First Year (8 page)

“You poor thing, most of the class can outrun you,” Ella sympathized, patting his shoulder and laughing at the same time. “Can’t believe you thought you had a chance with Priscilla.”

Alex guffawed but then continued stubbornly, “But why not? I thought status wasn’t supposed to matter here.”

I choked on my roast, and Ella just rolled her eyes. “It will always matter to some,” I finally managed to say through a mouthful of spinach. Darren’s angry eyes flashed in my mind.

“Especially,” Ella added, “to those who plan on joining the royal family.” She jerked her head in Priscilla’s direction.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked reluctantly.

“I grew up with her,” she replied. “Believe me,
that
girl has eyes for one thing and one thing only.”

“So, she’s here for Prince Darren,” Alex surmised.

“Most definitely.” Ella twisted the water glass in her palm. “Her parents are
very
well-known courtiers. Social climbers like Priscilla’s family dedicate their lives to building close relations with the Crown. Priscilla is a very pretty girl, and her family has enough standing to make her a very eligible wife. Everyone knows that, as future king, Prince Blayne’s hands are tied with a political marriage, but Darren’s are not. Every power hungry family in court who has a daughter around his age has been after that title since the day he was born.”

As I listened to Ella, I found myself watching Priscilla interact with those closest to her. Ella could say she was power hungry, but the girl had still performed very strongly in all of our lessons today.

“I don’t think she’s just here for the prince,” I remarked, causing both Alex and Ella to start. I continued, “Priscilla’s much too prepared. She might want to secure an engagement, but I think she came here for a robe.”

Ella just shook her head. “If she wasn’t good, she wouldn’t have a chance at the throne to begin with.”

“Why?”

“Because magic is all that prince cares about,” Ella explained dryly. “I thought he’d grow out of it, but since he’s here, I’m quite certain he hasn’t. Priscilla and her parents were undoubtedly smart enough to figure that out. I’m sure as soon as they realized how serious he was about the Academy, they got her the best tutor money could buy.”

I looked back to the end of the table where Priscilla and Darren and the rest of their following were seated. I’d already started to hear rumors that the prince and his entourage were going to make the apprenticeship.

Really.
On day one. To already have that kind of reputation.

It isn’t fair.
 

Alex noted my stare. “I heard some people have already decided to change their faction.”

“Huh?”

“After practice today, some of the others were saying they didn’t want to be second best. Two people said there was no point in hoping for Combat when the odds were so set against them.”

Master Barclae’s predictions were already coming true. I couldn’t believe it.

“They might say that now and change their mind later,” Ella pointed out. “Jeff changed his mind three times before the end of his first month.”

“I can see why,” I remarked slowly, “when you are competing with someone who even Master Cedric and the others are impressed with. They have seen hundreds of first-years. To impress them at this point means you really stand out.”

Ella folded her arms. “Well, future apprentice or not, no one is going to sway me but
me.”
 

Once we had finished off our dinner, Alex, Ella, and I headed to the library’s upper study to begin the day’s assignments. Most of the class had gone off to the barracks to wash. Though the three of us were smelly and not particularly attractive at the moment, we knew we would fare better studying without the echo that a hundred or so lowered voices would bring if we cleaned up first like everyone else.

Entering the room, it was immediately evident that we were not alone. There were a couple other small groups already inside, but they were few in number. They seemed friendly enough so I didn’t mind much. I recognized one girl, Winifred, as someone from back home. Alex recognized another, Clayton, his friend from a nearby village. Before long, we had amassed a small group of our own: Alex, Ella and I, Winifred, Clayton, another boy named Jordan, a girl named Ruth, and Ella’s admirer from the library, shy James.

It was nice to study in the company of so many. We all had something to contribute to someone else’s work. While Winifred spent most of her time lecturing us on the mathematical equations we were trying to break down, Alex and I helped with the sections on herb lore. Having parents who owned an apothecary was an advantage.

