Peter and the Heart of Alchemy (War of Contractia Book 5)

by Tj Dixon

  “So what kept you?” Rose whispers.

  “Just tired.” I lie. Rose frowns but she can’t read me quite as well as I can read her. I don’t think she can tell for sure whether I was lying. I double check her shirt and sure enough her brooch is missing.

  The lesson goes ok. It is water magic so I find it easy despite my tiredness. Rose manages fine too even without my help and eventually lunch time arrives.

  “I promised to talk to Hermes about something. Go ahead and have your lunch. I hopefully shouldn’t be too long, but you never know.” I tell Rose. This time she is really suspicious but she grudgingly nods.

  “What do you need to talk to her about?” Rose asks.

  “It would take too long to explain. Anyway, enjoy your lunch.”

  “Ok…” Rose frowns. “Try not to take too long.”

  “I’ll try to be quick, but the sooner I start, the sooner I’ll finish.” I tell Rose who shakes her head in frustration and then ports away.

  “Sorry.” I whisper and then port to the forest’s main path. I’d better beat that bitch quickly. Regardless though, I’m not going to lose to her. I’m pretty sure she’s not from class A, unless she’s a Year 3. If she’s a Year 3 she’s beyond arrogant to challenge me. Without Rose at my side I may not be as good as the 2A students, but I’m still one of the best 2B students in my own right. And they definitely aren’t from 2B.

  I walk a short distance down the main path before seeing a girl in the same plain blue uniform as me. Was she there this morning? I’m not sure. She walks up to me with a cruel smile though, so she probably was.

  “I’m going to port you to your duel.” The girl tells me. That is unexpected, but there is nothing I can do about it so I simply nod and let her grab my wrist. She ports both of us to somewhere dark. After a moment I realise it is a large cave system. We are a fair way underground. I can hear and sense running water close by, but it is too far away to control. There is also now a port block up. “Your duel is over that way.”

  “Why such…?” I start to ask but she has ported away, through the port block. Then the port block strengthens to the point I doubt I could port through it. There must be at least two mages creating this port block now, but I suspect it is more than two.

  Oh well, if it comes down to it I’ll just have to fight my way out of here through every last one of those scum. They should have had me do this after my training if they wanted to win. Lessons used so little mana that I am currently at full power. If Rose had been at full power when she fought last night, there’s no way she would have lost.

  I walk along the cave tunnel the way that girl pointed. It doesn’t take long before I reach a large cavern and inside that cavern the big chested girl who challenged me is standing smirking. I smile, because I will wipe that smirk off her face soon enough.

  “Ready?” I ask her. The girl nods and attacks with lightning. I easily shield it. Her shield seems rather weak so I fling a water bullet at her, easily piercing her shield and knocking her against the cave wall. She was really arrogant if this is all she has. “Want to give up?”

  She sends lightning at me again but again I easily shield. I am about to attack her again when I am struck by lightning bolts from directly above. My shield barely holds, but it does hold. I look up and send a barrage of water bullets at the opponents above me. Their shield holds, but only because there are about five mages forming one very powerful shield. There are about ten mages attacking me and another five forming the port block. It seems I underestimated their numbers, but not their skill.

  My shield falls under their continuous blasts, but I use the flight magic Peter, Cherry and Dairon helped me improve. I manage to dodge most of their attacks, but I can’t avoid every attack. I am much better than I used to be at flight magic, but it still isn’t my strongest point. I am easily able to shield the lightning bolts that do hit me though.

  Their leader is virtually unshielded so I form a water bubble over her head. She tries to throw it off with wind magic, but her wind is far too weak. Then some of her friends use wind magic to throw it off of her. By the time they do though I have reached her. I grab her by her shirt. They don’t dare attack me now I am so close to their leader.

  “If you don’t want to die, give me back Rose’s brooch.” I tell her with glacial fury in my voice.

  “I don’t have it! I gave it to Grace!” She pleads and from her expression I believe her.

  “Who’s Grace?” I ask coldly.

