The Curse Begins

by Abby James

  “This is Samara.”

  Emrol stopped a foot in front of me, folded his arms across his chest and looked down from his height of over six foot. Up close his eyes became magnets.

  “Welcome, Samara.” My name sounded like silk sliding off his tongue.

  “Thanks.” God I squeaked. Dammit, I really didn’t want to give him that sort of impression of me.

  He strode around me, sweeping his gaze down over my body as he went, before seating himself on one of the stools by a large wooden breakfast bar, not that there was a proper kitchen in the place. “So what do we have?”

  I looked too Amy for clarification.

  “Samara doesn’t know yet.”

  He quirked an eyebrow and my girlie bits spasmed into another tingle. It would have to be the sexiest facial expression I’d seen on a guy. “What does McGilus say?”

  “Ms Lane will sort her out.”

  And these two were having a conversation about me over my head.

  “Does it really matter if I don’t know at this point what sort of supernatural I am?” I directed the question at Emrol since he started the whole conversation.

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “It makes you interesting.”

  I opened my mouth reading a smart reply, but he swept all thoughts and words away. So I was interesting to him. Oh boy. And I was expected to share a house with this guy. What were the rules against fraternizing with other factions?

  Christ, Samara, you’ve only just arrive.

  “Okay I hate to break up this cozy tête-à-tête but we need to get to breakfast before the kitchen closes. This way.” She headed off toward a large spiral stairwell. I was at the bottom of the stairs when Emrol called out. “Hey, Samara.”

  He really had to stop using my name. Hand poised on the balustrade, I glanced across at him sitting on the stool, looking like a sculpture of male perfection.

  “I’m glad you’re in our house. We’re going to have fun.”

  Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. How long had it been since I got naked and dirty with a guy? So long I couldn’t count. I’d forgotten I had a libido, but I was very much aware of it now.

  I clambered up behind Amy, but my mind remained back downstairs smoldering in Emrol’s presence. My body wanted to be back there too. That is until my stomach grumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten in an age.

  Once we topped out on the landing, comfortably out of earshot, I said, “what is Emrol?”

  “He, my darling, is fae.”

  “No shit. You mean I’ve met my first fairy tale character.”

  Amy slammed her palm over my mouth, and I was rocked by the small eddies of air that swirled around my face. I swear I could see them.

  “Shh…fae have very good hearing. Not as good as a shifter, but better than a human. Best not to let him hear you calling him a fairy tale character. And be careful of him. Fae are tricky. They’re cunning and manipulative.”

  “Not to mention panty soaking hot.”

  Amy giggled. “There is that. And Emrol is the worst. He’s not above using his super hot looks to get what he wants. You’re lucky beguilement and glamor are banned at Darkwells.”

  “What are they?”

  “The faes’ greatest powers. You could describe it as a form of hypnosis. But intense and impossible to break. They can make you fall in love with them, do anything they ask without uttering a sound. But they can also mess with your mind, make you see things that aren’t real.”

  “Sounds dangerous.”

  “They can be. But as I said regular use of their best tricks are banned at Darkwells and only performed under controlled conditions with an experienced practitioner, which is usually one of their high fae.” She leaned close. “I have heard they make for a great lay.” She winked. “Hung like a horse.”

  “So I guess you and Emrol haven’t…”

  “Oh god no. As much as I would sell my first born to have a try with him, he’s not interested. You on the other hand he seemed to take an interest in. I’m not going to warn you off if the opportunity arises, but watch yourself. They’re not people you can trust. A quick screw is fun, but don’t think long term, honey. The fae are best to fuck and forget.”

  I wasn’t interested in men I couldn’t trust. But man, he would be hard to resist.

  “And if you are interested you’ll have to fight the Elert sisters for a place. They staked a permanent spot on his dick the moment they arrived.”

  “Both?”

  She nodded. “Fae are hot blooded lovers, or so I’ve been told. Of all supes they are governed most by their basest needs. Something about being connected intimately with nature. That’s of course if you discount the wereshifters and they primal drive for blood. Oh and the vamps too of course.”

  “Did you just say vamps? As in the biggest gothic fictional characters of all time?”

  Amy frowned at me. “Don’t make a habit of sounding so green. It’s embarrassing. Leave all doubt at the door, honey, and embrace the ride. And stay away from the vamps. The fae are bad, but the vamps are a whole different level again.”

  “Are there any in Nylph?”

  “The vamps have their own special place in the castle. Vamps only. They can’t be trusted to mingle with people that have a beating heart and blood running through their veins.”

  “What are they doing at the academy then?”

  “As I said, those that founded Darkwells hoped it would create harmony outside in the real world amongst factions that normally loathed each other. It works in principle, but there will always be differences. It’s in our nature. I mean vamps and wereshifters are predisposed to hate each other. And fae are predisposed to manipulate everyone. And all the supes that turn rogue seem to come from the caster guild. Which leaves people like us in the middle trying to hold the supe world together. Elementals, empaths and healers are the most trustworthy. Stick with them and you’ll be all right. Here’s your room.”

