Page 37

Chapter 12

Bash runs his thumb across my palm. “Let’s go. You need to study, and that won’t happen here.”

I glare at the crowd, now hollering louder against my dad. As much as I want to stick around, it won’t do any good. I can’t stand up against so many people, and Bash is right about me needing to prepare for the upcoming exams. “Okay.”

“Wait. You agree with me?”

“When you’re right, you’re right.”

Then Earwyn emerges out from the crowd, holding a large sign. It has a picture of my dad’s face with a hand-drawn trident jammed into the side of his head. The whole thing is colored red.

I leap up, but before I can get over to her, Bash grabs my arms. “We’re going to study, remember?”

“Look what she drew!” I struggle against him, not that it does any good.

“You can’t stop them. This is happening all over Valora. Remember what you overheard in the library? The only real way to put a stop to any of this would be to convince your dad to work on his popularity.”

I stare back and forth between the sign and Earwyn, hardly able to contain my anger. It’s about ready to boil over. I want nothing more than to beat that smug look off her face.

“Marra,” Bash says.

I barely hear him over the sound of my blood rushing in my ears. Over the thunder of my racing heart.

The protesting seems to grow louder, though it’s harder to tell. My breathing grows heavier.

Bash tightens his grip on my arm. Says something I can’t make out.

I clench my fists. Look at more signs. More of the same. The people actually want to see my dad dead. They don’t just want a political change, they actually want his head.

My fists are growing warmer. I pull my eyes away from the gruesome signs and look at my hands. They’re glowing green. Tiny sparks are shooting out.

“What in Hades?” Bash pulls away from me. “What’s that?”

My mind goes back to the fish my parents and I fought on our way to Valora. I try to remember what they called it.

“What kind of magic is that?” Bash’s eyes are growing wider.

“The Ayers power.” I turn my attention back to Earwyn. If I could use it on that enormous fish, I can definitely use it on her.

Bash grabs me. “We need to go.”

“I can destroy them! All of them!” Maybe. I’m willing to try.

“That’s what worries me.” He pulls me toward the building.

I aim my fists at the crowd like I’m throwing a ball. Can’t get a good shot with Bash dragging me away. A small burst of green energy lands in front of Earwyn. It explodes, but is hardly noticeable to anyone other than her. She shrieks and leaps, bumps into another protester. Then it’s forgotten. She’s yelling louder for my dad’s death.

Now we’re inside and Bash is gasping for air. “What were you thinking?”

“I was trying to put a stop to that madness! They have no right to protest here. This is the academy!”

“Let the faculty deal with it. Come on.”

I glare at the closed door. I can still hear the shouting through it.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt. You may have that Ayers power, but you can’t use it on a crowd! They’ll turn on you and rip you to shreds. Then I’ll be forced to beat them all up, and you know what happens then? I get expelled and we don’t get to see each other anymore.”

That gets my attention.