“We’re heading toward the nearest village,” Calypso commanded.

  “It’s not close, but if we move fast, we can make it in fifteen minutes. That way.”

  “Are you sure the village is that way?” Kes asked doubtfully.

  “I thought it was to the north…”

  “Exactly. North is that way.”

  “How’d you figure that out without a compass spell?” Kes scratched his head, staring at the overcast sky where you couldn’t tell where the sun was.

  “Lamark, were you even paying attention in Professor Fox’s classes?”

  “I was there,” Kes said importantly.

  “Can’t say my brain was all there, though.”

  “Yeah, clearly, that’s what I thought,” Calypso snorted and pointed toward the trees.

  “The shortest branches on spruces grow on the north side. See? It’s especially obvious on those trees. That’s where we’re going.”

  Mia nodded approvingly.

  “That’s right, north is that way!” Mia chimed in.

  Kes clearly trusted the elf’s word more than Calypso’s, so he calmed down and kept walking silently with the stretcher.

  Though he didn’t stay quiet for long.

  “How come we’re stuck carrying the stretcher while you just stroll along empty-handed?” he asked indignantly a while later.

  “And we’re not just walking, we’re practically running, too? How about you carry the heavy stuff and I’ll walk in front swinging a sword?”

  “Lamark, I’m ordering you to handle the stretcher while I walk in front not because I don’t feel like carrying heavy things, but because I need my hands free in case of an attack. Out of all of us, only Lorelei and I can cast anything right now. And we’re the ones who’ll be protecting all of you if something happens.”

  “Who’s going to attack us? Why would they?”

  “Anyone,” I cut in, glaring at the whiny classmate.

  “We don’t know why magic disappeared, and it could be the result of outside forces, dark creatures or dark mages we can’t know. Theoretically, we might run into whatever caused this, plus escaped dark creatures are still a thing. These woods are usually quiet, but what if Professor Ditro had some more fluffy saber-toothed cuties stashed somewhere and didn’t tell us? In that case, they could’ve broken loose and might be wandering the forest right now. Hypothetically, of course, but we’re Fortemins, aren’t we? We’re supposed to always think about the worst-case scenario and be ready for it.”

  Seriously, what was his problem? Not getting the basics. My father would’ve killed me if I’d relaxed and let my guard down in a situation like this! Well, maybe not killed me, but he would’ve delivered such a long, cold lecture with premium-grade psychological torment that I’d have preferred being yelled at.

  “You’re absolutely right,” Calypso nodded.

  “So follow me.”

  “And why are you giving all the orders anyway?” Kes wouldn’t let up.

  “Let someone else take command! Patricia, for example.”

  “Because out of all of us, I have the highest level of magic, Lamark, and according to the Armarillis Code, in an emergency the highest-ranking member takes command,” Calypso said in a hard voice.

  “I’m two years older than you,” Kes snorted.

  “Highest-ranking by magic level, which is me,” Calypso said even more coldly, his eyes narrowing angrily as he glanced over his shoulder at Kes.

  “Or did you forget Chapter Ten of the Code? I’ll be sure to tell the Mentor you need another round of studying that section since you’ve got gaps in your memory. And let me remind you that the senior member takes full responsibility for the group. If anything happens to you on the way, it’ll be my fault, I’ll be the one held accountable, and I understand that. Are you ready for that kind of responsibility, Lamark? Think Patricia, shaking with fear over there, is ready for it?”

  Kes had nothing to say to that, just pursed his lips.

  Calypso swept his gaze over all the classmates with an undisguised note of contempt and arrogance.

  “Anyone else have complaints? No? Great. Then let’s finally move and hope our path stays clear. We follow the Code strictly. Stay close together, don’t leave the protective barrier,” Calypso nodded at the artifact ring he was clutching.

  “Lorelei, you’re with me.”

  “But…” Kes started again.

  “Lamark, I know an amazing shadow spell,” Calypso sang in a venomous little voice.

  “It has a special effect on the opponent’s brain, making them go silent forever if help isn’t given in time. Do I make myself clear?”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Kes shut up and walked in silence after that, but kept huffing resentfully and glaring at Calypso the whole way.

  “Not being able to cast freely makes me feel like I’ve lost my hands,” I heard Polly’s quiet voice behind me.

  And I agreed with her completely. You get used to living in a world of magic, then suddenly you’re without it entirely, and you feel, well… naked, almost. Completely defenseless. So many things we do on autopilot. I was so used to the compass spell that without Calypso I’d be lost in this forest and probably couldn’t figure out which way was north. Without magic really is like being without hands…

  Speaking of hands.

  “Hold my hand tight,” Calypso said suddenly, offering his palm.

  “Why?” I tensed.

  “I want to walk hand in hand, like lovebirds. Isn’t it obvious?”

  I snorted loudly and elbowed him.

  “Seriously though?”

  “I’m worried about more attacks,” he said very seriously.

  “Who knows what’s happening and why we can’t cast. If we’re attacked, it’ll be easier to fight back with our auras merged. And we need to act as fast as possible. If we need to cast, it’ll be more effective if we do it through combined magic. With close contact, I can constantly maintain a link to your magic, so if something happens I can instantly react to the threat and draw on your power to channel it into a single strike.”

