Trial By Fire by Christopher Nuttall

Author:Christopher Nuttall
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Young Adult, Magic, alternate world, Fantasy, Magicians, sorcerers
ISBN: 9781606193099
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Published: 2015-07-13T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

“TELL ME SOMETHING,” LADY BARB SAID, once the last of the girls had been healed and dispatched to her bedroom. “How many girls are there in Second Year?”

Emily thought about it. Whitehall normally had around fifty girls and seventy boys per year, but there had been a recruiting shortfall after Shadye’s attack, when she’d been in her First Year. She had the impression, from Frieda, that there weren’t actually that many girls in her year...

“Around thirty,” she guessed.

“Thirty-nine,” Lady Barb said. “And thirty-seven of them have the same injury.”

Emily blinked. “All, but two? How?”

“A very good question,” Lady Barb said. “They all say they ran into a wall.”

That couldn’t be right, Emily was sure. The younger students did go running through the building, and it was at least reasonably possible that one or two might accidentally run into a wall, but how could all of them, save two, make the same stupid mistake? Even if the school had been reconfiguring itself at the time, it wouldn’t have produced the same injury...

“They’re lying,” she said. “They must be lying. Someone beat them up or cursed them or...”

“They’re all telling the truth,” Lady Barb said. “I checked. They all swear they ran into walls and they’re all telling the truth.”

“I don’t believe it,” Emily said. “Did someone tamper with their memories?”

“Not according to the wards,” Lady Barb said. “No one has used anything more dangerous than a mild compulsion charm over the past couple of weeks, at least outside class. I don’t think there was anything strong enough to cause such a lasting effect in one person, let alone thirty-seven. It makes no sense.”

Emily considered it. “Who was spared and why?”

“Frieda and Tomas,” Lady Barb said. “And there doesn’t seem to be any reason why they were spared.”

She gave Emily a sharp look. “Have you noticed any odd behavior recently?”

“Imaiqah was chewing her fingernails,” Emily said, after a moment’s thought. “I don’t recall anything else.”

“Might be nothing,” Lady Barb said. She shook her head, then sat down at the desk. “And now we’ve healed the wounded, perhaps you could explain to me how you managed to earn another detention on a weekend?”

Emily swallowed, and started to explain.

“I shall be having words with Caleb,” Lady Barb said, when she’d finished. “Or, rather, I shall be having words with the Grandmaster, who will have words with Caleb.”

“But...” Emily caught herself, then pressed on. “He didn’t...”

“You are meant to be doing a joint project with him,” Lady Barb said, coldly. “I don’t believe you will find it any easier with this hanging over you.”

Emily winced. She’d honestly never considered the possibility of having to work with a former boyfriend. It had never happened before; even Jade, when he’d asked her to marry him, had been on the verge of leaving Whitehall. Caleb...she wasn’t sure what he was, here and now, but it wouldn’t be easy to work with him if matters remained unresolved between them. God alone knew what he thought of her.

“It wasn’t fair of him to spring this on you,” Lady Barb continued.

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