Nightworld Academy Box Set 1

by L. J. Swallow

  He’s different. Not in a good or a bad way, just different. More confident. Less ready to bow down to people. Strangely, Jamie spends more time with Katherine, and I’ve questioned why he allows Katherine to coerce him into writing her assignments.

  He won’t tell me, but she has a hold on him about something.

  Ash is busy with end of term rugby matches and around less too, and he’s more subdued since the night his body started to shift. I heard some of the team tease him about taking extra meditation classes, and I’ve also seen him with Tranquility potions. From what I hear, these are affecting his performance in the matches too. I once asked Ash how many he’s taking and he brushed me off, claiming they’re not addictive.

  I stay by his side at parties, or anywhere alcohol is involved in case that triggers him. The rumours about us grow as our focus on each other does. Truthfully, I’m scared to leave Ash alone and risk losing him to the fate Tobias warned him of.

  I bowed out of the committee—Amelia’s heart was in the right place over asking me to join, but I can’t with Katherine. I promised Amelia I’d become more involved next term, once the academy started team games. So far, Amelia is vague, telling me the competitions vary year to year but are a mixture of magical and physical.

  After a term here, I’m more accepting but still feeling my way through my new life. For now, I’ll deal with the weird social mix of magic and normality that’s the Winter Ball.

  Amelia spends an hour on my make-up, protesting she needs practice and I’m the perfect canvas. I’m impressed and a little shocked by how different I look once she’s finished covering my face with primer, concealer, and shading and goodness knows what, plus more eye make-up and lipstick than I’ve ever worn.

  Amelia insisted I didn't watch her, and I was apprehensive about looking at myself in the mirror after she finished.

  “Whoa,” I say. “That’s amazing. I don’t look like me.”

  “Who needs transformation potions?” Amelia winks at me as she applies the first layer of make-up to her cheeks.

  While she works on herself, I locate the dress I’ve not touched since the day I brought it here from the shops, on the day I learned my powers stretched further than I realised. The images haunted me for some time—imagining a child’s body on the road isn’t something that leaves the mind quickly. With Sofia’s help, I’ve learned what to look for and target in people’s minds. How will I react with people unaware I’m invading them?

  If I were a worse person, the damage I could choose to do to people is unthinkable.

  The dress fits as perfectly as the first time I wore it, and the silver earrings and necklace pick out the shine to the blue material. By the time I’ve slipped on my heels and pulled on the fur-fringed bolero jacket, I barely recognise the girl who usually wears a uniform or jeans.

  “Maeve, you look amazing,” enthuses Amelia. She takes hold of the silver headband encrusted with gems and carefully places it on my head. Amelia spent as much time turning my straight, flat hair into a style filled with volume and waves as she did transforming my face. Stepping back, she looks proudly at her finished masterpiece. “Wow. You’ll knock Katherine out of the water.”

  “I don’t want to,” I say in panic. “She needs to win best dressed.”

  Amelia snorts. “She’ll have the result rigged. Besides, that won’t stop you being the most stunning girl there.”

  I gesture at Amelia as she pulls on her red dress. Not only did she mend the zip, but she also added some touches of her own, as she embroidered the bodice in silver thread. “You look amazing too.”

  Her mouth turns down. “A shame I don’t have a date.”

  “Come on, the four of us are attending together,” I remind her. “We’re one big date.”

  She picks up a small clutch bag and plays with the catch. “I wish Matt were here.”

  What do I say? I struggle with the situation. My understanding is Amelia should forget Matt because he’ll never return, but once when she’d drunk too much, Amelia told me more of their story and how connected they were.

  Does that explain the whispered, one-sided conversations she has with herself sometimes? Is she connecting with and talking to Matt, but accidentally speaking out loud?

  “Jamie told me you picked out his suit,” I say.

  Her smile returns. “And Ash’s. Seriously, the guys have no clue.” She picks her phone up to place in the bag. “Ah, crap. I’m late. I need to finish tonight’s decorations.”

