2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Bennet

I cross my arms over my chest, watching as my new team begins warm-ups. The team captain this year is Genevieve, a senior who’s been on the Tracker and Field team since her freshman year. She knows the ins and out of this sport and has excelled. I’m positive she’ll make a wonderful adventurer if that’s the path she decides to pursue. Any party would be lucky to have her skills at their disposal.

Genevieve talks the group through warm ups, making sure they take their time stretching all of their muscles out. The last thing we need is for someone to pull something or get themselves hurt on the very first day of practice.

I have a pretty good group this year with a handful of new students. Today is considered tryouts, but I hate that particular name. I’ve never once turned someone away from joining if they wanted to be on the team. We’ll be going through a variety of drills, just so I can see how well everyone does. It helps me see what their strong points are and where they’ll need extra practice.

The thing about Tracker and Field that I love is that no one is excluded from the team. This isn’t an average team sport, everyone who tries out today will be considered on the team. The students essentially compete against themselves and during meets, the time of their runs are pitted against the times of other schools rather than kids going head to head like other sports.

During a Tracker and Field meet, we go to a secluded forest and release a trusted HellHound. The students have to track her down as quickly and efficiently as possible. Once they complete that, the timer stops. The school with the best combined score wins while individual best scores get recognition.

Belinda, our usual HellHound, decided to retire last year but one of her pups is taking up her mantle this year. His name is Charriotte because he’s fast as the wind, or so I’ve heard through the grapevine. We’ll see how fast he is in a few months when we have our first meet.

I blow my whistle, stepping into the middle of the circle beside Genevieve. I give everyone a thorough look, cataloging everyone inside my mind palace, already getting a sense of my team this year.

“Welcome, everyone,” I say, turning in a slow circle as I speak, wanting to look at everyone. “For those of you who aren’t aware, I’ll be your coach this year. You can call me Coach, or Bennet, or Mister Bangel. Just don’t call me Sir, that reminds me too much of my old man.” I get a couple chuckles along with a handful of nods.

“I’m sure you’ve all met Genevieve. She’s team captain this year so you’ll show her due respect or you’ll be doing laps until your legs fall off and I have to call a cleric to fix them back into place, understood?”

Genevieve chuckles and everyone else gives murmurings of agreement.

“Today is our official try out day but don’t worry, you’re here which means you’re on the team. Today is more of a starter point. I need to see where you excel and where you struggle. Just do your best at each station and if you have any questions you can ask me, Gen, or any of the upperclassmen who’ve been through this already before.”

I nod at Charlie, happy to see he’s joined us again this year. I have a feeling he’s going to be one of our top runners based on how well he’s done the last two years he’s been part of the team. If he wants to, next year he’d make an excellent team captain.

“I want you all to divide yourself into teams of five. There’s five different stations we’ll be going through today. Each station will keep you for about fifteen minutes before you’re switching.”

I blow my whistle, signaling for everyone to get going. I may or may not have a borderline inappropriate relationship with my whistle. In my defense, this thing essentially makes me their god. Plus, the sound it makes scratches the inside of my brain just right.

Our team this year has twenty six students which is perfect because it means everyone is divided equally while Gen sticks with me. She runs over to the bench beside the field, grabbing two clipboards before jogging back, handing one to me.

“I already have a good feeling about this year,” I murmur, letting my beloved whistle drop onto my chest and holding the clipboard in one hand, gazing across the field at everyone.

Gen hums. “We’ll see. I’m excited to see how the freshmen do. We’re only as strong as our weakest link. Remember that one year when Everest only lost because one of their runners got lost for a week?”

I can’t help but chuckle. “That was rough. Poor Belinda was beside herself. She was ready to go find the runner just so she could go back home to the Hells.”

“No one was to blame but the runner. I did a little digging and I found out he’d been out partying the night before. He was hungover when the meet started. Dumbass.”

One of the things I adore about Gen is her no bullshit attitude. If someone on her team tried that, she’d bench their ass in a heartbeat before they could even cross the starting line. She respects the sport, respects the HellHounds who participate with us, and respects the lessons learned from this which can be used out in the real world someday.

But she also knows when to take things easy. She’s one of the first people to make jokes to break the tension of a situation. Gen knows when to have fun and mess around, she doesn’t take herself too seriously.

She’s going to make an excellent scout, just like I was back before my hip injury.

“Dumb of ass indeed,” I say, nodding my head as we move over to the first group. This station determines tracking skills. There’s a laminated page filled with different types of animal tracks and each student is supposed to match them with the correct animal as quickly as possible.

