by John Corwin
"The greatest." He pumped a fist and whooped. "Man, that felt good."
Ambria groaned. "You're hopeless."
Percival gave me a vial of potion. "This is a protein potion. I suggest you do calisthenics and drink a vial of this a day."
"Sure," I said, knowing full well I wouldn't dare drink one of his concoctions. We left the healing ward and went back into the hallway.
Ambria wasted little time letting us know what she really thought. "Do you know how much taller and bigger those boys are than you?" She put her hands on her hips. "Well, do you?"
Max's spirit couldn't be dampened. "Aw, it's really sweet of you to worry." He held out his fist and pointed to a speck of blood on the knuckle. "Look at that, will you? I really nailed Devon good."
Ambria's finally gave in to a smile. "It was a thing of beauty, Max."
"I didn't get Rhys nearly as good." I inspected my knuckles, but if I'd had any blood on them, I'd rinsed it off in the sink.
"Well, thank you for defending me." Ambria sighed. "I suppose Shushiel wasn't around."
"It's okay," Max said. "Sometimes we have to take care of ourselves."
Harris and Baxter refused to even look our way when we came into history class. Lily pursed her lips and looked back and forth between us and them, apparently unaware of the incident in the hall.
Asha Fellini's forehead wrinkled when she saw me, but she didn't call attention to me and began the day's lesson. The moment class ended, I left before she had a chance to pull me aside and ask questions.
After school, we returned to Moore's vault and resumed our study of spell scripting. Just before dinner we wrote our first script and ran it in the magic simulation program on the arctablet. Symbols scrolled across the screen and a message flashed: Simulation Successful.
Ambria, Max, and I exchanged high-fives and cheered.
"It worked!" Max stared at the tablet in disbelief. "It actually worked."
"I should hope so," Ambria said. "It's rather simple."
"That was just a simulation." I bumped the arcwand against the tablet. A message appeared on the tablet screen: Transfer to device? I confirmed it and sent the spell script to the wand. "I'm going to test it for real."
"Well, it shouldn't kill anyone if something goes wrong," Max said. He set a candle on the floor about twenty feet away and then stood next to me.
Using the instructions from Adam Nosti's tutorial, I set the spell script to active and readied the arcwand. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Max stepping quietly back several feet. "Worried, Max?" I chuckled.
"Of course not." Despite his words, he didn't come any closer.
Ambria sniffed. "Show some confidence in our work."
"If it works, I'll be really confident." Max took another step backwards.
I flicked the wand through the pattern. A strand of orange energy about a foot in length burst from the tip and spun lazily toward the candle. I continued the rune patterns. The spell wrapped around the candle and sliced through it. The candle fell into four parts, the wick burning on each one. A bolt of blue erupted from the wand and a water spell extinguished the flames.
I glanced back at Max. "Still alive?"
He whooped and danced in a circle. "We did it!"
Ambria leaned her head against my shoulder and hugged me. "Our very first spell script. How sweet."
She felt warm and soft and, for some reason, I felt the urge to stroke her hair. I patted her on the back instead. "I guess that's enough for tonight."
Max rubbed his belly. "Yeah, because guess what?"
"You're starving." Ambria poked him in the belly and giggled.
"Man, I punched my brother and helped make my first spell script today!" He danced a little jig. "Let's get some food and celebrate!"
Ambria hooked her arms through both of ours. "Yes, let's."
The busy dining hall seemed to grow a bit quieter when we went inside. As the children of evil people, we were somewhat used to being the topic of gossip, but the attention today felt different.
The back of my neck grew warm. I turned and caught angry glares from Harris, Baxter, and the Tiberius twins. A crescent of purple underscored Devon's eye.
Ambria giggled. "You did get him good, Max."
Elliott and Jenna threaded through the tables and met us before we could take a seat.
"Are the rumors true?" Elliott asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to play."
He turned toward a table crowded with the black and white of Moore Keep. "He's in!"
A celebratory roar erupted and was quickly countered by boos and jeers from nearby Tiberius Keep members.
