The late afternoon sun beamed through the library’s windows, highlighting the dusty air. Rhian marched through it, leaving a trail of fiery footprints behind her.

“Rhian, what’s wrong?” Emmanuel looked up from the book he’d been studying. “H-how are you doing that?”

Lewis lifted his head up from the table he’d been snoozing on. “Neat.”

“Where’s Grez?” Rhian opened her palm. Her fiery prints lifted from the floor and disappeared into her hand.

“Just missed her,” said Lewis. “You two having a row?”

“She left about fifteen minutes ago,” Emmanuel closed his book. “She was camped out in the awen section. Didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Is she avoiding me? Do you know? She’s hardly ever in our room.”

“I think she’s avoiding everyone,” said Lewis. “Everyone deals with things in their own way, you know?” He pulled out a chair. “Come on, Rhi, take a seat.”

Rhian plopped down. “What are you two working on?”

“A list,” said Emmanuel.

“A list of what?”

Lewis smiled. “Suspects.”

Emmanuel slid a folded over newspaper over to Rhian. The page ranked the top fifty students in each year.

“I didn’t know we had a school newspaper.”

“That’s what I said.” Lewis laughed.

The top three names were crossed out; each had a symbol drawn beside them. The top name, Dafydd Thomas, had a question mark. The next, Katie Phan, had a triangle. And the third, Julia Silva, had a cross. The fourth name, untouched, was Gareth Harris.

“Gareth is at the top of our class?”

“I know,” said Lewis, “brawn and brains. Who would have guessed.”

“If our theory is correct,” said Emmanuel. “He’s at the top of our killer’s list as well.”

“Or he is the killer.” Rhian glared at his name before reading on. “Who is number five? Edward Lethe?”

Both boys shook their heads.

“Alaric is number six,” said Emmanuel. “And I’m eighth. But I suspect we’ll both be safe.”

“Because it’s Gareth and he’s ranked ahead of you?” Rhian looked to each of them.

“Because neither of us have applied for the Owain scholarship.”

“Gretchen is number nine.” Lewis tapped his finger on her name.

Rhian scanned the rest of the list. Braith the boffin was only ranked eleventh. That was surprising. Afia was twenty-sixth, Sabina thirty-eight, and Lewis was forty-seven. Her own name wasn’t there.

“How recent is this paper?”

“Came out last term.” Emmanuel pulled the paper back to him and pointed to the other crossed out names. “These are the other missing students. Delia Roberts number seven, Tristan Hughes number ten, and Kaito Sasaki number fifteen. The rest have been accounted for.”

“How do you know people are being picked because of the scholarship? Afia and Sabina are both in the bottom half of the ranking.” Rhian frowned. “Please be careful.”

“Yeah, but Afia was roommates with Katie Phan wasn’t she?” Lewis pointed to the number two spot. “Could have been an accident.”

“Or Afia may have seen something with her ability,” added Emmanuel.

Rhian stared at the list of names. Her parents had to sell their house to ensure she’d have enough to complete her schooling at Crymych. Was someone on this list really killing their classmates so that they could afford attendance? And if so, the Owain scholarship only paid for one year of tuition, what was the killer’s plan for the next year?

“This is mental,” Rhian shook her head. “Who do you think it is?”

Emmanuel and Lewis exchanged glances.

“We’re not sure,” said Emmanuel.

“I think its number 16, Alexis Tuttle,” Lewis shot Emmanuel a look.

Emmanuel glared. “I told you already, it’s not Alexis. She wouldn’t hurt anybody.”

“Just because you fancy her, Mate, doesn’t mean she’s not a killer.”

“That’s not why.”

“So you admit that you fancy her?”

“Boys.” Rhian cleared her throat. “Focus.”

She summoned a small ball of fire and passed it from one hand to another. “What If we set a trap? Spread a rumour that I’m going to be selected for the Owain scholarship.”