  “She’s the club leader. She’s a filthy black skin, but she has Mayor Perry’s approval.”

  “Where is she?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder and not seeing a single black girl. Suddenly a blast of lightning strikes me in my chest. It is strong enough to easily knock me to the floor. A second and third strike both follow moments later. I gasp in agony.

  “Don’t think we’re letting you leave here alive.” The girl laughs cruelly. “But before we kill you I’m going to make you suffer for your arrogance.”

  I can’t even raise my shield, let alone counter attack or use flight magic. I silently curse my weakness before using the ring that Peter gave me. I can only pray he is back from Portalis and that it works.

  “Peter? Can you hear me?” I ask mentally before feeling myself lifted up by my feet with flight magic.

  “Lily?” Peter asks through the ring.

  “The girls who attacked Rose last night have captured me. They said they’re going to kill me.” I tell him in a panicked rush.

  “What…?! Where are you?” Peter asks urgently.

  “I’m in a cavern in a cave system they ported me to.”

  “Where?” Peter asks but then the girl interrupts us.

  “Any last words?” The girl asks with a cruel smile. I guess Peter isn’t going to be able to get here in time.

  “I’ve already told my friends that you’re about to kill me. If I don’t turn up they’ll make sure you see justice.” I tell her with a glare. It’s the only way I can see of getting out of this alive at this stage. There is no doubt in my mind. When she said she was going to kill me, she meant it.

  “I doubt it, but just to be sure…” She says and then glances away from me towards one of her friends. “You’re sure? Damn it. Oh well, looks like you got lucky, but don’t think we’ll let you walk out of her unhurt.”

  I’m not exactly unhurt now, so her words fill me with dread. I prepare myself for more lightning, or worse. I am determined though, that I will not let her have the satisfaction of seeing my fear. Then a blast of lightning strikes my belly, followed by another and another and another. I scream in agony, my determination gone already.

  Then there is a rush of wind. I am thrown to the floor but I am not the only one that hits the floor. Everyone else is in a tangled mess on the floor.

  “That’s my club member you’re attacking.” Peter’s voice fills the cavern and not just my mind.

  “How…?!” The lead girl asks in shock. “He’s just one person, everyone get back into your positions! We can, no, we will beat him!”

  I feel flight magic pick me up again, but this time it feels gentle and kind. It quickly brings me to Peter’s feet, before letting me rest on the floor there. I feel a healing potion flow down my throat even as I hear the thunderous boom of lightning bolts echoing through the cavern. They are much more intense than the ones they used on me. Peter doesn’t seem worried though.

  “Are you ok now?” Peter asks, kneeling over me.

  “Yes, I’m fine now. I can help you fight them.”

  “It’s ok. They’re not a threat.” Peter says before standing and filling the cavern with his own lightning. After the initial thunderous cacophony there are only echoes, followed by silence. I look across and see the girls are all lying on the floor either unconscious or at least unable to move. “They’ll recover. I made sure not to use too much power.”

  “I guess you went easy on me and Rose…” I murmur in shock.

  “I wasn’t at
my strongest when we had our match.” Peter winces.

  “How did you find me?”

  “I traced the connection to your ring. It wasn’t easy, but you never dropped the connection and I just kind of worked it out as I went along.” Peter tells me and I blink again.

  “You never cease to amaze me.” I say shaking my head. “Maybe I’m falling in love with you.”

  “Don’t say that!” Peter blurts out, taking a step back in shock.

  “I was just joking, but I’m kind of disappointed by that reaction.” I laugh, a little embarrassed.

  “Sorry, but that would have made you the third girl to say that in two days.” Peter laughs nervously.

  “Who?!” I exclaim.

  “Let’s not talk here. Are you able to get up?” Peter asks.

  “Yes.” I reply and quickly get up. The only reason I hadn’t already was shock. Peter gently takes my hand and ports us back to the academy.

