Expect the unexpected.
“Tabitha?” My eyes slid to my friend who had gone as white as a tissue.
“I get it.” Tabitha let out a heavy sigh. “There’s no way we can get across those tiny ass rocks together. It’s okay, I think I can do it on my own.”
“But maybe you don’t have to do it totally alone,” Phoebe said. She sprinted toward a tree with vines hanging from it and using her magic ripped a ten-foot vine from its branches. “We can tie these together and then wrap them around our waists. That way if someone falls in, the others can haul them out. It would be best if Tabby went last—more hands to pull her out if she falls.”
I nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Everyone set to work, tying dozens of long, thick vines together frantically, and then looping them around their waists. Hunter volunteered to cross the rock bridge first, stepping out onto a rock less than half the size of his foot.
After he made it halfway across, I nudged Phoebe to go. She stumbled on the second rock, but thanks to years of dance practice, she regained her footing quickly.
My heartbeat skittered through my veins as I watched both of them hop from rock to rock. Only when Hunter leapt onto the far riverbank did I allow a small relieved sigh. With someone on solid ground, we stood a much better chance of pulling a fallen teammate out of the water.
Once Phoebe reached the middle I stepped out onto the first rock. My eyes widened, and right away I was thankful for the core stabilizing ball Mother had put in Spellcasters’ physical conditioning room. The rocks were more slippery than I’d anticipated. I had just hit the halfway point and pivoted carefully to tell Tabitha to begin crossing, when Phoebe shrieked, nearly making me topple into the river. I whirled back around to face her and my blood froze.
A creature, some sort of water-based fae with green hair and milk-white skin, had lunged out of the water and grasped Phoebe’s ankle just as she was about to land safely on the shore.
Hunter lurched forward to grip Phoebe’s wrist and tear her from the creature’s grasp. There was a short struggle but Hunter prevailed and Phoebe pitched forward. As soon as she hit dry ground she scrambled away from the beast.
The creature let out a terrifying hiss, grabbed at her green hair, and whirled about. I stiffened as she spotted me, and her look of outrage was replaced with a blood-chilling smile complete with spiked teeth.
Then she disappeared beneath the waves.
Shit! My head whipped around. “Tabitha! Get moving.” I raced over the stones, knowing the creature would have a harder time yanking me to the depths of the river if my team only had to pull me a short distance. I’d made it about three-quarters of the way before the fae lunged out of the river and shot straight at me.
Thankfully, unlike Phoebe, I’d been expecting her. I kicked with all my might, slamming my foot into the beast’s mouth. The fae groaned and blood dribbled down her chin as her green eyes glinted malevolently.
“Stupid move, little witchling,” the fae lifted her arms and whips of water followed the motion. One smacked me right in the face, while another tried to take me out at the knees. I faltered and the damnable creature laughed. “One less student for the little witchy spy school.”
Oh hell no, she did not just say that.
I fought to stay on the rock and thrust my hands forward, channeling my fear and anger into raw magical power. When I let it fly, a stream of vibrant purple barreled toward the fae.
She disappeared beneath the waves to dodge my magic, but I didn’t wait to see where she’d come up. I sprinted over the rocks. The riverbank grew closer and closer. Hope that I’d made it had just begun to bloom in my chest, when Phoebe loosed a scream.
“Jump, Di! She’s right behind you!”
Unable to help myself I shot a glance back. Sure as hell, the creature was torpedoing toward me, her arms outstretched and a lasso of green weeds flying my way.
Everything shifted into slow motion.
I threw myself forward. Phoebe reached out and my fingers brushed hers just as a wet tendril caressed my calf. The tendril wrapped tightly around my leg and yanked, trying to pull me back—actually pulling me back. A scream ripped out of my throat as an image of me failing the first exam flashed in my mind.
And then, suddenly, something heavy and hard slammed into me from behind and I careened forward, to land face-first in the dirt.
I groaned and blinked my eyes open. Beneath me, my hands felt soil. I was on the ground.
