by Megan Linski
But when I rounded the corner to do just that, I saw a plethora of guards around the barrel where I’d hid the hook. I couldn’t get to it. I either had to find my way around the guards, or risk falling to my death climbing up the tower without assistance.
I chose risking the fall. There were too many guards to sneak past, and if I was caught as the Phantom, there went my chances of participating in the King’s Contest— not to mention guaranteed prison time. Vigilantes were outlawed in Dolinska. I wasted no time and started climbing. I had to stick to the wall and stay still a few times as searchlights from the Marked passed me by, but with luck, no one saw me. Thank Luka. The thief god was on my side tonight.
I nearly slipped a few times on my way up. Damn prosthetic. Once, a stone on the side of the tower crumbled beneath my feet, and I was left hanging by one arm.
I wasn’t about to quit and forced myself to haul my body higher. At this point, my arms were shaking. My energy had nearly given out. I was nearly going to let myself fall until the memory of Lucien’s determined words kept me going. I forced myself to climb until I had reached my bedroom window, and pulled myself in. A Marked’s searchlight passed by the window just as I slid safely inside.
I laid on the rug in my room, spread out on the floor and panting for breath. Not having wings was really getting in the way of my life. I hoped I’d be blessed with them soon.
I remained on the floor, too nervous to even breathe. Eventually, an hour passed and the search was called off. I let out a sigh of relief. My identity was safe. The true name of the vigilante the city called the Phantom would remain a mystery.
My back cracked as I got off the hard floor, and I groaned. I removed the mask and cloak, shoved them into a drawer, and fell on my bed face-first. Dawn was in a few hours. I only had a little time to get some sleep before I’d have to report to Arcanea University in the morning.
But a bit of lost sleep was well worth the city’s safety. If I couldn’t be king right at this moment, I’d do what I could to protect the Arcanea in the meantime. This was the only way I could restore my honor, and fix what I’d done by killing the king. While the city slept and the throne was still uncertain, the Phantom would guard the streets, and keep the people free from danger until the King’s Contest was done.
I just hoped I could keep my identity safe until then.
Chapter Six
Emma
If I expected Lady Magdalina to escort me to Arcanea University, I was sorely mistaken. She rode with me and my mom in the car to Detroit Metropolitan Airport before handing me my flight ticket and wishing me farewell, saying she had more business to do in America before the semester at the university began.
I’d never ridden in a plane by myself before, but I had no choice, and Lady Magdalina made it obvious she expected me to handle it. I said a tearful goodbye to my mom at airport security, then proceeded forward, dragging my suitcase behind me and feeling like all the world was ahead of me.
My heartbeat was pounding in my chest. I felt like I was walking on air. Even though I was leaving everything I knew behind, it was to experience a brand-new world. Who knew what waited for me on the other side?
When the airplane came in, I found myself staring slack-jawed at the biggest and fanciest jetliner I’d ever seen. The side of it read Malovian Airlines. When I stepped inside the plane, I was greeted with velvet red carpet and private drink coolers for every reclining seat. The plane even had a bar. It was very different from the rickety planes me and Mom usually took on vacation.
I was shocked when the airline hostess led me to a very cushy seat right up front in First Class, one that extended to become a bed. I was given a sparkling water and a fancy dinner of slow-braised steak and asparagus. Hot towels were distributed at my request. The seat came with a TV that had unlimited movies. Apparently, Lady Magdalina only flew in style. Hell, if all Arcanea lived like this, I could get used to it. Lady Magdalina had hinted they only liked the best of the best.
The red-eye from Detroit to Malovia was pretty quiet, and due to the swanky seats in First Class, I slept through most of the twelve-hour flight. I woke up well-rested when the plane landed at eight in the morning. Longing for a bath, I grabbed my suitcase and made my way off the plane, thankful I’d managed to avoid baggage claim.