  I look around. It is a large room with a huge double bed and three single beds as well as a long table with chairs. There are also a few smaller bedside tables, two large wardrobes, a chest of draws and a large pot that looks like it could be used for cooking. Above us is a magical ‘window’ to allow light into the room.

  “So this is your room?” I ask, though I am pretty sure of the answer.

  “Yes.” Peter nods.

  “Are those beds for Hermes, Angelika and Asuna?”

  “Yes.”

  “So they don’t have to share a bed with you?” I joke. Peter doesn’t seem to see the funny side though.

  “Like I would ever treat them like that…” Peter mutters and glares at me, before taking a deep breath. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re ok now.”

  “I was just joking, you know.” I tell him quickly.

  “It wasn’t funny. I know what it’s like to be a slave and it isn’t something to joke about.” Peter tells me with an annoyed frown.

  “I’m sorry.” I tell him and bow deeply to show that I really mean it.

  “Don’t worry.” Peter says, seeming a bit more himself now. I stand up straight again and he looks into my eyes quite seriously. “You said they attacked Rose last night.”

  “Yes. She didn’t tell me about it, but I know they did. They wrecked her clothes. She was obviously badly hurt and then given a healing potion.”

  “Dairon gave her the potion. He then had to hide from the teachers who were looking for him all of last night. I didn’t know who was responsible until now though.” Peter tells me.

  “So who confessed their love to you?” I ask curiously.

  “Rin and Hermes.” Peter tells me with a wince. Then Hermes, Rin and Asuna port in.

  “Rose, no, Lily?” Rin asks curiously. Then she gulps. “What happened to your clothes?! You shouldn’t be standing in front of a boy looking like that!” I look down and blush. My underwear is fine, but completely exposed because the uniform is so badly damaged that the holes are bigger than the material between them. I look back at Peter and he has gone scarlet too. Rin glares at Peter, who turns around instantly.

  “She was attacked.” Peter explains quickly.

  “By you?” Rin jokes.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Peter exclaims.

  “I know, but you can wait outside for now.” Rin tells him. He instantly ports away. “Lily, do you have a spare uniform?”

  “Yes, but after what happened to Rose last night that’s the last one. We’ll really need to buy a couple more spares now.”

  “Well, get changed and then port back here.” Rin tells me, though it sounds more like an order than advice or a request.

  “Ok.” I nod and then port back to my room. Rose is there and gasps in horror when she sees me. I grin wryly. “My turn today.”

  “Was it…?” Rose starts to ask and I nod.

  “Yes, but Peter beat them.” I tell her.

  “It seems we were both saved by our friends.” Rose says as I start to take off my ruined clothes.

  “You can come with me when I port back there.”

  “Where?”

  “Peter’s room.”

  “Ok.”

  “I hate that I had to be saved, but I’m kind of glad it was Peter, even if he saw me like that. At least I’m not in love with him like Rin and Hermes are.”

  “Hermes too? I knew Rin loved him but…”

  “Yes, I was shocked to find out. He only told me because I joked about falling in love with him. I can understand falling for him though.”

  “He is impressive. Even if we did fall for him though, it’s not like we could marry him.”

  “Sometimes being a noble sucks.” I sigh.

  “At least we don’t have to marry yet. Anyway, whoever we marry will probably have no more choice than us. Being a boy would be scary.”

  “It’s not like we’d treat him badly.” I remind Rose.

  “But he doesn’t know that and a lot of people would.”

  “We can only control what we do, not what everyone else does. Anyway, now I’m dressed we should port back to Peter.”

  “Ok.” Rose says and holds my hand. I port us outside Peter’s room. He is standing there nervously. They didn’t let him back in? Weird.

  “Let’s talk inside.” Peter says and opens the door before leading us inside. As soon as the door closes behind us Rin glares at Rose.

  “Misty wouldn’t tell me, so I’m going to ask you.” Rin says with a cold edge to her voice. “Why did they attack you and Misty last night?”

  “I promised Misty that…” Rose says but is interrupted by Rin.

  “You will answer the question.”

