“I’m going to wait in the office for you, then. Don’t be a pain in the ass and make me come find you, because I will, and there will be a scene when I do.” He simply smiled at me, somehow knowing that I would do anything to avoid drawing attention.
“Whatever,” was my lame reply before I headed toward the magic hall.
Since Enzo wasn’t towering over me, students dismissed me easily in the busy hallways. I was just another face, and the ease I felt was more comforting than I thought it would be. I was going to have to work something out with Enzo. Like he said, he couldn’t be with me all the time and I didn’t need people staring, so the mentor portion needed to have its time and place. Not in public.
When I raised my hand to knock on the door, it opened, and Headmaster Stone’s voice called out to me. “Come in, Raegan.”
Bringing my bag in front of me to settle on my lap, I took a seat in the same chair I had when I first arrived at the school. The headmaster’s smile put me at ease some, but I was still anxious to hear what had been decided about my future.
“How are you feeling?” he asked. “Anything out of the ordinary happen since we last met?”
I snorted. “I think our versions of ordinary are slightly different, but no, nothing I would worry about.”
“Have you told anyone about what happened?”
I shook my head. I knew better than to open my mouth. Gemma, Finley, and Peyton seemed great, but I wasn’t stupid. I didn’t truly know them, and there was no way I was going to put a target on my back if the three races thing was truly a big deal.
When Gemma had asked me how everything went, I told her that I was part elf and witch. I didn’t mention the dragon, because that was easier to hide than the elf ears, and witch seemed like the least threatening race.
“Very well. The council has come to an agreement, but I need you to be okay with it as well. Please keep an open mind and know your wellbeing, as well as that of the other students of this school, were at the forethought of every proposal that was considered.”
My chest tightened. This didn’t sound good at all.
“Dragon shifters are not common in our world. They exist, and we know where a lot of them are, but they very rarely socialize with us. We’ve never had a dragon student, and to train this side of you proves to be an issue because of that.
“I don’t want to strip you of who you were born to be. Your dragon is a part of you, and we are not gods. We cannot decide who you get to be, but we do need to do something until we know more.”
Ah. There was always a but.
“And what is that going to be?” I asked.
“I would like to ask your permission to place a binding on you, but not like the one that was previously done. This would only be for your dragon side, to prevent any surprise shifts should you be provoked in any way. Then, if all goes well this year, over the summer we will have private lessons for you in controlling your dragon.”
No wonder it had taken him so long to reach out to me. Based upon the reaction of the other council members, I was sure there were going to be more drastic measures taken, but at least one person, if not more, had advocated for me, and I wasn’t going to turn down what he was offering.
“I would be okay with that and I really appreciate you asking me instead of telling me how it was going to be. I didn’t expect that.”
His round cheeks raised as he smiled. “We’re not bad people, Raegan. We want the best for all of our students and that includes you.”
“So, when does this happen and how does it work?” I asked, wanting to steer clear of the heavy stuff.
Headmaster Stone reached into his desk and pulled out a vial before pushing it closer to me. The liquid was thick and blood red in color, just like my scales had been.
“You need to drink that, and then it’s done.” He lifted his other hand. “This is the reversal. I want you to know we have it and this isn’t a trick.”
The other bottle was filled with a crystalized-looking substance, but I wasn’t really concerned with that one. “Is that blood?” I nodded toward the first vial.
“No, but it is made with part of your dragon essence that was left behind after your shift in the box, so the color is that of your dragon-self.”
The longer I waited, the more I was going to overthink things, which wouldn’t be good for any of us. I had been offered a deal that was much kinder than the ones I had anticipated, and I needed to take it before anyone changed their mind.
My fingers closed around the small glass bottle as my other hand popped the cork out. Closing my eyes, I threw my head back and dumped the contents into my mouth all at once, swallowing it as quickly as I could.
Part of me expected some elaborate reaction: pain, sparks, smoke, anything other than the nothingness I experienced.
“Nothing is happening. Why didn’t it work?” I asked, panicked.
“Magic doesn’t harm when there is no need. Everything worked as it should have, I assure you. Now, when you find Enzo waiting at the top of the stairs, he’s not going to remember you had a dragon side. Desmond will have found him and taken care of that. Enzo will take you to your first class as planned, and you shouldn’t have any problems.”
“Thank you.” I stood and turned for the door, a little creeped out that they could take someone’s memories like that.
“Raegan?” he called, and I swiveled back around. “Your schedule is now on your tablet, and if you have any issues, you come see me right away, okay?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I didn’t wait for him to say anything else. I didn’t want there to be more. As the door closed behind me and my tablet dinged, I knew this was only the beginning.
The real magic started now, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.
Chapter 8
My class schedule wasn’t nearly as awful as I was expecting, but the additional sessions I had to take with Enzo were the overwhelming parts. There were going to be too many hours of the day spent with him and not enough with my new friends or relaxing by myself.
