“I’ve seen them coming and going a lot this year already.” Sydney shoved a spoonful of peas in her mouth.
The conversation continued, but something dark crept along my spine, spanning across my skin. I pulled my hand from Ender’s and brought it to my throbbing stomach, which threatened to upchuck my partially eaten lunch. Ender tensed next to me, and I was hit with a foul stench of rotting flesh that had been buried in soil for a long time.
No. The academy was supposed to be safe.
I stood, pushing my chair back and turning toward the entrance, Ender moving simultaneously with me. All chatter ceased as everyone finally felt the dark magic and realized there was a figure standing in the doorway, wearing a cloak that was a deep shade of hunter green. The hood was pushed back just enough for us to see the ghastly features of a woman, grey strands of hair trailing over the collar of her cloak. Her dark eyes were fixated on me.
Yellow lights near each doorway began flashing and an alarm sounded—the alert for all students to shelter in place.
“Sal?” Viv asked, so many questions in one mention of my name. I glanced across the table at her, our gazes meeting, and shook my head. This mage wasn’t one of the three dark mages who had attacked us and killed Mom. Her robe and stature were different, and judging by her scent, she no doubt had been an earth mage.
“You need to run,” I said to her.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Of course she wouldn’t listen.
“What’s going on?” April asked, but I didn’t look away from the dark mage to see my friends.Friends.Dang it. I had grown attachments whether I had wanted to or not. And now, that put them—and everyone at Fives Academy—in danger.
The dark mage took a step and Ender moved in front of me.
“Ender. Don’t.” I stepped out from his shadow.
“I was never one to listen to orders.” His voice was playful, but his gaze never left the threat.
The side door to the outside opened and Miss Lee strode through, her gaze landing on Ender. A student nearby escaped through the door behind her as if they had just realized their legs could move.
Before I could make anything of her presence, static filled the air and a sharp gust of wind came soaring toward us. Ender threw his hands upward and turned around, holding up a wind shield of his own. He strained against the pressure but sent the gust upward and over us, only letting a waft filter through.
Miss Lee held out her hands, chanting something under her breath. The wind stopped as vines wrapped around the dark mage—some from a plant nearby, others that Miss Lee created.A four. She’d clearly been hiding something or had been deceiving everyone—which was the same thing. The dark mage wrapped long, bony fingers around one of the vines. Black ooze seeped from her pale hand, the ooze trailing down the vine and disintegrating it.
The dark mage chanted something and sent a rush of wind toward Miss Lee before my brain could compute what was happening. Miss Lee was lifted off her feet and sent crashing through the door, its glass shattering. Ender took a step toward her and the broken door but didn’t move any farther.
“She’s here for me.” I rolled my neck and shook out my shoulders. “Everyone needs to go. Now!”
Before it’s too late.
But no one moved.
“Yeah. I don’t think so.” Sydney raised a defiant brow.
April stood tall next to Viv, and I glanced at David, but he only shook his head. No one was going to leave.
The dark mage bared her yellow teeth, revealing black gaps in her grin. I took a step forward, ready to battle with my friends at my back.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Selene
Beforethedarkmagecould advance, I used a combo of wind and earth magic to heave a cafeteria table at her. She easily deflected it to the side with a swipe of magic and started toward us. Ender lashed out with sharp slashes of wind-like whips, causing her to wince but barely slowing her down. Someone flung the flames from a nearby torch onto the dark mage’s cloak, catching it on fire.
“Fry, rotten flesh bag!” Sydney shouted.
With my magic, I picked up a wooden chair and sent it crashing into the dark mage, who had to stop and douse the fire burning her cloak. She flinched and staggered but remained on her feet, the fire out. I battered her with chair after chair while Ender continued his attacks, causing her to halt.
Ender pushed with his hands out in front of him, and the air felt heavier. He was attempting to crush her with pressure. I joined him. The dark mage crossed her arms in front of her facelike a shield but forcefully brought them down, straining against the crushing air. Tiny sand particles appeared out of thin air and headed straight at us and forced us to halt our attack. I flipped a nearby table, pulling it in front of our small group as a shield against the mini sandstorm. My friends crouched down beside me, taking refuge.
Students who weren’t near an exit had taken shelter behind whatever they could find. The noise from the mage’s attack had drowned everything else out, but the panic and fear were evident on the other students’ faces.
My arm ached from pushing my magic into the table, and my eyes burned from the wisps of sand that had found a way around. Ender had put his hands on the table, using his weight and force to help me push against the sandstorm. Vivian and April joined him, and then David took up the only spot left, leaning in to the table. As soon as the pressure of the attack disappeared, I released my hold on our barrier. Sand had made its way inside my mouth, leaving me tasting grit, and I spat.