  “The snow?” I pull the jacket tighter and rub my nose against the faux fur. “I’m glad I’m wrapped up in this.”

  “Ice sculptures,” she says. “And maybe a little snow. I told Jamie to meet you here and then I’ll catch you both and Ash outside the hall later.”

  Amelia dashes away and I sigh. This girl always operates twice as fast as anyone else I know. Perhaps if she slowed down, her magic would improve.

  But who am I to judge?

  I’m staring at myself in the mirror when somebody knocks on the door and my stomach flutters. How will people react to me looking like this?

  Jamie stands outside looking down as he straightens his sleeves. Amelia succeeded in her task to make him presentable. He wears a dark blue suit and a shirt beneath that I can’t help notice matches the colour of my dress. Nice one Amelia. He’s clean-shaven and his hair tamed for once. This guy is attractive in an understated way in his everyday clothes, but put him in a suit and he jumps up several notches on the hotness scale.

  Jamie looks up and his eyes are a deeper colour, the cerulean blue accentuated by his shirt colour.

  He reflects my surprise.

  “What in the stars' name did Amelia do to you?” he asks, mouth remaining parted.

  Well that wasn’t what I expected. “Too much?” I pat my hair. Crap.

  “No, you look amazing. Wow, Maeve.” His eyes search my face and then unsubtly trail along my body before he blinks and looks back to me. He nods at my shoes. “You’ll break your neck in those.”

  I laugh and push his arm. “Ever practical, Jamie.”

  He tips his head. Jamie’s face looks strange without the fringe flopping into his eyes, sharpening the killer cheekbones and angular jaw.

  “You’re as tall as me in those,” he says.

  “I guess we’ll see eye to eye for the first time in a while.” I step towards him and we do.

  He immediately looks away. “What time are we meeting the others?”

  “Ten minutes.”

  The walk from the Walcott house to the dance hall takes us past couples holding hands, which leads to intense awkwardness between us. Eventually, Jamie loops his little finger around mine by our sides, and watches for my reaction. With a shake of my head, I move my hand into his.

  Our held hands attract attention as we walk through the main academy building towards the hall. My old school will be decorated in garish human Christmas decorations at this time of year; the academy has subtle bunches of mistletoe and holly, and the smell of cedar and allspice for the witches celebrating Yule. Although, Katherine’s dance posters cover more space than anything decorative.

  My grip on Jamie’s hand is partly due to lack of practice in heels, and his grip tightens as we move to a shiny floor in the academy hallway. I’m too busy watching my feet when we reach the open double doors to the dance and pay little attention to those around.

  “Maeve. What a marvellous effort you’ve made.” I meet Katherine’s eyes as I look up.

  Her make-up has transformed her lamia beauty into film star looks, including the hair extensions carefully woven into place. Her figure-hugging gold dress reaches her knees and her jewellery isn’t cheap snowflakes from a local shop. A diamond tiara sits in her hair, the most subtle thing about her, and the gems around her neck pick up the light. The rainbows thrown from the diamonds and sapphires match the colours she insisted on for the ball.

  Katherine is as big a decoration as anything else around us.

&nbs
p; “You look amazing,” I say with genuine awe, ignoring her using the word ‘effort’.

  Katherine waves a hand at me in mock humbleness. “Oh, this didn’t take long. But look at you! You must’ve taken a long time to make yourself look the way you do, but it does suit you.”

  I force a smile at her back-handed compliment. Her eyes slide to where Jamie’s hand is in mine.

  “I thought you didn’t have a date, Maeve? Amelia said you couldn’t choose.” Her laugh tinkles around us. “I always find that’s a nice problem to have. Where’s Ash?”

  Jamie drops my hand and shoves both into his trouser pockets. “What’s that?” he nods at a basket, held by a committee member in an understated black dress, naturally eclipsed by Katherine.

  “These? I thought everybody could pin one of the beautiful sprigs of holly to their outfits.”

  He picks one from the basket and examines it. “What have you added to the flower?”

  “Nothing,” she gasps. “I’m not a witch, I can’t create magic in nature, silly.”

