"Call Diamond and his brothers. You will accompany Diamond and another of my Jewels. You will personally escort the remaining children to me."
"As you wish it, my Queen." Hilbah bowed respectfully and quite low, backing away from Friesianna's cold glare.
* * *
"Dude, what were you thinking?" Sali stared at Ashe during lunch the following Monday. "You get even more punishment?"
"Mom and Dad won't even say what it is. They'll tell me Friday when the grounding is over." Ashe pushed meatloaf around his lunch tray.
"This is the worst," Sali mumbled hopelessly. "You know what Friday is, too—last day of school. Awards Assembly is Friday night, dude."
"Yeah. And we still won't get a cell phone." The winner of the essay contest was always announced at the end of the assembly. All of Cloud Chief's parents attended, while the night was guarded by werewolves who had no children attending school. At least until the Awards Assembly was over. Ashe shoved his lunch tray toward Sali, who gladly accepted it and dug in.
Throughout the last week of school, amid finals and anxious, last minute studying, rumors leapt from student to student concerning who might win the essay contest. Many students argued that Rowdy Hankins would win. Ashe knew Cori had started that rumor after hearing what she had in Principal Billings' office. Ashe slumped through his exams. Elizabeth Frasier's death and Jane Scott's kidnapping weighed on his shoulders more than additional punishment. He'd asked about Jane Scott's condition, but his parents refused to tell him anything. No information could be found on the Internet, either, so he hoped she was still alive. Ren had also failed to appear during the week, making Ashe wonder if the blue-skinned youth might be gone for good. Despite Ren's attitude toward mortals, Ashe realized he missed the strange Larentii youth.
"It's over." Sali heaved a grateful sigh as they handed in History papers and textbooks on Friday, May twenty-second.
"Until next fall," Ashe pointed out.
"You had to point that out, didn't you? What do they say about the bearer of bad news?" Sali poked at Ashe.
"Are you referring to killing the messenger?"
"Seems a little harsh," Sali said, jumping away when Ashe attempted to flip Sali's ear.
"You brought it up."
"Sure—ridicule the messenger."
"A more fitting punishment, don't you think?"
"Depends on the level of ridicule. Insulting your shoes isn't as bad as trashing your mama."
"Hey, now." Ashe pointed a finger at Sali.
"See?" Sali said. "Definite levels of ridicule. You don't care if I say your shoes suck. The bat would fly into my oatmeal and do a little bat dance if I insulted your mom."
"Or worse. I could put little bat prints on your underwear and make sure all of it hung from the school flagpole."
"You're not out the door, yet," Principal Billings' voice growled behind them. "I've given summer detention before." Ashe gaped at Sali while Sali turned a shocked stare toward Ashe. Both boys walked toward Cloud Chief Combined's double-doored entrance as quickly as possible.
* * *
Ashe spared a glance for Sali as he, Aedan and Adele found seats across the temporary aisle in the school cafeteria. Tables had been cleared away and folding chairs had been lined up in neat rows to accommodate students and parents. As usual, the junior high class awards went to ninth graders, while the advanced awards were handed to senior students. And then it was time to announce the winners of the essay contest. An expectant hush fell as Principal Billings strode stiffly and purposely to the podium to make the announcement. Tapping three sealed envelopes against the oak surface of the podium, Principal Billings scanned the crowd. If Ashe hadn't known better, he'd have said the sturdily built werewolf was furious.
"As you all know, each instructor has an equal vote in the essay contest," Principal Billings began, sounding very much as if he regretted that fact. "The winners are as follows: Third place and one hundred dollars goes to Emily Jackson. Ms. Jackson, if you'll come forward, please."
The crowd clapped while Emily's eleventh-grade classmates cheered. Emily, a pretty werewolf, blushed as she accepted the envelope and congratulations from the Principal. When she was seated again, Principal Billings cleared his throat and frowned. "Second Place and three hundred dollars goes to," he hesitated as if unwilling to say the name, "Rowdy Hankins." Many students gasped and whispers swept through the room—they'd all expected Rowdy to receive first prize. Wow, Sali mouthed at Ashe. A dark horse would take first place for the first time in years.
Rowdy accepted his envelope with a wide smile, while Principal Billings congratulated him effusively and patted Rowdy's shoulder. Then, Billings cleared his throat a second time. "Now, for the first-place winner. I must say that this was a hotly contested race between first and second place, with one eventually triumphing over the other." Ashe could tell from the Principal's sour expression that he hadn't voted for the first-place winner. "First place and five hundred dollars," Principal Billings announced as if he were delivering a eulogy at a funeral, "goes to Ashe Evans."
Sali stood and pumped his fist in the air, shouting, "Woot, woot," Cori, Dori and Wynn were clapping and screaming Ashe's name and Ashe's other classmates were shouting their support. All while Ashe remained in his seat, unmoving and completely stunned.
"Stand up, son," Aedan whispered, knowing Ashe would hear. Ashe never remembered the walk to the podium or Billings' begrudged congratulations. He was the second youngest student ever to win the contest. The youngest had been Randy Smith, and Billings had despised him, too.
Sali held a hand up beside his ear, imitating a cell phone there. Ashe nodded numbly as he sat down beside his parents again. A few last announcements were made about the fall semester, a few encouraging remarks were given and the assembly was over. "Hold on," Aedan clapped a hand on Ashe's shoulder as everyone else exited the school cafeteria, all talking and laughing. Only graduation was left and then the summer would be theirs.
"Ashe, your punishment is this," Aedan said while Ashe's mother looked on. The cafeteria was now empty—Ashe could hear the noise from the crowd as it filtered in from the hallway outside. "You may not use that money to purchase a cell phone. You will wait until you turn fifteen as we originally planned. We won't tell you what to do with the prize money otherwise." Ashe stared at his father as if he'd been struck by lightning. He and Sali had hoped and prayed to win the contest, just to get a cell. That option had been wiped away in the space of a blink with only few words from his father.