Firebolt

Chapter 4

THE HALL WE entered was filled with students and the lecture had already begun. Becky and I crouched and walked to the second row, while the teacher scribbled on the blackboard facing away from the rows of students. As soon as we reached the row, we slipped into the only two empty chairs next to each other.

The other students chuckled softly at our stealthy plan. 

“Late again, Ms. Johnson?” the teacher asked in a brisk Irish accent.

“Thanks, you guys,” Becky said to the chortling students. Turning to look at me, she rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Welcome, Elena,” the teacher said, and turned around with a grin not meant to be ignored. I gave him a small smile back. “My name is Sir Edward. In this class you will learn Paegeia's mysteries,” he said excitedly, and the whole class sighed. It felt as if the entire room was deflating with their obvious displeasure. 

The teacher appeared much too young to be a professor, with honey-colored eyes and golden blonde hair. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt with a tribal print design covering his chest. “Now, where were we?”

“You were telling us about the King of Lion sword,” a boy with bulgy eyes and dark brown hair reminded him.

“Thank you, Trevor,” Sir Edward said. “The King of Lion sword is the only sword that can slay evil too strong for non-magical weapons, especially dragons.” 

I gasped.

“Not all dragons are good,” Becky whispered at my apparent discomfort.

“Why is this sword the only capable sword, Becky?” Sir Edward asked, and she shrunk in her chair. 

“It's the only sword blessed by King William, a thousand years ago.” She’d clearly sucked the answer out of her thumb.

“Yes and how did the sword get blessed?” he asked, still grilling her.

“Holy water,” she answered, and everyone laughed. Sir Edward smiled too.

“No. Try to pay more attention, Ms. Johnson. Riley,” he called on a girl in the third row whose hand reached the highest.

She flipped her hair and gave Becky an I'm-smarter-than-you-are smile. “No one knows for sure, but there are plenty of ideas.”

“She's a big know-it-all. A real toothache, if you ask me,” Becky whispered as Riley gave a breakdown of a million possibilities.

“Correct, Riley,” Sir Edward said.

“So we shouldn't rule out holy water,” Becky chirped and the class broke out in laughter again.

“No, Becky, that one has been tested,” he said, ignoring her curled lip. “Who can tell me what the Japanese call it?” 

The know-it-all, Riley, was the only one who knew the answer this time. 

“Riley?”

“Shishiwo,” she said. 

While she was answering, Becky was doing an accurate impersonation of Riley, and I had to suppress my laughter in order to not draw any more attention to us.

“Here, you deserve it.” Sir Edward tossed Riley a chocolate bar.

“Who can tell me how many King of Lion weapons we have?” he asked. This time everyone’s hands went up, except for mine.

“Charlie?” He pointed to a boy in the first row.

“One,” the boy said. “Now where’s my candy?”