Chapter 224
My second opponent was the senior that had tried to bully me in the hallway a few days ago; that had tried to instigate me to fight her so that I would be disqualified from the competition.
She was prancing around the field like an overzealous proud horse, getting cheers from the crowd. I thought she looked hilarious. I was going to win her. That was a given; not because I was proud, but because I had no choice. I had no choice than to make her eat her words, than to make her regret troubling me that fateful day.
My quiet demeanor was mirrored by Rachel and her family. At intervals, I looked at the people in the crowd, at the Queen, at her. It was as if they knew that the senior was making noise. A noise that was uncalled for. Rachel, especially, had a bored look on her face. She knew I would win, never mind that it wouldn’t be pleasing to her.
When I had won Courtney, I had seen the dread that had flirted past her face, right before she conditioned her countenance to stoicness. She was amazed that I could combat. If only she knew.
“Preye, that’s enough. Now, fight.” Professor Zokel announced; boredom rang in his voice too. Preye’s noisemaking had gone on for a long time. It was time for action. Thɪs chapter is updated by.net
She turned then and stared at me, then covered the remaining distance between us, such that her forehead was touching mine. I kept quiet, waiting to see her first move.
“Courtney couldn’t do it, but I will.” She gritted through her teeth.
I smiled, instantly letting El take control with just a smooth inhalation. “I would like to see you try p>
Already El was in control, and unlike me, she didn’t wait to be hit first, she didn’t wait to see the first move of Preye. Before Preye could say another word—her lips had already formed a word to birth a sentence, probably another taunt—my hand fisted and connected with her belly in record time, at a speed that could only be described as ’lightning speed p>
I watched, in shock, as she bowed in pain, and then fell to the ground. There was utmost silence in the crowd, the only sound coming from the beeper which just scored me a point.
“You were saying p>
Yes. El could be callous. But that was a good balance to my soft side. After all, wasn’t I the one that promised to make Preye eat her words? Preye, however, couldn’t speak. When she tried to, she coughed out blood.
Alarm blared in my senses, and I stepped away, even as I watched many in the crowd stand to their feet. I could hear their mutterings. They thought I had packed my punch with magic. I could hear Preye’s minions spreading the untrue news among the crowd, I could hear the crowd turning against me, believing that I was cheating. I could hear professor Zokel speaking with the Queen. She wanted to disqualify me.
Preye coughed out more blood, and I took a step backward, unconsciously. I looked at my hands, cussing El mentally. ’What did you do p>
’I punched her lightly. Without magic. How was I supposed to know that her system was weak p>
I sighed. This was the reason why letting El take control was a disaster waiting to happen. Her magic and strength—as I had come to see— was way above the charts.
’Do you want me gone p>
I shook my head, watching with furrowed eyebrows as Preye staggered to her feet, blood dripping from her mouth. ’Don’t go yet. You didn’t use magic p>
El sighed in relief. I knew then that I would have hurt her by asking her to depart. Who knows when she would surface after that?
“Dora, did you use magic?” I heard professor Zokel ask, and I swiveled to face him. “No, I didn’t. Is there a way to confirm it p>
Professor Zokel turned to the Queen. The female just shrugged her shoulders.
“Let me see your hands p>
Immediately, I stretched my hands toward him. He held them tentatively, and looked from side to side, checking for the residue of magic, around them, around us, but he felt nothing. I could see it in the confusion lines that marred his forehead.
“I can’t see any magic residue. It was a clean punch.” Professor Zokel announced from the spot, making me conclude he was using magic to amplify his voice. But the Queen wasn’t satisfied with his verdict. She sent professor Bulock to check me out.
When I saw the professor heading toward me, I thinned my lips; we didn’t see eye to eye, so I wondered if he would use this opportunity to rub my face in the mud.
“Let me see your hands.” He commanded gruffly, and I obeyed, without hesitation, hoping not to anger him. He took more time with his examination, making me nervous. And when he declared that I hadn’t used magic, a few minutes later, there was a surprise look on my face.
“I’m an upright man,” was the only answer he gave before returning to where he came from.
Cheers broke out in the crowd then. Shock broke out on Rachel’s face. She had stood up to watch the examination process. I winked at her.
She better win her next match. I thought, with a smirk. I would love to battle her, after the trouble her mother had gone through to make me lose, like making me fight immediately after my last match. Rachel was supposed to go first. It had been jarring when my name had been called, but I had El, so I hadn’t been fazed, but my family had been. I had watched Diana glare at the queen from her spot.
When the professors left the field, I turned to Preye. She was still unsteady on her feet. The earlier proud demeanor was gone, she looked humbled and curious.
“Who are you?” She asked, sinking her blood stained fingers in her long blonde hair.
“That’s none of your business, Preye. Are you good to fight p>
She looked at me for a second, then shook her head. “No, I’m out.” She answered, walking away from me, after lifting two fingers in the air—the mark of submission.