Spellcaster Academy: Episodes 1-4 (Spellcaster Academy Omnibus)

by Jenetta Penner

  I pulled a mask over my head and grabbed a sword, and Clementine waved me over to a female student now without a partner who was waiting to begin. Her previous opponent was walking to the professor. I tried to catch Clementine’s attention to tell her I had no idea what I was doing, but she’d already started working with the other student on how to hold the sword properly. Frustrated, I bit the inside of my cheek and trained my attention on my new partner. Body language told me she was not thrilled with her pairing. Not that this surprised me. I’d been picked last for partners and teams most of this semester, if not most of my life. The student had a tight grip on the sword handle . . . hilt? I think that was what I’d heard it called. Her other hand was planted firmly on her hip.

  “Sorry,” I muttered as I got closer. “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Why is it that you can’t seem to do anything, Josy?” Rosalee’s annoyed voice came from behind the black mask.

  My heart sank way down into the depths of my stomach. We had to pair up with Rosalee’s class? I already had to share two other classes with her this semester.

  “I did save your butt from the Morelli.” I don’t know why I said it. The statement was true, but it’s not as if it was going to win over Rosalee Loriss. She hated me whether my powers happened to save her and the entire school or not. Voicing the fact would only make my being her partner worse, and I knew it.

  Pairs around us continued their clanking of blades, totally ignoring Rosalee and me.

  She flipped her wrist and aimed the sword directly at my chest. “You are Morelli, Barrows! There is no way I’m ever going to believe you didn’t bring on the attack that night. You should save us all the trouble you’ll cause, on top of what you’ve done already, and just quit.”

  Barely-there orange fire flickered across her blade and quickly snuffed out before anyone else might see.

  I clenched my jaw and stepped back from the point of her sword. “Look, Rosalee. The last thing I need is for you to threaten me with a sword—”

  “It’s called a foil,” she corrected. “You’d know that if you’d already had several years of fencing like everyone else here.”

  I gripped the handle of my foil and brought the blade up to meet hers. “Just show me how to use this thing. I didn’t choose you as a partner; Professor Clementine did.”

  Rosalee stiffened her body but lowered her blade. “I suppose it’s no fun beating you if you haven’t any idea what you’re doing.”

  I bristled at her cocky tone. “Why are you even here? This isn’t your time for Phys Ed.”

  She shrugged. “My class was canceled this afternoon, and Clementine needed some additional advanced fencing help in the a.m. class. She invited us.” When I didn’t respond, she started her lesson. “Okay, first your stance.”

  Reluctantly, Rosalee helped me position my front foot forward, instructed me to step the other back and angle it ninety degrees. “Now bend your knees.” She nodded approval, but I could tell I wasn’t doing it right. The position was uncomfortable. After that, she grabbed my arm and bent it at a forty-five-degree angle with the foil in front and placed my other hand behind my back.

  She breezed through a list of instructions that I didn’t absorb half of, but I’d been watching the other students out of the corner of my eye and got the gist of it. Maybe.

  “Enough lesson. I’m ready.” Rosalee’s announcement brought my attention back to her.

  She was ready. I twisted my lips, knowing I wasn’t anywhere near ready to spar with the pro she likely was. She was a pro at everything else, and if Professor Clementine invited her here to tutor, she was likely skilled.

  Quick as a whip, she positioned her body. I took a settling breath, positioned myself, and held out my foil, scraping the metal of it against hers.

  She advanced and was the first to strike. Somehow, I blocked it, but she followed up immediately. Our blades clanked against each other again and again. Each time I blocked her and even got in a few attacks of my own. After several minutes Rosalee’s energy changed, radiating the heat of her frustration.

  She lunged and came at me harder. “You lied,” she snarled. “You know how to do this.”

  Our blades smacked against each other again.

  “I have never fenced in my life before today!” I admitted and blocked her strike again.

