by J. M. Kearl
Aric bounced on his toes beside me, swinging his arms, warming up for the game. Madison chose the teams and had us stand to her right or left. Waiting to be selected beside me, Lora nudged my arm. “Prince Zyacus keeps looking at you,” she whispered.
I was well aware but I hadn’t given him the satisfaction of looking like I cared. “I noticed.” She smirked and moved to the right side when her name was called, next to Aric. Zyacus to the left. At least those two wouldn’t be on the same team. “Visteal, right.”
Lora fist pumped and I jogged over. “Yes! We’re on the same team,” she nearly squealed.
Aric held his hand up like he wanted me to clap it. Thankful I wore gloves, I hit his hand, not having to worry about visions of death and despair.
We jogged down the path behind my grandparents. The air around us electric with intensity in anticipation for the game. Around here we took competing seriously.
The red dirt path separated our two sides. The “yellow team” had their flag hidden among the fruit orchards. My “purple team” had ours hidden in the wooded area where I’d heard the beast days ago. I hoped it was long gone.
Madison snapped her fingers and the tops of our uniforms changed colors to match our team.
“The winners will grab their opponents flag and cross onto their own side. You have two minutes to strategize with your team.”
Aric tapped my arm. “We should work together. And the rules are no attacking spells but she never said anything about invisibility or enhanced speed.” His eyes danced with mischief. “The only problem is Zyacus will be watching both of us closely.”
Lora tapped her foot on the ground. “Some of us need to guard our flag and some need to go after theirs.”
“I’ll guard,” that stocky red-headed boy from Arohem said.
“Me too,” said Lora.
“Tor, Sinna, you guard as well,” Aric said to the boy and girl from his kingdom. “You’re best at it. Viktor, you’re the fastest, you should be one to seek their flag.” He looked at me. “We play this a lot in Collweya.”
“I’m willing to go into enemy territory,” I said.
Aric smirked. “Alright, I have a plan.”
A loud whistle signaled the game had begun. I waited for Aric and the others chosen to charge across the pathway, and clash with the yellow team in a flurry of swords. I looked to make sure none of their team was watching me and spelled myself invisible. Standing on the far side of the clash, Viktor followed my lead, disappearing from view and then I dashed into the yellow territory, unseen and unheard. I only had to make it to the cover of the trees and release the spell. I couldn’t hold it much longer or I’d drain my magic.
Once I was sure no one was close by, I shoved my way into a bush and let the invisibility spell go. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I waited and listened for the sounds of anyone nearby. Birds singing, bees buzzing, small critters in the treetops but nothing else of note. I risked peeking out and saw no one which meant I wasn’t near their flag. They’d have people guarding it, giving away the location.
Slowly I emerged from cover and darted to a nearby tree. Voices traveled on the air and I made for them, covering ground quickly. When they grew louder, I crept low in the grass and found a boulder to peer out from behind. A boy and girl stood with their swords in hand, laughing about something. The yellow flag was between them staked in the ground on a three-foot pole.
I looked for other guards; there could be more than two protecting this thing. Then my eye caught a flash of purple. Viktor was across the clearing moving swiftly from tree to tree. I wished I could get him a message or… I could run around behind these two and get to Viktor.
I had it in me to make myself invisible again for a short burst. Whispering the spell, my body tingled and then I ran, light feet, hardly a sound, and in a few long strides I made it to Viktor. When I appeared next to him, he cursed and almost fell over.
“Could you give me some warning next time?” he whispered.
I shrugged, not knowing what sort of warning I could give without revealing myself to the other team. “So how are we going to take these two out quietly?”
Viktor rubbed his chin. “Subduing them will take too much time and will draw others. That girl is too good. I’ve watched her during class. One of us goes in to distract, probably takes a beating, and the other grabs the flag and makes a run for it.”
I took a deep breath. Knowing we’d both want to be the one to grab the flag and run, I suggested, “Rock off?” Rock, paper, dagger. “One round.”
