an illusion— a pretty figment of my imagination, and not how my emotions really felt. But it was good enough to start a bout of inspiration. My head cleared from my dark thoughts, and I was able to re-read my poem with a clear mind.
My entire poem was about deception. Putting on a mask and hiding your pain from the people you loved most, becoming someone else in order to protect them from the suffering you experienced. My piece was a story about wearing a disguise and painting your face, so no one else saw the ruse.
I focused that intent on the mask. As I did, a white, glittering magic emerged from my fingers and landed delicately on the mask. The mask shone for a moment before the surrounding glow dimmed.
I put the mask on. I then turned toward Kiara. “What do you think?”
Her eyes were wide. Kiara shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s like I forget I even know you. I don’t recognize any of your features. Your spell is strong.”
“Didn’t know it would work like that.” I took the mask off, before anyone else could see me in it. “How long do you think it’ll last?”
“An enchantment like that? Ages,” Kiara replied. “It won’t go away until you remove it.”
I fiddled with the ribbons on the mask, thinking. This mask could be useful. When class ended and everyone else took their items back, I pocketed mine in my bag and left.
Once I was in my dorm, I took the old mask and put it into my drawer. I wasn’t quite sure what I’d use it for, only that it felt terribly important. I couldn’t explain why.
The crystal rose Ethan had given me was sitting on my desk in a vase. It sparkled in the winter sunlight and gave off a rainbow reflection, which shone on my bedroom wall.
Hanging in a glass case over the desk was the sword Ethan had made me, Lodburzan. I’d used it in the Contest. I didn’t have any weapons classes this semester, so it’d stay there until the fall, but now and then I ran my fingers over the blade, because I had a connection with it now and it made me think of my love.
It was strange to think of Ethan that way. Maybe it wouldn’t be so strange if I could admit my feelings out in the open.
I admired both the rose and the sword for a moment before I got changed, grabbed a quick lunch from the cafeteria and headed out to the rink.
Gabby wasn’t here, thank the gods. Lady Magdalina had put us on different ice sessions, as she felt we’d be a distraction to each other during our training. I warmed up by stroking around the rink and practicing a few easy spins and jumps.
A skater stretching against the boards waved me over. I knew her. Her name was Amantha— she was part of the griffin Faction. She was technically one of my competitors, but we got along, and she was friendly. She’d dyed her hair white, with streaks of silver, and had big blue eyes that matched the pale color of the ice.
“Hey, Emma. Have a nice break?” Amantha asked.
I shrugged as I stretched my arms. “It was okay. And yours?”
“I barely got off the ice,” she said. “Magdalina grilled my ass from Christmas until New Year’s.”
“Sounds like her.” My stomach wiggled when Lady Magdalina was brought up. I was expecting a lecture from her today. We hadn’t spoken since the King’s Contest ended. I was scared of what she was going to say to me. Would she even want to be my coach anymore, after what had happened?
Amantha scoffed. “At least Gabby’s not here. Last time we were on the ice together, I accidentally got in the way of her jumps. She called me a stupid kid.” Amantha giggled.
“She probably wasn’t looking where she was going.” Gabby thought she owned the ice.
“She wasn’t. She slammed into the boards the other day on her triple lutz.” Amantha smiled. “Eli was watching. She was trying to jump and cast a spell at the same time. She totally landed on her ass.”
“That’s not surprising. Casting spells is hard enough when you’re not already doing something else,” I said.
Amantha laughed. “Too bad Gabby doesn’t know she’s not the only one who can skate and cast illusions at the same time.”
Amantha skated off. She did backward crossovers around the center of the rink, until she dipped into a layback spin.