Page 26 of Fire Dancing For Icey Dragons

I bite on my nail beds as I pace back and forth, probably giving off a vibe that people shouldn't talk to me. I'm not doing it on purpose, but now the high of finishing the performance is over, the nerves have set back in, made all the worse by the fact that this is the performance Dad has chosen to come and watch. What if I fail in front of him? I know he's not going to hold it against me, but surely he'll compare me to Mum in his head?

Then there's Blaze. He seems to like that I'm a bit competitive and that I'm good at what I do. What if he realises I'm just a loser if we don't win?

And that's without the immense pressure I'm feeling because Mum won this competition when she was at Obscure Academy. I know she's not here and will never know if I win or lose, butwinning feels like it would make her proud, and I want that more than anything, even if it's an irrational thing to think.

Someone puts a hand on my arm and I jump.

"Sorry," Yuri says.

"Not your fault."

"You're making the squad nervous," she says.

"I'mnervous," I respond.

"I know, but I think they're worried you're going to get mad at them if we don't win."

"I won't," I promise. Mostly because I'll be too disappointed in myself to be mad at them. From where I was standing on the floor, everything seemed to go perfectly. If we lose, it'll be because my routine wasn't good enough for the judges, and that's entirely on me.

"Okay, then take a couple of deep breaths. It's going to be fine," Yuri assures me.

I nod, trying to do what she's saying. It's not that I don't want to be calm, it just feels like there's so much riding on this emotionally for me that there's no escaping it.

"Oh, look," one of the others says, pointing towards the screen where rankings four to twelve are flashing up in reverse order. I'm vaguely aware of the tannoy system announcing the same information to the assembled crowd, but all I can really focus on is whether or not I'm about to see our squad name on this list. If it is, then our hopes of a trophy are dashed. Even if it's not, there's still a chance that we're going to take second or third place. I'm not sure I can handle that, even if I know it should all be okay and I just have to trust that the judges have made the right call.

"We're not on the list!" Yuri says. "Zara, we've got a shot." She shakes me and jumps up and down.

I nod. "Yes. A shot."

"We would like to invite the three remaining teams onto the floor for the announcement of third and second place, along with the winners of our competition," the tannoy says.

"That's us, Zara," Yuri says, pulling me towards the door that will take us back out onto the performance floor.

I'm more nervous now than when we were going out here for our actual routine, but there's no getting around that.

The other two teams make their way onto the floor alongside us, one of them also wearing a blue uniform. I do my best to ignore them and take my position at the front of the Sapphire Sparks while the host takes to the floor.

"It's been a tough day for the judges with twelve fantastic routines," the host says. "And now we have the three top squads with us here on the floor. Good luck to you all."

The lights are so bright that it makes it impossible to see out into the crowd, but I know Dad and Blaze are there, and I want them to see me win.

"In third place, we have the Grimalkin Academy Cats!" the host announces.

The other team in blue cheers, but seem a little disappointed, even as they're given their third-place trophy. I don't blame them. If I were in their position I would feel the same, and right now, I'm mostly feeling relief that we haven't been announced.

"That means that today's winners are either the Obscure Academy Sapphire Sparks or the Blythemoor College Banshees," he says. "Both of the squads put on brilliant routines."

Yuri reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. It's almost possible to hear a pin drop in the room, or maybe that's just my imagination as I wait for the result to be called.

"Second place has been awarded to the Blythemoor College Banshees! Which means this year's winners are the Obscure Academy Sapphire Sparks!"

Excited shouts come from the rest of the squad, but it takes a moment longer for the result to fully register to me.

"We won," I whisper.

"We did," Yuri squeals. "And here's your trophy." She nods towards the approaching host.

The trophy is huge, and just what I expect it to be from the photos of Mum holding it.

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