  “No, she won’t.” Peter says and Rin turns her glare on him. “They are bullying Misty. If they continue to do so I will make sure they regret it. Their excuses are irrelevant.”

  “Don’t you want to know why?” Rin asks with a frown.

  “No. It doesn’t matter. If you saw how badly hurt Lily was you wouldn’t want to listen to their excuses either.” Peter tells Rin quite seriously. My heart beats fast, but I remind myself not to fall in love. There’s no way I could compete with Hermes and Rin even if I was free to love.

  “Fine, but we’d better take precautions to ensure nothing like this happens again. You may have scared them, but they may not stay scared. The whole club will need to be careful from now on.”

  “The rose!” I exclaim, only now remembering Rose’s brooch. “They said someone called Grace had it. She was the leader of a club.”

  “The rose?” Rin asks in confusion. Peter looks at Rose’s unadorned shirt and frowns.

  “They took it last night?” He asks.

  “Yes.” Rose winces. “I was trying to work out a way to get it back, but now... Who is this Grace, anyway? What club is she leader of?”

  “I don’t know.” I admit, but Asuna speaks up.

  “There is a club started by a girl called Grace from 3B. They’re competing with us to form an independent company. She has Mayor Perry’s backing.”

  “That girl…” Peter says as if remembering her from somewhere. “She’s one of the few black people at the academy, isn’t she?”

  “Yes.” Asuna nods.

  “They called her black filth.” I say, recalling their words.

  “She may be our enemy, but I wouldn’t want anyone in our club to use those words. I don’t know much about what she is like and I really don’t like what I do know, but judging her simply because she is black would be foolish and unfair.” Peter says with a frown.

  “Yu Kii would have something to say about that too.” Hermes chuckles.

  “Because of Ara Kii?” Peter asks.

  “Who’s that?” I ask.

  “Her brother. He’s black.” Hermes tells me. Yu Kii is pale skinned with a golden tint, so it seems strange she has a black brother. Perhaps he has a different father.

  “I wouldn’t judge someone because of their skin.” I shrug. “I will judge her if she tries to blackmail us for the rose
, but it is very important to us. One way or another we must get it back.”

  “Don’t worry. We will.” Peter says confidently. I pray he is right.

  Chapter 5 (Multiple)

  (Misty Styx)

  I port to the training grounds with trepidation. Did Rose keep the secret, or does everyone now know? I suppose it is unlikely everyone would know yet, but even if just one or two people know everyone is likely to find out pretty quickly.

  I thought of the club as a kind of sanctuary when I first joined, but perhaps it will become more like a prison now. I can’t just quit, unless Peter lets me, and I really don’t want to have to. I fight back tears.

  “Misty?” Juliet asks as if sensing something is wrong. Although we work together she is the last person I would expect to notice.

  “Juliet.” I smile.

  “You’re crying. Why?”

  “I’m not crying!” I protest and it is true. Just.

  “You are.” Juliet says stubbornly.

  “I’m not!”

  “What’s wrong?” Cherry, or maybe Sherry, asks from right behind me. I turn and they’re both standing there, though I don’t really know which is which. I just assume it’s Cherry who spoke since she’s normally more talkative.

  “Nothing’s wrong.” I reply.

  “Then why are you crying?” Cherry asks in shock and now I really am. I wasn’t before, but I am now. I consider porting back to my room, but right now that is the last place I want to be.

  “It’s nothing.” I say, wiping the tears from my eyes.

  “It can’t be nothing.” Cherry frowns.

  “Misty?” Peter asks from behind me, sounding very concerned.

  “Peter…” I say turning.

  “Let’s talk in…” Peter starts to say as he approaches me but then a black girl ports in between us, facing me.

  “Where’s the boy?” She asks coldly.

  “Me?” Peter asks with a frown.

  “Yes, you. You’re the only boy at this academy. At least now the other three are all gone.” The girl says harshly.

  “So what did you want?” Peter asks, sounding much, much colder than normal. He reminds me a bit of Rin when she is angry.