Revolutionary, C.T. Lang [phonics reading books TXT] 📗

danced with Naya, we danced in the heavens, and surely angels could not move with more grace than one half of a soul swaying and dipping with the contours of its other half. When at last the song had finished, I held the last pose, and reality set back in. I saw Erik write something down on a black clipboard he carried, but he said nothing. When Ms. Leigh thanked me for the dance, and I said "My pleasure," as she'd taught me, then he spoke up. "And now, my dear, phase for us." I'd only phased once before, at Naya's request, but I remembered that moment like no other. It was like a jump into icewater. To think upon it was to return to that state, and with the blink of an eye, I stood before these twelve Fellows not as a girl, but as a red wolf. Erik nodded, scribbled something else on his clipboard, and told me to phase back. So I remembered being human: running through the woods with Naya, stretching with Naya, eating dinner with Naya... Why was she in all my memories? When I'd phased back, I shook my head free of the question, though it lingered. "Fighting Tactics will be next, and you will compete against William, here." He motioned to his left. To my terror, I saw that William had to be a master of the fight. He was easily six feet tall, broad of chest with huge biceps. I was glad at that moment that he was a Clan-mate and not an enemy, to be sure! Even as I assumed the starting position, I noted his chivalry. He waited for me to make the first move. I swiftly striked at his left, but he swung around and tapped my back, behind my left shoulder-blade. Had he used full force, I would be sprawled out on the floor in agony. I kicked at his knee, and he doubled over, more in surprise than pain, but I took the advantage and struck his neck. Erik pronounced me winner. I gave William a hand up, and we shook hands. Then he chuckled, "You have spunk, Panchim! I'm glad to have fought you." My mouth formed an O of surprise, but all I said was, "Thank you." I wanted to come off as courteous and content." Erik tucked away his pencil again and announced, "Let's head for the pool. Swimming will be next, followed by saving. Panchim, you will race Nicola in the butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke, and lastly, freestyle. Then, after that race, you will save your victim Sam from the drowning position of his choice. Once you've ascertained his safety, you will perform CPR until we tell you to stop. Do you understand?" I confirmed, "Butter-back-breast-free, then save Sam. Yes, sir!" He smiled, and one of his mates laughed aloud.

Nicola easily slipped out of her sweatsuit, and I saw she was thin to the point of anorexia. She would certainly have a speed advantage. But perhaps my transitions would be faster. We crouched at the edge of the pool, and Erik whistled for a start. I didn't think about anything, just let my muscle memory take control. How often I'd used this stroke when racing Naya, or even Jacob. I could never beat Sam, for sure. I never once checked to see where Nicola was, but when I transitioned with a flip to backstroke, I noticed she was half a second before me. I swam steadily, if not full-out rapidly. When we reached breast stroke I put my all into it, because breast was my best stroke. I caught up with her there, and when I finished off the freestyle and grabbed the side of the pool, Erik pronounced it a tie. "Nicola is technically the winner, but only by two-thirds of a second." I was amazed. He wrote more notes in his book while I caught my breath, and Nicola congratulated me. "Even my sister Robin cannot get a tie with me," she said jubilantly, "I will have to tell her a beginner whupped her in Swim!" I nodded, still out of breath. Sam dived into the pool, and Erik gave another blast on the whistle for me to jump in. When I surfaced, I saw he'd assumed Drowning #3, which was at the very bottom of the pool. Ah, well, thank God it wasn't Thrash. I hoisted Sam up, kicking as hard as I could, and gasped for air. Muscle certainly did NOT float, and Sam was every inch muscle. But at last I got him to the side. Naya had mysteriously disappeared. I began CPR as quickly as I could, giving him fifteen light chest compressions, and then I pressed my lips upon his and breathed into him. Fifteen more compressions, and mouth-to-mouth, fifteen more... "Time!" Erik called. I wanted to roll over and lay down like Sam, but I sat erect and listened for what would follow.
"Panchim, well done on your first four tests. You are allowed two hours to go back, to dress, and have lunch. I suggest you eat a light meal. At fourteen hundred hours we will have your Instinct test, and you will meet me alone in Room 34." I'd never heard of Room 34. All the rooms in the hideout had illustrious names. The Great Hall, the Polverian, even Naya and my room was called the Lavendar Suite. Room 34 sounded foreboding. I knew then that whether I passed or failed would depend on whatever I found in that room. I thanked my examiners and left with Naya, who had reappeared just as mysteriously, claiming to have been there the whole time. During lunch, she made me eat an entire grilled cheese sandwich, and I gulped two tumblers of lemonade. When we'd finished and were in our room dressing, I asked her about her Instict trial. She paused for a minute before replying.
"Don't expect it to be like this. But when I went in, there was this giant chess set, and I had to play my way out. Erik was on the other side, and he nearly beat me. All I had left by the end was a queen, my king, and one knight. He still had half his pawns and two rooks, but I'd taken his queen. Then I miraculously check-mated him from behind, and the king's sword fell to my last solitary knight. The king had been sealed in to his own doom by two of his pawns!" She laughed as she brushed my hair. "My mother told me about her Instinct trial, and it was nothing like mine. She had to fight her way through a gauntlet of sharp knives, and used her wit and of course her amazing Instinct to survive. All she sustained was one cut on her left cheek, easily healed."
I gulped. Did a gauntlet of steel await me in the unknown Room 34? "My Papa's trial was even worse, I think," she continued, "He had to sift through a hill of fireants to find a key that went in a lock concealed in a beehive. His hand was swollen, but by Instinct he managed to avoid the bee's rage. When he finished, a pearl bracelet fell into his palm. It's the one my mother wears today." She beamed, but I clutched my own hand.