Lewis frowned. “Rhi…”

“I know my grades aren’t good, but ranking isn’t the only factor into getting selected, isn’t that right?”

Emmanuel raised an eyebrow. “Sure. Community work and notable achievements are also considered.”

“I took down the spider golem. I’d say that’s pretty notable. And I won’t be attending classes for a while, so there will be plenty of opportunity to gossip about me.” Rhian gave a short laugh before explaining what the Headmistress had told her. She extinguished her fireball.

Lewis shook his head. “That sucks.”

Emmanuel frowned. “It’s not as bad as you think. The Welsh class and power controlling class are more heavily weighted than electives. As non-fluent Welsh speakers with abilities, we have more opportunity to earn a higher grade point average. That’s part of why Gareth and other native speakers are annoyed.”

“More of an opportunity to fail harder, more like.” Rhian shook her head. “But I can’t worry about that right now, and if we manage to catch the monster who killed Afia and the others, I won’t need to. So, does it sound like a plan?”

The boys looked at each other.

“If you’re?—?“

A loud bang came from the window, followed by another. Rhian and the others jumped up from their seats. Black feathers and blood smeared down the library’s tall glass windows. More birds followed.

“What in the world…” Emmanuel staggered back.

“It could be Sabina.” Rhian’s gaze skipped window to window as magpies and speckled sparrows pelted themselves against the glass. “She may be trying to tell us something from the hospital, like who the killer is.”

Lewis turned away from the assault. “Or maybe it’s a warning.”

The boy from the Headmistress’ office tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “You need to remember this time.” He leaned forward pressing his face close to hers. “You will remember won’t you?”

Rhian shook her head. “I don’t understand. I?—?” Her throat began to tighten. “I can’t breathe. He-help” Her voice grew weak. She struggled for air.

Edward Lethe shook his head and sighed. “It’s too late.” He faded to smoke and disappeared.

Rhian’s eyes flicked open to see a giant wicker man hunched over her with its twisted wickerwork arms pressed against her neck. She sent a burst of fire at the creature. The flare momentarily brightened up the darkened room but little else. The room’s fire wards protected everything in it. She’d have sworn, if she had the breath to waste. Rhian tugged and pulled on its limbs, but it was too strong. Her chest grew tight from lack of air.

A shriek came from the door way. “Ffrwydro!”

The wicker man exploded into a thousand splinters. Rhian sat up gasping for breath. Stood by the door, in her dressing gown, was Braith Evans.

“Are you alright?” asked Braith.

Rhian rubbed her neck; relieved to have air flowing back through it. “Yeah, I think so.” She coughed. “What was that?”

“The same type of crafted monster that attacked Sabina.” Braith gripped a vial of presumably vanquishing potion. “She had a wicker talisman someone gave to her. It was supposed to be for protection, but while we slept, it?—?“ Braith shook her head. “Where did you get it?”

Rhian rubbed the sleep from her eyes and gazed across the room to the still empty bed. “Gretchen.”

“Jiw.” Braith cursed. “Did she give any to anyone else?”

“Emmanuel, Lewis… I saw Gareth with one.” Rhian rose from bed. “Braith what’s going on?”

“I think your roommate is killing our classmates, or rather, crafting creatures to do it for her.”

“Gretchen wouldn’t do that.”

“Where is she then?”

Rhian shook her head.

“That’s what I thought. Come on now, for all we know the rest of your friends are being smothered as we speak.”

Rhian slipped on her slippers and chased Braith down the hall. “Where are we going?”

“To the boy’s dorm. She may be headed there to activate the other talismans?—?if she hasn’t already.”

“This doesn’t make any sense. The killer kidnapped Gretchen. She was in a cocoon. It can’t be her.”

“Who else could it be?” asked Braith. “I thought it was you after I spotted you leaving my room. But this makes more sense. Maybe she was using the cocoon to absorb the stolen awen? Your roommate is very good at crafting isn’t she?”

