“I’m sorry I stole you away from all the other boys all night.”
Alison giggled. “Oh, yeah, you really upset my dance card. Didn’t you see the line of men waiting to take a twirl with me? I mean, how could you do that to them?”
Tanner laughed. “I know. I’ll have to give out some ‘I’m sorry’ cards tomorrow.”
“At least you are a gentleman about it.” She smirked. “Did you go to dances at your other school?”
“Uh, one. I went to one, but they had this strict rule about how close you could dance and they played country western all night, so I sat out the rest of them.”
“What? No cowboy boots and hat in your closet?”
“Uhhh, no.” He grinned.
“Well, that’s a shame. We just can’t be friends if you can’t ten-step-boogie or two-step...or whatever it is.”
“You sound like you know all about it. Wait, no!”
Alison roared, flipping her hair back over her shoulder. “Yeah, country was never my thing either. I’m more of a death metal girl.”
There was silence, and she held back a laugh until it burst from her throat. “Wow! I’m just kidding.”
Tanner let out a deep breath and squeezed her hand. “Oh my God, I’m so glad. I don’t think I could dance to that stuff. I mean, to each their own, but I’d rather honky-tonk than head-bang—and that’s saying something because I have no idea what that means.”
They laughed as they climbed the second set of stairs. Several of Tanner’s friends were standing on the landing, waiting to go up to the upperclassmen rooms. They whispered to each other about who he was with as he walked by and one of the boys stepped forward.
“Tanner, man, you got courage! Don’t you know who her guardian is?”
Another kid laughed. “Yeah, it’s James Brownstone, dude.”
Alison heard them, but didn’t turn around to see their energies. Tanner didn’t reply, but he flinched. The rest of the climb up the stairs was relatively quiet. She didn’t really understand since she had already told him who her guardian was, but maybe he hadn’t been listening.
Tanner had remembered her mentioning Brownstone, but in the middle of the conversation in the library, staring at her smiling face, he hadn’t put two and two together. He knew exactly who Brownstone was, a bounty hunter sixth class who took out the worst the magical world had to offer. He wasn’t the kind of guy you would want to find answering the door when you showed up for a date with his daughter—or ward, for that matter.
When they reached the top of the stairs, they stepped to the side out of the way. Tanner couldn’t walk her all the way to her door, since there were rules about boys in the girls’ common area. So, they stood, him looking at her nervously, her staring at his energy. As soon as Brownstone had been mentioned, she’d seen the streaks of fear. She had never thought for even a second that her guardian would have been a problem, but apparently, he was not a man guys wanted to mess with—even nice ones like Tanner.
“I had a really nice time.” Alison smiled. “I’m glad you found me, and I’m glad we didn’t have to cha-cha, Electric Slide, or boogaloo.”
“But those are my favorite.” He groaned, throwing his head back. “No, I’m kidding. Last time I macaranaed I ended up elbowing a seventy-year-old woman in the ribs, and she hit me in the back with her cane.”
“Oh, no.” Alison giggled. “Maybe it was because you are so strapping and handsome. It was a love tap.”
“Yeah, except I was seven.”
“Oooh.” She puckered her lips. “Yeah, that’s a rough one.”
“It was a traumatic experience. I haven’t done the Macarena since then.”
Alison leaned forward and whispered, “You know, if I were you I would never tell that story to anyone ever again. That might get you beat up. Just saying. If a grandma can take you down, I don’t know what you’ll do out there with all the dark magic floating around.”
He whispered back, “It’s alright. I’ll break out the Running Man and the Lawnmower and jazz my way into their hearts.”
They both laughed as others passed them, not paying them any attention. Tanner looked at her and shook his head, not believing he hadn’t remembered that James Brownstone was her guardian. He really liked her—there was no question there—but he didn’t know if he wanted to get mixed up with all of that. He looked down at his watch. It was already midnight.
“Well, I’m about to turn into a pumpkin, so I’m going to leave you here. Are you sure you can get back on your own?”
Alison nodded. “Yep, done it a million times. Forty-nine steps, stay to the right.”
“You are a pro.” He smiled.
There was an awkward silence for a moment and he started to lean in, but then he pulled back, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it. “Goodnight. I’ll see you soon.”
“Night.” She smiled, trying not to show her disappointment. She had thought for sure he was going to kiss her, despite what the guys had said. She rolled her eyes and sighed. At least she had gotten a workout, with all the dancing.
The last weeks of winter flew by after the Valentine’s dance. The excitement, rumors, and juicy gossip lasted about a month, and then they were back to normal. The frost had melted, the skies had cleared, and the ground had begun to thaw. Chirping birds early in the morning sang the student to class, and the grounds turned from a dreary brown and gray to vibrant shades of green, blue, and white blossoms.
Spring was in the air. It was Alison’s favorite season, and a time that Horace could really dig in and do some work. The trees along the school’s drive had large white blossoms on them, and the breeze blew a blanket of petals across the courtyard. Students started eating lunch outdoors, wanting to feel the sunshine and enjoy the beauty that was all around them. In the distance the hills rolled, no longer covered in a blanket of white. Instead, the long grass blew back and forth with the wind, like the flowers on Oriceran.
