by Marisa Mills
“If I’d known a little cut was going to get this much attention from you, I wouldn’t have fought so hard against you,” Alexander teased. “I’d have let you nick me and feigned as if I was dying.”
My face warmed. “You—you aren’t being serious,” I said.
Alexander smiled. “I’m being completely serious,” he said, his voice low and husky.
I had no idea what to say. Alexander tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear, sending little sparks of warm through me. What was I supposed to do with this…this nicer Alexander who was suddenly paying attention to me? I felt all flustered and warm, even though—rationally—I knew these feelings were dangerous. I couldn’t afford to piss Viviane off before the tests. Too much was riding on this.
“For what it’s worth, I really do think you’ll pass,” Alexander said. “Maybe you don’t see it, but you have improved since coming here.”
Of course, I had improved. I just had no way of knowing if it would be enough. For all I knew, I’d given Dorian a useless journal and was poised to fail the final examination. And now, Lucian wasn’t helping me anymore. I hadn’t realized just how much I needed him. And more than that, I missed him. Having him around all the time had been annoying, but his sudden absence felt like a black hole in my heart. I couldn’t blame him for wanting his freedom, but what if I let him out, and he was just a monster like the others? What if he hurt someone, and I was responsible for it? I couldn’t take the risk, at least not now.
Twenty-Seven
THE NEXT MORNING, EVERYTHING SEEMED even louder. The corridors were full of a sort of frantic, anxious energy that I understood all too well. It was a relief to leave the bustle of the buildings and go to the fields outside. Delacroix and a handful of my classmates had already gathered. I stood by Alexander, who gave me a small smile.
“Wynter,” he said.
“Alexander,” I nodded. “Are you ready for this?”
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem for me,” Alexander replied.
“Of course, it won’t,” Viviane said, grasping his arm. “It’s a pity, Summer, that no one taught you swordplay in Argent.”
Alexander shot her an irritated look and awkwardly pulled his arm free. Viviane glared. But not at him. No, it seemed her ire was reserved only for me. I wondered if she would reveal me right then and there. I edged away from Alexander, giving Viviane her way.
“Wynter! Viviane!” Lily waved and ran over to us.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“I’m making notes on form and such for Delacroix,” Lily said.
I looked at Delacroix, who seemed to be counting us all. She clapped her hands together and drew her blade. “Circle up!” she exclaimed.
We formed a ring around her. She was one of the few teachers who wore pants instead of a dress or robe, which only made her seem taller. During class, she wore a leather vest embossed with floral patterns and metal plates that protected her knees and shoulders. Today her dark green tunic brought out the flecks of emerald in her eyes. She was pretty, in a severe looking way.
“So who’s going first?” she asked.
“We’re going to fight you?” Alexander asked.
Delacroix shrugged. “I am the best swordsman here,” she replied with a smirk. “That makes sense to me.”
But wouldn’t she get tired? I looked around at my classmates. Surely, Delacroix couldn’t fight all of us, could she? Not that it mattered. This wasn’t the exam that really counted, but brushing up on my swordplay wouldn’t hurt.
“Who is going first?” Delacroix asked again.
“I will,” Alexander replied, unsheathing his sword.
She and Alexander took fighting stances. I held my breath, waiting to see who would make the first move. Without any warning, Alexander lunged, thrusting his blade. Delacroix parried easily and slashed the air before her. Alexander parried, Delacroix’s blade sliding off his. Once more, Alexander attacked. Delacroix parried and slipped her blade beneath his. She was holding back. I gulped.
Once Delacroix began attacking, Alexander immediately went on the defensive, trying desperately to parry her blows. He clearly struggled, his movements becoming more and more haphazard with every one of Delacroix’s strikes. Then, Alexander parried, and Delacroix lunged. Her blade slid beneath Alexander’s guard and tapped against his clavicle. “Done,” she said. Alexander stood still a second more, catching his breath, then his shoulders slumped. If she handled Alexander this easily, Delacroix was going to cut me to pieces.
Delacroix went back to Lily, making notes in a large, leather-bound book. The two of them whispered together for a few minutes before Delacroix returned to us.
