Chapter 1
"Fray!" I almost break formation as the sound of my instructor Mr. Bane brings me back to attention. We are all in the assembly building standing in line for role call and it, along with everything else at the academy is done by rank.
There are only 75 of us here at Heart Academy and we're all competing for first place. This year Mr. asshole himself, Jace Herondale, holds the title. Just like he has for as long as anyone can remember. Now don't get me wrong he's one of the best here at Heart, but not the best. The first place spot should be mine, but what do I get year after year? Lousy second! Ever since the first year I've always been in Herondale's shadow. Am I a little bit bitter? Yeah, I guess you could say that.
"Sir?"
"Get your mind off of Herondale's ass and pay attention," Mr. Bane says and I can feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. Without realizing it I had tilted my head at an angle that had me looking directly at Jace's rear end. " As you are all aware, it is the beginning of this year's term. With this being said, it is also time for our annual competition which will determine your rank ."
Ah, the competition. Our sweet, dreaded competition. Every year it was the same. We're all faced with different obstacles, courses, and some other bs that doesn't really matter. Every person completes the course and we are ranked based on our time. The only problem with this is that the courses each year are practically the same, which means that the rankings rarely ever change.
" When your name is called please step forward," Mr. Bane continues, " Simon Lewis. Aline Penhallow. Sebastian Verlac. Isabelle Lightwood. Jonathan Morgernstern. Helen Blackthorn. Alec Lightwood. Maia Roberts. Jordan Kyle. Kaelie Whitewillow. Max Lightwood. Seelie Queen. Meliorn Court. Clarissa Fray. Jace Herondale." Everyone who was called stepped forward; unaware of what was going on. I let my eyes shift down the line on either side of me thirteen people to my left, Herondale on my right. What in the Angel's name is happening? Mr. Bane comes to stand in front of us.
"Congratulations," he says, " You are the top fifteen students at Heart Academy. In this year's competition you will be divided into teams of three and compete against each other in real life situations, in the very situations that we train you to overcome. In this competition you will be looking for a key. This key will expose you to the most powerful substance in our world. If you do not know what this substance is then I suggest you try going a little bit more in depth with your studies.
The difference between this competition and others is that you will be going out in the world and posing as hard-working American citizens. This will be the first ever competition held outside of Heart. All of your expenses will be paid and accommodations will be taken care of as well. Before you receive your teams, I must give you one very valuable peace of information. For the duration of this competition no one from outside of Heart Academy must know that you are competing and if you are found out, you will immediately be revoked from the game and stripped of your chances of obtaining rank number 1."
I, along with everyone else in the room tensed. The competition this year was so uniquely constructed that for the very first time at the Heart none of the students knew what to do. What I'm trying to figure out is if this is some kind of sick joke. Some kind of test that we all failed by not being able to tell that it was a lie. But it seemed that with every blink of an eye, with every shuddering breath, clarity was capturing us in its strong grip. Confirming our thoughts even more, Bane began speaking again.
" And the teams for this year's competition are as follows," he starts, " Simon Lewis, Aline Penhallow, and Max Lightwood. Maia Roberts, Jonathan Morgernstern, and Helen Blackthorn. Kaelie Whitewillow, Sebastian Verlac, and Seelie Queen. Alec Lightwood, Jordan Kyle, and Meliorn Court. Jace Herondale, Isabelle Lightwood, and Clarissa Fray.
These teams are final and will stand until the very end of the competition or until the team is disqualified. Any association between two members of opposing teams will be seen as treason against the Heart and will lead to immediate disqualification of each involved team.
The competition will start tomorrow morning at 5am sharp and you are all to meet, with your teams, at Idris-Alicante Airport. From that point you will receive all necessary information about your new selves and which city you will be located in. Please get lots of rest tonight because I can ensure that tomorrow will be a very tiring day."
Herondale. Why is it always Herondale? It couldn't have been any other person besides that narcissistic asshole? This is going to be the worst competition yet, and it is all because of Jace Herondale.
As we begin filing out of the Assembly building in a somewhat less organized manner, I glance over at Herondale. He doesn't seem to be in a very good mood by the way his shoulders are tensed and his jaw locked tight. Well at least he seems just as upset as me about being put in each other's group.
When he sees me looking at him, his whole demeanor changes. No longer is he the pissed off teenager who didn't get his way. Now, as he casts me that cocky ass smirk he was once again the Jace Herondale that I knew and hated. He winked at me, and even though I turn sharply away, his gaze was like a shadow that clung to me until the steel doors of the entrance offered a reprieve.
One conclusion that I have come to about this whole competition is that however bad it seemed today, the games have only just begun and I know that with Herondale by my side they are going to be the most torturous of them all.
Hey, everyone! Thank you so much for reading, please review and tell me what you think so far.
