The Aldean Chronicles: Spotlight (Part 2)
Chapter 17

I wait all week for my fight with Collete. Every day, I pray someone else volunteers. And every day, someone does. Sara fights her on the third day. She was the first to win.

"It was so easy." She's saying over dinner. "I think she let me win. That's the only logical explanation."

"Don't say that. You won on your own merit." Michelle rubs her shoulder. "And we're all proud of you."

They murmur in agreement. I say nothing.

Tristan helps me train for my fight. And by train, I mean chastise me for telling my family the truth about my powers for an hour.

I get angry after one lesson and train by myself after that.

On the last night, I'm the only one left.

Blue Rose members are allowed to watch and Kat, Grey, and Tristan are there to support me.

Collete arrives with her double sword and I shrink back to the stands.

She eyes me and swings her sharp blades back and forth.

"Are you ready?" Our referee, Sienna Dormir asks. She's been kind enough to referee all the matches. Students aren't allowed to fight in the arena, or anywhere on campus without a faculty member present.

Collete nods with determination. I make a squeaky sound and Sienna takes that as a yes.

She signals for the fight to start and I instinctively back away.

Collete doesn't move either. She just stands with her swords ready, studying me.

"Burn her, Cass," Grey yells.

I tune him out and focus on Collete. I think she's waiting for me to make the first move. I'm not sure what I should do.

Suddenly, Collete swings one of her swords at me. I jump back and lose my balance.

"This is ridiculous," Tristan says from the lowest stands.

I ignore him and summon flames in my hand. I use all my energy to hold it.

"Throw it," Grey yells.

Collete doesn't take her eyes off me. "No courtside coaching."

Sienna nods her head and Grey rolls his eyes but keeps his mouth shut.

The fight continues and Collete slashes my thigh. I don't jump out of the way quick enough and my leather trousers get ripped.

I take a step back and groan in pain. I look down and see a tiny trail of blood spreading around my trousers.

Tristan gets up. "I can't watch this. Cass, you need to tap out."

"Are you crazy?" Kat exclaims. "Just scare her with fire. Even her blades can't hold them off."

I look at my hands and try to conjure flames. They keep going out. I look up at Collete and she's grinning down at me.

"Failing in combat. Why am I not surprised?" She sticks her swords in the ground. "Are you ready to surrender?"

An image of the glass case of blue roses flashes in my mind and I groan. "No."

As quick as lightning, Collete retrieves her swords and cuts my face.

The pain is worse now. I crouch to the ground, put my hands on my left cheek and my fingers feel wet with blood.

"Do something," Tristan yells at Sienna as he leaves the bleachers and crouches beside me.

"It's the rules," she says simply.

"Well, I'm not asking," Kat says in an authoritative voice.

"It's entirely up to her," Collete calls. "Give up. Save yourself the pain. You could never do it."

I bite my lip to stop the tears. "I have to. I can't be the only Harrington to not be in this stupid club."

Collete sighs. "You know what, I was wrong about you. You're nothing like the rest of your family. Now surrender, before I have to hurt you again."

I open my eyes and see the pool of blood forming on the floor. I can feel Tristan's hand on my back and the looks of anger and pity on my family's faces.

And I feel angry.

Not because she slashed me, but because she's right.

I am different. It's the only explanation for why my magic is bad. Why I can't defend myself? This should have been easy. But I'm on the floor and my hands are covered in blood. My blood.

I stare at my hands and I can feel the heat spreading over them.

"Come on, Cass." Tristan tries to take my hand.

I move them away from him and slowly get up. Collete seems surprised but not scared.

I take a deep breath and soon, my whole body is in heat.

"We have a fight to finish." I stare right at Collete.

"Cass, you should..."

"Get off the field, Tristan. Or I'll have to hurt you as well." I don't know where those words came from.

I don't see Tristan leave. I just hear his heavy, retreating footsteps.

Collete brandishes her sword and tries to stab my stomach. I move back and send a blast of flames her way.

She jumps back and groans.

I see Kat and Grey cheering out of the corner of my eye, but I don't hear them. The only sound present is the growing whoosh of fire in my ear.

I send another plume her way and she redirects it with her sword.

I pause for a second before throwing another ball of fire at her.

She tries to block it with her knife but it's no use. She eventually drops her weapons and falls back in the heat.

She looks around in fear at all the fire surrounding her.

She says something, but I don't hear her. The only thing on my mind is fire. It's all I can hear, all I can feel, and soon, all I can see.

Through the flames, I catch a glimpse of Collete cowering on the floor. She's crying.

Before I can take another step, something pierces my neck.

I turn back to see who did it, ready to burn their very essence. All I see is a wall of flames.

A wave of nausea washes over me and I drop to the ground. I lay in the middle of the flames, unable to move. The last thing I see is the late-night sky.