Fenni’s palms were sweaty as he stepped forward. Although he’d spent a few hours with Jael yesterday, he hadn’t seen him in action, so he had no idea what the Naobian was capable of.
“Now, remember, Fenni, play to your strengths,” Master Giddi said.
Jael’s master was nowhere to be seen. In fact, Fenni didn’t even know who it was. Poor Jael. At least he had Master Giddi to support him. “My strengths? What are those again?” Shards, those frogs in his stomach wouldn’t settle.
Giddi chuckled. “You’re a fast-thinker. Trust your instincts and make sure you—”
A horn cut off Master Giddi’s words. Well, that advice was as good as useless, wasn’t it?
Fenni sensed the sathir in the forest and drew the energy inside himself. He flung his hands. Bolts of flame flew from his fingers, straight at Jael. The Naobian conjured up a thick ice shield. Sweat beading on his forehead, Fenni shoved his flames through the ice, melting it. Rivulets of water ran down Jael’s shield. This was easier than he’d thought. Any moment now, he’d blast through.
Jael barely moved, but the water froze again. The shield thickened.
The Egg save him, no matter how much fire he threw, Jael’s shield stayed intact.
Jael tilted his head. A flurry of snow swirled at Fenni’s feet, then melted, turning to a pool of slush. Icy water trickled through Fenni’s bootlace holes. He ignored it. Jael was trying to distract him. Fenni blasted the shield with more power.
The shield collapsed. Fenni’s flame shot at Jael. Yes. He’d done it. Holding up his hand, the Naobian doused Fenni’s fire before it reached him—and smiled. Jael was playing with him.
The earth underfoot churned with the slush to form mud. A gale-force wind blasted Fenni face-first into the mud puddle. Crows and hoots of laughter rang out.
“Go Jael,” someone yelled.
“Show that Northerner how we duel.”
Kneeling, Fenni spat out mud, grabbing handfuls of snow and scrubbing his face. His belly burned with anger. How dare—
No, he couldn’t go there. If he lost his temper, he’d fail.
Fenni drew himself up to full height and pulled sathir inside himself until his whole body was humming and his fingers pulsing. Snow swirled around Fenni, but he ignored Jael’s attack. He tugged a vine from a tree behind Jael. He’d bind Jael the way the strangleton had bound him. The vine whipped from the tree, wrapping itself around Jael’s torso, trapping an arm against his side. Surprise shot across Jael’s face.
Hah. A one-armed wizard—that would serve him right.
Jael flung his remaining arm out. Snow hit Fenni, knocking him back a step, his footing slippery in the mud. Pulling more sathir, Fenni channeled the energy into a vortex, flinging a whirlwind at Jael. Jael stumbled, but his laughter echoed around the clearing as he spun the vortex, aiming it at the ground. The wind ripped through the snow, spraying white as it plowed toward Fenni—and knocked him down.
Shards, he’d been knocked down twice. Would he qualify? Fenni’s dreams of fighting tharuks flashed before his eyes. He saw Uncle Fennock’s dead body all over again, his cousins’ tears tracking down their faces. He’d vowed he’d grow up to be a mage and smite those awful beasts.
Jael’s vines froze and shattered, debris flying.
Fenni scrambled to his feet and created a wall of mage fire.
His forehead glistening with sweat in the green firelight, Jael waved a hand. Fenni’s flames fizzled and died. A plume of green mage fire arced through the air, right at Fenni.
Flaming shards. Desperate, Fenni flung one hand up to create an ice shield, and pointed his other hand toward the forest, searching for something, anything. A massive spiderweb, as wide as three men, hung between two trees. He squeezed his fingers into a fist. The web coalesced into a sticky mass, which he flung at Jael. The spiderweb wrapped itself around the Naobian mage. Jael’s fire guttered and fizzed out, and Jael fell to the ground.
He’d done it. He’d knocked him over—
Jael wasn’t moving. Murmurs rippled around the clearing. Oh gods, had he killed him?
Fenni ran over, kneeling by Jael, just as Master Giddi reached him. Jael was pale, eyes shut, his chest rising and falling with rapid gasps. “He’s still breathing,” Fenni cried. “He’s not dead.”
“I should hope not,” said Master Giddi. “Get him out of there, quick.”
Fenni used mage power to tear the spiderweb free and send it hurtling back into the forest. He shook Jael awake and helped him sit up. “You all right?” He didn’t look all right. He was still gasping for air. “I’m sorry. What happened?”
“It’s nothing.” Jael waved a hand, trying to laugh it off.
Master Giddi kept his voice low. “Jael’s mother was killed by a venomous gargantula when he was very young. Ever since then, he’s been terrified of spiders.”
Fenni hadn’t known, but everyone would think he’d exploited Jael’s fear. His face burned with shame. Surely, he’d failed his trials.
“Thanks, Giddi,” Jael snapped. “That’s not something I want everyone to know.”
“I’ve blown your secret. I’m sorry.” Fenni slumped.
Jael shrugged. “Too late now.”
Fenni helped him up and the crowd cheered. They stood, awaiting Master Starrus’ verdict.
“Master Jael, you dueled well, testing our trainee’s fire skills. We hope you have recovered.”
Still pale, Jael nodded, giving a tight smile.
Wait. What had Master Starrus said? “Jael’s a master?” Fenni asked. He’d had no idea.
Master Giddi twitched an eyebrow. “That’s why I let him train you.”
“Not that it did any good if I’ve failed my trials,” Fenni said, sighing.
“What do you mean?” said Master Starrus. “You exhibited control. You had no idea that the spiderweb would affect Master Jael like that.” He passed Fenni his turquoise crystal. “Now,
