"You're going to be okay, Echo. I'm so sorry. That's my fault they did that," she explained.
He seemed shaken, but willing to follow her to the subway. At least making the girls leave had reduced his anxiety, but the whole train ride he rocked in his seat. Aurie asked about the role-playing game, but he kept mumbling to himself the whole ride to the ninth ward.
When they reached the table at Freeport Games, Hannah was sliding back and forth on block skates while chatting with the group. She wore an "I Skate Like a Girl!" T-shirt. Her friend, Brian Travers, was seated to her right. The others at the table were Pi, Deshawn, Xi, and Daniel.
"I wasn't planning on any oozes today, but if you're really into role-playing it," said Hannah, nodding towards the trails of slime on her arms. Then she saw Echo's expression.
"Echo! Are you okay?" asked Hannah.
He sat in the chair and hugged his ruined backpack. Aurie felt like a total jerk for letting Echo get mixed up with Violet.
Not wanting him to have to relive the experience, Aurie said, "Violet."
The other Arcanium members nodded with understanding, while Hannah and Brian shared glances. They were members of the Royal Society of Illustrious Artificers, though everyone just called them Tinkerers.
"My character is ruined," said Echo, holding up a dripping piece of paper with the ink smudged.
Hannah smiled and produced a meticulously filled out character sheet from a folder. "It's okay, I always keep a few extras for emergencies."
"What about me? I never did get around to making one," said Aurie.
Hannah smirked, producing a second sheet and handing it over. Aurie frowned at the class listed in the box on the paper. "An assassin? That's really not my style. I was thinking about a healer. Right, Echo?" He smiled covertly. "Don't you have something like that back there?"
Hannah did a little spin on her roller stakes. "Nope. You'll be fine."
Aurie tried not to sink in her chair. She was grateful that Hannah was going to run a game for them, but she really didn't like the idea of playing an assassin.
"Alright, the rest of you hand in your backgrounds. Aurie, you can come up with one later."
Her stomach twisted a little. She hated the idea of creating a history for a character when she didn't even know her own.
"Whoa," said Hannah, when Pi handed her a stack at least twenty pages thick. "That's one serious background."
Pi blushed a little, and a timid smile formed on her lips. "I didn't mean to. I just, you know...it was fun to actually have a history."
Aurie shared a glance with her sister. They didn't know much about their parents' families, except that her father had been an orphan, and her mother had fled Iran with her parents before they died.
After a little time for Echo to recover and get acquainted with the others, Hannah weaved a tale on how the party had been hired from their respective guilds to put order to a fallen kingdom. The others threw themselves into the game in earnest, which helped Echo engage. He had moments where he seemed to burrow internally, but Hannah had a good eye on him, and threw the action his way to distract him.
But as the game went on, Aurie found herself distracted by thoughts about the conflict with Violet. She was worried about how the whole incident had been recorded on cell phones, but more importantly, how she'd completely lost control of her magic. She wasn't even sure what she'd done to make their clothing fall off. It wasn't truth magic, that much she knew.
"Aurie? Aurie?"
Everyone at the table was staring at her. "What?"
"It's your turn. Did you want to attack the kobold?" asked Brian.
"Uhm, yeah. Sorry," she said, then threw a twenty-sided die across the table.
The battle in the game went on. Aurie paid attention just enough to keep things moving, but she didn't have her heart in it. It didn't help that everything had gone wrong with Violet and that she was playing an assassin. Assassins killed people, murdered them for profit or political intrigue. It was the exact opposite of a healer, of helping people.
In between rolling, Aurie glanced around the room. She saw something small and black moving across the floor. At first, she thought someone had lost a die and she started to get up to retrieve it, but then she realized the small black object had legs. It was a spider.
Without moving her head, she watched it with her eyes. The little arachnid crouched beneath a table, watching. As Aurie turned her head to get a better look, it went scurrying away, repositioning itself beneath a different table. She might not have thought anything of it, except that it seemed to be avoiding her inspection.
