by Melody Rose
I was pretty sure that Nascha wasn’t capable of what Miss Barbie was alleging.
So, I took the path of least resistance. Mostly because, despite her peachy keen front, I could see her radiate what looked like a completely empty aura. A little voice in my head whispered, “sociopath,” but it could’ve been because I was on edge. I was so attached to Nascha that I didn’t want to think of anyone banishing her, especially without giving her a second chance or an opportunity to speak her piece. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me in the head of the moment, but I hadn’t met a mage whose energetic signature was so colorless. Maybe she was just a quick, easy replacement. Some looks-good-on-paper enchantress that wouldn’t rock the boat.
In that respect, she was a far cry from the radical Nascha.
“I hear you,” I said, totally noncommittally, just a wake to smooth this conversation over. “So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about? Or are you personally telling all of the mages that Nascha sponsored that…” She’d been replaced? “... there’s a new dean?”
Miss Barbie gave a giggle like the tinkle of bells. I smiled awkwardly like I was in on the fun. I even took a step forward to put her at ease and willed my aura to take on a turquoise hue, signaling I was open to learning from her.
“Oh, aren’t you a treat!” she exclaimed.
She countered my faux aura with her own energetic glamour, this one the magenta of a maternal heart. I gave her an even warmer facial expression to pretend I was eating it up.
“No, you precious rosebud,” Miss Barbie continued. “As much as I would absolutely adore speaking to every sponsored mage individually, I simply do not have the time. Instead, I elected to take this opportunity to speak to our most promising prospect. Do take a seat, won’t you?”
An upholstered chair fit for a Victorian dinner party shot out from the shadows and toward me. It literally swept me off my feet, causing me to yelp lightly and collapse onto its cushioned seat. I cleared my throat and crossed my legs, demure and polite like I guessed she wanted. At least the scenery seemed to demand that kind of pomp and circumstance.
“Excellent,” she said approvingly. I guessed that knocking me into submission and pretending that it was hospitality was her cup of tea. “Now, your future. First, let’s discuss the incident during your Familiar Hunting class today. Any theories as to why you made your stellar marks? How your Cavallian wolf happened to morph into a hellhound? Or, what I’m particularly curious about, how your… darling… Aurelius was able to incinerate a bevy of apparitions without catching a single mage on fire?”
What was this, the Inquisition? Even with her sing-song tone, each of her questions stung me like a poisoned barb. First of all, why was she referring to Aurelius’ amazing feat as ‘the incident’? It sounded both condescending and suspicious, a weird mixture after being gifted a bundle of spell points and a victory coin. Now, this stranger that looked and acted like a possessed porcelain doll was coming in on her high horse to knock me down. On top of that, I didn’t even know how to answer at least half of her questions. I was still reeling from all the mysteries myself!
“The… incident,” I repeated with mock innocence. Really, I was pissed off by her insinuation, but I didn’t want to make more trouble for myself. “I’m afraid to say that I’m just as shocked as you are! One day, I’m searching for some boggarts to test Aurelius’ readiness for such an advanced class. The next thing I know--”
“Yes?” Miss Barbie asked abruptly, cutting me off as she leaned forward with interest.
That’s when I decided against disclosing the whole run-in with the demon. This woman had already supported driving out a succubus from Bouclier even if she brought so much to the table. There was no way that I’d want her hot on the tracks of my little secret, that I technically carried an infernal mark. There was no saying what it activated or how much it changed me. Plus, to be honest, I just didn’t like or trust this new woman.
“I guess he evolved?” I recovered, remembering Damian’s clumsy Pokémon reference. It actually wasn’t a bad excuse to keep in my back pocket. Familiars discovered new abilities all the time, and sometimes, no one could tell what exactly was responsible for it.
“Perhaps,” she said dryly. She trained her eyes onto mine, intensely staring at me, but I didn’t crack. I gave her my best clueless human expression, compliments of Becks’ angelic glamour. A smirk twitched Miss Barbie’s lips, and then she shook her head, causing her ringlets to bounce.