“What sort of man would I be if I let the Princess of Delhoon go in alone to take a beating?” He shook his head. “I’ll fight them, you get the flag and run like you never have before.”
Squeezing my hands into fists, I nodded. “I’ll make it.”
He grinned. “I don’t have a doubt.”
Jumping to his feet, he charged in with a battle cry and the two guards ran at him. They clashed, hitting swords, and I took my chance.
I pushed my legs hard, snatched the flag and sprinted away, giving the yellow team a vulgar gesture as I went by.
“Get her!” The boy yelled but Viktor smashed his shoulder into the boy’s gut, and tripped the girl.
The girl swore loudly, and I knew she’d be up in a matter of seconds. Light footsteps followed me; she was close behind, too close. I turned conjuring a glowing green rope and threw it at her legs, when it wrapped around I pulled it tight. She fell hard, and cried out smashing her face into the grass. It would take her time to get out of that so I focused on what was ahead of me. Running faster than I probably ever had in my life.
I heard him before I saw him, a flash of yellow careening toward me. I skidded to a halt, hoping he’d fly by me, but Zyacus’s arm caught my shirt and we both tumbled to the ground. I rolled, ending up on my knees. From his back, he jumped to his feet in one swift movement.
“You’re not leaving with that flag, Princess,” he said, a wicked smile forming on his lips.
I slowly rose to my full height, gripping the flag like my life depended on it. This wasn’t just about winning for my team, it was a personal vendetta against the Hesstian Prince now. I took a step to the right and he mirrored me, blocking my path. I wasn’t within his grasp but he was too close for me to run by him.
“Give it to me,” he said, holding out a hand as if simply commanding it would make me do so. There was a sort of power laced in his voice and I wondered if he was using magic somehow.
Either way it wouldn’t work on me. I laughed in his face.
With a wave of my arm, I conjured a magical rope and threw it at his legs. One swift hand movement from him and my rope fizzled into nothing.
Clenching my teeth, I stomped my foot and sent a blast of magic along the ground. The vines and grass at his feet wrapped over his legs, a little trick my mother taught me, and I dashed around him. It wouldn’t hold for more than a few seconds since he’d so easily disheveled my rope but it gave me a head start.
My heart pounded almost as loud as my feet and I didn’t risk a look back. When I saw the path separating our two sides my heart sang. I was almost there! Zyacus appeared at my side and roundhouse kicked my feet out from under me. I flew through the air and crashed onto my hands and knees, dropping the flag.
He dove for it and I kicked him hard on the outside of his shoulder, but had been aiming for his head, then I rolled on top of him and elbowed him in the face as I tried to climb over his body. He growled, and bucked me off then was atop me, his weight pinning me down.
“Get off me, cheater,” I snarled and brought my leg up, hooked it around his neck and threw him back. “You weren’t supposed to use the appearus spell.” There was no other explanation for why he appeared so suddenly.
“Princess Visteal has the flag, help her!” Aric shouted, battling a boy.
“I didn’t use it,” he said, laughing as he wrapped his arms around my legs before I could stand.
Aric broke throu
gh and was running for us. I grabbed the flag and tossed it his way, but Zyacus knocked it down. Aric kicked his cousin so hard in the side that the breath whooshed from his lungs and he released me.
“Bastard,” Zyacus coughed.
I wiggled away from him, crawled a few paces and grabbed the flagpole. Another yellow team member dove on top of me, a dark-haired girl, taller and heavier than me. We grappled, and when she punched me in the nose, pain exploded and I could feel then taste the blood leaking into my mouth. I roared, my magic surged and she was thrown several feet.
The flag was inches away and I took my chance. Zyacus and Aric exchanged blows, until Zyacus saw me grab the flag and make a run for it. I didn’t know what magic he used but Aric crumpled over as if punched in the gut.
Don’t look back, don’t look, don’t look!
I was only a few yards from crossing into my side but so was a member of the yellow team with my purple flag. Lora came out of the trees and tackled the girl before she could cross out of our territory.