Aurie excused herself to use the bathroom, but moved to a different location to get a glimpse of the spider. Something strange was going on. The spider, upon seeing her, made a tiny hopping motion as if it'd been caught, and went scurrying towards the back room, running beneath tables and chairs faster than she could keep up.
She weaved through the gaming area after the spider. She caught sight of it through the tables, before it sped into a hallway that led to a couple of storage rooms and the janitorial closet.
Not wanting the critter to get away, Aurie whisked open the closet to find a handsome guy with dark skin and webbing tattoos across his chest and arms standing in his boxer briefs, trying to shimmy into a pair of jeans.
The word "Speller" came tumbling out of her lips like an unformed mass. Part of her mind was saying hello, while the other part wanted to say spider.
"Speller?" he replied, arching an eyebrow.
He had ice blue eyes like a glacier. Yet, they weren't unkind.
"Spider or hello, or both, I guess," said Aurie. "I'm an idiot. I meant spider. I saw one come down this hall. I thought it might have run under the door."
"Spider?" he said, glancing down as if he expected one to be crawling up his leg. "I hope it didn't come in here."
"What about your web tattoos? Don't you like them?" she asked, also noting he had more muscles on his stomach that she could stare at in one glance.
He quirked a smile that made her heart pant for breath. "I just like the way they look."
The way he said it wasn't so much that he liked it, but more so that the ladies liked the way they looked, and Aurie had to agree.
"So...uhm, why are you in the closet with your clothes off?" she asked, scratching the back of her head while simultaneously trying not to stare at his stomach muscles.
He bit his lower lip, in that sideways style that said you-probably-won't-believe-this, then yanked up his pants and buttoned them before reaching down and grabbing a small medical bag on a shelf. He pulled a syringe out of the bag.
"Diabetic?" she asked.
He gave a curt nod. "Two shots a day leaves a lot of marks."
Suddenly, the web tattoos made more sense. He wasn't wearing them for how they looked, but for what they hid. Though she'd never known anyone to take off all their clothes for one shot, but something about the way he looked at her scrambled her thoughts.
"I'm...I didn't mean to..."
"Hey, don't feel sorry for me. Everyone has their burdens. This one is mine," he said as those glaciers burned bright.
The silence stretched between them, before Aurie remembered what she'd been doing in the first place.
"Once again, I'm an idiot. You're trying to put your clothes back on, and I'm just standing here with the door open. I'll leave you to it," she said, and started to close the door.
"What's your name?" he asked hopefully.
"Aurie," she said, pausing at the open door, feeling her cheeks warm.
"Zayn," he said.
"Nice to meet you, Zayn," she said, before she returned to the others.
When Aurie sat at the table, Pi gave her a look and mouthed the words, "Why are you blushing?"
Aurie waved her hand in front of her face like a fan and tugged on her shirt, indicating that it was hot. Her sister seemed to accept the answer.
For the rest of the afternoon, Aurie found it a little
easier to enjoy the game, forgetting for a short, sweet while that Violet was sure to cause trouble later. Aurie decided that if Violet hadn't slimed Echo's backpack, she would have never been distracted enough to notice the spider, or find Zayn in the closet in his boxer briefs. So maybe, after all, the day hadn't been so terrible.
Chapter Four
For second years, school at the Hundred Halls officially began a day after the first-year trials, but most came early to watch the parade of potential initiates on their way to the Spire. Half the second-year Arcanium class had camped at the Carnifex Cafe to watch the thousands of nervous students stream into the gondolas, wondering which ones would make it past the trials. Bets were placed on which ones they thought would succeed or if they would make it into Arcanium.
Aurie didn't feel comfortable making those kinds of judgments, especially when she'd just gone through it the previous year. For the others, the trials had been an exciting adventure that culminated in their acceptance. Every one of them had had more time to try again, or backup plans should they not get into the Hundred Halls. That hadn't been the case for Aurie, which left her feeling irritated each time a new gondola soared into the sky.
