Wilde Magic

by K M Charron

  "I guess I’ll have to talk to the RA about this key. Maybe they gave me the wrong one. It was lucky you were here with me," Ainsley said.

  Sydney concentrated the best she could on barely breathing, worried they’d somehow hear her. How the hell was she going to get out of there?

  "Um, did you happen to go into my backpack for anything?"Ainsley’s voice had a distinct tone of confusion.

  "No, why?" Harper said.

  Sydney closed her eyes and brainstormed for any charm that might get her out of there. If Headmistress Chambers found out she’d broken into another student’s dorm, she’d be on the next flight out. She sent a quick prayer to the ancestors.

  "I swear it was zipped closed when we left and now it’s open. So strange." There was a pause before Ainsley continued, "And we know the door was locked. Who else has access to our rooms?"

  "The RA and receptionists have access to all the keys in case of emergencies or if we lock ourselves out," Harper said. “But I’m sure no one was in here. You’ve had a ton on your mind, maybe you just forgot to close it."

  "I guess it’s possible.” Ainsley didn’t sound convinced.

  Heat started to build up in the enclosed space. What if they didn’t leave all night? She couldn’t stay in there. If she had to use magic on them to get out, then she would. She knew the basics of a memory charm. She was willing to take her chances.

  "We should probably go down to get you the right key, in case you make it here before me after school tomorrow."

  "You don’t have to come, I can go," Ainsley said.

  Sydney wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She needed Harper to go with Ainsley, not that she was totally opposed to using Harper as a magical guinea pig.

  “No, I’ll come. I need some chocolate, and the vending machines are down there anyway. Don’t forget a rubber band for your hair.”

  "Thank you, thank you, ancestors," Syd whispered under her breath and immediately covered her mouth with her hand.

  The clicking of the door opening and closing was the best sound Sydney had ever heard.

  She whipped the closet door open and stepped out, the cool air a welcome sensation on her face and neck.

  Without finishing up her search, she rushed to the door, cracked it open and peeked out. The hallway was empty. Hurrying outside, she spelled the door locked and took off down the corridor.

  Ainsley

  Chapter 7

  An hour and a half later, Harper had shown Ainsley through most of the school. They’d walked past the professors’ offices and several massive sports fields, the rowing club, archery range, stables, tennis courts, Ashcroft Hall (home to the music, drama and art departments), the science lab, four gymnasiums, the indoor pool, and the library. They ended the tour with Harper showing Ainsley through their dorm. The top four floors were living quarters whereas the first floor housed the laundry and rec rooms, as well as one of the campus cafeterias. At least she and Harper had their own bathroom. She’d heard of places that had community washrooms that the entire floor shared. Gross. She didn’t want to have to wear sandals in the shower or see Suzy from down the hallway in all her glory. What if someone saw her naked? She shuddered.

  They made their way outside. The sun shone, the breeze was warm, and the campus was beautiful, with lush grass and tall trees. The Academy had clearly spent loads of money on it, not that she minded the beautiful stone statues, flower gardens, and winding brick pathways.

  "How big is this place?" Ainsley tried to sweep the wonder from her expression.

  "I know, right? It’s gigantic. In Kentucky, my school had like two-hundred and fifty people. You could fit my whole school in the main building three times over. It’s a bit overwhelming. Even after being here a year."

  "How many students attend?"

  Harper hummed and hawed. "About twelve or thirteen hundred students, I think. You’ll get used to it, I promise." She looked over at Ainsley and smiled reassuringly.

  Ainsley returned the smile, although it was hollow. That was a lot of people who could know something or be hiding something. And she had the staff to consider as well.

  "Do you like going to school here?"

  "It’s okay."

  "Would be better without the snotty cliques?" Ainsley lifted an eyebrow.

  "Sure, but I don’t know if it’s worse than other schools. I’m guessing the privilege and access to everything doesn’t help people’s attitudes any.” Harper gave a dreamy sigh. "But not everyone is bad."

