PE periods replacing all the divots.
But by mid-December, everyone was off on holiday: Winter Solstice break. They wouldn’t be back until after January first. Like all solstices, its exact date varied. This year, it was December 22. It was the longest night of the 365. After this, the days would grow longer, and witches would rejoice at the returning of the light.
But there was little light to be found as I wandered, alone, through the near-empty halls. As usual, almost everyone else was gone for the break—both my friends and enemies. I was half hoping Titus would invite me back home. Well, a casino-building site wasn’t really home, but back to the States, anyway. I was thinking we could work more on finding Abigail.
> But he didn’t. I’d been helping Zaira a little with her reptilian research and spells. But with nothing more than that to distract me, it was hard not to think of the future. Hard not to wallow. I tried not to focus on the next Tournament play-offs, when House of Air would battle House of Water. After all, it was months away, in April. I didn’t want to think of what would happen if House of Air won. In the hunt for the Chalice, you could use magic against your opponent to prevent them from getting it, though the same no-harm rules applied.
Do I really want to go up against Colleen during Tournament? My footsteps echoed down the passageways. I didn’t dare think of the consequences of my battling Victor. In the heat of the moment, I didn’t trust myself not to finish him off.
I passed the dining hall, which had been done up in icicles and enormous snowflakes that did not melt. Everything shone and twinkled like a winter wonderland. Fires blazed in various hearths around the school, kept alight—though untended—through Professor Martinez’s magic. But somehow, they only served as reminders of how cold it was outside. Equinox had just had its first significant snowfall of the season, blanketing the moors and treetops beyond in white.
But I no longer knew if it signified a new beginning, or just an endless cycle of thawing only to freeze again. I watched light from the music room hearth flicker, and wondered if I would ever emerge from the shadows. Were pinpricks of joy— like those I felt with Colleen—all I would ever feel before being swallowed up by blackness?