Free Sacrifices by Mercedes Lackey, Rosemary Edghill Page B

the rest of the class arrived at the stables, the Radial kids were already there and on their horses. There were eight kids here from town. Spirit recognized Brett and Juliette Weber, Tom and Adam Phillips, and (of all people) Kennedy Lewis, the Radial Dance Committee’s token Goth. The other three—two boys and a girl—were kids Spirit didn’t know.
    “Looks like they aren’t going to be getting the full meal deal,” Loch whispered in her ear, and Spirit snorted. The Townies would run screaming from a typical class day at Fortress Oakhurst. ( “Fortress.” Just like the one in Radial, right? Ha and also ha. )
    As usual, there was a big pile of equipment waiting on the ground in front of the stable doors, and twenty horses—one for each Oakhurst student—milled restively in the paddock. (It didn’t matter if you had a favorite horse: you took what you could grab.) They were bridled but not saddled. Their saddles hung from the fence itself. Spirit shivered as she and the others came to a stop: it was cold out here, and the presence of the Townies meant none of them could cheat and use their magic to do things like make it warmer.
    “Welcome to Endurance Riding,” Ms. Singleton said, walking out of the stable. “As this is the first class for some of you, I’m going to go over the rules again. You are required to cover a marked ten-mile obstacle course. Oakhurst students must carry a full pack of equipment; Radial students must simply complete the marked course. As usual, Oakhurst students will be graded on success in choosing equipment and equipping their mounts. All participants will be graded on speed over the course and elegance in navigating obstacles. Failure to successfully complete all elements of the module will count as a failure for the day.”
    The Radial kids snickered. The Oakhurst kids didn’t.
    Ms. Singleton pulled out a stopwatch. Spirit felt tension ripple through her fellow students like an electrical charge. “Oh my god,” Addie breathed. “There isn’t enough equipment for everyone—”
    “Go!” Ms. Singleton barked.
    “Get the horses!” Loch said, shoving Addie in the direction of the paddock. He grabbed Spirit by the arm and dragged her in the direction of the supplies.
    The equipment list you were supposed to carry with you was everything you’d need to spend two or three days in the wilderness. Bedroll, shelter half, two canteens, food, medical supplies … Before she’d memorized the list, it had taken Spirit precious minutes to locate every item and get them on her saddle. Now collecting them was second nature.
    Most of the kids headed for the paddock, to catch and saddle their horses, but a few of the more suspicious ones went for the equipment first. Spirit and Loch worked frantically, collecting three of everything—six of the things they needed in duplicate. At least the three of them weren’t the only ones working together, Spirit realized gratefully. She knew Mia Singleton was paying close attention and watching everything.
    By the time they were done, the first half-dozen students had their horses saddled and had begun to load them. That was when it became obvious to everyone there wasn’t enough equipment, and so the stable yard was a chaotic jumble of shouting students, jostling nervous horses—and fights. It was like a bizarre and sadistic game of musical chairs. She wondered how much equipment was here. How many students would fail today? What was the penalty for failure?
    Out of the corner of her eye, Spirit saw Kristi Fuller make a dash toward the pile of equipment she and Loch were guarding. Without stopping to think Spirit grabbed one of the canteens and swung it like a mace. It hit Kristi on the shoulder, knocking her sprawling. She scrabbled to her feet before she was trampled.
    How could I do something like that? Spirit thought in horror, looking down at the canteen in her hands.…
    “Loch!” Addie rode toward them, leading two saddled