Bitter Magic

by Raven Steele

  “We came from Wildemoor,” May answered. “We both went to the same school.”

  “Really?” Valerie said. “What are the odds of that? A Fury and an Aura in the same school?”

  “How did you discover each other?” Anna butted in. Her voice was small and mousy, matching her short dark hair and upturned nose.

  “It was by accident, really,” I began.

  “Anna was asking May,” Ashlyn interrupted.

  I visibly jerked. “Oh, okay.”

  And so it begins. I grabbed my glass and took a sip of water.

  May looked uncomfortable, but she continued where I’d left off. “We were lab partners. I accidentally exploded a beaker of oil and it caught her hair on fire.”

  A couple of the girls giggled.

  May ignored them. “Llona had seen me start the fire, and I noticed her hair grow back, so we both knew we were different. We were pretty much best friends after that.”

  Ashlyn tilted her head. “What do you mean her hair grew back?”

  May glanced over at me nervously, hoping I would answer, but if they didn’t want to talk to me, I wasn’t going to start.

  May hesitated before she said, “Her hair can’t be cut or colored. It’s always the same. Isn’t that how all Auras’ hair is?”

  The girls paused and glanced at each other before they burst out laughing. I took another drink, wishing it was something stronger. My eyes settled on Sophie sitting three tables over. She flashed me an encouraging smile. I didn’t return it.

  Ashlyn was the last one to stop laughing, unfortunately. The sound hurt my ears—it was loud and high pitched, sounding more like a chipmunk on crack than an actual laugh.

  I stared at her coolly.

  “So you’re telling me,” Ashlyn said, addressing me with a stupid grin, “that your hair can’t be changed?”

  “Are you giving me permission to speak now?” I said.

  The table grew quiet.

  Ashlyn turned to Anna and said, “This is what the outside does to you if you’re not properly trained, turns you into a heathen.”

  I was about to show her how a heathen curses when three waitresses brought food to our table. Two of the servers looked like they were around twelve, and the older one looked more my age.

  When the older one set a plate of food in front of me, I glanced at her and said, “Thank—”

  At the sight of her, water caught in my throat and I began to cough, making the girls at the table laugh again. I did a double take at the waitress’s face to see if what I’d just seen was real.

  On the side of the girl’s face and partway down her neck were light green scales. They were shinier than the rest of her skin, and if I looked at them at a certain angle, they had a rainbow glow to them.

  She met my stare but quickly looked away, her face reddening.

  As soon as the waitresses were gone, Ashlyn said, “Is that your first time seeing a Lizen?”

  She seemed pleased by my ignorance.

  “A what?” May asked.

  “A Lizen. You know, half man, half . . . lizard.” The other girls looked at her in shock as if she’d said something forbidden.

  It was my turn to laugh. “Lizard people? It’s just a crazy birth deformity.”

  “You really don’t know a thing, do you?” Ashlyn straightened in her seat as if she were a teacher preparing for a lecture. “Lizens have been around since the dawn of time. While other species were evolving, Lizens didn’t quite make it. Their deformity stuck, and when they bred with each other, it only made it worse.”

  “Where have they been this whole time?” May asked, eyes wide.

  “In hiding, of course. Wouldn’t you hide too if you had scales on your body?” She tossed a disgusted look in the direction of the ever-moving waitresses.

  Valerie eyed us conspiratorially, adding, “Their race almost went extinct until the Auras brought them here to serve us. In exchange, they live rent free in Lambert House. The women work here and the men take care of the grounds.”

  “And they like this?” I wondered out loud. From what I’d seen and experienced so far, serving pampered Auras was the last job I’d ever want.

  “Like what?” Ashlyn said.

  “Serving Auras,” May said, apparently thinking the same thing.

  Ashlyn looked at us like we’d just told her the world was flat. “Of course they like it. We’ve made their lives dramatically better. What more could they ask for?”

  I glanced around, still in shock. “Yeah, what more.”

