To absolutely no one’s surprise, I was late to school. Again. I tore through the forest, flying over bushes and fallen branches, weaving through lightning-sparked trees almost like dancing to an upbeat ditty on a minstrel’s fiddle. Through the gaps, golden dawn light glimmered off the dew dotted grass.
Free of the trees, I burst into the meadow, yanking twigs and leaves from my wild green hair. As the high white wooden wall came into view, I gathered my magic into my leg muscles. They buzzed with electricity as each bounding step took me higher and further. Finally, I leapt clear over the barred silver gate and landed right between the village watchers. Both were cloud elves from the Sparkes family. Brilliant blue eyes and straight black hair that hung halfway down their backs.
“Late again?” Viktor asked with a sigh. “Master Tompas isn’t going to be happy.”
I waved dismissively. “Color me shocked if he’s ever had a happy day in his life.” I shielded my eyes and squinted at the clock that stands just past Market Way, in the village square. “I’ve still got a few minutes before the punctuality spell fully kicks in.” I took off again.
“Tell the little twins we said hi!” Viola called, hand cupped around her mouth as the distance stretched between us.
I waved to show I’d heard and sprint down the main road. As I passed his pre-festival getup, Uncle Cas balled his fists on his hips.
“I told you not to stay out…” The rest of his lecture was lost to the wind.
I estimated about a minute, maybe two, before the punctuality spell locked me out of the school. It was in sight, though. Just past the library and village hall. I should’ve left my hideout a little later; this was almost too easy.
I took the steps two at a time. The doors began to swing shut, but I dove through them, tucking into a summersault before coming up in a dead sprint to the finish.
A curtain of soft, shiny auburn hair draped over Cera’s shoulder as she leaned out of the room, her honey-colored eyes wide. She waved frantically. “Dulsie, hurry!”
Master Tompas watched her with a twitching eyebrow as I skidded into the class, nearly colliding with his desk. Big old rat had moved it since yesterday. I spun out of the way at the last second and flopped into my seat with one leg crossed over the other, like I’d planned it from the beginning.
“I’m here, Teach.” I gave him an absolute dazzling smile.
“If it were up to me, Miss Stryke, I would have had you expelled before you ever stepped one muddy boot into this prestigious classroom.” For such a nasally voice, he sounded awfully haughty. He shot Cera a glare. “Sit down, Miss Storm. I’ll not have you encouraging such detestable tardiness. I’ve told them for years to lock the school down as soon as it hits eight, but no. We need a grace period.”
Cera quickly took the seat next to mine, cheeks bright red. On my other side, Eiran Willows matched my glower at Master Tompas, who ignored us as he reached into his desk drawer.
“Now. We are finally at the end of our journey together. Hopefully, you will all pass these final exams, then take your qualifying quests, and rid me of your presence for the remainder of your lives.” Master Tompas dipped his head to Eiran. “Not you, of course, Young Lord. I expect that you and I will spend many hours improving this school when you take your father’s place. I have high expectations for you.”
“Right,” Eiran said flatly.
Master Tompas gave him a downright smarmy smile and turned to the rest of the class. “Some of you will do better…” A glance at Sky Sparkes and Eiran. “Than others.” A glance at Aeryck Tempest, of all people. The kid was entirely silent; he’d never given anyone trouble.
I arched an eyebrow at Tompas, but opted to keep my mouth shut when Aeryck vigorously shook his head, moss-colored curls bouncing. Sky, for once not on the edge of her seat to please the teacher, frowned at Tompas. Her twin, Naya, rolled her eyes with a quiet snort. She smiled innocently when our beloved teacher gave her a dirty look before turning back to Aeryck.
Cera glanced at me, frowning. You’re already in hot water. Don’t make it worse.
I held my hands up. I’m not saying anything.
Cera squinted and put a finger to her lips.
I held my hands close to my chest and flapped them at her. Seriously. Not saying anything!! Stop looking at me like that!
Cera bites her lip to keep from laughing, but a tiny giggle slipped out, pulling Tompas’s ire from the totally inoffensive Aeryck to the forever offensive me.
“If you two are going to chitter like chipmunks, then you can chitter in the hallway.” He slapped our papers in our hands and pointed to the door. Moments later, we were outside, the door locked behind us.
Cera scrunched up her nose. “Nice going.”
“I’m not the one who got caught mid-giggle. Besides, at least he can’t hear us out here.” I slid down against the wall to sit cross-legged. I twirled my ink-regenerating quill in my fingers as I looked down at the test. “How much you wanna’ bet all of these are trick questions?”
Cera snickered. “Sky’s going to have a party.”
The door opened. “Just as I thought. The two of you can’t behave. Luckily, Young Mister Willows has agreed to supervise you for me.”
