The final trial was a few days away, and my attention had been so divided lately with all the totem stuff and the murders that I felt fried. Adding a direct message from M&M only made me even more terrified for the final trial that would determine my future.
“Well, that’s . . . I don’t even know what to say about it.” Eva picked up her fork and began to play with her side salad. “A lot of weird stuff happens to us, you know? Between my scars, which by all accounts should be healed by now, and this Merlin and Morgan thing we’re probably the strangest bunch at Spellcasters.”
Our table fell into silence and we began to eat again. Before we knew it, the owl hooted, signaling the end of lunch. Wordlessly, we stood, deposited our trays, and rushed off to Conjuring.
I flung a beam of intense power at Alex, who barely got his shield up in time to block his face.
“Damn, babe! What did I do to you?”
I shot another stream of magic at him, this time aiming for his knee and delivering.
His jeans began to smoke, and before Alex could put out the budding fire, Eva whipped her power around like a lasso to cinch it tight around Alex’s torso and pull him to the floor.
“Bam!” I shouted, punching my hand in the air.
“Girl power!” Eva added, and we broke out into a victory dance.
“Whenever the pair of you are finished reveling in your victory, feel free to let us loose,” Hunter called from where he lay on the ground, a victim of one of my prior attacks.
Eva beamed. “I’m not sure how long that will be. I’m kinda liking the sight of this right now.”
In truth, so was I. While Eva and I were not as magically skilled as Alex and Hunter individually, we worked better as a team. The boys were always trying to impress one another with showy displays, whereas Eva and I had long since learned to workwitheach other. The sight of them on the ground, and us standing over them, victorious, was almost enough to make me forget my exhaustion.
Almost.
Despite having just been sparring, a yawn climbed its way up my throat and let loose. “What do you guys say, one more round and then we hit the hay?” I asked, glancing around at the Physical Training Facility.
An hour ago, the entire first year class had been present and working their asses off. Everyone wanted to be prepared for the Beltane Trial. But in the last few minutes, a couple people had left. I assumed they were off to get ready for bed, and I desperately wanted to be in their squad.
“That sounds perfect,” Alex said. “But you still have to let us up.”
“Oh, right,” I said. Eva and I smirked as we waved our hands, and the magical binds around the guys dissolved. “Before we start, though, I need a water and bathroom break.”
“Ditto!” Eva proclaimed.
The guys rolled their eyes. They thought Eva and I had the bladders of children, but really, everyone knew that staying hydrated was important. Good for the body meant good for the magic.
We were crossing the magical training room, about to pass over into the gym section, when Headmistress Wake’s voice shot through the din of treadmills running, and weights hitting the floor.
“Phoebe Pudeator? Phoebe Pudeator, are you here?”
Everyone in the gym looked around, and a second later, Phoebe’s head popped up from the bench press. “Right here, Headmistress Wake.”
“Miss Pudeator, your parents are here. They—”
A rotund man of significant height, and a thin woman no taller than five feet burst into the gymnasium.
“Phoebe! Grab your things! We’re going home,” the man yelled.
“Dad! What are you talking about? What did I—”
“I can’t believe that Spellcasters has fallen so far. They don’t even inform the parents when students are being killed off like mice! What are you still doing standing there, Phoebe? I said get your things.”
Phoebe placed her hands on her hips. “I don’t want to leave. The Beltane Trial is in just a few days. I’ve trained my ass off for this. I’m participating.”
“Oh no you’re not. You’re my daughter, and youarecoming home with me.”
The father and daughter volleyed threats back and forth for a few more minutes, until Headmistress Wake suggested that they move their family business to a more private area.
