Grave Digger Academy

by c a king

  “No, sir,” Makayla answered. “I mean yes, sir... I plan to join them. I am going to take the test, too.”

  “Then what in the blazes are you doing?” Woolly asked.

  Makayla glanced down at the paper on the desk before her. “Planning,” she squeaked, clearing her throat right after.

  “Let me see,” the professor demanded, snatching the pages. “Interesting,” he mumbled, reading over the scratchings she hadn’t realized she’d made. “This is a solid plan. Carry on.” The papers floated down in slow motion, returning to the exact spot from whence they came.

  Makayla blinked. The oval part of Woolly’s tattoo appeared to move in a most unnatural manner. That wasn’t the only odd thing either, somehow she’d managed to write five recipes—complete with time required to create them—without even realizing it. What was even stranger was the fact that several of the ingredients listed, she’d never even heard of before.

  She glanced over at Leo. If she could pull these off it would sky rocket her to the top of the class, putting her in the running for the coveted transfer. That in itself would be an accomplishment. She’d never been the best at anything before. Maybe the headmistress was right about her necklace.

  Hands rubbed together—a new confidence building. It was time to gather the items she required. Most of them needed to dry out over night, or longer, before they would be of any real use. The blood was the only item she was going to have a hard time finding. There wasn’t any in the storage room. Bats weren’t accessible in large quantities on the grounds. In fact, she only knew of one: in the headmistress’s office. Somehow she doubted Mary Meet was going to offer her beloved pet’s blood freely. That was problematic. It was a crucial component to a large piece of her main potion.

  The thought of drawing blood from any creature was unnerving—a bat was twice as bad. Makayla glanced around the room, wondering which of her peers might be easily convinced to help her do the deed. In the end the choice was obvious. Leo was the only one who had the nerve to see such a plan through to the end. The question was, would he help her if he knew what it was for? At the moment, he was civil to her. That was bound to change if he saw her as a threat to his plans for the future.

  Ingredient List

  Cinnamon

  Holly

  Birch

  Bat Blood

  Mandrake

  Sage

  Lavender

  Pomegranate oil

  Pennyroyal

  Rosemary

  Marigolds

  Apple blossoms

  Rowan branches and berries

  Chapter Fifteen

  A broom closet was the worst hiding place—all the cleaning supplies and equipment made it quite cramped—especially for two. In a pinch, however, it was the only place she could come up with. Lights out meant dorm wings were securely locked.

  “Not that I mind the close quarters, but tell me again why we are hanging out in the janitor’s closet?” Leo asked, keeping his chin up so their faces didn’t bump.

  “Because,” Makayla answered, pausing slightly before finishing the thought, “you want to prove I’m not evil. I think I might change your mind this evening. Either way, I need your help.”

  “That is a rather vague explanation, considering I am risking being expelled,” Leo complained. “Perhaps you could let me in on a few more details?”

  “Shh.” Makayla glanced at her watch, the face glowing green. “Only a few more seconds.” Breathing ceased as the hand ticked down the seconds. “There! Lights out. We should be good to go.” The closet opened, the handles of brooms attempting to trip the duo on their way out. They came crashing down all around them.

  “SHH!” Makayla hushed.

  “Are you talking to me or the brooms?” Leo snickered under his breath. “I know... keep it down. You’re no fun after dark.”

  “This isn’t supposed to be fun,” Makayla whispered. “We are on an important mission. Be serious.”

  “Where are we going?” Leo asked, keeping his voice low. “That might help me get into super spy mode.”

  “Mary Meet’s office.” Makayla kept walking, not needing or wanting to see his face. He hadn’t signed up for breaking and entering into the head of the academy’s room. The stairs appeared before anything else was said.

  “Are you crazy?” Leo complained, trying to keep his partner in crime in his sights. The stone spiral staircase had other ideas. “Wait!”

  As long as she was climbing, he continued to follow. That was the best she could hope for under the circumstances. Of course, there really wasn’t anywhere else for him to go. The point of no return came and went in the broom closet. They were both locked out of their sleeping quarters.