I braced the side of my fist against my lips as Eiran walked out and sat between Cera and me. The door slammed and all three of us broke out into quiet laughter.
“Poor Tompas. Thought he was so smart soundproofing his classroom against the noise in the halls between class changes.” Eiran brushed his dark brown hair out of his eyes. “Now I’m out here with my favorite girls.”
I shoved his shoulder. “Don’t make it weird.”
“I don’t know, I like being one of his favorite girls.” Cera said sweetly, playfully batting her eyes at Eiran.
I tried to stamp out the jealousy that flared in my chest. It’d been funny that Tompas had thought having Eiran out in the hall with us would be productive. Hilarious, even. But now, I couldn’t exchange funny Tompas impressions with Cera, because she was too wrapped up in Eiran for anything else.
I reluctantly turned back to my test. When did Lyridon sign the trade alliance with Willow Wood and Xigg Village? What were the conditions? I read the question again, but it seems straight forward enough.
In the spring of 17
I paused, tapping my quill against the paper. What timeframe of year was easy; Xigg Village, Willow Wood, and Lyridon did nearly everything major in the spring. Pinning down the exact numbers, though? I wanted to say 1724, but it also could’ve been 1742.
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I pictured our map of Lyridon, and the forest that had surrounded the castle town of Reias. The forest was totally boring, like all forests in the Sky Countries. But. It had Wild Continent unicorns, specifically from the Dancing Wood. And they were introduced in 1733! Which meant trade had to have happened before 1742.
“Eiran? What are you doing outside of the classroom?”
All three of us immediately straightened as Lord Willows breezed down the hallway. Eiran’s mouth floundered like a fish as his father approached. If he was going to be a politician like his dad, then the boy really needed to be quicker on his feet.
“Supervising,” I said brightly. “Master Tompas is mad at me, again.”
“She was late. And I laughed,” Cera added. “Very disruptive. So Eiran decided to help Master Tompas out, since he’s such a good influence on us.”
Lord Willows arched a perfect eyebrow. “I see.” His eyes glittered with contempt as they flicked to me, but only briefly. “You may put that quill away, Miss Stryke. I’d like to see you in my office, please.”
Both Cera and Eiran snapped their attention to me as I stared blankly up at the lord of the village. Now, I felt like the flailing fish. Even after Cera and I helped Eiran tend his personal unicorns for an allowance of sorts, he never even looked at me.
“Is this about being late all the time?”
He actually chuckled. I didn’t think he had a sense of humor.
“After six years of it, Miss Stryke, I assume it is simply who you are.”
“He’s not wrong,” Cera said in her “helpful” tone.
“Not at all.” Eiran gave a serious nod.
With Lord Willows towering over me, I decided against snarking back at them. I stood and dusted my pants off. “So, what am I in trouble for?”
“Have you done something for me to reprimand?” Lord Willows led the way down the hall, toward the center of the school.
I followed, my steps quick and heavy next to Lord Willow’s long, light strides. “Well, that’s the general mood, here. Me getting in trouble for making things a little more interesting.”
We reached the office reserved for Lord Willows’s personal visits to the village academy. He unlocked the door and opened it for me. He even nods at me, like I’m one of the teachers or somebody else important.
I looked him up and down. “Um. Thanks…”
I walked inside and perched on the little wooden stool in front of the desk. The huge, plush cushions on the chair behind the desk look like they’re made from land drake skin. I frowned. The red was too deep to be made from naturally shed skin, but maybe it was dyed. I thought about all the baby land drakes I’ve played with in the forest. I hoped it was dyed. And if it wasn’t, then I hoped Lord Willows would get mauled the next time he took a trip to Willow Wood or wherever else he went on his lengthy business trips.
The door clicked shut behind me, and Lord Willows crossed over to his chair, pulling out a wrapped parcel from his desk drawer as he sat.
“I know this is early, but yours is a special case.” He passed the parcel to me.
I took it, processing. “Special. Case. How so? You don’t usually like broken rules.” I tossed it up and caught it, watching his eyes. Guarded.
He crossed his hands in front of him. “I have watched you closely over the past six years, Miss Stryke. I’ve had concerns about your influence on my son, but he genuinely enjoys your and Miss Storm’s company.” He leaned forward. “However, you are wasting your potential here. I want to test you with something else.” He nodded to the parcel.
I slipped a thumbnail into the paper and deftly ripped it open to reveal a black leather book decorated with a shiny, red hourglass. I met his eyes as my skin prickled with unease. This was a questing journal. “I haven’t even finished my written exams, yet. Or the combat and field exams in the forest.”
“They are unnecessary. You have been operating in Storm Cloud forest, practically living in it for the past four years. I know you are ready.” He smiled at me. Even if Lord Willows was just as strikingly attractive as every other elf who lived in the village, it was a weird smile.
