Page 130 of Blood & Betrayals

“Emotions,” a siren boy in the second row answers.

“Elaborate,” the headmaster replies cooly.

“Combat runes are volatile by their very nature. More so if the creator’s emotions are also volatile.”

The headmaster pushes off the wall and walks back to the board. “As you know, runes draw on emotions. Combat runes are no different, though the consequences are. For example, if you were to draw a rune for hay fever while angry, theworst that would happen is that the rune would be ineffective. Perhaps it would cause a headache. Drawing one of these runes while allowing emotion to rule you could result in self-destruction, madness, blackouts, elevated homicidal tendencies, or uncontrollable rage.” The headmaster writes notes on the board as he speaks. “While you want to control your emotions, these particular runes require a very delicate balance. Someone completely at ease, for example, will not have enough will to power the rune sufficiently. Can anyone tell me the threeM’s of drawing these runes?”

I tell myself to remain silent, but when no one else speaks up, I whisper, “Malice. Murder. Malevolence.” The headmaster turns around and looks at me. Does he look impressed?

“Correct. And what do they mean?” he asks.

“The runes are defensive and are primarily to be used in combat. However, holding any of the three Ms in your soul as you draw the runes changes the rune to be offensive, which is not the nature of them.”

The headmaster nods. “These runes, while meant for battle, can be lethal if used in conjunction with feelings of malice, murder, or malevolence. These runes are incredibly powerful, and they become uncontrollable when fed with these emotions. Say the rune is activated on the battlefield after you have just witnessed a loved one being killed, and the core emotion is malice. Yes, the rune would assist with the surface goal of revenge, but then it would feed off that malice and crack. When it does, it won’t just warp your abilities but your mind as well. Every single person on the battlefield becomes a target. Friend and foe no longer matter. There is only malice. There is onlymore.” The room is completely silent, the lesson settling over us like a suffocating quilt. “Miss Tuatha De Daanan, since you seem to know more than my advanced class, congratulations, you have just volunteered to demonstrate.”

I blink at him, his words slowly sinking in. The headmaster just watches me, his gaze becoming a little more impatient, clearly annoyed that I haven’t jumped to my feet. He obviously isn’t used to having to say things more than once or having to wait.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly get to my feet. I smooth out my skirt as I walk to the front of the class, nerves tingling down my spine.

“Are you feeling particularly malevolent this morning, Miss Tuatha De Daanan?” the headmaster quips, and while it sounds like he’s being sarcastic, I swear I see a twinkle of humor in his eyes.

“I’d say my malevolence is probably sitting at a solid three out of ten,” I reply, using humor to deflect from my nerves. The idea that he is in real danger from me is ludicrous. Not only is my mood fairly placid, but I’m only a first year. My powers are still growing. Plus, they are still deeply repressed, and to power a defensive rune like this fully, I’d need to put in years of practice.

“Draw the rune and use it against me.”

I take a breath and hold out my hand, summoning my small rune dagger. I slice my finger and draw the rune on my forearm without even looking at the board. The memory of the rune is so clear in my mind. It’s like I’ve always known it. Even before he drew it on the board, the rune was building itself in my mind as he was drawing the previous ones. Mine ended up looking only slightly different from the actual rune, and I’m pretty sure mine would have worked in the same way, but it would have allowed for slightly more control over the power channeled into it.

The dark red blood is stark against my skin, and it starts to glow even before I’ve completed it, my body anticipating the power I will need. The second the rune is complete, I feel all of my joints tighten, but my bones become more pliable and flexible. My hearing sharpens, making the ticking clock almostpainful, but I also have more control over it, able to tune myself into the sounds. I hear the heartbeat of everyone in the room, and with little effort, I have sorted through them and identified Connor’s. His heart is beating a little faster than normal. I turn my hearing, searching for the headmaster’s heartbeat. It takes a little longer, but I eventually find the slow, even thud within his chest.

I sense the headmaster moving toward me, his attack imminent. Not giving him the chance, I send a charged ball of purple power right at him. He blocks it easily and nods, never removing his hands from his pockets.

“Very good, Miss Tuatha De Daanan,” he says, and I feel my confidence grow beneath his praise. “Do you know how to counteract the rune?”

I concentrate, and the counter rune forms in my mind. I slice my finger again and draw over the defensive rune. The effects dim almost immediately.

“Very good,” he says before turning his attention to his class, who are all gaping at me. “Next,” he says, waiting for the next person to come up and do the same thing.

By the end of the class, I was the only one able to draw and channel the rune successfully. As the students leave, there is a mixture of reactions as they walk past me. Some smile at me, seeming impressed. Others glare at the temerity of a first-year daring to show them up.

Connor slides his hand into mine. “You made that look easy.”

I shrug, but I feel a smile tug at the corner of my lips.

“Lunch?” Connor asks.

I nod and we walk to the cafeteria, discussing the different techniques for rune drawing. When we arrive at our table, Zach, Zane, Luke, and Alice are digging into their lunch.

“Summer just showed up a room full of seniors,” Connor announces to the table with a wide, proud grin.

“Hardly.” I roll my eyes as I sit down, but that annoying warmth fills my chest, and a smile plays on my lips again.

Connor raises an eyebrow. “You were the only one the headmaster had to use his shield for.”

I shrug. “Whatever, it’s just a rune.” The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them, not only because they are not true, runes are complex and fascinating, but also because of how Connor’s face drops.

“Oh,” he says, sounding a little defeated.

I turn to face him. “Con, the only reason I’m good at runes is cause I’m fae. They’re really hard, and that one today was super complex. You almost had it.”

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