Professor Powell appeared near the top of the rock wall. He surveyed the beach, his expression somber. “Is everyone accounted for here?”
Raine nodded as she took stock of their surroundings. “Yes, Professor. Everyone was either playing mazeball or watching it.”
He glanced at the court with a slight frown. “That earthquake was definitely stronger than the last few. I think it’s best if we avoid mazeball for a while. It’s too risky.”
Asher groaned. “Seriously? But we’re starting to figure it all out.”
The professor shook his head decisively. “Until we have a better idea of what’s causing the quakes, we won’t be able to predict them.” He gestured toward the structure. “We’ll leave it for now. It might be that we get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later.”
An hour later, the professors stood huddled in Basil’s cabin.
Xander frowned. “We might have to consider withdrawing from the island early.”
“We’re making such great progress here.” The other man shook his head. “No student has been hurt. If we don’t let them play their little game, they’ll be fine.”
Tarelli nodded agreement. “Both groups of students are very thorough, and I’m impressed with their work. I feel like we have a good momentum going.”
Eleanor frowned and folded her arms, her expression uneasy. “But the earthquake was definitely stronger. It implies that next time, it could be even stronger.”
Basil breathed deeply a few times and maintained a calm expression, although he seemed a little irritated. “No one’s denying that, Eleanor, but we also aren’t in the middle of New York, and we have no proof that it will get significantly stronger. Other than a smattering of cabins, the students’ court, and the dock, there aren’t any real structures here. A severe earthquake merely risks collapsing a few small buildings we could repair in hours, nothing more.”
She pointed toward the door. “Trees fell last time. If we’re out in the field, that’s a risk.”
“One that a shield or cutting spell can handle.” He chuckled. “Let’s be honest, given the kind of challenges both your students and our students have faced, I think it’s entirely unnecessary to run from the island over a few minor earthquakes.”
Xander stared at the other professor, his gaze penetrating. “This isn’t about the bravery of the students. This is about making sure they’re not hurt by something we and they have no ability to control.”
Tarelli ran a hand over her smooth scalp and nibbled her lip. “The fact that it’s getting worse is less reason to leave.”
“What makes you say that?”
“We’re close to finding something out. That’s what I think. Isn’t that why we’re here? To learn things?”
He shrugged. “We’re not a geology team. We’re a zoological and botanical survey project.”
“Great discoveries often are found by those who least expect it.” She gasped. “Don’t you think the students would love to be involved in a great discovery? It could be something they talk about for the rest of their lives.”
“I suppose, but we have no certainty that will be the case.” Eleanor pursed her lips.
“We have no certainty of anything.” Tarelli looked down, frowning in thought. “Or it might be nothing but a coincidence, but I do fear that if we flee now, we’ll teach our students to be overly cautious. In this age, I don’t know if that is a virtue.”
“I suppose we can see what happens,” Xander conceded but with obvious reluctance. “If the earthquakes continue to worsen, though, we’ll need to consider leaving, even if it means we get in those rowboats and steer all the way back to the mainland.”
Basil smiled. “Of course. Of course. That all sounds quite reasonable, but I’m sure the earthquakes will turn out to be nothing.”
Xander scoffed and shook his head. “Sorry, Basil. I stopped believing in idle hope a long time ago.”
Chapter Sixteen
Raine inhaled deeply and savored the sweet aroma of the grilled pineapple before she bit into it. She wasn’t sure where the professors had obtained the food because they weren’t on a tropical island and they hadn’t eaten any pineapple in their weeks on the island.
The Orono students had said Professor Kaylis couldn’t cook, but whatever his other skills when it came to food preparation, the man could grill a delicious slice of fruit. He also—very noticeably—didn’t cook anything else. Instead, he left the kebabs everyone had for their main course to Professor Powell as part of a little party treat for the students to mark the halfway point of their summer research trip to New Firefly Island.
Most of the students now lay on blankets on the beach and stared at the stars. Raine suspected the truth was that the professors felt bad about canceling mazeball, especially since there hadn’t been new earthquakes for a week. With the Fourth of July coming up in a few days, that would have been a more logical time for an impromptu party, but she definitely wouldn’t complain about having a little extra fun. She doubted that they were worried about offending Adrien’s French sensibilities given that they had already told the students to consider different spells for their own fireworks display.
Evie sighed contently beside William. “I miss my family and working on potions, but I’m also really, really calm. Who knew surveying magical species could be so Zen?”
She glanced at the half-Ifrit. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell lightly.
“Cameron and I talked about that a while ago,” Raine said. “I’ve used my summers for mostly training for years now. Ironically, I’m doing less work despite working on this project. I think it’s mostly that this has a feeling like summer camp when you think about it. With less singing and more magic. That, and more weird creatures.”
The shifter turned to her with a smile but remained quiet.
“Summer camp, huh?” Evie said. “You’re right. I never really did anything like this when I was younger. Maybe that’s why I’m enjoying it so much.”
“Probably,” Raine said. “We’re not slaves to a schedule.”
Cameron nudged her. “Don’t oversell it, Raine.”