  "That look makes me wonder if you have a specific person in mind." She waggled her eyebrows, eliciting a small giggle from Harper.

  "That obvious? His name’s Jax. He’s British. That accent gets me every time. Oh, and he wears the cutest glasses. I can picture us kissing, but then I’d probably bump him in the face with my forehead, and my glasses would bang into his, and well,” her dreamy smile fell into a grimace, "it would be a disaster."

  "I’m sure it wouldn’t happen like that," Ainsley laughed, trying to sound reassuring, although the only guy she’d ever kissed was Chad Lowson in a game of spin the bottle when she was thirteen. His tongue had tasted like dill pickle chips, and Ainsley had to keep from gagging. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned her first kiss.

  Harper tucked her thick brown hair behind her ears. "Maybe, but I’m kind of a romantic. I don’t know if anything could live up to my fantasies." Her smile returned. "But I’m willing to try."

  Ainsley scanned everything, trying to see it the way her dad would’ve. Did anything or anyone seem out of place? Where on campus would he have visited? He must’ve come to Ashcroft since he had a file on the place. Sure, it was only publicly available info: map, list of buildings and staff, history, the names of significant donors, and famous or impressive graduates. But she hadn’t read anything that pointed her in any specific direction, except that at least one girl was missing and the boyfriend had been a student at Ashcroft. She assumed he still was.

  “You must know a lot of people here. Do you know a Darren Angelo?" she asked with a casual voice.

  Harper froze with her drink a few inches from her mouth. She lowered it and said, "Not really. I mean, I know who he is, but we don’t, like, talk. Why?" Her eyes squinted behind her glasses.

  She needed a lie that would seem believable. "We have a mutual friend. My friend Katy used to go to camp with him. She told me to say hi from her if we had any classes together." Well, at least Katy was a real person.

  "He’s a year older. You won’t be in any of his classes."

  "Oh, my old school had mixed-grade classes.” She bobbed her head like it didn’t matter in the least. "Is he nice? Single?"

  Harper’s face suggested that she was, in fact, acting weird.

  "Katy said he was cute." She smiled and laughed to ease the tension.

  Harper laughed too. "I like your style. I’m not really sure what his relationship status is. I’d probably go with, It’s complicated." She sipped her drink.

  "He’s seventeen,” she snorted. “How complicated can it be?"

  Talk about Daphne. Harper had to have information about the case.

  "Darren had a girlfriend but she kind of…disappeared."

  Yes. Here we go. Ainsley widened her eyes with all the surprise she could muster, her insides fluttering like hungry moths had moved into it.

  "Really? That’s awful. What happened?"

  “I don’t know everything, but it was in the middle of January. Daphne—that was his girlfriend—was at school during the day, and then no one could find her. They checked the whole school and the grounds, but she was nowhere.” He scanned the area around her. “Her belongings were at home, so she wouldn’t have run away. Or if she did, she didn’t plan it ahead of time."

  Ainsley leaned in conspiratorially. She hadn’t heard that info before. Maybe Harper knew someone close to the family.

  “Darren was questioned a few times by the police,” Harper said before pulling away and giving a suspicious nod.<
br />
  "Wow, that’s crazy. But he wasn’t arrested or charged with anything?"

  "Nope."

  In a voice barely above a whisper, Ainsley said, "What do you think? Is he guilty of something?" She understood that Harper wouldn’t have any actual information, but her opinion about the guy was still something to go on.

  "You are asking the wrong questions," a faint voice said.

  Ainsley’s head whirled around to see where the voice had come from. It hadn’t been Harper. She’d been staring right at Harper, and her lips hadn’t moved.

  "Before she disappeared, I would’ve said no." Harper acted as though she’d heard nothing out of the ordinary even though the voice had been so clear, rising above the bustling in the hallway. "Darren always seemed so nice. But he’s changed. Now he’s broody and snappy all the time. At least that’s what it seems like.” She had clearly noticed Ainsley’s searching, confused look. “I’m not a stalker or anything, I just pay attention. And I’ve overheard a few of his friends talking about him."

