Madison snapped her fingers and the tops of our uniforms changed colors to match our team.
“The winners will grab their opponents flag and cross onto their own side. You have two minutes to strategize with your team.”
Aric tapped my arm. “We should work together. And the rules are no attacking spells but she never said anything about invisibility or enhanced speed.” His eyes danced with mischief. “The only problem is Zyacus will be watching both of us closely.”
Lora tapped her foot on the ground. “Some of us need to guard our flag and some need to go after theirs.”
“I’ll guard,” that stocky red-headed boy from Arohem said.
“Me too,” said Lora.
“Tor, Sinna, you guard as well,” Aric said to the boy and girl from his kingdom. “You’re best at it. Viktor, you’re the fastest, you should be one to seek their flag.” He looked at me. “We play this a lot in Collweya.”
“I’m willing to go into enemy territory,” I said.
Aric smirked. “Alright, I have a plan.”
A loud whistle signaled the game had begun. I waited for Aric and the others chosen to charge across the pathway, and clash with the yellow team in a flurry of swords. I looked to make sure none of their team was watching me and spelled myself invisible. Standing on the far side of the clash, Viktor followed my lead, disappearing from view and then I dashed into the yellow territory, unseen and unheard. I only had to make it to the cover of the trees and release the spell. I couldn’t hold it much longer or I’d drain my magic.
Once I was sure no one was close by, I shoved my way into a bush and let the invisibility spell go. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I waited and listened for the sounds of anyone nearby. Birds singing, bees buzzing, small critters in the treetops but nothing else of note. I risked peeking out and saw no one which meant I wasn’t near their flag. They’d have people guarding it, giving away the location.
Slowly I emerged from cover and darted to a nearby tree. Voices traveled on the air and I made for them, covering ground quickly. When they grew louder, I crept low in the grass and found a boulder to peer out from behind. A boy and girl stood with their swords in hand, laughing about something. The yellow flag was between them staked in the ground on a three-foot pole.
I looked for other guards; there could be more than two protecting this thing. Then my eye caught a flash of purple. Viktor was across the clearing moving swiftly from tree to tree. I wished I could get him a message or… I could run around behind these two and get to Viktor.
I had it in me to make myself invisible again for a short burst. Whispering the spell, my body tingled and then I ran, light feet, hardly a sound, and in a few long strides I made it to Viktor. When I appeared next to him, he cursed and almost fell over.
“Could you give me some warning next time?” he whispered.
I shrugged, not knowing what sort of warning I could give without revealing myself to the other team. “So how are we going to take these two out quietly?”
Viktor rubbed his chin. “Subduing them will take too much time and will draw others. That girl is too good. I’ve watched her during class. One of us goes in to distract, probably takes a beating, and the other grabs the flag and makes a run for it.”
I took a deep breath. Knowing we’d both want to be the one to grab the flag and run, I suggested, “Rock off?” Rock, paper, dagger. “One round.”
“What sort of man would I be if I let the Princess of Delhoon go in alone to take a beating?” He shook his head. “I’ll fight them, you get the flag and run like you never have before.”
Squeezing my hands into fists, I nodded. “I’ll make it.”
He grinned. “I don’t have a doubt.”
Jumping to his feet, he charged in with a battle cry and the two guards ran at him. They clashed, hitting swords, and I took my chance.
I pushed my legs hard, snatched the flag and sprinted away, giving the yellow team a vulgar gesture as I went by.
“Get her!” The boy yelled but Viktor smashed his shoulder into the boy’s gut, and tripped the girl.
The girl swore loudly, and I knew she’d be up in a matter of seconds. Light footsteps followed me; she was close behind, too close. I turned conjuring a glowing green rope and threw it at her legs, when it wrapped around I pulled it tight. She fell hard, and cried out smashing her face into the grass. It would take her time to get out of that so I focused on what was ahead of me. Running faster than I probably ever had in my life.
I heard him before I saw him, a flash of yellow careening toward me. I skidded to a halt, hoping he’d fly by me, but Zyacus’s arm caught my shirt and we both tumbled to the ground. I rolled, ending up on my knees. From his back, he jumped to his feet in one swift movement.
“You’re not leaving with that flag, Princess,” he said, a wicked smile forming on his lips.
I slowly rose to my full height, gripping the flag like my life depended on it. This wasn’t just about winning for my team, it was a personal vendetta against the Hesstian Prince now. I took a step to the right and he mirrored me, blocking my path. I wasn’t within his grasp but he was too close for me to run by him.
“Give it to me,” he said, holding out a hand as if simply commanding it would make me do so. There was a sort of power laced in his voice and I wondered if he was using magic somehow.
Either way
