The Nightmare Dilemma (Arkwell Academy) Read Online Free PDF Page A

itself. He stepped onto the bench and then on top of the table. He turned in a circle, surveying the room.
    The cafeteria was absolutely silent, all eyes turned on this stranger. In a loud, gruff voice, he said, “My name is Captain Gargrave. I am head of the Will Guard. We have been sent to Arkwell by the Magi Senate to perform the duties of The Will. This means that all the combative magic violations you students have been perpetuating these last few chaotic months have officially come to an end.”
    Another murmur went through the crowd, this one tinged with something like defiance. It wasn’t that we couldn’t do magic before The Will. It was just that people didn’t dare try most spells for fear they would be restricted. I didn’t think this Will Guard was likely to have much luck reinstating that kind of fear, not now that everybody had gotten used to the freedom.
    Captain Gargrave must’ve sensed that rebellious spirit as well for he said even louder, “If you dare to challenge my authority or the authority of any of my men, you will reap the consequences.” He made an upward slash with the staff.
    Nick let out a yell as he was hoisted into the air again. This time Captain Gargrave spun him around in several fast, nauseating circles. Eli and I both backed up instinctively, in case Nick tossed his cookies.
    Just when I thought Nick was going to lose it, Captain Gargrave let go and Nick dropped to the floor again. He landed hard, but still on his feet. Gargrave stepped down from the table without another word. As he passed me, I felt the gag in my throat lift. The captain joined the others, and they started patrolling the cafeteria.
    Eli and I exchanged a look. I could tell he was anxious to talk about what just happened, but we both knew it was better to let things settle down so we weren’t overheard.
    His stomach grumbled. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Eli said, before stalking off to the breakfast line.
    I sat down again as the silence in the cafeteria slowly began to dissipate. But the conversations remained subdued and nobody was doing any magic, legal or otherwise. I glanced at Gargrave who was eyeing the crowd like a hawk on the hunt. Way to make a nasty first impression, dude .
    I had a feeling the nasty was only getting started.

 
    4
    Tragical History
    While I waited for Eli, I contemplated my eggs and bacon for a couple of minutes, and then got up and threw the contents of my breakfast tray into the garbage. Something inside the trash can growled, and I realized too late that I’d forgotten to sort out my silverware. A moment later the fork came hurtling out of the can like a missile and whacked me in the forehead.
    “Hey,” I said as I rubbed my stinging skin. Good thing I hadn’t used a knife this morning.
    A head covered in scraggly brown hair emerged over the top of the can. The trash troll fixed a glare at me with its huge black eyes. It looked like a really ugly, twisted version of a Mr. Potato Head with a head and torso twice as long as its stubby legs and arms. It bared its teeth at me, mumbling incoherent words.
    It dawned on me that I was being scolded. By a trash troll. Glaring, I shooed at it. “Go on, get back in there. It was just an accident.”
    The troll muttered something more then stuck its tongue out at me before disappearing. I backed away from the trash can, on the lookout for more projectiles. It seemed even the trash trolls had developed their own spirit of rebellion, same as us students.
    Eli arrived back at the table at the same time I did, his tray laden with food. I sat down across from him and watched with mild interest as he began shoveling. “Looks like the senate finally decided to do something about all the fighting,” Eli said between mouthfuls.
    “It’s something all right.” I flashed a scathing glance at Gargrave. “But I’m not sure it’s the right something.”
    “What is it?” Eli’s gaze locked on my face.
    “Someone attacked Britney Shell