Page 125 of Fractured Fates

I wait patiently at the back of the room for the crowd to circle around the room, stopping at each of the notices. There are lots more excited squeals from the bouncing bunnies. It seems Aysha has given all her friends the best jobs.

“Hey,” Tristan says, as the first students begin to leave. “It goes without saying that the theme of our party is top secret. Anyone caught disclosing the theme to members of other houses will be severely punished.” His eyes assess me as he says this, which for once seems fair enough. I was all for telling Winnie everything.

When there’s finally space enough in the common room for me to wander around, I scan each notice looking for my task. I’m not on cleaning and garbage after all, neither am I entertainment or food and drinks. I hover in front of the final notice, listing all students required to help with decorations. My name is top of the list.

I blink. This can’t be right. Tristan and Aysha wouldn’t pick me for something like this, not when they can use this party as another way to humiliate me.

“Is there a problem, Pig Girl?”

I turn my head and find Tristan right behind me.

“No?” I say, a little unsure.

“Good. Because I want this party to be awesome.” Something glints in his eyes and, if I didn’t know it already, I’d see just how much Tristan Kennedy enjoys winning.

* * *

It only takesme three days to wish I’d been assigned to garbage duties after all.

Hanging out with Aysha and her cronies while they obsess over crepe paper and streamers is a form of torture, especially with Tristan Kennedy lurking in the background finding the whole thing amusing. I see him smirking to himself from his position sprawled out on the bed, like a king observing his servants as they fuss about. Not that he shows his amusement to Aysha and the others. Whenever they ask for his opinion on something, he adopts a deadly serious expression, pausing to consider his answer like he actually cares. Is it only me who sees the mischief dancing in his eyes?

As well as actual physical decorations, Aysha wants us to create special magical effects to add some ‘pizazz to the affair’.

I wonder how my life went from shoveling dirt in the middle of nowhere to sitting in a stuffy common room debating whether lanterns or magical orbs would be a better look.

I tune out of the conversation as Aysha and her friends discuss the magical effects they’re going to create for the common room to make it look like the real dungeons of hell, and only tune back in again when I realize Aysha’s addressing me.

“Pig Girl!” she says, snapping her fingers in my face. “Are you listening?”

“Huh?” I answer, blinking.

Aysha tosses her hair in annoyance. “I’m leaving the heavenly magical effects in your hands.” She leans in to whisper in her friend’s ear. “Hell is going to be where it’s at, nobody’s going to care about outside.”

Inwardly I roll my eyes. “Fine,” I say.

Aysha’s eyes snap back to mine. “You need to run all your plans past me first.”

“Right.”

“I’m serious, I don’t want you messing this up. Tristan’s counting on us.”

Which makes me severely tempted to make heaven as shitty as possible.

Only, once I’m on the path back to my dorm, all these ideas start whizzing about my head; ideas about how to bring the garden to life as a heavenly paradise. I actually feel excited about the prospect.

I’ve been working so hard these last few weeks, what with chores and all my time in the library and practicing, maybe a chance to be creative would actually be fun.

Checking nobody else is on the path, I flicker my finger through the air and conjure up cotton candy white clouds that hang right in front of my nose. Next I sweep my hand and paint a rainbow through the air.

I’ve never used my magic like this before. I’ve always used it to defend myself or while practicing and studying more serious concepts in class.

I laugh, clapping my hands together and watching as both the rainbow and cloud melt away.

Perhaps I could create little cupids to fly around the garden shooting arrows into the sky. Perhaps I could hang little silver stars in the branches of the trees.

Perhaps this could be fun.

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