  “Yes, but you know plenty of witches,” he mutters.

  She snatches the sprig from him. “You don’t need to wear one. I won’t force you.”

  “Good. Because I’m not.”

  She looks down at him. “Touchy tonight, aren’t we? Maybe don’t lose your temper, Jamie. We both know that won’t end well for you.”

  I blink my heavy eyelashes. Does Katherine know about Jamie?

  I’m distracted as Ash crosses the tiled floor towards us, and he stuns me as much as Jamie did. I’m amazed by what a well-cut suit does to a guy. He’s unshaven, as are other shifters milling around, and this small hint of the rough that’s hidden beneath the civilised sends a shiver through me.

  Now I know why I couldn’t pick one or the other as my date.

  I’d lied to myself that the reason was because I didn’t want to upset either of the two guys, but to be honest I want them both.

  Hell, lamia do it, why can’t I?

  Uh, Maeve, because the guys probably don’t want to.

  I’m amused when we share the same reaction to each other as me and Jamie. Ash runs a large hand across the top of his head, mussing his carefully styled hair. “Uh. Wow.”

  “You look good, Ash,” pipes up Katherine from beside me as she bites her lip coyly.

  “Thanks.”

  I cringe as Katherine waits for a compliment that doesn’t come. I widen my eyes at him and mouth her name.

  “Oh. Um. Looking good, Katherine.” He grabs a sprig from her basket and walks through the door. “Even for a lamia.”

  I follow him through the doorway with Jamie behind and immediately halt.

  Wow.

  Chapter Forty-One

  MAEVE

  The room is a literal winter wonderland. Ice sculptures, trees covered in snow and twinkling lights with more flakes falling around. In one section, Amelia stands with concentration on her face as she makes shapes in the air, creating sculptures of dragons and unicorns.

  A band stands on stage, performing loud songs that I don’t recognise. I’m impressed by the male singer’s voice and amused by the guitarist bouncing around on stage, oblivious to those around. I can’t remember the last time I watched live music.

  The lights above us hang in the air like multi-coloured jack o’ lanterns, and float around the room. Amelia’s human touches mingle in with the magic—tinsel garlands around doorways and multi-coloured fairy lights loop along the edge of the stage.

  “That’s not very festive.” I indicate the stage, where scorch marks cover the floor. “What happened?”

  “There was a fire,” says Jamie. “Don’t mention anything to Amelia. Matt started the blaze and damaged the school.”

  I nod and glance at Amelia, who’s drawing more patterns in the air to add decoration to the sculptures.

  Round tables surrounded by chairs and decorated with blue and silver ribbons circle the hall. A group of Petrescu kids at one table gaze blankly, some with arms crossed and others with feet on chairs. They pass a bottle between each other. Okay, so professors don’t care about alcohol—or whatever they’re drinking.

  I peer into the shadowed corner to pick out Andrei, but he’s not with them.

  “They look excited to be here,” I say to Ash with a chuckle.

  “Nah, they’re probably forced here by Katherine for extra votes to be sure she wins.”

  I continue my wonderment as I look around the dance hall. The lights strobing across the band grow brighter, and the band stops playing, greeted with claps and cheers from dancers.

  Something else wondrous catches my eye, and I laugh. “Omigod has Katherine made thrones out of ice?”

  “I think that was Rachael.”

  Two glacial blue thrones, carved as if they were made from wood, are centre stage. The academy crests are visible across the high backs, and the arms appear inlaid with golds and blues. Colours to match Katherine tonight.

  “I definitely don't want to win as Winter Queen now. I’ll get a cold backside if I sit on those.” I rub my arms. Through the jacket I’m still cold, and the room won’t warm up when filled with snow and ice. Katherine has water witches on shifts to ensure everything remains frozen.

  Jamie laughs at me and links his arm with mine.

  The reason the band stopped playing steps onto stage. Katherine shimmies across to the band, takes the mic from the tall lead singer, and clears her throat.

  “Welcome to the Winter Ball. The king and queen will be announced at the end of the evening. Until then, enjoy.”

