by David Meyer
Tawny light flooded into Galison and the man went limp. Stretching out, I caught him by the shoulders. He released his mug, but Piper snagged it before it could hit the ground.
Lowering the simulator mirror, Leandra peered over both shoulders. Her neck muscles relaxed. “We’re good,” she said. “Nobody saw us.”
“Let’s keep it that way,” Tad replied.
Galison was in a deep sleep, with a very light snore upon his lips. With Piper’s help, I carried him into Shadow Madkey. We took him to a hidden alcove, then laid him on the floor.
My muscles felt sore and my back ached. So, I took a moment to stretch. At the same time, I recalled the exact emotions that had allowed me to pull off the vanishing spell back in the archive. Harnessing them, I lifted my wand. “Vanista,” I whispered.
The auburn light came fast and fierce. It swept over Galison, enveloping him completely. Then it vanished, taking him with it.
Piper nudged his cloaked body with the tip of her shoe. His light snoring ceased and we found ourselves in silence.
A triumphant spirit crested through me.
One down.
Three to go.
Chapter 45
“I don’t like this.” Tad cast an anxious look in either direction as we crept out of the shadows. “We shouldn’t be out in the open.”
“I know,” I replied. “But we don’t have a choice.”
Speedily, we made our way onto the Upper-Torso bridge. Norch faced us, her steely gaze riveted at Leandra’s simulator mirror.
Equal amounts of fear and excitement churned within me. Thirty minutes ago, we’d teamed up to take down Wadflow. Like Galison, it had gone without a hitch. Professor Norch was our current target. After that, we’d go after Boltstar. So, yeah, there was plenty of reason to feel enthused. But that didn’t mean we were out of the woods yet.
The problem was one of location. Norch was an early-riser, so Piper had planned the ambush for the area just outside her bedroom. But that plan became untenable when Norch exited her room earlier than expected. Panicking, we’d followed her to the Upper-Torso bridge. It quickly became apparent that she’d agreed to stand guard so that some of the alumni might get a brief break.
Leandra had raced ahead. With great stealth, she crept behind the professor, then touched the woman’s shoulder. Spinning around, Norch stared at the simulator mirror and immediately went rigid. So, that was good. But we still had a lot to do and we had to do it fast before the normal guards returned to Torso.
Tad’s Hibernuction spell engulfed Norch and she started to sag. Grabbing hold of her armpits, I lowered her to the ground. Then I grabbed my own wand, figuring I’d use Vanista before we hid her in Shadow Madkey.
But my excitement quickly turned to apprehension when I heard something strike the floor. Peering down, I saw a small stick of wood, knobby and slightly crooked, roll softly across the bridge.
Her wand!
It must have slipped out of her holster by accident. Now, it was rolling toward the edge. If we didn’t grab it in time, it would clatter against the Mid-Torso bridge, right outside of Boltstar’s quarters.
Piper leapt into action. Her fingers stretched at the wand, but it squirted out of her grasp. Horrified, I watched it disappear over the edge. Moments later, it banged against the Mid-Torso bridge. Breathlessly, I waited. Waited and hoped. But my prayers were for naught. For a few seconds later, a door opened. Footsteps struck stone. Clothing rustled as Boltstar stooped down to retrieve the wand.
Biting her lip, Piper pulled back from the edge. Leandra and I grabbed Norch’s limbs and pulled her to the back wall. Unfortunately, not everyone got clear in time.
“You must be Mr. Crucible.” Boltstar’s voice thundered through all of Torso. “I recognize you from your picture. I must say, it’s good to finally meet you in person.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Tad replied icily.
“I’m surprised to see you here. I figured you were gone for good.”
“What can I say?” He gave us a quick glance. Go, he mouthed. “I guess Madkey’s in my blood.”
A blaze of cyan soared into view. It flew just over Tad’s head and struck the back wall. Sizable chunks of concrete crumbled onto the bridge.
Piper gave me a helpless look. I knew how she felt. The falling wand was a freak accident. But it was about to ruin all of our lives.
“Well, what’s it going to be?” Leandra asked, gritting her teeth. “Fight or run?”
