Page 23 of Fortune Academy: Year One
“Weapon of choice?” Professor Payne asked me.
If I chose my weapon first, it might give Olivia a chance to choose something that would properly defend against it. I didn’t want to kill her, even if it was fake. I was sure no matter how powerful the spell, it would feel real enough.
As I looked over the crossbows, spears, and swords, a wave of dread swept over me. This just felt... wrong.
“And if we refuse?” I countered, propping my hands on my hips to glare at the dwarf.
He leaned back and regarded me with a smug look on his face as if his highchair was actually a throne and we were in his domain now. “You’re free to leave the Academy, if that’s what you wish, however we can’t have untapped and undocumented supernaturals running around humanity. There are certain... binds that’ll make you more or less human, if that’s what you really want.”
“No,” Olivia said, her voice firm. “I want to do this.” I turned to regard her and a pang of sympathy hit my chest. I recognized the look on her face. She was just as lost as I was. She was here to discover who and what she was after losing her memory of any history, family, or sense of homecoming. The panic in her eyes said that if she didn’t get that chance, she’d never be able to live with herself.
I could relate.
“Dagger,” I said instinctively. I hadn’t yet decided if I was going to let Olivia win, but there were plenty of weapon choices that could give her an advantage.
She looked through her options, her gaze scanning over the spear that would give her better reach, but perhaps be clumsy. The sword that would also allow her to keep her distance, but might be too heavy. Finally, her attention rested on the crossbow.
“That one,” she said, pointing to the ranged weapon. It was a risky choice, but I approved. I was good with a dagger and if Olivia could take me out before I had a chance to get in up close, she might win on her own accord.
The panther shifter collected the weapons and tossed them into the arena. They glowed with power and the sands reacted, resonating with the spell that would hopefully keep us alive when one emerged the victor.
I took up my dagger and tested its weight, then raised both my eyebrows at Olivia as if to say, you sure about this?
She slung the bolt quiver over her shoulder and nocked one bolt into her crossbow, then gave me a jerky nod. “I’m ready.”
Professor Payne raised up one hand. “Everyone pay attention. If we’re lucky, one of these ladies will Awaken.” He regarded us with a stern stare. “If either of you hesitates or gives up, the magic will take hold and force a winner. Don’t let it come to that.” He balled his fingers into a fist and jerked down. “Begin!”
Magic popped me in the legs and startled me into a slow, stalking circle around the perimeter of the arena.
Olivia’s knees buckled, but then she straightened them and aimed the crossbow at me.
Olivia had seemed sheepish and weak this whole time, but the promise that she might find out what she was seemed to drive her into a deeper personality hidden underneath the mortal exterior. Deep down, she was supernatural, just like me and everyone else here.
I couldn’t help but smile. As barbaric as the arena might be, it looked like the process of Awakening was already working on her.
I, on the other hand, didn’t feel anything different other than the razor edge of fear that ran up my spine at having a weapon pointed at me. I angled my feet and bent my knees. When Olivia let her first bolt loose, I twisted out of the way and the breeze of the deadly weapon whizzed inches away from my face.
Too close for comfort.
Professor Payne was right about one thing. Survival instinct kicked in and I launched closer to Olivia, hoping to catch her off-guard before she nocked another bolt that she was already trying to saddle into the weapon. Her eyes glowed with determination and very real magic. Whatever she was underneath the surface was trying to come out.
“That’s it,” Professor Payne said with approval. “Keep going. It’s working.”
I thrust with my dagger, but Olivia twisted and shot a fresh bolt. Pain laced through my shoulder and I cried out as I went launching back. As if being impaled by a bolt wasn’t bad enough, I fell at the edge of the arena’s border and my hand landed on the spiked boundary, impaling me to the bone.
Pain made my vision haze red.
Olivia grimaced and lowered her crossbow, but the magic of the arena wasn’t going to allow mercy. Her arms shot up as she aimed again, this time her eyes filled with panic. “Lily,” she cried out, “move!”
Damn it.
I rolled out of the way as she let another bolt fly. It sank into the sands and I used the only supernatural ability to have manifested in myself so far to propel halfway across the arena. My supernatural strength could be from any of the magical manifestations I’d seen in the Academy and didn’t give me a clue as to what I was, but right now, I didn’t care. My emotions and logic filtered out a small window in my mind and only instinct remained.
Kill or be killed.
Survive.
My dagger found its mark and Olivia shrieked, grabbing at the hilt of the blade now buried in her abdomen. Her eyes flashed with purple magic and the hairs over my entire body stood on end as she reached out and gripped my arm. “Lily,” she said, repeating my name.
