Defensive Magic

FALL TERM - DAY 20 (Continued)

But anyway, today wasn't about Orendell. It was about the deal I'd struck with him. I didn't remember anything new exactly. That blank gap in my memory was no clearer, but I learned something. I learned that the wolf that came with my contract with Orendell has a mind of its own.

I've been attending the Midnight Court for nearly a month now. I'd spent so much of this past weekend hunched over the single copy of the Vodalysa beginner's grimoire that I could feel it in my spine. I'd practiced one spell for so many hours straight I still had a cramp in my hand. At least, I knew that it worked. I nearly lost a finger casting it, barely avoiding its invisible blade.

There were only a handful of combat spells in the beginner's grimoire, but I didn't really see the use of learning anything else. Sure invisibility could have its uses - I'd get to it eventually, but for now, there wasn't anything that could offer up a sense of security quite as well as a spell that was designed to hurt.

Ianthe had visited twice more since the first dreamwalking incident. In both times since, she was weak, a figment in the back of my mind. She didn't stay long, but I knew well enough what she was doing. She wanted to keep me on edge, nervous. If I was nervous, I'd make mistakes. She'd be counting on that.

For now though, I had to assume she didn't know I was in Mesym, or that I was at the Midnight Court, or about the deal with Orendell. My mother would have come up with a cover story for all of that, though what excuse she'd gone with I still didn't know.

For today though, I was keeping up with Blackclaw's combat lessons. I wouldn't say I was the best mage in the class but I was far from the worst - that title still went to Aries.

We were back to dueling practice. "Today will be about setting expectations," Blackclaw announced. "Before I have you duel against each other, I need to get a better sense of your ability levels, how much prior education you've come into this class with, and an idea of how much progress we can hope for in the coming weeks.

"Though it's unlikely any of you are secretly master spellcasters, as an added precaution, you'll be dueling against me directly instead of one of my advanced class volunteers. So, I encourage you to show me what you've got. Don't hold back. We have a first aid supply fully stocked just in case."

I was mostly just relieved not to be going first this time. One of the elves volunteered instead.

"So... I didn't see you in the courtyard much this weekend," Aries said. "And that girl, your friend -"