“Pardon me, Lady MacKenna!” Miss Barbie announced. “Here I am, dousing you with all these questions because I’m awfully curious about your predicaments and successes, but I’ve never properly introduced myself! You’ll hear about me later, I’m sure.”
She extended a hand, perfectly manicured with frosted pink polish. “I’m Serafina. Charmed, I’m sure!”
I took it and gave a polite shake, startled by how hot she was to the touch. Her skin was so pale that I could see the blue veins underneath it, so I would’ve expected her to be pretty frigid. I pressed my lips together into what I hoped looked like a smile, but I was honestly terrified. The infernal mark, hidden underneath Becks’ enchanted handiwork, was stinging like a papercut. My mouth trembled a little, but thankfully I didn’t whimper in front of Serafina. An intense aggravation took over me, and I resented how this nosy woman looked like a combination of Glinda the Good Witch and a Candyland character. I hated how she cocked her head to the side, simpering as though she enjoyed my pain.
“Is everything alright, Joan?” she asked with innocence. It seemed as phony as mine.
“Yep!” I responded. “Just thirsty is all. Teleportation spells do a number on me.”
Serafina nodded and snapped her fingers. She didn’t even need a single incantation to summon a refreshment. Again, she brought to mind Southern belle as a glass of water infused with cucumber, lime, and mint fell down from thin air. It felt as though my arm was pulled forward to grab onto the cup. I didn’t think my reflexes were naturally that fast, but I was glad I didn’t clench so hard that I was left with a handful of shards.
“Better?” Without missing a beat, she immediately jumped back into analyzing me. “Now, I have been chosen by Abelard due to my refined intuition and excellent perception. After all, I was able to detect that Nascha was performing illicit hypnosis on the well-intentioned but… impressionable headmaster. You see, he’s been quite fragile since the passing of his beloved. I needed to erase the source clouding his judgment.”
Suddenly, the room became uncomfortably humid. I couldn’t disagree about Abelard, but I couldn’t believe that Nascha was preying on his mind. She was so composed and grounded, so real. Not at all like her prim substitute.
I knocked the glass back and took a greedy gulp. For all the aesthetic charm, the water wasn’t satisfying at all. It was lukewarm and cloying. For all of her talents in enchantment, this sorceress was a dud when it came to the culinary arts.
“So, what happened to her?” I asked, trying to cover up both my intense interest in Nascha’s situation and my distaste for her drink.
“Well, my child,” Serafina shrugged indifferently, “we couldn’t perform an exorcism because that’s as good as killing an infernal creature. I would have very much liked to exile her and send her back from whence she came, but there are rules and procedures, you see. They can be amended, but that all takes time. For now, she is in a holding cell with high-level wards. Abelard and I will work together to decide on a long-term solution.”
Seriously? Didn’t she realize how obnoxiously ironic that was? She just fed me a whole fishy line about how Nascha got into Abelard’s head, and now, Serafina was claiming that she’d call the shots for Bouclier. If she were a bit more humble and didn’t try to fill such big shoes right away, maybe I’d be less suspicious.
I didn’t have much time to mull it all over, though. Serafina threw a huge boulder in my stream of thought by turning the tables on me.
“So, tell me, Joan…�
� she began.
That couldn’t have been good. This woman seemed intent on learning every minor detail possible so that she could use it against others later. I wondered what Theo would’ve thought of our new dean and if he’d already met her. I was able to get my mind off of Nascha while I focused on protecting myself.
I set the glass down and dried my palms on my robe. “Yes?”
“Don’t you think it’s odd that you were able to cross the portal into Lemuria without even the slightest difficulty?” She batted her eyelashes and cradled her chin in her hands. “That your energy stood out to the headmaster even when you were dimensions away on a realm devoid of magic, Earth? You’ve even been able to hone the meekest Cavallian runt into a hellhound to be reckoned with. Remarkable, no?”
I blushed, then rubbed my eyelid nervously. I had asked those same questions to myself before. I ended up empty-handed each time, but I just figured that it would all fall in place. There must’ve been a reason I was here.