The airport was directly connected to the train station that would take me the rest of the way to the school. I momentarily panicked for a moment when I closed my passport and made my way out of international arrivals— I was in a foreign country, by myself, with no knowledge of the language or people. Arrivals and departures were announced heavily over the loudspeakers in words I didn’t understand. I was way out of my element.
Dozens of well-dressed people passed me by, but no one stopped to offer me directions. They mostly moved around me like I wasn’t even there. I wanted to ask for help, but I didn’t know if anyone in Malovia knew English.
I felt like my red hair put me out of place. Most people around here had either brunette or black hair, and dark eyes, not green ones. I took a look at all the women dressed in long wool coats, mink hats, and high-heeled fall boots. I wished I had worn something a little more formal than designer sweats, fur boots, leg warmers, and a grey parka.
I was totally out of place here. Magdalina had told me that Malovia would be my home. How could it be? This was a nice place to vacation, but not to stay. I didn’t belong here.
I told myself to snap out of it. Magdalina said I was an Arcanea. I was one of them. I belonged here just as much as any of them did. Time to buck up.
Thankfully, most of the boards that showed directions to the different trains were written in Malovian and English. I read my directions to my train, Railway 5, and felt relieved when I approached the boarding site and saw a sign stating that the train was headed to Arcanea University.
I waited on the platform anxiously. I expected some official to come out of nowhere and say that I wasn’t supposed to be here— that I was an American and I needed to go back home— but no one did.
After ten minutes or so, I heard a loud train whistle. I turned, and my mouth dropped open as I watched a massive modern train proceed toward me. The train was made of glass, and edged with gold trim. It blew back my hair as it came rushing into the station and made an abrupt stop. On the side of the train were the words, The Malovian Railway.
I took a look at the map. The Malovian Railway had multiple tracks running all around Europe, but only one took you to Arcanea University. I gave them my pass and was directed to the back of the train, where the students usually sat.
Damn. This train was swanky. The walls were made of dark hardwood, the floors a carpet that was an intricate pattern of red and gold. Paintings hung on the hallway walls in silver frames, and miniature chandeliers lit the way down the long hallway to my cabin. Beautiful women with curled hair and painted faces carried trays of champagne and caviar up and down the aisles.
I was handed another glass of champagne by a smiling assistant. I didn’t know what else to do, so I sipped at it politely. Growing up in figure skating, I’d grown used to being around people who had a lot of money, but this was a bit over the top, even for me.
I sighed with relief when I collapsed into my cabin and shut the glass door behind me. I sat on the velvet seats and opened the Malovian travel guide that Magdalina had given me. I shuffled through the pages. My destination was a little over an hour away. The train would eventually stop in a city called Dolinska, Malovia’s capital. From there, it was only a short walk to the university.
Thank God. I really didn’t want to drag my bag all the way there.
I looked out the window, watching Malovia’s green hills and white mountains roll by. The landscape here was certainly breathtaking— the trees a mixture of dark green coniferous pines and deciduous trees that were already showing off a vibrant display of orange, yellow, and red leaves. Everywhere I looked there were beautiful, cascading waterfalls and crystal streams that glistened like
sapphires as the water rolled down over the sharp rocks that coated the valleys. The skies were mostly gray overhead, coated in clouds, though shimmering yellow sunlight broke through patches every now and then and lit up the landscape in a beautiful halo, like a blessing straight from the heavens. It was the kind of place that seemed like it was always dawn, or always sunset. Eventually, the valleys changed into tall mountains with icy caps that spread in both directions as far as the eye could see.
Malovia looked like a fairy-tale land. Even though I lived here now, it still seemed like my arrival here was a dream.
I was surprised it wasn’t snowing. It was only early September, but there was already a chill that permeated the air. Bits of frost were starting to fog around my train window, creating intricate patterns that I brushed my finger over. I was glad I’d packed an extra jacket. Malovia was the kind of place where it stayed cold all year round.
After awhile, I got a little hungry. I left my bag in my cabin and went looking for something to eat.
The train was massive. I totally got lost in a matter of seconds. I found a golden door that I thought led to the cafe— but when I opened it, my jaw dropped open.
