by Belle Malory
Mythonian History: The Titans
Mythonian History: Magic Throughout the Ages
The Art of Seduction
Potions and Love Spells
Working with Archers
They each buzzed with untapped energy. I picked up the book about the Titans, holding it flat against the palm of my hands. Once again, an electric current floated through me; only this time, I stopped myself from dropping it. The longer I held the book, the stranger things got. That buzzing energy uncoiled into my hands, coursing through them. Words flooded into my head, almost at the speed of light. Almost like I’d read the book without opening it. The histories transpired in my mind, about a race of powerful mages that came before the Olympians called the Titans, and a war between the two races that lasted a decade. The details and imagery were in my head as if I’d spent the last few hours reading. I knew about the battles, the types of magic used, and how the Titans were eventually defeated. By the time it stopped, I was in awe. I looked down at the book…
I had a vivid imagination, but not that vivid.
I quickly opened it up, scanning the first few paragraphs. It was word for word, exactly the same as what came during the flash. Whoa.
Could I do the same with the others?
I picked up The Art of Seduction. Energy brimmed at my fingertips. Words flashed through my mind, imprinting onto my subconscious. I winced as the words floated through me, shuddering at the things I was learning: effective body language, magical pheromones, voice rhythms and cadences, and every other gross, obscene method, magical or otherwise, that could be used to attract a mate.
All of it, absolutely disgusting. I tossed the book aside, anxious to get it out of my hands. Eck.
For the rest of the night, I went through the entire stack, until the process left me feeling tired and depleted. Then I fell asleep with the books, their spines, pages, and covers hiding in the blankets, their energies surrounding me. It seemed these books and their powers were my friends, my only friends here at Arcadia, but I was grateful for them. They’d each taken me on magical journeys, filled my mind with knowledge and wonder, and left me craving more. Tomorrow I’d go to the library and get as many books as I could get my hands on.
When I woke up the next morning, there was a blade pressed against the hollow of my neck. Ione towered over me, her expression dark.
“Do it,” I whispered, daring her.
I should be terrified out of my mind, but her dagger barely made me flinch. If she slit my throat, I wouldn’t be around to carry out the curse. Nor would I have to worry about Riley coming after me.
She arched one blonde brow and pushed the edge of her blade firmly against my throat.
“Go ahead,” I said, fed up with her and her bullying. “Or don’t you have the grit, love-blood?” I’d heard students from other houses use that nickname for Aphrodite descendants.
Ione tilted her head to the side, looking impressed. “Said like a true Ares descendant. You’re not scared then?”
I leaned my head back, giving her better access. “Only that you may not know what you’re doing. I’d rather you get it right instead of making a mess of my neck.”
She tossed the dagger aside, a slow grin pulling at her lips. “At least you’re amusing. God knows this isn’t going to be easy. And you’re right, by the way. I wouldn’t have known what to do with that thing. Xander gave it to me for protection, but it’s about as good to me as a paperweight.”
I sat up, rubbing the sore spot on my neck. I didn’t care about whatever she was rambling on about. After the stunt she pulled yesterday, I wouldn’t care if she dropped dead.
“Well, get up then. Let’s start with your hair. You can’t get away with that ponytail you wore yesterday, not in Aphrodite. We rule beauty too, you know.”
What level of insanity was this chick operating? “Go away and torture someone else, Ione.”
She waved her finger toward my head, muttering something in Latin. I shrieked and jumped out of bed, feeling my hair pull this way and that. Once in front of the mirror, I relaxed. She hadn’t turned my hair blue or chopped it to magical bits. Instead, she arranged it in pretty braids with a gold laurel leaf.
I was speechless. Ione had actually done something nice.
Her reflection was suddenly next to mine as she assessed me in the mirror. “You should wear pink today. White washes you out.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, eyeing her like a wild animal. Any second now, I was sure she would show her true nature.
“Well, let’s get going,” she said, putting her weight to one hip. “I don’t have all day to wait around, and Xander is making me walk you to your classes. You and I have to look like besties.” She said the word as if it disgusted her.
“Xander is making you…” I groaned. It was a kind gesture, but it also sort of pissed me off. “Forget whatever your brother said, Ione. I can take care of myself.”
“You mean like you did when you ended up in my trap? If it hadn’t been me, it would’ve been someone else, you know.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Let’s just get this over with. That way I get my brother off my back, and you can attend your classes and learn a thing or two about magic. Then, next time, you might actually be able to defend yourself.”
For someone so crazy, her logic was pretty sound. “Why did you agree to this?”
“Why not? I happen to love my brother, thank you very much.”
I shook my head, not buying that for one second.
She looked away, sighing. “Let’s just say I owe him a favor.”
It was clear she didn’t want to reveal why she owed him that favor, and honestly, I didn’t care that much anyway. “Fine.” I headed toward the closet. “But we need to hurry because I need to make a stop first.”
15
I waited in the administrative office before class started, hoping to figure out how I could send a message to my grandfather. A short, round woman with wiry glasses perched on the end of her nose sat at the front desk. “Name?” she said without glancing at me.