I’d felt Boltstar’s power, I’d seen his skills. Even with the element of surprise, taking him down would’ve been no easy task. Without it, our chances were exactly zero.
Hand shaking, I aimed my wand at Leandra and Piper. “Vanista,” I whispered.
Breathless, I waited for a moment. But there was no auburn streak.
My brow furrowed. Clenching my teeth, I tried again. Again, the spell failed. Why wasn’t it working? My wand movements had been flawless. And I’d gotten the emotions right, hadn’t I?
Frustrated, I tore my eyes off of my wand. “Head to the dorm,” I said. “Don’t tell anyone you were here.”
“What about you?” Piper asked.
“I’m going to help Tad.”
“Are you crazy?” Tad hissed. “Go with them.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“Me either,” Piper added.
“Yeah,” Leandra said. “If he captures you, he’ll get your anchor. Your people will—”
“You can’t help them now. But you can help yourselves.” Wand held high, he began muttering spells. Tawny rays soared toward the Mid-Torso bridge. “Now, go.”
Leandra shared a steely look with Piper. Something unspoken passed between them. “Will do.”
Keeping low, they hustled toward Left Arm. Reaching the entranceway, they turned to look for me.
Piper saw me first, huddled on the ground near Tad. Her face morphed into one of helpless fury. What are you doing? she mouthed.
I’ll catch up, I mouthed in response.
I was lying. And I felt pretty certain she knew that. I just hoped she understood.
Be careful, she mouthed, her expression softening a bit. Then she followed Leandra into Left Arm.
“Are you crazy?” Lowering his wand, Tad glared at me. “I told you to leave.”
“I’m a dropout, remember? I’m not so good at following directions.”
He sighed, then peered down either end of the lower bridge. “I don’t see him. He must be coming up here.”
“Then we’d better go.”
“Where to?”
“Shadow Madkey,” I decided.
Tad ran to a door marked, Faculty and Students Are Your Priority. Serve Them Always and Without Question. He threw it open and with long, loping steps, sprinted down a flight of stairs. I raced after him.
“Mr. Wolf.” Boltstar’s voice, brimming with anger and self-assuredness, sounded out from behind me. “Stop.”
My spirits hit rock-bottom. I couldn’t hide the truth any longer. It was all out in the open now.
Cyan spells crashed into the stairwell as I turned a corner. Holding the banisters, I vaulted to the landing. Twisting around again, I vaulted down another flight of stairs.
We ran like that for a bit, with Boltstar in hot pursuit. Finally, Tad reeled to a stop.
“It’s no use.” He grabbed my wand. Aiming it at his gut, he steeled himself. “Herd Crash me.”
“Are you nuts?” I yanked away from him. Above, I heard footsteps striking stairs. In a couple of seconds, Boltstar would be on top of us.
“I got you into this. So, let me get you out of it.” He aimed his wand at his belly. His eyes closed over and words left his lips. A quick glimpse of tawny light filled my eyes. Then he folded in half and slumped to the ground.
Shoes slapped against steps as Boltstar descended to the landing. He aimed his wand at me, then at Tad. “Please drop your wand, Mr. Wolf.”
I clutched it for another second or two before I finally let my f
ingers loosen. The staffer wand tumbled to the landing. I stared at it, my chest heaving in and out in perfect rhythm.
“I …” I knew what I had say. I mean, what else could I do? Tad had sacrificed himself to save me and I couldn’t let that be in vain. Still, it felt like the words had to be dragged out of me by a team of sasquatches. “I got him.”
His brow furrowed. “What happened?”
“I woke up early. You know, to get some practice in at the arena before my first shift.” My voice gained strength as I gazed down at Tad’s unconscious form. “When I walked into Torso, I saw him shooting spells at you. He ran and I followed him.”
“You weren’t helping him?”
My cheeks burned and I wondered if I was blushing. “No, Sir. Of course not.”
“He’s your friend.”
“He was my friend.”
“I see.” Stooping down, he retrieved my wand. Frowning, he gave it a close look. “What foul manner of wand is this?”
“That’s a staffer wand, Sir.”
“You’re telling me you won all of those HMQ games with this … this abomination?”
I nodded.