  Throughout the rest of dinner, the girls spoke mostly to May. I was surprised by how boastful and prideful they were. No wonder my mother had left early and refused to be a part of their organization. Some people thought she took it too far by marrying her Guardian, a big no-no, but I didn’t.

  “You should take that,” Valerie said while Ashlyn spoke to May.

  I followed the direction of her pointed finger. Next to my glass was a blue pill. “What is it?”

  “It’s our vitamin. We all take it. It keeps us at optimum health.”

  I picked it up and turned it over in my hand. “Really?”

  A memory stirred. My mother used to take them too. I wondered why my father never gave them to me. Maybe he was too proud to ask the Council for them, or maybe he had and they’d refused.

  “Isn’t that right, Valerie?” Ashlyn said, interrupting us. Valerie turned away from me and joined in their conversation.

  Whatever. If these vitamins were good enough for my mom . . . I popped the pill into my mouth and washed it down with water.

  My attention wandered away from the Auran girls and over to the Lizens who were lined up against the walls, hands behind their backs, waiting for us to finish. They looked like regular girls, no different than the rest of us, except for the occasional patches of scales, some more noticeable than others. I studied them for a moment, specifically their eyes, which always seemed to be looking down. And none of them were smiling.

  “Llona?”

  I turned around.

  Sophie stood behind me, smiling. “There are some people I would like to introduce you to. Are you about finished?”

  I glanced down at my half-eaten chicken. Usually I had a great appetite, but the atmosphere in the dining room made me ill. “Sure.”

  I stood and followed Sophie back to her table.

  “Everyone,” Sophie began, “I’d like to introduce you to my niece, Llona.”

  All eyes turned on me as if in slow motion. They all looked friendly enough, smiling and nodding their heads, but something about the way they did it felt forced.

  Sophie motioned around the table. “Llona, here are a few of your teachers. Ms. Ravitz, Ms. Crawford, Ms. McBride, and Ms. Haddy. And over there next to the podium,” she pointed to an older-looking Chinese man who was speaking with a student, “is Dr. Han. He sits with me on the Auran Council.”

  The Auran Council. I almost grimaced. They were a group of nine people, three overseeing each Auran school, who set the rules. As far as I was concerned, they were responsible for the Aurans’ weakened state. “Nice to meet you all.”

  “You’ll have an opportunity to get to know each of them in your classes,” Sophie explained.

  “We’re glad you’re here, Llona,” said Ms. Crawford. She was a beautiful African American woman in what looked like her thirties. Her smile actually seemed genuine, unlike the others.

  Sophie turned me around and said quietly, “After dinner I want you to go to the medical room on the first floor to have your blood drawn.”

  “Why?”

  “An Aura’s blood is special. If something were to ever happen to one of us and, heaven forbid, someone needs blood, we store it here. We draw everyone’s blood once a month.”

  “That seems like a lot. Can I refuse?”

  She took hold of my hand and squeezed. “Of course you can, Llona, but it’s frowned upon. We do things here that you may not like, but they are for your protecti
on, and the protection of the whole Auran race. Because we are so few, we have to be careful. We must survive.”

  Funny. That’s what I had always tried to do too, convincing my uncle Jake to move from one place to another to keep me safe, but I was different now. I could protect myself. I’d killed a Vyken, and I knew I could do it again. That made me feel safer than anything Lucent could ever do for me.

  With my voice low, I ventured, “Maybe instead of just trying to survive, we should be trying to hunt and kill Vykens.”

  Sophie reared back with such disgust you’d think I’d barfed on her. “What a horrible thing to say!”

  “What is so horrible about wanting to save our race?”

  “Light does not kill, Llona.” Her voice was growing louder. “You have no respect for Light and its power!”

  Sophie’s mouth closed tight, and she looked around as if she’d just remembered where we were.

  “We’ll discuss this later,” she hissed and walked away.

