It happened so quickly I didn’t even register the deed until it was done.
I smashed my fist into Dillain’s face.
Dillain reeled from the punch as I appreciated the speck of his blood I’d gotten on my knuckles.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Gordon rushed in to separate us. He proved to be a fairly efficient barrier. The pale boy was just over six feet tall.
“Crisa,” he whipped his head toward me. “We do not punch our teammates. Dillain . . . ” He turned to face my foe. “You had that coming, man. Stop being a royal dillweed.”
Gordon stepped back steadily. The sun shone off his light blond hair making it look white like moon glow. He joined Javier while Daniel was at my side and Dillain stood with Bailie and this jackwagon named Mirosavich. The other guys on the team didn’t seem to want to take sides; they merely stood around us, interested but staying out of it.
“Since it’s already out there, maybe we should talk about this,” Javier said. “Crisa, while Dillain could use a repeat semester in Professor Tildin’s manners course, he raises something that I think a lot of guys here are concerned about. We all saw that press release at the start of the week. Then Lord Channing made the announcement last night about your return and basically told us not to freak out about it and to treat you like normal, but that’s hard now that a lot of us have read up on Pure Magic Disease. We’re giving you the benefit of the doubt because you’re our teammate, but I think we’d all like to hear the truth about it from the source.”
I looked at Daniel for support. His eyes, powerful and calm, gave it to me. It was amazing how he could do that—fill me with strength without even saying anything. I took a deep breath. I needed to level with these guys and to do that I had to speak openly; otherwise, they would detect something was off.
“The scary stuff you guys probably read about Pure Magic is true for the most part,” I started slowly. “It is powerful and it can corrupt its carriers. But Pure Magic itself isn’t corruption. Though rare, people with Pure Magic can overcome the disease and not turn dark. That’s what I intend to do. That’s what I have been doing since I found out about my Pure Magic in December. I would never use my powers to hurt any of you or anyone at school. For all intents and purposes, you should treat me like I don’t even have it. Because I promise you, I am the same girl as before and I have no intention of changing that.”
The boys thought on my words. I doubted that I’d won over the entire team, but if the majority could look past the prejudice and propaganda, I’d call it a victory.
“All right then,” Gordon said, nodding decisively like a judge bringing down a gavel. “We proceed as normal and treat Crisa as usual. The best players—regardless of circumstance—will be chosen to play for each match. Everybody good with that?”
Our teammates responded in one way or another to affirm that they were, though some were more begrudging about it than others.
“Then let’s get started,” Javier said. “We’re going to run training drill nine for the first half of practice. For the second half we’ll play a scrimmage match. Go get your equipment, then report to Redwood for a Pegasus.” He pointed to the school’s massive groundskeeper, who was tending to our steeds on one side of the arena. I’d been so distracted by the confrontation I hadn’t noticed him come in. That was saying something, considering Redwood’s nickname matched his size.
Our group broke apart to follow Javier’s instructions. Daniel walked beside me at the back of the pack. He leaned over and whispered, “Nice punch.”
“Thanks,” I replied. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. I’m just glad my magic is still tapped out. I might have given him a little more than a punch if it wasn’t.”
Daniel didn’t respond for a second.
“That’s a joke, right?” he eventually asked.
“Yeah, Daniel. Obviously.” At least I’m pretty sure. “Anyway, I’m going to have to talk to Lady Agnue about making another announcement tonight,” I said as we entered the dugout to get our communal practice armor. The gear was way less sleek than the customized armor we used for matches and stored in our individual lockers.
I kept my voice low so that our teammates wouldn’t overhear. “I think I’ll tell her to reinforce what I just told the guys here about my Pure Magic: that it doesn’t turn everyone dark and it’s a case-by-case situation. That point cannot be stressed enough.”
I latched on a breastplate and Daniel handed me a couple of arm guards.
“I’ll talk to Lord Channing about doing the same here,” he said. “You have enough to deal with without feeling persecuted at school too.” He paused as he secured the straps of his armor. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Don’t be,” I replied. “I’m glad it did. Something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Lady Agnue and Lord Channing can’t undo what Lenore did, only cushion it slightly. If I’m going to be facing these kinds of prejudices, I’d rather be prepared. Now I know what people are thinking.”
I meant that. I preferred enemies and obstacles to stand clearly in my way. If they remained in the shadows, I couldn’t figure out how to beat them.
Practice went well. While I was definitely rusty, I performed adequately in my drills and during the scrimmage match. I even scored a goal. Pretty solid for a first day’s work.
I still wasn’t game ready, but I resolved to train unbelievably hard over the next week. And now, thanks to Chance, I had a lot more opportunity to. Before dropping me off, the prince had told me that in addition to the arena, Lady Agnue’s also had a full stock of Twenty-Three Skidd equipment—including armor, game balls, lacrosse swords, and a herd of Pegasi living in our barn along with the regular horses. I was going to be making very good use of them in the days to come.
