I bent over the scroll, furiously scribbling. I was not doing well. I knew that because the scroll was spelled to grade you as you filled out the answers to the exam.
Red marks spooled over the scroll, mocking me as I gritted my teeth and curled my fins in tight.
I’d missed more than a few classes, and I wasn’t the sort of Mer who remembered names easily. Plus, I learned by doing, not by listening.
The Human History exam had gone a bit better, but only because I was fascinated by two-leggers. And since there were only two of us, the teacher had made sure to cover any topics I might have missed.
But the worst was yet to come.
Combat was next. Magical Combat and then the General’s final exam for the term. I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I rubbed my mother’s pendant hanging around my neck. I rarely wore it for classes, worried it might get lost, but today, I needed her with me.
To say I was already rattled was an understatement. Juno had blown me a kiss as we swam into the classroom. I knew without a doubt that he would be gunning for me in the Combat exam. He didn’t need to spear me to incapacitate me, either. He just had to brush past me. Or give me a kiss, I thought with a grimace. And that was after Dane had told me he gave Beazil a package and that my familiar had taken it to the cave.
A great white carrying a net bag in his giant teeth wasn’t conspicuous at all, I thought worriedly. My gentle giant might be in danger. He would be waiting for me. He could be caught.
Beazil didn’t have a uniform that could not be seen in darkness or the ability to make himself translucent!
Hopefully, the General was too busy imagining ways to kill me to keep an eye on the stables. If he harmed my shark, I would destroy him. I already hated the Mer with the heat of a thousand lava vents. I was pretty sure he was working against the Queen and her son, not for them. Plus, I would never forgive him for the disgusting things he’d said about me.
Focus, Tri. You need to pass!
If I failed even one of my exams, I could be out. It was true there weren’t really any other Spark candidates, because Dane wasn’t truly an option, but I doubted they would bend the rules to keep me around. And I knew either Starla or Rip would be excellent at the job if it came to that.
I’d made sure to tell Annaruth my recommendation, which had made her roll her eyes.
I resisted the urge to look around and see if anyone else was as tense as a starfish.
The bell rang as I neared the end. I hadn’t finished, though I had gotten close. As I stared at the scroll, I saw my score being tallied.
My heart was beating like a drum as the writing at the top of the scroll rolled and swirled, finally taking shape. I heaved a sigh as an ornately drawn seven and then a two appeared. Seventy-two. That was a passing grade. Barely.
“Nicely done,” Rip chortled as he rolled up his scroll. Not so fast that I didn’t see the 98 on top of his test. I rolled my eyes as he offered me a high five. I wasn’t exactly proud of my score, but I was relieved. I’d made it through.
Just in time to eat something quickly and possibly get my guts ripped out in Magical Combat, I thought with a grimace, realizing I might be too nervous to eat.
We handed our scrolls to Professor Kayvar as we swam out into the hallway. Dane and Starla waved us over as everyone else headed to the dining hall.
“I thought we could eat together today,” Dane said. “In the Royal kitchens.”
I grinned as Rip let out a loud whoop. Starla was smiling too.
“Yes, please.”
I looked at Dane.
“Yes, please,” I seconded. Even Rip looked excited.
Suddenly, I had an appetite, after all.
“Delicious,” Starla said, thanking Batte with a sweet smile. I was trying to sop up the last of the curried clam chowder with a mysteriously crunchy bit of bread.
“Tri. There’s nothing left,” Dane said gently. “Do you want seconds?”
“Thirds,” Rip said with a wink.
“I don’t want to leave,” I admitted with a sigh.
“We’ve got your back. You don’t have to be scared.”
“I do have to be scared,” I said, looking them each in the eye. “And so do you. Being allies . . . being friends with me . . . it’s dangerous.”
“No. You’re only in danger because of me. This is my fault,” Dane said vehemently.
“You can’t help being the Prince. I’m the stupid Mer who swam too high. I didn’t mean to. I only ever wanted to be the Spark, but I never really believed it would happen.”
Dane smiled and took my hand.
“I know.”
Starla slapped her hand over ours.
“You’re both awesome. Now, come on, we’re going to be late.”
“What am I, chopped swordfish?” Rip muttered as we swam toward the wing that housed the Academy.
“You’re awesome too, Riptide,” I said as we slid into Magical Combat just before the doors closed. Whoops, that was a little too close for comfort.
But lunch with my friends had done the trick. I wasn’t even close to as nervous as I’d been.
Until I took a look around the room at the Mers suiting up in combat gear.
“Armor?”
“Yes,” Grendor said, swimming past me. “They need armor if they are to fight you.”
I stared around nervously.
“We are all supposed to fight? At the same time?”
She nodded and smiled.
“No, in pairs. You’ll do fine.”
“Don’t I get any armor?”
But she had already swum off. Dane cursed when he saw that I was without a shield and started pulling off his armor, forcing a chest plate onto my body while I protested.
“I can’t let you do this,” I shouted. But he wouldn’t listen. Then the doors swung open and several guards entered, led by Gwond, one of the Queen’s advisors. He was always hovering about, but I’d never seen him this far from the Queen’s side.
“You are needed in the throne room, Your Highness,” he said with a bow. Dane stared at him, clearly undecided.
“I have my exam now, Gwond. It will have to wait.”
He slapped his arm guards onto my forearms.
“How is it you don’t have your own armor?”
“I don’t know . . .” I trailed off miserably. “But I can’t use yours!”
“You are needed urgently,” Gwond insisted.
Dane frowned as he was assured he would automatically pass his exam. He argued that he didn’t want to pass automatically, and then things got ugly.
Gwond announced that if anyone in the class harmed Prince Pollux, they would be immediately put to death.
So, that was fair, right? Not.
I felt only pity for Dane as he closed his eyes and nodded. Of course he would not allow anyone to die to soothe his pride. He stared at me for a moment before nodding and passing me the rest of his armor.
“I’ll wear it,” I said without hesitation. I knew that he was going to leave. He didn’t need it.
The weird thing was, I was pretty sure Annaruth had fitted me for armor after the Trials. A practice set in silver and a more formal active duty set in brilliant gold. But the armor had never appeared. We weren’t permitted to wear armor in combat class.
Was this another deliberate sabotage? Or did Grendor truly believe I didn’t need protection? I watched Dane leave and then nodded at Starla and Rip, who came to hover on either side of me.
“Don’t worry,” Rip said. “If we get paired up, I’ll go easy on you.”
“Thanks,” I said sarcastically, watching as we were assigned sparring partners for the exam.