I inhaled deeply, as I watched Laura make inquiries about the position of my name on the competition list.
Today was Friday; the last day of the contest. And the contest slotted for today was the one of physical strength and magic prowess. The academic quality of the contest had been calculated between Monday and yesterday. The result was shown yesterday too. I had come out sixth.
Well, I hadn’t expected to come out in the top ten, because I had just started with them a few weeks ago. Luckily for me, it turned out they had checked academic potentials too; and seeing as my class works were all straight As, it had been enough for them.
Rachel was first.
I would have pushed it to the Queen playing at favoritism, but then Rachel was brilliant. That was one thing she got right at least, and I couldn’t fault her in that. She was top of the class, and her brother wasn’t far behind. Her knack for answering every question thrown at her also erased the notion that her mother must have shown her the exam papers during the examination period.
“You’ve been slotted at the last notch again. I know Rachel is taking the lead now, but if you can win both the physical strength and the magic prowess contest, you will bring home the win. Are you ready?” Laura asked, tucking a strand of my white hair behind my ear.
A chunk of my black hair strands had been colonized by their white counterparts after the night of the beauty contest. We had understood then that the more magic I expended, the more white my hairs become.
I shrugged my shoulders at Laura’s question. I was as ready as I’ll ever be. The past two days had been spent honing my magic, and stabilizing my center. Peter and Laura were good teachers. Levina and Diana had thrown in their weight too in the best way they could. Levina had gone as far as bringing one of her father’s spell books, for my usage. Principal Lethon hadn’t cared though. He had actually wished me the best.
“All contestants should move forward to the seats designated for them. The contest begins in five minutes.”
I sighed, hearing the announcement from the speakers. It was time.
“Hey, you can do it, Maya. If there’s anyone fit to carry the crown, it’s you. Don’t think otherwise. Work with that.” Peter said, startling me. I hadn’t seen him come into the tent.
He stopped in front of me, wearing a huge confident smile that helped boost mine.
Yes, I was powerful, but I was still nervous. I still didn’t know the display that would go best, that would convince the judges to pick me. I didn’t want to do too much either. There was also combat to face. Combat I wasn’t exactly skilled in. I haven’t attended a single class in combat since my resumption. How was I going to fight?
Yes, Peter had shown me some techniques in the last two days, but how would that compare to the other contestants who have had years of training, to Rachel who has been training all her life? What were we going to be fighting against? Ourselves?
The community had been thrown into confusion over the latest addition to the contest; Combat. It hadn’t been part of the contest before. Instinctively, I knew that it had been put for Rachel’s sake, to stack the odds in her favor. The Queen knew I was no good in combat.
“You are thinking too much, Maya, and that isn’t good.” Laura said, dragging me away from my thoughts. Well. I had no choice. My mind was overactive.
I stood up from the chair, and dusted my dark brown leather pants. Laura had been behind this outfit too. It was cute in a warrior’s way. it went with the leather top suit, and the gloves in my hand. My combat shoes though had been bought by Peter.
“Are you ready?”
I nodded. I had no choice but to be.
Just then, Levina and Diana rushed into the tent. Behind them was Sinclair.
“What are you waiting for? You are the only contestant not on the seat!” Levina shouted, before whistling at my attire. “Girl, you are dressed like a winner. They should give you some points for your combat kit.”
I chuckled softly, feeling the tension reduce a little from my shoulders. Diana gave me a thumbs up. Sinclair said nothing. Not until, I walked past him to the exit of the tent. “Good luck.”
A whispered wish coated with a gentleness I hoped Levina would soon enjoy.
*****
I haven’t gotten to my seat yet-just two feet away from the highchairs-when I saw Adam hurrying toward me.
Since the night when we had eavesdropped on the conversation of the king and queen, we haven’t spoken. I had seen him once though, loitering around our fence, contemplating whether to knock or go away. I hadn’t shown myself, not seeing the use, especially as Peter was around.
“Hey…” He greeted, when he got to me.
I said nothing, I only piqued my eyebrows. We were the center of attention for god sake. What was wrong with him?
“I just came to give you this…”
I looked down, it was a red scarf.
“My good luck charm…”
I would have laughed, seeing as we had agreed to be friends if I hadn’t sensed Peter and my family coming from behind me. He wasn’t going to be happy with this meetup.
My gaze met with the contestants who were staring at me enviously, especially Rachel who was literally seething. I wondered then if the Queen had told her of the Lycan King’s decision. Maybe not. Maybe she was just angry that Adam was giving me his scarf called good luck charm.
But I didn’t believe in charms. However, because I needed to throw Rachel off balance in a way, I smiled meekly at Adam. “Thanks. Where do you put it?”
Adam perused my outfit then, and from the heat that slipped into his gaze, I knew that what went through his mind wasn’t combat; at least not the one that goes on in the field.
“Here will be fine.” He said finally, looking at my neck, before tying the scarf around it. “I wish you luck, my friend…Kick their asses.”
I smiled genuinely, gave him a nod, and then hurried to my seat.
****
“Next on the list: Princess Rachel!”
I watched as Rachel stood up gracefully from her seat, and sauntered to the middle of the field that had been chosen for the event. It was shaped like a stadium, and the audience sat on bleachers, watching us below.
There were only eight contestants left out of twenty now. The academic and physical beauty contest had screened out twelve; they didn’t reach the cut off mark for the last phase of the contest. I and Rachel were the only juniors left. The others were females in the upper class, in their final year. And we were the last to perform.
The other six displays by the six seniors had been beyond magnificent. And since we were watching everyone, each had tried to outdo the person before them. Some had tried and won, whilst some had failed on that regard. But all the displays had been wonderful.
I watched now, my heart beating more than the usual, as Rachel stood in the middle of the field, and gazed around; her eyes staying more on her mother, the Queen.
With her two hands lifted to the skies, with her mouth muttering spells I couldn’t hear no matter the sensitivity of my ear, she called down rain. It happened with such unexpectancy that everyone gaped, not believing what they were seeing.
The sun, which had been blazing hot, suddenly disappeared into the clouds. Suddenly the clouds were dark, and suddenly rain had poured down, soaking everyone in the stadium, soaking my confidence and threatening to pull it down. So far, she was the winner.
None of the seniors had attempted to control a natural phenomenon. Controlling those were for high level witches and wizards. What juniors like us could do was to create a little amount of water, maybe cause a light rain. But not one with lightning and flashes of thunder. The Queen had really taught her well. But Rachel wasn’t done.
With a shout, she caused the rain to cease, to stand still, such that we could grasp the falling rain; such that we could touch it, and watch it sway. It was like the time of the rain had stood still. A cackle from her, and the rain continued its fall. Everyone was amazed. I was amazed.
She looked around, smiled and with just a hand stretched to the sky, caused the rain to cease. The audience broke into a frenzy.
When my gaze met with Rachel, she smirked.
The seniors had done all I have done before, well to an extent. They had commanded huge balls of fire, they had commanded destruction, and all that. I could command the same at a higher level, but it wouldn’t pack as much impart as Rachel’s. I needed to do something that hadn’t been done before. Not rain, not lightning, not thunder.
“I think she is the winner for this year.” I heard a senior mutter beside me, defeat ringing in her voice. Defeat that threatened to assuage me, but then my gaze somehow met with Diana, with my family. They were not looking impressed at Rachel’s display.
Diana gave me a thumbs up. “You can do it.” She mouthed, causing me to smile. I breathed in deeply, barely aware of Rachel returning to her seat.
‘Are you ready, El?’
‘I’m always ready.’