I smiled at my grandmother. Just allowing us to use magic would make this go by so much faster. “Thank you,” we three said.
Madison flipped her golden hair over her shoulder and made for the exit. With her hand hesitating on the door, she said, “When you’ve finished, the time is yours to do what you’d like until curfew.” Then she was gone.
The two kitchen workers made their way to the exit. “Have fun,” one said.
“Madison is so great,” Legacy said and enchanted three sponges to start scrubbing. They dipped into the water and in circular motions scrubbed the floating plates, poised above the sinks.
“Definitely.” With a flick of my wrist and the spell in my mind, my magic wafted from me and those scrubbed plates dipped into the hot water and floated to a drying rack. This magic took minimal energy, about as much as doing it manually.
Taz started on a different stack of dishes and then the door swung open. Leaning my back against the countertop, I turned, and in walked Aric with two students from Hesstia I didn’t recognize. To say I was surprised was an understatement. Out of the two princes, I’d expect Zyacus to be on dish duty not Aric. He seemed more on the straight and narrow but then again, I didn’t know him really at all.
The professor who brought them in looked at us, then to the dishes being cleaned on their own then back to his group of students. “Just make sure everything gets cleaned.” And he was out.
Aric made his way over. “Already in trouble?”
“It was a previous offense,” I said with a shrug. I didn’t want to go into details about torturing professors with snakes. “You?”
“Same,” he said but didn’t offer any more details.
I gestured to my two partners in crime. “This is my cousin Legacy and our friend Taz.”
Legacy’s smile brightened the room and Aric looked as smitten as any other boy she directed it at. “It’s great to meet you, Prince Aric.”
With an awkward wave, Taz said, “Hello.”
The other two Hesstian students, two boys hung back for a moment but then they grabbed sponges and started scrubbing in a different washtub. I wondered if they were illcasts, no magic ability. Or perhaps they were unsure how to enchant the items to do the work for them. I didn’t know how to ask without possibly offending them so I turned back to observing my own task, making sure nothing was amiss.
“Should I help you Taz?” Aric asked. “The girls seem to have theirs under control.”
Grinning, he nodded. “Sure.”
There were five wash tubs and soon we had the pile of dishes dwindling. Even the Hesstian students started talking with us. They were illcasts it turned out but they didn’t seem to mind washing by hand, since we did most of the work.
Legacy and Aric chatted like two old friends, then he playfully tossed a handful of water at her and it hit her in the face. At first she was stunned, wide-eyed and silent. Then with a wave of her hand a bucket zoomed across the room and dumped soapy water over his head. I darted to the door to avoid the water fight but Taz flung a cup full at me and soon all of us were soaked.
“What in the name of Delhoon is going on!” A man’s voice boomed and all of us froze. I knew who it was before I turned and dread crept into my body.
Professor Deg with his very full, serious mustache, looked at each of us pointedly. When he stepped further in his arms swung wildly in circles, he slipped on the bubbles and crashed onto his behind.
I swallowed hard with the long pause that followed his fall. Aric splashed over and held out his hand to the professor. Maybe that was why Professor Deg hated our little trio so much, I never even thought to help him up.
Deg grabbed Aric’s hand and the prince lifted him to his feet. “Apologies, Sir. We never meant for water to get on the floor like this or for anyone to get hurt.”
Deg snatched his fallen spectacles off the floor and wiped them on his robe. “Get this place cleaned up. No magic! I want this floor dry as a weathered bone.” Then he stormed out, stomping his feet on the way.
I grabbed a mop and tossed it to Taz, he caught the handle mid-air, and cleaning up the floor was added to dish duty which was nearly done. I enchanted my broomstick, disregarding Deg’s order. Madison said we could use magic, and she was my Kingdom Leader.
I watched Aric roll up his sleeves before he took hold of a broom, and the skull mark on his wrist caught my eye again. I’d wanted to ask Aric about what creatures from the north could rip into the horse like that but with the two Hesstian kids there I kept quiet. Now I had two questions for him.
My curiosity getting the best of me, I looked to the dark-haired boy with the blue uniform. He’d said his name, as did the other, but I’d already forgotten. “Why don’t you two go? We’ll finish up since we started the water fight.”
If I had to guess, they were eager to get out of there. They didn’t ask any questions, said their “Thank you’s” and left.
I elbowed Legacy who was towel drying her hair. “Let’s ask him about what we overheard today.”
She nodded and set her towel down. “Aric,” she said, getting his attention. He’d been talking with Taz and they both looked our way.
“What creature from Collweya could kill that horse and be undetected.”
Aric’s already pale complexion seemed to lose more color. “What do you mean?”
Legacy’s eyes flicked to me, apparently wanting me to take it from there. Of course she would, she wanted to be the fun one, not questioning him about things he clearly didn’t want to answer.
I stepped closer and lowered my voice. “We overheard some of your professors.”
Clearing his throat, he seemed to gain back his composure, and leaned against the mop stick. “Well, there are a lot of things that could mutilate an animal up there. Stuff of nightmares lurking about in the cold and darkness.”
A chill ran down my body and goosebumps erupted on my flesh.
“But I doubt any of them would acclimate to this place or ever make it this far. It’s too hot and the sun shines far too much. Not that I’m complaining.”
Relief washed over me. All this worry and speculation and it probably was just a wolf or wild animal that could be easily dealt with.
“Good to know. I’m sure this incident will be over with and forgotten soon.” But as the words left my mouth they tasted like a lie.
When the place was cleaned and dry, we left and walked in a group with no destination in mind. Legacy and Aric chatted like Taz and I weren’t even there. It was like they were already a couple. I then knew what it felt like to be Taz when Legacy and I talked about boys we liked. I felt like I didn’t belong.
I grabbed Taz’s arm and stopped. “You two go on ahead, Taz and I are going to check out the library.” I could see he was dying inside anyway watching those two.
“Oh,” Aric said as if remembering we were there. “We can go to the library with you.”
I waved my hand and shook my head. “You two should get to know each other better. We planned on going anyway.” I looked over at Taz and he nodded.
“Alright, see you tomorrow.”
When they were out of earshot, Taz said, “Thank you. I felt so awkward.”
“Tell me about it,” I said and chuckled.