Marigold the horse was getting very close to delivering, and Horace and Izzie had spent a lot of time with her. They were really the only two she would allow near her at that point, with her belly swollen and the tiny life inside almost ready to burst out and run across the fields. Izzie thought it was the most amazing thing she had ever been part of. This was her first experience with anyone or anything pregnant.
Inside the mansion, spring cleaning had commenced. The teachers went through the classrooms, dusting and going through all the old magical texts and papers, while the students were responsible for their dorms. They had spring cleaning inspections, which were no problem for the girls. They kept the room tidy because they liked it that way, which had the side benefit that Alison didn’t trip over anything. The school was magically shifting into the growing season, the dark and depression of the winter fading away and the newness of life bringing a brightness to everyone.
The fairies and creatures of the forest were starting to emerge, gathering seeds, helping with the planting, and lighting up the world around them. None of the other students knew they were there, but Alison could see their energies when she looked toward the forest, something that warmed her chest and lightened her mood.
The darkness of winter was fading, but dark magic lurked close by.
Ethan looked at the clock and tapped his foot, trying to get through the last few pages of the book he had picked up over winter break. There were all kinds of practical-joke spells, ones for holidays, some for special occasions, and some for when the reader just felt like being an asshole. Ethan loved it and had tried out several of the spells on Peter and Luke.
His favorite holiday was right around the corner, and he still didn’t understand why it didn’t have more of a following. April Fool’s Day permitted him to be a complete ass to everyone, pulling jokes, making fun, and being an absolute nuisance without repercussions. This year he had a whole crew of friends to pull pranks on, and he wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity.
He finished the last page and pulle
d out a bottle of water he had gotten from the cafeteria the night before. He set it on his dresser and pushed up his sleeves, pulling out his wand. He swirled it over the top and stepped back, watching the bottle begin to shake. Suddenly, the top burst off and the water shot out, streaming all the way up to the ceiling and then falling with a splash over his head. He grinned mischievously, having found the joke he wanted to play on the girls.
Without even drying off, he burst out of the dorms and slid down the railing to the first floor. He jumped off the edge and raced into the cafeteria to find the others. They were already done with breakfast, so he headed down the halls, hoping to catch them before they went to class. Luckily for him, Luke, Peter, and Henry were standing in front of the classroom, talking about the report they had due that morning.
“Guys, guys,” he called running up with water dripping down his face, his shirt soaked, and completely out of breath. He put one finger up and bent over, putting his hands on his knees. After catching his breath, he put his hands out in front of him. Peter lifted an eyebrow and wiped the water that Ethan had splashed on him from his cheek.
“Why in God’s name are you soaking wet?”
“Dude, you’re supposed to dress AFTER you take a shower,” Luke told him slowly. “Do we have to have a talk with you on the basics?”
Ethan shook his head, waving his hands. “No, no. This isn’t from the shower. It was a spell, but that’s not the point.”
“And we are getting to that point soon, right?” Henry sighed. “Class starts in a minute.”
“I finally did it. I finally figured the whole thing out.”
Peter put his hands in the air and looked at the others. “Does anyone else feel like he’s talking in riddles?”
“I finally found the perfect April Fool’s joke to play on the girls, as well as about a dozen others I’ll be pulling on unsuspecting people.”
All three guys laughed, and Peter patted him on the shoulder. “Dude, that’s not for two more weeks!”
“So? Do you wait until the day before Christmas to buy presents? The day before an exam to study? That’s not a good example, but you get what I mean. It’s a huge deal.”
Henry rubbed his face. “I think I’ll have the flu that day.”
“No, no, no.” Ethan laughed. “No one is safe from April Fool’s Day, not even those with the flu. I will figure out how to get to you, and if you hide you will only make it worse on yourself. I am the champion of jokes. Seriously, no one has ever got me on April Fool’s Day.”
“That’s quite the achievement,” Peter said dryly. “You going to use that on your résumé when you graduate? I hear there are openings for clowns in the circus.”
“You are not taking me seriously. You will love this joke.”
“Okay, I’ll bite,” Luke replied. “What is this amazing joke?”
“You ready? I’m going to reverse the flow of water.”
The guys just stood there for a moment, blinking at him. “Guys, picture it! Reversing the flow, explosions from their water bottles, pools, whatever. Water will rain backward, and when I am done with the spell, splash! It all comes down on them.”
Henry opened his mouth and then shut it, shaking his head and walking away. Ethan looked at the other guys in confusion. Peter steepled his hands, pressing his fingertips to his lips.
“I want you to take a moment and really think about it. That is more than gross.”
He looked at him for a second, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Luke lifted both eyebrows and shook his head.
“Think about it...”
Suddenly Ethan’s face changed from excited to slightly grossed out and disappointed. Luke patted him on the shoulder.
“Yeah, aren’t you glad you have us around?”
“But what if it’s selective?” Ethan asked, walking behind them into class.
Luke looked back. “No. Huh-uh.”
“But...”
“Dude, let it go. Not a good idea. You are the April Fool’s guy. You will come up with something, I’m sure. Just keep working on it. Keep the faith.”
