by L. L Hunter
Henrietta finally stopped and Scarlett almost crashed into the back of her.
“Here we are,” Said Henrietta. She took a key out of her pocket—a silver antique-like key on a long black tassel. It was odd in a building like this, Scarlett thought. It must have been renovated: everything was new or modern except for the doors. Henrietta pushed the key into the lock, twisted and pushed the door inwards. Scarlett followed her inside and stopped short. Before her, in the centre of one wall, was an amazing red velvet curtained, four-post bed; the curtains were tied back with gold tassels. Straight ahead was a set of white French doors that led onto a private balcony. Scarlett thought at that moment she must have done something good to deserve this because surely this was not standard living quarters.
Scarlett would have forgotten Henrietta was in the room if it hadn’t been for her tiny musical voice.
“Is something wrong, Miss Scarlett? I hope the room’s okay. Mr Blackbell specifically reserved it for you.”
“Mr Blackbell?” she turned to face her maid.
“Yes, you being a Legacy and all.”
She almost forgot. Of course, being a legacy meant automatic enrolment in an Academy if your parents had previously been students. Her heart sank into her stomach. Being a Legacy also meant backlash, as Legacies were almost untouchable. Legacies received a lot of immunity in the half-yearly exams because they were expected to know The Chronicle back to front and upside down because they were taught most of the topics at home. Nevertheless, Scarlett didn’t want any special privileges; she didn’t want to stick out like a sore thumb.
“Does everyone know that I’m a Legacy?”
“Most of the professors do.”
Great, she prayed that they didn’t single her out in front of everyone so that she wouldn’t become a walking bullseye.
“You better get ready for lunch, Miss, it starts in twenty minutes in the dining hall.”
“Okay I’ll be down soon.” She waited for Henrietta to leave before opening the French doors and stepping outside.
~
The sky had clouded over since the last time she had looked at it, and a light mist of rain was falling—but not so much that Scarlett was in danger of getting drenched. As she tipped her face up to inhale the sweet smelling rain something caught her eye. Something black was fluttering in the wind just above her head. It was stuck in the balcony railing of the room upstairs. She dragged a metal chair over, checked if it was stable enough to hold her, and climbed up onto it. When she was close enough Scarlett realised that the object was a large black feather. She plucked it out of the railing and turned the feather repeatedly in her fingers. It was like no bird feather she had ever seen yet it was familiar and she was unsure why. She sauntered back inside the room and closed the doors behind her. She then placed the feather on her nightstand and began to freshen up. She took her perfume out, Heat by Beyoncé, and sprayed a bit here and there. Now she didn’t smell like public transport. She re-tied her crazy hair, which never stayed in place. She pinned onto her black sweater the broche all the new students had received: a smaller version of the angel clock.
Leaving her room, she found her way down much easier than way up; she just had to make her way to the ground floor, three flights down. When she reached the second floor and rounded the corner she crashed right into one of her professors.
“Whoa easy there, you should watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry sir.” And then she realised it was him, the blue-eyed stranger.
“Please, call me Lakyn. Sir makes me feel so old,” he chuckled.
“Sorry Professor Lakyn.”
“That’s what my other students call me, but please, I’d prefer it if you call me Lakyn, Scarlett.” He grinned, and it made Scarlett feel uneasy.Was he hitting on her?
“But I’m a student, Professor Lakyn. Now if you excuse me I’m going to be late for lunch, someone just struck the gong.”
Three strikes of the gong meant punishments were going to be handed out. At Blackbell, one of the most important rules was never being late.
“I would hate for you to be punished. I’ll see you in the dining room.” He patted her on the back and retreated up the stairs she had just come down. She had heard rumours about Lakyn Blackbell, not all of them good. She took note to be more careful around him next time.
