The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

the three girls rounded the corner. Thrusting her hands forward, Linna concentrated on the air spirit. It was a six-inch-tall man-shaped spirit with luminous dragonfly wings, and it did not look pleased to see them. In fact, it held a tiny blade that looked like a bee stinger, except that it grew from the spirit’s fist. Linna walked toward it, resolutely, step by step. The air spirit squirmed, writhed, and zigzagged back and forth. Linna raised her hands in the air, and the spirit soared upward. They watched him as he reached the top of the maze.
    Sweat glistened on Linna’s forehead. Her delicate hands began to shake. Daleina saw her jaw was clenched so tightly that the veins in her temple throbbed. And the air spirit dove down, hovered in front of them, and then zipped forward.
    The three girls ran after him.
    Right, left, straight . . . Left, straight . . . And then they burst through a narrow opening and were again in the practice arena in front of the academy. Seeing them, the audience clapped and cheered. Daleina saw her family in the stands, Arin jumping up and down, and her parents hugging each other. Several girls were already out, in a clump by the judges’ table. Most of them were stained with mud, drenched in water and shivering, or sporting scrapes and fresh bruises . . . except for Merecot, who was spotless, as she drank a cup of water.
    Meeting Daleina’s gaze, Merecot winked, and Daleina couldn’t tell if it was a mocking wink or a friendly one. She did help them pass the earth spirit, though, even if she didn’t stay with them. Daleina opted to smile back and nod, hoping the other girl interpreted it as thanks. Daleina’s smile faded as she saw another girl, lying on a stretcher, with red staining her white tunic. Healershovered around her and then obscured the girl from sight.
    Beside Daleina, Linna clapped her hands and squealed. “We did it!”
    â€œNot bad,” Revi said. “Right? We aren’t the last ones? Okay, not the first, but not last. Do you think we made it in time?”
    The judges were barely looking at them. Daleina scanned the crowd for the headmistress and didn’t see her. “I hope so,” Daleina said. The headmistress had final approval over all applicants—legend said she’d even predicted that a young applicant named Fara would become queen. Legend also said that a halo of butterflies had landed on the young queen-to-be’s head, and some in the audience swore they heard trumpets. Daleina guessed that was an exaggeration. At any rate, there weren’t any instruments playing today, and it was too cold for butterflies.
    â€œLet’s go with yes, until someone tells us otherwise,” Revi suggested.
    Linna nodded and linked her arms in Daleina’s and Revi’s. Together, they approached the judges’ table. Looking up, Daleina saw Arin and her parents waving at her, as if she’d already won the queen’s crown.

CHAPTER 4
    T he headmistress’s office was filled with sunlight. It poured in through the windows in the ceiling and the wide window behind her desk. All the glass had cost a small fortune to have shipped from the islands of Belene, but Headmistress Hanna thought it was worth it. Her office was situated at the top of the academy, close to the forest canopy, where no branches blocked the midday light. Hands clasped behind her back, shoulders straight in perfect headmistress posture, Hanna faced the largest window and let the sunlight soak into her.
    She hated this day, entrance examination day. All the applicants came so full of hope, and it was her job to crush that hope out of them before the academy crushed them. It felt like being cruel to sweet, fluffy kittens.
    Behind her, the door squeaked as it opened, and she heard the shuffle of feet on the thick carpet. She knew without looking that the applicant was trying to step gingerly, trying to keep the muck and water