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“I wish I didn’t love it, but I do. Especially when it’s jerks like Kristopher.” I tossed my head. “Don’t know why that guy’s so angry all the time. We get it, you’re a son of Prometheus and can start fires with your mind. Blah, blah, get a new thing.”
She giggled. Liza was one of the sweeter, soft-spoken ones in my class. She fell in with Kosma’s group but wisely didn’t hit the paradise tea as hard as they did that fateful morning. From what I saw when I caught glances of the thin, bespectacled, brown-haired girl every night in the library, the daughter of Artemis preferred to read her books—keeping to herself.
“Hey, I was thinking,” I began. “Do you want to team up?”
“Team up?”
I jerked my chin at Catherine. “To beat Catherine. It occurred to me the other day that we’re all taking her on one by one even though Instructor Kazran never said that was a rule.”
Her mouth opened, but nothing came out—her expression freezing. She knew I was right. Kazran never said these were one-on-one fights. We all made that up for ourselves.
“No wonder he tells us to be smarter,” she muttered. “Bet he’s been laughing and shaking his head at us the whole time. But why should I team up with you? No offense, but you’re ranked so low even Vasili pities you, and the man was born without sympathy.”
“But that’s why we should team up. Catherine stopped seeing me as a threat after the second lesson. She drops her guard whenever she faces me,” I said. “Artemis was the goddess of the forest and hills. I know that’s your power.”
I wobbled off my feet—throwing out my hand and catching myself when the ground moved beneath me. A small mound of earth lifted me up, illustrating my point.
“You make hills,” I announced, stepping off. “Catherine knows it’s coming when she faces you, so you haven’t been able to trip her. But if she’s focused on me—”
“—down she goes.” We smacked palms. “Let’s do it.”
After quickly discussing our plan, I stepped to the head of the line. “Proficient Catherine, do you mind if I go again? I know what to do now.”
She cocked her brow, scoffing. “Oh, do you? This I’ve got to see.” Catherine crouched, getting in her runner’s stance. “Prepare yourself, Sisyphean. This is going to hurt.”
Yeah, you, but not me.
Taking a breath, I said, “Read—”
Catherine blurred.
A mound of earth erupted in front of me.
“Ahhhhhh!”
Our heads snapped up. Catherine went flying—her legs and hands spinning out like she was revolving on the tip of a finger. She struck the ground with an audible thud that ripped hisses out of me, Liza, and three other people.
That hurt. A lot.
“Catherine?” I called. “Are you okay?”
The red-haired girl didn’t move or raise her head.
“Whoa. Is she dead?” someone whispered.
“Catherine?” Worry crept into the name. “Say something.”
Kazran appeared next to me, making me jerk. “She’s fine. You and you,” he barked at two guys. “Help her to the infirmary.”
They picked up the dazed, head-lolling Catherine and carried her away.
Kazran turned on me and Liza. “Are you two responsible for this?”
Sharing a look, I swear the thought went through both our heads to cut and run. He couldn’t catch us both if we split in opposite directions.
You wouldn’t get far, Vanda. There’s no way out of this place.
I stepped forward. “Yes, sir. It was my idea. You never said we had to face the proficients one on one, and it wouldn’t make sense to. When we’re out there fighting these monsters, we’ll be doing it as a team. Why shouldn’t we fight as a team now?”