The ground turned to ice beneath my feet and I slipped, crashing to one knee. I whipped my head around and that arrogant ass prince was running for me. I had mere feet—feet to go. I scrambled up, slipping and sliding and dove, all I had to do was cross the flag over the line to my side. On his belly, Zyacus slid on the ice beside me, grabbing for my arm but he was too late.
A whistle cut through the air, Madison clapped and said, “Purple team wins! Valiant effort yellow team!”
Papa clapped and had the proudest look on his face. I pulled a bloody toothed grin at him.
Lying beside one another, the ice beneath us melting, Zyacus smirked. “You’re tough.”
I was still struggling for air, my body exhausted but I managed to say between breaths, “I don’t know—why you always—underestimate me.”
“I won’t anymore.” He reached for my face and I caught his wrist. “Your nose looks broken,” he said.
The pain was a dull throb now but blood still trickled down. So I nodded and loosened my grip.
He healed my nose in seconds then pulled me to my feet. I wiped the lingering blood with my sleeve and quietly said, “Thank you.” Even if it pained me to owe him gratitude.
Aric hustled over. “That was great.” Aric hooked the bend of his elbow around his cousin’s neck, grinning with a puffy eye that was about to swell shut. It made no difference that moments ago they were beating each other bloody.
Zyacus and I locked eyes and I realized that he never once struck me or really tried to hurt me when he could have—should have to win.
“If we have another game like this,” Zyacus said, “I hope you’re on my team, Princess.”
I couldn’t stop smiling at the compliment.
Chapter 12
For weeks there wasn’t anything amiss at the academy. Actually everything was going great. Aric now sat at our dining table, one of the few to venture outside their own kingdom, although I supposed he was one of us. His parents were Delhoon even if he was born in Collweya. Our little group had become pretty close, even Taz liked Aric. Vyce, the boy from the infirmary grew on me. He was funny and at least Taz had another boy to hang out with. There was no sign of the creature who’d killed the horse, nothing off-kilter.
Then I woke up screaming in the night. My clothes soaked with sweat, my hair stuck to my forehead.
Legacy held my shoulders, shaking me. “You’re dreaming,” she said over and over.
I blinked at her several times trying to get my bearings. The bedside candle was alight, casting long shadows in the room but giving off a warm glow.
Atticus, our cat, sat perched by my feet with concern painted in his eyes. “Who was the boy?” he asked.
“What?” I breathed, gently pushing Legacy’s hands off me. “I’m alright.”
She pursed her lips but sat on her own bed, giving me space.
Moving closer, Atticus asked, “The boy who dies in your dream? Who is it?”
It took me a second to process what he asked. I knew cats could read minds but his question caught me off guard. I shook my head, clearing the nightmare. It was the vision of Finnick dying, replayed in my dream exactly as I’d first seen it. “His name is Finnick,” I murmured.
“This was not an ordinary dream,” Atticus stated, not a question.
I threw my blankets off and snatched my boots from the floor, sliding my feet into them. Indeed it was not an ordinary dream, Finnick was going to die. Tonight. And I had to try to stop it.
“What are you doing?” Legacy asked, slipping on her boots, same as me.
“I have to try,” I said and moved to adorn myself with all my weapons. I wasn’t taking any chances. A few minutes later, I peeked out the door to an empty hallway. Bindy slept in the room across the hall and I didn’t know how my scream didn’t wake her.
Legacy and I got three steps before a door creaked open and I heard, “Where do you two think you’re going?”
I knew her voice immediately and slowly turned. It only took me a few moments to explain, and Bindy led the way to the boys’ dormitories. She wouldn’t wake anyone, we’d take care of this ourselves or risk exposing my curse. Something Bindy would allow Finnick to die to keep secret. It was her sworn duty to protect me in all aspects of my life.
Atticus made sure we didn’t run into anyone as we crept through the halls and up the stairs to the Delhoon boys’ dorms. “You’re sure this is where he’ll be?” Bindy asked in a low voice.