I should have felt happy, but this felt like too much. What if I couldn't live up to their expectations?
Do your best, son. Della sounded quite proud. That's all anyone can ask of you.
I looked toward the long head table and saw Esma beaming back at me. Galfandor a few seats down caught my eye with a nod. Gideon Grace's face contorted, as if uncertain whether to display pride or anger that his team would be tainted with my evil.
That sourpuss should have been placed in Tiberius Keep, Della said.
"Tryouts for the newbies are this Saturday at noon," Elliott said. "Just think, you'll get to be on the other side of the fence this time."
"I can hardly wait," I assured him.
The week flew past in a blur of homework, studying, and scripting trials with my friends. By Saturday, I was relieved to have some respite. Ambria, Max, and I flew our brooms to the meeting place behind the keeps where a dozen students waited nervously for their chance to join Team Moore. I remembered all too well that feeling and especially how Rory Culpepper had tried to knock me out of contention. Instead, he'd disqualified himself.
I spotted him and his large friend, Gregory, standing near the front of the group. They stared at me, eyes narrow and unfriendly.
"Looks like Rory is still sore about last year," Max said.
"Then he shouldn't have been so rude." Ambria turned her broom and pointed. "There's Elliott."
Elliott hovered along with the rest of the current team at the front of the group. "Guess we'd better join them," Max said.
"See you at the stadium?" I asked Ambria.
She nodded. "I'll eventually make it down there."
Max chuckled. "All it takes is practice."
Ambria replied with a tight smile. "Indeed."
Elliott gave me a thumbs-up when I joined the rest of the team and then launched his speech about tryouts. "When I give the word, tryouts for Team Moore officially begin. The first part is keeping up with us on the way to Queens Gate Stadium." He gave that a moment to sink in and then nodded. "Let's go!"
We spun around and launched at high speed through the forest.
Another glorious season, Della said. I do so hope we crush those Tiberius rats.
I imagined the angry glares from the Tiberius twins and wondered if they were done threatening us or if it was only beginning. I threaded through the forest and dove down the steep cliff leading into the bowl of the valley where the city of Queens Gate nestled. Della continued speaking, droning on about past victories and narrow defeats, and before I knew it, we were at the stadium.
Max straggled a little behind me, but when I turned to talk to him, my mouth dropped open at the leader of the tryout pack.
Ambria gave me a satisfied smirk as she skidded to a stop.
Max saw my expression and turned around. His surprise looked comical. "Ambria?"
I remembered how she'd flown into Plinth and suddenly wondered if she'd been secretly practicing all this time.
Ambria caught my puzzled gaze and gave me a knowing nod.
"Our little Ambria is growing up so fast," Max said wistfully. "I remember when she was scared to death to ride a broom."
She is trouble, son. Della sounded worried. Don't let her distract you from the game.
I didn't see how it was possible to ignore girls. Their magic is too strong.
<
br /> She burst into laughter in my head. Oh, my darling boy, you are doomed.
I wiped my clammy hands on my pants and swallowed hard. A hand touched my shoulder. I yelped and nearly fell off my broom.
Jenna snickered. "Something on your mind, Conrad?"
I shook my head. "No, just waiting for things to start."
Jenna motioned me to the edge of the field where a stone tablet inscribed with symbols sat on a pedestal. "I want you to learn how to do this for next year." She traced her fingers along the runes slowly so I could follow.
The oval field burst into activity. Poles sprang from the ground, forming a treacherous forest to navigate. Next came a series of winding tubes interspersed with flaming rings, swinging mallets designed to knock riders from their brooms, and jets of water shooting up or sideways.
"Did you get that?" she asked.
I nodded. "How do you turn it off?"
"Same pattern," Jenna said. She blew out a sigh. "I'm gonna miss this so much." She turned her sad gaze on me. "Treasure every moment, Conrad. It goes by so quickly, it's over before you know it."
She speaks wisdom beyond her years. Della sounded as wistful as Jenna. Every moment is a treasure, a memory made, a time that can only be revisited in memory.
