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“Coach will not wait on them either. Everything runs on schedule and discipline and ability is key to being able to meet that schedule.” I winked at her and she thought back to a few times I had to sneak to her window for a late night kiss rather than a full evening of playing or studying or both.
“What’s up next?” she asked.
“Ah. The fear factor.” I pointed at the woodline forming on the field. A handful of people turned and headed to the bleachers, giving up before even attempting it. “It’s a version of the forest that surrounds this place. Probably different for every student based on the tales they have heard.”
“Is Maxine going to be okay in there?” she asked and I just realized that may have been her concern about this all along.
“I don’t know.” I had to be honest here. “I just… couldn’t let you go in there. Alone.”
She looked at the field and the two people running out of there, screaming.
“She’s still down there.” Eleanor stood.
I put my hand on her arm. “And you have to let her be there or come here… on her own. Because if you go in there… it will spit you out… beyond the field and into the very forest it mimics.”
“Ooooh.” She lifted her head in acknowledgement. “So if you violate the personal trials—”
“You get thrown into a real trial. Yes. It’s only happened once, but neither of those players have been heard from again.” I looked at the field, at Maxine moving closer to her chance to enter the forest. Then I looked across the bleachers at Thirst. He pushed all the way back in his seat as though he wished someone would just strap him into it. Prevent him from doing what I would have done. I would have gone in there after Eleanor and nothing would have stopped me.
I would have risked both of our lives simply because I would not want her to encounter her greatest fear alone in that forest. It would have been an illogical and irrational reaction because nothing in the dome would actually kill anyone, but it would break a bone or leave a mark now and then. Depended on how fragile the player was. So far, the female monsters were the only ones walking out of there rather than running like their asses were on fire.
Maybe the teams would become co-ed after all. Or maybe they would start their own league. All I knew is that the more the magical humanoids learned about this game from experience, the more they were moving to the sidelines.
“It said there was a test of courage, that’s it, isn’t it?” she asked. I nodded.
“She’s about to go in.” Eleanor then focused on Maxine Mayhem and I could have sworn the privileged princess had a light blue aura she did not have before as she moved closer to those trees.
“What did you do?” I asked, but had a more pressing matter to tend to when Thurst stood up. He was a barely leashed creature and starting to look more creaturish than not the more he paced the two seats worth of space between us. The screen only showed her location, not what she was dealing with.
Thirst shook his head, spoke to himself aloud, and when he turned to look at the treeline, myself and several of our team brothers, including the demon twins, launched to hold him back. I wasn’t sure if we would be successful. I didn’t think anything or anyone would have been able to stop me from going in there after Eleanor, but she was my mate. Solidified. Well, all but one element of that had been solidified.
Eleanor may have been able to use her magic in the dome somehow, but seven monsters against a worried mate was not an even fight. He was winning. As my head cracked against a seat, everything began to spin and blur. “Just give a… min… o… be… kay.”
CHAPTER17
Eleanor
I wasn’t evensure how it all happened. One minute the team of monsters was trying to hold Thurston down and the next…
“I don’t know.” I meant it. I had no idea how I turned them into toddlers. I just… did.
Professor Edwin Dunlop, Dean of Students was in his mid sixties, had salt and pepper hair, watery blue eyes, and an eyebrow reaching for his hairline as he studied me for any evidence that I was not telling the truth.
“Professor, I swear, I have no idea how I did that. I just… needed them to be… less intimidating at that moment. To stop before someone got really hurt.” I considered when they all turned into little monsters, that was not exactly the result. They were not nearly as physically intimidating, but as they were fighting their too big clothing and popping out of garments naked… yeah, I can see how this would be construed as an act of terrorism or something of that nature. Especially, since so many of us magical mere mortals were sidelined and proven insufficient for the games so quickly.
He steepled his fingers and looked across the large desk he was perched behind on an equally large chair. “Well, fortunately it wore off, but unfortunately, that only made it worse.”
I suppose that depended upon perspective. I was sure the female and bisexual population were not too pressed about seeing those monsters in various states of undress. In fact, someone had since mentioned they should consider doing a calendar as a fundraiser for next year’s equipment. Like they had anything other than themselves in that arena. I did not like the idea of Braz on someone’s wall for them to look at.
“Miss Easternwind, get ahold of yourself.” Professor Dunlop slapped the top of his desk and I realized I was letting my thoughts drift a bit too much. I had conjured up some some scissors.
“Sorry, Sir.” I placed them in the cup on his desk and said, “These are a gift for you.”
He seemed unconvinced as he said, “Yes. I’m sure that was the intent. You… have an unprecedented amount of power flowing through you. I think you may need to study in your room for a week or two, let some of this… wear off before you refuel.”
“Refuel? I can’t eat for a week or two?” Now I was scared. Yesterday I was worried about being expelled. Today I was worried about losing my cafeteria and travel privileges.
He tilted his head. “Have they not taught you anything?”
