by Sadie Moss
“We can’t allow you to leave your magic untrained,” Aurora explains. “It’s not just that you’re powerful, it’s that you’re Unpredictable. Without the proper guidance and discipline, you’ll have no way of being able to stop yourself from hurting someone again like you did last night.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. It was self-defense!”
I can’t quite remember all the details of the previous night, but as I say the words, I know they’re true. I’ve never been the type to get into bar brawls or attack people unprovoked. I may not be the friendliest person, but I’m not some raving psycho.
“And I believe that.” The perfectly coifed blonde woman nods. “I’m not saying you had any malicious intent. But that’s exactly the problem. You won’t mean to hurt anyone, but you’ll do it all the same. It would be dangerous enough to leave you untrained if you had elemental magic like your sister. If your power was rooted in one of the seven pillars, you could feasibly learn to control it yourself—if the magic in you was weak enough, and you were determined enough. But this… this is serious. We simply cannot, for the safety of those around you, allow you to go about your life with unchecked magic like this.”
“What happens if I say no?” I ask, shifting uncomfortably. The urge to leap up and make a run for it is strong, and the cuffs binding me to the bed feel even more restricting than they did before. “You gonna jail me or something? Throw me in a deep, dark pit of despair?”
Aurora’s lips press into a thin line. She looks like she’s had just about enough of my sass, and despite the anger bubbling up inside me, I have to keep myself from smirking. Always nice to see the unflappable types lose their cool a little.
“No,” she says at last. “No, we would not throw you in jail. But we would have to suppress your magic. For good.”
My stomach flips, and I can feel the blood draining from my face. My jaw drops open a little. “You—you can do that?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Aurora wrinkles her nose, like the idea is distasteful. Then her face smooths out, returning to its usual calm mask. Well, good to know she won’t be crying a river over me. “It’s the only thing we can do to guarantee the safety of both you and the people around you.”
“Does it hurt?” I hate that I probably sound like a child asking this, but I need to know.
Aurora shakes her head. “No, we put you under for the process. It used to, before we figured out the proper spells to keep the subject unconscious, since traditional anesthesia doesn’t work. But we’ve made great strides in the past few decades.”
The word subject sticks in my brain, and a shiver crawls down my spine. It’s so clinical, so removed. The Circuit representative doesn’t pick up on my reaction though, continuing on like she’s given this little elevator pitch dozens of times.
“If you choose to have your magic suppressed, you won’t feel any negative side effects. Some people report feeling a bit… empty, but there certainly won’t be any physical pain. You’ll simply go back to living your life as you were before—an ordinary, magic-less person. If you choose to attend the academy, you’ll become a fully integrated part of the magical community upon graduation. You’ll be eligible for jobs that require magical ability and will be allowed to practice your magic”—she glances down at the wide silver brace on my left forearm—“unimpeded.”
“So, basically, I have to choose between being a part of the community or being an outcast,” I growl.
She doesn’t rise to the bait by responding to that. Instead, she rises to her feet with her hands clasped in front of her, all straight lines and poise.
“I’ll give you time to think it over. You’ll have a few days. The Circuit understands this is an important decision, and we don’t want you to make it lightly. We’ve also contacted your sister and the administration of Neptune Academy. The dean agreed to give her permission to miss a day of class so she could come see you.”
My heart beats a little faster as excitement fills me. Well, that’s something, I suppose.
And as thrilled as I am at the prospect of a visit from my little sister, I hate that Maddy’s going to see me like this. Just a few days without her around to keep me focused, and I end up in the hospital and possibly in trouble with the police and the Circuit. I guess now we know who the real disaster sibling is.
Aurora stands. “The magic repressing brace will have to remain on for the time being, but an officer will be in shortly to take the handcuffs off. I do apologize for that, I know it must be unpleasant. But given the destruction your sonic boom caused, and the witness accounts detailing the incident, you can understand why they felt the need for it.”
My jaw clenches. That’s easy for her to say. She’s not wearing a magic-dampening brace or a set of handcuffs.
“We’ll be in touch,” the tall woman assures me, and then she walks out without so much as a goodbye.
I flip her off as she goes. She can’t see it, but it sure makes me feel better. I’ve never felt so goddamn helpless in my life.
What kind of choice is this? Give up my magic for good and never be a part of the community, which means never being a proper part of Maddy’s world, or hold onto this stupid ability and play the Circuit’s little games?
I gave up years ago on going to an academy and being a true part of the magical world. I don’t want to play by their rules. And God knows that developing my powers so late in life—relatively speaking, anyway— is going to make me the object of enough derision and snobbery to last a lifetime.
On top of that, the idea of Unpredictable magic is new to me. I’m sure there are plenty of people in the magical world who knew about this already, but it definitely doesn’t get talked about much. Am I going to be treated as a freak?
Yeah, that doesn’t sound worth it.
I’ve been getting along just fine without magic so far, so my instinct is to tell Aurora to fuck right off with her “freak academy” and let the Circuit suppress my powers for good. Except… what about Maddy?