Second Year Classes
8:30am – History of Shifters and Witches
9:45am – Herbs and Potions
11:00am – Defensive Magic
12:00pm – Lunch Break
1:00pm – History of Elora
2:15pm – Accelerated Elven Abilities
That was my regular schedule, and I was ready for it, but at the bottom of the screen, there was also my catch-up time that made me groan. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I would be in the Combat Hall’s training center, learning offensive magic with Enzo from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Following those sessions was an hour of tutoring to catch me up on the Herbs and Potions and Elven Abilities classes.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would still be with Enzo for the same time, but we’d be working in the Magic Hall on mental protections and more elven magic.
My brain was already exhausted just thinking about the long-ass days I was going to have, not including the homework that would be assigned, plus my need to figure out who I was and who my parents were. I would likely rarely be able to leave my room.
When I arrived at my first class, Enzo left me at the door and, thankfully, didn’t embarrass me by walking me all the way in like a child.
Seating didn’t seem to be assigned, so I entered and breathed a sigh of relief when I laid eyes on Peyton. My wolf-shifter friend would at least be able to keep me company and hopefully help me catch up on anything Enzo wasn’t already planning to help me with.
She waved me over, and I happily walked to her desk. That was, until I tripped and slammed my hands and knees into the hardwood floor. When I glanced back to see what I had tripped on, a girl smirked at me, and I recognized her from the table of elves Lyssa and Enzo had been at on my first day.
Great. Even if I was able to avoid the bitchface, I was still going to have to keep an eye out for her lackies.
Dusting myself off, I took a quick look around the class a
nd, sure as shit, everyone had seen or heard my fall and was now staring at me. I kept my head held high as I finished making my way to Peyton without letting anyone see they had gotten to me.
“Are you okay?” Peyton asked when I took a seat.
“Yeah, it hurt my pride more than anything else. Who is that?”
“Tamra. She’s not quite as evil as her best friend, but she’s getting there. Don’t let her bother you, though. There will be other drama from someone else soon, and they’ll forget all about you.”
Yeah, until Lyssa finds out just how much time I’ll be spending with her boyfriend, I thought to myself.
A stout woman who appeared to be in her forties strode into class, and silence descended on the room. Even though she was on the shorter side, she commanded the room like a boss with a toss of her short, sleek brunette hair and perfectly tailored clothes.
“Good morning, students. My name is Professor Marteen. Welcome back to Shadow Veil Academy. Today will be a refresher on what you should have learned last year about shifters and witches. If you’re unfamiliar with anything in the documents you’ll have on your tablets shortly, I highly recommend you figure it out sooner rather than later.”
She went on about stuff that only made surface-level sense to me, but I was typing notes on my tablet like a mad woman, so I could research things later. Apparently, our tablets had a catalogue of information on them, along with where exactly to find material one might need from the library.
After class was over, my relief was evident when Enzo wasn’t waiting for me like a stalker outside the class door. Glancing down at my tablet, I found the next class and followed the instructions on how to get there. Herbs and Potions was located under a dome-like structure at the top of Magic Hall. The sun shone through, warming me, and I immediately decided this would be my favorite class.
Morning classes were much of the same, refreshers and introductions, along with what to expect for the year. Nobody had done any real magic, which disappointed me, but my notes folder had many new pages in it, and I planned on doing what catch-up I could on my own after school.
Gemma was in Defensive Magic with me, which was perfect, because then we were able to go to lunch together and I didn’t have to try to hunt anyone down or, worse, sit awkwardly by myself. I had made a few new friends in class, but nobody I would have felt comfortable joining without a previous invitation.
“How are you doing after three classes?” Gemma asked after we sat down to eat.
“Surprisingly well, but I have ridiculous amounts of studying in my future, so ask me in a week and I might have a different answer.” I laughed.
After we finished our lunches, Gemma took me to find Peyton and Finley, who typically ate outside. I soaked in the rays of sun and listened to the other students chatter on about their classes and other dramas that had occurred. None of that kept my interest, so my attention wandered back to the sky.
When lunch ended, I said goodbye to my friends and promised to see them for dinner. My next two classes were with pure elves and elven hybrids, which meant none of them would be with me.
As I walked into the first afternoon class, I scanned the room of my History of Elora course and my heart sank when I saw Lyssa sitting at the back of the room. Besides the run-in with her lacky in my first class, I’d had no problems with any of the other students.
Everyone had been friendly enough, but I knew that wouldn’t be the case in this class. I didn’t recognize anyone else, so I chose the seat furthest from Lyssa in hopes it would help. Though, when I went to sit in my chair, I fell on my ass and didn’t even bother to look back.
Lyssa didn’t deserve any of my attention, and I wouldn’t allow her the satisfaction of knowing she’d probably bruised my ass. My only hope was that she would behave herself while the professor was in the room, which turned out to be the case for the following hour as I became immersed in a world completely unknown to me. I devoured every bit of it until the bell chimed.
Enzo was in my last class. Convenient and likely not a coincidence. It meant I had no chance at running away from him after school and avoiding whatever he had planned for me. I was seriously rethinking starting as a second-year student as the day progressed.
