Page 16 of Spark of Sorcery

But I don’t trust him. If I show this stone to anyone, it will be snatched from my hands. I doubt I’d ever see it again and I can’t be parted from it – that strange force thatdragged me to it on the day of Amelia’s burial, lingers in my chest even now.

I stroke my palm over the stone’s surface, whispering words of comfort to it, like it can actually hear me.

Then, after enough craziness, I pull on some clothes, and go in search of Fly.

In honor of the completion of the second trial (or non-completion in most people’s cases), all students have the next two days free. No lessons, no training, no learning. We are free to do as we please. Not that, as I’ve already discovered, there is anything to do in this academy – especially as I plan to avoid kite flying for the rest of my time here. In fact, I plan to avoid any form of electrocution for the rest of my life – which probably means avoiding the Smyte twins and Madame Bardin if I can.

When we step out onto the cobbled pathways, we find two things different from usual.

Firstly, last night’s storm has cleared and above us hangs the sun, bright and glorious and even slightly warm against our skin.

I close my eyes and let it tickle against my face. The sun was a rarity back in Slate Quarter and I’ll take every opportunity I have to lap it up.

Secondly, the entire campus is in a state of chaos.

“What’s going on?” I ask Fly as we watch people racing past us towards a crowd gathered further down on the paths. “Did the sunshine turn everyone crazy?”

“The scores must be out,” he says. We look at each other for one whole second and then we’re following everyone else along the pathways towards the Great Hall. A notice board has been erected alongside the statue of the dragons and a huge crowd of students are gathered around it.

We join the back of the queue, shuffling forwardas people file back past us, some with smiles of triumph, others sobbing miserably.

Neither of those potential reactions fill me with reassurance. I nibble on my fingernails, balancing up on my tiptoes every now and again to see if I can make out my name.

Finally, we’re buffeted forward and the large sheet of paper with everyone’s names printed in a swirling calligraphy greets us. I scan the list, as people push and shove from behind. Unsurprising, the Princes are right at the top with one thousand points a piece in the category of magic and a hell of a lot of points in the categories of physical agility and mental ability as well. Clare’s is the first name I spy. She’s scored a big fat zero under physical but one hundred and ninety-three points in mental ability. I tut my tongue. Have they met my friend? She’s way smarter than the Princes, yet she’s scored less than them in that category.

If I didn’t already know the system was fixed, I’d know it now.

I spot Fly’s name next. He’s scored one hundred and nine points in physical and ninety-eight in mental.

“Not bad,” I tell him.

He hooks his arm around my shoulder. “Yeah, I’m happy with that. Puts me in with a running chance of making Granite. How about you, Briony?”

“I haven’t found my name yet,” I say, bending over as I follow the list of names down and down towards the ground. The list continues on for what feels like forever. At last, I find my name. It’s right at the very bottom. And my score?

Zero points in all categories.

“That can’t be right,” Fly mumbles as I turn away from the board and push my way through the crowd. “Briony!” he calls after me.

When he catches up to me, his face is full of outrage. “It must be a mistake.”

“It isn’t,” I say, calmly. “It’s what I expected.” I manage a little smile, willing myself not to cry, to not let this upset me.

Stars, I’m freaking disappointed. I thought I did well-ish. I thought I had a chance of some points at least.

But I’m also kicking myself. Because, didn’t I know this would happen? Did I really believe it would be any different? That I, Briony Storm from Slate Quarter, would actually earn myself some points? Would actually find my way out of Slate?

Nope, I did not think that. Therefore, this is not unexpected. And I have no cause for disappointment.

“Come on,” I say, pulling on Fly’s arm. “Let’s go find Clare and tell her the good news.”

“Good news? This isn’t good news.” Poor Fly looks genuinely disgusted. He may have been treated unfairly at home. He may be more cynical than most about the system, but he still believes in it. He still trusts it to work. “We should go tell the Princes. I’m sure they’ll have something to say about this.”

“Let’s not involve them.” I tug his arm.

He takes a big dramatic sigh, then capitulates to being dragged towards Clare’s tower.

The mood and the number of students out on the paths is still crazy. Several of them rushing in the same direction.