They jogged down the stairs into the main lobby. Braith had seen Rhian in her room, but it wasn’t her and her coat was on Gretchen’s side of the room. Had Gretchen tried to frame her? No, Grez wouldn’t. Although, she was acting suspiciously lately and she was the last to be seen with Afia.

“Braith, don’t you think we should tell the teachers? If the boys are in trouble, I could run and grab Ms Mackerel or Ms Landeg.”

“And leave me alone? I’m not like you and your roommate. I don’t have some natural ability that I can just conjure up in an instant. It takes time, expertise, and awen to conduct proper spell work. You’d be leaving me completely defenceless. And after I saved you.”

“Then let’s go togeth?—?”

Braith shushed her. “There she is.”

Stood at the bottom of the stairwell to the boys’ dorm, clutching a small wicker talisman and paper, was Gretchen.

“It can’t be…” Rhian whispered to herself.

“Quick blast her.” Braith reached into her dressing gown pockets.

“I-I’m not going to do that!”

Gretchen spotted them. “Rhian?”

“Only to distract her long enough for me to trap her,” said Braith. “Then we’ll go fetch the teachers.” She pulled out a piece of chalk and began chanting over it in Welsh.

“Amddiffyn,” commanded Gretchen. She dropped the wicker figure on to the stone floor where it increased in size until it was the height and girth of a full grown man. The wicker man lumbered toward them.

Braith broke from her spell casting, “Now!”

Rhian shot a torrent of fire at the creature. Flames covered its surface and licked at the air. It staggered forward.

“Grez, why are you doing this?” Rhian sent out another burst. Lights flickered. The wicker man collapsed into fire and ash.

“I think you know why,” said Grez.

Icicles rained down in front of Rhian creating a fence of ice. Gretchen ran.

“Not so fast.” Rhian conjured a ring of fire, trapping them all in the lobby. “I have a lot of questions for you.” She melted the ice.

“Well done!” said Braith from the floor. “Just a little bit longer.” She resumed muttering in Welsh as she drew in chalk around the ring.

Gretchen summoned a wall of ice blocking Braith’s path, but the sheet was thin. Braith shattered it with a kick and carried on.

“Why are you doing this, Rhian?” Gretchen looked drained. Her shoulders slumped. “I thought we were friends.”

“What about Afia and Sabina? Weren’t they our friends too? And the boys?” Rhian marched toward her. This wasn’t right. Gretchen had shown way more power than this in their power controlling class. She didn’t seem to be holding back. Had she not recovered from the spider attack?

“What are you talking about?” Gretchen cried. “I just want my awen back.” She waved the paper she was holding. “You said if I met you here, you’d return it.”

“I didn’t write that. It has my name on it?”

“Well, no.” Gretchen looked at the note. “but here you are.”

“Done.” Braith stood and wiped the chalk from her hands.

A realisation struck Rhian. She let down her fire wall. “Braith, how did you know that the spider was stealing awen?”

Braith pulled a small twig from her dressing gown pocket and dropped it on the chalk.

“Baglu.” She smiled.

The stalk spread along the chalk line at incredible speed. Vines branched off from every direction and slid toward Rhian and Gretchen. Rhian sliced them with a blade of fire but they continued unheeded.

Braith laughed. “It took me a little longer, but I added an elemental protection. Thanks for your help with that, Rhian.”

Several offshoots descended upon Rhian at once. The vines tied up her feet and legs then wrapped their way up her body.

Gretchen fared no better. “It’s an entanglement spell. We need to dispel it and break the circle.”

Rhian wiggled and tried to push out her arms. She tried once again to burn the plant away but her fire did nothing. “This can’t be happening, not twice in one night.”

“Twpsyn,” Braith spat. Her eyes burned with disgust. “Idiot. The fates really are cruel aren’t they? Gifting a ffwl like you with such undeserved power. At least the Yorkshire girl bothered to learn the language. I was casting your undoing right beside you and you hadn’t the faintest.”

