Chapter 28: Peer Pressure

  [Oops All Imps: Legendary Enhancement. Unique. All your spells become imps]

  He understood the words, but not what that meant. More than that, Ambrose wondered what the hell that could possibly mean. Enhancement cards changed your spells in some way when you cast them, but if he were to get one he’d expect something that would enhance his cantrip or discard spells. But his imp, of all things? That wasn’t a stepping stone on the way to bigger, better demons. That was a specialization.

  Why did the wild magic choose imps, of all things? They were individually weak creatures, more annoying than anything, though some of them were famous for having Nuisance specials. He had no idea what this meant for his spells. What would happen to his cantrip?

  Why imps?

  “Son of a bitch,” Ambrose groaned. At this point he didn’t care about being caught. He buried his fingers in his hair and pulled.

  The others looked between each other, before Raeva said, “What’s wrong, Ambrose? The stolen card wasn't what you hoped it would be? What did you get?” Despite her anger, there was a curiosity to her, reflected in all of them.

  Of all the possible kinds of cards he could have gotten, it had to be the one best suited to humiliate him. They had him cornered, and would laugh at him when they found out. This was an actual nightmare come true.

  “Nothing. It’s not important. This was a stupid idea,” Ambrose said, face reddening. “How about I put this back and we leave now, and no one says anything? If I hide or pitch the card, there will be nothing to tie it back to me. We can just lay low and play stupid.”

  To his surprise, Jessica burst out laughing. It was loud, harsh, and hysterical. “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think? You’re in trouble. We’re in trouble! There’s no way he’s going to blame only you for this. The rest of you can probably go, but me and Ambrose…We’re doomed.”

  The Ransas looked like they were considering it, but Luthor shook his head. “Let’s not lose our heads. Vanderborn isn’t here. We have time. Tell me, Ambrose, what on earth were you thinking?”

  It was wrong to show weakness, to share any secrets or shames, but at this point, his thoughts raced too fast to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. “I was thinking that I want to be able to afford next year without anyone’s charity. I have zero intention of being kept as the Ransa’s pet.”

  “So you would be Vanderborn’s?” Raeleq asked, frustration on his face.

  “Better the winning side than a bunch of wannabe rebels,” Ambrose shot back. “By the way, when I went through the bastard’s things, I found intel on all the little malcontents along the edge of the country. They’re paying special attention to the three of you, and Daddy Ransa. They’re not going to let it happen.”

  Dead silence.

  “What are you talking about?” Raeleq’s brow furrowed. “Our father isn’t breaking any laws, he’s just using his position to try to slow things down.”

  “I’m saying that Vanderborn has eyes everywhere, and he knows what your father has been funding and the way he’s constantly working to undermine Amaria. He’s listed alongside a dozen other petty threats that are on a to-do list.” When times got tough, it was easier to deflect and attack. It’s what they’d come to expect, so why shouldn’t he deliver? “So is Graves and his mother. They’re amused that you think you can make a difference.”

  “So what?” Raeva snapped. “We’re not the type to sit back and just let Amaria continue to eat more and more small nations. Everyone has a right to be free, and to be themselves and not conform to your petty, selfish culture.”

  They all started talking at once.

  “It’s up to us to try, and --”

  “Foolish to think believe --”

  “Can’t believe it, he’s going to kill me for --”

  “...can’t believe you’d just throw away…”

  “Quiet. Quiet!” Luthor raised his voice, and everyone instinctively shut up. He took a deep breath and let it out. “What’s done is done. This information is good to have, and we’ll keep it for later. For now, let’s remember the current problem. If and when Vanderborn finds out, he’s going to be pissed. Maybe enough to hurt you. Focus on being constructive.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “We could always leave and let him face consequences for his actions,” Raeva said innocently. “I like you Ambrose, somehow, but not enough to take a fall for you.”

  “Is it possible to, like, put the card back and see if someone else gets blamed?” asked Raeleq, scratching his head.

  Jessica shook her head. “It’ll still be a Shadow Affinity card. And if the magic tailors it to him, then it’s going to be obvious. What did the card become, Ambrose?”

  All eyes were on him. There was no getting around this, it seemed. “It’s…An Enhancement card. Shadow affinity, obviously. And there’s no way that it would ever be mistaken for anything but mine.”

  “Tell us,” said Luthor.

  Rather than say it, Ambrose held up his hand. The card appeared in it. As everyone leaned in to read it, he waited.

  Raeva was the first to burst out laughing. So did Raeleq. Jessica bit her lip. Even Luthor couldn’t keep a straight face. “You have to admit, it’s kind of funny,” he said with a crooked smile.

