Chapter 13 #2
She looked away from him as it slipped from her mouth. Those charms were expensive. “I’m sor-”
“We only have the hour,” said Mal. “Hendrix and Abraxas will cover for us, and then we need to be on our way.”
Maeve didn’t argue. “And what exactly are we doing here?”
“Looking for something that would be, to quote you, ‘quite the accomplishment’.”
Maeve’s eyebrows raised and she frowned slightly. “You want to know if it’s possible to cheat death.”
“Sharp as a thorn.”
Mal was not smiling. He was not attempting to charm or manipulate her.
“Well,” said Maeve. “We should start right away then.”
Between the two of them, they took three books each that proved promising, based on titles alone. The plan was to read them, find any and all useful information and return them to the Restricted Section. And continue that pattern until Mal had his answers.
“Did you enjoy being me last night?” Maeve asked Abraxas on the way to Alchemy the following day.
“No offense, Maeve, but I pretended to be Mal, not you.”
Maeve pushed him as they laughed together.
Hummingdoor paired Maeve with Roswyn to brew their own Everlasting Elixirs, which would come in handy if you never wanted to run out of a potion.
“Was Mal with you last night, like Abraxas says?” Roswyn asked Maeve.
Maeve was measuring out snake fangs on a set of scales. “I don’t see why that’s important to you.”
Roswyn snatched the bottle of snake fangs from Maeve, his temper swelling to the surface.
“Watch it,” warned Maeve, her voice low. “I don’t intend to fail the day because you want to throw a tantrum.”
Roswyn stared her down, huffed, and placed the vial back on the desk.
Despite his sour attitude, Hummingdoor passed their Everlasting Elixir, and the rest of the day was quite nice.
Maeve came across some interesting concepts from her Restricted Section books, but not exactly what they were looking for. A few days had passed since their initial visit, and Mal proposed they swap the books out for more.
While both Mal and Maeve learned quite a bit from their illegal readings, they visited the Restricted Area of the Library for weeks with no success. Maeve assured him if they came up short, her father’s library, or even basement library, would provide answers.
But summer was too far away for Mal.
“Have you ever heard of a Lethifold?” Mal asked Maeve one night in the Dueling Hall.
They were mindlessly sending spells back and forth over conversation.
“I don’t believe so.”
“They are considered a highly dangerous dark creature.”
“Derived from lethum, Latin for ‘death’ possibly.”
“They’re said to be nothing more than a thin dark cloak, levitating off the ground with a carnivorous appetite. Only attacking at night. They suffocate their prey and then digest them.”
“Ah,” said Maeve. “So more likely ‘lethi’ as in levitate, and also lethal.”
“Thank you for the Latin lesson.” Mal sent a hefty hex her way.
“Anytime.” Maeve blocked it with ease.
He lowered his arm and stared at her.
“You’re going to duel tomorrow night.”
Maeve laughed.
“You’re ready.”
Her face flattened. “Oh, you’re serious?”
Mal crossed the circular dueling platform towards her. “Tomorrow. I’m putting your name down.”
In a swift motion, Mal dismounted the platform and made for the door.
“Hurry up, Sinclair. You’ve got Paragon duties. I know you wouldn’t dream of blowing those off.”
“Cheeky,’ whispered Maeve, with the hint of a smile.
Chapter 14
The Dueling Club’s weekly event had arrived. Maeve ran into Mal as she made her way to the dungeon.
“You know, you were right about something,” said Mal.
“I’m certain I’m right about many things.”
He rolled his eyes and ignored her. “In one of those books you gave me, it talks about Dread bloodline being able to speak and converse with serpents. I wonder if Kietel can?”
Maeve nodded. “I distinctly remember my father attempting to converse with snakes in the garden. He was rather disappointed, in the end.”
The Daily Divination wrote about Kietel every day. Every day he was a murderer, a traitor, a bigot and a liar. He wrote a speech the Daily Divination refused to print. The Starlight Gazete did though.
He defended his actions, calling out The Orator’s Office and her father even for conspiring against Magicals to obtain power. It was a call to action for all Magicals. And a threat to Magicals who opposed him.
“What do you think?” Asked Mal.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand it all.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say those words.”
“Shut up,” said Maeve.
Mal looked down at her with a satisfied expression.
The hall was already jammed full. Freddy Jones, captain of the dueling club, made a beeline for Mal and Maeve when he saw them.
“Oi! Malachite,” said Freddy, holding out a clipboard with a list of students on it. “You mean to write down ‘er name?” His head jabbed towards Maeve.
“I did,” said Mal.
Freddy’s face scrunched up. “But she ain’t never even dueled before.”
