by Michele Vail
“You have...er, company,” I said.
“Oh, them.” She sighed. “I’m ren heka. The thing is, most of the spirits I meet want to stick around. It’s not like I’m a reaper and can escort their poor souls to the afterlife. And they won’t listen to me about moving on.” She smiled. “It’s like having cats, really. So, you’re a ren heka, too?”
“No. Ka heka,” I said.
“And you see the spirits? Ah-mazing.” She did look amazed, but not suspicious. I mean, not in a why-she-must-be-a-super-reaper-weirdo kind of way. She waved to the spirits behind her. “I’d introduce you, but it’d take too long. Also, I can’t keep ’em all straight.”
“Are there any SEERs at the Academy?” I asked.
Autumn made a face. “No. Zombies and ghouls are one thing, but trapping a poor spirit to do your laundry? It’s against Nekyia’s policy to have any SEERs on campus.” She offered me a wide smile. “How about I show you where Ms. Chiles’s office is?”
“That’d be awesome. Thanks!”
She turned and walked across the bridge, her cadre of ghost buddies trailing after her. I didn’t fail to notice that most of them were of the teen boy variety. I think Autumn had a bunch of admirers who were not pets at all.
One of them disengaged from the line and hovered near my shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he was looking at me. I didn’t really want to look back. I couldn’t help but glance, though, and got the general impression of someone gaunt and unwashed, wearing an orange shirt, torn jeans, and biker boots.
“Any deets on Clarissa?” I asked, as I caught up with her.
“Legacy.” Autumn sniffed. “Thinks she owns the academy, just like the rest of ’em. Probably best to avoid her when possible. Legacies have a sorta carte blanche around here, if you know what I mean.”
“Um, no,” I said, my heart dropping to my toes. Autumn had friend potential, and I didn’t want to lose the only contact I’d made so far. I was kinda only half-legacy anyway, because I had the taint of being illegitimate. I guess. I didn’t feel all woe-is-me about it, but it wasn’t something I wanted to advertise.
“Legacies are pri-vileged out the wazoo,” said Autumn. She held up five fingers. “You have the Jacobses, the Mooreheads, the Callihans, the Freemans and the Briarstocks. Although, you don’t have to worry about the Briarstocks—they don’t have any legacies here now.”
I offered a weak smile, but she didn’t seem to notice my discomfort.
Autumn wiggled her fingers. “Goodness gracious. You should see their rooms. Not that I have, mind you, but I know people who’ve been at legacy dorm parties and such, and supposedly, those places are ah-mazing.” She shook her head and then looked at me. “It’s probably best to stay out of that stratosphere. Rarified air, not meant for regular folks like us.”
“Right,” I said. We were traipsing down a hallway. Then we came across a huge portrait of a woman dressed in black robes, a gold book held aloft in one hand and a mace in the other. She looked fierce. “Eudora Helmnot,” said Autumn. “One of Nekyia’s first instructors. I heard she was a bitch on wheels.”
I snorted a laugh and Autumn grinned. Then she started walking again and I followed. She stopped when we reached a narrow twisty white-stone staircase that wrapped around a turret. “Up there. Only the one door.”
I glanced up the stairs and felt my stomach squeeze with anxiety. “Okay. Thanks.”
Autumn held out her hand and I shook it.
“It was nice to meet you, Molly. Maybe we’ll have a class together, but even if we don’t, I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Sounds great,” I said. “I appreciate your help.”
“No problem.” She gave a little wave, and then she and her ghosts marched away.
I looked up the staircase and sighed. Why would the headmistress’s office be in such a strange location? And how did anyone find anything around this place?
I went up, up and up, twisting and twisting until I was dizzy and feeling out of breath. Finally I saw an elaborately carved wooden door. It had symbols on it, but no name.
I knocked.
“Come in.”
I squeezed the wrought-iron handle and pushed open the heavy door.
Ms. Chiles was in the middle of her office standing next to a tall person draped in a black robe, hood up. Um. Did instructors dress like that? Or what?
This was the weirdest office I’d ever seen—filled with big, dark furniture, intricately patterned rugs, and shelves that sported books, skulls (OMG, were those real?), mini cauldrons, sparkly items and million other odd things.
