by K.N. Lee
Sighing, I tried to ignore the scent of mildew and closed my eyes.
This would be home for however long, I’d better try to remember the positive.
I lifted my hand, and focused on my power within, how it rose, and bubbled, and filled me with warmth.
“Orion,” I said, and he manifested above my palm, glowing like a firefly.
He flew and landed on my lap, and looked up at me with his wings flapping behind him.
“Now what?” Orion asked in a whisper.
I stared at the door, and a smile came to my face.
“Time to tear this place down from within.”
4
Morning came too quickly, but I was ready—ready to face my first day at the Academy of Lost Souls.
I awakened to the sound of voices, thundering footsteps, and laughter outside my door.
I hadn’t slept well. All I could think about was whether my sisters were truly safe. Apparently, just from me being in service to the Council of Souls, my family would receive a stipend.
That reminded me, I’d receive a stipend as well, and I needed supplies.
Stretching, I sat up and crossed the room to the small wardrobe beneath the window. Inside, I found several uniforms that were oddly exactly my size.
Twisting my mouth, I held one up to my body and glanced down at myself.
“Nope,” I said. “Not wearing that.”
I pulled my pants back on, and jumped when I heard the door open behind me.
Startled, I spun around to see a girl standing in my doorway.
“Morning, Skylar,” a woman whom I’d never seen before said, stepping inside. She was taller than any woman I’d ever seen, but thin, and with an air about her that was soothing despite her stature. “This is Lucia. Your roommate.”
Shoulders slumping, I met the gaze of the red-head who entered what I was hoping would be a room I’d have to myself.
Why would I be so lucky?
“And, you are?” I asked the woman, as she walked past me and stood aside as yet another stranger pushed a rolling single bed into the room.
Folding my arms across my chest, I glared at the three of them as they took over my space, and pressed the bed against the wall opposite my bed.
The woman finally looked at me. Her eyes were unreal—a bright blue that was bordering on ice-white. With platinum blonde hair, and a bright smile that shone over stark white teeth, she outstretched her arm to shake my hand.
“Ms. Charlotte Sharpe,” she said. “Headmaster.”
Paling, I accepted her hand and tried to hide my embarrassment.
I didn’t care that she was headmaster—even if I wanted to make a joke that her nickname could easily be Char Shar.
No, it was the tattoo on the top of her hand that gave me pause.
I’d never forget that tattoo, and how it seemed to glow at all times. It was the shape of a series of stars that resembled a hook of some sort.
“You’re a Pleiadian Knight…”
She smiled, and nodded. “I am. And, you’re Sirian…”
Her voice trailed and she looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to finish the sentence.
Shrugging, I shook my head. “Sorry. I don’t know what class I am.”
Her smile widened as she searched my eyes. “Not yet,” she said, then clasped her hands together. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I said, smiling as if I’d just met a movie-star. It was odd being around people who understood such things. Back when I was in human school, I would have never thought to discuss my origins. Blending in was always best.
I didn’t have to blend in anymore.
Ms. Sharpe straightened her black dress and turned to the girl who still stood in silence in my doorway.
“And, this is—”
“Lucia,” I finished, meeting the red-head’s green eyes. “I caught it the first time.”
“Good,” Ms. Sharpe said. “I’ll leave you two to it then. Classes start at 8am sharp, right after the breakfast block.”
On her way out, she paused, and glanced over her shoulder. She still held that smile, but a hardness entered her eyes.
“Make sure you’re in uniform,” she said, looking me up and down. “Won’t you?”
My brows lifted, and I nodded. “Of course.”
Was that a question or mind control?
“Brilliant,” she said, and waved goodbye before closing the door behind her.
Once Lucia and I were alone, I grimaced and glanced back at the row of dresses hanging in the wardrobe. She stood there awkwardly, and I sighed. I’d been a mother of sorts since my own had been murdered. Might as well take up the title here.
The girl definitely seemed out of her depth.
I walked over and held up one of the dresses before me. It was black with silver buttons. “We look to be about the same size,” I said. “And, there are several in here.”
She nodded, offering a small smile.
She was bloody gorgeous. But, I could wager she didn’t know it.
“Does look that way,” she said.
“Good,” I said, and tossed one dress her way. “Let’s give this whole magical student thing a go, shall we?”
We both tore off our clothes and put on the uniform, and then pulled on dark stockings and flat shoes. Standing in the narrow mirror hanging inside the closet doorway, I frowned.
“I look like Wednesday Adams,” I grumbled.
Her laugh made me smile. I couldn’t help it.
When I glanced back at her, my tension eased a bit. I could see her energy, aura, and the lifeforce flowing through her.
“We’re going to get along,” I said, and she nodded.
“Seems that way.”
Then, I closed the closet door and we headed outside the dorm room.
When she opened the door, the sounds of hundreds of students filled my ears.
We walked side-by-side, both unsure of what to expect, but in solidarity.
“So, what’s your deal?” I asked, as we headed to the washroom. “What are you?”
