by S. L. Morgan
“I haven’t had a wink of time to study human history to find someone I want to be,” Tanner said with a laugh.
“First of all, Tan,” I said, stabbing my meat like I had a vendetta against it, “What’s with the wink of time dropping out of your mouth. I swear,” I chomped on my steak, “you’ve spent so much time with your pixie girlfriend, you’ve started to talk like a damn fairy.”
“She’s a sprite. She controls the air, remember?” Tanner glared at me. “Keep insulting her, and she might just snatch the air right from your lungs.”
I gulped down my steak instead of choking on it. “Oh, like she snatched the air from your brain? I swear all of you aren’t the same anymore. I really don’t give a crap what you think about me, this school has changed all of us. It’s making me cranky and crazy, and all of you prance around like you’re on some kind of fairy crack.”
Nick put a piece of pie in front of me, and I looked over at the dude with a lethal stare, “Trying to shut me up?”
“It would be smart to trust your friend. Eat your pie, Jenna Silvers. You must calm down, they’re watching you.”
Ethan. Thank God. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite guy. How you doing, buddy?”
“Don’t call me buddy. I am your friend, Jenna.”
“Sorry, Ethan, it’s just a name I call my friends.”
“You mean it differently with me. Sympathetically. I don’t need sympathy for who I am.”
He was right, I was treating him like a kid, but in reality, he acted older than I and had ten times the brain power I could ever dream of having.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Alright,” I nudged him and was happy he was getting used to me teasing him like this, “You’re my dude.” I smiled over at Tanner, “Since I lost Tan to a fairy, it’d be nice to have a guy pal again.”
“You’re such a brat, Jenna,” Tanner grumbled. “Eat your pie and cheer up. Do they have therapeutic massages for shifters who get all worked up because they can’t shift whenever they want and have to follow the rules?” he asked Emma his girl.
She looked at me and then quickly recoiled from my death gaze. “Probably shouldn’t be too eager to answer that. I’m not going in for a massage, sprite.”
“Now, you’re the rude one,” Vannah said. “What is wrong with you?”
I pulled my pie in front of me, stabbed my fork into it, and shoved the pie in my mouth, hoping it would soothe my wound-up nerves. “Okay, okay, sorry. I just need to eat my pie, then I’ll be go with the flow Jenna again,” I said.
That’s when I made eye contact with Dominic across the room. He was flanked by a hot chick on either side of him, his bro club sitting all around. The table he was at always drew attention—the one table everyone wanted to be a part of and not just because four Master Shifters were there in their black ninja attire, looking hot and unashamed that they were all gorgeous. It looked like the fun, party table—the VIP section.
Dominic’s eyes were locked onto me, and I knew exactly why. I raised my eyebrows up at him and smirked, prompting his facial features to soften some. He subtly raised his glass to me, and I could tell it was a silent gesture, thanking me for shutting up about him and Ethan. The only person who was really screwing herself right now was me. That had to stop right now.
“Hey guys,” I said to the group, “I’m sorry about my mood lately. Tan is right, I’m having a hard time getting used to the fact that I can only shift once a day. I don’t know how any of you took to not using your gifts whenever you wanted like we could before we all got here.”
“You sorta just get used to it,” Emma said. “I’m sorry it’s tough for you.”
“Thanks,” I grimaced. “I’m just struggling. Maybe there’s a support group for people like me.”
“Jenna, be for real,” Vannah laughed.
“Either way, I guess I should figure out who I want to go to this Ageless Ball as.” I looked at Ethan, “What do you think? Want to go as a pair? You can pick my dead human of importance. Maybe they had a good friend or something you could be?”
“I’ll think about that,” Ethan smiled. “I need to get my seat.”
He rose up and disappeared through the doors. I smiled at the clock. Fifteen minutes until class—right on perfect Ethan time.
I returned my attention back to my group of friends and decided to keep quiet and finish my pie. My thoughts drifted to what happened the night before. I was seriously going to crack the code on this place if it was the last thing I did. That’s when it hit me. Ethan is an Immortal, so how exactly did his immortal parents die? Immortals don’t die.
I gripped the sides of my head as Ethan’s chants came rushing back into my head from last night. Immortals really don’t die unless someone figured out how to kill one. I know for sure that a human couldn’t take one out, so that’s a line Lusa’s parents wouldn't have fallen for, would they?
Immortals will die! What did all of that mean? That wasn’t a bad dream. What if poor Ethan saw his immortal parents killed and that’s what his nightmare was about? It made perfect sense that something so traumatizing would force him to shift into an owl. My gosh, poor guy.
I couldn’t stop my curious mind from wondering what nonhuman thing would want to kill his parents and why? Maybe this school was the safest place for Ethan. Maybe the immortal killers were out there, and that’s why Dominic and Lusa were doing everything they could to keep Ethan safe and under control at the school.
One thing at a time. I knew that I had a week of exams in front of me, and I had to pass them or I’d be on lawn mowing duty or something for failing classes. Then, from what I was told, the school would be transforming in preparation for the Ageless Ball. Solving this mystery was going to have to sit on the back burner for the time being.
