“Come on, stop being a thickheaded brute. Just give us the carapace, and we’ll help you get off this island,” Michel demanded, slapping his palm.

  “No way,” a rough-looking, short-haired boy about seventeen shot back. He wore the magical cloak on his back like a cape, leather knee-high boots, and a bandana, making him look more like a pirate than a mage. “We’re the ones that scored this objective. Like the thorny backside of a demon, we’re just giving it away.”

  “Well, how do you plan on getting off this island? Huh?” Michel shot back. “We saw you float down from one of those huge redwoods. I’m guessing that wasn’t just a coincidence. Look around; no big trees are here.. So, tell me. How are you planning on getting off this little rock?”

  “Aye, you tell ‘em, Michel. What audacity, drenching us with ye spell,” whined Bandy, winging out her orange curls hair.

  “How about a counteroffer?” The pirate-looking mage said, producing a weighted sack. “There’s twenty coppers in here for you. Just give us the leaf, and we’ll be on our way.”

  “Twenty coppers? You’re insane,” Michel spat. “Just gi–”

  An arrow shot down from the sky along a steep angle, thudding into a tree beside the arguing teens, interrupting Michel.

  “Huh?” He turned to the arrow, spotting the note tied to it. “Don’t tell me this is another of your dirty tricks?”

  “What do you mean by my dirty tricks?” Alron snarled. “Everything I do is clean and above board.”

  “Yeah, right,” Michel countered. “Bandy, would you mind?”

  “Me?”

  Michel shot a glare.

  “Fine,” Bandy huffed and trudged over to the arrow, pulling it free with a labored grunt.

  “So, what’s the note about?”

  “Give me a damn minute, Michel!” Bandy snapped, unrolling the note. “Sheesh. Anyway, it reads: Hello, people of the island–”

  “People of the island?” Michel raised a perplexed brow.

  “They’re talking about us. We’re on an island, remember?”

  “Yeah, I get that. But I don’t like that tone. I’m not an island person.”

  “Anyway,” Bandy rolled her eyes and continued reading. “We would like to extend an offer for truce and trade. In return for trading your treasured exam objective, the Siren’s Carapace, we offer you demonic botflies. For this trade, we’re willing to offer each of your teams one demonic botfly.”

  “Demonic botflies?” Alron said and turned to his teammates. “Hey, Micky, check the list. What’s a demonic botfly worth?”

  “Ahhhh—20 points, Alorn,” Micky shouted back.

  “20 points? What kinda highway robbery is this?”

  “Well, to be fair, it’s forty between us,” Bandy said.

  “Between us? What kinda logic is that? Did you forget that we’re the only ones with an objective? You can go climb up a Woolly Babarack backside if you think I’m trading carapace for some botfly worth less than half its points,” Alorn huffed and crossed his arms.

  “Come on, don’t be so damned stubborn,” Michel said. “How do you think your team is getting off this island without our help?”

  “So ye think it’s a good deal, Michel?” Bandy said.

  “No,” he swung around. “But a lot of luck we’re having getting through this thick-skulled simpleton over here. 20 points is still 20 points. Besides, the faster we get this done, the sooner we can go find another objective.”

  “Well, too bad. I ain’t trading,” Alron said, standing his ground. “Go find me a 60-point objective, and then we can talk.”

  “That doesn’t even make any sense. If I had my own 60-point objective, why would I bother coming all the way here just to save your stubborn ass from this island?”

  “Oh, come one, Alron,” a member of his team pleaded. “60 points isn’t going to score us a spot in an academy alone. We can’t just stubbornly wait for a miracle.”

  “Who said I’m stubbornly waiting?” Alron barked. Lowering himself, Alron sat and crossed his legs. “I’m just being patient. Y’all should consider watching closely and taking lessons.”

  “Oh, my goodness. I can’t even. This is too much. Do you believe this guy?” Michel facepalmed. “Fine, whatever. If you don’t want to trade, that’s on you. Let’s just go,” he added, waving his group back to the leaf bobbing on the water.

  “We’re leaving ‘em then?” Bandy questioned.

  “Does it look like we’re getting anywhere? Besides, I’m getting dangerously close to teaching this stubborn mule a lesson, and I don’t want to get kicked out of the exam. This is my last chance to pass, and there’s no way I’m wasting it on a fool like him.”

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Ha, said like a true loser,” Alron mocked as they walked away.

  “Why you!” Michel with balled fists and gritted his teeth.

  “Michel,” Bandy said, grabbing his arm. “Exam comes first.”

  “Thanks, Bandy,” Michel huffed through his nostrils. “Let’s get out of here, now.”

  “Alron, please,” Micky said, shaking Alron by his arm. “Be reasonable. If they leave, we might be stranded here.”

  “I am being reasonable. They’re the ones trying to rip us off.”

  “Good riddance, you blockhead,” Michel waved as his team mounted the leaf and rowed away from the island.

  “We never needed you anyway,” Alron shouted back. “Go back to wherever you crawled from!”

  ***

  Running around the river’s banks, Team Ebenshire moved to intercept the leaf as it gently glided atop the water’s surface toward land.

  “Hey, have you come to trade,” Arix said, waving his arms and running ahead of the group.

  Hmm, they sure don't look like they've come to trade. Kal noted the group's standoffish posture and irritated expressions.

  “What do you want?” Michel snapped. “If you're thinking of robbing us, forget it. We don't have any exam objectives.”