Boltstar stared at me a few seconds longer, as if hoping to read my mind. Then he relaxed. “Excellent work, Mr. Wolf.” Handing me the wand, he clapped me on the back. “Excellent work, indeed.”
Chapter 46
The murmurs started the moment I set foot upon the field. Ignoring them, I joined the other staffers in the bleachers. Leandra stood up to give me a little hug. Piper, edgy and nervous, did the same.
“Thank goodness you got out of there. We were worried sick.” Her cheeks were flushed and she looked about as tired as I felt. “Where have you been?”
“The celestarium.”
“All day?”
I nodded. Racked with guilt and fear, I’d spent the entire day holed up in our secret meeting spot. I’d skipped my shifts, meals, everything. I spent most of that time pacing the floor, considering my options. Unfortunately, they weren’t great.
Eventually, day turned into night. With Havoc Magic on the docket, I dragged myself out of Shadow Madkey and made my way to the arena. Truthfully, I would’ve preferred to skip class, too. But that didn’t seem like a good idea, given my recent altercation with Boltstar.
“Where is you-know-who?” Leandra asked.
“Boltstar caught him,” I whispered.
She winced. “Oh, no.”
“How’d you get away?” Piper wondered.
“I didn’t. Boltstar let me go.”
She gaped at me.
“He thinks I stopped Tad.” Speaking in a bare whisper, I recounted what Tad had done after they’d left, how he’d blasted himself to make it look like I’d taken him out. When I was finished, they shared a thin-lipped look.
“Where is he?” Leandra wanted to know.
My gaze turned to the locker room area. I recalled the time I’d gone there looking for Boltstar, only to hear him talking to Galison about Ivan Gully’s escape. “Locked up, I guess.” I nodded at the locker rooms. “Probably in there.”
“They’re going to skin him,” Piper said in a low voice. “Maybe not right away, but eventually.”
I didn’t disagree. It was just a matter of time before Boltstar skinned Tad of his magic. In the process, the headmaster would seize control of Tad’s anchor. He’d follow it with an army of witches and wizards at his command. Tad’s friends wouldn’t stand a chance.
I checked the enchanted clock. Eleven minutes remained until the start of class. Feeling restless, I trained my gaze on the locker rooms. I had to rescue Tad. But how?
“Hey guys,” Jax climbed down from an upper aisle and flopped into the seat next to Piper. “Did you hear anything weird?”
Piper shook her head. “Why?”
“There’s a rumor going around that Boltstar captured another Chaotic this morning.”
“Where?” I asked, acting dumb.
“Nobody knows. It’s all real hush-hush.”
Jenny and a few other staffers joined us. Theories were floated and Piper and Leandra played along, feigning ignorance. As for me, well, I did my best to participate. But really, I barely paid attention. Instead, I considered various rescue plans, each more outlandish than the previous one.
The whispers ceased at six o’clock. Dozens of kids, sporting stupefied expressions, turned toward the locker room area.
Following their gaze, I saw Boltstar walking up the ramp. The rest of the faculty—sans MacPherson, Galison, Norch, and Wadflow—followed him, traveling in pairs. They wore their finest attire and carried their wands with formality.
We’d left Norch on the Upper-Torso bridge, fast asleep but still visible. Presumably, she was now in the clinic, sleeping next to MacPherson. As for Galison and Wadflow, I assumed they were right where we’d stashed them, still asleep and still invisible. How long would my Vanista spells last? And what about Tad’s sleeping curses? Would they become undone once Boltstar skinned him?
Boltstar waved his wand. White sparks blazed upward. As they arced over his head in a perfect curve, he marched onto the field. The faculty members, two by two, followed him out. Coming to a halt, they split up and faced each other, forming two long lines, separated by a wide aisle.
Tad Crucible, slack-jawed and pale-skinned, hiked up the ramp. Well-scrubbed, he was dressed in a green dress shirt, slacks, and neatly-polished dress shoes.
Prodded by Professors Stewart and Whitlock, he strode down the aisle, passing the faculty on the way. He ignored them, choosing instead to scan the crowd. They returned the favor, their faces hard and lined.
“Boltstar’s going to skin him.” Piper bit her lip. “Right here, right now.”
