Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) (32 page)

“I can’t believe it!”

“She hasn’t come to exam day in ages.”

“This is incredible! I can’t wait to tell my parents!” The students rose to their feet and vigorously welcomed their leader to the school. The Banon’s eyes swept through the eager young crowd, slowing briefly on Meghan; Colin would have bet his life that he caught the hint of a wink. He knew it had to be true, when Meghan dropped her head in attempts to hide a smile. He caught the sensation of something strange in his sister, but couldn’t place it. Juliska began to speak and the entire school hushed.

“I wanted to come here today and wish you all the best of luck. I realize this is an important day to all of you and your families, and if you have put forth the effort, then you have every right to be proud. I am confident your performances today will prove this.”

It suddenly dawned on Colin what he was feeling from his sister. She had a desire to prove herself to someone.

“That’s not like you,” he sent her. She cocked her head sideways, confused. “Never mind,” he sent back, wondering if it was Juliska Blackwell she was trying to impress. Colin suddenly felt sorry. Here was a woman who was building Meghan’s confidence, not that he personally thought she needed that. But he knew she did not believe in herself.

“Meghan,” he sent.

“Yeah,” she sent back, listening to him and Juliska simultaneously.

“You’re going to pass today. We’ve studied all the topics. Besides, if you get stuck you can always ask me, it’s not like anyone would find out.”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it nervously. Her eyes said thanks. Colin had never let his sister cheat from him before and he did not believe she would today, but if she knew he was there for her, maybe she would do better.

“Today starts a new future for you all,” Juliska Blackwell, continued. “I wish you all the very best of luck,” she added, ending her speech. She swept hastily out of the room.

“Each class to your test rooms please,” began Muckle Mauch. “Today’s test is a written exam; all you need are your heads. Pre-approved pens and papers are already waiting for you. Being caught cheating is an automatic failure.”

The students filed out to their respective rooms. Each student in the elementary class (about twenty students strong), was some form of pale, green, or blue. Teacher Lindy instructed them to all sit down.

“You have three hours to complete each exam today. I remind each of you that during your lunch breaks, in between exams one and two, you are
not
permitted to discuss your results. You may begin.”

##

##

Colin opened his exam and instantly began writing. Meghan’s heart thumped heavily, and she daydreamed about telling Juliska she had passed. She opened the exam. It took Meghan until the last minute of the three hours to write out all the appropriate answers and examples required; she checked over the exam hoping she had not overlooked any small details. Colin and Jae had both finished after two hours, but she had not noticed. Colin sat in the lunch room, keeping his mind opened to her (just in case), but she came out of the room looking relieved.

“How did you do?” he asked her silently.

“I hope good enough to pass,” she sighed. They all sat quietly, as some students came out happy and some angry, and some, downright upset and crying.

“If time is up,” whispered Jae, “and you’re not finished, you have to repeat the level.”

Meghan did not realize how close she had been to an automatic failure, by finishing so close to the final hour. At the same time, she felt terrible for the students who had worked so hard and had to go home, failing.

Her nerves came back as lunch ended and the second part was to begin. She had lucked out that morning, but would it happen again? She turned the paper over.

True or false.

Magic used on another person is forbidden. T / F

Give examples based on your above answer, on justifications for using magic on another person. (At least two required)

This is much harder
her thoughts betrayed. Colin was already busy writing, but sensed his sister sorting through it.

“I think this is a trick question, ‘cause magic is forbidden on others, so the answer is true. But, they want a justified example of an occasion when you can use magic on someone.” After talking it through, Colin sent her a happy impression, and she knew she was on the right track.

The only time you would be allowed to use magic on another person is to defend yourself, or if you had written permission from the Viancourt, or from the Banon, she wrote.

Colin and Jae were nearly finished, though time was only half used up. They were both confident and kept their focus as they finished. Colin sent a thought to his sister as he got up to depart the room.

“Get back to work and forget about me and Jae, you’re doing great.”

She smiled, took a deep breath, and continued.

Give three specific examples, on why you would need to report the actions of a fellow Svoda.

She choked for a second not sure she understood the question. She heard Colin’s echo.

“Talk your way through it again, like you did before.”

Her brain was hard at work when Teacher Lindy announced, “One hour remaining.”

She needed to hurry.

It all came together.

“This is the Svoda rule of turning in your neighbors if they do something to compromise the Svoda way of life. All I need to do is write down three examples of rules that could be broken. This one’s easy, seeing as Colin and I have already done that,” she said light-heartedly.

“Now that you know you can, hurry up. You still have to write it all out, and be thorough,” Colin reminded her, breathing a sigh of relief.

Meghan began scratching her pen across her paper, finishing again, with only minutes to spare. At the end of the day the twins had never been so exhausted. They were now allowed to discuss their tests, even though they were now completed. Numerous children were going over answers privately and trying to remember if they had answered correctly.

“I did fine,” said Jae.

Mireya wasn’t so happy; she hadn’t finished her exam. “I’ll be back in junior level again,” she said, sulking.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” her brother comforted. “You’re already in junior level and you’re only eleven, that’s really good. Keep it up and you’ll be vying Ivan for his graduation record.”

She hugged him and ran to catch up with her friend.

“How about you guys?” Jae asked as they walked.

“I did fine,” said Colin confidently.

“You always do fine,” scowled Meghan. They both waited for her answer. “I’m not totally sure, but, I think I did… good enough.”