“Next.”
I waited, letting my classmates go one after the other. I’d hoped that Delacroix would eventually tire, but she seemed to have boundless energy. I bit my lip.
“Who’s next?” Delacroix asked.
I took a step forward and unsheathed my rapier.
Delacroix smiled and moved into a fighting stance. I mirrored her pose and waited. I wasn’t going to strike first, not against her. But Delacroix seemed fine with waiting. She stood across from me, patient and silent. Without warning, she lunged. I parried her blade, vibrations darting down my arms. She was powerful and fast.
She struck again and again. I parried each blow, but Delacroix didn’t give an inch. She feinted, and I saw an opening. I went for it, my blade aimed for her neck. She parried and swept my blade aside. Another strike. I parried, stumbling from the force of Delacroix’s blow. Another blow. I tried to parry but was too late. Delacroix’s blade tapped my ear.
“Dead,” she said. “You need to work on protecting your left side, Wynter. You have a tendency to leave that side open when you fight.”
Although I nodded, my heart sank. Had I passed? Had I failed? I’d lost, but thus far, no one had won against Delacroix. That was a good sign, right? Delacroix walked back to Lily and spoke with her, while I rejoined my classmates.
“You did well,” Alexander said. “I said you would.”
Beside him, Viviane’s grip tightened on her rapier. She narrowed her eyes and leaned close to me. “I’d expected something more,” Viviane whispered, “Considering who you work for.”
“Be nice, Viv,” Alexander said.
“It’s just a little gossip between girls,” Viviane replied, smiling sweetly. “Nothing that you need to worry about, right, Summer?”
I nodded. “Right,” I replied. “Nothing at all.”
***
Staff and students were allowed to watch their classmates duel, so I joined my classmates on the lower floor of the ballroom and watched the first few bouts. The faculty sat at a table before us, ready to judge the duels. I kept thinking about the demon, too. The demon I’d weakened and allowed to be imprisoned in this very room. Alexander came and stood beside me. I felt an instinctive uneasiness that Viviane might join him, and I sighed in relief when Tatiana came over to us. She smiled brightly and extended her hand to me. “May the best mage win,” she said. “Please, don’t burn me too badly with your fire.”
I felt a sharp pang of guilt. “I promise I won’t,” I replied.
“Who are you facing, Alexander?” Tatiana asked.
“Brian. I don’t know if you’ve met him,” Alexander said, nodding at a wiry boy with dark hair and lean muscle.
“We have dance together,” Alexander said, shrugging. “He’s in sigils, too. And I think Viviane is facing Kris.”
Tatiana hummed. “I haven’t seen Viviane all morning.”
I hadn’t either, but I wasn’t going to complain about that.
Celeste stood and turned around to face us. “Students, the final examination will soon commence. The exam will be completed once one of you surrenders or can no longer continue to fight. The other judges and I may also call an end to the duel at our discretion, if we believe it too dangerous for either of you to continue. You sho
uld duel one another, but your primary goal is to demonstrate what you’ve learned. The first competitors will be Sean Abernathy and Haley Chevalier. Please step forward.
Sean and Haley took their positions and began. From there, the duels commenced mostly how I’d anticipated them going. It soon became clear that there were differences in skill levels, but everyone had managed some magic. Each bout was a surprising combination of tricks, dancing, magic sparks, and distraction. It was like fencing, but on a whole different level. My heart sank, worried about what Tatiana would do to me.
I bit my lip. Without Lucian, what did I have? A sigil that would let me pass through objects and one that could make lightning, if I could remember it. Rudimentary swordplay skills that weren’t very impressive without Lucian’s fire. Would any of that be enough? I felt like I might be sick. I really hoped I’d found Nicholas Armenia’s journal, and not just someone who happened to know Guinevere and Dorian.
After a while, Celeste called a break. Some of my classmates went outside for pretzels and hot chocolate, but I remained where I was. Celeste smiled as she walked past me. I smiled back and fidgeted with my hands. This was too much. I silently cursed myself again for not just fleeing with Dorian’s tiara and pawning it. The faculty took their seats again. Viviane entered and stood stiffly beside me. “Good luck,” I said awkwardly.