My sister has magic now. What would it mean for her if I cut myself off from the magical world? Would I still be able to visit her? To spend time with her? The magical population doesn’t usually mingle with the mundane humans who live near and among us but remain blissfully unaware that magic exists.
And even if I wasn’t booted from the community entirely, there’d be a whole aspect of her life that I wouldn’t be a part of. An aspect I couldn’t relate to.
Before, when I thought I didn’t have magic at all, that was one thing. I didn’t have a choice, and I was determined to make do with what life had given me. But now, I most definitely have a choice. And I don’t want to shut myself out from being able to share in my sister’s experiences.
But will it really be worth it?
To uproot my entire life and go to this academy in the hope that getting some training will make me less of a freak in people’s eyes?
I’m still stuck in my spiraling thoughts when two police officers come in and remove the handcuffs. They don’t seem to notice the brace around my wrist, and I wonder if Aurora cast some spell on it that means they literally can’t see it. People who work in the Circuit are good at that kind of magic, casting illusions and messing with ordinary people’s minds so they don’t notice the magic around them.
“Some people can’t even accept those who have different skin colors; how would the general human population ever accept those of us with frightening, powerful magic?” my mom told me once when I asked her why we had to be so secretive.
She had a point. And she wasn’t even talking about Unpredictables, just people with regular, commonly accepted magical abilities.
One of the cops slips the cuffs into his back pocket, then they leave without a word, convincing me even further that they had some kind of magic performed on them. They seem dazed and a little distant, like they might forget they ever met me as soon as they leave the room.
After they finally wander out, the nurse comes in. She
’s more alert, and I can tell she has magic of her own—so at least some of the hospital staff must work for the Circuit. She makes sure I eat, then checks my blood pressure and all that. I feel fine, other than my damn head hurting, but I don’t waste any time trying to convince her of that. The longer I stay here, the longer I’ll hopefully have before I need to give Aurora an answer.
Now that I’m free to move about, I slip into the bathroom and finally get to look in a mirror.
Ouch. I look like a walking domestic abuse ad. Between the punch to the face and the fact that I apparently slammed myself into a wall, my skin has some lovely purple marks on it that aren’t going away anytime soon.
It looks worse than it is, because Maddy walks in as I’m crawling back into bed, takes one look at me, gasps, and sprints over.
“Oh my God! Oh my God, Ellie, are you okay? Are you all right? What did they—”
“I’m fine, Mads.” I pet her hair and take her hand, squeezing gently. “I promise, okay? I’m all right. It looks bad, but it’s just some bruises.”
“Aurora told me you created some kind of… of sonic boom.” My little sister grabs the chair Aurora was sitting in and yanks it right up next to the bed so she can keep holding my hand while sitting in it. “That you knocked a bunch of people out and sent a car flying.”
“I don’t really remember too much of it, honestly,” I admit.
“But you do have magic.” Maddy sounds excited, and her eyes light up as she speaks. “I mean, I know it’s not—it couldn’t have been pleasant, the way you found out, but you have magic! That’s great!”
“Yeah. Unpredictable magic, which is apparently not all that fun and definitely dangerous.”
Maddy falters. “Yeah. I mean, I’ve… heard a bit about it at my academy.”
“Oh?” Based on her tone, I’m guessing it wasn’t anything good.
She shrugs. “Oh, you know, just people being people…”
“What did they say?” I raise my brows, making my voice firm.
My spritely little sister squirms under my stare and shrugs again. “Just that…” Her face falls. “That people with Unpredictable magic are freaks. That they should all have their magic suppressed for everyone’s safety. That they’re… psycho.”
Ah, fuck.
I suppress a frustrated groan. Of course. Of course I get the magic that’s going to make people keep me on the outside. Again.
“But it’s okay!” Maddy brightens up, ever the optimist. “Because they have schools for that kind of thing, and I don’t care what anybody else says—I think it makes you special to have that kind of magic. Plus, it means you can go to an academy like me, and we can learn magic together! I mean, not together together, but at the same time. And we’ll see each other on breaks. It’ll be amazing! I’m so excited for you.”
My chest constricts. It hurts to let her down like this, but…
“Mads.” I shake my head gently. “I’m not going to go to a school.”
Maddy stares at me for several long moments, and I see honest confusion in her face. She’s wanted magic for so long that I don’t think she can comprehend the idea of someone not wanting it.
“What?” she finally blurts. “Why not?”
I sigh. “I know you’re excited, but think about it. About what this all really means. You think I want to leave the life I know behind just to be called a freak and be the odd one out again? To play by the Circuit’s rules when they’ve never done anything for me, for us? Nobody helped us after Mom died, nobody even seemed to care that we existed, and now that I’ve got magic, they expect me to just march to their tune? I don’t think so.”
“But if you don’t…” Her voice drops to a whisper. “They’ll suppress your magic. Forever. Aurora told me. You can’t give up a gift like that, Elliot.”
“It’s my gift, my choice. I can and I will.”
“But Mom would be so sad.”
Shit.