  The urge to throw himself off the floating garden, sans [Cloud Cushion], grew. Surely turning into a red puddle would be less painful than their mockery.

  “What does that even mean?” Jessica asked. “All your spells are now imps. What?”

  “Fucked if I know,” Ambrose snapped. “But you know what? My stupid imp is a mean bastard, and he punches outside his weight class. Killed your dragon, right Raeva? And [Reggie] too. And then Jessica --”

  “We get it,” she said, flushing. “That’s not the point.”

  “The point is, Wildcards are powerful and this one raised my Affinity Level and became a unique Enhancement. There’s no way it won’t benefit me. I can use that. Let’s just walk away, and let me try my plan. If it fails, it’s on me. Jessica can turn me in if it gets that bad. Whatever. I’ll make my case to Vanderborn.”

  All of a sudden, Jessica was in his face and hitting him with slow, frustrated smacks upside the head. “You asshole, why are you putting it on me? I didn’t want to be any part of this. I wish you had told me about this plan of yours. I could’ve told you what a stupid idea it was, and how many wards and alarms there are in this place! There was no way this was going to work.”

  Ambrose half-heartedly blocked most of her blows, but the sheer number of them stung. “I was desperate, okay? I really needed this card.” His head swam, and suddenly it all came out.

  “My entire family is counting on me. Do you have any idea what that’s like? You’re all doing well. The Ransas are the new kingmakers in the senate, Grave’s mom has an army behind her, and you’re wizard royalty. My dad is a blustering idiot, and my mom is a harpy. I am the only one suited for combat magic and my siblings’ education is riding on me. I needed an edge, and I won’t apologize for that.”

  “Were you ever really my friend?” Jessica said. Her voice dropped to just above a whisper. The anger went out of her, replaced with a heaviness. “Was it all just a ploy to use me to get in here?”

  The question may have been fair, but it was like a slap to the face. “No, of course not. You’re a neurotic, insecure mess, and maybe the worst suited to your affinity, but you’re good company and you’re the only other thoughtful person in here. And you’re a good person. Disgustingly good, in fact. But you don’t make me feel bad about myself. Not like the others. I like you. And…I’m sorry.”

  Her pain softened some. “This was still shitty of you. You put this on me, and I don’t know what to do. Grandfather is going to assume that I helped you. And when he finds out that you stole from him, he’s going to kill us both. Thanks a lot, jerk.”

  “I’ll keep you out of this, if you can keep your mouth shut. But at this point, I’m willing to gamble with my life.” He smiled bitterly. “It’s not worth much, and the rewards are too tempting. If I’m doomed, then I’m going to go out big. I refuse to go out quietly.”

  They fell silent for a moment. He immediately regret opening up. Especially when Raeva spoke up, saying, “We don’t want to see that happen to you. You’re our friend, dammit. No matter how much of a jackass you are. We’ve all been together in class from the start.”

  “You all hate me,” he said halfheartedly.

  “Sometimes” said Luthor, “but you’re one of us. It’s been three years, Ambrose. Are you really so obsessed with being aloof and independent that you still pretend we’re anything less than friendly rivals? If not actual friends? Come on now. You’re smarter than that.”

  He looked around. They all nodded. Raeleq spread his hands and said, with a big grin on his face, “You grow on people, I guess. Like a disgusting but especially interesting mold.”

  He looked around at his classmates. Jessica, who tolerated him and helped him mellow out just a bit. Luthor, who for some reason, saw through him and expected more out of him than anyone else. The Ransa twins, who should’ve been his enemies, but somehow weren’t. The rest of the class were solidly on his shitlist, but these four?

  Something inside Ambrose changed. It twisted and hurt, until it didn’t, slowly becoming a fleeting, terrified sense of joy. They meant it.

  And he believed it.

  He didn’t understand, but for once, he accepted it. “Friends…Huh. Then, what if we…just left? We walk away. Vanderborn gets pissed and maybe comes after me. If he does, I’ll talk him down and prove it. He’s too invested in me as an asset to throw me away. I hope.”

  “We just told you we want you to live, dumbass,” said Raeva, throwing her hands up in the air.

  “It just depends on Jessica, I guess. Can you trust me? Just walk away, and let me deal with the consequences. I’ll keep you out of it.”

  She shrank under the weight of their expectations. “I don’t know. I don’t know, okay? I’m terrified here. I don’t know if I can lie to him. He sees right through me. He always has.” She opened her mouth to say more, but stopped. Terror filled her eyes.

  “Oh. Oh no.”

  “What?” Ambrose asked, but he feared he knew what was coming.

  “My grandfather is coming back. We need to leave. Now.”