  “Is this really necessary?” I grumbled.

  “Holding hands?”

  “Lori, we’re not strolling through a park for fun, holding hands with popcorn and ice cream, we’re trying to get out of this wilderness alive and somehow contact our people,” Calypso said in an impossibly biting tone.

  “We shouldn’t be thinking about our comfort and embarrassment right now.”

  I looked doubtfully at the weapon in Calypso’s hands and his outstretched right palm.

  “Isn’t it awkward for you to hold the sword in your left hand?” I noted.

  “Doesn’t matter at all, I’m equally good with a sword in either hand. Stop making excuses, give me your hand. It’s just necessary, whether you or I like it or not.”

  Well, it wasn’t exactly that I ‘didn’t like it’ — the contact just made me nervous and embarrassed in front of our classmates. Maybe I could put up some kind of impenetrable force wall between us and them? Mmm, then we could make out all we wanted, yeahhh.

  My hands were already in gloves, and with an annoyed expression I finally offered my palm to Calypso. He held my hand with his right and switched the sword to his left.

  My heart was already racing from our kiss, and now it kicked into double time.

  “Though I quite like this, actually,” — I heard Calypso’s voice in my head.

  At first I flinched in surprise, but then I saw Calypso’s sly smirk and realized he’d sent me a mental message that only I could hear.

  And as he did, he subtly traced his thumb across my palm, sending shivers down my spine. God, it was so hard to stay calm around Calypso… Especially with this much physical contact…

  I felt incredibly awkward, and on top of everything I couldn’t help but hear the classmates whispering behind us, sneaking glances at our joined hands smirking.

  “I can cut out the tongue of anyone who has too much to say,” Calypso announced loudly at one point.

  “Sorry, Cal!” Grey said cheerfully.

  “It’s just you two look so cute walking up front holding hands that… Got it, shutting up,” he quickly added when Calypso swung his black-flame-blazing sword an inch from his nose.””

  “Cal?” I asked, puzzled.

  “Yeah, that’s what we call Calypso among ourselves,” Grey explained.

  “Grey, remind me how many times I’ve asked you not to call me that?”

  “How many?” Grey blinked innocently.

  “Two hundred and forty-nine times.”

  “Oh, so this is the milestone - two hundred and fiftieth!” Grey exclaimed, enthusiasm undiminished.

  “What do I win?”

  Calypso muttered something unintelligible about idiot classmates, and I smiled, amused by Calypso’s irritated expression.

  “He gets mad every time, but I’m still alive, so he can’t be that mad,” Grey continued with a smug grin.

  Professor Ditro, lying motionless on the stretcher, made a strange sound that resembled a stifled laugh.

  “Oh, looks like the professor’s feeling a little better,” I noted.

  “Or maybe he just liked your joke, Grey.”

  “Or maybe those are just his final death rattles before he croaks,” Grey said in that same cheerful tone.

  “Grey, watch your mouth!” I exclaimed reproachfully, shaking my head.

  “Professor Ditro is conscious, he can hear everything perfectly.”

  “Oh, of course, sorry, Professor, not croak let the kernals croak, you live long and prosper, we’ll save you, yes-yes, definitely save you!…”

  “And we’ll drop dead from exhaustion after all this chaos, once we finally drag you to the village,” Kes muttered quietly.

  I burst out laughing, and Calypso smiled too.

  Adepts are a special resilient subspecies whose questionable sense of humor can’t be killed by any amount of stress, I’ll tell you that.

  “So you’re Cal, huh,” I said with a smile, glancing sideways at my warden.

  “My name is Calypso,” he said dryly.

  “If I’m Lori, then you’re Cal,” I shrugged.

  Calypso’s lips twitched into a smile.

  “Are you always this annoying?”

  “Are you?”

  “It’s part of who I am. I’m the arrogant and annoying son of the Armarillis Academy Mentor.”

  “Same here. I’m the arrogant and annoying daughter of the First Arma.”

  Calypso snorted with laughter.

  “Fine, one to one.”

  I smiled.

  Arma — that’s what they call the ten best combat pairs among all Fortemins, ten pairs of warriors with no equal among Armarillis graduates. And it so happened that my parents were the First combat pair, meaning — the very best. And it wasn’t even clear who was stronger, the Academy Mentor, or my parents. I’d probably put them on equal footing. And mine and Calypso’s annoying streaks could be put on equal footing too, yeah.

  “Actually… Fine, I’ll allow you to use the short version,” Calypso said unexpectedly.

  But he said it quietly, so only I could hear.

  I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

  “What’s the catch?”

  “No catch,” Calypso said with the most innocent expression.

  “I just think the shortened version of my name will be much easier for you to moan at night, when you’re thanking me for saving you, and all that…”

  “Oh, go to hell!..” I exclaimed in exasperation, rolling my eyes skyward as Calypso laughed smugly.

  Well then, two to one, not in my favor.

  Gods, why did you drop this warden on my head?…

  Then again… I couldn’t hold back a wide smile myself.