Page 1 of The Princess of Portals

EPISODE 1

NIGHTINGALE'S SONG

CHAPTER 1

DEAD OR ALIVE

“Following three weeks of intensive training, Gaia’s newest Apprentices are about to take the final step in their journey to become Knights. Their graduation ceremony will take place on Wednesday evening at the Castle’s Annual Masquerade Ball, where each Apprentice will be initiated into one of the six magic Tribes: the Sorcerers, the Alchemists, the Metamorphs, the Nymphs, the Dreamweavers, and the Elves. The Knight mentors will use the next five days to assess the Apprentices’ magic and, ultimately, to decide their fate.”

I peered through the jungle of wooden crates and sweating Apprentices, to the big television screen that hung on the brick wall over the small, understated armada of parked SUVs. Like the news networks, the only thing the Apprentices were talking about right now was our upcoming ascension to the rank of Knight.

“I hope they’ll make me a Sorcerer.”

“An Alchemist. Definitely. The Alchemists are the smartest Knights.”

“I want to be a Nymph. Someone has to heal the planet.”

“My mentor hasn’t said anything, but I know they’ll make me a Dreamweaver. After all, I am out-of-this-world awesome.”

Today, each and every Apprentice in the Fortress—all thirty of us—was here in the Magic Emporium, sweating under the scorching sun. We’d been loading supplies into the Watchers’ SUVs all morning. The TV was a welcome distraction from the hard manual labor.

“I’ll be made an Elf, of course. I can enchant anyone.”

“Who needs enchantment when you’ve got fists.”

That deeply insightful statement came from my own personal nemesis: Zoe Santos. Zoe was convinced there wasn’t a problem in the world that couldn’t be solved with copious amounts of violence. I really wondered sometimes—all the time, actually—how anyone possibly thought it was a good idea to make Zoe a Knight.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what Tribe I’ll end up in. I haven’t been able to do any magic at all. Maybe I’m a magical dud. Maybe I’ll show up to the Ball just to have the Knights send me away.”

“Just because you haven’t done any magic, that doesn’t mean you’ll be sent away. Remember what the mentors always say: trust the system.”

“I hope you’re right. If I don’t become a Knight, my whole town will suffer.”

That was the other side of this whole thing. The Apprentice Program wasn’t just about determining which Tribe we belonged to. It was also a competition, complete with a big Scoreboard that no one could ignore. A Scoreboard that ranked us all in relation to one another.

And it wasn’t just our own futures that were on the line. The higher an Apprentice ranked on the Scoreboard, the more Government resources that Apprentice’s hometown received. Resources like food, clothing, and other basic necessities. It was a silly, stupid game the Government was playing, and I hated it with every fiber of my being.

“Savannah, look.”

Beside me, my best friend Nevada was gaping at the TV screen.

“Breaking news. Melanie Meyer, Governor of the Fortress, has called in General Lynch for questioning. The Governor’s office has not revealed the specifics surrounding the investigation, but analysts expect it is related to the General’s involvement in a recent incident at the Castle.”

The news reporter didn’t say anything more on the topic, and he didn’t need to. I knew exactly why the Governor had called the General into her office. And so did every other single Apprentice here.

“The star of the Scoreboard, dethroned.”

“More than just dethroned. Removed. Thrown out of the Castle.”

“I saw Jareth and Ainsley drag her out. Bronte was weeping.”

“This is the biggest scandal the Castle has ever seen.”

“And Bronte Vance is the biggest liar who ever lived. She never had any magic at all.”

The General’s inquisition was all about Bronte. He’d made a secret deal with Bronte, they’d been found out, and now Governor Meyer finally had what she needed to remove the General from power. Maybe.

The Apprentices quickly grew bored of the Bronte scandal and moved on to discussing more pressing matters. Like what they were wearing to the Ball. And who they were bringing to the Ball. They weren’t paying any attention to the news anymore, but I was.