One by one, my friends get their dose, until finally, it’s my turn. Up close, Ivana looks even tougher, like she’s carved out of marble by some ancient Greek sculptor. Her flesh looks hard, but the skin over it so smooth, that her pores seem non-existent. She holds the pill up and places it gently in my mouth, as her piercing gaze lingers, observing my reaction to the magical dose. When it hits my tongue, a tingling heat spreads from my cheeks, down to my throat, and my head is spinning, dizzy like the time Mom let me drink a few glasses of champagne on New Year’s Eve. The sensation quickly fades, and while I walk back to join my friends, I feel a surge of energy, as if I’ve just chugged several shots of espresso. I sit down next to Samir who is all smiles, while Akiko and Louise hold on to each other, trying to suppress the giggles.
Ivana clears her throat, projecting her velvety voice over our heads, “Okay, so now that you’re all feeling the effects, try your best to channel that energy into our exercises. It may be a bit difficult at first, but you should be able to get the hang of it in a few minutes. For the first part of class, we’ll practice doing quick transitions between your human and alpha form. Having this ability will be important throughout your careers as familiars. This is a casual exercise, so just pick a spot and get started.”
We stride out onto the field, giving each other ample space for the shifting exercise. My heart is beating fast and I can almost feel the blood coursing through my veins. I close my eyes and imagine myself in feline form, running though the forest, jumping on rocks and branches with my paws landing perfectly after each bounce forward. Within seconds, I can feel my body shifting. This time I don’t feel awkward and the transition is fluid and quick. My shiny black fur absorbs the warm sunlight as I observe the others around me. Though some seem to shift faster than others, it looks like the Training Accelerator is doing its job. In no time, the field is full of alpha animals; Louise is a majestic lioness, Akiko is a black mink, and Samir, a falcon.
Ivana holds her hips, nodding slightly in satisfaction.
“Now, I want you to transform back to your human forms, then try and do as many quick shifts as possible… I want you to get used to the sensation of shifting back and forth.”
I picture myself as human and I immediately shift back, though the feeling is more uncomfortable as my limbs rapidly adjust to their elongated form. I’m so pumped up, that I begin doing another shift, and before I know it, I’ve shifted back and forth a dozen times in a matter of minutes. The sensation is dizzying, so I shift back one last time and collapse on the grass feeling breathless and weak. As I spy on everyone’s progress, I’m mesmerized. Their transitions are so rapid that it almost looks like a big blurry tornado. Eventually, the scene quiets down as one by one they tire, taking breaks on the grass with me.
Ivana claps her hands. “Bravo, everyone! Well done! Let’s all take ten minutes to rest and hydrate, then we’ll move on.”
There is a large table set-up under the shade of the tree with glass pitchers of water, iced tea, fresh juices, and a cooler with a variety of sports drinks. I pour myself a large glass of orange juice and sit down by the tree trunk. Louise plunks down next to me with a glass of iced tea.
“Ah… sweet tea always hits the spot,” she says, her southern accent more prominent than ever. Samir and Akiko join us, both drinking their neon colored sports drinks.
“So, maybe I overreacted a little bit, huh? I mean, this stuff works wonders!” says Akiko enthusiastically.
“I know. It used to take me a good two to three minutes to shift, but with this, I was able to swing it in about three seconds flat,” says Samir.
“Same. This stuff is amazing. I just wonder what’ll happen to us when it wears off…” I ponder skeptically.
Louise frowns. “Don’t worry, Hazel… Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts. I bet a good meal and a long nap will take care of the aftereffects.”
Even though I’ve chugged down all of my juice, I’m still parched, my throat feeling drier and drier as copious amounts of sweat dribble out of my pores. “I’m going to get some more juice, this thirst is killing me,” I say, excusing myself to head back to the drink station.
As I’m pouring myself another glass, Henry approaches with a lopsided grin on his face.
“Hi, Hazel!”
I peer at him over the rim of my glass, and notice he looks much better than the last time I saw him at the infirmary.
“Hey, Henry. Glad you’re doing better,” I say with a smile.