Maddy doesn’t even know it, but she just played her damn trump card. She didn’t say it to manipulate me—my sister would never do that. But the thought of our mother, and of the life she hoped Mads and I would one day be able to lead, makes emotion tighten my throat. Our mom loved us unconditionally, with or without magic. But I know my sister is right.
She looks close to tears when she speaks again. “Mom would’ve been so happy you had magic, Elliot. She never gave up hope that you’d develop a gift.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. My little sister crying is the one thing that always makes me melt.
“Sweetie, it’s okay.” I force a smile to my face, giving her hand a little squeeze. “I’ll be fine. It’s not going to hurt or anything. Aurora promised me that, and I believe her.”
Actually, I’m not entirely sure I do. But I’d let someone stick hot needles under my fingernails before I’d admit that to Maddy.
She wipes at her eyes. “You’re not happy here, alone; I know you aren’t. You’ve done such a good job taking care of me, and I know you do your best not to let me see it, but c’mon, Elliot. I’m eighteen, and I’m not stupid. I think this could be a really good chance for you to find some people you can connect with, and to make some friends and find a community. You deserve to feel like a part of something.”
I start to shake my head again, but she talks a little faster, cutting off the gesture with her words.
“And I know the magical world isn’t perfect, and the Circuit is kind of strict. But I’ve met lots of wonderful people at my school, and I think you’d meet a lot of great people at yours. You can always change your mind and request to have your magic suppressed later if you really don’t want it, but who knows if you’d be able to undo the suppressing? So why not just give the whole thing a try and see?”
She does have a point, I suppose, about the magical suppression. I doubt it would be easy to unburn that bridge once it’s nice and crispy. And I can always quit school and let them suppress my magic instead if I decide it’s not for me.
And I do really, really hate disappointing my sister. If she wants me to do this…
I mean, it can’t be all that much worse than how my life already is, can it? I’m tough. I can take whatever they throw at me.
I squeeze Maddy’s hand. “All right. I’ll give it a chance. I’ll go to school—if only so I can learn to kick your ass at magic.”
My sister launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you,” she whispers. “And I know Mom would be happy too. I just know it.”
I hug her back then hold out my hand. “All right. Give me your phone and Aurora’s number before I change my mind.”
She grins, pulling out her cell phone and Aurora’s business card.
The polished woman was probably expecting my call, waiting for me to cave, because she answers on the first ring. “Hello?”
“It’s Elliot,” I say. “I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided to take you up on your offer. Sign me up for the academy.”
My stomach roils with nerves as I speak. Beside me, Maddy is still grinning from ear to ear.
Well, at least one of us is looking forward to this.
Chapter 8
I’m not sure what to expect from this magical academy I’ve agreed to go to.
Sure, I looked up schools for Maddy, and back when I was much younger and Mom still had hope that I’d manifest some kind of magical ability, she showed me some brochures for various schools and stuff. And I figure it can’t be too different from a normal college—although, since we’ve all got Unpredictable magic, I’m guessing most of the students will be older, like I am.
But in spite of my generally low expectations, I can’t help but be impressed after a car picks me up and drives me several hours east, out into the woods—and we round the final bend on the winding road toward campus, giving me my first glimpse of it.
Holy shit. This is beautiful.
A large stone wall stretches into the distance on either side, p
robably encompassing the entire campus grounds, and a gate across the road opens to grant us entrance. The car idles as the driver waits for something, and I feel a prickle of magic as we drive through. It must be the protective wards that surround the academy grounds. Maddy mentioned they have something like this at her school too, and I imagine the ones protecting this campus are even stronger than usual. Both to keep threats out and to keep the students’ dangerous magic in.
My head swivels from side to side as the car pulls forward, my wide-eyed gaze trying to take in everything at once. We follow a short stretch of road, passing the administration building. The road intersects another street that creates a massive loop. Large trees and footpaths criss-cross the grassy area inside the loop, and buildings are arrayed outside it. We pass what appear to be dormitories first. Several of them are clustered together, like several old sprawling Victorian manor houses got together for a party. Smaller buildings are situated off to the side. Maybe staff and administration housing?
My jaw drops, and I know the driver can sense my awe because he chuckles.
“Welcome to the Academy of Unpredictable Magic,” he tells me.
He goes on to explain that the actual name for the school is Griffin Academy, but apparently no one—not even the teachers and staff—calls it that.
The academy is named after the half-eagle, half-lion creature of legend. Wild and majestic but unpredictable, just like the magic of its students. Sounds kind of cool, I have to admit; and in spite of my misgivings, I can’t find much to dislike about this place so far. It sure beats the crappy apartment Mads and I were living in.
I hope her campus at Neptune is just as pretty. She deserves nothing but the best.
“Those were the dorms we just passed,” the driver confirms, slowing the car to a crawl and gesturing out the passenger side window.
As we continue around the curving road, he points out several more buildings and landmarks. The academy grounds are huge, stretching over a dozen acres, but a lot of that isn’t developed. Thick woods surround the school buildings, giving the place a rugged, natural feel. But the most impressive part of the academy is undoubtedly the main school building, which is so big it resembles a small castle.