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Chapter 7

Ipile more food onto my plate, having built up an appetite from all the day’s events.

Earwyn gives me a funny look from down the table. “Be sure to leave some for everyone else.”

Her dogfish giggle and smirk at me.

“Ignore them,” Halen says. “I want to hear about what happened in your magic class!”

I groan. “I don’t know what happened.”

“People are saying you blew up your fish’s teeth.”

“Nope.” I stuff some food in my mouth.

“Is your hair darker?” She plays with a strand.

I swallow. “And longer.”

“From the trident again?”

“Magic.” I take another forkful.

She tilts her head. “You can’t leave me hanging like this.”

“Or us.” Nahla smiles. “We’re your friends too.”

I swallow and nod. Halen’s friends still feel more like her friends, but beyond her, Bash, and the band, they’re the closest thing I have to friends. Most people are still curious about me—I’m still the princess who grew up on land. Hardly approachable to the average academy student.

“Well?” Lumen bats her eyes.

“I couldn’t make the fish tooth spell work, and I was getting frustrated because the bell was about to ring. Can’t be late to weapons class.”

They all shake their heads.

“My stress was growing and an electric ball formed in my palms. I threw it at the fish, and its teeth fell out. It wasn’t like Ms. Falls wanted, but I used magic to make the fish lose its teeth.” I shrug. “That’s all. Nothing exciting.”

“Nothing exciting?” Pearl’s eyes grow wide. “Are you kidding? They don’t teach palm balls to anyone outside the School of Magic Arts! And even then, I think it’s only to the upper-years.”

“Exactly.” Halen nods emphatically. “And you did it without any instruction.”

“It’s not like I was trying.”

“That’s so cool!” Idira gets a dreamy look. “I wonder if they’ll let you join the Magic Arts classes.”

Halen looks at her like she’s crazy. “There’s no way. Nobody crosses over schools. She’s the heir to the throne. No way she’s leaving the Royal school.”

I finish my food while they debate the possibility of taking classes from another school. I don’t really care either way. Not with everything else going on.

The bell rings for announcements, and I can barely pay attention. At least until Mr. Brant brings up the sparring competition. Mrs. Middlebrooks moves up to the mic and takes it from him. “I hate to interrupt,” she says with a smile. “But we need to assign the first-round sparring partners.”

Mr. Brant gives her a double-take but doesn’t say anything.

“For the first match, Marra Ayers is going to stand against Zayn Landon.”

Gasps and whispers sound across the dining hall.

I turn to Halen. “What’s going on?”