  I stared after her, a new and foreign heat burning my insides. The feeling was so intense that the lights in the room flickered. I almost considered plunging everyone into darkness so I could escape unnoticed, but when several people looked up, specifically the teachers, I inhaled deeply and forced myself to relax.

  I returned to the table. “I’m going to head back to my room. Do you want to come?”

  May glanced at the other girls hesitantly and then to me. “Of course.” She quickly stood up. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  Her goodbye was followed by, “Bye, May!” and “It was nice to meet you!” and “I’m glad you’re here!”

  I kept a perma-grin on my face until the dining room doors closed behind us. Before I could stop myself, I made a Lighted-up fist and punched the wall, spraying what looked like electricity all around us.

  Chapter 3

  May jumped, barely missing a jolt of Light. “Llona!”

  I glanced down at my bloodied knuckle as shocked as May looked.

  “Why did you do that?”

  I shook my head. “I’m not sure. I guess it’s this place, my aunt, those girls . . .”

  “Some of them were okay,” May said, her voice quiet.

  I was about to disagree with her, but thought better of it. May was right. They were kind, to her.

  May traced her finger on the wall where I’d punched it. “I know there are some weird things here, like the chimes and the fancy meals, but it feels good to finally belong somewhere and not have to hide who I am.”

  “I get that. Why don’t you go back?” I stared at a drop of blood trailing down my finger, mesmerized.

  May glanced toward the closed doors. “That’s okay. I think you could use the company.”

  “Actually, I’d like to be alone for a while. You know, clear my head and stuff.”

  “You sure?”

  I nodded and swiped the blood across my jeans.

  “Okay. I’ll come see you after dinner.”

  Back in my room, I sat on the bed and blotted a tissue against my knuckles. Where had that rush of anger come from? Sure I was upset, but enough to punch a wall? I’d never done that before.

  I sat up, my chest heaving with a sudden breath. There was only one thing I felt like doing right now, and there probably wasn’t much time to do it. I opened my door and rushed down the long hall to the commons area. It was a large room in the center of Chadni Hall filled with chairs and tables for studying. Four halls, two on each side, led to the girls’ dorm rooms.

  I’d spotted a phone here on my way up, but looking at it now, I decided it was too public. Another stupid rule of Lucent’s were no cell phones. I glanced around. Not far away, near the elevator doors, was another room. A plaque on the wall next to it read “Nurse.” I tried the doorknob, but it was locked. Figures.

  After making sure I was alone, I produced a small ball of Light and held it up to the doorknob for inspection. It was just like my lock at home. Steadily, I used my fingers to shape the Light into what looked like a nail and then guided the small spear into the hole of the doorknob until I heard a click.

  I grinned, loving how easily my abilities had become to control.

  Flipping on the lights, I ducked inside and closed the door. The small white room looked like a miniature doctor’s office with a single hospital bed, swivel chair, and clear jars filled with cotton balls and wooden sticks. A phone hung on the wall to the right of me.

  I glanced at my watch. It would be 3:30 p.m. on the West Coast. After I left Wildemoor, Christian had flown home where he would go back to training younger Guardians. This is what the Auran Council wanted while they figured out what to do with him. They were still upset that I’d killed the Vyken when it was Christian’s responsibility. Completely stupid.

  I picked up the receiver and dialed his cell. I couldn’t wait to talk to him. He was the only one who really understood me. I would’ve called him sooner, but I couldn’t ever escape our escort. It had been almost a week since I’d heard his voice.

  After six rings it went to voice mail. I listened to the sound of his voice until I heard a beep. I debated whether or not to leave a message but decided against it and hung up. As much as I hated to admit it, maybe it was better if we didn’t speak for a while, at least until I figured out what was going on with me.

  I grimaced at a sudden and sharp pain in my heart.

  Laughter echoing from down the hall had me jumping. I shut off the lights and focused my sensitive hearing.

  “Another Fury, can you imagine?” a girl said. “Vykens will never bother us now.”