  “Then, how am I not beating you?” Rosalee came close enough that her expression was visible through the mask. Her eyes were wild, and her nostrils flared over bared teeth. Without warning her blade ignited with swirling flames. Before I could move out of the way, her hand drew back and she stabbed the glowing foil directly at me.

  “Ladies!” Professor Clementine must have shouted at us, but to me, her voice sounded as if she were trapped inside a tin can.

  The gym fell away, and my ring electrified on my finger. When our blades collided, the boom it made filled my ears with pressure. Like a magnet, Rosalee’s golden fiery magic absorbed into me. My body ignited with electricity. Barely a beat later the energy shot back the opposite way down the blade.

  Instead of fire, a powerful blast of white electricity shot through the air into Rosalee. The magic blew her off her feet, slamming her into the ground.

  The force whipped back at me and smashed me to the floor onto my right side, causing the foil to fly from my hand. A sharp pain stabbed at my ankle. Confused, I blinked and stared at the crowd of students standing around our mat. Most of them were wide-eyed with mouths agape.

  “Move aside!” Professor Clementine shouted and shoved her way between two students.

  I pushed up just in time for Rosalee to remove her mask. Her face was as red as a beet, and her eyes were narrowed into slits. “She could have killed me!”

  My heart nearly stopped. I wasn’t the one who did this. Rosalee had used her magic on purpose. Mine was just a reflex I didn’t even know how to control yet! I gritted my teeth at the pain in my ankle and stood.

  Clementine looked back and forth between the two of us and finally shouted, “Class dismissed. Barrows and Loriss, you stay here!”

  Chapter 4

  My ankle throbbed as I sat in one of the uncomfortable metal chairs in Professor Clementine’s office. Rosalee sat next to me in her Phys Ed uniform, shooting her best death glare my way. She’d scooted her chair as far away from me as she could without ramming herself against the wall. For once, her appearance wasn’t perfect. Her ponytail had loosened, and sprigs of red hair popped out like weeds along her hairline.

  Professor Clementine’s office was unlike any other staff office I’d been in at the Academy. Instead of a dark den overloaded with books and thick fabrics over the windows, Clementine’s space was stark. White walls, no curtains—only shades. The desk was made of metal, and instead of spell books and ancient tomes concerning magic, she had sparse shelving with books about physical fitness and specific sporting activities. Her desk was clean and uncluttered. If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was just a typical coach’s office.

  The door behind us swung open, and Professor Clementine stalked into the room. She rounded the desk and slowly lowered herself into her chair. With a long, frustrated sigh, she leaned her elbows on the desk. For what seemed like an eternity, she did little more than waver her attention between Rosalee and me. My chest grew tighter by the second.

  Finally, Rosalee piped up, but that only served to increase my anxiety. “She tried to kill me.”

  I opened my mouth to defend myself, but quick as a snap Clementine held her pointed finger my way, shutting me down without a word.

  “And how exactly did Josy do that, Miss Loriss?” The professor leaned back in her chair and popped up a dark brow.

  Rosalee’s mouth fell open, and she glanced at me, then back at the professor. “You saw what happened!”

  “I saw what I saw, but I want to hear what you think happened.” Clementine ran a hand through her bright purple hair and pursed her lips, waiting for an answer.

&nbs
p; My heart thudded against my rib cage.

  Rosalee scoffed. “As you asked, I was tutoring her on her stance and a few basics, but when it was time to practice, I quickly realized that she had lied about her skillset. She already knew all the moves.”

  Clementine switched her attention to me. “Is this true, Miss Barrows?”

  I pulled my brows together. “I told Rosalee—I’ve never tried fencing before today. Maybe she’s just a good tutor.” I wanted to slap myself for that last comment. Why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut around Rosalee and stick to the facts?

  “Morelli liar,” Rosalee sneered under her breath.

  “Miss Loriss. You know that name-calling is not allowed in my classes, and that includes my office.” Clementine raised her brows.

  “I apologize.” Rosalee crossed her arms over her chest and slumped in her chair.