Chapter Thirteen
Throughout the week of exams, I was intently focused on each of my courses and studying until my head hit the pillow each night. It helped take my mind off the craziness that seemed to have surrounded me since day one at this academy. The atmosphere of the bizarreness of this place silenced during this week, and I was grateful for it.
My friends seemed to be acting normal enough again, and we even started studying together. Just when I needed it too. Dominic was a different story altogether. He seemed to have singled me out whenever we trained—primarily when we fought.
There were plenty of other shifters in our group, like the weak male wolf who was continually getting his butt whipped by the two female foxes and the lioness in our group. Even though that wolf needed some major correcting, Dominic seemed to have turned a blind eye to that. It’s like he had a vendetta out for me.
I didn’t let it bother me, though. I needed the beat down—so to speak—it only made me get back up more fierce and strong. There were plenty of times I wanted to just punch him in his commanding face, but I held off. I knew his little secret—about his family and that night he shifted to help Ethan—and in some strange way, he and I both were on the same level, whether or not he wanted to admit it.
None of his training or drills were abusive toward me, he was just pushing me much harder than the others. I had to admire him for that, it’s exactly what I knew I needed. And since turning my aggression into strength for our physical training and when we shifted and ran obstacle courses, that’s when I started finding peace at the school.
That’s when everything changed for the better.
“I can’t believe I let Ethan decide that Gorga—or whatever her name was—should be my costume for this ball,” I said, mortified with the outfit the elf seamstress had created for me.
“Her name was Gorgo, and she was an amazing queen over her people. In those times, queens usually sat under their kings while their kings had many wives. The Spartan queen you are honoring stood at her king’s side, and he consulted with her.” The sweet elf smiled as her sprite assistant blew into her hand, manifesting a shining silver comb. The elf finished pinning my braided hair up and secured it with the
comb somewhere in the back of my hair. “She was known to be a very wise, intuitive, and witty woman. A king would not have listened to a wife who gave bad advice.”
I stood up and shook my head at the material of this dress, sliding back and exposing my leg. “You don’t think he listened because his wife walked around in revealing dresses like this tunic-looking ensemble, do you?”
“I’m sure the Spartan king enjoyed the company of his wife. The Spartans—men and women—had their independence, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the queen trained rigorously alongside the men of Sparta, though it was never recorded in human history.”
The sprite, who was using her air elemental gift to blow items of jewelry for my costume into existence, seemed overly excited to help the elf make me look more revealing than if I showed up to this ball naked.
“So,” I looked at the two fairies who spent a total of twenty minutes from the creation of the too revealing gown to polished perfection of the jewels I now wore, “Are we done? Can I head out?”
“Oh my gosh!” Vannah came into the dressing area where I was the last to come in, get ready, and head off to this Ageless Ball. “What are you wearing—if I dare say you are wearing anything at all.”
My dress seemed to be created from one long piece of soft, white fabric. It was pinched together by leather straps at the tops of my shoulders and fell all the way to the ground, bound only around my waist by more leather straps so the fabric wouldn’t slip out of place and expose any of my important bits—which seemed to be the only parts that were covered. My sides were completely bare, my neck to my navel was exposed, and the slit of this dress came all the way up my entire leg.
“Well, it seems like school policy allows it since this is what the Queen of Sparta wore, or at least it was documented that she and the other female Spartans dressed like this in their day.”
Vannah covered her mouth, “I'm shocked you even are going with this.”
“I promised Ethan I would. I guess I should have researched past the part about how she was the one to give counsel to an amazing and fierce King Leonidas before he bravely died defending what he believed in, but whatever. Who are you? I thought you were going as…”
“I’m Queen Victoria of the English monarchy. Nick and I decided to make it official that we are a couple by going as Prince Albert and Queen Victoria.”
“Well, what better way to introduce yourselves into society of Immortal Academy than to go as a royal couple.” I smiled. “I love this crown with the emeralds on it too.”
Vannah touched the emerald jewels at her ears and the brilliant stones of the diamond and emerald necklace she wore. All of it matched, and it shone so beautifully against her dark, flawless skin. “The sprite who designed it made an exact replica of the set that Prince Albert had made for his beloved Victoria.”
I weaved my arm through hers, “You look radiant, and though I don’t know much about the monarchs, I’m glad you chose to go as a monarch couple.”
“They had their trouble, but Victoria learned as she grew. She assumed the throne at the age of eighteen, you know? A lot of responsibility, but she was fierce even though most around her waited for her to fail. She proved them all wrong, and Albert, so innovative for the human culture at that time, reminds me a lot of Nick. He has so many amazing ideas as an elf. I look forward to one day bringing both our powers together and doing great things for the supernatural and human worlds when we leave Immortal Academy.”
“Sounds like a bonding might happen in the secret halls of House Fae,” I teased.
“Bonding? We aren’t shifters to be mated for life.” Vannah giggled, “One day, maybe though we will commit to each other through a ritual from both Mage and Fae that will lead to a bright future together.”
“Bright is the word for it, my friend,” I laughed as we followed the lit pathway to the Edgewater theatre. “I imagine you’ll have flashy and sparkly little sprites—the offspring of a witch and elf procreating.”