~
She entered the dining room, and the wafting smell of food overwhelmed her nostrils, she hadn’t realised she was starving. She made her way along the outside of the room to the front until she found an empty chair. Moreover, she realised too late that all the places had name cards on them, and this spot was not hers. “Dyston Blackbell” was scrawled on the card in delicate cursive—the younger brother of Lakyn Blackbell, she assumed. She had ended up at the Fourth year student table, who were now giving her strange looks. She apologised and quickly fled to the next vacant spot. She finally found her place at the opposite end of the dining hall amongst a table of other First Year students. As she sat down she wondered if any of them were Legacies like her.
“Hey Scarlett,” said a voice, snapping Scarlett out of her daze. She was staring at her minestrone soup entrée while thinking about the feather she had found on the balcony. Scarlett looked up at the Nephilim who was talking to her.
“Oh hey, sorry Kat.”
“Scarlett? Named after your hair?” asked a girl with platinum blond hair and emerald green eyes.
“Um, yes.”
“I’m Emerald, named after my eyes, but everyone calls me ‘Emer’,” she said with a giggle. Scarlett had a feeling this girl loved to talk.
“So are you a Legacy? There are rumours that five Legacies are starting this year, and Del and I have been trying to figure out who they are.” Stated Emer, she always spoke in a rush. Emer whispered into another blonde’s ear—that must be Del, Scarlett thought.
“Um, no, I’m not a Legacy,” Scarlett lied. She didn’t want anyone to know who she was but more importantly she didn’t want anyone taking advantage of her, or being friends with her because of what she was.
“Well I’m not afraid to say that I am, I’m Thomas,” added the guy with a black buzz cut and dark blue eyes sitting next to Del. He put his hand out for Scarlett to shake and she took it reluctantly.
“Nice to meet you, Scarlett” he said. Del linked arms with him.
“I know you are baby,” Del said with a smile. Scarlett could tell they were smitten with each other, which made her slightly jealous inside. No one had even been remotely interested in Scarlett. Well, except for Professor Lakyn, but that didn’t count.
“Get a room guys,” said a guy with curly brown hair and lime green eyes who had just joined their table, which was now full.
“Whatever Joshua,” replied Del, “You’re just moping because Kat won’t go out with you.”
Kat’s cheeks flushed red and she tried to conceal it by pulling her hair around her face and playing with the vegetables in her soup. She wasn’t interested in Joshua; he was cute, but not her type. She glanced over towards the Fourth Year table that an attractive guy with dark brown hair and a masculine jaw had just joined. He sat next to a guy with a perfectly toned body and sandy hair, whom Kat had a crush on. Kat’s stomach flipped whenever she saw him. Scarlett followed Kat’s gaze and leaned closer to Emer who was on her left.
“Who is that?” she asked.
“Oh, they’re Fourth Year boys, Dyston Blackbell and Jacob Fox. Kat has the biggest crush on Jacob,” stated Emer. Scarlett couldn’t even remember if she had replied or at least nodded, her attention was solely trained on Dyston, who was laughing and joking with Jacob, until his gaze caught hers. He was looking at her with a gaze so powerful that Scarlett felt as if she was a piece of metal and he was a magnet pulling her towards him. A nudge to her arm broke the magnetic field.
“Earth to Scarlett!” It was Thomas’ voice.
“Huh? What?” she asked dopily. Emer giggled.
“We asked if you know w
hat talent you’re going to explore,” said Kat.
“Um I’m not sure yet,” she replied and continued to fiddle with her soup.
Chapter Three
Talent
By the time the main course was being served, Scarlett realised that she really didn’t know what Talent she was going to explore. She had done drama classes in high school but hadn’t been the best actor. She had taken ballet and contemporary dance as a child but she wasn’t really a dancer, fast reflexes didn’t really stop her awkwardness. She could sing though, nothing made her happier than when she was singing, but she refused to sing in front of anyone. It wasn’t just because she was shy but more because something embarrassing happened when she did.
After lunch Scarlett said goodbye to her new friends and headed back to her room to get ready for her afternoon classes. First year students didn’t have a choice of subjects, but at the end of the year they were allowed to choose two elective subjects. They had to choose wisely as those choices would determine what Talent and trait they would explore in the future.