I closed my eyes briefly and thought of my late mother. The more I excelled as a culinary witch, the more I wondered if it was in my blood. I never got around to asking Theo because one, I didn’t want to shatter the dream, and two, I didn’t want him to think I was overstepping bounds. I’m sure he was more than used to people trying to lure him into revealing the secrets of Lemuria.
“When you put it that way, it is a lot of odd coincidences,” I confessed. I didn’t even try to sugarcoat it. Maybe I wanted to be closer to the truth, or maybe I was a terrible liar.
A relieved smile spread across Serafina’s lips. My muscles relaxed, and my secret standoffishness melted at this. I still hadn’t forgiven imprisoning Nascha, but I felt I could loosen up some. We were skipping over the informalities, and I might learn why I really stumbled into the witch’s path.
“I’m certain you’ve always been curious,” she murmured, as gentle as a melody, “and I would love to help you unravel the mystery of who you happen to be. Can you imagine? You are the only Earth-born student that’s ever made her way to Lemuria. Unprecedented, but nonetheless, a fortunate turn of events, no? You are progressing in leaps and bounds. Even Abelard, as disconnected as he’s been from academy affairs, has taken notice.”
I had actually heard as much. I nodded slowly, almost as if in a trance. My heart began to flutter as I dreamt about opening the Pandora’s box of who I actually was.
“This leads me to ask, Joan,” she continued, her eyes damp with sincerity, “are you truly human? You can understand why I would be dubious of the heritage you lay claim to. Without any training during your youth, you were able to accomplish more than even our most disciplined mages.”
Despite the nauseatingly dainty decor surrounding us, I began to think that I might’ve been safe here. A burden was lifted off of me being able to address my background.
15
Joan
“I’m… not really sure,” I confided, setting my glass down and folding my hands on my lap. My vision got a little hazy as an emotional dam burst within me. “I would’ve definitely said I’m just an ordinary human because combat magic never came easily for me like it has for Theodore or Nathan. Even when Lydia tried to assault me, I was barely able to defend myself.”
Serafina nodded sympathetically and let me finish without interrupting me. I continued digging to see if there was any kernel of truth to this theory that I might’ve never fit in on Earth. Maybe it never was Deirdre and the rest of my crummy stepfamily, my father passing, or how I always felt worse for wear because I was so overworked. I could’ve failed so miserably at life before Bouclier because I ended up in the wrong universe entirely.
“And that time that Theo brought me to the portal, I should’ve been scared out of my mind. I mean, he practically kidnapped me.” I then scrambled to clarify since I didn’t want to throw Theo under the bus. After Nascha, I didn’t want any more accusations flung around. “Well, it was necessary, you know, because Abelard was casting a detection spell. I’m not sure what he was detecting, really, but I think he was trying to find a recruit with unique magic?”
“Indeed,” Serafina finally spoke up. She didn’t seem bothered by Theo’s escapades, probably because she was hired to protect the Von Brandts. Instead, she locked onto my willingness to just waltz into the supernatural as she gestured toward the middle of my chest. “You see, your heart led you here. You always knew you were different, yes? Hungering for more than what your circumstances afforded you. I would hazard to say that you sent a beacon, perhaps a distress signal, to forge your own path out of Earth.”
I shifted in my seat. Her probing hit really close to home. I had nothing but gratitude for my time here in Bouclier, but I also wondered how much easier life could’ve been if I grew up in Lemuria.
My father did okay when he had my mom, ever the grounded romantic. Mom, on the other hand, poured her heart and soul into the kitchen, storybooks, and foster kittens. As much as she cherished Dad’s companionship, we never had enough money to travel and see the world. She always seemed restless and wistful, hungering for a life she couldn’t quite have and fussing over extravagant dishes to fill the void. Eventually, that sense of displacement caught up to her. I still remember the faraway look in her eyes, as though she finally caught a glimpse of the escape she always dreamt of.
