“You seriously don’t feel anything?” Morgan asks, and his words are wasps, driving their stingers into my skin.

“No, nothing at all. To me, it’s just a book.” I gather up the pile. There’s no way I’m reaching the top shelf, even on my tiptoes.

“Here.” Aysha drags over a broken chair from a shadowy corner, and I wince out a “Thanks” at her before climbing up and sliding the book back into its hiding place.

For a moment, curiosity gets the better of me. I crack open the cover to peek inside. There are notes in pencil in the margin and several Post-its covered in a sloppy cursive I know all too well.

Morgan sneezes violently behind me and my heart jackhammers against my ribs. Why on earth does Joakim have a book on chaos magic? And why is it full of notes in Toivo’s handwriting?

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to get out of here,” Morgan manages between sneezes.

“Come on, Taika,” Aysha whines from below.

Quickly, I flip to the page marked Preface. Several words have been circled and underlined, words I don’t really understand like Tumultua and egregore.

“Seriously, what the hell are you doing?” Ekaterina shouts from below. “We need to get out of here!”

They’re right and Morgan is still sneezing. I slam the book shut and clamber down with Aysha’s help.

Together, we rush out of the classroom and run down the stairs, taking two at a time. None of us see the two shapes slinking into the stairwell before it’s too late.

12

The overhead lights flick on, dazzling all of us. I squint through the glare. Yup, we’re screwed.

“Care to explain yourselves?” MacCrone stands dressed for battle as usual, except she’s traded her signature camo pants for an all-black ensemble. Fiona stands beside her, forked tongue flicking between her teeth.

“We were…um…just getting more supplies for the buck building,” Aysha says, and Ekaterina’s sparks flare.

“Is that so?” MacCrone peers at us with her only good eye. When no one responds she chortles victoriously. “Right, you lot are coming with me then.”

I cast quick glances at the others. Morgan grips the straps of his backpack and stares at the battle mage defiantly. It doesn’t last long before he’s racked by sneezes again.

Sini has a finger hooked under her bracelet, snapping relentlessly at her wrist, and Aysha has started humming faintly, her left hand gripping Ekaterina’s right. One by one the tiny lightning bolts dancing along Ekaterina’s fingers snuff out. She nods at Aysha, who releases her slowly.

“We were looking for supplies, honest,” I say.

MacCrone stares at each of us in turn, her wizened lips twisted in disbelief. “Oh, I’ll bet. Best you tell the truth right fast, or it’ll be grounds for expulsion.”