They met each day until the potentials had passed their trials to become the newest initiate class. Her classmates spent the time between gondolas telling stories of their summers and guessing about the second-year competition that would have them teaming up with other halls. No one said anything about the incident with Violet, though everyone knew about it, since it'd been all over the internet within hours.
Waiting had also given everyone a chance to meet Pi. As Aurie expected, everyone accepted her sister right away. That'd always been the case whenever they'd had to move schools, which simultaneously had been annoying and relieving, since constantly meeting new people wore Aurie out.
When it was their time, they entered the Spire through a special entrance in the lower part of the city. Their mood was light, unlike the nervous energy of the first years'.
A grassy grove in the shape of a bowl welcomed them in, a far cry from the hard gymnasium floor of the previous year. Students from the various Halls took up different quadrants. Coterie, Protectors, and Alchemists formed the largest classes, and naturally, they grouped on one side of the bowl. Aurie kept an eye out for the fourth hall of the Cabal, the Academy of the Subtle Arts, but she couldn't find sign of them.
Violet sat with the Alchemists, even though she was still a part of Arcanium. Thankfully, they were on the other side of the grassy bowl, so her dirty looks dissipated into nothing by the time they crossed the gulf. Aurie hoped she wouldn't get paired with anyone from that Hall.
Aurie found Hannah easily because of her outsized personality and rainbow headband. Though her hall class was only three people, including her, she already had everyone around her laughing as if they were longtime friends. After getting Hannah's attention, Aurie waved. It would have been lonely being a part of a small Hall, she decided.
Next, she found the Aura Healers, who wore white doctor jackets as long as robes, milling about as if they were on rounds at a hospital. While she was happy in Arcanium, especially since her sister had joined, Aurie had pangs of regret that she hadn't followed in her father's path.
At the center of the grassy bowl was a wooden platform with a pedestal. It appeared the pedestal could hold something, but it was currently empty. The other Arcanium students speculated on the meaning, but no one had any real ideas.
Aurie noticed Echo, Hannah's friend from Freeport Games, sitting alone. She was surprised that he was a mage, and wondered what Hall he was in. He was by himself, which suggested one of the smaller specialty Halls, but he wore no markings to give an indication.
She started to get up to invite him to join them when the grass parted and a set of stairs rose out of the ground, ending the nervous chatter. From the pit, Professor Delight strolled out in a yellow track suit. This year, no one made the mistake of catcalling, and when the professor reached the platform she gave a sassy hip shift.
"It seems my little second years have gotten smarter," she said with a wink.
Her comment brought laughter from the crowd. A girl from Stone Singers yelled out: "We love you, Professor Delight!"
"You only say that because you aren't one of my students. But enough about me—as much as I enjoy the subject, today we begin the choosing for your second-year projects. Some might call these competitions, but that would defeat Invictus' intended purpose. When the school first started, there was intrigue and infighting between the Halls. When the battles—and I do mean battles—threatened to destroy the school, Invictus created the second-year project to teach us how to work together. No one Hall can achieve their goals alone, and together we are stronger," she said, glancing meaningfully towards the three Cabal halls.
A wave of her hand and four students appeared from the stairs, each wearing fifth-year robes and carrying a long pole. A huge rainbow-colored gem was suspended in a sling between them. Zayn, the guy she'd found in the closet at Freeport Games in his boxer briefs, was at the back left pole.
To Aurie's surprise, Pi elbowed her in the side, whispering, "I know that guy. I saw him last year when I turned in the third gallium coin. He's in the assassin's guild."
Her stomach twisted with disappointment.
"The Academy of the Subtle Arts, you mean," she whispered back, more forcefully than she intended.
Pi gave her a funny look. "What was that?"
Aurie knocked a piece of grass off her leg while she looked away. "Just pointing out they're not all assassins. Diplomats and negotiators, too."
