Chapter 13
No Such Thing as a Perfect Crime
Ember raced down the steps, wringing water out of her hair as she went.
She had slept through both of her alarms, still wildly exhausted from her midnight romp in the forest the night before.
She had slept through any chance of a slow, quiet breakfast, but with any luck, there would be a breakfast roll in the kitchen waiting for her.
“Running behind, are we?” Aoife said from the table, pushing a plate of breakfast rolls toward Ember as she laughed. “Best get to bed early tonight.”
Ember had the sense to look properly abashed but smiled as she quickly grabbed a roll and took a too-large bite. “Sorry, Mum.” She grinned, mouth still full of food like a six-year-old with no table manners.
Aoife laughed as she continued to sip her tea, humming to herself as she began cleaning up the kitchen.
Ember slipped a piece of paper out of her pocket and onto the table, Theo’s name written in pen on the top of the folded parchment.
Gaelen came into the kitchen moments later, just as Aoife sent her mug to the sink.
“I have to head to a meeting,” Aoife said, as she kissed Ember on the head and plucked a few invisible pieces of lint from her jumper. “Can you get to school on your own? I can be a little late if I need to walk with you.”
Ember rolled her eyes with a sheepish grin. “Yes, Mum, I’ll be fine,” she replied.
Aoife nodded with a smile before leaving the room. Ember turned to Gaelen with a warm smile and pointed to the note on the kitchen table.
“Will you make sure Theo gets that?” she asked, as she slung her bag over her shoulder and took another bite of her breakfast roll.
“Of course, miss,” Gaelen nodded and then turned to busy herself with cleaning the kitchen.
Ember spun around and bolted out the door- with no time to argue that Gaelen did not have to call her miss- and headed for the Echopoint at the end of the drive.
“If you so much as whisper during this class, I will feed you both to the Cu Sidhe,” Ember said, as she plopped down in her seat for Galdr, Odette already in the chair beside her looking chipper as ever.
Fen and Killian had been mostly quiet during Zoomancy that morning, no doubt both still exhausted from their adventure the night before, but they seemed to have found their normal amount of energy in the corridor during their walk to Galdr, and Ember wasn’t prepared to deal with their antics that afternoon.
“Whoa there, Starshine.” Killian grinned as he dropped his bag and leaned on the table. “Not get enough sleep last night?”
Ember cut her eyes at both the boys and quickly turned to face the front of the room.
“Someone is moody this morning,” Fen poked, as he sat beside Killian. “Sounds like she woke up on the wrong side of her very expensive bed.” Both the boys giggled, and Ember whipped around to glare at them.
“If you do not both act like proper gentlemen and leave your childish games at the door for the rest of the day, I won’t even bother talking to Eira,” she hissed. “I’ll drag you both by the ears to the edge of the Forest and cut off your—”
“Good morning, class,” Professor Walsh said, as she waltzed to the center of the room onto the round stage.
“Today will be a practical lesson. Up, up.” The professor motioned for everyone to stand, and when they did, their desk and chairs slid gracefully to the walls, opening the whole floor up.
The spells they were learning during Galdr were becoming increasingly more difficult this year, but Ember loved every second of it.
Something about mastering a truly difficult piece of magic after struggling with it for so long made her feel accomplished, like she could walk on water.
“I was really hoping for a wee nap today.” Fen yawned as he stretched his arms above his head. “Maybe we could sneak out for a little siesta on the lawn.”
“I think not, Mr. Kitt,” Professor Walsh replied from the center of the room, as she shuffled papers.
Killian snickered as Fen sank into himself and scuffed the toe of his sneaker on the wood floor.
“Please make one line across the room, side by side,” Professor Walsh continued, as she flipped her wrist. A red line appeared on the floor, and each student quickly found a place behind it.
“Today, we are learning the blasting curse,” she continued.
“This will not be a spell you work on independently or at home. You will not be permitted to use this spell outside of the classroom until after your final exam at the end of the school year. Doing so before then will result in a failing grade for the spell, as well as a letter of reprimand in your permanent file.”
“We’ll just practice in the orchards,” Fen whispered. “Who’s going to find out?”