“No, no,” Josiah murmurs, pointing at two different pictures. “The dragon is closer to a cat than a rabbit. This one has that dragging part in the middle because it’s a creature with a tail.”

I make a note on my clipboard that Josiah is knowledgeable about creatures. Hopefully that transfers into practical uses in the future rather than making him-a-know it all.

The next station is a fake tree that’s been put in the middle of the field. Each person takes a turn trying to climb as high as possible. A freshman named Kirstan grabs a rope to help her up but instead of attempting to wrap it along the branches to help hoist herself up, she takes a short length and ties it around the toes of her shoes. With a running start, she manages to use the extra grip the rope gives her to essentially run up the side of the tree before grabbing hold of the first branch and pulling herself up.

I make sure to note that down. Sometimes, students have to use what they have as best as they can, even if it’s not the conventional use of that item during a hunt. Resourcefulness like that can be really important not only during a meet but also while on a real adventure.

“Excellent thinking, Kirstan,” I call up to her. She gives me a grin and thumbs up before hustling up just a little bit higher. Once the branches start to bend under her weight, she carefully shuffles her way back down.

“She’s smart,” Gen murmurs to me as we walk away to the next group. “Isn’t afraid to think out of the box. I like that.”

“A great addition to the team.”

Our next spot is essentially a small hurdle course to see if the students have the proper form when leaping. A useful skill if you’re being chased or if you’re the one doing the chasing through a forest. Stumps, logs, and undergrowth can slow a runner down if they’re not careful!

Genevieve and I watch two runners go, making a note that they’ll both need help with their technique and stride. Nothing major, but they’ll want help nonetheless.

Our next stop is strength testing. There’s a variety of weighted balls with handles on them. The goal is to take one, swing in a circle with it and toss it onto the sanded area of the field as far as the student can. We have access to a full weight room as well inside but throwing giant boulders around is way more fun in my opinion!

I make a note that this entire group will need to hit the weights a bit.

The final stop is endurance. This group of five are running ladders up and down the field. One of them is slower than the rest but they’re all keeping an excellent pace. Endurance will come with conditioning and time so I don’t have any major worries about them.

I blow my whistle, signaling everyone to move stations. I grin around my whistle when Gen gives me a look.

“You and that whistle,” she murmurs, shaking her head at me and making me chuckle.

“Don’t be jealous of what we have. Maybe if you’re lucky, we’ll get you your own whistle for being team captain.”

“I actually get laid instead of personifying objects, thank you very much.”

“Damn, low blow,” I tell her, shaking my head, giving my whistle a tiny blow to accentuate my pun. She gives me a smile, telling me she’s only messing with me as we move back around the field, watching everyone go.

A large truck pulls up outside the main doors of the university. I should be focusing on my team but my interest is piqued. I turn towards Gen, raising my brow and then pointing at the truck.

“I heard from a little birdie named Mister Addemac that the school has been donated a large estate. Apparently we’re getting a shipment of random magical items.”

“Oh?” I do my best not to let my interest show. “Which professor is dealing with that?”

Gen gives me a knowing look that leaves my cheeks heating despite myself. Damn her perception and figuring out my crush. This stupid little crush will be the death of me.

“I heard Professor Willowhasten was taking care of it.”

My eyes dart back over to the truck. There’s only the driver there, leaning his hip against the truck like he’s waiting for someone to come unload the truck. That gives me the best idea.

I blow my whistle a few times, getting everyone’s attention. They all join me at the center of the field. “Alright, everyone! Change of plan! I want you all to head over to that truck over there and help bring boxes to Professor Willowhasten’s room. Go go go!” Geneivive shakes her head at me and I narrow my eyes in response. “Not a word.”

“You know, you could always try just talking to the guy about how you feel .”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Mhmm,” she hums. I like her better when she’s focusing that intenseness on Tracker and Field instead of using it against me. “I’ve taken one of his classes, you know. Really lovely man. When he helps with conjuring our HellHound at meets, his eyes tend to linger on you while you’re not looking.”

“Stop teasing me,” I say, shaking my head. “And don’t meddle, Gen. I mean it.”

She lifts her hands in surrender. “No worries, Coach. I’ll just be grabbing a box to help like you wanted.” With that, she runs over to the truck and helps carry stuff to Quinn’s room.

As I walk into the school, I stop to check my reflection in one of the windows. I run my fingers over my hair, making sure my top knot is still in place. Okay. Yeah. I look fine. I wish there were a few less lines around my eyes and mouth, or maybe a few less stray grays, but there’s not much I can do about that right now.