Ruth and Clayton were able to assist with geography, and Ella, shockingly enough, with history, especially the battles. As she explained to our speechless group, Ella used to follow her father around while he drilled the village soldiers and then practiced later in private. No wonder the girl wanted Combat. She had a warrior mindset I envied. It also explained why she had fared better than most of us in Piers’s conditioning. Ella had been second only to Priscilla and a couple of the boys.

Even if none of us knew the answer to a problem, eight of us searching different volumes provided much quicker results than trying to do so independently. By the time the rest of our class had arrived, most of the assignments were finished.

Packing up my work, I felt a lot more confident than hours before. I still had problems to complete, but they were significantly fewer in number. The only thing that detracted from my mood was Ella—or rather, her insistent whispering and pointing as we turned the corner to exit.

Darren and his entourage had arrived, and in the short time they had done so, they had already taken over the most comfortable lounge in the library. This had left the rest of the ninety students trying to squeeze into the smaller aisles on the second floor. No one looked happy.

“Injustice at its finest!” Ella hissed when we shut the door behind us. “Treating the Academy like it is just another court back home!”

Alex glanced at our friend, eyebrow cocked. “You really don’t like the prince, do you?”

“No!”

“Why?”

Several heads turned to glance at Ella, myself included. True, I was no fan of the angry-eyed prince, but Ella had never told me what it was Darren had done to make her hate him so venomously. I had my own reasons for not liking the prince, but Ella’s hatred seemed much more impassioned. Maybe now I would hear the reason behind this loathing.

Ella set her mouth in a hard line. “It’s none of your concern, Alex.”

My brother looked disappointed. “I was hoping for a good story.”

I had to admit, so was I.

“Well, there’s nothing to tell,” she replied tightly. Her lively brown eyes were unreadable in the candlelight.

Alex laughed uncomfortably. “Just wanted to know what the poor guy did, so I didn’t repeat his same mistake. I’d hate to have the hatred of such a beautiful lady.”

Ella smiled slightly, and the tension in the hall left the air. “You are much too charming to make the same mistake,” she told him lightly. Then, she leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. She had to stand on tippy-toes to reach his sun-tanned face, and by the time she finished, his skin had a deep red tint to it.

Ella continued down the hall while Alex stood frozen in place, eyes trailing after as the girl turned another corner and disappeared.

“Don’t you even think about it,” I warned him.

“I don’t…she…” His face grew redder, and conscious of the amused expressions of our group, he shook his head to clear away the confusion, sandy brown locks flailing wildly in his attempt. “I have to go.”

Alex took off in the same direction as Ella, though he was headed toward the boy’s housing.

Clayton snickered. “I think Ella is going to give your brother a run for his reputation.”

“She’s only interested in older men like Master Barclae,” I replied without thinking.

“People say a lot of things. That doesn’t mean they are always true,” James piped up, a little too eagerly.

We all laughed at the truth of his statement and parted ways to our barracks. I spent most of the time making small talk with Ruth and Winifred until we had finished bathing. By the time I entered our sleeping quarters, the rest of the girls had arrived with large piles of parchment, books scattered across the floor in every which direction.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Priscilla directing a scrawny girl where to set her load. Meanwhile, Priscilla sat idly brushing her long locks and complaining loudly about how much harder it was going to be for her to rest surrounded by “this lowborn mess.” Somehow, from Priscilla’s tone, I didn’t think she was referring to the books.

“I think she and the prince will do nicely together,” I remarked quietly to Ella as she sat down on the bunk next to mine. “They are easily the nastiest people here.”

Ella smiled.

“Do you still have work left?” I asked her.

“No, I finished most of mine earlier during the break at lunch.”

I looked longingly at my pillows. I still had at least an hour of assignments left.

“I still have a couple problems too,” Ruth offered from a couple bunks down.

“What time do they check the lights?” Winifred wondered.

“I think the constable said eleven, which should be any minute now,” another girl next to Winifred remarked.

“Do we have any candles or matches?” I needed to finish my work somehow.