“I will, Mr. Kitt,” Professor Walsh said, as she cut her eye toward him.
“Chief Thornsten gives special permission every year to place small tracking spells on each second-year student for this spell specifically. If you so much as whisper the incantation, the Guard will be notified, as will I. It would be in your best interest to do as you’re told. ”
Fen’s eyes widened as he nodded, audibly swallowing as he took the smallest step back.
“Now that we have that out of the way,” she continued, “I will be demonstrating one time for you. I trust that you all read ahead and should have a basic knowledge of the incantation at this point?”
Fen’s eyes shot to the ceiling, and Killian looked at the floor.
Ember rolled her eyes—of course they hadn’t read ahead.
She was lucky if she could get them to read at all most days.
They would much rather be in the orchards flying than have their nose in a book.
Eira had to all but glue them to their seats to get them to actually study for their final exams the year before.
Ember was quickly pulled from her thoughts as several solid brick walls rose from the ground across the room. An almost clear, shimmery dome appeared next, covering the room around the students and walls.
“I know it, Professor Walsh,” Veda Ellingboe’s voice cut through the air, sickly sweet. “Shall I demonstrate?”
Professor Walsh gave a nod and motioned toward the center of the room, and Veda glided forward.
Her eyes narrowed at the solid brick wall, her head tilting just slightly as she drew in a small breath.
Her arm rose in front of her, parallel to the ground, and she rotated her palm toward the ceiling, fist closed.
She drew in a breath, eyes close, before quickly flipping her open palm up to face the brick wall and quietly saying, “Destra.”
The room was filled with gasps as students instinctively covered their heads. The wall exploded in a thousand tiny pieces, small pieces of brick and mortar flying through the air and bouncing off the shimmering shield.
“Thank you, Miss Ellingboe. You may step back,” Professor Walsh said, as she nodded.
Veda smiled and gave a small curtsy as stepped back, flipping her raven hair over her shoulder. Ember stifled a laugh as she rolled her eyes, and Veda quickly narrowed her toward her.
“Something funny, worm?” she hissed.
Ember rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest, not bothering to give Veda the satisfaction of a reply.
“I’d be happy to show you some other spells I have in my arsenal,” she whispered with a wry smile. “Though, I’m sure Mummy could show you a few that would make even my father wince.”
Ember narrowed her eyes as she flipped her head around, clenching her hands into tight fists.
Odette didn’t say anything, but Ember could feel a strange magic rippling off the girl, something soothing that made the tightness in her chest ease, just slightly.
She felt her small hand on her balled fist, but her anger was already reaching a breaking point.
“What?” Veda continued, her smile growing as she whispered sweetly. “Has your mummy not told you what she’s been up to? What she knows?”
Ember’s chest tightened as she took the smallest step forward.
“Oh, I’m sure she has some stories to tell you. She’s quite powerful,” Veda continued, nonchalantly flipping her hair over her shoulder. “It’s too bad you’re just a stupid little—”
“Watch it,” Killian hissed, as he grabbed Ember’s other fist, stopping her abruptly from wrapping her hand’s around the girl’s petite neck. “You’ve had your fun, now stop.”
“Oh, cousin,” Veda smiled, “the fun hasn’t even begun.”
Professor Walsh waltzed to the center of the room after repairing the wall and cleared her throat to gather the class’s attention once again.
“As you saw Miss Ellingboe demonstrate,” she began, “the blasting curse is a simple one. You will begin with holding your arm parallel to the ground, palm toward the ceiling, and closing your hand into a fist.” She demonstrated the correction position and waited as the class mirrored her.
“Next, you will quickly rotate your arm 180 degrees, flicking your wrist upward, and open your palm in one swift motion so it is facing the wall.” Professor Walsh waited as the students practiced the motion, correcting several as she glided around the room.
After a few minutes of practice, the professor waltzed back to the center of the room.
“After completing the motion, you will firmly say ‘destra’ as your palm opens. This particular bit of magic should be felt traveling from your sternum and through your arm, if done correctly. It is a powerful spell that requires control and a steady hand, so don’t be surprised if it takes you a while longer than most spells to master. ”