Anton sat next to Magdalena. He was a stack of pure muscle who might have hailed from the snowy plains of Russia.
And then there was the final vampire, Simone, the girl who had poured blood down her front. When the headmaster introduced her, she jumped onto the table, raised her arms to the sky, and released a chilling vampiric hiss in the direction of her competitors.
I exchanged a glance with Sam, who looked about ready to burst into laughter, and rolled my eyes.
Headmaster Ezra, however, seemed delighted with Simone’s theatrics. He patted first her and then Francis on the back, but ignored the other two. I took this to mean that the flashier champions were the headmaster’s pets, which meant they were, most likely, the strongest of our four vampiric opponents.
After the vampires were done putting on their show, Alpha Conon stood to introduce the champions for the Shifter Academy of Spies. He did so perfunctorily, requesting that his students stand and move to the space in front of the champions’ tables.
Only one shifter champion was female, Dasha, and it seemed to me that the three males, Heath, Howley, and Gregor, were all a touch infatuated with her. She was beautiful, with glowing, golden eyes and golden tresses that grazed her booty, so I couldn’t blame them. And yet, it felt like something more drew them to her than her beauty. Perhaps she possessed alpha blood? I made a note to ask later.
The Fae Academy of Elemental and Arcane Arts was next. Headmistress Cristala swept toward the front of the room, her blue silk dress fluttering behind her like butterfly wings.
“My students are pleased to be here, competing for the honor of our academy.” The fae headmistress smiled, and the effect was almost blinding, her teeth were so white. “It is with great pride that I call up Ayla Torna and Sana Torna.”
Two female fae stood and glided to the center of the room. My eyes darted from one to the other, searching for differences I couldn’t find. They had to be sisters—probably twins.
Although the Tornas hid their true fae nature beneath a glamour, it was easy to see they were not fully of this world. Their red locks were a little too bright, their green eyes too vibrant, and their skin glowed even more than the vampires’. The girls joined their headmistress and beamed at the crowd.
Something in the air shifted, and a few of the vampires sitting in the sea of tables stood up. Their eyes glowed red, and their mouths opened to reveal extended fangs.
Oh shit.
My heartbeat sped up as I remembered that the blood of magicals appealed to vampires even more than human blood. And they generally considered fae blood the most delicious. A lot of times, a fae’s glamour dimmed this effect, but clearly, the Torna twins were too tasty-smelling for their own good.
“Girls,” Headmistress Cristala admonished while the vampire headmaster signaled for the affected vampires to leave.
“Apologies,” Cristala said. “As we do not want to reveal our true nature until the first game, the girls were trying to give a mere taste of their power. However, they don’t know their own strength.”
Oh snap.My gaze shot to the Nightdwellers table. Simone and Francis were frowning. They’d caught the indirect jab, the suggestion that the fae champions’ power could affect how vampires acted, and they didn’t like it one bit.
“And now to introduce our male champions. Luvon Iarro and Volwin Valar, won’t you join me?”
The male fae joined the females. Although their size and build brought to mind gladiators, they didn’t quite hold the same aura that the girls did. I suspected that while the men might have been chosen for physical strength, the females were the ones with the magic skill.
Note to self, watch out for the Tornas.
Once everyone had gotten a good look at the fae, the champions returned to their seats, and Headmistress Wake stood.
A shiver rolled up my spine. It was our turn.Immediately, trusty mantras began rolling through my mind.
I’ve got this. I’m here because I’ve proven myself capable.
With enthusiasm and charm somewhere between the shifter and fae leaders’, Headmistress Wake introduced us, starting with the Crucible students.
She hadn’t requested that we move to center stage, so Sam and Andre simply mimicked the headmistress and stood from their chairs. Diana followed suit, her face stoney compared to the other two. If I hadn’t been so nervous, it would have made me giggle. But then again, maybe it shouldn’t. Diana was obviously trying to put up a tough front so no one would underestimate us.
“And finally,” Headmistress Wake’s words snapped me back into the moment. I was next.
Prematurely, I began to rise.
“The other Grind-year student participating in the Spy Games for Spellcasters is Odette Dane.”
My stomach twisted as a collective gasp filled the room, and every single eye in the place shot to me. Even those at the champions’ tables perked up, and a few began studying me like I was some sort of mythological creature.
My face warmed at the intensity of it all. I doubted that my own reputation would garner such a reaction. Clearly, people in the crowd had heard of my parents and all their exploits.
Oh joy.