She glanced at me. “Witch,” she said, simply.
My brows lifted. “Nice. Haven’t met a real witch before.”
She twirled a red lock of hair around her finger, her big doe eyes scanning the surrounding students swarming the halls and corridors. “I’ve never told a stranger before.”
“Well, its never been a better time to speak your truth. You think I go around telling people my ancestors aren’t even from this planet? Not a chance.”
She grinned, and nodded. “It is liberating, isn’t it?”
“Insanely,” I agreed, and she giggled.
Another bell rang.
“Hurry girls,” someone shouted from the other side of the hall.
“Come,” I urged, and took her hand, pulling her along as we filed into the lines of students.
There wasn’t much natural light at this early hour, but the noise assured me that it was indeed morning.
My heart thumped in my chest as I tried to take in the sight of everyone all at once. We all wore the same uniform, and it looked as if my hallway was only for girls. I wondered where the guys were located.
Groups of ten went into their own sparkling white washrooms and everyone quickly entered the stalls to relieve themselves. I waited under the bright light of the large candelabra that hung above us. Once my turn came, I quickly hurried to relieve myself. I didn’t want to lose sight of Lucia.
Already, we were allies in this strange new world.
When I exited the stall, I hurried and took a space in at an empty sink. We doused our faces with water.
Gasping, I cringed.
Cold water.
“You’ll get used to it,” a girl to my left said.
She handed me a white wash cloth.
“Thanks,” I said.
She shrugged, and scrubbed her flawless, bronze skin.
I dipped the cloth into the communal washbasin that stretch
ed along the wall and had water running down like a river. It was interesting, but I was freezing.
I wiped my face with the cloth and reached for a cup of mouthwash.
Tossing my cup, Lucia and I lined up again and we all exited the room.
“So, what’s your name?” the bronze goddess asked.
“Sky,” I said.
“Nice name,” she said. “I’m Morgan.”
Once outside the washroom, everyone made their way to the staircases, and a traffic jam ensued.
While I waited for my turn to begin my descent, I caught a glimpse of the male students coming directly across from us on their own set of stairs.
That’s when I saw the male students approach from the opposite side, and my interest perked. They wore black pants, gray sweaters, and black vests that had a single pocket on their left chest.
I frowned down at my dress. I would much rather have worn the male uniforms.
It was then that my gaze caught that of Rhys. He looked different from the night before. Now, he wore a shining badge on the right side of his vest, and glasses. The badge caught my attention, but it was his intense stare that kept it. That—and how stunningly handsome he was now that I could see him in the light—so much so that I nearly tripped and tumbled downward.
“Holy hell,” Lucia said, under her breath, and Morgan glanced back at us. “Who is that?”
She followed her gaze and gave us another look. “Oh. Looks like Skylar here has caught the attention of a real superhero,” she said. “That’s Rhys…or as the papers like to call him, Night Blade.”
I covered my mouth. I had no idea he was the Night Blade. No wonder he came to retrieve me alone. He didn’t need a small army.
He was a small army.
“No way,” I said.
Then, Lucia and I exchanged a look, and spoke in unison.
“Awesome.”
5
The freaking Night Blade was actually in the Academy of Lost Souls, and I had spent hours with him.
Stunned, I still couldn’t tear my eyes from his. My skin tightened, and my face flushed the longer we shared a look at one another.
I’d heard tales about him, even in my small village. Even when people were afraid to come near me.
He was one of the new age of superheroes who emerged after earth collapsed. After structured government fell apart in some areas, crime and paranormal entities almost overwhelmed many cities.
But, people with incredible abilities—people like Night Blade, kept order. This was information that the general public weren’t privy to. No one outside of the academy knew the king’s son was a superhero.
Still, I couldn’t forget the fact that his father had killed the people I loved.
This was not good.
Not good at all.
I’d come to destroy this place…not turn my head for a handsome young man like Rhys.
Tearing my eyes away, I tried to focus on the bottom of the steps, and how everyone went the same direction, toward the dining hall. From the grumbling in my stomach, it was a grand idea to finally sate its hunger. I hadn’t had a decent meal in weeks.
At least the academy would be good for putting some meat back on my bones. Before Rhys had come for me the night before, I’d cast a glance at myself in the mirror and realized I was slowly withering away.
When I went to look at him again, he was gone.
I found myself looking for him, frowning, wondering if he was watching me from the shadows—making sure his prey was falling into line. Instead of seeing Rhys, I noticed three men in cloaks watching me from inside the dining hall. The way they looked at me left a sense of unease that made my stomach churn.
I knew when energy was not right, and those three were the epitome of a loud warning.
Unable to control my anxiety, I slipped away from the crowd and toward the nearest door.
The first ground-floor door I came to led outside to the smell of fresh bread. Even though I wanted to eat more than anything, there was something sinister about those cloaked men, and I just knew I had to get away.