“Welcome, Molly.” She pointed to a circle of red leather chairs positioned near a narrow, stained-glass window. “Shall we sit?”
“Okay,” I said. I felt nervous, but I didn’t know why. Maybe it was the mysterious robed figure, or the headmistress’s solemn manner. Because I was raised by my dad and Nonna to respect my elders, I waited for the adults to sit down before I took the last chair.
“How are you settling in?” asked Ms. Chiles.
“Fine,” I said.
“Excellent.” She gestured toward the hooded person. “This is Macintosh Jacobs.”
He threw back his hood and eyed me with a less-than-friendly look. He had thinning red hair spiked with gray and a pair of piercing blue eyes. His face and expression reminded me of a bulldog’s.
“So you’re the great progeny of the Briarstocks,” he said. “How nice.”
“Mac,” said Ms. Chiles in a warning tone.
His lips thinned. “I’m the representative of the Nekros Society, here to judge your worthiness.”
Ms. Chiles sighed, and I felt as though she just stopped short of rolling her eyes. “He’s here to induct you into the Society.”
“Um...that honors society thing?” I asked.
“Ah,” said Ms. Chiles. “This is different, Molly. This society was created after the reaper wars. They train the Chosen, Molly, like you, to prepare for the day when Anubis names his champion.”
I said nothing. Ice coated my spine. Um, wasn’t I the champion? At least, that’s what Aunt Lelia seemed to think. Then again, she was just a sheut and no one I really knew knew. Still, Anubis had hinted my destiny was special-esque, and what about that Oracle prophecy? And PS, how come my grandparents had never mentioned the Nekros Society? Or that there were other Chosen? Sheesh. All the people who were oh-so-conveniently planning out my existence for me really should have a meeting and get an actual game plan going.
Well, did it matter? I’d accepted the gifts. I’d chosen Nekyia. I was in. All the way.
“What am I supposed to do?” I asked. “Anubis didn’t really go over this part.”
Both adults turned sharp glances at me. The silence grew as thick as syrup and as sour as spoiled milk.
“You spoke to Anubis?” asked Mr. Jacobs. He eyed me with suspicion. “What does that mean?”
“She had the dream,” said Ms. Chiles. She, too, was studying me with an odd expression. “She means that she accepted Anubis’s offer to be Chosen. That’s why we’re here.”
“I know,” snapped Mr. Jacobs. “How do we know she had the dream?”
“Her gifts,” said Ms. Chiles in a we’re-done-discussing-this-topic tone.
I expected Mr. Jacobs to ignore the warning in her voice, but he pressed his lips together and sent me a narrow-eyed glare. I suddenly had the impression that they’d argued about me, maybe even more than once, prior to this little meeting.
I also got the feeling that Ms. Chiles didn’t want me to pursue the conversation. Maybe she was worried I’d say, “Oh, yeah. Anubis and I are total buds. And hey, the Oracle said I was the warrior who would save the world. Boo-yah!”
“Where did you get that ring?” asked Mr. Jacobs. His annoyed gaze had zeroed in on the silver band. “It’s unusual.”
“Birthday present,” I said.
“Is that a falcon etched on the top?” He scooted to the end of his chair and leane
d over to peer at my hand.
I resisted the urge to hide my hand behind my back. I didn’t like Mr. Jacobs. I didn’t know what his problem was with me, but it sucked to get all this Judgy McJudgy stuff from people I didn’t even know.
And that’s when I realized his last name was the same as Clarissa’s. Father and daughter...and both had it in for me. Sheesh.
“Headmistress!” The breathy voice trilled into the room and scared me. I jumped and caught a smirk from Mr. Jacobs.
“What is it, Norma?” asked Ms. Chiles
A woman flickered into the room, and I realized she was a ghoul. She was pretty—or as pretty as a ghoul could be, with that odd gray skin and those pinpoint eyes. She had blond hair pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a pink dress that flared at the knees with matching heels.
“I’m sorry, Headmistress. One of the students is...” She paused, her gaze turning to us and then back to Ms. Chiles. “Indisposed.”