Luke tapped his fist to his chest and laughed to himself as he took a seat. Ethan grumped, sticking his chin out and sliding into a seat with his bottom lip hanging. That was not the last they were going to hear from him about the subject. He had a whole book of jokes to go through. He sat up and rubbed his hands together. He would be the April Fool’s king.
13
Taylor was off for the day, nothing to do, and he thought a trip to the Kemana might be right up his alley. He dressed, ignoring the other boys roughhousing in the room, and headed downstairs. He smiled at Ms. Berens as he passed her and slipped out the front doors. He wasn’t restricted from the kemana as a sophomore, but his intentions weren’t the purest, and he was walking into a dangerous place. As he disappeared down the steps into the darkness, Alison and Izzie walked out the front doors, taking deep breaths of the beautiful spring Sunday morning.
“I love the smell of the blossoming flowers.” Alison smiled. “They really lift my spirits.”
“Meee too,” Izzie replied, stretching her arms high over her head. “Let’s go check on Marigold. She is getting really close to having that foal.”
“I hope you get to be there when she has it. I know how comforting you are to her.”
“And her to me. I never knew how connected I could be to an animal, but she’s like a person, only she loves me all the time.”
Alison chuckled. “That sounds really nice.”
The two girls headed into the fields, taking their time. Alison could feel the soft brush of the tall green grass on her ankles as she walked, and the birds sang happily above them as they flew around. When they got to the barn Izzie went right inside, the horse greeting her from her stall. Alison squatted in the doorway and whistled for the cat. It jumped out of one of the stalls and stretched before running across the floor and offering its back for her to scratch.
Alison smiled at the softness of its fur as she ran her hand down its side and under its belly. She stopped for a moment and frowned.
“Uh, Izzie? I think Mr. Tabby is actually Mrs. Tabby and I think there are little Tabbies in her belly.”
“What?” Izzie ran over and stared at the cat. “You’re right! Oh my gosh, there are going to be babies everywhere!”
Izzie turned to Alison and froze, her smile fading and her eyes shifting back and forth as if she were searching for something. Alison fell on her butt and put her hand to her chest, allowing the visions to take over. She was in a trance, but this one wasn’t for rest. In her mind she could see the energy of one of the students, someone she had seen once or twice in the hall. He was struggling, and the sounds of his cries echoed in her ears. He was in trouble, but Alison couldn’t tell exactly what kind.
The vision shifted, and she recognized the other massive energy signature. It was a Kilomea from the kemana, the one who worked in the General Store. His energy was filled with red anger and hatred, and Alison feared that the kid was in danger. She gasped as she came back to the stable and reached for Izzie’s hand.
“There’s a student in the kemana and he’s in trouble. I have to go there.”
“But they will see you.”
“No, you can cloak me.”
“I don’t know. I’ve only done it on a statue.”
Alison shook her head, letting Izzie help her to her feet. “It doesn’t matter. You can do it. Please?”
“Okay, yeah. Let’s get closer to the kemana first, because if I cloak you I am coming too. I won’t let you go down there alone.”
The girls took off across the field, Izzie holding Alison’s hand tightly as they went up and down the hills. As they approached the kemana on the edge of the forest behind the school, Izzie slowed Alison down and the two ducked behind the brush. They waited for several minutes to make sure no one else was coming. Izzie helped Alison to her feet and turned to face the kemana, still grasping her hand.
> “Hold really still.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
Izzie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, instantly feeling the energy flowing up her body. A bright glow moved up her legs to swirl around her arms and down over Alison. Izzie could feel the light calling her, but having her hand connected to Alison seemed to ground her and make her thoughts more cohesive. She sent every surge of energy spiraling over the two of them, connecting them in a magical shroud of invisibility.
“I can see the energy in my mind; the magic surrounding us,” Alison whispered. “You are almost there.”
Izzie pushed harder, feeling the stroking of the light against her heart. The peacefulness of the feeling made her want to let Alison’s hand go, but she didn’t, knowing that someone needed their help. After one last push of energy she opened her eyes, looking all around them at the glowing forcefield. She pictured the two of them as completely invisible and watched as the pearl sheen of the energy disappeared.
“Did it work?”
Alison focused her mind on the energy of magic around them. “I think so. It’s still there.”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
The two girls moved slowly down the steps, Alison watching the swirling energies of the crystals on the walls. They held a lot of magic, and Alison almost felt stronger when she was around them. They inched their way to the bottom and out onto the street. A man almost walked straight into them, and Izzie tugged hard to pull Alison out of the way.
“I guess it works,” Izzie whispered. “Where are we going?”
“The General Store. The one we exchanged money the last time we were here.”
“Got it.”
Izzie led them through the streets, magical beings milling all around them. None of them had any clue they were there. Alison scanned the energies of the people passing them in the street. There were so many dark souls; so much black mixed with little light. Not all of them were bad, but enough were to send a chill down Alison’s spine. She hadn’t realized the first time they came that there were so many bad people in the kemana. She had thought that it was a mixture, but at least on this day, she felt like she was surrounded by darkness.
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