“Braith, you don’t have to do this,” Gretchen said weakly. “You’re already so strong. Let us go.”

The vines tightened, causing Rhian to gasp.

“I’m not strong,” said Braith. “You’ve just grown weaker.” She tossed seeds of clay out of her pocket onto the floor by their feet. Eight pairs of legs popped out of their sides. “Of course, after I finish draining Rhian of her awen and avenging her death by killing you, I think my strength and chances at the scholarship will be much improved.”

Two dozen tiny clay spiders crawled up Rhian’s legs. “Braith, stop this!” She looked to Gretchen, whose feet were already covered in a single silken boot.

Braith cast her a cool look. “Tell me where to find Edward Lethe.”

“I-I have no idea,” cried Rhian. “I don’t know who that is.”

“Pity.” Braith tossed out another handful of baby spiders. The light caught on the strings of web connecting them to Braith as they scurried up the stairs to the boys’ dorm and slipped under the door. “Hopefully, my act of heroism tonight will be enough to put me in my rightful place at the top.”

The door to the boys’ dorm opened and closed.

“Hel?—?” cried Rhian and Gretchen in unison before a vine wrapped itself around their mouths to gag them.

“Enough of that,” Braith said.

Tiny spiders climbed atop the vine just under Rhian’s nose. She let out a muffled scream.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs. Hope for rescue fluttered in Rhian’s chest then sunk when she saw Gareth Harris stood at the bottom of the stairs.

Braith greeted him in Welsh. He replied. And then the two began conversing. Rhian tried shifting her head to Gretchen to ask what they were saying but all that came out was muffled speech that sounded like how Welsh words were spelt.

Alaric, can you hear me? Alaric? Help! Rhian repeated her inner-thoughts frantically, in hopes of grabbing the telepath’s attention. But she received no reply.

Gareth looked to Rhian. “Well, that’s very interesting, Braith. But you see, the wicker man you gave me tried to kill me in my sleep not even five minutes ago. This twpsyn,” he pointed to Rhian, “is so awful at Welsh, she can barely spell cast” and this one,” he gestured to Gretchen, “well, look at her. She’s clearly still anaemic from the last time you tried to kill her. You’re malu cachu. And you’re going to regret what you did. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Oh, he is capable of thought.” Braith brushed a curl from her shoulder. “I guess your ranking isn’t completely due to your ability. Which, by the way, is a bit brutish.”

Gareth approached the circle. Braith stepped back.

“What are you going to do, hit me? I’ll have the vines strangle these two before you land the blow. And then blame you for their deaths.”

“I wouldn’t hit a girl.” Gareth raised a knee and stomped down on the boundary stalk. He twisted it under his foot. “Diddim.”

The vines disintegrated to chalk dust.

“But I would” Gretchen shot a bolt of ice at Braith encasing her foot before collapsing.

Rhian wiped the spiders off of her and charged. Colliding into her would-be murderer, she took Braith down to the stone floor with a sickening crack. Braith cried out.

“This is for Afia,” Rhian shouted as she pummelled her. “And Julia, and Sabina…”

A hand rested on her shoulder and tugged her off.

“Enough,” said Gareth.

Braith scurried back on her hands then gaped in horror at her missing foot still encased in ice.

“You can try crawling away,” He said to Braith, “but I don’t think you’ll make it very far.”

Braith swore at him and spat.

Rhian glared at them both before running to check on Gretchen.

“Is she alright?” Gareth asked, guarding a seething Braith.

“She’s breathing. I’ll go fetch the teachers.”

“Good idea.”

“Hey, Rhian,” he called as she was about to disappear down the hall.

“Yeah?”

“Diolch. The word you’re looking for is diolch.”

“Gareth,” Rhian took a deep breath,“pisho bant.”

End of Season 1: Rhian Peregrine, Apprentice Druid