“Stop.” Vannah rose an eyebrow at me. “You’re just jealous.”
“No,” I smiled warmly at my friend that I finally had back. “I’m extremely happy for you. Who’d ever think I’d be happy my best friend was in love with a flipping fairy of all things?”
“After almost a month of dealing with your mood swings, I never thought you’d approve. It makes all of this so much nicer, and,” she shivered with excitement, “I don’t know. I’m just happier than I’ve ever been, and now I can share it all with you.”
“I’m happy too. Nick’s cool. So is Emma. Funny how my two best friends ended up with fairies,” I laughed.
“Oh, keep it on the down low, but Emma and Tan aren’t really getting along right now,” Vannah said.
“What? Dude’s dumping her right before a ball? I kind of feel bad for her. If she is anything like every other student here, this is to be the night of all nights,” I exclaimed dramatically into the air.
“No,” Vannah lowered her voice. “Tanner caught her messing around with some pixie dude.”
“Oh, man. When?”
“Nick told me about it before I got dressed. Tanner is going to take her tonight, but they’re busting up after tonight’s event.”
“If you ask me, from what I learned about Henry the Eighth, Tan should have gone as him. Off with the sprite’s head for betraying him.”
Vannah grinned, “You did do a little research on this whole thing, I’m proud of you.”
“Don’t be too proud. If I did the proper research, I would have not accepted Ethan’s idea of me going as the Queen of Sparta.”
“This outfit still,” she laughed. “So not you, Jenna.”
“Yeah, well, it is tonight.”
Chapter Fourteen
The entrance to the theatre was elaborately decorated. It wasn’t swallowed up with the magic of the Fae, but everything seemed to have been taken from historical aspects from different periods in time—supernatural and human.
Long blue velvet drapes were falling from the wood carved ceilings, flowing like velvet waterfalls to the ground. We walked past neatly carved statues of people and beasts of power that were placed displayed on pillars with a vibrant blue light shining down over each figure. We passed through halls of glass, separating the artifacts from us in the hall and the golden, silver, and wooden pieces on the other side.
Dean Edgewater seemed to have his way of showing all of us how he supported the humans and the supernaturals coexisting from the dawn of time until now. It sort of brought to my attention the real reason for the academy, and training us immortals to not only revere the humans but also coexist with them without our supernatural side needing to be present.
My wolf was much tamer these days, or I’d imagine her snarling at the fact this school was teaching the immortals to learn to live like humans instead of by our true nature. It was peculiar that we immortals would be prepared to live like mortal humans, but I was starting to believe it was better for all of us in the end.
It was in class that I had learned IA had helped to stop immortal vamps from drinking blood altogether. They put together the Immortal Forces—something I was quickly becoming more and more intrigued by. If a vamp was caught drinking blood, Immortal Forces stepped in at once and put an end to it.
Immortal Forces kept all the races in check. In my opinion, the shifters were fine for the most part, but some shifters didn’t have full control. Those who couldn’t control their animal could find them in a position where rage forced a shift, and innocent people could get hurt in the process. A shifter in animal form acting blindly out of rage was a wild beast and out of control.
They kept an eye out for witches who were dabbling in the dark arts. I imagined they probably got the most work from these ladies and gents because having the temptation to go to the dark side for a witch wasn’t something many new witches could resist. Vannah had even almost accidentally meddled in dark magic, and if anyone would’ve found out—even though she didn’t know wh
at she was dealing with at the time—she could’ve been in serious trouble.
The human race benefitted most from the fairies being policed. It wasn’t beneficial for anyone to have those who can control the elements running wild. Leprechauns could set fire to anything they wanted, pixies could cause a flood, elves could bring about an earthquake, sprites could whip up a tornado…all of them could bring about mass destruction with their element just because they were bored. The debt of gratitude owed to Immortal Forces was immense.
As we walked down the hall, I saw the progression through history as more and more supernatural forces became more civilized and better policed. What was once barbaric had become peaceful. The only thing that made me frown was seeing the area where humans were destroying Earth.
Why wouldn’t anyone police that?
“Free will,” a voice answered my thoughts from beside me as I stared at a picture of a war zone. “We may be able to control what we do and do it for the better, but the humans haven’t seemed to figure that out for themselves.”
I turned and saw the tall, dark-haired man next to me was Dean Edgewater. “Why can’t someone do something to stop it?” I pointed to a figure where it showed a snowy area and the holographic scale showing it practically melting to nothing. “Or here. Why don’t the elves and the pixies work together to stop this? They’re elementals. This is what they do.”
“We can’t stop humanity from destroying gifts given to them.” He smiled at me, and even though it was a kind smile, I felt a dark energy present behind his glimmering white teeth. “We can only control ourselves. I am glad you’re finally accepting this school, Miss Silvers. I was worried about you for a while, but I was hoping you’d come around.”
“Yeah, I just needed time to adjust I guess.”
“That’s usually how long it takes for our supernaturals who are set in their ways.” He looked back at the display. “You come from a family that you’ll learn about one day, and when you do, you’ll understand why you accepting this school weighed heavy on my mind.”