What the hell had just happened?
A noise—the water fae’s hisses—hit my ear, followed by a stream of curses. My muscles tensed as the events of the river trial came rushing back.
“Di! Tabby! Are you alright?”
Tabitha? How did she get across the river so fast?
I struggled to sit up and when my vision cleared I saw Tabitha was laying just a couple of feet from me. The only reasonable scenario presented itself right away. Tabby had to have been the thing that hit me from behind.
But how?
Tabitha moaned and all of a sudden Hunter and Phoebe were both there, helping us up.
“What happened? How long was I out?” I asked, the exam’s time limit ever on my mind.
“Less than a minute,” Phoebe answered before her eyes darted to Hunter. Her face softened and she looked at him adoringly. “Hunter levitated Tabitha across the river.”
He what?!
I shook my head. The levitation incantation was difficult and not taught until the end of Culling year. Memories of Jackson practicing it on me, and failing miserably, flashed in my mind. He hadn’t been alone in his failures, either. Half of last years initiate class had trouble with that particular incantation. Which only made the fact that Hunter could pull it off even more impressive.
“It’s a specialty of my dad’s,” Hunter explained. “He made sure I knew it before coming here. Although I’ll admit, that was the best it’s ever worked.”
“Hmm,” I hummed accepting Phoebe’s hand to help me stand. “Any other specialties we should know about, teammate?”
Hunter’s lips quirked up and despite the fact that Tabitha was still blinking as if she was disoriented, I swear the boy-crazy girl swooned. “Not yet, but that’s what Spellcasters is for, isn’t it? Rest assured, I have many non-magical specialties.” He winked.
My friends giggled, but I rolled my eyes. How was I the only one immune to this guy’s charms? “Right. Well, keep those skills to yourself for now. We have a race to finish.”
Everyone snapped back to attention and once we’d slipped the vine ropes off, Hunter and I situated Tabby between us once again. As we rushed forward, my nerves began to jangle uncontrollably. How much time did we have left? I estimated that we’d already run about two miles—but that still left one and some change to go.
Suddenly, Phoebe jerked to a stop and Hunter, Tabitha, and I nearly plowed over her. I caught my breath, only to lose it again when I saw what had made Phoebe stop so abruptly.
A climbing wall was shooting out of the ground right in front of us. We watched it climb to the height of three stories before it stopped.
“Holy crap. Good work spotting that, Phoebe. A second later and it would have knocked us out.” I motioned for Hunter to move left, keeping away from the boundary and whatever creature would bust into the course and chase us should we attempt to set foot outside the red lights.
But as we moved the wall shifted too, blocking our way. I groaned. This wasn’t simply something we could skirt. We had to climb it.
A faint whimper escaped Tabby before she caught it, pressed her lips together, and cleared her throat stoically. “Seriously, guys just leave me. You’ve already carried me so far and got me across that river. That’s more than I could expect. I’ll just keep moving toward the middle of the course and see if I can get around this wall.”
“Nope,” I said. “I did not nearly get dragged into the river by a fae monster for nothing. You’re completing this challenge with us if
I have to drag you across the finish line.”
My gaze scaled the wall. It looked fairly simple, nothing like the overhangs or completely sheer rock faces that pro climbers loved to conquer. With all the wooden holds sticking out it was more like a ladder, although admittedly taller than any I’d seen in real life. I turned to Hunter. “How much levitation juice do you have left?”
“Some, but not enough to hoist her all the way up alone,” Hunter said after a moment’s consideration. “I’m still working on that incantation and I really dug deep to get her across safely back there.”
“We’ll have to make that work,” I replied and then laid out my plan.
I was almost to the top of the wall and found myself hanging on for dear life. A short rope of magic was tied around my waist and Tabby’s chest to help her scale the wall. Phoebe was positioned just below our friend, and was awkwardly pushing her up, shoulder to butt since Tabitha’s leg still wasn’t quite right. Finally, Hunter brought up the rear, helpfully mumbling his levitation spell over and over to lighten our load.