I bid goodbye to Daniel when practice was over and went to work out in another part of the campus until the In and Out Spell opened again. When it did, I whistled for Lucky and my beloved creature transported me home. We could technically go back at any time since he and I were both immune to the spell. But I already broke rules, pushed limits, and provoked superiors in a colorful assortment of ways around here. I didn’t need to add another insubordination to the list. I’d always obeyed this practice schedule and come and gone from Lord Channing’s through the time-crack the headmasters had set up for the other girls. I saw no reason to disregard that measure now. Besides, the boys’ campus had tons of fun training options to kill time with. Add to that . . . I still wasn’t sure the student body knew my friends and I were immune to the spell.
That’s a revelation for another day I suppose. I already have enough of a weird rep working against me for now.
I gazed down at the practice fields and my school’s new arena as Lucky and I flew over. I still couldn’t believe they were real. I understood now why Blue and Daniel had been trying to distract me when we were arriving yesterday, and why Jason had insisted on driving. They knew what Chance had been working on and didn’t want me to see the sights before the big reveal.
Lucky deposited me back at school and after a goodbye pat, he lifted off to return to Lord Channing’s.
I had two things on my to-do list before dinner: talk to Lady Agnue about making that follow-up announcement, and take a long, hot shower. I decided to check off that first item on the list straight away. Lady Agnue wasn’t pleased with the request, but she agreed. Feeling accomplished, I headed to my room to cross off item number two. However, before I got there, a teacher cut me off.
“Crisanta!” I spun around to see the excited face of Madame Alexanders. She gave me a big hug but I was too startled to really return it. Being hugged by a teacher was surprising, especially given my track record. Seeing a teacher on the weekend was even more startling. The Lady Agnue’s staff had dinner at the same time we did every evening in the banquet hall, but past that regularity (which we tended to ignore), seeing a teacher on Saturday was like finding a fitness instructor at a burger joint—oddly contra
dictory.
I tried to garner enthusiasm to match my professor’s. While I wasn’t fond of potions class or being Madame Alexanders’s teaching assistant, I did like the woman. She’d always been nice to me, and she’d been there to help my friends and I heal after the magic hunter attack.
“I am so glad you have come back and that you are safe,” she exclaimed.
“It’s nice to see you again, Professor,” I said, meaning it.
Madame Alexanders always looked either terribly excited, preoccupied, or focused. Right now she was the first. Her kind smile lit up her pudgy face, which was framed by some auburn hair that had fallen loose from two big brown clips.
“I was very happy to hear from Lady Agnue last night that you and your friends had returned, though I was sorry to learn that SJ did not come with you. According to the headmistress, she’s studying abroad, yes?”
“Uh-huh. She has a couple of killer internships in potions actually.” I smirked proudly. “Didn’t I tell you that you made the wrong choice in picking me as your TA?”
“Yes, you did,” Madame Alexanders responded. “But I have still enjoyed working with you. Though I suppose now we know why the Poppy Potions we tested together didn’t have the same effect on you as the other students. Your power of life must’ve counteracted the effects to a certain degree.”
“Yeah, I figured that out recently. But as proven by the magic hunter attack, the right combo of ingredients can still take me down, just for less time. It really depends on the potion.”
“It would seem so,” Madame Alexanders replied. “Well, we shall account for that as we continue our work together.”
I blinked twice. “Wait, come again?”
“You will resume your teaching assistant job with me right away,” Madame Alexanders stated matter-of-factly.
“Um, listen, Professor, I’ve kind of got a lot on my plate right now and I—”
“Jabberjoggie,” Madame Alexanders said, waving a hand. “Crisanta, I am well aware of your workload, but I struggled in your absence. I need a proper TA. Therefore, you will be excused from normal homework, assignments, and tests in my class in exchange for helping me. Just show up in the potions lab after school three times a week per usual and I’ll give you an A for your final mark of the semester.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?” I’d never been great at potions, despite SJ’s tutoring. And prior to leaving school, I’d been struggling to keep my grades up. This was a great break!
“Are you allowed to do that?” I asked.
“Trust me, it will be fine,” Madame Alexanders answered. “So, do we have a deal?”
She extended her free hand. Her other one clutched the handle of a briefcase, the likes of which she always carried with her. I hesitated, then shook my teacher’s hand.
“Deal,” I said.
“Excellent. We’ll resume straight away,” Madame Alexanders said.
“Sure. I’ll see you Monday after school.”
“Oh no,” Madame Alexanders said. “That is why I was actually coming to find you. Here.” Madame Alexanders thrust the large briefcase at me. I clutched it against my chest, surprised by how heavy it was.
“All of my potions students had a take-home assignment to complete over spring break. They were obliged to write an accompanying paper that explained their brewing process and the results. I need you to read and grade these papers for me by next Saturday.”
I was flabbergasted and dismayed. I was flabbermayed.
“Hold on,” I said. “All of your students? Like, in every grade?”
“Yes,” Madame Alexanders replied giddily. “Hence why I am so glad you returned when you did. Teaching seven classes and being the faculty advisor for four school clubs has left me very busy. With normal homework to assign and grade, I was only able to get through a dozen papers this week. You’re going to be a tremendous help.”
“Professor, I—”
“Will do great. I have faith in you. Now I must go. I have a meeting with the girls from the calligraphy club. I’ll see you soon, dear.”
