Free Recipe for Magic by Agatha Bird Page A

on.”
    “Shut up, Dugan,” Elisa said. Connor knew her well enough to envision the sneer and hair fluff that followed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself ordering me around. If it weren’t for me, none of this would have worked.”
    He heard their rapid footsteps approaching.
    “You talked to him?”
    “Yes. You should have seen his face when I cornered him to apologize after he saw us kissing,” Elisa said. “He was completely crushed. It was almost adorable.”
    Connor’s eyes narrowed as he heard Dugan laugh meanly. “I’ll bet,” Dugan said. “You made that kiss look pretty convincing. Even I was jealous.”
    “Oh, Landyn ,” Elisa trilled mockingly. “It just happened . I’m sorry you had to find out that way, but Connor and I care about each other so much . We belong together. You heard him. You want what’s best for him, don’t you?”
    Dugan guffawed. “What an idiot. I can’t believe he fell for it.”
    “As if I’d risk them showing us up at the Trial. We’ll do their battling dragons better than they ever could.”
    Connor stayed as still and silent as possible until he heard the outer door bang shut. Then he let out a whooshing breath. He scrubbed a hand over his face and found his hand was trembling.
    Everything about the fight suddenly made sense: Landyn’s obvious pain, his venomous words, his furious anger. He thought Connor had traded him out for Elisa.
    Connor rubbed at the ache throbbing deep in his chest. Landyn . Landyn, who was right now alone at the Trial, who’d fail and have all his plans for using his magic to help others crumble to ash.
    Connor had to help him. He leapt from the chair, tossing the blankets aside. They needed to show the Archmages how they used their magic to work together. They hadn’t had time to prepare their conjuring, but Connor knew one thing they were perfect at doing together.
     
     
    H E RACED into the arena just as Landyn stepped onto the dais in front of the Archmages. Landyn’s shoulders were slumped. His face had a pale, defeated cast and bruised circles hung under his tired eyes.
    “Where is your Paired?” Archmage Roumin intoned with a grave frown on her dark face. Under her hat, her black, silver-streaked hair was pulled back in tight braids and looped over her shoulder.
    “I don’t have one,” Landyn said, his voice small and hollow. “I’m alone.”
    “No, he’s not! I’m here!” Connor shouted, knocking people out of the way as he pushed through the crowd. His supplies banged against his legs as he took the stairs up to the platform two at a time, and he winced at the bruises he could already feel forming on his shins and thighs.
    The heavy iron pot gave an echoing clang as he set it down on the table, and he heaved the sack of vegetables down next to it with a dull thud.
    “What are you—” Landyn’s eyes widened in recognition.
    “I’m with you, not Elisa,” Connor panted. He thought he might look a little wild, so he quickly smoothed a hand over his head and took a deep gulp of air. “You have to believe me. It isn’t what you thought, it was a trick. Landyn, I want you. We do this together, right?”
    Landyn stared at him for a long moment, and Connor held his breath as the world narrowed to Landyn in front of him, looking heartbroken and unsure.
    Then, finally, those thin lips curved into a familiar smirk that had Connor’s heart swooping with joy.
    “I did skip breakfast,” Landyn said slowly.
    Connor let out a rush of relieved laughter. “Why do I always have to remind you to eat?”
    He chanced a step closer, and Landyn met him halfway, reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together, their Pairing Sigils touching and sending the familiar zing of magic up his arm. “Ready to completely underwhelm six of the most powerful mages alive?”
    Landyn laughed and squeezed his hand. “Yes, let’s. I’m rather hungry.”
    “I’ll chop, you handle the water.”
    “You didn’t prepare the