When my hand grazed the top, I released a relieved sigh. Pulling myself up and over the wall, I glanced down the other side. My stomach dipped as I took in the steep drop. This would be the most risky part.
Once Tabitha was safely straddling the top alongside me, I looked her dead in the eye. “Stay right here until we’re on the ground. I know it’s a really costly incantation, but attach a rope of magic around you just to be safe. When we’re all off the wall, you’ll have to climb down with your bad leg. But at least this way, we’re in the best possible position to do damage control if you fall.”
My friend’s lips pressed together, forming a trembling, white line, but she nodded in agreement. Knowing we had to move fast, I began to climb down the wall. Despite being a sheer drop, it wasn’t technical or mentally challenging. The holds were actually rather large. Only my muscles and grip felt the strain of fighting against gravity.
I’ve got this, I’ve totally got—oh crap!
One of the bits of wood meant to be used as a handhold or foothold popped out and smacked me right in the gut, knocking the wind from me.
Reflexively, I froze and gripped the wall tight. Which, apparently, was a terrible mistake because another bit of wood slammed into my right upper thigh.
“Shit!” I yelled as I almost lost my footing.
“You okay?” Hunter asked a few feet above me.
“Fine! These holds just whacked me one. I think—” Another piece of wood, this time the one I was holding, shot out and I let out another shriek.
“Keep moving!” Hunter yelled. “When I paused one almost knocked me off too. I think they’re enchanted to pummel us if we take a break.”
What kind of evil is this? I thought, but then shook my head, realizing that I should have known better. Mother’s motto was expect the unexpected. A wall punching my guts was definitely unexpected. I should have seen it coming.
The rest of the way down, I kept moving and not once did the wall attack me. It seemed that Hunter’s hypothesis was right.
Hunter dismounted seconds after my feet hit solid ground. Soon after, Phoebe opted to leap from ten feet up and landed lightly.
I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Okay, Tabby! We’re ready for you! Whatever you do, don’t stop!”
Slowly, my friend hoisted herself off the top of the wall using just her arms and began her descent. The first fifteen or so feet were fine. Her arms shook violently, but considering that they were compensating for her injured leg, that was to be expected. As long as she didn’t stop she’d be . . .
What the shit is she doing?
I watched, incredulous as Tabby paused to readjust her grip.
“Tabby! Seriously! Get moving.” I shouted, annoyed that she hadn’t listened to me. “The wall will—”
My hands flew to my mouth as a part of the wall shot out and slammed her square in the chest. Then I watched in slow motion as Tabitha groaned and her fingers let go of the wall.
“Tabby!”
But it was too late. My friend was free falling. I sucked in a breath and before I could even consider what to do, the tether of magic that Tabitha had hooked to the top of the wall snapped tight and she began to swing from side to side.
Slowly, I exhaled and then turned to Hunter. “I’ll climb up and get her. Can you help with a levitation charm? Take some of her weight?”
“I’ll do my best.”
The ache in my arms forgotten, I began to climb once more. Hustling and not daring to stop, I was at Tabby’s side in no time. Quickly, I pulled her to me, positioning her arms around my waist. All the while, I remained alert for moving bits of the wall.
“Hold on tight and release your magical tether,” I commanded. The hold to my direct left shot out and I hurled my body an inch out of the way to avoid being struck.
Tabitha did as I said, and the weight I bore increased substantially. Immediately, it became harder to draw a breath. Ignoring the discomfort, I began to descend.
I was incredibly thankful when a few seconds later her weight lightened a touch. Hunter had cast another levitation spell on Tabby, which had halved her weight and made things easier for me.
We descended slowly but surely, never stopping. What felt like a year later, but was really no more than two minutes, we were five feet from the ground. Sweat dripped from my elbows and chin, cutting through the dirt that caked my face.
“Hunter and I will catch you, Tabby,” Phoebe said. “Just let go!”