Ms. Chiles’s face drained of color, and she gripped the arms on the chair so tightly, her nails dug into the leather. “Dear Anubis,” she muttered.
Chapter 12
“The soul is fickle. Don’t mess with it.”
~Reincarnation Ain’t for Sissies by Zerinda Jeffries
“What is she talking about?” demanded Mr. Jacobs. He stood up, and so did Ms. Chiles. I felt awkward sitting there alone, so I got to my feet, too.
This was a crazy first day of school.
“This is a Nekyia matter, Mac,” responded Ms. Chiles coolly. “I’ll handle it. Please induct Molly into the Society.”
Mr. Jacobs put a hand on my shoulder. “Welcome to Nekros. Be true to our goals, honor our wisdom and serve Anubis faithfully.”
“Um...okay?”
He followed Ms. Chiles to the oversize desk that had been carved to look like a crocodile. “What’s going on?” he demanded.
“You may be in charge of the Nekros Society, but Nekyia Academy is my domain.”
“I am also a teacher at this facility,” he said. “And that means I have the right to know what’s going on. Are students in danger?”
Ms. Chiles stared at him, her expression cold. “Go to class, Mac. If I require your assistance, I shall let you know.”
Oh, snap.
Mr. Jacobs obviously didn’t like her tone or being dismissed, but again, he didn’t argue. “As a concerned parent and legacy, as well as an instructor of advanced studies, I expect a report about this incident.”
“Expect all you want,” said Ms. Chiles. “Welcome to Nekyia, Molly. I hope you enjoy your classes.”
“Thank you,” I said. I lit out of there like my shoes were on fire.
I shut the door behind me and went down the steps as fast as I dared. I stopped on the last one and put my hand on my chest where my heart was beating like a frightened bird.
A student was indisposed?
Did that mean...dead?
My dream. No. My nightmare.
What did it mean? Had I somehow witnessed a soul being taken? Was that even possible? Or had Anubis given me a vision? And if so, what the hell was I supposed to do about it?
“Hey.”
I yelped and nearly jumped out of my freaking skin.
The ghost gave me an “oops” kind of shrug.
“Um...who are you?” I asked.
But I recognized him as the ghost who’d been hovering near me earlier. One of Autumn’s so-called pets. I took a good look at him now, especially since he was lounging right in front of me. He was thin, his long hair greasy, his eyes a faded blue. He wore torn black jeans, biker boots with big silver buckles and a grubby orange shirt touting Jailbait: We will rock your ass off. He had some acne, too. I didn’t understand why spirits couldn’t get rid of the stuff that had plagued them as humans. I mean, ghost acne? Really?
“You scared me.”
“Well, that’s just sad,” he said. “I’m nothing compared to some of the things hiding around this place.” He stared at me, his eyes so strange that I got the shivers. “My name’s Rennie. Autumn asked me to rescue you from the administration wing.”
“Oh. That was nice. Thanks.”
He eyed me. “Well? You gonna get moving, or what? You’re missing your first class.”
“Crap!”
* * *
My morning classes were a lot more interesting than anything I’d taken at Green Valley High School. Except for my killa room, the most surprising thing about Nekyia was that I liked what I was learning. I’d even taken notes. Looked like I really was New Molly. I was also grateful that I didn’t have Mr. Jacobs for any of my classes. That guy was a douche.
By the time lunch came around, the school was buzzing with the news that a girl had been found dead somewhere on school grounds. The rumors I’d heard so far were:
She’d been found naked, lashed to a tree, with obvious signs of torture.
She’d committed suicide in one of the empty turrets, leaving a note about lost love.
She’d been wandering around late at night, fell down the stairs and broke her neck.
No one seemed to be discussing the soulless issue, which meant my dream was just a dream or the administration was keeping that info on the down-low.
Still. I’d been chewing on the idea of soul stealing all morning. If the girl really was dead—and the school rumor mill didn’t mean she was—had her soul been taken? How? A soul being released from a dying person was way different than one being yanked from a live person. And why bother? A soul couldn’t be nearly as useful as a zombie or even a spirit. What was the point?