Viviane looked at me. I expected a snide comment, but she said nothing. Instead, hand shaking, she pulled out her pen. Alexander walked past her and stood beside me, but Viviane didn’t react to him either. Something was wrong. Her pupils were wide and dark, and I could see the sheen of sweat across her pale skin.
“Vivi—”
“Viviane, Lady of Sherringford, and Kristiana, Lady of Northwell!” Celeste announced.
Viviane and Kris took their places.
“And begin!” Celeste exclaimed.
Kris crouched to the ground and began drawing her sigils; Viviane drew them directly on the palm of her hand. I tensed and waited. The ground rumbled, and crystals burst through the ground, shimmering like jagged bits of glass. Kris yelled, seemingly in surprise, as the crystal spikes shot from the ground, coming closer and closer. Before Viviane’s crystals could reach their target, Kris unleashed a flurry of thick roots that wrapped around them.
“Since when is Viviane that good?” Alexander muttered.
I had no idea. From what I’d seen of Viviane’s sigils, they rarely worked.
“I guess she’s been practicing,” I said.
More crystals emerged from the ground, roaring and forming around Kris. They smothered Kris’s roots, choking them out. Kris rolled up her sleeve and pushed her pen against her forearm, but before Kris could launch any spell, Viviane vanished.
“Is that invisibility?” Tatiana asked.
There was a chorus of murmuring and a few scattered cheers from the audience. We hadn’t covered invisibility in our textbook. I looked towards the faculty. Celeste’s brow was furrowed and she was muttering to herself; it seemed like she thought there was something strange about this, too. Beside her, Delacroix was whispering to Gareth. Du Lac looked fascinated.
Kris slowly turned around, putting her back to Viviane’s crystals. I didn’t see Viviane, but I saw blood form along Kris’s side. Kris screamed and struck out with her arm. Sigils glowed bright green, and thorned vines sprang from the ground, crowned with red roses. They rose upward toward the ceiling, before diving like a flock of birds.
Viviane yelped and reappeared, wrapped in the vines. She dropped to the ground surrounded by leaves and bright red petals, while Kris, gasping for air, stood over her. After a few seconds of thrashing, it didn’t look like Viviane could free herself. The thorns tore at her skin, drawing blood.
“That’s enough!” Du Lac shouted.
I frowned and looked towards the professors. I hadn’t expected him to interfere. Maybe Celeste or Gareth.
“No, it isn’t,” Viviane said, her voice so quiet I barely heard it.
“Viviane, it’s over,” Kris said. “It was a great match!”
Viviane screamed in frustration, hastily drawing new sigils on her arm before swiping her fingers towards Kris.
The ground before her crumbled as jagged crystals emerged around her like shards of glass, slicing through the vines and leaving deep cuts on her arms and legs. Without pausing, Viviane swiped her fingers through the blood dripping down her trembling limbs and sketching more symbols in a wide arc in front of her. They crackled with power, radiating golden light. The ground shook, knocking over the ceremonial urns in the corner of the room.
Viviane floated above the wreckage, her hair fanning out like she was underwater, and then cast out her hands quickly. More crystals stabbed like knives towards the edge of the ballroom, splitting open the floor. I leaped back, trying to avoid being cut. Some of my classmates screamed.
“Viviane!” Du Lac shouted.
She whipped around and glared at him, but her eyes were unrecognizable, glowing with white energy. Kris’s vines fell away, as Viviane stepped lightly toward Du Lac. The arm of Viviane’s dress had been torn during the struggle, and a row of angry, red sigils had been revealed. They looked like the same sigils as I’d seen on the demon. I drew in a sharp breath as I realized what that meant. Viviane was being controlled by someone else. But who would do such a thing?