  Makayla paused at the top, catching her breath. Originally she planned to look for another way into the room—a magic way. That would have given Leo too much time to think about what they were doing and try to back out.

  “Are you going to answer me now?” Leo asked.

  Makayla jumped. He’d managed to sneak up behind her, hardly fazed by the climb. “I’ll explain inside,” she promised, jiggling the door handle. “It isn’t locked.”

  “What did you expect? No one in their right mind breaks into their headmistress’s office in the middle of the night,” Leo scoffed. “I must have lost my marbles, following you this far.”

  “We’ll be in and out,” Makayla promised, making the sign of an X with one finger over her chest. The door squeaked no louder than a mouse as she gently pushed it open. One hand motioned for him to follow her inside.

  “Are you going to tell me what we are doing here now?” Leo whispered.

  “I need you to hold that ladder,” she point to a wooden staircase on wheels, parked to one side of the room. “I have to climb to the rafters.”

  “What in the blazes for?” Leo questioned, upper lip raised slightly.

  Makayla pointed up with one finger. “That is what,” she replied. “I need to take a bit of its blood.”

  “You are completely mental, you know that?” Leo exclaimed. “You can’t steal blood form the headmistress’s pet bat.”

  “I have to,” Makayla argued. “If you won’t help me, I’ll do it myself.” Wheels rolled across the hardwood floor, stopping in the very centre of the room.

  “At least put the brake on,” Leo blurted out, rushing to stop her from falling. It was too late; she wobbled on the fourth step, the ladder moving as she climbed.

  “Ah!” Makayla yelled, tumbling backward.

  Outstretched arms did nothing to stop her fall. Instead she landed on top of her rescuer—the two ending up tangled in a pile on the floor.

  “Ow!” Leo complained. “I think someone might have heard that.”

  “Indeed,” the headmistress agreed. “Perhaps the two of you would like to explain what you are doing in my office after lights out?”

  “If I had a clue, I would,” Leo answered, rubbing his back.

  “It’s my fault,” Makayla blurted out. “Leo has no idea why he is here. I made him come along. I’m the one who should be punished.”

  “Be that as it may, you are both here,” Mary Meet commented. “Leo has his own mind and could quite easily have said no to joining you in your stroll through the night. Now, perhaps you’d like to explain why you are here.”

  Makayla glanced up.

  “Boris!” the headmistress squealed. “What in the moonlight do you want with my bat? Is this a school prank?”

  “No,” Makayla answered, gaze held on her own feet. “I was trying to get some bat blood. He’s the only bat I know of in the area.”

  “What?” the headmistress yelled. “Why in all the graves would you want bat blood? As a first-year student, I can’t even fathom how you’d know about blood magic.”

  Makayla sighed heavily. “It’s for Professor Woolly’s class. One of the potions I am working on requires it.”

  “Professor Woolly did tell us to be creative in finding anything he didn�
�t keep in his store room or gardens,” Leo blurted out.

  “Leo, you are dismissed,” the headmistress announced. “You’ll find the wing door open for you to return to your room. Don’t take any detours on the way, either. I’ll know if you do.” She waited for the door to close before taking a seat. “At this point, I need you to come clean. Where did you find out about using blood as part of a potion?”

  “I’m not sure,” Makayla answered, gnawing on a thumbnail. “It came to me in class while I was gazing at my pendant.”

  “Do you know how much blood you would need?” the headmistress inquired. She waited for a head shake to continue. “More than Boris could supply.” She sighed. “You are treading down a dangerous road, my dear. Blood magic and sacrifices are dark magic. The magical world doesn’t practice them anymore and with good reason. Nothing worthwhile can come from hurting living creatures.”

  “I had no idea. I figured a few drops would suffice and Boris wouldn’t be hurt,” Makayla admitted.