I thought about my dream, and I wondered about the girl turning into stone and shattering. No one did that, right? I’d seen plenty of kas taken and never once witnessed a body turning into stone.
So, it was just a dream.
Like the dream of Anubis had been?
Okay, had I been sent a vision? Or was I just having nightmares? I wondered if I should try to find out what the girl looked like. Maybe...but, nah. It would look weird if I had asked questions about a dead student. Why didn’t Anubis just send me a message? One that made sense?
My brain was starting to cramp.
Anyway, as stories about the dead girl went flying around, the school vibe became part excitement, part fear. Nobody had a name, either, so that made it hard to believe anything had happened.
“Yoo-hoo!” Autumn waved to me as I maneuvered through tables and crowds of chattering students. I held a tray full of food. I’d totally gone for the full-on nachos instead of the wholesome salad. What? I was stressed, and cheese made me happy.
I saw Clarissa sitting at the table I was about to pass, noted the smirk sitting like poison on her lips, and saw her lean forward and whisper to the group of girls sitting with her. Whatever Clarissa whispered to them garnered multiple gasps, and several narrow-eyed looks in my direction.
I went another way and tried to puzzle out the unwarranted hatred Clarissa seemed to harbor for me. I mean, really? Really?
“Molly, I’m so happy to see you!” Rick appeared in front of me, beaming as if he had just won the lottery.
“Hey,” I said, startled by his sudden appearance.
He gave me a wicked grin. “Can I carry your tray?” He took the tray and then leaned down, his eyes sparkling in that way that made my stomach squeeze in jittery expectation. “Maybe we could spend some time alone later?”
I nodded, anticipation wrecking my concentration. Still, there was something kinda weird here. “Look, I’m happy to see you. But...what about you going back to Vegas?”
“Soon,” he said. “Everything’s cool, Mol. Promise.”
Autumn popped up next to us. “Hi!” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Autumn. And you’re...” She stared at him for a minute. “Are you necro?”
“Just here to see Molly.” Rick took her hand and shook. “I’m Rick.”
“Nice to meet you. C’mon, y’all. I’ll introduce to you to the gang.”
“There’
s a gang?” asked Rick. He winked at me.
Butterflies swirled in my stomach. And even though there was a...well, a taint somehow to my feelings, like something wasn’t quite right, I dismissed it. He was okay. Granted, he didn’t have a complete soul—but, see? He was perfectly fine.
We followed Autumn to a back table occupied by four living people. This section of the cafeteria wasn’t as crowded—I wasn’t counting Autumn’s spirits, which lay on the floor or leaned against walls. A couple of them floated above the table as though they were lounging in a pool.
Rennie detached himself and wandered over to me, studying Rick with a narrowed gaze. “Who’s the stiff?” he asked.
“Shut up,” I muttered.
“You say something, Molly?” asked Rick.
I smiled brightly at him. “Nope.”
Rennie refused to go away. He floated right above Rick, his ghostly boots tapping the top of Rick’s head. He looked down at me and grinned.
Even dead, boys could be idiots.
Rick set my tray down in an empty spot and waited for me to slip onto the bench seat. Autumn sat across from me, her smile welcoming.
“I’m so glad you joined us for lunch,” she said. She beamed at the other kids at the table.
I noticed that no one really beamed back.
“Hey,” I said.
“Oh, now. C’mon y’all. We need some new blood around here! This is Molly...er?”
“Bartolucci,” I said. “And this is Rick Widdenstock. He’s visiting.”
Everyone looked at Rick and nodded, and I noticed that no one seemed to question that he was a visitor.
Autumn poked the tall, thin boy next to her. He seemed extraordinarily interested in his mashed potatoes. “This here is Daniel Moorehead. And he’s a legacy, except his older brother gets the cool room.”
“He also gets all the crap, so shut up.” He wore mirrored sunglasses, and when he looked up to greet me, I saw my own mini-reflections. “I’ve heard all the jokes about my last name,” he said without any real heat. “So don’t bother.”
Rick and I exchanged a glance. Rick shrugged and put his arm around my shoulder. It felt good, like a real boyfriend thing to do, and I scooted closer. I ignored the little voice in the back of my mind whispering, Wrong, wrong, wrong.