  Clapping is drowned out by the band playing again. Amelia appears from nowhere, dances in front of us and tugs Ash by the hand, straight into the throng. I look at a bemused Jamie.

  What did I expect a dance at a supernatural academy to be like? Truthfully, something resembling a Halloween ball.

  This? Like much at the academy, tonight is a bizarre mix between human and supernatural. One where girls wearing carefully chosen dresses dance with friends, passing tables where vampires sit with potions. A dance inside a hall decorated with banners welcoming attendees to the Winter Ball, beside real snow dusting ice sculptures created by witches.

  I stand in the midst of everything and try to comprehend that I’ve spent the last few months here. The academy finally feels like the place I belong.

  I head towards one of the tables and sit while Jamie heads away to find a drink. I smile at the silver confetti of stars and reindeers and pick some up to sprinkle through my fingers.

  Amelia and Katherine debated whether Amelia could place Christmas themed hats on the table. Amelia lost, naturally.

  Is there any supervision by staff? I scout the room and spot Sofia at a table with some Walcott girls. A glance to the opposite end of the room reveals Tobias, resting against the wall with his hands in his pockets. I can’t see his face, but I’d bet he’s bored.

  Jamie reappears and places two tall-stemmed glasses on the table. I sniff the swirling blue and yellow contents.

  “Don't worry, that’s just juice. Nothing magical or alcoholic.” Jamie sips his.

  “Are students allowed alcohol?” I ask and point at the Petrescu table.

  “Not really, but I expect the professors will ignore them. Unless they get out of hand, in which case they’ll be ejected.” He inclines his head. “Those guys are probably drinking Euphoria potions, not alcohol. That’s more potent for vampires.”

  I squint into the dark. “Is that the three guys who walked into the Gilgamesh common room?”

  Jamie nods. “Yes. They’d better not cause trouble.”

  “I’m sure Tobias can deal with them.”

  “I expect that’s why he’s forced to come—to keep an eye on his students.” He looks over his shoulder at the professor. “Tobias doesn’t look happy to be here.”

  “If I were a century-old vampire, I wouldn’t want to be either.”

  Jamie frowns. “Huh? Who told you that?”

&
nbsp; “Tobias. He told me he’s worked here seventy years, so I figured he must be close to a hundred.”

  “Um. No. He hasn’t. Tobias is a born vampire, like Andrei and Katherine. He’s the age he looks—twenty-five at the most, I think, but it’s hard to tell with vamps and their ‘perfect’ faces.”

  I barely hear his words as I stare back at Tobias through new eyes, my heart beating with a mixture of confusion and anger. Why did Tobias lie to me about his age?

  “Does everybody know?” I ask feeling stupid.

  “No. Katherine told me, because you know how she likes to hold all the information about the academy. Sometimes her big mouth leaks.”

  I snicker. “I’m sure.”

  He winks. “Being her slave has its uses sometimes.”

  “Jamie...”

  “Kidding. Theodora decided Tobias would struggle with authority in class, if students knew his age and length of time teaching. He’s taught at the academy two years, not seventy. This is a two-year study program—no current students know.”

  I’m speechless as I continue to stare at Tobias. I’ve tried to ignore and hide my suspicions of this new world and the people in it, but this adds another layer to him.

  “Do other staff members know?”

  He shrugs. “Probably. I’m not supposed to know, so I never asked them.”

  Tobias pulls himself from the wall and walks past our table towards the Petrescu kids. I watch his graceful movements, looking at the guy who sends my pulse haywire, but in a new light.

  One that blinds me so I can’t see the truth.

  Is he a danger to me?

  Chapter Forty-Two

  ANDREI

  The Petrescu guys, who like to think they’re the ones at academy not to be messed with, have plans tonight. They long since stopped asking me to help their destructive, immature behaviour, although some think I associate with them.

  They’ve goaded Katherine about the Winter Ball for weeks—this trio are the only students in Petrescu who don’t look up to her, especially since she hooked up with a shifter. Most don’t know how she keeps the three guys in line, but I do.