  The professor nodded. “I’ll accept that Miss Barrows is a quick study when it comes to fencing, but that’s not what brought us here today; unauthorized magic within school hours is. I need to hear about that problem.”

  “Josy,” Rosalee hissed, “used magic in class and tried to kill me. That’s what happened.”

  My chest burned with anger. Rosalee was lying to protect her own skin, and she knew it. I gripped the chair’s arms and scraped my fingernails along the metal.

  Professor Clementine, on the other hand, kept her cool. Her expression barely changed when she looked back to me. “Miss Barrows? Did you use unauthorized magic to attempt to kill Miss Loriss during class this morning?”

  “Why are you even asking her?” Rosalee leaped to her feet and pointed at me. “Everyone in that class saw what she did. My family has a long history of being some of the most accomplished witches and wizards on The Side of Magic. Josy Barrows is a Morelli and was sent here to destroy this place from the inside out. Why don’t any of you see this? She shouldn’t even still be here!” Her cheeks flamed with redness again, and the child in me pictured some old cartoon where a character blows their stack and steam comes out of their ears. I kept my mouth shut about it this time.

  Professor Clementine tipped up her chin to Rosalee. “Do you have anything else to say?”

  “Does anything else need to be said?” Rosalee jutted her chin out.

  “Oh . . . are you injured?”

  A line formed between Rosalee’s brows. “No. I’m not injured. Thank the stars!”

  “Then thank you, Miss Loriss. You’re dismissed.” The professor tipped her head to the door.

  Rosalee’s mouth fell open. “My parents are going to hear about this, and the Academy needs to do something about Josy Barrows!” She shot one last death glare at me, then spun on her heels and marched out the door, slamming it behind her.

  I slumped back as far as I could into my chair and eyed my lap.

  “I figured if I let her stay, she’d never let you get a word in edgewise,” Clementine said. “Now, can you please tell me what happened from your point of view?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek and told her the truth. It probably wasn’t the smartest move, but I didn’t really care if I got Rosalee in trouble for using unauthorized magic. We all knew that most students used it sometimes for little stuff, but trying to hurt someone with it was not okay.

  “So, why do you think she did it?”

  I squinted at the professor, and hope filled my chest. “Do you believe me?”

  “I’m not telling you what I believe. I’m only asking what you think happened.”

  The hope I’d felt a moment ago plopped into my stomach and twisted around. “She couldn’t stand me winning and was doing whatever it took to give her the advantage.”

  Clementine leaned forward in interest. “And you absorbed her magic and used it against her?”

  “By accident. It was the same thing that happened during the Morelli attack. I took in the magic around me and used it to send the army back to The Middle. Problem is, I can’t repeat it. It just seems to happen.”

  She rubbed her chin for a few seconds in thought. “I’m hearing that your magic sometimes surfaces when you or those around you are threatened. But you need to learn how to control it. Witches and wizards with uncontrolled magic are dangerous.”

  My stomach untwisted. “So you do believe me!”

  Professor Clementine stood and walked around to my side of the desk. “For now, this matter is closed, but I will need to talk with Chancellor Sterling.”

  “And what about Rosalee? She was using magic against me on purpose.”

  “That will be part of my conversation with the chancellor.”

  I pinched my lips together. That probably meant nothing would happen to Rosalee.

  Clementine bent before me. “Now let me look at that ankle.”

  I’d nearly forgotten it while sitting, but the moment she mentioned the injury again, my ankle started to pulse. I stretched out my leg to her, and she examined the sore spot. Pain shot up the side of my leg.

  “Probably a sprain. We should have iced it, but no big deal.” She held my foot in the palm of one hand and wiggled her fingers about six inches from the injury. The area around her hand blurred for a second. Droplets of water appeared and floated in the air. Slowly they dispersed and became a fine, vibrating mist.

  Clementine used water to intensify her magic. I hadn’t seen anyone else here at the Academy use that ability.

  The mist shimmered and circled around my ankle as she continued waving her fingers. My skin grew cold, and goosebumps raised up. Within seconds the temperature shifted and warmed, settling on the injured spot.