  “If only it were that simple,” Mary Meet huffed. “There was a time when animals were kept in confinement just to have their blood harvested. Innocents were slaughtered by the thousands in the name of the craft. That’s all over now.”

  “So all spells and rituals that involve blood are illegal?” Makayla questioned.

  “Using blood and harming the living is against the law,” the headmistress answered. “Not the magic itself.”

  “How can you brew the potions without the ingredients?” Makayla’s gaze left her feet. “Leaving one out could be disastrous.”

  “True,” the headmistress admitted. She leaned across the desk, lowering her voice slightly, “But substitutions are quite common. In this case, we use beet juice. It’s just as effective and the same colour.”

  “So I never needed bat blood at all,” Makayla mumbled. “I wonder why Professor Woolly didn’t tell me when he read my plan.”

  The headmistress straightened up. “He read it? Are you saying he knew what you were going to do?”

  “Indirectly,” Makayla said with a shoulder shrug. “He commented that I had a solid plan and should carry on. He must have known using blood was wrong.”

  “Indeed,” the headmistress agreed. “It does seem odd. Nevertheless, I am sure he will be just as happy with the outcome from the beet juice use. I think you should head off to bed now.”

  “Aren’t you going to expel me?” Makayla asked.

  “Not today,” the headmistress answered. “I think it is safer to keep you where I have one eye on you at all times. I will caution you, though. Dark magic can be alluring. Giving in to it is many a witch’s downfall. The Crones are quite strict when it comes to their laws.”

  “But if no one teaches us what is and isn’t considered dark magic, how are we to know the difference?” Makayla complained.

  “Hurt no one and nothing and you’ll be fine,” the headmistress suggested. “An eye for an eye isn’t a witch’s saying.”

  Makayla nodded in agreement, but at the same time figured there had to be more to it than just that. She vowed one day she’d fully understand.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Good afternoon!” Miss Tallen called out. “This is your final class of the semester and quite possibly the most important. The only other task you have will be finishing the potions test for Professor Woolly.”

  “What exactly will we be doing?” Frankie blurted out. “The course description we were provided is rather vague.”

  “In good time,” Miss Tallen answered. “In good time. Hurry up and settle in so we can begin. First, I’d like to direct your attention to the bags at the front of the room. There is one for each of you.”

  “What’s in them?” Sven asked, sniffling at the end of his words. The weather had turned from frigid to freezing over the past few days, leaving more than one student with a cough and sore throat. Sniffles thrived in subzero temperatures.

  “Supplies,” Miss Tallen answered. “Inside those packs you will find everything you need to survive in the wilderness. We are going to be discussing camping basics.” The class groaned. “Settle down.”

  “It’s freezing out,” Thomas complained. “You can’t be daft enough to send a bunch of kids out there to die. We haven’t even learned basic spells yet.”

  “That is exactly why I prepared the kits for each of you,” Miss Tallen boasted. “As I was explaining, you have everything you need to survive in the wild, in any weather. That includes snow and ice, Thomas.”

  “Why are we going camping at all?” Cali complained. “Couldn’t we rent a cottage, or perhaps a nice hotel room instead?”

  “Besides the fact that a witch’s best friend is nature,” Miss Tallen began, “you all need to find your helpers.”

  “I’m not sure we know what you mean,” Cali admitted, exchanging glances with Thomas. “What are helpers?”

  “I think Miss Tallen means familiars,” Leo replied in a matter-of-fact tone. “All witches have one.”

  “Not exactly,” Miss Tallen snickered. “Grave digger helpers are more than regular familiars in many ways. They are your partners from the moment you first meet. The sooner you match up with one, the faster your camping trip will end.”

  “And how do we find them?” Thomas asked.

  “You don’t,” Miss Tallen replied. “They come to you. Once they first present themselves, they are bonded to you and henceforth will appear at your side in the most desperate of times. Some may chose to live with you. Others will keep a watchful eye, even when you are not together.”

  “And what do they do?” Thomas asked, scratching his head. “I mean, why do we need one? Is it a requirement?”

