by Lexie Scott
The comforter and pillow were both white and waiting in the cubbies. I took them and pulled the pillowcase on before spreading the blanket out. They were nice enough but boring. Natasha’s side of the room was decorated in rich jewel tones from the comforter, desk chair, lamp, and tapestry she pinned up on the wall next to the bed.
My side was white. Blank.
That was fine. I could add personal touches over time. I had everything I needed for now.
I unpacked my two suitcases, then shoved them out of the way on the high shelf. My belongings filled less than half of the closet, and I almost laughed at how odd it looked. I closed the doors and went back to lie on my bed. Mom had replied saying that they all missed and loved me. If I thought about them for too long, I knew I would cry, so I closed my eyes and tried to rest. I’d gone without sleep for too long. I couldn’t make it another night, so I had to hope that all the activity over the past two days would be enough to knock me into oblivion. My body gradually relaxed, and my mind calmed until all was quiet and blackness took over.
I knew what was happening before I opened my eyes.
Chapter 8
It had been months since I was here last. I missed it, but I couldn’t control when I visited.
I blinked open my eyes and smiled at the beautiful view below me. The field of wildflowers swayed in the gentle breeze, moving like waves in the ocean over the rolling hills. I once tried to count the different colors but gave up. It was impossible with how vast the field was going on forever in every direction.
I loved these nights. I never had dangerous dreams after I came here. I was safe to sleep.
A single screech echoed around me, and I looked to the sky for the familiar hawk and spotted it circling directly overhead. I smiled and waved as it dove toward me, landing next to me with a small cry in greeting.
“There you are.” I slowly reached out my hand and stroked its reddish-brown feathers. He shifted to allow more access to his back, and I laughed. “Oh, does that feel good?”
He turned his head around and blinked his golden eyes, and I took that as a yes.
“Why haven’t I seen you recently?”
I used to visit this place once or twice a week when I was younger. I don’t remember when it started, probably around five or six, but as I grew older, it became less and less frequent. All this time, and I never named him. Nothing I came up with ever felt right, and it wasn’t like he could tell me.
He cocked his head at me as if asking the same question.
I shrugged. “I guess I’ve been busy too.”
My hawk dropped his head and looked up at me like that wasn’t an excuse. I tapped the bright yellow spot on his beak and giggled. He hated when I did that, but I couldn’t help it. The color stood out so much against his cream and russet feathers that I couldn’t help but be drawn to it.
“If you tell me how to get here, I’d come more often.”
He let out a squawk and ruffled his feathers.
I sighed. I had vague memories of once being able to talk to him, but now I wasn’t sure if that was only my childhood imagination. The only thing I knew for certain was that this hawk and I were connected. I didn’t know how or why, but I could feel it in my soul. He came most often when I was sad or stressed or lonely. I’d never told anyone about the visits either, at least not in several years. I might have told my parents back when it started, but they never mentioned it to me. They probably assumed I was dreaming.
But this was different. I was awake or conscious. Aware.
I wasn’t sure how to explain it. I knew I was lying in my bed in my new dorm, but in my dreamscape, I was able to move around and talk.
Maybe it was a witch thing.
That possibility explained a lot more than I’d ever been able to figure out.
He side-stepped closer, rubbing his beak against my leg, and I went back to stroking his back. Even if he couldn’t talk back, I found comfort in confiding to him. He was a great listener, and since he normally showed up when I needed someone, he often heard my deepest and darkest thoughts.
“I moved,” I told him. He didn’t acknowledge my words, but I continued anyway. “I’m at a new school, and it’s kind of scary. Intimidating. Overwhelming.”
I sighed and laid back with my free hand under my head. “I’m also kind of excited. It’s a big change, but it’s the only chance I have of getting the answers I want. I think this is the only place that will help me understand what I am, and I might even learn something about my parents.”
I looked down at him and found him watching me. “Not my parents. My birth parents.”
He cocked his head.
“I know. I was shocked too. I found out yesterday I’m adopted.”
I dropped my head back and studied the clouds floating by. “My birth parents went to this school. My mom might have even lived in this dorm.” I smiled. “Maybe even my room. I wonder if I can check and find out.”
A lightweight landed on my chest, and I smiled at my hawk. He was staring down at me. Maybe my story was interesting to him.
“I found out I have grandparents too. They’re kind of awful.” I twisted my lips. “Okay, that might be an exaggeration. I shouldn’t judge them after one encounter, but I don’t think I regret not knowing them sooner.”
He hopped forward.
“You want to know more?” I swear he nodded, and I grinned. “Well, Masie is still my aunt. She’s not my mom’s sister, though.” I paused. “I mean, she is my mom’s sister but my birth mom. Not the one that raised me.”
I thought about the witch bomb they dropped on me, but I wasn’t quite ready to say those words aloud. Not yet. I needed more time to process and understand what this new world was.
