Professor Baxter shook her head. “I suppose I can’t fault you for using your resources as you see fit. I do believe you’ve singed my hair,” she said as she pulled a lock by her chin out to her eyes. “On an unrelated note, I do hope you’ll be here next seminar.”
“Count on it,” Eva said with a grin.
On her way back to the seats, a boy sitting right on the aisle stuck out his foot. He stuck it out right in Eva’s path, right before she was about to step past it.
Shalise started to call out a warning.
It was too late.
Eva reared back and stomped onto the outstretched foot. Hard.
A sickening crack echoed through the amphitheater. It was accompanied by a cry of pain a moment later.
“What’s your problem, trying to trip me up?” Eva paused, seemingly looking at him. “I know you,” she said. “You’re that pathetic excuse for a water mage. I thought you weren’t fighting me out of some misplaced sense of chivalry, but it seems like I was wrong. You’re a coward who tries to trip girls on their way back to their seat.”
“Eva,” Professor Baxter half shouted as she ran up the aisle. “What did–”
“He tried to trip me,” Eva said with a point of her finger. “Even a blind girl could see that.”
“It’s true,” Shalise said. She stood and took the few steps down next to Eva. “I watched him stick his foot out almost underneath Eva’s own foot.”
The student just clasped at his foot and whimpered. Actual whimpers. It was somewhat sad, given he was a year or two older.
Professor Baxter sighed. “There are better ways to deal with bullies.” She turned and shouted, “you’re all dismissed for the night. I’ve got an infirmary run to make.”
She gripped the student by the shoulder and both promptly vanished with a flick of her dagger.
Shalise shivered as a wave of cold air brushed past her. The rather hot June air that rushed in afterwards was very welcome. Not that Shalise didn’t like the cold, just not when it was already hot out.
“Did you have to hit him so hard?”
Shalise turned to see Juliana walking up behind them. Arachne, beneath her shirt, squirmed back and forth as she tried to escape to Eva. It was doubtful she was trying all that hard. If she was, Shalise imagined she could get away without much trouble.
Max, Shalise noted, still sat in his seat. He fidgeted, torn between following after Juliana or just leaving with the rest of the students.
“I honestly didn’t mean to,” Eva said to the blond. “Although, I can’t say I’m going to lose sleep over it.”
“You’ve got to watch your new legs. I mean, I didn’t even get my turn to fight her.” Juliana sighed as Arachne slipped out of her hands.
The spider launched herself at Eva. Once on her, Arachne immediately burrowed beneath Eva’s shirt. A few of her red eyes poked out of the holes.
“Hey, what was that all about?”
All three of the girls turned to face the new voice. A well-built student stood in front of them. Even disguised beneath his loose clothing, Shalise could see some serious muscles on him.
It took a blink and half a second longer to realize that he was the fire throwing mage who first fought the professor. He looked a lot smaller up on stage.
“Like I told Zoe Baxter, he tried to trip me. Hopefully, he learned his lesson.”
“He’s my brother.”
“That does not change anything about my previous statement.”
The two stared at each other for a good minute while Shalise fidgeted. Juliana had a bored look on her face, though Shalise noticed her wand somehow got in her hand.
Eventually, Eva sighed. “Are you going to fight me or something?”
Shalise hoped not. Between Juliana and Eva, he’d surely end up in tears and in the infirmary alongside his brother. Seeing older students in tears didn’t sit right with Shalise.
That was, of course, if Arachne didn’t jump in first.
It was a good thing he shook his head. “Papa always said to never hit a girl.”
“Shame he didn’t say anything about tripping a girl.”
“I don’t know what your problem is with my brother, but you keep away from him. He wouldn’t shut up about you for five minutes these past few months.”
Eva frowned and cocked her head to one side. “I forgot he existed until just a few minutes ago.”
“Sounds like unhealthy obsession to me,” Juliana said as she crossed her arms. “Oh, maybe he likes you.”
The glance Juliana got sent her into a short burst of laughter. Eva just shook her head.
“Curious,” Eva said, “if I were a monstrous demon that was hell-bent on murdering you and your brother, would you hit me then?”
The Burnside brother gave her an odd look. Shalise couldn’t blame him.
“Just something to think about. Not every bad guy is actually a guy.”
“U-um, maybe we should be going now?” Shalise said. She took Eva’s arm in her hands a lightly pulled her away. Thankfully, Eva didn’t protest.
“Y-You’re not actually going to kill them, r-right?” Shalise whispered.
Eva looked at her like she was crazy. If she had eyes, Shalise imagined that Eva would be rolling them. “Of course not.”
“Good,” Shalise said with a smile. “Sometimes, it is hard to tell if you’re joking or not.”