  Maybe that’s because his girlfriend vanished and people think he did it? Ainsley thought with sarcasm. “Hey, did you, um, hear a girl talking just a few seconds ago?"

  Harper squinted at her, her eyebrows furrowed.

  “I know this sounds bonkers, but there was like this clear, feminine voice that kind of broke through the rest of the noise."

  Her friend’s face quickly morphed into mild alarm. "Noooo. What did it say?"

  Ainsley laughed, “You know what, never mind. I think my brain is just fried from trying to make sense of this place and hearing about that poor girl." She needed to get back on the subject of Darren. “If he isn’t acting like himself, he must be devastated that his girlfriend is missing."

  Harper shrugged. "Or because he’s guilty."

  “Touché.”

  First things first, Ainsley decided, before she could continue to Nancy Drew herself around the place, she needed to get her bearing.

  She pulled a piece of paper out of her back pocket. "This is my schedule. I know you've already led me through the entire campus, but would you please help me find my classes, so I know where I’m going tomorrow?" Normally, Ainsley would be too embarrassed to ask, but it seemed like a very Harper thing to do.

  Harper stood a little taller, which catapulted her past the six-foot mark. "Sure!"

  They made their way inside the main building, fitted out as for royalty. Large tapestries and paintings graced the walls, the floors were a swirl of black and gray marble, and velvet curtains framed the windows. Antique-looking chandeliers cast a soft glow over the space. They probably were antique chandeliers, Ainsley corrected herself. She couldn’t quite decide if the place was creepy or enchanting. Maybe a bit of both. One thing that seemed consistent was the frigid air. "Does it ever warm-up? They should turn the AC down."

  Harper stopped in her tracks with her hand on the stairway banister. She turned back to face Ainsley. "There is no air conditioning. This place is freezing year-round. Maintenance says it’s because of the brick walls and floors, and the way it was constructed." She chuckled, raising one eyebrow. "You think it’s cold now, wait until January. I hope you bought a few of the uniform’s sweaters for under the blazer." She turned back around and kept climbing. They reached the second level, which also had large windows, woven tapestries, and paintings on the walls, as well as a few leather armchairs in the corners.

  Ainsley looked around with satisfaction. “I can totally see myself curled up here with a good book."

  One side of Harper’s mouth quirked up. "Just wait until I show you the main library."

  "It’s like you can read my mind. I love libraries. The smells, the peace and quiet, the books."

  "Great! Maybe I won’t have to study there all alone now. My science friends refuse to leave the labs."

  They continued walking, Ainsley biting her tongue. She'd wanted to ask if Harper was rich at least ten times since they’d met, but her mom’s voice kept insisting that it was just too rude to even think about. She silenced her mom.

  "This is a terribly personal question,” Ainsley began, “and you totally don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to, but what do your parents do?"

  Harper’s face took on a shade of pink.

  Ainsley backpedaled. "Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Forget I asked. It’s none of my business." Ainsley looked down, pretending to be distracted by her schedule. She’d already alienated the only friend she’d made there.

  "No, it’s okay." She leaned forward and whispered in Ainsley’s ear. “Both my parents are teachers, so I’m here on scholarship.” She stopped to gauge Ainsley’s reaction. “I don’t usually talk about it, because I’d be considered a charity case. All that matters to me is getting the best education. I’m going to be a theoretical physicist, and Ashcroft pretty much guarantees me entrance to any Ivy League school I want."

  Ainsley’s body unclenched. "My lips are sealed. Looks like I was roomed with you for a reason. I’m also on scholarship. There’s no way I’d be here without it." The truth was she’d always had good grades but studied like crazy for her finals. For her application essay, she wrote about her dad’s suicide, hoping it would sway the admission’s department. She wasn't above a little emotional manipulation for the greater good, and it had been sort of cathartic to write.

  Harper sighed, reached out, and grabbed the schedule from her. "Well, we have each other then. But I wouldn’t publicize it if I were you. The kids here are cruel, and they don’t take kindly to people who aren’t like them."