  “It most certainly is,” Miss Tallen screeched. “I can’t imagine what a grave digger would do without one. They are one of our greatest assets. You’ll learn more after you have partnered up with your own.”

  “Each of us will have one?” Makayla asked.

  “Yes,” Miss Tallen answered. “For every grave digger there is at least one helper. The species may vary, of course.”

  “At least one,” Makayla repeated. “Does that mean we could have more than one? Do we wait to see if there are more?”

  The instructor inhaled deeply. “It’s rare, but possible. I wouldn’t get any hopes up. I only know of a handful of cases off the top of my head in which a witch can boast of having two or more helpers. I suggest you head straight back after connecting with one. There will be hot tea waiting.”

  “Will we be safe?” Cali asked. “How long will we be out there?”

  “You’ll be out there as long as it takes,” Miss Tallen snapped. “Each of you must find a helper before returning to the school. They generally don’t appear until the sun is down. That’s all I can tell you.”

  “We can stick together, I suppose,” Thomas suggested. “There is safety in numbers... and warmth.”

  “Absolutely not,” Miss Tallen blurted out. “Helpers only present themselves to those who are alone. You will all go into the woods, but I suggest strongly you keep your distance from each other. This is a solo quest.”

  “Is there anything we can do to speed up the process?” Thomas scoffed.

  “Yes,” Miss Tallen replied. “Stop whining. Helpers hate complainers. All of you have half an hour to change and pick up what you need from your rooms. We’ll meet at the back doors in the left wing.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The word cold wasn’t strong enough. Jack Frost was in the house—or out of it—depending on how one looked at things. Either way, gusty winds slapped chills straight down to the bone. Not even three extra layers of clothing helped. Teeth chattered as Makayla hopped from one foot to the other. That simple exercise wasn’t easy, either, a layer of ice had formed over the grass, making it both crunchy and slippery at the same time.

  Out the back entrance of the academy was a whole new world waiting to be discovered, one that, up until that moment, Makayla had completely ignored. She wasn
’t the only student, either. Most of them hadn’t ventured past the centre courtyard—even that was barely used.

  “There it is,” Miss Tallen announced from the door. “Go on and find your helpers. I’ll be waiting inside.”

  “With a hot cup of tea, no doubt,” Cali mumbled under her breath. “She should have to stay in the cold with us. That would be the responsible thing to do.”

  “You forgot the biscuits,” Thomas added. “And all while we starve and possibly freeze to death. It’ll be next spring in the thaw before they find us.”

  “Thanks for the pleasant thought,” Cali groaned. “See you next spring.” She headed off toward the line of thick trees.

  “I still think we should stick together,” Thomas called out, scurrying after her. “Let’s implement the buddy system.”

  “No way,” Cali answered. “I’m not staying out here any longer than I have to. Sorry, Thomas, but keep away until this is over.”

  The pout of Thomas’s face was worse than puppy dog eyes glaring at a treat. Head hung low; he stepped into the bush, running back two seconds later with lips curled up and a squirrel on his shoulder. “He’s a helper, right?”

  Makayla shrugged her shoulders. The truth of the matter was none of them knew the answer. They were as ill-prepared for this mission as they were for casting magic. “Maybe you should ask Miss Tallen,” she suggested. It was her turn to head into the wild. The others had disappeared into the woods already.

  The only thing good about being inside the forest was the treeline blocked the blistery wind. The bad part was how much more creepy everything seemed alone in the dwindling light. Shadows became monsters and snapping twigs the heavy foot of a serial killer. Imagination was man’s worst friend. Hopefully, a new best friend would show its colours early enough to save her toes from turning black and blue with frostbite.

  Makayla settled in, attempting to set up a tent first. After failing to drive the stakes in the ground a few times, she wrapped the material around herself as a blanket instead. A fire was next in line on her survival plan. She riffled through the contents of the pack, coming up empty. Of course no one would consider matches or a lighter as a must-have for camping.