  I’d been so taken with the conversation I’d paid no attention to where we were going. We’d ascended another flight of stairs and now felt high up in the tree.

  “Newbies are stuck up here. You’ll make your way down the stairs as you progress through your time here.”

  “Where are you?”

  “The next level down.”

  “Where’s Emrol?”

  “Ground floor. He hasn’t been here as long as me, but I don’t have that winning smile or those fab pecs. I also don’t have the ability to beguile people into doing what I want.”

  “Despite the practice being banned.”

  “Most things in here operate just like in the real world. And in the real world, anything banned becomes a trend. Hence my warning from before.”

  She repeated it as she walked into my room. “Be careful of our resident hunk.”

  7

  It turned out there was nothing wrong with me, at least nothing they could fix. And when the healer put her hands on me I felt a warm fuzzy sensation that felt good. A bit like the time Bailey helped me recover from the hangover of crossing into this dimension.

  Amy waited in the hall for me because she wanted to delay heading to supernatural history. Apparently the teacher, Mrs Benton, had threatened them with a flash test of the last two weeks lessons.

  When I came out of medic I found her leaning over the balcony, staring down onto the grounds below.

  “I’m cleared of all ailments, except maybe mental, but they can’t help me with that,” I announced as I headed over to join her.

  She looked over her shoulder, holding a finger up to her lips, then turned and peered down over the brick balcony again. I tip-toed up beside her and glanced over. The waist-high brick wall was thick enough I had to lean over to see the ground.

  “Are you perving on the fae?”

  Emrol was standing directly below us talking to another equally stunning man. There were two brunette women standing on either side of Emrol, one with her arm wrapped through his. They dressed identical in s
hort green skirts and white shirts knotted at the waist. Their heels were not the sort of shoes I would’ve thought appropriate for school.

  “I’d say those two girls are more interested in fostering relations with the other factions than learning how to perfect their abilities.”

  “Starting with the fae. Emrol is their favorite.”

  “Let me guess, the Elert twins?”

  “The other fae is Sinlai.”

  “Very nice.”

  “They all are. I’m not convinced they don’t use glamor to improve their appearance. The Elerts have fostered relations with all the male fae at the academy.”

  “I guess peace keeping has to start somewhere.”

  Amy glanced at me, then we both burst out laughing. We were raucous enough the group down below heard us and glanced up. Amy grabbed my hand and pulled me backward and out of view.

  “That was a bit obvious.”

  She shrugged. “Who cares? It’s not like every woman on campus doesn’t drool at them. They’ll think you’re as enamored with them as everyone else and the Elert sisters will decide you’re their enemy.”

  “Great, thanks, I only arrived a few hours ago.”

  “Every woman is their enemy so don’t think you’re anyone special. Besides I better get you to Ms Lane. I’m sure McGilus is keen to hear what she has to say.”

  So was I, even though a small part of me wanted to keep it to myself. I wasn’t used to having so many people taking an interest in me. But it wasn’t me they were interested in, really, it was the great secret of what I was capable of.

  Amy led me through dim lit halls and down spiraling stairwells with our footfalls the only sound echoing off the walls. There was no way I would find my way around alone. We passed few other students along the way because everyone was supposed to be in class.

  “I’m going to get lost. And I don’t even know where I’m supposed to go after Ms Lane.”

  “You won’t have anything. Mrs Trouel in student admin will create your timetable, but she has to know what your ability is first.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Classes are given according to the individual’s ability. It’s no use me, being an elemental, attending spell casting classes now is there? There are the general classes everyone attends, like supernatural history,” she spoke with a bored tone, like it was the worst possible thing anyone could experience. “Mrs Benton is the worst. Unless of course you like to spend a whole one hour listening to a monotone voice drag on about people who died a long time ago.”

  “Until this morning I knew nothing about any of this so I may find it interesting.”

  “Believe me, that will only last about five minutes.”

  We’d wound our way down to the ground floor and were now heading toward the back of the castle. Giant pillars, spaced evenly apart, soared up to the towering gabled roof. A marble statue stood in front of each pillar, each one depicting a mythical beast, which, given where I was, were maybe not so mythical.

  “I recognize that one.” I pointed to the minotaur two pillars in front of us.

  “Tenth grade ancient history. Bet you don’t know this guy.” She dragged me by the elbow four pillars down to a bird like creature half feathers half scales with a human head and long fish’s tail.

  “Nope, ugly as all sin.”

  “It’s a piasa. And that’s a griffin.” She pointed to another across from the piasa.

  “And now’s the part where you tell me they are real creatures.”

  “Not this lot,” she said as she came to a halt out the front of a door. “This is your stop.”

  “What should I expect?”

  “Don’t worry, Ms Lane is lovely. It’s not a medical examination or a written exam.”

  “What am I supposed to do afterward?”

  “Head to the rotunda. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Silly question, but where’s that?”

  “Ms Lane will give you directions. You can’t miss it.”

  After giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, she winked then spun and left, bouncing her way down the hall like she wasn’t off to the most boring class in the history of lessons.

