The Rage Eater

Chapter 33: Plans

Sadie yawned as she stretched her arms towards the pink dawn sky, the cold, dewy grass tickling her ankles. It was early—far earlier than she liked to wake up—but she and Aubrey had agreed it was best they practice before school, when their minds and bodies were still fresh. And while the other team members assented, none of them looked very happy to be there. Fran lay on the ground next to King, frowning as she twirled a piece of grass between her thumb and forefinger. Tim, jittery on the best of days, paced nervously, while Emily shuffled quietly behind him. Aaliyah stood as stiff as a statue, acting as if her mere presence was a great burden. Her snake, Ruby, had disappeared into the tall grass a few minutes before, hunting for vermin.

This is not a team, Sadie thought. And while it was only their first practice, time was not on their side.

Yesterday morning Master Dao had posted the match lists in the Hall of Heroes. Tomorrow, the Misfits would face the Masters of War, Nicolas and Geoffrey's team, captained by Hector and Kat Reynard. Nicolas was already taunting Sadie, saying that some of the older students were placing bets on the match, the odds forty-to-one in his favour. Sadie had never wanted to win anything so badly in her life, but with her team in the shape it was now, it was looking less and less likely.

"Let's start with a quick lap around campus to warm up," Aubrey said cheerfully, before setting off at a light pace. Although she was smiling, Sadie could tell she was nervous.

"Ready, Dylan?" Sadie said.

Dylan shifted into a green leaf, then a long vine, which Sadie draped around her shoulders. Sadie began to jog behind Aubrey. Tim and Emily soon followed, moving slowly but steadily.

With her heart pumping fast and a thin sheen of sweat coating her face, Sadie ran through the long stretches of wet grass, along the curve of the giant moat, past Master Padwe's greenhouse, and around the vegetable gardens. Minutes later, she was back where she started, struggling to catch her breath, while Aubrey and Sim did the same.

Tim and Emily were still far behind, and Aaliyah and Fran hadn't moved at all. And neither, it seemed, had their beastlies.

"You're not running?" said Aubrey, fidgeting with her bandage as she tried to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"A light jog helps engage the nervous system and prevent injuries, you know," added Sim, panting.

"I'm not here to take orders from some noble," Fran said, plucking another leaf of grass.

"I told you she'd be a problem," Aaliyah said to Aubrey.

"She's the problem?" Sadie said furiously. "From what I can see, none of you are doing much of anything and we've got a match tomorrow!"

"I'm here to support a sister of the Sun Alliance," Aaliyah said as Ruby coiled around her ankle, slithering towards her shoulders. "But Aubrey is still a child. And a captain in name only."

Tim carried an exhausted Emily towards the group, carefully watching the heated argument.

Sadie's face flushed with anger. After everything she and Aubrey had done to build a team, half of them refused to practice. Worse still, they were a team in name only—a jumbled group of children and beastlies who could barely stand each other, let alone work together. "So, what then?" Sadie said, her voice rising. "We just wait 'till the day and hope it goes well? That's not going to work against the Masters of War. We need to practice. We need a plan!"

"We grab the enemy's flag before they grab ours," Fran said, tossing the blade of grass to the wind. "No plan needed."

Furious, Sadie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the sensations of her breath entering and leaving her belly, as she tried to calm herself. Her rage was mounting quickly. Any more and she might unleash her powers.