“Thanks… Doc Alice is awesome… Not to mention this training accelerator. I mean, wow!” he utters enthusiastically.
I chuckle. “It is kind of great, huh?”
Henry nods and gives me a wink as Ivana claps her hands loudly. I turn my focus to her, but in the back of my mind, I can’t help but feel a high; everything seems to be falling in place. I smile casually so no one will notice, but at this very moment I finally understand why Mom wanted me to come here.
“Okay, everyone! Time to start our second exercise. Please come join me out on the field.”
We assemble in front of Ivana, eager for the next exercise to begin.
“Now, it’s time for a little fun. We’re going to play a game of elimination called Quickdraw. You will need to form two lines at either side of that circle,” she says pointing at a white circle that has suddenly appeared in the middle of the field. It’s about twelve feet in diameter and is made out of the grass itself.
“Then, you will enter the circle in competing pairs. To start, you will have to shift into your alphas. Then you’ll have to shift as quickly as you can into your opponent’s alpha. The one that transforms into their competitor’s alpha first will win the round and have the opportunity to move-on. The winner of the game will get a private session with the teacher of their choice.”
I can feel a burst of energy, and clench my fists in anticipation. We follow the group and line-up on either side of the circle, while Ivana stands to the side, readying herself to referee the game. I’m fourth in line, behind Lance, Henry, and Louise, so I peek over Louise’s shoulder curious to see which student I will be up against first. When Emilie’s gaze meets mine, I feel pretty confident that I can beat her.
Ivana blows a whistle and Lance steps into the ring across from Jasper, a wiry but athletic boy with jet-black hair and enormous jade colored eyes. Lance evaluates Jasper, and Jasper meets his gaze intensely. Ivana blows the whistle again, and both boys transform in sync, Lance into a magnificent palomino stallion horse, and Jasper into a black fox. They scrutinize each other while Ivana and the rest of us observe in silence. Surprisingly, it’s Jasper who’s able to shift into the horse first, with Lance lagging only by a few seconds. Both their transformations are impressively accurate.
Louise turns and looks at me wide-eyed. “This is going to be tough,” she says under her breath as Lance and Jasper shift back to their human forms. Jasper goes to the back of the line while Lance sits on the grass looking disappointed, his pride clearly beaten down.
Next up is Henry against Lana. Lana is a petite, almost elf-like girl with short platinum colored hair and upturned amber colored eyes. Henry looks boyish but confident in the ring. Ivana blows the whistle and they both shift—Henry into a small chipmunk and Lana into a white snowy owl. Lana seems to struggle, flapping her feathery wings frantically. But it’s Henry who finally manages to transform into the owl after a few minutes of concentration. He beams goofily as he goes to the back of the line, amazed by what he just pulled off.
Louise, who is pitted against Donovan, is up next. I give her an encouraging pat on the back as she prepares to enter the ring. “Good luck!” I whisper in her ear. I can see Louise concentrating as she hatches a plan. Ivana whistles and Louise transforms into her lioness, then quickly transforms into a palomino stallion even before Donovan is done shifting. She manages to predict that since Donovan and Lance are twins, they would also share the same alpha form.
Ivana looks stunned. “Impressive job,
Louise!”
It’s finally my turn and I’m eager to get into the ring with Emilie. I try and look her in the eyes as we approach one another, but she averts my gaze. Ignoring everyone around me, I concentrate on my senses while waiting for Ivana’s whistle. When I hear it, I think of my feline form, imagining the silky black fur on my skin. I transform in an instant and glance over at Emilie who becomes a large Russian wolfhound. I study Emilie’s dog form, imagining myself running through a grassy meadow with the wind blowing through my wavy, golden fur. A tingling feeling radiates through my limbs as the transformation begins. It’s not until I hear Louise clapping and cheering me on, that I realize my shift has been successful. I glance over at Emilie, whose tail is shamefully between her legs. She transforms back and joins the rest of the eliminated students. When I get to the back of the line, Louise gives me a hug. “See! I knew you’d get the hang of it.”
