The School for Good and Evil: Return of the School Masters (fanfic)

Chapter 17

August sat in the dark on his bed. How could he have been so stupid? These teenage emotions were strange and awful. He shouldn't have kissed Katrina. He shouldn't have felt like kissing her. His duty as a seer prevented attachments, and by the end of this journey, he expected to be on his way to the afterlife. Not living again in a palace with a beautiful princess.

The School Masters appeared in his room. He could sense their auras and the tension coming from them.

Malcolm spoke first. "August, I thought you agreed to help Katrina study for the Trial by Tale."

August bent his head low. "I shouldn't have agreed to do such a thing. I should have recognized my emotions taking over."

Maverick grumbled, "Would've been nice if you figured it out before you kissed our sister."

August lifted his head. "I apologize for that. This younger mind gets carried away at times and I lost control of myself in the library. That's why I can't tutor Katrina. She'll need to learn on her own."

Malcolm shuffled uncomfortably. "Her marks are dropping. I'm pretty sure your avoiding her is hurting more than helping."

August folded his hands. "She's strong. She'll overcome this trial as you are overcoming yours."

The twins looked to each other, then returned to their tower.

A map of the Trial by Tale spanned their table. Red X's marked the hot zones for traps. Yellow circles marked plausible ambush areas, most deep in the trees but some along the river. A whole night of combat.

Maverick ripped his cloak off and stomped on it. "I can't believe that weasel kissed her and dropped her like garbage."

Malcolm leaned over the map. "We can't understand what he's doing, but we also can't worry about it. Our priority has to be Katrina."

Maverick came alongside him, arms crossed. "I still say we pull her out."

"We can't. The Trial is in two days. It's too late to change anything."

* * *

Katrina adjusted her dress and cloak as the students lined up for the Trial by Tale. The sun was nearly gone, stars painting the sky. Unlike previous years, Evers and Nevers crowded the grounds before the cobwebbed gates, all eyes toward the tower. Perhaps they hoped the return of the School Masters would bode well for either side.

Trysh handed her a cup of coffee. "Try to stay awake in there. Jubilee wants you to be tired."

Katrina took a long sip, hoping the caffeine would kick in. "She's probably hoping I walk on a land mine or something. Not my fault she's not good enough to get into the trial with Tedros."

August came out of the School of Good beside Tedros II.

Katrina passed her cup back to Trysh. "Give me a minute." She ran up to them. Tedros' smile faded to a sadder version. He walked off almost immediately, leaving her with August. "I thought he'd pick a fight."

August put his hands in his pockets. "He knows what happened."

She blushed. "Oh. Well, he won't bother us then." August's expression grew somber. "If there's an us."

He reached out with a hand and she took it. "Katrina, I shouldn't have kissed you. It's too complicated to explain, but I'm not afforded such feelings. While you are wonderful, I'm not for you."

Katrina remained composed. She couldn't fall apart before the trial. Not in front of the Nevers. She pulled away from August and took her place in the fourth position. She didn't look beyond the prince in front of her. The Trial would begin and she would prove her worth.

Malcolm watched her from their balcony using the aura vision. How strange it was to see her aura grow a little gray after talking to August. His heart ached, sensing her sadness.

Maverick planted his hand on Malcolm's shoulder. "Maps ready. How's our sister?"

"Fourth to go in. Pretty sure August told her it was over."

Maverick snarled. "I'm going to twist him into a pretzel and bite his head off!" Malcolm looked at him over his shoulder. "What?"

They watched the students line up in front of the gate. The first students went in, the prince screaming his head off while the Never ran for cover. Every fifteen minutes, a new pair would be thrown in until thirty students in all wandered the forest. Katrina was fourth, another prince in front of her and two to three close behind. Not to mention the top ranked princes that would come later.

Maverick pulled his shoulders back and ruffled his black hair, trying to cool off his anxious mind. The Never half of the line was fierce. He could see their auras gleam with hate, each name revealing high marks or terrifying abilities. Some of the top ranks could perform curses or suck blood. Fourth position in particular was from Cadia Haven, and he had a habit of manipulation.

Katrina eyed the Never about to go in with her. She recognized him from the ceremony back home, dark, sunken eyes hungrily staring back. His mop of dark red hair matched the tone of his tanned skin. Ominous.

A horn blasted and the wolves tossed them in. Katrina bolted toward the right, putting distance between her and the Never. She ran along the border, but she couldn't see past the blue trees. The woods were quiet. Unmoving.

Leaves crackled under her hurried steps. By the time she stopped, her heart pounded louder than the rustle of the forest. Katrina tied her handkerchief more securely onto her belt. Her only way out of the forest. Her only escape from victory. She would win and show them all. She didn't need her brothers in the tower or a prince to come rushing in. She would survive through the night.

A ray of white sparks filled the sky up ahead. Seemed early for quitters. She walked more quietly, headed away from the fireworks.

Brush covered the grassy plain, trees growing more sparse. Perhaps the river. Katrina had memorized a map of the forest, but she couldn't recall enough of the memory to place herself. Finding the arched bridge would help. Gate behind her meant that left of the bridge would be squash fields. Right would be more forest while further in would be the old tree huts from the School for Boys and Girls year. That might be a good place to hide.

She pulled her hood low and rushed toward the river. Bridge to her left, water level low. She ducked into the river, using the bank as a barrier. She snuck to the bridge where the water was lowest. No one hidden in the shadow.

She ducked under the white boards and took a breath. Had she been holding it this entire time? A horn echoed off in the distance. Who knows how many people were in now. Time seemed frozen, everyone trapped in an eternal night. Or thirty minutes is all that passed.

The low river became a trickle. A rumble vibrated through her feet up to her tense shoulders. She checked left up river, expecting a monsoon she had to avoid. But nothing came toward her. No dam stopped the water. So where did it go?

The rush of water filled her ears. She looked down river. Horses made of water stampeded toward her, foam spraying in long manes. Katrina ran for the opposite bank, but was lost in the sea of hooves.