Together we fall

24 | Ember

"Splotch!"

Lady Alexine didn't look at all surprised as the neon green splotcher smashed into the boy's nose.

The green liquid dribbled down his round face, staining his shoes as it trickled off his chin. He grumbled and shook his head, disheartened at the loss. But he also didn't have a trace of surprise leaching from his expression, like he'd known instinctively that taking down Ember was nearly impossible.

Lady Alexine applauded Ember. "Good!"

Ember smiled sheepishly at the round boy who was a couple inches shorter than her. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Eh," He said, attempting to wipe the liquid from his face, but only smearing it in the process. "I knew you'd win."

Ember may have not been great at Multispeciesial Studies or Elementalism, but she was quite talented when it came to splotching matches. She and Ace had been in the top ten for the last two years, going up against kids with much more maturity and experience. Neither of them had won the competition as level ones or as level twos, but that was understandable considering their young age.

Ember wondered if one of them might win this year . . .

"Hey, Em!" Daisy called in her cheerful, melodic voice.

Ember smiled back as Daisy lifted a dull purple splotcher in the space between them.

Lady Alexine yelled, "Splotch!"

Ember pushed her mind to it's fullest capacity, sending the splotcher careening towards Daisy's forehead. When it collided, Daisy shrieked, rubbing her head in pain.

Ember rushed over. "Sorry, Dais."

Daisy grinned, massaging her temples. "It's okay. I should've known better than to challenge you."

Ember watched Daisy join the group of kids whose faces were drenched in bright liquid.

She turned back to see a blond level five already standing in front of her, the splotcher lifted between them. He looked awfully confident, like he already knew he was going to crush Ember.

Her eyes narrowed.

She wouldn't let him win.

"Splotch!"

Lady Alexine's voice echoed as Ember shoved the invisible force out of her mind. The boy's force was strong, pushing intensely toward her. Ember threw out her hands to help her imagine thrusting the splotcher right into the boy's smug grin.

It worked.

The blue splotcher slammed into the guy's face, staining his perfectly white teeth a light shade of periwinkle.

His face fell.

As he joined the other prodigies that had lost, Ember saw him scrub at his teeth madly, trying to get rid of the color.

Before Ember knew it, she had made it to the top ten.

She wasn't surprised she'd made it this far, but she still didn't expect herself to win. She hoped Ace might, considering he'd also made it to this stage. He stood a few feet from her, his arms crossed and his trademark smirk apparent.

Emerson had made it pretty far too, only lucking out on the previous round, but that relieved Ember. She was really grateful she didn't have to challenge her boyfriend.

He was cheering for her on the sidelines with Avaline, Daisy, and Clove at his side.

She smiled at her friends.

Ember won the first match without too much difficulty; the girl she'd faced was a level two who had somehow made it that far.

Ember didn't realize it was down to two students until she turned and saw . . .

Nova.

Ember grimaced.

She wasn't surprised Nova had made it this far—she was powerful with telekinesis.

Ember was a bit crestfallen that Ace had lost his match, but she tried to keep a smile plastered on her face.

Nova didn't smile back. She tossed her hair behind her shoulders as she lifted a red splotcher into the air, letting it hover between the two girls.

Ember knew that she was capable of defeating Nova. She'd done it as a level one, and again as a level two.

But Nova was staring at Ember with the kind of intensity that made her stomach churn.

Lady Alexine eyed the two girls.

Ember glanced back up at Nova, who was glaring at Ember. But there was something else behind her cold expression.

She almost looked desperate.

Ember remembered what Nova had said to Ember back in the Wanderling Woods. She'd said that Ember had stolen the spotlight from her.

Ember's heart clenched deep beneath her skin.

If Nova wanted this, Ember could do this for her—she could let her win with a fleeting hope that it would fix things between them.

It was a dim ambition.

Yet, she still wanted to do it.

The world seemed to slow as Lady Alexine yelled, "Splotch!"

Ember nodded to herself, confirming that she wanted to do this for Nova.

So she didn't try at all.

She let the splotcher smash into her face with such intensity that she nearly screamed in pain. The full force of Nova's telekinesis felt like fire licking her cheeks, burning into her skin and scorching her bones.

As red liquid streaked down Ember's face, Nova stared at her.

Lady Alexine congratulated Nova, letting her soak in her fame as prodigies screamed and cheered for her in the audience.

It was bittersweet for Ember.

She knew she could've easily won the competition, could've easily been the one in Nova's shoes, soaking the glory for all it was worth.

But she was happy she'd done it.

Maybe, just maybe she'd mended her relationship with Nova.

As Ember wiped the scarlet liquid from her face, Nova ran over to her. "Why?" She asked, her features soft at the corners. "Why did you do that for me?"

Ember smiled weakly. "You deserved it."

Nova frowned. "I've been awful to you, Ember. Why are you so nice to me?"

Ember clasped her hands behind her back solemnly. "I want us to be on better terms—I don't want you to hate me, Nova."

"I don't hate you," Nova murmured, staring at her feet. "I just . . . I don't know."

Ember looked at Nova, studying her expression for any trace of hate.

She couldn't find any.

She only looked . . . sad.

Ember held out her hand to Nova cautiously. "Friends?"

Nova stared at her hand for so long Ember almost tugged out an eyelash, but she curled her free hand into a fist to restrain herself.

Nova's perfectly symmetrical features scrunched. "I'm not really good at friends."

Ember's arm started to ache. "Can't you try?"

Nova swallowed hard, her eyes clouding up. But as she reached out her hand and hesitantly shook Ember's she whispered, "I can try."