Page 75 of By the Moonbeam and the Mist
My frown deepened as I mulled over every one of those absurd statements.
“She thought she’d be given special privileges like a princess title if shekilledme? That literally goes against one of the only three rules here at the Esholian Institute.”
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure she meant the princess title at all.” Dazmine hesitated, chewing on the inside of her cheek. “But if Jenia knew there was a possibility she could get a second brand—a secondmagic—she would have done anything to achieve that goal.”
We both stood there in a state of troubled contemplation, letting the buzzing and humming of insects and plant life wash over us, until Dazmine seemed to shake herself from her reverie with a shake of her head.
“Regardless, Jenia didn’t actually kill youorFergus. And she shouldn’t be exiled for a murder your boyfriend committed. So I’m still waiting for you to fulfill your end of the bargain by—”
“Hold up.” In my jolt of disbelief, I almost dropped the damn basket of birdfeed again. “One, Steeler isnotmy boyfriend.Two, Ididfulfill my end of the bargain even though it was an absolutely ludicrous thing to ask of me. That’s why I told you to meet me here.”
Dazmine pretended to survey our surroundings.
“Really? You brought me back a pirate? That’s funny, I don’t see any of them around, but perhaps they’re experts in the art of camouflage.”
“Nah,” came a vaguely familiar voice from behind us, each of his words brimming with laughter that seemed to rumble the earth beneath our feet, “you’re just not looking hard enough.”
Dazmine twirled with her fists extended.
A breath later, Steeler emerged casually from the foliage, his Element Wielder friend with the grizzled red hair stepping out beside him.
Terrin grinned at Dazmine.
“I heard you wanted to hold me hostage.”
CHAPTER
25
Dazmine struck.
With a violent whistle through her teeth, the bulbous roots of a nearby tree came lashing out toward Terrin like a whip.
Only to meet a sudden gust of muggy wind that pushed it back.
“Oh, you want to play first?” Terrin tilted his head.
Dazmine didn’t answer. She was already crouching with a hum, telling the ferns and hawthorns to lasso his ankles and pull him down.
As soon as they did, Terrin sent a tornado of soil shooting upward, ripping through the shrubs and propelling him back to his feet.
Which prompted Dazmine to send a horde of mosquitos at him.
Which prompted Terrin to fling a cloud of smoke at the horde to suffocate them in midair.
Before I could get pummeled with either one of their magics, I sidled off to where Steeler was leaning against a tree, observing the proceedings with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
“How long do you think they’ll go at it?” he asked without looking my way.
Well, if he wasn’t going to turn to face me, I wouldn’t so much as glance at him either.
“Knowing Dazmine… a while,” I admitted.
Steeler snorted. “Knowing Terrin, they’ll be at it all night. I’ll give them a few more minutes before I Walk them both to the lighthouse where they can battle it out there instead of where someone might hear us.”
Not that it was unusual for random bursts of magic to rattle various parts of the jungle on the weekends as students practiced, but I could see his point: if anyone actually sawwhowas rattling this part of the jungle, they might recognize Terrin as someone who didn’t belong to the Esholian Institute—or the island at all anymore.
“I’m shocked you actually brought him here,” I said.
