“The ones I fought weren’t this big,” I offered. “Also, I don’t think they’re dead.”

The guys followed me back into the trees and we located my two victims. I stood proudly over the unconscious shifters, waiting for praise. Aaron peered at the wolves, then let out a snort.

“Not helpful, Tori.” He stalked away.

I blinked in confusion. Kai and Ezra glared furiously at Aaron’s back.

“What did I do wrong?” I asked in a small voice.

“Nothing,” Ezra said quickly. “You were amazing. You took out two shifters all by yourself.”

“But why did Aaron say …”

Kai cleared his throat. “These two shifters don’t appear to be altered. So we need a different one to take back.”

“Wait, what?” I reexamined the shifters. No creepy wounds, no milky eyes, no unnaturally beefed-up muscles. “Damn it, you’re right.”

Ezra wrapped his arm around my drooping shoulders. “Don’t be upset. Taking out two shifters on your own is impressive.”

“But I thought I was whooping mutant shifters,” I pouted.

“The important thing,” Kai said, shifting closer to my other side, “is the four of us eliminated the entire pack. Let’s call in backup to—”

“Wait.” I frowned at the two wolves I’d defeated, then looked toward the other bodies, out of sight. “Did we eliminate the entire pack?”

I slipped free from Ezra’s arm and hastened through the trees. Wet footsteps slapping in the mud told me Ezra and Kai were following. Halting at the battle zone’s edge, I scanned the corpses. Shades of mottled gray, two brown, one dirty white.

“Tori?”

Ezra and Kai stood a few feet away, watching me warily. I scanned the shifters one more time, then shook my head.

“We missed one.” The memory of snarling fangs, inches from my face, flashed through me. “The black wolf isn’t here.”

Chapter Thirteen

We delivered a gory shifter corpse to the academy’s alchemy lab with all the fanfare of an early Christmas. Okay, no, we didn’t, but Kelvin Compton acted like we’d given him a rare gift, his eyes lighting up and hands twitching toward the oozing body. Brian hung back, his face white and mouth clamped shut.

Leaving the transmutation specialist to do his job, we headed to the infirmary. Sin was awake and propped on several pillows. Not even her bright hair could make her seem lively, but she listened attentively as we filled her in on our adventure.

“Good job!” she congratulated me. “You kicked butt!”

I preened just a little. “It was touch and go for a bit, but I got it done.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “You took out two regular shifters.”

He might as well have added “big deal” on the end, because my feeling of triumph, which had only just recovered, waned again. I swallowed back a retort. Last thing Sin needed was to listen to Aaron and me snip at each other.

“Any theories about that first shifter’s behavior?” Sin asked quickly, sensing the tension. Her gaze darted between me and Aaron. “What did he want more of?”

“Another person to chew on?” I guessed dubiously.

Aaron started to say something but Kai elbowed him so hard the air audibly rushed out of his lungs. Aaron stepped away, glowering at his friend.

“Whatever was going on,” I added, “Super Kelvin is working on it.”

Her face brightened a little at the mention of her alchemy hero. “I hope he figures it out soon.”

I smiled to hide my worry. It was almost noon on Wednesday, and the full moon was Friday night. That wasn’t much time, even for a famous master alchemist.

“Oh, did you hear?” Sin pushed up on her pillows. “Valerie invited my whole family to spend Christmas here. My parents are abroad right now.” Guilt crinkled her forehead. “It’s their first trip in ten years. They wanted to rush back but they couldn’t get an earlier flight. They’ll arrive early Saturday morning. Anna is coming too, so we’ll all be together.”

“That’s wonderful!” I exclaimed, hoping desperately that Sin would get to enjoy Christmas with her family as an apprentice alchemist and not a mutant shifter.

We chatted for a minute more, then my stomach growled so loudly that everyone heard it. Sin waved us off to find some lunch. We trudged out of the infirmary, still in combat gear—damp, muddy, and cold. Except for Aaron, probably. The pyromage rarely got cold.

“Tori.” Ezra smiled as we stepped into a quiet hallway, the classroom doors closed. “We have something to take care of. Why don’t you head back to the house? We’ll meet you in a bit.”

“Huh?” I blinked at him, wondering if I was being paranoid or if his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Kai said. “We’ll catch up, okay?”

Aaron looked between them, as confused as me. “I want to change, if it’s all the same to you.”