Now you're making me sad. I stared out at the sprawling gauntlet, remembering my own trial, happy I didn't have to relive that particular moment.
As with the previous year, the candidates had three tries to make it through the gauntlet unscathed. Ten checkpoints allowed them to start at the previous one instead of starting over again, but even so, it was a difficult task.
Professors gathered on the sidelines, Galfandor, Gideon Grace, Esma, and many others among them. Percival hovered on a flying carpet loaded down with healing potions, an eager look on his face at the prospect of student injuries. It was only my second year here, but it seemed this was the norm for Kabash tryouts.
The new leader of Graeven Keep, Daphne Blake, led her entourage of candidates to the starting line and smiled warmly at Elliott. "Hello, everyone."
"Missing Velma?" Jenna asked of the former team captain.
Daphne rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Why should I miss our star player?"
"I heard she took an offer from the Krakens," Max said. "Is that true?"
Daphne nodded. "Looks like she'll be in the pro league this year."
"Nice." Elliot's smiled faded. "Tiberius is here."
Max looked confused until he realized Elliott meant Tiberius Keep. Rhys and Devon glided over, conspicuous in their efforts to avoid looking at their brother and me. It seemed Devon had covered his black eye with some sort of cream.
"Well, well, well," Rhys drawled. "If it isn't the definition of futility."
Devon barked a laugh. "Graeven and Moore, have you come to see how a real team is made?"
"Yeah, but we don't need you around here to see that," Daphne shot back. "If you want a lesson in futility, maybe you should look in the mirror."
Devon tutted. "I daresay she's a bit dimwitted, brother."
"No doubt," Rhys replied.
"I guess that blow to your head dulled your own wits," Max said boldly.
Devon's jaw tightened, but he refused to look our way. "Shall we start?"
Elliott chuckled and peered at the other boy's eye. "Love the makeup, Devon. Did Rhys do it for you?"
The twins turned away sharply. "Candidates, to the line!" they shouted in unison.
Thirty-six contenders lined up. I caught Ambria's eye and mouthed, "Good luck."
She smiled gratefully and blew me a kiss that made my skin tingle in the odd way only girls could manage.
Elliott shouted out the rules for the gauntlet and Daphne started everyone off with fireworks from her wand. In a rush of wind, and a chorus of excited shouts, tryouts began.
Chapter 23
We ate at the Copper Goose to celebrate Ambria's tryout.
"Fourth place and only one knockout," Max said in disbelief. "I can't believe you've been practicing behind our backs all these months."
"You wouldn't believe how hard it was not to say anything." Ambria looked entirely too pleased with herself.
"Now we'll all be so busy, we'll hardly have time for anything else." I held up a glass of birch beer. "Here's to the busiest people in Queens Gate."
"I'll drink to that!" Max clinked his glass to mine.
Ambria giggled and clinked hers as well.
School, Kabash practice, homework, and extra-curricular studies blurred the days into one another. The two-week mark since I'd seen Evadora came and went without a word from her. I hoped she was okay and that something terrible hadn't happened to her. Then again, she had a poor concept of time—at least I hoped it was something simple.
I couldn't stop thinking about our quest, but there was nothing we could do without Evadora's help. The only way I could get into the Glimmer was through the reflected world. Since Naeve might be waiting to kill me there, I couldn't simply pop in and hope for the best. All I could do was wait.
Our first game against Graeven Keep went swimmingly. We knocked down their two towers and the keep before they put a mark on our second tower. With their core players having graduated last year, Graeven was comprised mostly of newbies. Our second game against Lab Tesla from Science Academy was no harder. Their rocket sticks were nearly as fast and mobile as brooms, but the players weren't very good.
It was after this game that I spotted a familiar face waiting outside the stadium. Evadora had changed her skin tone to peach, though her uncommonly large eyes still drew stares from people. I interrupted Max and Ambria's excited post-game chatter. "She's here."
"About time," Max growled. "She's two weeks overdue."
