A sharp chill ran down my spine. I hoped they weren’t vampires.
Pushing his shoulders back with a sneer, Zyacus said, “We got the same clue as everyone. You simply weren’t smart enough to figure it out before we did.”
Truthfully, if the mysterious voice hadn’t told me, we’d have been up near the front doors searching the statues but this boy from Collweya and his group of five friends didn’t need to know that.
“It’s too much of a coincidence. Cheaters,” the light-haired boy growled.
“Get out of the way,” Zyacus snapped.
All six of them pulled their swords. The blond smirked. “Give us the orb and we won’t leave you beaten and nearly dead. Or all the way dead. I haven’t decided yet.”
I tensed, my body surging with electric energy at their threat. “You would dare threaten to kill us?” I demanded pulling my own weapon. “I could have you punished for this.”
“You two going to run to momma and papa?” the leader asked, and the boys snickered. “Or handle your own problems like true warriors?”
“You think all of you can share the bow?” Zyacus huffed. “It can only belong to one person. And I suppose the hot head here thinks he’ll get it.”
“Stupid prince,” drawled another boy, who happened to be incredibly well built. “Do you have any idea how much that thing is worth? But you two wouldn’t care. You have all the riches you could ever want.”
So they planned on selling the bow and splitting the money. If they knew of the dying crops and how much money they will need just to feed their families, they might truly want to kill us for it. I wasn’t worried about dying, but I didn’t need the bow. Like the boy said, Zyacus and I had never been left wanting for anything. “Just give them the orb. They clearly need the coin.”
“We don’t need your pity,” the blond boy snapped.
With a look of his usual arrogance, Zyacus tossed the orb up and down. “Our pity is the only way you’ll get it. If you want it, get down on your knees and say, ‘oh great and marvelous Prince Zyacus, and gracious, amazing, beautiful Princess Visteal, please show us pity and give us the orb.’” He stuck one foot out in front of him. “Then kiss my boot.”
My heart nearly seized, oh good pixie of course he’d say something like that. I threw up my magical shield knowing they’d attack. No self-respecting person at this academy wouldn’t fight after that insulting speech.
A blazing fireball slammed into my shield and I absorbed the magic of it. Standing back to back, Zyacus and I fought off magical attacks and blocked weapons. The ping of swords was bound to draw attention. I hoped that of our friends. I was nervous about unleashing my power; I didn’t want to accidentally kill anyone.
I got the better of one boy, slicing him across the cheek, leaving a gaping wound. He bellowed and backed off, probably running for the infirmary. Five more to go. Another dropped on Zyacus’s end. The large built boy slammed his sword into mine pressing against me with a crushing weight. I pushed with all my strength. Grinding my teeth, I let out a clenched scream at the pressure. If I didn’t hold, his sword could cut me in half. There were no healing wounds of the dead. I couldn’t stop it, my magic flared and a wave rocked the Collweyan boys, tossing them twenty feet away.
This time however, Zyacus hadn’t been hit. He stood inches from me. Somehow my magic went around him.
One of the Collweyan boys on the ground groaned. At least they were alive.
“You’ve got to show me that spell,” Zyacus murmured. He lifted his chin toward the academy. “Let’s go before they get up.”
As we ran to find the two girls who hosted the scavenger hunt, I heard the voice again, just as quiet as before, “Impressive.”
Chapter 21
When I saw a group traveling down the path toward us, I stopped Zyacus. Not that I couldn’t handle another fight but we could avoid it and we should. “Let’s spell back.” I wrapped my arms around his torso and whispered, “appearus.” I held the image of where I wanted us to go and we were pulled through space and materialized next to the boulder where the hosts had last been.
The chatter stopped between the girls and—Firo Hazelvale as well as another man. Firo turned on a heel.
With a mischievous smile, Zyacus stuffed the orb into my hand and turned me around to face them. “Visteal found the orb.”
The girls beamed at Zyacus as if I weren’t even there. I’d gotten used to the reaction from pretty much all females.
Firo though, had his eyes pinned on me. “It looks like this belongs to you then, highness.” With the golden bow in hand he stepped toward us.
The other man, another light-haired, dark-eyed Hazelvale by the look of him, studied me like he was inspecting a prized horse. Growing increasingly uncomfortable, I lifted my chin. “Is there something you’d like to ask me, sir? Or perhaps you’re staring at me so intently for another reason.”
Firo chuckled as he placed the bow in my hands. He looked back over his shoulder to the man. “As I said, brother, she is quite outspoken.”
The brother cracked a smile. “I guess she is.”
“She,” I said, “doesn’t like to be referred to as if she is not here. She is also your princess and will have your respect.” Simply because they had wealth didn’t mean they were on my status level.
Zyacus moved closer to me, I could feel the heat of his body millimeters from mine.
Firo turned back with an amused gleam in his eye, and bowed his head. “Highness, please forgive our rudeness. My brother Dain and I meant you no disrespect.”
I wrapped my fingers hard around