Tabitha shot me a glance, and I gave her an encouraging nod.
She let go of my waist and I heard a soft oomph as Hunter and Phoebe caught her. Once I hit the ground our group wasted no time. We took off at a sprint with Tabby hanging between Hunter and me. We’d gone what I estimated was about a half mile more when a new sound reached my ear.
Cheering.
My chest tightened. We were near the finish line. I pushed harder, urging Phoebe to be extra careful as she scouted for traps so that we could focus on carrying Tabby. My muscles strained with each step. I was thankful that I’d trained hard for this. If I hadn’t, I doubted I’d have made it this far.
Phoebe let out a gasp.
My head snapped up. “What?” I asked, unable to see past her.
She pointed in front of us and to the right. “I can see the finish line!” she squealed just as Mother’s voice barreled through the woods.
“Two minutes remaining.”
“Let’s go!” I yelled and my team surged forward. I’d just caught sight of the break in the trees when another group, three male witches who were all soaking wet, surged by us. My teeth gnashed together as my competitive nature flared. I picked up my pace.
“Whoa!” Hunter said as we exited the forest and my speed increased to a near sprint. “It’s not that far! We’ll make it, but we need to slow down. Tabitha can’t—” Hunter’s words were cut off as one of Tabby’s feet caught on a rock and sent everyone tumbling forward.
I nearly face planted but my free hand managed to save me from an embarrassing and painful collision with the ground. Immediately, I scurried back onto my feet. “Get up! We need to finish as fast as possible. The rankings—” My mouth snapped shut as I glanced at the finish line expecting to see the male wizards running through it at that very moment. But they weren’t. In fact, the trio of guys in front of us had just vanished right before my eyes.
“Did you see that?” Tabby asked, her eyes wide.
Without speaking Hunter and I helped Tabby up, and our group jogged to the spot where the witches had disappeared. My heart hammered with every step, nervous as to what we’d find. But when we reached them, instead of experiencing another surge of anxiety, my lips quirked up a touch.
They were trapped in a hole ten feet deep and at least as large as my bedroom. The crater had been covered by a thin layer of grass, as indicated by the turf on their heads. They’d fallen into the final trap before the finish line.
; The guys begged for us to help them out, but I shook my head and pulled my team along. Even if I wanted to give my competition a hand, I couldn’t. My body was so done.
We sprinted toward the parents and professors waiting, to a spot where a bright red line had literally been drawn on the ground. The moment we crossed it a bell rang, and my mother proclaimed there was only a minute left to finish the first of three entry exams.
One minute. My heart rate sped up at how close we’d cut it. We barely made it. Holy crap.
With Hunter’s help I set Tabby down gently, and then collapsed next to her, gasping for air. I noticed another group of four test takers hustling toward the end of the course. Then my gaze shifted to the crowd already behind the finish line, searching for any hopeful initiates who had already finished. When I spotted none, I fist pumped the air. We might have barely made it, but I didn’t see any other participants on this side of the finish line.
“Guys . . . I think we came in first,” I whispered, barely daring to believe it was true.
“Uhh, not quite.” Phoebe who was still standing, pointed right, and I squinted to see who she’d spotted.
A black-haired boy, his glasses askew and chest heaving. So one person had beaten us. And it looked as if Alex had managed to beat the course and us, all on his own.
Chapter Nine
“Welcome! Welcome!” Ms. Seeley, the professor of Faeology, greeted families as they funneled into Agnes Sampson Hall for the first meet-and-greet. When she caught sight of me her violet eyes lit up. “Diana! Come here and tell me about your first day of testing!”
My cheeks warmed slightly, a little embarrassed by my obvious insider ties to the school as a few people turned to stare. Even if Mother never offered me any advantage, the attention heaped upon me by professors in the hallways made it unlikely that others would believe that. Still, I couldn’t just ignore Ms. Seeley. Her carefree attitude had always endeared her to me. Plus, it would break her heart.
“Soooo?” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder as soon as I joined her.
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