Damien left the tent first. I stumbled behind him into the sunlight.
Vivienne ran over. “What happened? Why was Professor Plumpleberry called in?”
Celia Greendew came over too. “Yes, Rory,” she said, pouting. “I thought you were so good at healing, all those extra classes and all. Hope you don’t fail your first test.”
I hung my head. What could I say? I couldn’t tell them what I really did. I had already raised Damien’s suspicions, and Penelope must have realized that the magic I used to heal the girl was fae magic. It wasn’t long now before someone found out and revealed my secret. And that someone would probably be Damien.
The next day of tests went well. It was the illusions and transformation examination, and I had the highest marks in the class. I managed to turn Vivienne’s hair pink and gave her fae ears. I thought she looked very cute. Even Professor Swindern was impressed and clapped when I performed my illusion. Luckily Vivienne scraped through her test, since she tried to turn my hair green but only succeeding in coloring half of it.
The last day of testing was upon us. I was so nervous the whole night I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed and replayed all that had happened again and again in my head. I hadn’t seen Damien at the illusion test, and I hoped he had dismissed his suspicions about me. I dressed quickly and hardly ate any breakfast. My stomach was doing cartwheels, and I felt unwell.
The south field was completely transformed; in the center was a round, open arena surrounded by stands that rose in tiers. It looked like a miniature coliseum. I glanced up to find that there was a huge turnout today, and everyone had come to see the final tests—warrior skills.
Baron Tanko announced the opening of the day’s examinations and signaled for the testing to begin. He then read out the names of everyone’s opponents. It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise when I was pitted against Damien. The teachers knew of our dislike for each other, but they also knew that I was the only one who was as good as Damien in warrior skills. They seemed to want a public duel, and I was going to give them one.
“I did some checking up on you, Rory,” Damien said, coming up to me, a jeering tone to his voice. “I have searched all the archives for some mention of your family, and there is none. Every noble family is listed, even the obscure ones. So I did some more digging.” His eyes narrowed and turned to ice. “And you know what I found?”
I shook my head as my blood ran cold.
“I discovered that my uncle, the archmage Lucian, has been searching for a girl.” His eyes bore into mine. “An escaped prisoner who has been hiding from Morgana under a false identity.”
I stood frozen in shock.
He came closer and leaned close to me, his breath hot on my ear. “I know who you really are, Aurora Firedrake.”
My skin prickled at his words, but I kept my face impassive, pushing aside the dread that had started rising within me. “I don’t know what you are talking about. I’ve never heard that name.” I turned to leave.
His hand darted at me like a snake as he caught my arm in a violent grip. “Your days are numbered, Firedrake. Once I beat you in front of the whole school, I will send a message to my uncle, the archmage. I’m sure he will be very pleased to find out where you are.”
I walked away from him, my blood boiling. How could I have been so stupid? I risked everything to save the girl, and now Damien had found out who I really was. I had to stop him from sending that message to Lucian. But how?
I couldn’t think about that right now. I had to concentrate, or I would fail the most important test. But I wasn’t going to let him get the better of me. If I could hit him with a powerful enough stun during the match, I could potentially knock him out for a few hours until I spoke to Penelope and Professor Dekela and figured out what to do. But Damien was a powerful novice; it would be nearly impossible to break through his shield with my amulet on. If I took it off during the match, just long enough to knock Damien out, I was sure I could control my magic—for a short time, at least.
The fourth-years, then third-years, and finally second-years preceded us, as they always did. It was quite wonderful watching the more advanced students matched in magical duels. Their strikes were fast, and their shields were strong.
It was finally my turn. Damien and I took our places opposite each other in the center of the arena. We took ten steps away from each other as instructed.
Baron Tanko’s voice sounded across the arena. “Shields up!” he boomed. “Begin.”
Damien turned before me and shot a stun strike at my head, but my magical shield easily deflected it. There were three rounds, and the best of three won. Confident that my shield was strong, I channeled my magic into attacking Damien. I hit him with a stun strike, but his shield held. I gathered more power and performed a push strike, which succeeded in making him stumble. I beamed. I had got a hit in and had won the first point. If I won the next one, I would win the duel.
Damien looked at me with such hatred in his piercing blue eyes that a shiver ran down my spine when I remembered how he and his friends had attacked me. But I was not the same person I had been then. I was stronger, faster, and adequately trained to take him on now.