People were walking around in freaking swimsuits. Pools of hot water were built into the floor, and a cascading waterfall fell from thirty feet above. Tropical plants bloomed everywhere, and the air around me felt muggy and hot— ninety degrees or more. It was nothing like the chilly Malovian atmosphere I’d only experienced seconds before. People swam in the steamy pools underneath blazing sunlight, and I heard the singing of tropical birds in the background. It was like I’d walked straight into South America.
How could you have an entire hot spring in the middle of a train? With a glance down, I saw with a jolt that my normal clothes had vanished, replaced by a bikini that showed way too much skin.
It must be illusion magic, right? That was the only explanation I could think of. This stuff wasn’t real— it just tricked your brain into thinking it was.
Feeling off, I left the room and returned back to the main hall. Once I closed the door behind me, the swim suit disappeared and my clothes returned.
I really had to get used to this place. I resumed my mission of looking for the cafe, though I was careful not to open any more doors that I passed.
Finally, I found the cafe, sitting at the front of the train. This time of day, they were selling pastries. The glass case encompassed a variety of delicious cupcakes and cookies, each one looking more perfect and savory than the last.
“What can I get you?” the attendant asked from behind the counter. She had a thick Slavic accent, and my God, she was gorgeous. Her sleek dark hair and blue eyes were perfectly accented by the railway uniform she wore. She could be a freaking model.
“You speak English?” I asked in surprise.
She bobbed her head. “Yes. American, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” I confessed nervously. “It’s my first time out of the country. I worried I wouldn’t be able to communicate with anyone.”
The attendant smiled kindly. “Everyone in Malovia has to study English in high school. It’s the language classes at the university are taught in. I’m assuming you’re a student?”
I bobbed my head. It was a relief to know that I wouldn’t have to learn an entirely new language overnight while attending Arcanea University.
“Most Arcanea speak Malovian only in their own homes. I’m certain you’ll be fine,” she stated. She tilted her head, then added, “You seem a little pale.”
“I just walked into some sort of hot springs room. I’m new to illusion magic, so it was a little unexpected.” I gave a nervous laugh.
“The Malovian Railway has several enchanted illusion rooms for our guests to enjoy,” she replied. “Besides the room with the hot springs, there’s also a ski resort room, a water park, and a mini shopping center, as well as sleeping cabins for guests taking longer journeys. The illusions help to pass the time while traveling.”
“Thanks for explaining all this to me.” I felt way behind. I hoped I could catch up, but at the same time, I was relieved that everyone spoke English and I wouldn’t be totally lost here.
I bought a cherry pastry, then headed back to my cabin. I thought the pastry was another illusion, until I licked the sugar off the top and decided it definitely had to be real.
In the hallway, I noticed a girl walking by. She had sleek brunette hair, and makeup done to perfection. She was wearing a crisp outfit that looked like it’d come from the pages of a magazine, and high heels.
Two girls followed behind her, identical twins. They were dressed similarly to the other girl, who’d I worked out was the head bitch, and were very tall. They had hooded eyes and square faces.
I was so busy looking at them that I didn’t realize where I was going. The train jerked to the side unexpectedly, and I slammed right into the leader. My cherry pastry smeared all over the front of her outfit.
The girl gave a gasp and jumped backward, shaking her hands. Shit. I’d just ruined her designer tee. My mouth opened to apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you.”
The girl glared at me. In a thick accent, she said, “Are you serious? Can’t you watch where you’re going?”
The girl waved a hand. The jelly on her shirt vanished instantly, and I had to blink twice. Did I just see that?
I realized that I was in a place where magic was real, and people probably did this all the time. I bet I looked really stupid in that moment.
The girl was giving me a stare at my astounded look. I quickly rearranged my face and said, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to bump into you.”
“It doesn’t matter if you didn’t mean it, it happened anyway,” the girl bit back. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, otherwise, you’d be paying me for my shirt.”