“I had to leave Aiden and Brielle.” My throat tightened, and I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. Not right now. Not in the one place in the world I was free. I came here to escape the bad and talk things out with my hawk. I’d shed many, many tears in this field, but I didn’t want to cry tonight.
“I wish you could tell me what you’ve been up to.” I stared back at his golden eyes. “Flying and hunting and not having to worry about stupid emotions like grief.”
He opened his beak, and I grinned. I could feel the familiar tug that signaled my time was wrapping up. “I’ve got to go. I hope I see you again soon.” I patted his head and tapped my spot before he could snap at me.
He took off, soaring across the sky as I sucked in a breath and opened my eyes.
Chapter 9
Natasha was already gone when I got back from the shared bathrooms down the hall the next morning. I wanted to ask her opinion of what I should wear for my assessment, but I was on my own. How physical would the tests would be? Would Mrs. Hedgings have some magical tool to see what my affinities were? I couldn't help but think about a certain sorting hat. Maybe there was something similar at this school.
Or maybe I needed to accept that my life wasn’t like a book. What did I know? I met a mountain lion and honey badger yesterday. The possibilities of what I might discover were endless.
Just in case I needed unrestricted movement, I settled on jeans and a loose T-shirt then slid on my tie-dye converse so Aiden could be here with me in a small way. I didn’t want to go down to the dining hall alone, and I was still too nervous to eat. So I waited in my room, listening to voices and footsteps fill the hall until it was time to leave.
I gave myself ten minutes to walk over to the lab building, and the pathway was full of students heading in both directions when I stepped out of my dorm. Excitement filled the air as people hugged and greeted each other.
I hadn’t planned on being the new girl my senior year, and I missed my friends back home more than ever. They were still enjoying their vacations and would get to continue our traditions without me.
There was no point wasting time or tears thinking about how my life could have been. That was over. I wasn’t that girl anymore. I had to be brave and accept my new
reality. With a steadying breath, I rolled my shoulders back and merged onto the path toward the labs.
It was easy enough to get to the building, but finding a staircase or elevators to the third floor was proving to be a challenge. I clutched my folder to my chest and looked for someone to ask.
Each person who neared me acted as if I was invisible. I opened my mouth like a fish trying to stop someone but failed miserably. I checked the time and started to panic. Three minutes left to get to the right office. Being late wasn’t the first impression I wanted to give, even if she didn’t end up being one of my teachers.
“Excuse me?” I said louder this time, and a girl around my age actually stopped.
“Yeah?”
“Can you tell me how to get to the third floor?” I nearly held my breath waiting for her reply.
“The stairs are behind that door. The elevator is around the back end of the building so you’re better off using the stairs.” She pointed to an unmarked door down the hall, and I thanked her profusely before hurrying over.
Why would they hide the stairs? Did they just assume everyone knew? It wasn’t marked on the campus map. Details like that weren’t included. I huffed and took the steps two at a time before pushing through the door into the hall and searching the name plaques next to each door for Mrs. Hedgings.
Halfway down, I found it and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a gentle voice replied.
I opened the door and stepped inside to find an elderly woman waiting beside a wide oak desk. “You must be Saige Williams.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She patted her white hair, which was pulled back into a low bun. She wore a simple, ankle-length dress in light blue, topped with a knitted white cardigan despite the warmth of the room. “Come and sit.”
She waved me toward to armchairs facing each other deeper into her office. She sat, so I took the other and laid my folder across my lap.
She watched me, studying my face more intently than was comfortable. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her head tilted to the side. My skin tingled under her appraisal, and I combed my brain for an opening to redirect her attention. Finally, she stopped and gave me a warm smile. Mrs. Hedgings was what I imagined most grandmas were like. The complete opposite of Susan.
“I will be administering your assessment today, but why don’t you start by telling me a bit about yourself? It’s quite rare for a witch to join our school at your age.”
I swallowed, running through what details I was allowed to share and what I was supposed to keep secret. “Okay, what would you like to know?”
That seemed safer than giving too much information away.
“Tell me about your family. What affinities do your parents have?”
I blinked. I didn’t know. Masie hadn’t told me what my mom could do, and I didn’t ask about her or her parents either.
“I’m not sure.”
She cocked her head. “Air? Water? Fire?”
Okay, maybe I needed to start this conversation with what I knew. Hopefully, then we could skip more awkward questions.
“I’m adopted,” I admitted for the first time to a stranger. My hawk didn’t count. “I don’t know very much at all about my birth parents. I didn’t even know I was a witch until this weekend.”
Her brows rose. “Oh, my.”
Maybe she would realize I don't belong here and would send me home. That would be nice.
“We have quite a bit to cover, dear.” She picked up a notebook from the side table next to her. “What do you know about witches and Drexel Academy?”
My shoulders slumped. “Very little. I didn’t know witches or shifters or vampires existed until Saturday when I was told I was coming here. I packed up my suitcase and was on a plane within hours.”