Tucking his wand under his armpit, the headmaster walked toward us. Tad, still flanked by Stewart and Whitlock, followed him at a short distance. Meanwhile, the faculty paired up again and joined the procession.
A dozen faculty members broke away from the main group. Joining together, they waved their wands in all sorts of crazy, sweeping patterns. A beautiful tune, soft and mournful, filled the arena. Despite everything, it brought a small smile to my face. It was truly wondrous, a magnificent testament to the good things magic could do.
Boltstar led the procession to the HMQ, then turned in a slow circle. He waved his wand for a second time, emitting another curving shower of white sparks. The music stopped. Shuffling rang out as kids gained their feet.
Filled with dread, I stood up. Meanwhile, down on the field, Stewart jabbed Tad with his wand. Tad took a few halting steps forward. Although his outfit looked nice, I noticed clear signs of his ordeal. His eyes looked hazy and unfocused. His jaw drooped and he appeared to be having trouble keeping his head up.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Boltstar proclaimed, facing the bleachers. “For certain reasons that will soon become clear, tonight’s class will start a little later than expected.”
He looked freshly shaved and nicely rested. His shirt was pressed and his derby cap hung at a jaunty angle.
“This, as some of you already know, is Mr. Tad Crucible.” He waved a hand at Tad. “Many weeks ago, on Victory Day, Mr. Crucible conspired with the Chaotics to invade our beloved school.”
Everyone stood still, staring at him with bated breath.
“Early this morning, Mr. Crucible surfaced yet again, brazenly attacking at least one member of the faculty.”
I winced.
“As headmaster of the Roderick J. Madkey School of Magical Administration, it’s my responsibility to enforce the laws that govern this institution. It’s also my responsibility to decide on a punishment, should one prove necessary.”
He paused to take a breath. Students edged forward in their seats, their eyes glittering with darkness and anger.
“I find Mr. Crucible guilty of treason, sedition, the usage of non-sanctioned magic, and injurious actions to magicians as well as school property.”
My heart seized up. I could bar
ely breathe.
“Mr. Crucible, while committing grave crimes against this institution, is still quite young. In addition, he cannot bear responsibility for his shameful upbringing. With that said, justice demands we punish him for his crimes.” He turned to face Tad. “I do not believe your actions warrant the death penalty. However, your sentence will be far from merciful. First, you will undergo an immediate skinning of any and all magic. Second, you will spend the rest of your life locked away at Gutlore Penitentiary.”
I cringed. Boltstar wasn’t lying. That punishment was anything but merciful.
“Before we commence with the skinning ceremony, I’d like to recognize a certain individual.” Boltstar scanned the bleachers. “Where are you, Mr. Wolf?”
I froze in horror as a bunch of heads turned my way. I wanted to hide, to vanish. But the kids in front of me moved aside and then I was right out there in the open for all to see.
“Please join me on the HMQ, Mr. Wolf,” he said in a calm, authoritative manner.
I glanced at Piper and Leandra. They returned my gaze with dark, hooded eyes.
I left my aisle and hiked down the steps, aware that every single person in the arena was staring at me. Hopping the wall, I headed out onto the field. Boltstar’s hands were intertwined and hung loosely in front of him. A bit hesitant, I stepped over the magic rope. My gaze shifted quickly to Tad. In turn, he stared dully in my direction, as if not even seeing me.
“Students, staffers, and faculty members.” Boltstar grabbed hold of my shoulder and twisted me around so I stood by his side. “This is Mr. Randy Wolf. Like Mr. Crucible, he’s a former student of this school. But unlike the aforementioned criminal, Mr. Wolf is a bona fide hero.”
People recoiled in shock. Eyelids fluttered all over the arena. Even Porter looked vaguely impressed. Personally, I felt like a fraud. No, I felt like a traitor. Not to Madkey or Boltstar, but to Tad and worse, to myself.
“Mr. Wolf chased Mr. Crucible down and ultimately, apprehended him.” Boltstar smiled at me. My heart, influenced by the collective memory, lit up. Quickly, I scolded it back to coldness.
“Thank you, Mr. Wolf,” he said with genuine kindness. “I and the rest of the school owe you a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.”