Time advances with a few more students going before me, and one by one, I notice Tish isn’t one of them. Paige won hers, which makes me curious on why she follows Gina around when she is clearly stronger.
Another battle concludes with points going to a House Lifedefender, leaving four more of us to go. Putting her phone away after sending a few texts, Yasmine looks at me, and a wave of heat drifts up my chest, burning away the oxygen as I try breathing in more. I’m panicking, knowing what she is about to say.
“Kyra and Tish, you’re up.”FUCK.
Chapter 20
Out of the frying pan and into…another?
KYRA
Tish passes by me,bumping my shoulder for a second time today. No amount of fear will have me endure bullying, and this bitch is becoming a thorn in my ass. She is pissed at me for no reason because Marcel didn’t appreciate her little stunt. It makes me think she has a crush on him. Whatever, not my problem.
Standing inside the blue square, Yasmine voices, “Your time starts now,” and without warning, Tish throws up a shield, surrounding the entire mannequin with orange flames. Students back away from its intense heat, and I second the motion, feeling more like the sun itself is in this room.
“Tick-Tock, Kyra. The clock is dwindling,” Yasmine advises, pointing at the timer.
One minute and fifteen, fourteen, thirteen…Shit, what can I create to get through her shield?
Tish watches me closely. Her tangerine-orange glare calculates my next move. I don’t know what for. I’m spending too much time deliberating, still unsure how to use my magic. Then again, why not use the attack spell?
I close my eyes, embracing the bit of warmth streaming over myhands, and speak, “Impetum.” I’m afraid I mispronounced the word as a sudden group of snickering snags my attention, and I see Tish hunched over in laughter. Gina and Paige join in, followed by the entire class, minus Jace and Yasmine.
“See, she’s a fake. Mortals don’t belong here,” Gina hisses, still adapting to her new tooth.
The green numbers above are counting down…twenty, nineteen, eighteen.Shit, shit, shit. Why is it moving so fast? Calm down, there’s still time for one big attack.
I’ve practiced creating things since finding out my power, and thus far, it’s all been minute items. Regardless, I have an idea for an attack. Let’s pray it works.
Repeating the previous steps, my vision darkens, and I recite ‘impetum’ to myself. Not wanting to become a flag for failure. Heat tingles my palms, and a visualization of what I want to create manifests within my mind.Perfect.
I notice everyone’s attention is on me as a large crescent shape starts materializing above my head. Red light gathers into a curved crystal aimed at Tish’s shield. A tugging sensation tightens my stomach and…*Beeeep*The timer sounds, signaling our match’s end before my ability has a chance of finishing. She drops her shield, and my concentration breaks what magic I formed.
“Weak, I can’t wait until tomorrow. Marcel can’t save you twice,” she spits in her accent, her feet pattering past me as she swings a clump of blond hair over her shoulder. At least she didn’t bump me.
“Return to your seat, Kyra. Go over how you’ve failed and what mistakes lead to such an outcome. Ensure they don’t happen again,” Yasmine says, shaking her head. Disappointment from her tone leeches onto me, and I can’t help but feel it myself. I wasthisclose to doing something amazing. Or at least amazing to me.
Taking the walk of shame, I notice Jace pull out my chair while the remaining two students head upfront. “You’ll get her next time.” His polite smile tries hiding his sympathy for me, which crawls undermy skin even more. I don’t require pity. I need to understand this power I’ve obtained.
Two minutes elapse, and Yasmine announces we are switching roles. Those on defense will now attack and so forth, continuing in the same order. Jace sets his phone up to record, then he and Gina take their positions and begin.
Not wasting a second, she launches a fire attack at the mannequin before he can shield it, and Paige cheers from the side. With another wrist flick, vines slither across the ground for a follow up attack, but her smile fades in an instant.
Jace has a waterfall roaring fully around her target as his eyebrows do an up and down motion. A snort trickles from me. Fighting back another laugh, I cheer him on. “Let’s go Jace!” Gina tosses me a look, but who gives a shit. She needs to be knocked down a peg.
Sweat drips off her brow, and she throws more fire at his shield, realizing her vines are useless. Time nears its end, and Jace remains calm. It’s an easy win.
“Come on, Gina, do something,” Paige yells.
With a few seconds left, Gina screams, blasting a fireball from her hands, targeting Jace’s head. My fists clench with a sweltering heat, and I rise in a panic, shrieking, “No!” as it collides with a resounding crash, shrouding him in a blackish smog.
Yasmine is on her post-haste, summoning a chain made of blue light, constricting Gina’s neck, hands, and ankles. Fear bleeds from her pores as she is placed upon her knees.
The smoke lifts, and Jace stands, his face covered behind a beautiful water fairy with her hands out. A sigh of relief keeps my tears from falling for a guy I don’t know, and we all celebrate with great enthusiasm. Once the fairy vanishes, he returns to his seat, puzzled, quietly sitting beside me.
“You, okay?” I strive for a ‘well done’ fist bump when a miniature sting itches my palm, and a faint red glow vanishes.
“Yeah.” He nods. “It happened so fast; I thought I was agoner. Good thing I recorded it all.” Our conversation dies out, hearing Gina struggling against her chains.