Kris tried to run, but Viviane unleashed a row of tall crystals, blocking her path. Viviane’s eyes burned with inner fire, sending up sparks of magic like a shimmering crown. She was out of control. Someone was going to get hurt. I looked around me, but the professors were too busy protecting the other students. Everything was so loud and panicked. I drew my rapier and ran to the edge of the crystals. I sliced my arm and drew Lucian’s sigil quickly. My head spun, but I leaped through the crystals and stood before Kris. “Come on!” I shouted.
Kris ran to me and passed through the crystal barrier, right where I’d come through. Suddenly, the ground beneath me rumbled, knocking me off my feet. My heart pounded so loudly I heard it in my head. Cracks of skylight snaked through the broken floor beneath me. Viviane wasn’t just creating crystals. She was splitting Reverie clean apart.
“Viviane, stop!” I shouted.
A hand grabbed my shirt and pulled me to safety. It was Alexander, pen in hand. “Stay behind me!” he yelled.
“She’s being controlled!” I exclaimed. “By—I can tell by the sigils!”
Blood dripped from Viviane’s nose, but she still drew another row of sigils along the palm of her hand. I turned to the crystal, ready to draw another sigil so we could pass through it. Before I could, it exploded in my face like shrapnel. I fell backward, hitting the ground hard. There was blood and ringing in my ears. I held onto my sword like a lifeline.
Delacroix scrambled over the shattered crystals came to a halt before us, rapier drawn. “Viviane,” she said, “Stand down.”
Viviane scowled. Her face was covered with blood.
“Viviane, this isn’t you,” Delacroix said. “You’ve fallen prey to a terrible enchantment, but I can help you.”
Du Lac and Gareth joined Delacroix and flanked her as she approached Viviane. For a second, Viviane seemed to hesitate. Something flashed in her green eyes. “M—my mother is going to kill me,” she said.
“No, she isn’t,” Delacroix said soothingly. “You haven’t done anything—”
Viviane vanished, and Delacroix screamed. I didn’t see what happened, but she fell to her knees. Blood poured from her chest, thick and viscous. Du Lac grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Run!” he snapped.
I darted away, Alexander close behind, but Viviane blocked our path. Her skin was nearly gray. There was a pop and a flash of light, someone’s spell, and Viviane collapsed, her breaths tearing from her throat. She writhed on the ground, her arms snaking like live wires. Her hands flopped like fish out of water, drawing another row of sigils.
Crystals burst from the ground, rus
hing towards me. They were coming too fast. I thrust my rapier forward, but there wasn’t even a hint of flame. Alexander pushed me out of the way, and Viviane’s attack struck him hard, knocking him off his feet. I scraped my arm on the shattered crystal and winced, then looked up as Viviane stood over me.
“You,” she said. “This is all your fault.”
“Lucian, please,” I rasped. “Help me stop her.”
The ground beneath me rumbled. I staggered to my feet as more crystals formed beneath me. Some of them tore large chunks through the ground, revealing the empty sky beneath us. I watched them fall, as if in slow motion. We were so high up. There was no way to survive a fall like that.
Gareth slowly approached Viviane from behind. Before he could surprise her, she screamed and whipped around. She punched him squarely in the jaw. Gareth grabbed her right wrist, and with his free hand, he tried to swipe his pen across her arm. But she threw him to the ground with superhuman strength.
If you can burn the sigils, you can likely disrupt the spell, Lucian said. His voice was quiet, as if far away.
I breathed a sigh of relief as my rapier burst into flames.
“Thank you!”
I thrust the blade into the ground, and the crystals melted like candle wax. When Viviane turned back to me, I was ready. I thrust the blade into her forearm, right through one of the sigils.
When I drew the blade out, Viviane dropped a hand to the wound and swayed on her feet. Delacroix, blood staining her blouse, placed her sword at Viviane’s neck.
“Wh—where am I?” Viviane asked. “Did I pass?”
Her knees buckled. Du Lac caught Viviane as she fell, and lowered her gently to the ground. She looked close to death.
“Wynter?” Viviane asked distantly. “I wasn’t—did I—”
Alexander crouched Viviane. “It’s all right,” he said, squeezing her hand. Gareth tore apart Viviane’s sleeve and traced his finger over the sigils.
“They were on the demon, too,” I said. “What are they?”