"You've met him before, haven't you?" said Pi.
"Once," she said, hoping she wouldn't have to explain the awkward meeting.
Pi bit her lower lip playfully. "He's easy on the eyes. Too bad he's in assassins."
Aurie was saved from further discussion about Zayn when they placed the rainbow-colored gem on the pedestal.
Professor Delight said, "What you're about to see is a spell memory from our founder, Invictus. In the early years of the Halls, he addressed each incoming class, but as demands on his time became too great, he recorded this. Thankfully, for our sake, this was finished when it was because he died a few years later."
The professor placed her hands on the gem and mumbled a spell. When a massive figure appeared in the air, the whole crowd gasped.
Aurie had seen Invictus before. Everyone had. There was a famous picture of him creating a butterfly from a discarded gum wrapper for a little girl in a wheelchair who'd been bitten by a kitsune. He was crouched down, a wizened expression on his face, the butterfly perched on his fingertips, wings fluttering. The girl had an expression of wonder. The picture was famous because through the power of his magic, the gum-wrapper butterfly bred with normal ones, using ordinary trash to create their bodies. They called them Adelyne's Butterflies after the girl in the wheelchair.
Aurie had always imagined him as a kindly old grandfather who had a bowl full of treats in his study, but the whole crowd recoiled from this vision as if a madman had appeared in their midst. It took a moment to realize it really was Invictus. Even Professor Delight seemed disturbed.
"Power is both a gift and a curse," he said, booming his voice into the arena.
The first word to come into Aurie's mind was ravaged. His iconic wavy shoulder-length black hair was matted and filthy. His darker skin tones, which had always left his origins a mystery—some thought he'd come from the Mediterranean region, others from the Far East, some even thought he was Native American—had been either bleached white or burnt black, depending on the area of his skin, as if he'd been in a horrible chemical accident.
"When I created the Halls, I wanted to tame the power that floods through our mortal veins. We are not meant to wield such power freely. Too many wars and atrocities had their origins in the madness of faez. Too many well-meaning wizards bound themselves to supernatural beings in hopes of taming their power, only to f
ind they had become slaves to a different master," said Invictus, his voice granite, but filled with cracks and fissures.
Pi touched her on the arm and whispered, "Look at the professor. This isn't the message she expected."
Professor Delight was crouched at the pedestal, examining the gem as if she were diagnosing a faulty machine.
The image of Invictus continued as if these were his last moments, "Magic not only requires a shield from madness, but checks and balances to ensure that no one can abuse it. Friendship, teamwork, borrowed-family, these bind us together, make us stronger, and ensure the social fabric remains. But once sides are taken, then our very civilization is at risk."
Invictus paused as if speaking had taken a toll on him. He gathered himself before continuing, this time without the weight that had burdened his previous speech. Despite his appearance, that grandfatherly image came through his kind eyes.
"Today you second years will be placed into teams, and set at a task that will teach you the power of that which can only be found in trusting each other. This has been happening for exactly one hundred years. On this momentous anniversary, I want to sweeten the pot, and offer a special prize to the team that overcomes adversity and achieves victory in the Grand Contest. I cannot tell you what it is, but each and every one of you will wish you'd won, when you learn the truth."
Invictus bowed, and to Aurie, it seemed as if he looked directly at her, before disappearing. The bowl erupted into chaos. Professor Delight shouted for silence.
Aurie caught Zayn staring directly up at her. He winked, acknowledging her, and moved with the other fifth years to collect the memory gem. Her whole body warmed annoyingly. She didn't want to like him, since he was from a Cabal hall. Though it was doubtful she'd ever see him again. The fifth years promptly removed the memory gem and marched back into the hole in the ground. Aurie watched him the whole way.
A crack of thunder brought the room to order. Fury creased Professor Delight's forehead.
Web of Lies (The Hundred Halls Book 2) Page 4