Cruel Magic (Royals of Villain Academy #1)(22)
It took a second for his last words to sink in. “Credit?” I repeated.
His gaze slid back to me. “Did your mentor neglect to explain that aspect of school life? Every student is assigned to a league based on their primary magical strength after their assessment—or gets to choose one if they have multiple strong talents. Well-cast spells in that vein earn credits toward your league. At the end of each semester, the league with the most credits gets a feast prepared and served by the losers.” The crinkles around his eyes deepened with a smile. “As you develop your abilities, you’ll find such incidents are valuable opportunities to practice your defensive skills.”
I sank lower in my seat as he returned to the front of the room. Of course this place didn’t just look the other way but outright rewarded students for tormenting each other. Why would I have expected anything else?
Did they get extra credit for managing to mess with a scion? Until I could figure out how to get those defense skills into gear, I had the feeling I was going to be prime target number one.
Chapter Nine
Connar
One thing I could admit: from the moment I’d arrived at Blood U, it’d been easy for me to strike fear when I needed it. Also when I didn’t need it. Pretty much all I had to do was walk into a room to set off a whole bunch of jitters of nervous energy.
No one talked about the reasons. No one dared to. But as I hurtled across the football field, I felt that energy expand inside my chest with the whites of the other guys’ eyes and the tensed expressions as I wove between them.
Would Connar Stormhurst decide to blast right through them or fling them off their feet? Was there going to be blood spilled on the field today? Who knew?
I didn’t think I’d used magic against anyone in the middle of a game in the entire time I’d been at the university, but that didn’t matter. The possibility was there, lurking in everyone’s minds.
The uncertainty could clear a path for me even without my really doing anything. I veered toward one of the juniors who’d joined in, baring my teeth, and he scrambled out of my way so quickly you’d have thought a hellhound had just snapped at his heels.
The goalpost loomed up ahead. I spun around, adrenaline from the run thumping through my veins, and raised my hands. “Open!”
Chandler Viceport hurled the ball toward me. No doubt he whispered a word or two to steady his aim. If he’d been off anyway, I’d have tossed out a little magic to swing the ball toward me, but it was flying straight into my arms. I yanked it to my chest and sprinted the last short distance to the goal.
“Touchdown!” one of my other teammates hollered for me.
As the teams gathered to regroup, I raised the undershirt I’d stripped down to and wiped the sweat from my face. The cool spring breeze was a relief after a workout.
I ambled over to join the other guys, and a few of them glanced up. I couldn’t miss the way they braced themselves a little at the sight of me, even though we’d been playing on the same team for almost an hour. It twisted my gut and made me want to fake a lunge at them just to freak them out. Might as well meet their expectations and get that extra heaping of fear.
“Conn!” a voice hollered from across the field. The late afternoon sunlight glanced off Malcolm’s bright brown hair. He waved to me, standing in his usual relaxed pose.
“I’ll be right back,” I said to my teammates, and jogged over to see what the heir of Nightwood wanted.
“Don’t you ever get tired of dashing across the same field over and over?” Malcolm said, but his smile showed the teasing was good-natured.
“I never have to worry about losing my way,” I tossed back.
He knuckled me on the shoulder. “You know I respect the hell out of you, but let’s be honest, you probably would if they took the game someplace else. Will they survive a few plays without you?”
I shrugged. “If they don’t, that’s their problem. What’s up?”
“I had another idea for our good witch. You’re out here pretty often. If you see the Bloodstone scion heading into the woods on her own—even on the road into town—give me a shout right away?”
“Sure. What are you planning?”
“I’ll share the story if it comes to be.” His grin turned devious. “If I decide I need back-up, I’ll let you know.”
“And you know I’ll be there,” I said automatically.
I kind of wanted to ask what he planned on doing if none of his machinations brought her begging for forgiveness. Rory Bloodstone might have been new here, but she was a scion. I wasn’t sure she was any more likely to back down than Malcolm was. She had been a bitch to him, and I’d be happy to see her brought down a peg for that, but the thought of their squabble turning into some kind of war within the pentacle didn’t sit well with me.
What the hell did I know, though? Malcolm’s teasing was based on truth. Between the four of us, I was the last one anyone would call the brains. Even expressing a doubt felt like it’d be a breach of loyalty.
Sometimes I wasn’t sure how much even Jude or Declan liked having me around. Jude’s jokes strayed into caustic territory from time to time, and I’d seen that familiar wary look on Declan’s face more than once.