Page 46 of Monster's Baby

A thought occurred to me.

I cast a target spell on people with a higher heart rate, readied the dart spell, and then cast multiply.I focused on each person I could see and let the spell fly.

Twelve competitors went down in one go, just before the buzzer rang, signaling the end of the event.

“Would the finalists please go to the center of the field while we tabulate the scores,” the announcer said,

By the time everyone reached the center, the announcer was speaking again.“Surprising nobody after that performance, third place is awarded to North America, second place Asia, and first place goes to Europe!”

CHAPTER12

People kept tryingto get close to Clarissa and I as we waited in line for the portal back to the academy.The medal ceremony had passed in a bit of a blur, I’d been so shocked that we had won.The finalists had all congratulated each other, shaking hands as we passed each other in a line.At the end, the Turkish girl I’d admired had found me.She had said she was impressed I’d avoided her invisibility target dart, and explained how she’d cast it.

It was a pretty straightforward spell, once explained.I wouldn’t have been able to come up with it in a high-pressure situation, though.

She’d laughed when I told her that, and said she’d been training with it all summer in hopes of being selected for the Magical Olympics.Her father had been a champion in his final year at school, and kept tabs on the events.

I squeezed Aiden’s hand, grateful for his presence.Grandfather had wanted to attend tonight, but hadn’t been able to get a ticket.He was going to be at tomorrow’s event, though.I wasn’t sure which one it was, or even if I would be competing.I figured either way, I’d get to see him.

Clarissa threw her arms around Bruce’s neck when he finally got through the crowd, kissing him passionately.

Breathless, they pulled apart, only having eyes for each other.

“You did amazing, babe,” he told her.

She smiled.“Babe?”

“I’m trying out nicknames from this century.”

She chuckled.“Fitting choice.”

All of a sudden I remembered her comment from the first dinner.“Clarissa, are you?—”

I was interrupted by more of our classmates joining us, cheering loudly and thumping us on our backs.

Aiden growled when one blow sent me staggering.“That’s it,” he said, his eyes flaring with fire.“We’re getting you home.”

“What are you going to do, beast out?”I said with a giggle.

Aiden and Clarissa exchanged glances and grinned.“Yes.”The two of them burst into harmless flames, but the crowd around us stepped back from the heat.

“Angry beasts coming through,” Bruce shouted, and a path cleared to the portal.“Blackthorn Academy, coming up,” he said, walking through the glowing gate.

I followed him, our partners right behind us.

“I feel a little bad leaving our friends behind,” I said once we were in the basement of the academy.

A professor was checking us back in on a long scroll.

Bruce shrugged.“I have no idea where they were.Aiden and I were sitting with the other competitors, but the spectators?Who knows.”

I nodded my understanding.“Did you get separated?”

Aiden brought my hand to his lips.“I completely forgot he existed once you were heading off the field.My only thought was to get to you.”

Bruce snorted.“He jumped five rows of seats.There was no way I could keep up.”

“I would have loved to see that,” I said with a chuckle.“Did you turn into a lion?”

---