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to tell her that. How did that fit in with the Stone Scholarship story? It wasn’t like they could get mad at me. They did a horrible job of explaining anything. If they spent more time talking and less time ignoring me, I might be a little more prepared.
She tapped her pen against the paper several times while watching me. “Sweet thing. You must be all sorts of confused. I can’t imagine how overwhelming this must be.”
My throat constricted. I didn’t want to cry in her office, but she was the first person to consider how I was handling this.
“I want to be here. I wanted to learn how to control the powers I have, but I don’t have any idea of what to expect or what I’m getting into.”
I wasn’t sure why I felt so comfortable opening up to her, but my gut told me I could trust her.
“Let’s fix that.” She smiled again. “I’ll start at the beginning. Does that sound okay?”
I nodded and relaxed into my seat.
“Drexel Academy is named after William Drexel. He was the first shifter to make a pact with the witches and vampires, thus establishing peace and unifying the supernatural world. He left his fortune to the improvement of interspecies relations and education, so this school was founded. It was the first of its kind, allowing all the species to gather and learn in the same place.”
I wondered if I shouldn’t grab a pen or take notes are something. The history was fascinating. “When did that happen?”
“The pact was formed in 1780 in Scotland. The school was built in 1842. While you will share some classes with shifters and vampires, there are specific courses for each species. I’ll let your counselor explain the class offerings in general, but as far as the witch curriculum, you should be able to create potions, cast spells, and learn to manage and manipulate your affinity by the end of your fourth year, which is your year. The goal for witches is to build to the point that you can cast a spell without speaking it as well as creating portals, animate objects. If you have any psychic abilities, then harness those to reveal information or see the future. You may find witches your age enjoy using their abilities to create potions and spells to treat blemishes, color hair, dry or style your hair quickly, and other things that simplify your life. Those are often easy spells taught at home, but since you come from a non-supernatural family, you will have to ask for help with those as they are not a part of the school’s curriculum.”
My mind was buzzing with the possibilities. I knew Hannah would be able to help me discover all the fun things I could do.
“Now, all witches can cast spells and brew potions, and most, but not all, have an innate power where they excel. We call those affinities, and they are based on the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space.”
“Just one of those?” Masie hadn’t warned me about that.
Mrs. Hedgings nodded, “Generally, yes. On the very rare occasion, a witch might have two.”
Her answer put me at ease, but this was yet another thing that made me different.
“Before we start, have you experienced anything that would lead you to believe you have an affinity?”
“Actually, I think I have two.”
She seemed shocked for a second before returning to her gentle smile. “Well then, let’s see.”
I followed her to a table with five boxes at the other end of the room. She went to the opposite side and stopped in front of the first box. “Let’s start with the easiest to identify.” She lifted the top and revealed a small planter with several flowers blooming. I wasn’t sure what to do, and I didn’t want to cause another earthquake.
“Hold your hand directly over the flowers.”
I lifted my right arm and hovered my palm a few inches over them.
Nothing happened for a few seconds, then all of the blossoms leaned in one direction, toward my hand. My eyes widened, and I wanted to pull away but didn’t move.
“Good.” She made a note and returned the cover before taking a step to the next one and lifted it. A bowl of water stood still. My heart pounded as I moved my hand over it. Was it going to shoot all over the room?
I sucked in a breath as the water rippled and droplets rose unti
l they touched my palm.
“Interesting.” She made another note, and I wiped my wet hand on my jeans as she continued down the line.
The next box held a candle, which she lit, and I returned my hand to the position. I waited, watching the flickering flame, but nothing else happened.
“Okay.” She blew it out. The next one was a glass cylinder with glitter in it. I stared at it, and she laughed lightly. “If you can manipulate air, the glitter will move. It’s the most obvious way to see movement.”
That made sense. I held my hand over it, but after about twenty seconds, nothing happened.
“This next one is different,” she began. “The ability to manipulate Space, or ether, used to be more common, but over the past two centuries, it’s become quite rare. It includes changing the weather, creating and removing light, and influencing gravity.”
This one sounded by far the most interesting, but I doubted I had it if it was so rare.
A light bulb sat on the table, and she turned it on. I put my palm over it and waited for something to happen. It dimmed for a second, then went back to normal. I sighed and dropped my arm. I waited for a reaction from her but she quickly added a note before returning her attention to me.
“It appears you were correct. You have two strong affinities.” She grinned. “That means you have twice as much to learn, but don’t let yourself worry. The academy is full of people who can help you.”
I hoped so. Otherwise, I’d be expelled by Christmas. As much as I already missed my family and wanted to go home, having confirmation that I belonged here made me determined to stay. I had to learn all I could so it would be safe for me to be around my family again.
“You can take this to your counselor, and he can get you in the right classes.” She handed me her notepaper, and I went back to the chair to add it to my folder.