“I don’t think so, but I can conjure light,” Ruth offered quickly. “Do you want to try and finish your work with me after the constable has finished his rounds?”

I nodded, grateful for her offer and jealous she had a skill I didn’t at the same time.

We decided to go to the bathing corridor so as not to keep the others up with our studying. Unfortunately, about ten minutes after we thought the constable had finished his rounds, his servant Frederick pounded on the door and demanded we go to bed at once. Fearing the reprimands Barrius had promised, we quickly heeded Frederick’s order. I was a little nervous that I had not finished, but at that point there was nothing I could do until morning came.

“Please wake me when you are up,” I whispered to Ella as I crawled into my bunk. “I still need to finish my work.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I hoped she would remember in the morning.

I wrapped myself in my blankets and shut my eyes. In a matter of moments I had forgotten the day’s events and was fast asleep.

CHAPTER FOUR

The cruel, harsh light of day was not there to wake me that following morning. Instead, the horrible toll of bells sounded from somewhere outside the Academy and continued to ring across every inch of its campus.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. The sun had barely risen, and every muscle in my body was tight in protest.

“I know. It’s a wonder you were able to sleep through it yesterday,” Ella remarked as she stood up.

“How much time do we have until breakfast?” I asked.

“Not much, they expect us to start right away.”

I had thought I would have some time to study.
Lovely.
 

“Ugh, they brought us more of that delightful training garb,” a sarcastic voice said to my left.

I glanced around. At the front of the room was a large crate of shapeless brown breeches and forest green tunics, equally plain. Next to it was a pile of old leather belts and high boots splattered with mud and dark red stains that looked suspiciously like blood. As Piers had promised, the clothes were worn and frayed. It was obvious they were hand-me-downs that had been passed on year after year to the incoming class.

I was appreciative for the new wardrobe, if only for the fact that it would help lessen the stigma of class that ran rampant in the halls.
Some 
of us could certainly use the reminder that we were all supposed to be equals here.

Smiling inwardly at the groans coming from the side of the room that had been unofficially designated upper class, I quickly dressed and headed down to the dining commons. I was tired but anxious to finish at least a problem or two of mathematics over steaming porridge and a hot mug of tea.

When I arrived, Alex was already seated in our normal spot.

“How many problems do you have left?”

I sighed. “Too many.”

“Me too,” he contributed cheerfully. “What do you think will happen?”

I stared at the equations on my paper, willing them to make sense. “I hope we aren’t the only ones” was the only reply I could think of.

Unfortunately, as my brother and I learned, we were indeed the
only ones
to not complete the first day’s assignment. The rest of the class had either copied each other’s answers, or they had all better managed their time. Even Ruth, whom I thought had a couple equations left, managed to turn in a complete paper.

As punishment for our negligence, Alex and I were expected to spend two hours after supper assisting Constable Barrius’s staff with the mucking of the stables.

“But we didn’t have enough time to finish last night’s work! How am I supposed to finish today’s
and
clean the stables?”

“Miss Ryiah,” Master Eloise began slowly, squinting down at me, “if you can’t meet the Academy’s demands, then perhaps your time would be spent better elsewhere.”

Behind me I heard several students snicker.

My face burned. “Just because I didn’t ch—”

Alex kicked my shin, and I paused to glare at my brother. His eyes narrowed and I swallowed. His expression was clear. I was only making it harder on the both of us:
Did I really want to drag him down with me?
 

“My apologies,” I mumbled to Master Eloise. “It will not happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t.”

I followed Alex to our seats, avoiding the gaze of those I passed. When we had reached our desks and the masters had begun their lecture, I turned to him.

“Why did you stop me? You knew half the class cheated!”

“Do you really want to make enemies on your second day?” he countered.

“No…” I stared at my hands, frustrated.

“Besides,” Ella pointed out, joining our hushed conversation, “arguing with the masters will only strengthen their opinion that you should not be here in the first place. It’s your job to prove them wrong.”