When I left for Room 34, Naya kissed my cheek and assured me she'd wait outside the door. I told her not to, I might be hours trying to pass, but she squeezed my hand and told me she had faith in me. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door. What I found I never could have guessed in all my wildest dreams. Jacob stood there, a sword in his hand, and Erik (who'd appeared at my right) handed me another. I was confused. Then, as if to confirm my worst fears, Jacob attacked me. By Instinct alone, I held up the sword, and softened the blow. But my vision was impaired as I involuntarily cried. Why had he agreed to this? He wasn't a Beta! Had he asked for this task? Was he still hurt over last night? I tried to read his thoughts, but the barrier around his mind was unpassable. Instinct made me fight, and Instinct let me win. But even when I had Jacob pinned to the ground, Erik was not satisfied. "The battle is to the death," he announced, his voice devoid of all emotion. "In his blood you will find your prize." I backed away quickly. "To the death?!" I shrieked. "What have I done to deserve this!?" I would have gladly given my life to keep Jacob safe from an enemy, but this was madness! "I will not kill Jacob for some silly test!" Erik smirked, and my blood ran cold. "Is he your Jacob? Try spilling his blood, just a little, and see that he is not what he seems." I had no idea what this meant, but as I pondered what to do, Jacob made up my mind. He struck my left elbow, and I bruised with the blow. I was angry now. This was clearly not the Jacob I'd spent weeks with, in pure love. I stabbed at his leg, and gold flowed from it. He seemed not to notice, but fought continuously, dragging the limp leg. I slashed at Jacob's right arm, and he switched the sword to his left. He struck my chest, and I gasped for air. I stabbed his heart, and screamed in shock and horror. It was empty! No golden blood poured here. But he did fall backward, and his eyes went dull. I swept my hand across them, and found that his skin was cold as ice. "This isn't my Jacob." I asked Erik for confirmation.
"No. It is a Demisa, one of our worst Dark enemies. It takes on the appearance of a loved one, but attacks with a fierce animosity. To you, it was Jacob. To me, it resembled my wife, Carina. Take its blood in this jar, and when you have collected it all, we will tally your score and rank you in the Clan."

"I'm sure you're all eager to hear the results of Panchim's trials," Erik's voice penetrated the Polverian Dining Hall that next afternoon, at lunchtime. "So without further ado, Cecile will pronounce the results." Naya's mother stood gracefully and ascended the podium. She read from that same black clipboard. "In her elected Dance trial, out of a possible 15 points, Panchim merited 13 for charm, grace, and poise. In her fighting trial, she was able to disarm William," there were awed murmurs at this, "which earned her twenty points. She achieved the first full-score in Fighting Tactics since Erik himself was tried." There was heavy applause, and I blushed. "In Swimming, Nicola beat Panchim by only one-half second, so we allowed her fourteen points out of fifteen. In Saving, Panchim skillfully performed a level-3 save and carried out CPR effectively, so we credited her the full 20 points." More applause, and Naya gripped my