“They’ll give us our grades before we move on from Grimble,” said Jae. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough. Don’t get too relaxed though, we still have tomorrow to get through.”

“Ugh,” grunted Meghan. “Tomorrow. I may have lucked out today, but tomorrow I have to actually use magic.”

Even Colin could not help her then. She would be on her own.

The twins sent a leaf to Uncle Eddy before bed, informing him they believed they had passed. The night was long and sleepless again. Chaos ensued once more, as morning arrived, and Ivan again escorted them to their exam, day number two.

“Thank you so much, Ivan,” said Sheila. “I didn’t expect to be so busy, but I’m the only one working the library since Martha is out having her baby.”

“It is the least I can do,” replied Ivan, in a moment seeming almost human. “I am forever grateful for your hospitality.”

Sheila patted his shoulder lovingly. Ivan caught Meghan watching him through the corner of her eye; she shifted away. Ivan darted outside, ordering them to hurry.

“How exactly did Ivan come to live with you, again?” asked Meghan, as they walked. She wasn’t sure why she even cared.

“It’s a scary and a sad story,” said Jae. “His mother died when he was about three years old I think, in some kind of freak accident that no one ever talks about. I guess even magic couldn’t fix what happened. He lived with his father after that.”

“What happened to his father?” asked Colin.

“He was killed in the first Scratcher attack, back when we still lived on our island. We didn’t even know they existed. I was a baby, then.”

Thoughts of Scratchers surrounding their Uncle Arnon made their heads dizzy, and both twins were instantly sorry for Ivan, who was on his own, like them; of course, the twins were still holding out hope that Uncle Arnon was alive. It was hard to feel sorry for Ivan for long, as a minute later he was yelling impatiently for them to catch up.

“At this pace you won’t arrive until tomorrow!” he insisted.

After arriving at the school, teacher Lindy advised them to line up with their class. Some students fought for front position while others vied for last. It took a minute for the twins to realize you went in for your exam depending on where you were in line. They were in the middle, behind Jae.

“I don’t imagine it matters that much,” said Colin, hoping he had not screwed up by not being more on the ball.

“It’s all myth really. Some think if they go in first the teachers might be in a better mood, or if you go in last, you have a chance of getting more points because the teachers are tired. None of this is true though. The teachers grade each student equally severely.”

Colin took Jae’s word for it, and the twenty children lined up nervously in the corridor. One by one each student was called in; the twins had thought it would not take long for the line to move, but with only one teacher doing the elementary exam, and each student taking an average of fifteen minutes, time began to drag.

“Okay, I guess there’s something to be said for going first,” added Jae, after two hours had passed, and the trio’s nerves were at their peak. “I forget how the longer you sit and think about it, the more nervous you get.” He looked apologetically at Meghan, whose anxiety was more apparent with every passing minute. Finally, it was Jae’s turn. He wanted to let Meghan go ahead of him, but once in line you couldn’t change places. It was an eternity before he came out, thankfully smiling.

“Good luck,” he mouthed to the twins as he escaped out of the school. Colin was next; he tensely entered the classroom. It was not Teacher Lindy as he had expected.
Must and mothballs
. The examiner was Viancourt member Tanzea Chase. Colin had a hard time not plugging his nose. She sat at a table with a stack of papers.

“Name,” she asked, not looking up. Her wrinkled hands shook as she wrote. Colin wondered how many jobs she had. So far, he knew she was a member of the Viancourt, worked at the hospital, and today was a school examiner.
For an old lady she sure does get around.

“Colin Jacoby, ma’am,” he spoke aloud. 

Her eyes glanced over her spectacles inquisitively.

“Of course you are. All right then, task number one. Pick up that stack of pillows, hover them above the ground for one minute, without any of the pillows falling.” Her tone suggested she didn’t expect him to pass. Colin closed his eyes and gathered all the energy required, again, searching outward beyond the school and into Grimble.

He lifted the pillows easily, but the minute was terribly long. Tanzea
Mothball
Chase scrutinized Colin’s every move. Not once did her eyes leave Colin and even look at the pillows. When finished, Tanzea did not reply on Colin’s magic, but simply went on to the next task.

“Take the stack of pillows and move them to the square; mind you, if they fall or shift, you lose points.”

Something strange happened during the test. Colin had the pillows moving in no time, but felt another magical energy in the room, trying to push his pillows out of alignment. He fought it and straightened them.
Had Tanzea done it?
he wondered.
Why?
Did she want him to fail, or was it part of the exam? Colin’s nerves calmed as he finished and received what he believed would be a perfect score.

“Are you even winded, boy?” asked Tanzea frigidly.

Colin answered truthfully. “No, ma’am.”

“Hmm, okay, well number three, then.”

He grew uneasy again. He had already done the exercise’s they had learned in class. Tanzea had her head down scribbling notes. Colin questioned whether there was even supposed to be a number three.

“You see the chalk board that goes around the room? Without using your hands to write, I want you to use the chalk and write out the Svoda goals.”

Colin started to panic, but not for himself. He knew the answers, plus, collecting the energy needed was easy, but could Meghan do the same? He collected himself, reached out for the magical energy and pictured himself picking up the chalk and writing. He spoke the answer in a whisper, while the chalk wrote.

Colin finished and opened his eyes; the words were not only written, but in a perfect straight line. Colin knew he had passed this part of the test, too. Tanzea Chase grimaced at the still not winded Colin Jacoby with great interest, but eventually put her head down, scribbling more notes.