I take a deep breath before I continue down the hall, tucking my whistle into my shirt as I go. I walk with a few of my students, glad they’re here to help out in this way. I wouldn’t want Quinn to have to deal with all these boxes by himself.

“Hey, Stephan,” I call out as I duck my head into his doorway. “Where do you want all these boxes?”

“Oh, umm, would you mind taking them to the lecture hall? Thank you, Bennet!”

I direct my team to the lecture hall. A few have already walked into the hall, but I stand outside in the hallway a moment, trying to get my heart to stop racing. I’m just helping with a friendly delivery, nothing out of the ordinary. Sure, I’m hoping Quinn will want to stop and talk, but even if he doesn’t it’s no big deal. Why the hell is my stomach tying itself in knots over seeing Quinn?

Gen steps out and sees me standing there. “Go on,” she says, shaking her head. “He’s in there giving the door giant puppy eyes, like he’s waiting for you to come in.”

“He is not,” I say, pushing her away from the door and back down the hall the way we came. She chuckles as she goes.

I take a deep breath before stepping into the lecture hall. I step out of the way of Josiah before walking down the stairs towards Quinn’s desk. He’s pointing where people should be putting down the boxes before looking up towards the door. His eyes meet mine and my stomach erupts with butterflies.

I am far too old to be feeling like this. That’s what I tell myself anyway.

I was a full time adventurer before I became a teacher. I was one of the best scouts an adventuring party could have, but after a run in with a wyvern where the wyvern clearly won, it was time to hang up my bow and pick up my whistle. I have about ten years on Quinn, but that doesn’t stop my heart from picking up speed whenever I’m near the other man.

“Hello, Bennet!” Quinn says with a bright smile and a wave. I take the stairs down to the floor level, wishing my hip wasn’t aching as I go. Some days it barely bothers me while some days like today, it hurts with every step I take. I’m hoping I’m not wincing as Quinn stares up at me. “Thank you so much for having the team bring everything for me. I was not looking forward to trying to haul all of this myself.”

“It’s no problem at all. It gave me a great excuse to give them a team building exercise.”

Quinn grins at me, waving me over to his desk. I lean my good hip against the desk, taking the weight off my left leg as much as I can.

“This is going to take me all night to go through,” Quinn says with a sigh. He adjusts his glasses, looking at the stack of boxes left for him. I’ve always thought his glasses were adorable and today is no exception. “Thankfully, Mister Addemac was pretty sure nothing was too dangerous, so if I have to leave a few boxes sitting overnight, there shouldn’t be much of an issue.”

“Would you like some help?” The offer leaves my lips before I can really process what I’m asking. Quinn turns towards me, tilting his head to the side in the most adorable way.

“You don’t have to,” he starts to say but I cut him off.

“I know I don’t have to, Quinn, but I’m offering. I have a few identify magic’ s in me. At the very least, I can get us some dinner and keep you company.”

Quinn bites his bottom lip for a second before nodding his head. “Yeah, okay. That would be lovely, Bennet. Thank you.”

Just then, Gen comes strolling down the stairs. I turn towards her, preparing myself to give her a glare if she dares to say anything , only to watch as her foot snags on a stair.

“Oh shit,” she calls out. I’m not sure if it’s a glare of the lighting in here or if I’m just seeing things but I could have sworn she tossed a little box in our direction. Or maybe it just came loose when she tripped. It all happens so quickly I can’t tell for certain. “Heads up!”

Quinn and I react at the same time. Somehow, completely in sync, we reach out in order to grab the box flying in our direction.

Only, the box seems to have other ideas entirely. It seems to have a mind of its own. The lid pops open and a pocket watch spills out. Quinn and I grab it at the same time, both of us catching it in the air. As we hold it, something goes through me.

Quinn and I both shiver as some sort of magic washes over us. I can tell he feels it too based on the look he gives me. Gen quickly runs over, holding the little box for us.

“Here, you can set it back in here.”

Slowly, we move, placing the timepiece back into the box before Gen is sealing it shut and setting it on Quinn’s desk.

“I’m so sorry! I don’t know what happened.”

“No harm done,” Quinn says but there’s a tightness to his voice. He turns towards the rest of my team. “Thank you everyone for helping collect all these boxes for me!”

I just barely keep myself from blowing my whistle at them. Thankfully, I had the insight to tuck it into my shirt to keep myself from using it indoors. “Yes, thank you. You’re all dismissed! I’ll see you out on the field tomorrow!”

Whatever magic just came from that timepiece must have been insignificant. I search myself for anything different but I come up short. Besides, if it was something bad, surely Quinn, who is a certified conjuration witch, would be freaking out and he seems calm enough.

Yeah, I’m sure it was nothing.