I’m feeling elated by my success, but I try not to get ahead of myself, knowing I have many more opponents to go. We hear the whistle and shift our attention back to the ring where Samir is up against a well-built African boy named Khari. Samir transforms into a falcon and Khari into a large and sinewy black leopard. Samir flies low, gliding around Khari, trying to confuse or distract him, but Khari looks intensely focused, and before Samir can even attempt to shift, Khari has already turned into a falcon. My heart sinks, knowing how disappointed he must be.
Akiko is next, and even though I know she’s intimidated, I can tell that she’s putting on a brave face. As she steps into the ring, she glances at her opponent Nalani, who is stunningly exotic with a bronze complexion, thick, curly black hair that bounces on her head erratically, and warm almond shaped eyes. Ivana blows the whistle and they instantly transform. Akiko’s alpha, the black mink, stands on its hind legs, staring up at the air, as Nalani becomes a colorful lorikeet, its rainbow colored feathers glisten under the sunlight. She flaps her wings gracefully and falls to the ground, shifting into a mink mid-air as Akiko stands frozen, her nerves rendering her limbs useless. After Akiko shifts back to her human form, she shuffles away to join Samir looking extremely disappointed by her performance.
The game continues at high speed, with impressive after impressive match-ups. As the eliminated group continues to grow, the winner line gets shorter and shorter until only six of us are left: Jasper, Nalani, Khari, Henry, Louise, and me.
Henry has managed to miraculously win every match, and even he, seems perplexed by his success. We stand in two lines awaiting Ivana’s go signal, as she looks us over with a mischievous grin.
“You have done amazingly well, so well in fact, that I’ve decided to up the ante for the final rounds.”
We regard each other with dread.
“Much of the game will remain the same, but instead of facing one another in the ring, you’ll be back to back. You won’t know which opponent will be behind you since I’ll be choosing at random.”
Nobody looks pleased by the change of plan, I hear a few small groans, but we try to remain tight-lipped, while Ivana chuckles, clearly amused by our reactions. “You will shift into your alphas, and use your animal senses to guide you. Your senses of smell and hearing will be your best weapons.”
While we wait to get started, my heart beats out of my chest, fearing that my luck has finally run out.
“Now, I want the six of you to stand with your backs to the ring, and close your eyes. Do not open them, unless I say so. Believe me, I will know if anyone is peeking, and if I catch you, you’ll be disqualified… When I’m ready for you to step into the ring, I’ll tap your shoulder.”
We follow her instruction, and spread out around the ring with our backs facing one another. I take one last look at Louise, who is standing just a few feet away, and then close my eyes.
The darkness is disconcerting and it feels like eons before I hear anything. The whistle blows, then after a few minutes, I hear cheers and disappointed sighs, so I’m assuming that someone’s already won the first round. After a moment, I hear the whistle again, and another round of cheers, signifying that there are only four of us left. I finally feel a tap on my shoulder, and Ivana guides me into the ring. I wait, holding my breath, till I hear the whistle behind me. As I shift, the breeze blows and I smell the faint scent of coconut. I immediately picture Nalani and her shiny bronze skin, but hesitate, not wanting to jump the gun. I listen for a second and hear faint vibrations in the air. I have no doubt now and imagine the colorful lorikeet in my head as my body transforms into the beautiful bird. I hear cheers, and shift back. It’s only when Ivana guides me back to my place in the ring whispering, “Good job!” that I know I’ve won the round.
I feel like jumping up in the air, but I restrain myself and stand still. I wonder who the other two survivors are. I listen with my eyes closed, hoping to hear some clues. As the whistle blows, only a minute goes by before the spectators start cheering, which means that whoever just won the round transitioned really quickly. I start to get worried, knowing there are only two of us left and that my opponent must have extremely acute senses. I think about Louise, and wonder if at the final round, it’ll be the two of us against one another.