“I’m just saying, is all. You’re the one who told me I obsess over the FBI.”
“True enough, but you love normal school, too.”
She nodded. “I’m not saying I don’t, only that I like this, too. If it weren’t for the stupid earthquakes, this would have been even more relaxing.”
Asher rested on his own blanket, his fingers laced behind his head. “I’m like you guys. My summers are usually super-busy. I’m always focused on improving my magic because my parents expect it. Even if they don’t have a particular job I have to do, they are obsessed with carrying on the family magical legacy.” He chuckled. “Not that I mind too much, but that might be why I like to kick back more at school and goof off. You, know, to appreciate my magic as something other than part of a legacy.”
“There are many social obligations my parents expect of me.” Josephine sighed quietly. “I can’t say I hate them, but it’s nice to take life at a slower pace with few concerns other than our daily work and spending time with my old and new friends. I feel a little selfish.”
Raine shook her head. “Don’t. We might like it here, but we’re still contributing to the Magical Multitudes Project. Even if it feels like a vacation, it’s not, and it’s important to keep that in mind.”
“Of course.”
Silas nodded and for once, the quiet boy chose to make a rare comment. “I study during the summer. That’s all I do. But this is nice. I miss studying sometimes, but I don’t feel as nervous about stuff.” He shrugged.
Milo grunted and nodded in approval, but he didn’t say anything. One of the aspects of mazeball being canceled was the opportunity to get to know the more laconic and reserved Orono students.
William grinned, but his eyes remained closed. “I usually hang out with Cameron and his pack. You all work too hard, but this is nice too. It’s so
peaceful when mirror cats aren’t trying to eat you and earthquakes aren’t happening.”
Everyone laughed.
Raine nibbled on her pineapple slice and glanced at Adrien. The elf sat and stared off at the horizon, a distant look in his eyes.
“Are you okay, Adrien? I know you spent some time doing sword practice, but I wasn’t sure if being away from Guardian training for a couple of months and not in school bothered you.”
He shook his head. “It did at first, but I can see the wisdom in not overtraining. I will admit I miss Christie far more than I anticipated, and that’s made this troubling.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Evie said.
A few of the Orono boys grinned. Kelly, Dnai, and Heidi smiled and Josephine looked impressed.
His face reddened. “It’s simply a statement of fact. Sweetness is irrelevant.”
Sara shook her head. “If you’re trying to sound less sweet, you’re failing.”
Adrien scoffed.
Finn snickered. “You really are like that guy from Manic Human Dream Girl, bro. Own it. It’s not a bad thing to have a girl you care about.”
The Light Elf continued to stare off into the distance. “I don’t deny my feelings. I simply don’t make a big deal of them.”
“Okay, let’s move away from Adrien’s love life,” Raine said. “He’s not super-comfortable talking about it. I’m sorry for bringing anything up.”
He waved a hand airily. “It’s fine.”
Finn smirked as he rested on his elbow. “What’s he got to complain about? At least he has a girlfriend.”
Asher sat up, his face illuminated by the soft glow of a nearby light orb. “It just struck me.”
“That you don’t have a girlfriend?”
He snorted. “No. I’m keenly aware of that, Finn.” He sighed and shook his head. “This has nothing to do with that. Not directly. I thought about how we’re all juniors—from both schools. Or we were. I mean technically, we’re seniors now.”
Philip yawned beside Sara. “Yeah, so what?”
“That means we have one last year.” He held a single finger up. “They have all these magical academies, but it’s not like they have magical colleges yet. Maybe there never will be. This whole chapter in our life is almost over.”
Kelly wrapped her arms around her knees. “When you say it that way, it’s almost depressing. I’ll miss the OAAS. I feel like I became myself there. I didn’t have a lot of friends back home because I could be nasty, and the school softened me up. You guys softened me up.”
Raine nodded, curious about how much the girl had changed compared to some of her friends like William or Philip. “I feel the same way about the School of Necessary Magic. I liked my life before, but now, I feel like I am who I was always meant to be.”
“I found a family there.” William’s expression softened and he looked at Cameron with gratitude. “A family who stood up for me against those who were supposed to be my family and turned their backs on me.” He turned toward Evie. “And I found other people whom I can’t live without. People I never expected to find.”
Cameron frowned but it was thoughtful rather than anything negative. “I expected to take nothing but crap for four years for being a shifter, especially at a place with a reputation like the School of Necessary Magic. Some people might have had a few things to say to me, but outside my pack, I’ve never felt like I belonged. Now, I finally do, and that means more than I can say.”
“Too bad they didn’t start pro-Louper earlier.” Finn stared at his hands. “I might have thought about giving that a try, but there aren’t any amateur Louper leagues out there once you leave magic school.”
Sara retrieved a single seed from her pouch. She tossed it a few yards away, and vines snaked out to form a small tangled mass on the beach. The other teens glanced from the vines to the kitsune.