I placed the journal on the desk as my skin started buzzing just under the surface.
“Sir, what exactly is this about? You hate me.”
He barked out a short laugh. “I don’t hate you, Miss Stryke. I don’t approve of your flippancy in regards to our educational standards, but I don’t hate you. Moreover, I believe in efficiency. And despite my disapproval of your conduct, I must give credit where credit is due. Your survival skills are exceptional.”
I drew my lips into a tight line. The buzzing under my skin turned into a soft glow, threatening to spark. “I’m not really good at subtlety, Lord Willows,” I said slowly, fingers tightening on the journal. “But I do, in fact, have eyes. On my face. I see all your little glares. And maybe my ears aren’t long and pointy like yours are, but they still work. I hear what you say when you think I’m not listening.”
Even though he maintained his smile, his eyes hardened into their familiar green steel. “I try to encourage results through kindness, Miss Stryke. Regardless of my personal feelings toward those I ask favors of.” He nodded to the book, again. “Enough with the pleasantries, then.”
I flipped open the book, jumping a little as the smoky white image of a spider lunged at me. Oh, absolutely not. I strangled the impulse to scream and took a deep, slow breath as I turned the page.
Through the trees calling power from the sky
Past the mountains where birds dare not fly,
Cross the waters of beast and teeth
Heed not what lies beneath.
On distant shores your feet be led
To a forest now long dead.
Eight legs to guide you on this quest,
One soul to be lain to rest.
The lightning that crackled across my skin sent adrenaline pumping straight to my head. “Two things, Lord Willows. What is wrong with you? Aaaaaand what is wrong with you?” I snapped the book closed with a manic grin, shaking with the desire to let loose and fight him head on. “Dead forest across the Northeastern Sea? Oh, you mean the forest where dozens of the world’s best adventurers have attempted to explore, but were never heard from again? That forest?”
“Do not take that tone—”
“You expect me to go to a death trap because you complimented me, Lord Willows. I’ll use whatever tone I want.” I flung the book on the desk with a laugh at an ear-splitting pitch. After a lifetime of dirty looks, am I supposed to like, what? Grovel at his feet?
Our auras swirled in the silence as he watched me for several heartbeats. He, like Cera and Eiran, had the usual green of those with plant magic. My own aura billowed like gray-violet storm clouds around me.
He stood, hands braced on his desk, and leaned forward. “You don’t know how precarious your position truly is, Miss Stryke. If you’d like to part with civility, then we may do so. I could put your little ‘incident’ five years ago in your permanent record; no guild would ever take you on.”
The painting of Ilara and Reialyn Ryktor in my hideout flashed across my mind, and my aura flickered a little. Still, I didn’t back down.
The branches of the flowering tree by his office window lengthened, its buds blooming into fragrant white magnolias. Lightning danced across my skin, my hair rising off my neck with the electricity. I didn’t know if I could take him in a fight, but I was ready to try, consequences be damned. If he was trying to get me to go to my death and leave my mother with no family to call on, then he’d have another thing coming.
“If that’s not enough for you,” he hissed, “Then why don’t I have a word with my cousin in Lyridon? Being in the sky, it’s seen some harsh weather from time to time. Ingredients vital for certain diseases could reasonably be at risk.”
I stiffened, my lightning fizzling out. “You wouldn’t.”
He shrugged. “Who funded research into your mother’s condition, Miss Stryke? Whose family controls the trade between Lyridon, Willow Wood, and Xigg Village?” He strode around his desk and cast a dark shadow over me as he got right in my face. “I control every facet of this village and influence much of two other settlements on and affiliated with the Wild Continent. Your Quest is necessary to further the advancement of Xigg Village, and if you want your mother to live her last years in comfort here, then you will aid in my endeavors. You will also be absolutely silent about this exchange and the nature of your mission. Furthermore, you will depart in two days at the latest. You will not stay for your exams. You will not partake in the New Beginnings festival. Am I absolutely clear?”
My jaw tightened. I wanted to tell him just where he could stick his endeavors, but the words died in my throat.
“Dulsie,” he prompted.
“Clear as day,” I grumbled, looking away as he pressed the questing journal into my hands.
He was entirely too smug as he backed away, and despite myself, my anger flared as I slid off the stool and clutched the book to my chest.
“Just know that when I come back – and I will come back alive – I’m knocking your teeth down your throat.”
He smirked at me as he took his seat and spun to face the window. “I assure you, my mouthy little dwarf, your audacity is the most impressive thing you have to offer.”
It’d do little good to correct him. He knew my mother was half wood elf and half cloud elf. If I could hazard a guess, my dwarven side played some part in him sending me off to the Forgotten Forest.
I spun on my heel and walked out of his stupid office with my chin high.