In a bubble of quiet, I stood on the stairs and took in my surroundings. The chatter and chaos from inside was nowhere to be heard out in the cold light of morning.
How it was so silent left an eerie sensation crawling up my spine. My building and three others formed a courtyard in the center of the academy.
Brick paths led from doors in each of the four buildings to a metal fire pit in the center of a concrete circle. Four concrete benches surrounded an old square that had once housed a flowing fountain. Now, it simply served as a placeholder for the opulence of days long past. Concrete sidewalks led between the buildings, and ended at the stone walls that encompassed the academy.
Inside the courtyard, leaves rustled on gnarled and ancient trees. The lazy buzz of insects, the occasional burst of birdsong turned it into a place out of sync with the rest of the world.
It was perfect—exactly the kind of solitude I craved after being nearly swarmed by the students in the corridors.
Breathing in the sweet scent of trees as they rustled with the autumn wind, I followed the brick path to the nearest bench. Its surface was still warm, although the sun had moved on, leaving the bench in shadow. Slumping down onto the hard surface, I stared at the clouds as they rolled by.
“You’re not supposed to be out here, you know,” a familiar voice said.
My throat tightened and every muscle tensed.
I could have sworn I was alone out here. Even so, I turned toward the young man who had brought me there—the one I’d just been searching the crowd for.
Rhys.
When he had gotten there, I had no clue. And, why he’d followed me outside, I couldn’t fathom.
“Well,” I said, frowning as I tried to make since of how he’d managed to sneak up on me. It wasn’t an easy task. I was a Rhys, and highly intuitive. “I don’t think anyone really cares.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, peering down at me from behind his glasses.
When did he get those?
Somehow, glasses only made him more attractive.
“Why do you care anyway?” I asked, leaning forward on the bench. “You’re not my keeper.”
“Actually,” he said. “I am. Up.”
To my surprise, he stepped before me and reached for my hand.
I stared at his hand with distaste. “You’ve got to be kidding me. What are you talking about?”
Inhaling, he closed his eyes, and withdrew. Then, he sat beside me.
“Look,” he began, meeting my gaze. “I have better things to do than to shadow you. But, its what I was tasked with. So, don’t make it harder than it has to be.”
I scoffed. “Oh. That’s just brilliant. Way to make a girl feel special.”
He stared at me for a moment, searching my eyes in a way that made me incredibly self-conscious. Why did it feel as though he could see directly into my soul?
“But, you are special, Sky. It’s precisely why I was asked to look after you.”
He stood then, leaving me baffled by his comment, and colder without him beside me.
“Who asked you to look after me?” I asked, lifting a brow as I looked up at him once he stood before me.
“The Council, of course.”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
“You’re already starting later than the other recruits, you might as well give it a try. The worst that can happen is you actually learn how to use your powers, and maybe even discover what class you truly are.”
I couldn’t lie, those two points did sound worthwhile.
“Now go eat,” he said. “Looks like you need it.”
I rolled my eyes with a sigh as he walked away.
“Very well,” I mumbled to myself as I stood and peered at the building that housed the dining hall and dormitories.
Even though an odd sensation of fear began to rise up my throat, I shoved it back down.
“No time to ch
icken out now.”
6
Once I headed inside the dining hall, everyone was already seated. Even Lucia had found a place to sit with Morgan.
Good job. I get to make a scene.
Nothing like being the new girl in a sea of mages.
Avoiding the curious looks of the other students—or recruits as Rhys called them—I got my tray of food and walked past the packed rows of metallic dining tables that filled the room.
I sat at the end of one of the row tables toward the wall of tall windows. It was uncomfortable being under the scrutinizing gaze of hundreds of strangers, but I didn’t mind the view. Watching the snow circle around and flutter by was like magic.
Magic was why I was there—why all of us were there.
I ate my eggs, canned peaches, and toast, watching the gray clouds make their way across the sky. Behind them was a sun, peeking through with its promise of warmth.
That promise was a lie. It hadn’t been warm in ages.
I paused, mid-chew, and looked in bafflement as Rhys placed his plate across from me, and sat down on the metallic bench.
The boys from his table all made kissing sounds behind him, and he only laughed at them.
What was this, fifth grade?
He glanced at me, and frowned. I watched him stand and lean over the table. I froze when his hand wiped my mouth.
He sat back down. “Crumbs,” he said, nodding to the pieces of toast that he had wiped from my mouth.
I glanced down at the debris, and brushed it off the table.
Now, I was really confused.
He got up and moved his plate to the spot beside me. He turned to me and folded his legs before him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I told you,” he said. “I’m now your shadow. Get used to it.”
Rolling my eyes, I sighed. “Very well.” Then, I held my hand out. “Let’s just start over, shall we. See, I’m Skylar. And, you are?”
He stared at my hand for a moment, and then a wary smile came to his lips. “Very well, indeed.”
The moment our hands touched, a spark erupted between our palms and we were pushed together by an unseen force. I crashed into his chest, nearly taking him out with my head as I almost banged it into his.