  She stopped her hand motion, and the mist vanished. “There, that should take care of it.” Professor Clementine gently placed my foot to the ground, and I pressed my toe onto the surface. No pain.

  “Really? That’s it?” My ankle felt as good as it ever had.

  The professor shrugged. “Not all are so simple, but I’ve had thirty years of practice healing sports injuries with magic.” She stood and returned to the other side of the desk.

  I rose and checked the time. My next class started in five minutes, and I had to get out of these PE clothes. “Thank you,” I mumbled and made my way to the door.

  “Miss Barrows?”

  I turned back to Clementine.

  “Rosalee Loriss does come from a powerful family line with a lot of influence. It will be best for you to stay out of her way as much as possible. I won’t pair her with you again.”

  Chapter 5

  I sat quietly in the corner of the dining hall by myself with my Mastering Illusion textbook in hand. The bookworm technique seemed to work for Aspen when he wanted to be left alone, and I thought I’d give it a try. So far, so good.

  Through the windows I glimpsed little bits of flurrying snow dancing in the air. Since that first storm a week ago we’d gotten more snow almost every day. The cold weather had prompted me to choose the chicken noodle soup before me. The concoction looked good when I poured it into the bowl, but I’d barely touched it, and I was sure it was cold by now.

  The front door flung open and in walked Aspen. Handsome as ever, he’d pulled his coat collar up over his ears, and instead of his baseball hat he wore a gray knit cap with the Academy crest on the front.

  I slumped against the wall and pulled my book up over my face. Aspen and I hadn’t spoken since that night in the woods last Sunday. In Spellcasting class he wouldn’t even look at me—not that I blamed him and not that I wanted him to. I did . . . but that was beside the point, and I needed to get wishful thinking out of my head.

  Peeking over the book’s edge, I watched him take his place in the buffet line and begin making a sandwich for himself. Turkey and cheese . . . stupid turkey and cheese that only reminded me of the lunch he’d made for me on our picnic and the amazing kiss we’d shared. My body flushed with warmth. Ugh, Josy. Stop it! I smacked down the annoying memory.

  “Hey, Josy.”

  I jumped at Emiko’s greeting and my book nearly tumb
led from my hand to the floor, but I clamped down on it.

  “Can I sit with you?”

  I don’t really think Emiko was asking. She’d already slung her coat down on the bench across from me and was sliding her tray with a massive salad and two pieces of garlic bread onto the table.

  “Yeah, sure.” Despite my chosen solitude, I wasn’t going to say no to Emiko. She was one of the sweetest people I knew and pushing her away would be a bad move—I’d already had enough of that. I peered up through my eyelashes at Aspen, who was still in line. His attention was on me, but when he saw me looking, he quickly returned to the sandwich options.

  Heat raked up my neck again.

  “I haven’t seen you much lately.” Emiko unwrapped a green scarf from her neck and placed it on top of her coat. “You keep rushing out of Spellcasting.”

  When I wasn’t in class, I’d been spending a lot of time in my room. With what happened in Phys Ed with Rosalee I’d been trying to keep a low profile. Most students were already leery enough of me, and even though Chancellor Sterling had deemed the whole incident an accident, I knew Rosalee had continued trying to convince people otherwise.

  “With finals coming up I’ve needed to study more.”

  She nibbled her bread. “What are you going to do over winter break? For Christmas?”

  Small talk. I liked that better. “Not much I can do but hang around here.”

  Emiko pinched her lips together. “We haven’t had a chance to talk, but it’s more than that. Holly still won’t tell me, but I know something happened to the two of you right before you broke it off with Aspen.”

  Ugh. Back to the stuff I couldn’t talk about.

  It wasn’t as if she knew specifics, but Emiko was an empath, so it was hard to hide much from her. I needed to tell her something to get her off my back or I’d never hear the end of it. Before I got the chance, however, a tiny orange flame flickered between us. It quickly extinguished, leaving a folded piece of paper with burnt edges.