“I know that, Freddy,” replied Mal calmly.
Freddy ran his fingers through his hair and looked sideways at Maeve. “Alright, but the lineup fell for ‘er to duel Grisham, so you’d better be certain.”
Mal clapped Freddy on the shoulder. “Even more so now.”
They made their way through the crowd.
“I see Abraxas,” said Maeve, heading in his direction.
“Did you see?” Abraxas asked as they reached him, his eyes wide.
“Yes.” Maeve nodded.
“I can’t wait to watch you destroy him.”
Abraxas was eagerly writing down his bets for the night. When Lavinia came around to collect them, she smiled at Maeve.
“I placed my whole wager on you,” said Lavinia.
“I did as well,” said Abraxas.
Maeve smiled and relaxed back in the chair. It was common knowledge that Mal had been training her for months, and apparently, everyone was eager to see what she was made of.
Halfway through the night when word spread that Mal’s pupil would be fighting Grisham the dueling hall was filled with nearly every student and Proffesor at Vaukore.
Headmaster Elgin and Rowan made an uncommon appearance.
It wasn’t long before it was Maeve’s turn. Professor Larliesl was practically giddy as he announced her name. Grisham was already making his way onto the platform. There was a buzz through the room as Larliesl invited them to take their places.
Mal grabbed Maeve’s arm, bringing his lips close to her ear.
She exhaled sharply. Cool, refreshing magic pressed through her blouse and into her arm. It tricked down the side of her neck as he spoke.
“Grisham loses his temper easily. Use that to your advantage,” whispered Mal.
Maeve’s eyes never left Grisham as she nodded and took the stand. Grisham looked annoyed that he had to duel Maeve. Like it was beneath him.
They joined in the middle and bowed.
“Don’t think because you’re new, I’ll go easy on you,” seethed Grisham.
Maeve took a low curtsy and looked up at him.
“How about because I’m a girl, then?” She said sweetly. Maeve let go of her skirt with a flourish and turned on her heel. She walked the length of the platform and turned to face Grisham. He readied his left hand at his side. Maeve tossed her hair over her shoulder and followed suit.
“Begin!” Shouted Freddy.
Green light shot from the tip of Grisham’s two fingers, Maeve ducked down, took a knee, and fired back without hesitation.
Maeve’s hex hit Grisham square in the chest, sparks of blue splattering across his shirt, ripping the fabric as he grunted in pain.
A hex she sent with two fingers. An audible gasp rang through the room.
Maeve could hear Abraxas cheer loudly.
Grisham’s body was already reacting to the hex; his two front teeth were getting longer every few seconds. His face turned bright red. He reared his arm back and sent her a bright green hex. It completely missed her. A group of girls screamed and had to slink to the floor to avoid getting blasted.
Grisham reared back again and sent Maeve another hex. She blocked his advance with her left palm. His teeth were still growing rather rapidly, and he looked furious.
Maeve lowered her right hand to her side, at the ready, just as Mal had taught her. Magic barreled down her arm, building and begging for release.
He fired on her again, the sparks as bright as his angered face. She blocked with her left once more, power swelling at her right side. It pulled her eyes to a close.
A third, furious curse flew from Grisham’s fingers as is slammed into Maeve’s shield.
She opened her eyes. Pulled her two fingers into her palm, reared her arm back and fired, two fingers flinging bright sharp light across the dueling platform.
His shield shattered. He was too focused on his offensive Magic to create a proper shield. And her magic encompassed him entirely. He slammed to the floor with a loud smack in a silent cry. His mouth hung open, teeth pushing past his bottom lip.
He was down for one, two, three seconds as Maeve crossed the platform towards him. He pushed into the floor and made to stand. But he stopped as Maeve pressed two fingers into his throat.
He looked at her with a hatred that rivaled the way her sister looked at her.
The room erupted in applause and cheers.
Maeve sighed with relief and dropped her hand.
She stepped away from him. She allowed herself to meet Mal’s eyes.
He gave her a slow nod of approval. He was subtly smirking and politely applauding.
His behavior was in complete juxtaposition to Abraxas, who was losing his mind with joy.
He and Hendrix Fawley were jumping up and down, their fists in the air.
She looked back down at Grisham and extended him her hand. He slapped it away without a thought and pushed off the dueling platform.
“Thornburg!” Shouted Larliesl. “Take Mr. Grisham to the healing wing and have those teeth retracted at once.”
Grisham was one step away from foaming at the mouth. His two front teeth were already past his chin. He glared at Maeve.
“Fucking bitch,” he muttered, but Larliesl didn’t miss it.