My eyes bulged. Spymasters were top-level spies and rare. That spymasters were here, to watchourTrial, drove home the importance of this task.
Sucking in a breath, my gaze swept the amphitheater, taking in everything from the star-spangled ceiling, to the crushed crimson of the seats, and the scents of brimstone and sulfur—aromas that served as a universal warning in the witching world that dangerous magic was afoot.
I closed my eyes and my mantras ran through my mind.
You will be amazing.
Everything will work out.
You will be amazing.
Everything will work out.
“First years, this way!” Headmistress Wake waved us toward the dais in the center of the room. We got closer, and she gestured to the chairs, designated for our class.
“When it is your turn, I will call you up. Two groups will go at a time, as that is the maximum number of warpholes any magical feels comfortable being around at once. Because of the small class size this year, I expect this Trial will not last as long as normal.”
“Thank God,” Hunter whispered.
I had to agree. They kept much about the Trial secret, but that some had lasted for days was common knowledge.
“You will be under the constant watch of no less than two spymasters and three academy professors. Should the challenge become too much at any moment and you wish to withdraw, you need only to touch this bracelet,” she held up a handful of what appeared to be plain gold chains, “and speak the universal surrender incantation that you learned in Battle Magic. Help will only be given if youcallfor it—expect no one to rush in and save you otherwise. That is not how things happen in the real world, and it is against Samhain Trial rules. Does everyone recall the spell?”
“Cessio,” we all chanted.
“Excellent.” Headmistress Wake jerked her head in a tight nod. “Withdrawing your candidacy via surrender is grounds for academic probation. If you surrender and also fail the Imbolc challenge, you will be expelled from Spellcasters.”
My heartbeat kicked up. Failure would be devastating.
“Though you may not have studied the race of demon you are about to encounter, each case has been monitored and deemed appropriate for your level. The warphole will only reopen once you defeat your adversary or surrender. Do not lose the bracelets. They are not only your lifeline if you cannot save yourself, but they allow the warpers to follow you through your trial, and for those present to view your performance. We have given you all the tools for success, now let’s see what you do with them.”
The headmistress clapped her hands together, and two warpholes popped into existence and expanded until they were about the size of small cars.
“Let’s begin, shall we?” Headmistress Wake cast a circle around all the initiates, binding us to our seats. “This year’s Samhain Trials have officially begun. I call Diana Wake, Efraim Eastey, Amethyst Rhines, and Mina Köhler first.”
Five hours later, I was still sitting in the same chair. My legs had fallen asleep at least a dozen times, and my butt had long since gone numb. As I watched my classmates stride through the warpholes to face their trials, the dread I’d felt since that morning only deepened. To make matters worse, while we could see everyone enter the vortex, and even hear their voices from time to time, what happened on the other side was a mystery. This limitation was placed only on the initiates, as made obvious by the occasional gasps or cheers that rose from the crowd.
It did not surprise me that Diana Wake had entered her trial bravely and emerged first. Sure, her head was bloodied, and I’d never seen her eyes so wild, but she composed herself quickly. Her partner, Efraim, on the other hand, did not instill as much confidence. Blood covered him from head to toe, and infirmary witches rushed him out right away.
A few others stumbled out of the warpholes, terror in their eyes. And yet, no one had needed to use the surrender incantation, which was comforting.
Finally, only two teams remained.
“Odette Dane, Hunter Wardwell, Evanora Proctor, and Alexander Wardwell, to the dais, please,” Headmistress Wake called.
“Woooo! Go Alex!” Diana cheered, her gaze locking with mine as she smirked.
I tried to ignore the roar of possession that cut through my intense nerves, and rolled my eyes so obviously that she’d have to be blind not to notice. She was such an Alex groupie, it was ridiculous.
“Ready, partner?” Hunter asked, ripping me back to the moment.
I nodded, and we stood together, clasping hands and squeezing before letting go.
You’ll be great.
You’ll be great.
You’ll be great.