“I think…” I paused as I tried to find the best way to put it. “It’s possible that there was some enchantment in my bloodline, my mother’s side. She was always kooky, you know, strange in the best sense of the word. Is it possible for mages to be born on Earth? Or did some ancestor of mine have to teleport to the human world?”
“Such extreme interdimensional travel isn’t completely unheard of, though it does tend to take quite a toll on mages,” Serafina explained. “It can take many moons, perhaps even years, to recover one’s mana. I’m not even certain, quite frankly, how far away this ‘Earth’ is. I would need to consult an expert on that matter.”
I was relieved about her honesty and glad she was willing to answer my questions. Serafina was still a clever investigator, though, and steered the conversation back to my mother.
“Let’s discuss your lineage and what came along with it, why don’t we?” she asked sweetly but confidently. “You say that you believe your matriarch bestowed your magic upon you, yes? Quite possibly? What is it that you believe she passed down to you? Can you recall what she was proficient in?”
The new dean knew she had me in the palm of her hand, eager to explore my roots. I sighed gently, then allowed myself to recount all I loved about my mother.
“She never met a recipe that she couldn’t master, even with just a quick once-over. On top of that, Mom could pick up on your emotions real fast and cook up just the right dish to perk up your spirits.”
Serafina was unimpressed, as much as she tried to hide it. Her clear aura was flecked with crimson like wine spilled on glass. I squeezed my hands together, self-conscious of her reaction. Did she think I was lying to her? Keeping important information close to my chest? I was honestly a bit hurt. Here, I thought I was singing my mother’s praises, but the note landed like lead for the dean. I guessed she was digging for some type of information that sounded otherworldly. She didn’t realize how wrong she was, for Mom exuded a quiet confidence and talent I’d never seen before.
“How quaint,” Serafina drawled, “although not entirely unexpected, is it? Humans are quite committed to their culinary conquests, yes? Even willing to slaughter creatures to perfect their dishes. Though it can’t be helped. Without enchantment, sacrifices must be made.”
I pulled my shoulders in, ashamed. I had mostly put the past behind me, conveniently forgetting a lot of distinctly human habits. True, we didn’t have magic, and as far as I knew, my Mom simply wasn’t able to summon simulated meat. Then again, I could never be sure because she so often squirreled herself away in the kitchen. When she was at her most focused, she always complained that too many cooks spoil the pot.
&nb
sp; “Well, in their defense, they’re working miracles in the domain of science, their answer to magic.” I acted as the spokesperson for humans. Ironically, Becks was my source for what was happening over on Earth. Otherwise, I’d be pretty much out of the loop. “I’ve even heard of them making completely no-kill meat. Anyway, that’s not all I knew my mom for.”
“Of course not.” The dean grinned, all sparkling white teeth.
I wanted to scrunch up my nose in disgust, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to have to justify how great my mom was. I was backed in a corner, though, and since I didn’t have teleportation magic, I had to humor Serafina.
“Yeah,” I continued. “She also had a knack for animals. She could nurse them back to health in no time. Even rabid pit bulls were as tender as bunny rabbits in her hands. We didn’t have one specific pet in the house, but we fostered a ton, and I learned how to care for them. The two of us always set them up with the best families. Everyone was so happy, and every holiday we would get Christmas cards--”
Serafina held her hand up. I paused mid-sentence as she planted her elbows on the table. She leaned forward, her eyes bright with fascination.
“There it is!” she exclaimed with hungry enthusiasm.
I blinked, caught off guard by how unfiltered she was. I had grown used to her Stepfordized, sugary demeanor. At least I seemed to gain favor with her. On top of that, I was secretly proud that I had redeemed my mother. She truly deserved to be seen in a positive light.
“Joan,” Serafina continued, “have you heard of our third-year tradition?”
I cocked my head to the side. Lemuria was extraordinarily festive, fond of throwing multiple celebrations every season. I wasn’t sure what exactly she was referring to, especially since it was only the start of the semester. Usually, this was when there were only minor rituals, so we weren’t distracted from our studies.
“Uh, which one?” I asked, not even trying to hide my confusion.