  I chuckled to myself. If only they knew about their own power. The things we could do.

  Holding still, I waited for the girls to pass by before I quietly opened the door and stuck my head out. The hall was empty. I stepped out and returned to my room. I can stay here, I reasoned. This was only temporary, a few months, maybe a year of my life. I’d fix whatever was wrong with me, learn what I could at Lucent, and then get out of here and back to Christian.

  I touched my lips, remembering Christian’s kiss goodbye. It went beyond a kiss of lustful passion; it was tender, kind, and although we had never said it to each other, full of love.

  I fell sideways on my bed, clutching a pillow to my chest. Guardians aren’t supposed to get involved with their wards, but the moment I met him last year, I felt a connection. And as much as he had tried to deny it at first, he did too.

  Swallowing hard, I grimaced at the thought of my recent dreams. What if Christian knew of my recent nightmares? The darkness and the violence they held. Would he feel differently?

  A sharp knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. I opened the door.

  “Llona?” a woman asked. She was older, maybe in her fifties, wearing tan slacks and a blue polo shirt. She carried a black bag.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m Abigail Watts, the school nurse. I believe you missed an appointment.”

  I scrunched my face. “Right. Sorry. I completely forgot.”

  “No problem. I can draw your blood here.”

  I hesitated. I don’t know why I was afraid to have my blood drawn. It wasn’t because I feared needles; I just felt funny giving away my blood to people I didn’t know.

  Abigail must have noticed my hesitation because she said, “Did Sophie explain why we need it?”

  She moved a short brown curl off her forehead. Dark circles hung under her eyes. I wondered what could cause a nurse to look so worn out in a school where students rarely got hurt.

  “She did,” I finally answered. “Come in, Ms. Watts.”

  “Please, call me Abigail. Have a seat on the bed, dear.” Abigail scooted over my vanity seat and sat across from me.

  From within her black bag, she removed an IV bag, tubing, and a needle. “Rest your left arm on your thigh, face up, please.”

  I did as she asked. “So all the girls give blood once a month?”

  Abigail nodded. “For several years now.” She loo
ked down and frowned. “What did you do to your knuckles?”

  “Scraped ’em,” I answered quickly and snuck my right hand under the pillow on my lap.

  “It looks bad. Do you want a bandage?”

  “No. It’s fine. Doesn’t even hurt.”

  She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “You look like her, you know.”

  “Who?”

  “Your mother.”

  “You knew her?”

  She paused, and I swore I saw sadness in her eyes, but just as quickly as it had come it was gone. “I did. I was a nurse when she was here years ago. You may want to look away.”

  I flinched when the needle pierced my arm. “What was she like?”

  Abigail plugged the IV tubing into the needle. Blood flowed from my arm into the clear plastic bag. “She was very kind but difficult, too.”

  “How so?”

  Abigail smiled. “Let’s just say she had a mind of her own.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Not when you have a dying race you’re trying to protect. Auras who try to do things their own way usually end up dead.”

  “But she was happy, more so than I’ve ever seen anyone else.”

  Abigail squeezed my hand gently. “I don’t doubt that. I guess what I’m trying to say is, sometimes Auras have to think of themselves as part of something bigger. Just like a clock won’t work if it’s missing a gear, we can’t afford to lose a single Aura. We mourned for your mother, truly, we did.”

  I stared at the blood leaving my arm. I had a sudden urge to draw it back into me.

  “You’ve been through a lot, Llona. If you’ll let us, we can help.”

  I considered this. I desperately wanted someone to talk to, and since no one else was around, I might as well try Abigail. She seemed nice enough. I started with the one question no one ever seemed to know the answer to: “Why can’t I change my hair?”

  “Excuse me?” she asked.

  “My hair. It’s always the same. I can’t cut it or color it.”

  She laughed, but it was a kind laugh and not at all mocking. “It’s the Light in our DNA. It affects some of us physically, changing certain parts of our makeup.”