“I didn’t see you at lunch. How did classes go?” he asked as he took a seat next to mine.
“Great. Thanks for asking.” My eyes stayed on the front of the class, hoping he’d get the point. This was an elven class, and I had no idea how many of Lyssa’s friends might be lurking around. I didn’t need to give her more reason to hate me by talking with Enzo when it wasn’t necessary, even if I really wanted to.
He put off a vibe that drew me to him and calmed any lingering angst I had within me. Well, that was only true when he wasn’t frustrating the shit out of me. It was a fine balance that was constantly teetering on the edge.
“Welcome, students!” a tall, thin man said cheerily as he entered the class. “My name is Professor Trinket. Feel free to laugh, I know you’ll do it behind my back anyway.” His grin was as friendly as his voice, and I was suddenly extremely interested in his class, just as I had been with the last.
His tall, thin frame leaned back against his desk as he continued to address the room with bright aqua eyes. “I know most teachers take it pretty easy on you the first day, but I don’t plan on it. We’re going to head outside and see what you’ve learned instead of talking about it. How’s that sound?”
Most of the class cheered about this, but my heart sank. I didn’t know anything about my abilities, let alone elven abilities, and I wasn’t sure a learning curve was going to be allowed for me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll have you caught up in no time. You have the best tutor in all of Shadow Veil.” Enzo winked. “If you’re not comfortable within a few weeks, we can extend our hours after school.”
Nope. Not going to happen. I was going to figure this magic thing out and hopefully lessen my time with Enzo, not increase it.
“Thanks, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
And that’s when I bit myself in the ass by assuming.
Once we were outside, the professor pointed at me. “You there, in the pants with the red hair. What’s your name?”
Fuck me. Nobody had commented on my clothes all day. Why now, when the day was almost over?
“Raegan.”
“Raegan, nice to meet you. Mostly because I’m nosy, why aren’t you wearing the normal uniform? Can your legs not see the sun?”
Laughter erupted around the area, and my cheeks reddened as all eyes landed on me.
“No, Professor Trinket. I assumed that since the guys get to wear pants, as long as mine are just as nice, then there’s no reason why I can’t. It would seem very sexist to tell me I couldn’t, and I didn’t think Shadow Veil was that way.”
Oooh’s and aaah’s went about the class, but I kept my attention on the teacher.
“So, do you also believe that the boys should be able to wear skirts?” he countered
“If that is what they’d be most comfortable in, then yes, I do. Everyone has the right to be themselves, don’t you agree?”
He nodded at me with a smile still in place. “That they do, Raegan. Now that we have that out of the way. Who wants to demonstrate their elven magic first?”
Hands flew into the air, and very few students still paid attention to me, which was a relief.
“You handled that well. Most first-years would have caved, even with a cool guy like Trinket,” Enzo whispered.
“Good thing I’m not a first-year then, huh?”
“Touché.”
As I watched the others show their abilities, I paid attention to the words they used and their body movements. Before I realized it, I was mimicking them, and Enzo had to stop me from accidently throwing a magic ball at the student in front of us.
He eyed me carefully with a frown. “You’re going to learn faster than I think I’m going to like.”
Holding in my grin, I did
n’t respond. He couldn’t have said anything else that would have made me happier.
Professor Trinket didn’t end up calling on everyone, and I was able to stay hidden behind other students to avoid being asked to show my lack of skills. When the final bell sounded through school grounds, nerves took over.
Enzo would soon be asking me to perform magic and, even though I had gotten into watching the other students in the last class, I wasn’t sure how I felt about trying it myself with his full attention on me.
“Ready?” Enzo asked, the normal haughtiness missing from his demeanor.
“As I’ll ever be.”
He led the way to the training room within Combat Hall and showed me to the ladies’ changing room. Inside was set up like a clothing store, except there were lockers along the walls instead of more clothes. I grabbed yoga-type pants off the shelves, then a large grey shirt with the school logo on it from the racks before heading to the changing room.
When I was done, I shoved my stuff into a locker and noticed a screen on the outside. I tapped it and a fingerprint showed up, so I pressed my pointer finger to it. The screen flashed once and then the lock engaged. Fancy.
Enzo was already changed and waiting for me. He wore loose black pants that hung low on his hips and a tank top with wide arm holes, leaving little to my imagination. Damn him! His bronze hair was pulled back, and he appeared ready for more than just training.
“First, we’re going to practice basic offensive magic that you should have learned last year. You don’t have any offense classes, so don’t stress too much on this part. We will work on it three days a week until it comes naturally to you. With private lessons, it shouldn’t take as long.”
There was no sarcasm in his voice, no egotistical attitude. He was truly acting like a tutor. Hell, even a responsible one. It was weird, and nothing like my previous interactions with him.
He continued explaining a few other things, and then it was time for the real magic. No more talk. I needed to actually do.
We started with meditation and worked on tapping into my inner power source, which was much easier than I realized it would be. Whoever had put a block on my magic when I was younger did a hell of a job, because it was almost overwhelming now.
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