The Rage Eater

Chapter 45: Masters Day

The last of the lingering snow had finally melted, leaving yellowed grass and withered plants hungry for spring. Heavy grey storm clouds hung in the sky, obscuring the sun and imbuing the campus with a strange, bruised-purple glow. But the students and their beastlies didn't seem to mind. It was Masters Day, which meant they were free to wander and play without any supervision. But unlike her fellow students, who seemed to revel in the day's joyful anarchy—running, screaming, and laughing—Sadie wandered the campus, alone, with vine Dylan draped around her neck.

From her pocket, she removed a letter from her mother. These letters had once filled her with a deep longing for home, but today she felt nothing. It was the same as the last letter—a few stories about the tavern, and endless questions about Sadie's life at the Academy. Who were her friends? What was she learning? She couldn't possibly tell her mother the truth, so she pocketed the letter and continued walking.

"Sadie!" Aubrey called out. "Wait for me."

She was walking towards the greenhouse with Sim by her side and a stack of books under her arm.

"Hi," Sadie said half-heartedly. Lately, it felt like her secret powers had created a canyon between them, which had become a divide too large to cross.

"I didn't see you at breakfast," Aubrey said, a hint of concern in her voice.

"I wasn't hungry."

"Did Dylan eat?"

"Of course!" Sadie lied.

In a dazzling swirl of colour, Dylan changed into a blood-red maple leaf, swinging through the air as he slowly fell to the ground.

"Sadie, he needs to eat," Sim scolded.

"Don't you think I know that!"

Dylan transformed into a blob and Sadie scooped him up, cringing at the feel of his warm, sticky body. "I just forgot, okay? I'll feed him now." She felt around her pockets for the sack of soil beans, but they were empty save for her mother's letter.

"There's lots of soil in Master Padwe's greenhouse," Aubrey said. "You can feed him there. It'll just be the four of us. Tim's in the Great Library with Emily."

"No thanks," Sadie said coldly. "I'll just take him back to our room."

Before Aubrey could respond, Sadie spun around and started back towards the dormitory. More dark grey clouds were gathering above, casting a shadow across the sprawling campus. Thunder rumbled in the distance as a light rain began to fall.

Sadie looked down to see Dylan looking up at her. "Could you change into a vine? My arms are tired."

He looked up at her, unchanging, his eyes narrowed in anger. Even without transforming, the answer was clear.

No.

Once back in their room, Sadie dropped Dylan on the windowsill, then fetched one of his soil pucks. "Here," she said, shoving it in his face.

Dylan stared at the puck, refusing to open his mouth. Light rain pattered on the alchemist's glass.

"Fine, you don't want to eat? Then don't." Sadie flopped down on her bed.

A lightning bolt lit up the dark sky with a flash of brilliant purple, and thunder cracked. Sadie turned towards the glass. The light rain had turned into a downpour. Students and beastlies shrieked in joyful terror, sloshing through puddles, and hurrying across the drawbridge to the castle and dorms.

Sadie sat up. "Are you mad because I stopped letting Master Padwe mentor me?"

Dylan refused to change or even meet her gaze. Outside, the storm raged harder, and a another lightning bolt lit up the sky. Closer this time. Louder.

"Won't eat. Won't talk to me. Fine. You're just punishing yourself, you know."

Sadie froze as she heard what she first mistook for thunder, then recognized as something entirely different—the blast of a ram's horn.

Her gut turned to ice, the chill creeping through her veins.

Then, another blast.

Fire, she thought. But it couldn't be—not with all the rain.

Then, a third blast.

Dylan looked up at Sadie in horror. It could only mean one thing—they were under siege. Sadie pressed her face to the glass.

Aubrey! she remembered.

She and Sim were still in the greenhouse, alone and unprotected.

Sadie turned her head as she heard a low-pitched roar from outside. Orcs—dozens, possibly hundreds of them—were spilling out of the Swamplands.

Sadie's heart cracked like broken glass. Aubrey, her only true friend, who stood by her when no one else did, was stuck in a greenhouse as an orc army stampeded towards them.

For a moment, she was still, paralyzed with fear as she considered her next move.

Sadie looked at Dylan, who watched the approaching horde with increasing terror. "Dylan, those orcs aren't going to touch our friends. Not if we get there first."