“Sheridan Thorne.”
She scribbled something with an old-fashioned quill. A full profile appeared on the paper on her desk, my picture included. “Ah, I’ve found you,” she said. “You have detention at dinner today.”
“Detention!” That was the last thing I expected to hear. “What for?”
She squinted as she read. “It appears you missed five classes yesterday without a permissible excuse.”
Oh, sweet stars, this was just perfect. I leaned closer, trying to explain myself without being overheard. “It wasn’t my fault. I was caught in a booby trap. All day, I was hanging from a tree.”
“Then you should have reported the incident, dear.” She stared through me, her voice taking on a disinterested tone, as if she’d heard similar excuses.
“But—”
“Five o’clock, in the library.” Her voice rang with finality.
I ground my teeth together, seeing that there was no way out of this. I’d have to learn this lesson the hard way. “Fine, but I’m here for something else. I need to contact a family member.”
A strong whiff of magic soared through the room, followed by the sound of Headmaster Waddley’s voice. I lost my train of thought, looking behind me at the entrance. Waddley swung the door, holding it open. “It was difficult work, changing the schedule around last minute, Franklin, but I’m thrilled we accomplished it!”
“Grandpa?”
As soon as he saw me, he coughed and straightened. He was dressed in a red and gold toga, a professor’s robe, and carried a small leather briefcase. “From now on, Sheridan, you’ll need to address me as Professor Thorne.”
“Miss?” said the administrator who’d been waiting on me. My original reason for coming here was now staring me in the face.
“Oh, um, never mind,” I said, moving out of the way for the next student.
Waddley tipped his head. “Have a good day, Franklin,” he said,
then left for his office.
“You took the job?” I said as soon as the headmaster was gone.
“Figured you might need me around, especially since you skipped class yesterday.”
What the crap. He was not supposed to know about that, which meant—“You’re spying on me!”
“Save the teenage theatrics, Sheridan.” He grabbed hold of my elbow, steering me into an empty hall. “It’s called parenting. I know a few details. Some bullies strung you up in a tree—I warned you not to trust anyone.”
I frowned, hating that he knew. It made me feel weak and powerless, like I couldn’t handle myself without him here to watch over me.
He looked me over, his shoulders drooping. “Was I wrong to bring you here? Most of these kids have known about magic their whole lives, and you’ve only just discovered it…if this place is too much for you, we could figure something else out. Perhaps, a magical tutor in a private setting?”
I appreciated that he was trying to look out for me, but I shook my head. As awful as my first day had gone, I wasn’t ready to give up yet. “It won’t happen again.”
“Are you sure?” His eyes probed mine.
“I’m sure,” I said, trying to sound sincere. “And you don’t need to work here either. Depending on my grandpa for protection will only make me more of an outcast than I already am. Yesterday was a small hiccup. I’ll eventually fall into place.”
God, at least I hoped so.
“It’s not just about that,” he said, sighing. “I’ve missed teaching, and I’ve enjoyed being a grandfather. Riley has your dad, but you’re on your own here.” He shrugged, letting out another long breath. “I would like to stay, but if you don’t want me around, I’ll withdraw myself from the position.”
Well, when he put it like that…dammit.
It was like a little tug on my heart, and Grandpa was not usually one for heartfelt things. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel so alone.
“Fine.” I tried not to look too pleased with the arrangement. “But keep the grandpa thing on the downlow—and no treating me any differently than the other students.”
He nodded. “Both of those requests were a given.”
“Okay, moving on.” I shifted the weight of my bag to my other shoulder. “We have more important things to discuss. Like the way you dumped me in this school without telling me about Dad’s past.” I gave him my most menacing stare.
His mustache twitched and his eyes turned all shifty. He knew exactly what I was referring to. “Not here, not out in the open,” he said, looking around. “Meet me after school.”
“I can’t,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I have detention, for being bullied.”
“The student culture is not like human schools. You’ll have to learn to hold your own until you get control over your magic.” He gave me a wary glance, clearly wondering when that would be. “I’ll have your detention transferred.”
“That’s not treating me the same as any other student, Grandpa.”
“We’ll start tomorrow, and it’s Professor Thorne during school hours.” He waved me off. “See you after class.”
16
In Basic Magic Principles, Jett sat next to me again. I wondered why she bothered since everyone else still avoided me like the plague. If she knew I was cursed too, she would probably run the other way screaming.
She snorted, looking over at me. “Curses aren’t contagious, Thorny.”
I cradled my head, like that would keep her out. “Ack, stop doing that!”
She shrugged one shoulder, totally unapologetic. “Stop making it so easy.”
I frowned, working to build an energetic wall around my mind. I really hated the way she did that, especially when I wasn’t expecting it.
“Does everyone know about my dad?”
She nodded. “Pretty much.”
Great.
My family’s dirty laundry was public knowledge, and I was used to being looked over. If the situation were reversed, Riley would’ve handled this better. She adored being the center of attention, no matter the circumstances. Cursed or not, she would have made Arcadia her bitch.