I feel Ivana’s hand on my shoulder once again as she guides me into the ring for the last time. The whistle sounds off, and I pause for a moment before shifting, waiting for the breeze to blow past me. When the air is still, I shift then stick my cat nose up and take a whiff. At first I smell only the grass and the earth around me, but when I take another sniff, I smell a subtle muskiness in the air that makes me wonder if my opponent is male. I think about Jasper, Khari, and Henry, and immediately eliminate Henry, since I do not recall him smelling that way. I perk my cat ears up, and listen for any movement or breathing. I hear birds chirping and the leaves of the trees rustling. I listen again, and this time, a deep breath, inhaling end exhaling reverberates in the breeze, almost sounding like an animal is hyperventilating. I think of Jasper’s alpha fox and Khari’s alpha leopard, and my gut tells me that my opponent must be Khari. I do not hesitate, trusting my instincts, and picture my black feline body morphing into a larger and more menacing black leopard. I can’t help myself and utter a low growl, as my shift is complete. Louise shouts, “Woohoo!” behind me and that’s when I realize I’ve won.
Ivana blows the whistle to end he game.
“Congratulations, Hazel! You are the last cat standing!” I shift back and spot my friends jumping up and down, cheering me on.
Louise runs over and gives me a hug so tight, that it almost cuts off my circulation. “Oh my god Hazel! That was amazing!” I’m ecstatic but feeling completely exhausted. Ivana hands me a bottle of cold water, and I drink the whole thing in one go.
I glance over at Khari, who despite looking defeated walks over, and offers his handshake and a bright toothy smile.
“Congrats, Hazel… You are a worthy opponent.”
“Thanks, Khari,” I say, smiling and shaking his hand back.
“That was a great class, and I’m really impressed by everyone’s progress so far… Now, get some lunch and rest up,” Ivana announces over the noisy chatter, gesturing for us to head out with her long, graceful fingers.
Even my exhaustion can’t dampen my spirits, as I walk to lunch with my head held high.
19
I feel immensely better after a few slices of pizza and a huge milkshake. I’m on my fourth slice and as I nibble on the slightly charred crust, I can’t help but think of Andy and how I wish I could share this experience with him. I must have been lost in thought because I flinch when I hear Louise’s voice in my ear, “Hello? Haaazzeel?”
I take the last bite and frown at her. “Sorry, just spaced out for a minute… That class just sucked the life out of me.”
Akiko sighs. “Tell me about it. I just can’t seem to get a break. Everyone here is like a super-shifter or something.”
Samir leans his head on his hand looking forlorn. “It’s only the first week. There’s plenty
of time to catch up...”
“I’m still completely in awe of our little Hazel annihilating Khari like that though. That guy is beyond intimidating,” says Louise, ruffling my hair playfully.
I chuckle. “I can hardly believe it myself, but Samir’s right, it’s just the first week so I’m not going to whip out the champagne just yet.”
“So, who are you picking for your private session anyway?” she asks, winking at me obnoxiously.
I scowl at her, knowing what she’s insinuating.
“Hmmm… I guess it’s a toss-up between Alicia and Jared. I think those two classes will definitely be the toughest.”
“Pick Jared, please! Samir can give you flying lessons anytime you want,” says Akiko dreamily, as Louise giggles at her girlish antics.
“So, I was wondering about something, guys,” I say, trying to change the subject. “Do you think it’s even possible that… well… Rufus White still might be alive?” I say in a hushed voice.
Louise eyes me suspiciously, placing her hand on my forehead dramatically. “Are you still high from that Training Accelerator? Because you’re sounding kind of delirious right now.”
I roll my eyes, annoyed that I’m not being taken seriously. “No, really. I mean, isn’t it remotely possible that he somehow tricked everyone into thinking he’s dead?”
There is a moment of silence as everyone ponders my question.
Samir looks at me thoughtfully, his eyebrow raised as if he’s solving a complex mathematical equation. “Hmmm… Well, theoretically it is possible. I mean when it comes to sorcery, nothing’s out of the question. Though I would have to assume that the matter was thoroughly investigated by the Council… They wouldn’t have declared him dead unless that was really the case.”
Akiko nods her head in agreement. “That’s true. Anytime there’s a high profile death, the Council’s lead investigators are always on the case, and those guys wouldn’t make a mistake like that.”
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