  "They’ll probably figure it out when they see my regular wardrobe. It’s not like I have a stash of Louis Vuitton in my suitcases." Ainsley peered out the window to the courtyard. Students were camped out on blankets, laughing and eating picnic-style. A few of the guys were throwing around a football. It was like watching a TV commercial for the school.

  "You must miss your old friends back home. I know I did. I’d only been here about six hours when I broke down." Harper’s cheeks pinked again.

  “I miss Megan and Katy, my best friends." She swallowed the lie. They were her best friends, and she did miss them.

  But Harper didn’t need to know that they hadn’t spoken in months. She didn’t need to come across as that much of a loser. After the funeral, she noticed her friends would meet her at her locker less frequently and came over less and less after school. Their texts got shorter and shorter until there were none at all.

  She got it. It was awkward to be friends with someone who’d randomly burst into tears. She was sure it was exhausting to feel as if you were walking on eggshells or had to be the equivalent of a camp counselor. "What about you, do you still keep in touch with your friends in Kentucky?"

  Harper’s face scrunched, her lips puckered and her eyebrows squished together until they practically formed one. "Not exactly. I had a few close friends, but we’ve mostly lost touch. It’s hard, you’re not around one another anymore, you start losing all the things you had in common, and one day you realize a year has gone by since you’ve seen their face or heard their voice..." She trailed off, deep in thought. "Man, listen to me. Sorry. Just ignore my self-pity."

  Harper forced a smile. "Forget I said anything. I’m sure you and your friends will be fine." She smoothed the piece of paper in her hands. "Okay, let’s take a look at this schedule. First period, AP Chemistry. That’s a nice easy start to your day,” she teased.

  Harper started down the long corridor. Ainsley followed on her heels. She couldn’t get lost. She’d never find her way out.

  Almost an hour later, Harper had shown her to all her classrooms, and Ainsley was mentally drained. "I don’t know how you do this. I’m still so turned around."

  Harper waved her hand, dismissively. "Ah, you’ll figure it out in no time."

  "I just have to get through tomorrow and Friday,” Ainsley reminded herself, “and then I can relax over the weekend." That prospect made her feel slightly b
etter. "I didn’t think I’d get my appetite back this quickly, but I’m actually a little hungry after all that walking. Want to go to the caf for an early dinner?"

  "I’ll lead the way,” Harper winked.

  "Very funny.”

  Ainsley and Harper loaded their trays with dinner. The room hummed with activity, groups forming distinct enclaves. Ainsley supposed cliques separated the same way in every high school. Jocks sat in one area, while drama geeks spread out in another, cheerleaders avoided nerds, while mini-moguls with slicked-back hair and matching briefcases hunkered down in the center of the room.

  She glanced down at her hoodie and cut off shorts. She looked more like a part of the grounds crew than an incoming student. "Is it weird to admit that I’m looking forward to the uniform?"

  Harper shook her head while gnawing on an oversized meatball. "You think that now, but you’re going to hate it. The material is itchy, and it never fits right. And no matter if I’m wearing the blazer, sweater or both, I’m still always freezing. With the cost of tuition, the least Ashcroft could do is use softer cotton or get seamstresses who know what they were doing. I have a theory that they make them like that on purpose, so you don’t get comfortable and fall asleep in class."

  Ainsley giggled. "At least the food’s decent." She took a sip from her bottle of sparkling water. A cold sensation swept through her as if someone had opened the door in the middle of a snowstorm. She shuddered, feeling her body tense and her spine curl protectively. "Ugh, did you feel that?"

  "Feel what?" Harper cocked her head.

  "That breeze, or whatever it was. I just felt a shot of freezing cold. This place is brutal. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel warm again."

  "Like I said, get used to it."

  Ainsley made a sizable dent in her pasta but couldn’t stuff the rest down. She stood to clear her tray. "I can take yours too if you want."

  Harper got up from her chair. "It’s okay, I’ll go with you."