I swallowed down the anxious lump forming in my throat. “All I saw was a darkened hallway, one torchlight. But where else would he be at this hour?”
Paused at the top of the steps we decided he might be heading to use the toilet. Atticus knew the way and we followed him and when we rounded the corner that led toward the bathing rooms, there he was. His back to us, several yards away, moving toward a darkened doorway.
I panicked, not knowing what else to do and yelled, “Finnick!”
He abruptly turned, and looking rather confused, opened his mouth to speak. Something jumped out of the darkness onto his back. A feral screech tore into the night. Then its face sunk into Finnick’s neck.
Finnick screamed, clawing at the thing wrapped around him. If I wasn’t mistaken, it was—human. My blood turned icy, and a scream caught in my own throat. If it wasn’t a man it was something shaped very similar to a one, which was even more terrifying than if it had been a beast. A beast was at least supposed to bite.
I ran for him. Legacy was right beside me, sword drawn. Bindy disappeared and just as quickly as the creature jumped on Finnick, it was gone.
Bindy appeared at Finnick’s side while we still had half a hallway to run. She turned in a circle checking for the—person who’d done this. When we reached them, Bindy was on her knees and held his head in her hands, she looked up at me, eyes swimming in tears.
Blood pooled on the floor, slowly reaching my boots, and nausea hit me like a slap to the face. If I hadn’t yelled his name, if I hadn’t been here, he wouldn’t have turned his back. Maybe he would have had a fighting chance if he was facing the other way…
Dark spots formed in my vision and my legs went weak. I had to catch myself on the wall. This was my fault, Finnick was dead because of me. I slid to the floor and sobbed into my hands.
∞∞∞
I stayed in bed for four days. Legacy or Bindy brought me food, I only left to use the bathroom and even then I waited until it was absolutely necessary.
I’d forgotten what it was like to have a vision and then witness the death in reality. I’d seen so many over the years and then ignored them so I wouldn’t interfere, wouldn’t see it happen.
I couldn’t understand why I had this ability if I was powerless to change the outcome. I screamed “why!” into my pillow until my throat was raw. I cried until I had no tears left. I should be able to stop this. I should be able to do something and yet, if it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have turned his back on the murderer.
> Bindy sent Legacy and me to our room and told us not to tell we’d been there. She’d take care of it. Quietly his death was swept under the rug. Because if the truth got out, the academy might close and then the strong alliance between the kingdoms could fracture. This was a huge stepping stone and it seemed like someone was trying to ruin it.
Everyone knew Finnick died of course, but they didn’t know the truth. There was a funeral. I didn’t go. I couldn’t bring myself to face his parents. I wasn’t even sure what Bindy or the headmaster had told them about how he died. All I knew was that classes were suspended for a day, and then things went on as usual.
I stared at the ceiling, today it was enchanted to imitate a beautiful summer day with white puffy clouds in a blue sky and flowers shifting in the breeze that I swore I could even smell. Dandelion fluff skirted about and bees flew from one bloom to the next. It didn’t at all match my mood. If it had, there would be a steady drizzle from an utterly gray sky. Maybe some low rolling thunder too.
My door burst open and I flew up, clutching my thick blanket. Madison slammed the door behind her and snatched my covers then tore them off me. “The pity party is over.”
My mouth fell open and tears filled my eyes, threatening to fall. “Grand—”
“Madison,” she snapped.
“It’s my fault,” I cried, grabbing my pillow and stuffing my face into it.
Madison grabbed that too. “No, it isn’t. The fault lies with the person who killed him, not you.”
“But if I hadn’t been there—”
“He would have died anyway,” she said, her voice softening. “I saw his death too, tried to warn him.”
“You did?”
“Yes, and I told him to never go anywhere alone, even to the bathroom, but in the end it didn’t matter. He didn’t listen.” Pacing, Madison went on, “What’s important now is finding out what or who did it and why.”
I thought back to the moment the person came out of the shadows, the sound—he made, much like the thing I’d heard in the woods with Zyacus weeks ago. I was sure it was a male, too large to be a woman.