“My own family history isn’t that sparkly, you know.” Jett offered a thin smile. “My grandmother cost us our ability to speak to the dead.” Hearing her share something so personal surprised me.
“How did that happen?” Twice now, she had mentioned it, so I knew it must really bother her. She must similar to me, stumbling through Aphrodite though I wasn’t suited to the magic.
Jett shrugged it off. “Bad choices, like your dad. My point is, no one can blame either of us for our relatives. We didn’t choose them.”
She made a good point.
The day went better from there. As promised, Ione followed me around from class to class, introducing me to her Aphrodite friends. Most of them gave her crazy looks, but her name carried weight. Students bent over backward to please Ione, even if that meant being nice to the defector. At lunch, she offered me a seat at her table, but by then, I was ready to get away from the constant scrutiny. I found an empty table in the courtyard and sat down, my tray filled with every available option the cafeteria offered. Fried melon with goat cheese, shrimp orzo salad, sea bass with herb potatoes, and honeyed pastries. After skipping both lunch and dinner the day before, I was starving, and had most of it down within minutes.
“Sheridan?”
I looked up at the familiar voice. “Hazel!” I smiled.
Seeing a friendly face for a change was so nice.
She was in her school uniform, an olive-green toga, her wild curls tucked into a crown of braids positioned just behind her horns. She sat beside me, pushing her purple glasses up the bridge of her nose. “I looked everywhere for you yesterday,” she said, setting down her lunch tray. “Where were you?”
I cleared my throat. “That’s, ah, a long story.”
“Story?” Jett was suddenly there, seeming to have appeared from out of nowhere. She sat down, cracking open a can of Dr. Pepper. “I’m up for a good story.”
Hazel and I gave each other a look; neither of us knew what to make of her. I shrugged, figuring what the hell. She continually invaded my thoughts without asking, but I kind of liked her, especially how she didn’t seem to care what the rest of the school said or did. And admittedly, this was better than eating lunch solo.
I told them everything, about getting trapped in the net, about my dad, Riley, the tablet, and the curse. Once I was done, I let out a breath, anxious to hear what the two of them thought.
Hazel was sympathetic. “I’m sorry, Sheridan. I had no idea.”
Jett, on the other hand, looked intrigued. “You said it’s an unbreakable stone tablet, right?”
I nodded. “Right.”
“Where is it?”
“My dad has it.”
“Get it from him,” she said. “Then you need to take it to the Curse Breaker.”
Hazel nearly spit out her soup. “Please tell me you’re not referring to the crackpot on Twilight Island.”
“He’s efficient,” Jett stated, matter-of-factly. “He holds the record for most curses broken in the New Age.”
I learned in my Mythonian History textbook that New Age was a term that referred to the weakening of magic. The original so-called gods and goddesses were considered all-powerful, but since their reign, the magic spread in younger generations was thought to have been diluted. The main reason why everyone was big on sticking to their own bloodlines.
Hazel shook her head disapprovingly. “They call him the Mad Hatter of Mythos. Why would anyone trust someone with that kind of reputation?”
“They call him that because he uses tea during his readings,” Jett said, rolling her eyes. “There’s no crime against being eccentric.”
I was skeptical, but not about the Curse Breaker’s sanity. All of it just seemed too easy, and I knew first hand, nothing came easily. “If curses can be broken, what’s the point?” I asked. “I mean, it
seems convenient that one lone mage can reverse dark magic.”
“Make no mistake, it’s not easy and there will be a price to pay.” Jett wedged her fork into a potato and looked at me, her expression serious. “Curses suck on all levels. You’ll have to sacrifice something for its removal. Something big.”
“Like what?”
She shrugged. “The only way to find out is by going to Twilight Island and asking the Curse Breaker yourself.”
A sacrifice. Hmm…now that made more sense. It could be worth hearing what the guy had to say, if nothing else.
Hazel clearly didn’t like the idea. “Are you actually considering it?” she asked me.
I fidgeted with the charms on my bracelet, remembering the way I dug those scissors into Riley’s flesh. I hated remembering, hated who I was in that moment. No matter how much her betrayal hurt, I didn’t want to destroy my sister.
“I need to get my hands on the tablet first, but yes. I’m willing talk to anyone if they can remove the curse.”
Hazel groaned. “There’s one thing you’re both forgetting,” she pointed out. “Trips to Twilight Island are strictly prohibited.”
Jett waved that off. “Don’t worry. I know a guy.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Hazel muttered.
Jett glared at her. “Not everyone was born to be an obedient mule, creature.”
Hazel straightened, lifting her chin. “Get your facts straight. I’m a faun.”
“Whatever.” Jett sipped her Dr. Pepper.
I ignored them both, too focused on working out the details. “I’ll need a boat, preferably on a weekend night.” My mind was ramped up, the wheels turning over as I thought about what this could mean.
“Let me know when you’re ready,” Jett said. “I’ll speak to my guy about getting us a boat.”
“Us?” Hazel practically screeched.
“Well, yeah. It’s Twilight Island, and she’s new to magic. We can’t just let her go alone. She needs backup.”