When Scarlett reached the third floor she decided to explore a bit as she had an hour before she began her first class. She climbed the stairs to the fourth and final floor and paused. She heard his voice before she saw him, there was a tone to it that sounded familiar but she couldn’t put her finger on it. He was singing a song she had never heard before. It was probably the most extraordinarily beautiful melody she had ever heard. His voice was satin smooth like chocolate or a soft animal and if it were a solid object she would want to reach out and stroke it.
She inched closer to the door that it was coming from and listened. His voice was pitch perfect and professional. When the singing stopped the door’s knob rattled and turned and he stepped out. He was wearing a dark grey Henley shirt, blue jeans and black motorcycle boots. He also smelled of rain and vanilla. Scarlett was too awestruck and speechless to move so he smacked right into her.
“Ooh! I… Uh, I’m so sorry,” she stuttered. He didn’t step away though, instead he moved his hands up to grip her upper arms, not hard though, just gentle enough so that she could feel it. His touch felt cool even through her sweater. He looked down at her with a smirk. He stood a whole head higher and his gaze penetrated through her for the second time that day.
“That’s okay Scarlett,” he replied in a voice as smooth as his singing voice.
His hair was dark brown and his eyes were the most amazing chocolate brown she had ever seen, just a touch lighter than his hair, so edible… wait, did he just say her name?
“How, uh… do you know my name?” she stuttered.
“You have a face that’s hard to forget,” he chuckled. He dropped his hands and stepped out of the doorway, locking it behind him. He then stepped around her so that she was now standing with her back to his door and he was standing in the middle of the hall.
“Plus,” he was looking her again with those eyes. Scarlett wished quietly that he wouldn’t but at the same time that he would never stop.
“Your hair is the colour of Heavenly Fire, it’s also hard to forget.” He turned and began to walk away.
Scarlett had so many questions, how come she felt like she knew him? How did he know what Heavenly Fire looked like? You can’t see it unless you unlock the ability to. But she didn’t ask him.
“Wait, You know my name but I don’t know yours,” she called after him. He froze, pivoted on his boot heel and looked at her with those eyes again.
“Dyston, my name’s Dyston,” he smiled. Then he turned and disappeared down the hallway.
Something stirred inside Scarlett, she felt drawn to Dyston in a magical way and she couldn’t explain it. She headed back down to the third floor to fetch her schedule and books for her classes, hoping that they would cross paths again soon.
~
Her first class was Dramatic arts, she loved drama but even though she felt that this wasn’t her calling, she knew that drama helped you with self-confidence and bravery. She felt brave but not self-confident. As soon as she stepped inside the classroom, which was more like an auditorium, Joshua and Emer called her over.
“Yoo-hoo Scarlett!” Sang Emer. Scarlett sauntered over and sat next to her. Emer grinned at Joshua and he smiled weakly back at her, poor thing, she was in denial, thought Scarlett.
When their Professor walked in, her Mary Jane’s clicking on the stage, the room fell silent.
“Is that her real hair?” whispered Scarlett.
“Sure is,” replied Emer. Scarlett couldn’t help but gawk, their professor’s hair looked like candy floss, but with more fuchsia.
“Hello class,” she began when she reached centre stage. The candy floss-haired Professor wore black slacks, a gold sparkly blouse and a black blazer with a white lapel. “I am Professor Magenta, but everyone calls me Mag.” There was an applause. Scarlett wondered if every time she spoke she got applause.
“Today you will be learning how to be confident with your peers and with yourself. Now for the first exercise, follow me.”
Mag led them into an adjoining room, which was more like a gym. It had a springy floor and punching bags around the perimeter.
“I’m just finishing up Mag, don’t mind me,” said a voice Scarlett had heard before. She hadn’t noticed him, but using a punching bag in the far right corner of the room was Lakyn.
“Take your time Professor Lakyn,” said Mag.
“He’s hot!” Emer whispered into Scarlett’s ear.