  The door opened as I was about to knock. An attractive mature looking woman appeared in the doorway with strands of braided silver hair pulled back into an elaborate knot, exposing her long neck. A gossamer shawl hung from her shoulders cascading over her ankle length dress of muted blue and green. My first thought was fairy, or elf, minus the pointed ears, but maybe both really were fairy tales.

  “Samara, come in.” She stood aside and welcomed me in with a sweep of her hand. “There is no need to be nervous.”

  “I’m not.” I lied.

  She smiled as she turned away, a smile that said she knew I was lying. I followed her farther into her room, focusing on the way she appeared to glide across the floor with dainty ballerina steps. Soon I forgot about her and became lost in the room as she led me through another door into an atrium. Above and around us, we were surrounded by glass. In keeping with the rest of the castle the roof arched high into the sky like an intricately carved crystal. The sun caught the different facets and glittered as rainbow onto the atrium floor.

  “The best room in the castle,” Ms Lane said as she caught me jaw gaping and acting like a kid seeing the biggest candy shop for the first time.

  “This is amazing.”

  “Isn’t it. And I fight most rigorously to keep the room. Some members of faculty think it’s time I gave it up for someone else to enjoy, but my work requires a specific place, a calming place.”

  “Your work?

  She clasped her hands and rested them in front of her.

  “I’m what you would call the school counselor.” She wriggled her nose. “In a magical sense.”

  “You’re going to pull apart my psyche?”

  “That depends on if you want me to. If you feel there are issues holding you back, then that can be a part of our sessions.”

  “Sessions? I thought this was a one off.”

  “That too depends.” She gave me another one of her glowing smiles, the sort that puts you instantly at ease and headed for a white well cushioned and inviting looking chair, then indicated I should join her on another equally inviting chair.

  “What would you like to drink?”

  “I’m still stuffed from breakfast. Maybe a water.”

  Even when she turned her head, she did it gracefully. I followed her gaze. Weird that she should stare at the potted tree, whose top branches reached up through the high spire of the crystal roof. It took a few blinks before I could convince myself that the small spindly creature, taking flight from the lowest most branch was real. Its small wings buzzed fast like a fly, making the same noise as well.

  Ms Lane held out her hand as a landing pad, and the creature perched on top. Its little, but very long, fingers and toes wrapped around her finger as far as they could. Moth like antenna twitched and swiveled on top of its funny little mottled green brown head.

  “What is that?”

  “My little helper. He’s a shright. They primarily live in trees, hence their bark like skin and mottled green color, but they will make homes under rocks or underground.”

  I stepped closer. “Where does it come from?”

  “He comes from the fae realm. For quarantine reasons nothing is allowed to cross through except the fae, but Merlin here was cunning. Now he’s my little secret.”

  “Why are you showing me?”

  “Because I sense honor in you. I trust you will not betray me.”

  “Is that part of your ability?”

  She smiled as she patted Merlin’s head with a finger. “A coffee and a glass of water,” she said to the shright. He flapped his leathery looking wings and buzzed his way toward the door then popped out of sight.

  “Holy shit, he just disappeared.”

  “It’s one of their special gifts. He will head to the kitchens and place my order.”

  �
�But I thought he was meant to be a secret.”

  She sat back in the well cushioned chair and relaxed with one hand slung over the back of the chair. “Merlin has many gifts. You needn’t worry about him. Sit. Let us begin.”

  I did as she said and disappeared beneath the myriad of cushions.

  “You know your parents’ special gifts?” It was the first time anyone had referred to a supe’s ability as a special gift. It was nice the way she made it sound like something wonderful to own.

  “Mum was an empath and dad an elemental.”

  “His aspect was fire.”

  “So it’s likely I will be one of those.”

  “That is more common than not. Of course you could have inherited an ancestral gift.”

  She picked up a file sitting on the glass topped coffee table next to her chair. “I have your supernatural lineage here.”

  I fought my way out of the cushions and slid to the end of the chair. “You do?”

  “You can take the file with you when you go. It’s your ancestry, so you have every right to know all.”

  “Thank you.”

  She produced a pair of deep green reading glasses from a pocket in her dress, then read through the pages in the file. I watched her expression as she did so, looking for a frown or anything that would indicate something bad.

  She closed the file, then leaned forward and slid it onto the low table between us. “Don’t forget it when you leave.”

  A knock at the door halted the questions bursting to escape.

  “Penny,” Ms Lane said as a thin, mousy looking girl entered carrying a tray with our requested coffee and water. “Thank you, Penny.” Ms Lane’s voice was gentle and encouraging as the thin girl placed the drinks between us on the table, keeping her eyes downcast. She backed out and darted from the room the moment she’d completed her duty.

  I wanted to ask what her problem was but that sounded rude. Ms Lane’s lips twitched as she looked at me. “I know you’re dying to ask.”

  “She seemed very timid.”

  Ms Lane sighed as she looked toward the door. “Penny is afflicted by her ability. She has come along way since she arrived at Darkwells, but there is still much progress to be made.”