Page 58 of Two Who Live On

I, along with the other proctors, kept a close eye on each student, ensuring no one exceeded casting limitations. Why’d it have to be Kenzo in the first round? He was going to aggressively strike, possibly hurting someone. As his instructor, I needed to support his efforts like I would any other student, but as a proctor, I needed to be ready to step in to stop him if he took things too far. Everyone expected a few injuries during the showcase, but Kenzo wasn’t the type to pull back a punch unless it gave him more momentum to hurt his opponent.

The cameras reeled back, zooming in to keep their faces in view on the screens but too far for the microphones to catch their words. This close, I could only make out angry mutterings. Disgruntled witches who didn’t want to be teamed with Kenzo, and Kenzo cursing them and cutting them off every time one dared to utter a protest to his plan.

“You know, I’m also top-ranked,” Amani shouted so loudly, nobody needed a microphone to hear. “Tell me why I need to just fall in line with your lack of plan?”

“Shut up and save your casting,” Kenzo snapped. “You can thank me when you all reach the finals, double digits.”

His comment clearly offended Amani, who’d worked hard for her ranking out of six hundred other first-year students. He’d diminishedit with a few crude words. Each of Kenzo’s teammates’ thoughts festered as their voices quieted and he sternly gestured.

Layla’s thoughts spiked from the other end of the arena, shifting scenarios to something she believed would ensure her team’s victory.

The timer buzzed, and the round began.

“Wait—I can help.” Amani’s eyes rolled back, casting a slight blur around her team.

“I said shut up. I don’t need your weak ass magics.” Gray static sprang from Kenzo’s palms, lashing out at his own team.

Harrison squeaked, frantically dropping a yellow vial. It released a golden glittering cloud that hid the entire team in smoke until Kenzo’s gray static popped, clearing away the potion.

What was he thinking? The arrogance.

Anything to prove he was the most capable witch here. But he didn’t register that the importance of this round had nothing to do with independent skill. Collaboration was the goal, and he’d proven time and time again he hated the guild model, seeking to create something new. That cockiness would be his downfall. Even if he won the round on his own, he’d continue proving too difficult to work with in this industry.

Kenzo bolted ahead, carrying all four cuffs in his hands while his stunned teammates stayed behind, unable to assist since he’d disrupted their magics. Jamius scowled—so unlike him. His surface thoughts were furious, but he took a deep breath and silenced them, perhaps in awe of his ruthless classmate. Unfortunately, there was nothing he or they could do.

Ruthless or not, Layla had developed a strategy of her own, lunging toward Kenzo, which she believed he’d take the bait for.

“Something’s off,” Jennifer shouted. A perfect ringer in predicting intentions based on emotions, but Kenzo’s aggression was usually more predictable. She couldn’t pinpoint it, but his rage felt hollow.

I quirked an eyebrow. It didn’t matter. Kenzo leapt up, levitating above Layla and aiming for Melanie. Gray static popped from his hands and comets swooped in, catching his strike and making it difficult to move in close. Melanie unleashed furious, widespread flames, unhindered by the few sparks of static that weaved past Yaritza’s defensive strike.

Layla had predicted Kenzo’s arrogance and knew he’d move in first, unwilling to work with a team since he’d barely agreed to work with her, Melanie, and Gael during the warlock incursion—and that was when lives were at stake.

“No way is five minutes enough for him to put his ego aside,” Layla thought. “Still, can’t believe he attacked his own team. What an asshole.”

Yaritza released a flurry of tiny explosive rocks, and when coupled with Melanie’s flames, they made it impossible for Kenzo to move in close. His legs wobbled in the air as he dodged their strikes.

Wait. What?

Kenzo had incredible stamina for strikes. Had the preparation Layla made rattled him? I tried listening in on his surface thoughts, usually so profoundly loud, yet they simmered here, stunted in quiet, wordless fear.

Layla darted toward him, knowing if Kenzo aimed his disruption at her, Yaritza would block it with a barrage of her star showers, and if he got the upper hand, Melanie would obscure the field in flames. It worked even better than Layla hoped, having kept Jennifer back to detect the other teammates’ movements. She’d figured they’d hesitate in helping, but Kenzo had done her team the favor of removing them altogether from the equation.

Layla’s whiskers quivered when she reached Kenzo midair, pausing to sniff his scent. “You’re not—”

“Surprise!” Jamius’ voice boomed from Kenzo’s body. He slapped his hands together, and a half-dozen duplications of Kenzo appeared, flying in every direction and causing the Kenzo-faced Jamius to falter in his levitation. That should’ve been a clear giveaway, considering how his roots wavered and even more so when he created duplicates.

I turned back to see the Jamius who stood stunned with his team had vanished, replaced by another Kenzo who leapt into the fray of doppelgangers, unleashing chaotic waves of disruption the girls’ team barely evaded. Amani and Harrison stood together, and it all made sense.

Amani had used her glamour to switch Jamius and Kenzo’s appearances, all while Harrison had accidentally dropped a vial of smoke because Kenzo had ‘attacked’ his own team. The gray static Jamius cast when glamoured as Kenzo failed to fan Melanie’s flames because it was simply another glamour mimicking the disruption’s look but not the power. Now, with Jamius appearing like Kenzo, it allowed the real one to slip in among the duplicates and quickly cast disruption. Yaritza hurled flaming pebbles but missed the disruption specifically targeted for Layla—Kenzo quickly slapped cuffs around her. Melanie panicked, blasting fire at every Kenzo in sight but only managing to strike a few duplicates of Jamius.

Melanie flew high, dodging an angry-eyed Kenzo, and chased after the one who wobbled in the distance.

“I should’ve known it was you, Jamius.” Melanie grabbed her cuffs, ready to eliminate all the duplicates by dampening the original’s magic. “Your levitation sucks.”

“And your instincts suck.” Kenzo tightened his form midair and swatted Melanie’s lighter out of her hand with a telekinetic strike.

She panicked, stunned she’d fallen for Kenzo’s trick. Having lost her support tool, Melanie’s control over her active flames floundered.Kenzo used her hesitation to his advantage and twisted Melanie’s arm until she’d dropped her cuffs into his hand, and he slapped them on her wrists.

---