Ezra waved to me. “We’ll see you soon.”

He and Kai closed ranks around Aaron and herded him up the corridor. He complained the whole way, his tone getting nastier as they moved out of earshot. I stood alone, watching them disappear around a corner. What the hell was that all about? After pondering for a moment, I started forward, but not toward the Sinclair manor.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not a good person.

I reached the corner and peeked around it in time to glimpse the guys rounding another bend. I shadowed them to the farthest wing of the academy, where the durable concrete training arenas were located. They headed through a door, and I tiptoed after them.

The door flew open again before I could reach it. A small class of sixteenish-year-olds spilled out, chatting exuberantly, even though they looked wrecked with exhaustion. They barely glanced at me as they went by, the main topic of conversation revolving around lunch.

I slipped past them, reached the door, and cautiously glanced inside.

It was a small arena with a huge black circle painted on the gray floor. The three mages stood off to one side as the final students exited, leaving only a tall, middle-aged instructor.

“Shall I stay to supervise?” he asked dryly.

“Not necessary,” Ezra replied, all pleasantness and good cheer. “We’re fine.”

The man didn’t look convinced, but he walked out after his students. I had no time to hide, so I just went with it. Leaning against the doorjamb, I projected “casual” as hard as I could. Acting skills for the win.

The instructor glanced at me, eyebrows arching, and swung the door most of the way closed. Saying nothing, he kept walking. I peeked through the door’s narrow window.

Aaron had his arms folded as he glared. “What are you two—”

Ezra turned to Kai. “Do you want to do this, or shall I?”

My eyes popped wide. Gone was the pleasant tone. Ezra sounded … cold. Hard. Angry.

“I’ll do it,” Kai said. “You’ll probably break his bones.”

“Fine,” Ezra agreed, stepping back.

Kai gave Aaron a single sweeping assessment, then barked, “In the circle, Aaron.”

“What?”

Kai seized his arm and hauled him to the black ring on the floor. “Get in the circle so I can kick your ass.”

Aaron ripped himself free with a curse. “Like you can. You—”

Kai’s hand snapped out. A bolt of electricity leaped from his palm and hit Aaron in the chest, throwing him backward. He staggered for balance, his feet crossing the black line.

“We’re done with your bullshit.” Kai’s quiet voice echoed through the concrete arena. “So, as your best friend, I’m going to beat some sense back into your thick head. Be glad it’s me and not Ezra.”

Ezra folded his arms, waiting impassively by the wall like a silently fuming referee.

“What’s your problem?” Aaron backed up two steps. “This is idiotic.”

“Before we review that statement, the rules: You can’t turn this entire ring into an inferno, and I can’t draw electricity from the power lines.”

“Fine,” Aaron snapped. “But I’m not holding back.”

“Neither am I.” With that, Kai drew the shorter of his two swords.

My body went cold.

Aaron drew Sharpie, its long blade still smeared with shifter blood. “All right. What’s your issue, then? Spit it out.”

They circled each other, feet silent, steps crisscrossing with mirrored grace.

“Where should I start?” Kai asked coolly. “How about your shit attitude?”

“My—”

Kai snapped his sword sideways. Lightning sprang from the blade but Aaron darted aside. He cast out a hand and fire blazed toward Kai. The electramage dropped into a roll and was back on his feet in an instant.

“I won’t give you hell for the mistake you made yesterday by taking that class into the woods,” Kai said as he slid bladed stars out of a pocket. “It was a mistake, but you deserve hell for everything today.”

“Everything like what?”

Kai whipped two stars into the air. They flew wide on either side of Aaron—then Kai twisted his switch. Electricity erupted from both spinning stars and the two arcs snapped toward each other, catching Aaron in the middle.

He bellowed in pain and dropped to his knees, his clothes smoking.

“Like rushing out there to hunt those shifters without a plan!” Kai yelled, his fury breaking free. “Like refusing to wait for backup! Like ignoring Ezra’s strategy and rushing in alone! Like putting all our lives at risk to compensate for your screwup!”

Aaron shouted a wordless response and hurled a wave of fire at Kai. The electramage dove forward, arms shielding his head, and rolled through the cooler base of the flames. Springing up, he hurled a snaking white bolt.

Aaron swung Sharpie across the lightning’s path. The electricity caught the steel blade and crackled down into the floor. The hilt must be insulated.