"I'm sure she has good reason." Ambria pushed away the hair clinging to her sweaty face and smiled at the other girl. "It's good to see you."
"Finally," Max added. "Where have you been?"
Evadora's eyes welled with tears. "I have not done a good job." She looked at the ground. "The beasts grow wilder all the time, and the plants sometimes ignore me."
"You're new to it." I squeezed her arm. "I'm certain things will improve with time." Or at least until I can help Cora. I hated to rush into business, but the suspense was killing me. "Did you bring more fragments?"
Evadora withdrew something from the pouch at her side. Thin black vines were braided together to form a necklace. Nestled within a flower bud on one side was a smooth round pebble, green as the one on my chain.
"Oh, it's lovely!" Ambria said.
A pleased smile shined through Evadora's tears. "I hoped you would like it." She hung the necklace around the other girl's neck.
"Looks kinda girly." Max groaned. "Oh well, I guess I can keep it under my shirt."
Evadora produced another necklace, but instead of a flower bud, the anchor stone fragment was clenched in a setting of black thorns. "I thought you might prefer this design."
"Wow!" Max gaped at the necklace.
"Manly enough?" Ambria said dryly.
"Definitely." He bent his head and let Evadora place it around his neck.
Evadora unfastened the pouch at her side and gave it to me. "I placed several more inside just in case you need them."
"Thanks. This really helps a lot." I fastened the pouch to my belt and opened another line of inquiry. "Did Yoghra find anything?"
Evadora gripped my hands and her smile grew even broader. "Cora is there, Conrad!" She jumped up and down in place. "Her memories are there!"
I swallowed a lump but couldn't stop tears of relief from streaming down my face. My knees buckled, but Evadora kept me upright. "I'm so glad to hear that."
"Me too, brother." She kissed my cheek. "Me too."
"Did you view her memories?" I asked.
"Yes." Evadora wiped her eyes. "I saw myself when I was born. I felt how happy Mother was to have me, and how sad she was to give me up."
Ambria sniffled. "Oh, you're making me cry."
> "Let's get out of here," Max said gruffly as he surveyed the crowd leaving the stadium. "I feel like everyone is staring."
"Agreed." I squeezed Evadora's hand and let it go. "It's time to plan our quest."
We left the stadium grounds and walked down the street, headed toward the house on the corner of Dowling and Bucket nearly a mile away.
Max started things off with a direct question. "What's the deal with your monsters? Will they be in our way?"
Evadora's shoulders sagged. She nodded. "The mewlies won't listen to me, so flying will be dangerous. The bronies and gruffalos keep fighting over territory, the scarfers and hydracorns won't let me near them, and the condors don't come when I call them."
Ambria's forehead wrinkled. "I don't even know what half of those creatures are."
"How are we supposed to protect ourselves?" Max ran a hand down his face. "We can't fly, so we'll have to walk through a mess of rampaging creatures?"
"I hadn't thought of it that way." Evadora straightened and grinned. "It'll be fun!"
This odd girl has a strange opinion of fun, Della said. I suggest you program several defensive spells into the arcwand so we aren't eaten by one of her monsters.
I completely agreed. The whine of a jet engine pulled my attention behind us.
Ansel Moore offered a sarcastic smile as he guided a rocket stick to our sides. He wore a gray vest over a purple shirt with a checkered tie. Black pants rode up his calves to reveal purple argyle socks. His flashy clothes only made him look undignified atop the narrow saddle of a rocket stick. "Well, if it isn't young Mr. Edison and"—he looked Evadora up and down—"some very strange children."
"My friends," I shot back. I hadn't seen the man in weeks. With Adam Nosti's spell scripting videos, I didn't need Ansel. "What do you want?"
Ansel made a show of polishing his fingernails on his shirt. "I take it you've not learned how to script spells?"
Max snorted. "We've learned plenty, no thanks to you."
Ansel rolled his eyes. "I am here to teach Conrad, not the rest of you."
"What you do isn't teaching," Ambria shot back. "You assigned him work without telling him how to do it."