  “Stick around, and we might consider turning the tables,” Ike smirked beside Michel.

  Looks like my hunch was correct. Kal wasn’t particularly worried about the threat. If they were the stealing kind, they probably would have attempted to take the carapace from the cloak-wielding team.

  Kal raised his bracelet and scanned the group regardless.

  “Team Lunar” appeared in holographic writing across the four teens with a big zero beside it.

  “Needed evidence, huh? Well, you got it,” Michel said, jumping from the leaf to the riverbank.

  “Didn’t you see our note?” Kal asked.

  “Oh, so that was you guys. Good luck with that,” Michel chuckled. “No way that stubborn–hey!” Michel sneered at Bandy, who had just elbowed him.

  “Hey there, fellow would-be mages,” Bandy waved. “We didn't have too much luck convincing ‘em, but mayhaps ye could.”

  “Well, we'd try if we could get over there,” Ellie slumped.

  “Well, tis ye lucky day,” Bandy said, stroking her magical leaf. “For the right price, I could be convinced into letting ye have me leaf.”

  “Yeah, nice try,” Ellie scoffed. “What's stopping you from dispelling it the moment we sail out into the water?”

  “Because I can't. Well, at least I can't once ye have taken hold of it. This spell is special that way. Unlike most Mana Focus spells, this beauty binds to any mage who channels mana into it. All ye need to do is take hold of the leaf and focus a little mana into it, and it's as good as yours. Be wary, though; let go of it for long enough that the mana drains and it will whoof, it’ll be gone.”

  I’m not sure if trusting these guys is wise, but it’s not like we have a lot of options.

  “So, what is it that you want for this leaf?” Vae questioned.

  “Why, obviously one of them demonic botflies in your possession,” Bandy grinned.

  “Uh-uh, no way,” Ellie swiped her hands through the air. “That's a terrible trade. Some first circle spell for an objective worth 20 points?”

  Ellie's wasn’t wrong. It was a terrible trade, under normal circumstances, at least. The botflies were one thing, but to trade a spell for an actual objective?

  “Look, take it or leave it,” Michel said. “We've wasted enough time here. Come on, Bandy. Let's get moving.”

  “Aye,” Bandy nodded, eyeing Kal.

  “Wait,” Kal said, and Bandy froze as she was about to dispel the leaf. “We'll make the trade.”

  A wide grin curled Bandy's lips. “See, Michel. All ye need is a little smooth talkin'.”

  “Wait, really?” Michel said.

  “Hey, Kal! What do you think you’re doing?” Ellie hissed.

  “Moody’s got a point,” Vae said. “There’s no guarantee we’ll get anything out of this exchange. We’re better off saving it for another trade. Even if what we’re trading for is worth fewer points, at least we should make sure we’re trading for something guaranteed to help us.”

  “IF we find people willing to trade,” Kal countered, turning to his teammates. “There’s a 60-point unique reward within sight. Look, I get it. It’s going to be disappointing if we can’t make the trade. But we’ll still have plenty of botflies remaining. What if we reach the exam end and we still have some?” Kal said. “It’s a risk, but is it any more of a risk than hoarding the things?”

  “We seriously can’t come up with a better idea?” Ellie said.

  “Actually, Kal has a good point,” Vae stroked his chin. “The carapace might not be guaranteed, but it is tangible. We have no idea who or what we’ll run into and whether or not they’ll have anything to trade for the botflies. Let alone finding multiple teams to trade with. If I were an odds maker, I’d say paying for the leaf has a higher chance of return than gambling on the chance that we find nine other teams to trade with,” Vae mused.

  “I’m not sure I follow, but it sounds smart,” Arix nodded.

  “Fine,” Ellie said. “But if we miss out on points, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Vae sighed.

  The two groups stared each other down in a tense moment as they exchanged the leaf for the deceased botfly.

  Even if neither team had shown any desire to steal from the other, knowing that the exam clerks had essentially legitimized thievery was enough to put everyone on edge.

  Kal and Bandy inched closer, each tightly holding their trade while keeping a vigilant eye on the other. Simultaneously, Kal grabbed hold of the leaf as Bandy took the botfly.

  Kal could feel the subtle draw of mana from the summon when his hand wrapped around the leaf's stem. Even though he had never cast the spell before, he knew that it had connected to him and was now using his Mana Focus, confirming that Bandy had been truthful about how it worked.

  “We did it!” Bandy held the botfly corpse in the air as she jumped.

  “Well, I’ll be. Good job, Bandy,” Michel said.

  “Impressive,” Ike nodded.

  “I knew you could do it,” Daphne smiled, poking dimples into her cheeks as the three teammates crowded around Bandy.

  “Alright, you’re not so bad,” Michel said. “You were true to your word. We’ll remember this,” he added, turning to Kal.

  “So will we,” Kal nodded. “Nice meeting you, but we’ve got ourselves a carapace to collect.”

  “Good luck with that,” Michel said. “That is one stubborn brute you’re off to negotiate with.”

  “Well, good thing I’m up for a challenge then,” Kal said, placing the leaf in the water.

  “You better make it to 100 points. I need a good rival,” Michel smirked. “One that isn’t a total jerk.”

  “Ha, you don’t have to worry about that. No way we’re failing,” Kal said. “You better worry about yourself passing if you want to be my rival.”

  “You’ll see, Kal. Next time you look at that leaderboard, get ready to see Team Lunar at the top!”