“Yeah,” was all she could manage, for she couldn’t take her eyes off of him, she had to admit he did something to her. She shook her head as if to shake away the thought. What was it with those Blackbell boys?
“This is a trust exercise. I want you to pair up.” Mag told the class. Emer immediately grabbed a hold of Joshua’s arm. He looked like he wanted to be somewhere else, probably with Kat.
Scarlett glanced around for a potential partner, and her eyes only found Lakyn, who gave her a wink. She quickly averted her gaze and noticed a girl standing by herself doing the same thing as Scarlett. She walked up and introduced herself.
“Hey, I’m Scarlett, want to be partners?”
“Sure, I’m Diamond, Di for short.” Replied the girl. She was petite, a bit shorter than Scarlett, with silvery hair with a hint of mauve. And with pale greyish-blue eyes added into the mix Scarlett thought it was a very pretty combination.
“Can I ask why you were named Diamond?” she asked, as the whole class lined up in two rows facing each other. They were meant to catch their partner to test if one trusted the other.
“Yeah, it’s because I have a tough skin, physically and emotionally, nothing can hurt me.”
“Nothing? Come on, everyone has their kryptonite.”
“Nope, nothing.” Scarlett didn’t press any further. She had a feeling Di was hiding something from her. She would in time, Scarlett thought. They decided to complete the trust exercise in silence.
After each partner had had a turn catching and falling, Emer and Joshua failed because Joshua hadn’t caught Emer in time, which caused her to land on the floor with only her pride hurt, they went back into the Auditorium to finish the lesson.
“Now with the exception of Emerald and Joshua,” began Professor Mag, her gaze steel cold as it bore into the two of them, “Everyone completed the task exceptionally. Do we all feel confident with our class mates yet?”
There were numerous yes’s and just a few no’s, followed by laughing, Scarlett and the rest of her classmates turned to see whom it was. Samson Hunt and Willow Johnson sat a few rows behind the rest of the class, they were known trouble makers. Earlier during lunch they had gotten a penalty each; one for Samson for throwing food at Headmaster Blackbell’s head, Dyston and Lakyn’s father, and Willow had gotten one for turning up to lunch late.
“Samson, Willow, you two are not off to a good start, do you take anything seriously around here?” asked Mag.
“Of course we do Professor,” answer
ed Willow with a smirk.
“Consider this a warning, one more strike and another penalty will be added to both your records.”
There was a sudden very loud tolling that made all the students jump, but Scarlett knew what it was; church bells.
“Okay that’s the end of class, see you tomorrow, and don’t be late!” As she emphasised on the late part, she spun on her heel and exited stage right. The sound of her Mary Jane’s clicking could still be heard long after she had left the auditorium.
“Well that was exciting wasn’t it?” Sang Emer as she skipped beside Scarlett, “Even though Josh dropped me!” she glared back at Joshua who was walking behind them looking down at his feet.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”
“Yeah ’cause he was day dreaming. Hey what class have you got next? I have Aerial Ability, whatever that means.”
“I think its flying. I have Combat Training.”
“Why in the heck would I need flying lessons? I’m not a full angel,” complained Emer.
“I think its just to get you comfortable with being in the air, I walked past that room before and I saw people on harnesses bouncing around.”
“Cool! Well I’ll see you at dinner,” said Emer as she drew back to walk beside Joshua.
Scarlett checked her schedule again for the room number and realised she was in the padded gym room she had just been in. As she was walking back her stomach flipped when she realised who her Professor might be.
“Crap,” she cursed to herself. She clenched her jaw, took a deep breath and stepped back inside the padded room. Sure enough, there he stood in the centre of the room.
“Gather round First Year. I’m Professor Lakyn, but please, call me Lakyn.” She could hear whispers around the room, girls swooning over their handsome Professor. Yeah, handsome, if only they knew.
“This afternoon I will be teaching you the basics of Combat Training. That is, learning how to defend yourself in an attack.” he told the class. Thomas raised his hand.