Madame Alexanders patted me on the head and hurried down the corridor before I could protest further. I was left standing in the hallway holding a hundred essays in a worn-out leather briefcase.
What have I gotten myself into?
When my friends and I entered the banquet hall at dinner, everyone froze. The silence probably only lasted a couple of seconds, but it felt like millennia.
Blue and Kai had already made appearances in front of the student body at breakfast, but this was my first reintroduction to the greater populace of Lady Agnue’s and I did not care for it. As my friends and I walked to our usual table, there was a lot of staring, a couple of dropped forks, and a torrent of whispers that kicked up in my wake like sand in desert wind.
I tried to block it out and was fairly successful. It was easy to let the sparkling atmosphere blur around you. The banquet hall—from the fuschia table runners to the crystal vases that matched the goblets—blended in with the sea of nicely dressed girls and the glow of the room’s light. The whole thing did feel oddly surreal though. Like, the place and the people were familiar, but with everything that had changed it was like walking through a dream.
I would know.
I sat down with Blue and Kai. Like me, the two of them were dressed and cleaned up for dinner. The golden yellow dress I wore was casual and breezy. I was glad for its comfort; the vibe in this room was uncomfortable enough.
Girtha was already at our table, as was our long-time friend Princess Marie Sinclaire, who had cut her white-blonde hair since I’d last seen her. Marie now sported a stylish bob with bangs. She looked good. Really good. Later I would tell her so.
Marie and Girtha greeted us amicably. The other girls at the table pretended not to pay us any mind, but I saw them glancing at me out of the corners of their eyes.
“Hey, Crisa,” someone said from behind.
Divya Patel patted me on the shoulder, causing me to jump slightly. She was so small she could easily sneak up on people. While she possessed immense power and skill—which had landed her on the same Twenty-Three Skidd team as Girtha—the thirteen-year-old only measured four-foot-ten.
Divya greeted our other friends and slid into the seat beside Blue with the grace of a small cat. She pushed back her long, dark braid and focused on me with her gigantic eyes. “So how was practice? I hope the boys didn’t give you any trouble.”
I shrugged. “I gave it right back to them.” Then I leaned in so only my immediate circle could hear me and lowered my voice. “At least the boys were forthcoming with their judgments. I feel like a hundred eyes are on me but no one will own up to it.”
I glanced over my shoulder and, as if on cue, a pack of third years at the adjacent table looked away when I tried to make eye contact.
“Hopefully that’ll change after Lady Agnue makes her announcement.”
“What announcement?” Marie asked.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Blue said.
The banquet hall doors closed and a tiny glass bell jingled. Everyone quieted down as Lady Agnue rose from her tall-backed chair at the faculty table at the front of the room.
Her brown hair was in its usual bun, but it seemed a little looser than normal and a few strands were out of place. Her copper eyes didn’t seem as sharp either. I’d observed the same thing in her office earlier. There was something off about our headmistress; it was subtle, but it was there. If I cared about the woman at all, I would’ve asked what was wrong.
“Ladies, just a few announcements tonight,” Lady Agnue said. “First, will the baking club please remember to clean up all areas of the kitchen after meetings. Our head chef nearly threw her back out after slipping on some flour by the pantry today. Second, as a reminder, this month’s ball is a week from tonight. Dresses from our school seamstresses should be delivered in the next few days. And lastly, with regards to Crisanta Knight . . .”
Once again, the
room fell to cold silence. Everyone pivoted in my direction. I sat up straight despite the pressure of their stares. I was strong enough to take it. My shoulders did not slump, my back did not bend, my head remained high.
“Listen well, ladies. I would like to drive home a matter I touched on during my announcements last night. Despite what you may think you know about Pure Magic, the disease does not automatically doom its hosts. While the majority of them do succumb to corrupting darkness, there have been cases of people who overcome the disease and remain themselves. So I sincerely ask you—as Lord Channing will ask his students this evening as well—not to be afraid of Crisanta Knight. The proper authorities will decide her fate at the Century City Summit in a month. Until then, please go about your business as usual. That is all.”
Lady Agnue sat down and signaled to the head server to send in dinner. In a minute the banquet hall was filled with food. Meals at our school were exceptional and people were normally at full attention for them, but no one gave a second glance to the incoming entrees. I guess I was just too darn interesting.
“Well, that happened,” Girtha said.
I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure if the follow-up announcement would make a big difference, but I hoped it might quell some of the resistance and reluctance that my classmates were feeling. There were still a good two months left in the semester and I’d rather not spend them with everyone being afraid of me.
Yes, the acceptance of my classmates was small potatoes in comparison to the other stuff I had going on. Once my magic came back, I had to heal Dorothy in Neverland and pick up where I’d left off in my magic training with Liza. I’d made my first dream contact with Natalie Poole when I was in Camelot and needed to build on that if I was going to have a shot at warning the girl about what was coming for her. Meanwhile, SJ was working away with Merlin to create the special potion required to restore “real Mauvrey’s” memories. And all the while Arian, Nadia, Tara (i.e., fake Mauvrey) were out there plotting their next move. I didn’t even know what had happened to Alex.
Crisanta Knight: The Lost King Page 44