She smiled. “When I started at the school, my magic hadn’t come in and my family was ashamed of me. It was hard not to feel bad about myself because of that.” A few tears seeped from the corner of her eyes. “But my friends stuck by me and encouraged me. Art Club inspired me to pursue my passion, and now, I have a future with my magic and my art that I never saw before.”
Raine sighed softly. “Sometimes, you simply need to take a little time to stop and appreciate what you have. During the school semesters, there’s also class, and with our luck, something weird always happens.” She turned toward Josephine, the closest Orono student. “And from what you guys have told us, it isn’t much different in Orono. Only a little more creature-centered.”
A thoughtful look passed over the other witch’s face. “I suppose if one wants a simple existence free of unusual encounters, attending a magic school is perhaps not the wisest way to go about it.” She smiled. “You don’t need to know magic to have a quiet office job.”
Heidi looked like she wanted to say something before she simply smiled and shook her head.
Raine stretched a hand above her and peeked at the stars through her outstretched fingers. “Asher’s right. The end’s coming for all of us, and it’ll be bittersweet. I know I’ll be sad during graduation, but I also know this last year will be the best year yet because I have my friends and all my experiences behind me. Both of those have combined to turn me from the girl I was to the woman I’m becoming.” She smiled at the Orono students. “And I have new friends. If you guys ever have a spare weekend, maybe you could come down—or we could try to work the opposite, but I doubt it. They like to keep us on a short leash at our school but given all the trouble we’ve landed in, maybe they aren’t wrong to do that.”
A slight grin appeared on Josephine’s face. “I have to say that any school that ends up with a PDA agent investigating them for a year can’t be boring. I always thought our school was a little too interesting, but yours makes ours sound mediocre.”
Cameron snorted. “That PDA agent left at the end of the year, remember? Maybe we didn’t make it clear.”
“We don’t have the PDA coming to our school.” Josephine lay down again. “But I must admit I’m also disappointed that we’re not interesting enough to have them come.”
“Interesting?” Adrien asked. “That’s one way to put it.”
“When this is all over,” Raine said, “we’ll need to exchange contact information. Our school’s fairly locked-down in terms of communication, but at least we’ll have breaks when we can catch up. I feel like I’ve really gotten to know you guys, even though it’s been weeks instead of years.”
The other School of Necessary Magic students all nodded, smiles on their faces.
“That sounds great,” Asher said cheerfully and the other Orono students agreed.
She sighed with real contentment. While she’d come for the learning experience and exposure to magical creatures, she would leave with eight new friends.
Chapter Seventeen
Professor Powell marched along the beach and tapped his wand in his palm in time to his steps. A slight breeze blew off the ocean and brought the taste of the salt into Raine’s mouth. The stars twinkled in the night sky above. As far as nature was concerned, it was merely another day, but to the students, it was so much more. The Fourth of July was a highlight on the calendar, even on a magical island.
“You all said you wanted to do this,” the professor began, “and it’s one of the few times we’ll probably allow students to throw this kind of unrestrained and barely controlled magical power without concern. I assume, though, that it’d take a spectacular failure for you to somehow set the ocean on fire. Of course, you could accidentally hit the trees.” He grinned. “But what’s the Fourth of July without some fireworks?”
The gathered students all cheered. A few glanced at Adrien with questioning expressions on their faces.
“I’ll pretend it’s Bastille Day,” the elf responded with a smile. “Even I can appreciate a good explosion or two. Remember, I might be the stiff Guardian to all of you, but I do play Louper as muc
h for fun as for the challenge.”
Evie knelt in the sand where a ring of different-colored vials of potions rested on a small wooden tray in front of her. She’d worked feverishly over the last few days in her free time to prepare them with a little help from Professor Kaylis, who generously donated several ingredients from his own personal supply.
Professor Powell glanced down the beach and Raine followed his gaze. They were fifty yards away from the mazeball court. Even in a worst-case scenario, the piles of stone represented little risk to the students or their cabins.
Raine’s heart almost danced with a new level of excitement. Even back home, there were severe limits on the type of conventional fireworks individuals could launch. Now, not only would she be able to generate a few explosions for entertainment value, she was encouraged to use her magic by one of her professors.
Friendship, relaxation, and searing the sky with ridiculous magic—they called it a summer research project, but she was convinced it was a vacation. The only thing that could make it better was if they stuck a small satellite library for the school on the island so she could at least read a book or two. Librarian Decker could probably find a solution, even with the magical interference.
Professors Hudson and Kaylis pored over some of the data collected that week, and Professor Tarelli had opted out of anything but hiding in her cabin. She’d told them firmly that loud noises and explosions set her on edge.
“Okay. Who will get us started?” Professor Powell pointed into the heavens. “I’m not participating. I want this to be a strictly student-run activity. You’ve had days to prepare, so I hope you don’t disappoint me or each other.”
Sara stood and dusted the sand off her shorts. She took a few seeds from her pouch and nodded to William. He stood, his expression grim as if he were going into battle instead of starting a celebration.
“Ready?” she asked. “Thanks for agreeing to help Philip and me.”
Untouchable Witch: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (School of Necessary Magic Raine Campbell Book 7) Page 10