Wow, okay. She didn’t want to play nice. That was fine. I was good at that, too. “I apologize. But to make up for it, do you mind if I buy you some manners, or common decency? You’re obviously in need of some.”
The girl’s mouth dropped open again, and the twins gasped behind her. I gave her a smirk. Yeah, I knew how to play this game. Very well, in fact.
“You look like a student,” the girl started. “But I’ve never seen you before.”
“Yeah, I’m not from around here.” I gave a casual shrug.
“Obviously.” The girl raised a sneer. “I’m Gabriella Ciar. Gabby for short. This is my first year at Arcanea University. Yours as well?”
“Yes.” I didn’t give her specifics, but my accent gave me away.
“You’re an American.” Gabby narrowed her eyes. “I just got back from vacationing in Ibiza. Italy’s amazing. I expect you’ve never been out of the country. You’ve got a lost puppy-dog look about you.”
One of the twins made barked behind her hand. The other laughed. My, they had this down to a system, didn’t they? I wasn’t impressed.
“Morgan, don’t embarrass me,” Gabby snapped. She rolled her eyes. “Your taunts are like a child’s. Get some class.”
Morgan cringed. The other twin reached out to touch her sister’s arm, but Morgan yanked it away.
“I’m fine, Melissa,” she mumbled. Melissa frowned and stared at the carpet. Gabby smiled slightly.
I was able to tell them apart now, because I noticed Morgan had a tiny scar around her eyebrow that Melissa didn’t have. It had also taken me two minutes of conversation to see that Gabby often pitted them against each other. What a great friend.
Gabby crossed her arms. “Since you don’t know, let me give you the rundown of how things work around here,” she snarled. “My family has power. Since I don’t know who you are and have never heard of you, I’m guessing you’re a nobody. That makes you not worth my time. So stay out of my way, or I’ll make you.”
“She’ll probably bond with a weak Companion,” Melissa suggested. Morgan giggled.
“As long as she doesn’t bond with any one decent,” Gabby added. “I’l
l let you know right now, the top picks of the men are mine. You can have the scraps once I’m done choosing. My family’s been waiting for me to make my match for years, and you can be sure I’ll have the best mate.”
I drew myself up straight. No way was I going to let this go down without a fight. My bite was worse than my bark. “Those are a lot of tough words. Sure you can back them up?”
Gabby scoffed. “Please. Can you even do magic?” Gabby raised an eyebrow. Her two clones did the same behind her. Holy hell, did she program these girls to follow her around and copy her every move?
“Not yet,” I said. “But it’s probably best you have a head start, because it won’t be long before I embarrass you with what I can do.”
Gabby’s mouth opened slightly. Yeah, I said it. Didn’t regret it, either. Girls at the rink back home knew better than to mess with me. She’d learn, too. I didn’t have any idea how to do magic— wasn’t even sure if I’d be good at it. But I wasn’t about to let this girl push me around.
Gabby quickly rearranged her face and sneered. “You’re overconfident. Let’s see how long it lasts. The new meat doesn’t last long around here.”
She shoved past me. Her friends followed, their noses turned up so high that if it was raining they’d drown.
Great. Gabby was the first person I’d managed to meet in this place who went to my school, and she was a total bitch. I hoped not all Arcanea were like that, but I didn’t count on anyone being friendly. I was an outsider, after all.
Calm down, Emma. Day one, and I was already making enemies. It was so like me. My presence was usually enough by itself to piss people off. I couldn’t lie when I said I liked starting trouble. I had a problem keeping a handle on my big mouth. It liked to open before my brain usually caught up with it. Oops. Sorry, not sorry. I’d learned a long time ago that if you wanted to survive, you had to fend for yourself or get eaten alive.
I wondered what she’d said about Companions. Gabby acted like she was going to waltz into school and handpick the best guy to be her mate, but according to Lady Magdalina, that’s not how it worked. You didn’t choose your mate; the magic chose for you. It was supposed to be some deep, everlasting bond that transcended the laws of nature or some shit like that.