by Marisa Mills
Even though he was so handsome that it made my insides flutter. And the way he’d drawn his sword and stepped between a monster and me had been so…so noble. Gallant, even. Of course, one good moment didn’t make up for the things he’d said when he trapped me in a hallway.
“Good,” Viviane said, “Because it would never work between you two. Alexander is just a tease, and he likes to be the center of attention. That little stunt last night will get him weeks of gossip about him and the new girl. But he’d never seriously date someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” I repeated.
“You know what I mean. You don’t even belong up here with the rest of us.”
“Clearly,” I said, crossing my arms.
Celeste walked towards us and waved clipboard to get our attention.
“Great,” Viviane said sourly. “As if I don’t get enough of her at home.” If Celeste didn’t teach, why was she giving Viviane private lessons? I didn’t get the chance to ask.
“Follow me!” Celeste called out, leading the way.
We rounded the corridor and up a curved flight of stairs. I stayed close to Viviane. She was mean, but she was also the only person I knew. Better the enemy I knew than the one I didn’t. And Viviane wasn’t really an enemy; she just didn’t like me. I could deal with a little jealousy, though I didn’t know what she had to be jealous of.
“How do you know Celeste?” I asked.
“She’s close to my mother,” Viviane replied, “And they talk about my education all the time. And look, I don’t know why you suddenly think we’re best friends, but we aren’t. So you can quit with the act.”
“The act?”
“I don’t believe you’re nearly as innocent and demure as you act,” Viviane said. “You’re just another Lower Realms social climber, probably with a bunch of secrets and scandals. I don’t even know what Uncle was thinking in bringing you here.”
“I don’t have any secrets or scandals,” I lied.
“Sure, Summer.”
“It’s Wynter.”
“Oh, I know,” Viviane said. “Are you truly so dense you can’t tell when you’re being insulted?”
I tried to think of something proper to say in response, but everything came up blank. “I can tell,” I said instead. “I just thought I’d…give you the benefit of the doubt.”
Well, if we weren’t going to be friends, I’d just have to avoid her. Viviane seemed like the type to actively look for secrets, and I didn’t want to give her any reason to dig deeper into my story. I guess that meant I’d have to avoid Alexander as well, which surely wouldn’t be difficult. He was a prince after all.
“Here are your quarters,” Celeste said, as she led us into a long room lined with four-poster beds. “Look for your names, everyone.”
I ambled along with the rest. Each bed had a card with a name in elegant script laying upon the sheets. I skimmed them as I went. Finally, I found mine and swiped it off the bed.
“Don’t fret!” Celeste called out. “Everyone’s things will be brought up shortly!”
That was good. I didn’t have any things of my own, but Francisca had packed a thick trunk full of clothes and supplies. I didn’t even know all the stuff that was inside it. I glanced around, seeing where everyone else had ended up. The bed to my right belonged to Jessa, who I recalled was my mentor. Jessa seemed not to have found her bed yet. I glanced at the other girls still looking for their places. She was either the tall, willowy brunette or the short, blonde girl.
I looked to my left just in time to see a pale, delicate hand snatch the card from the sheets. I swore under my breath. Avoiding Viviane was going to be much harder when she was sleeping right next to me. Viviane caught my eye and groaned. “Seriously?” she asked.
“I didn’t pick the sleeping arrangements,” I said.
The short, blonde girl brightened and crossed the room to me.
“Celeste said you’re Wynter?” she asked.
“That’s me,” I replied. “Jessa?”
“Hello!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.
I tensed, having never hugged a total stranger before.
Jessa released me and looked me up and down. “You’re from Argent, right? I love Argent! I’ll bet we even know some of the same people!”
Oh, no.
“Wonderful,” Viviane deadpanned, flinging herself back onto her bed. “You’ll have so much to talk about.”
Jessa twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “There’s no need to be rude, Viv.”
Viviane rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Jessa. There’s a reason you got into the Academy with the lowest score in history.”
Jessa bit her lip and glanced away. “You can’t possibly know that,” she said quietly.
Poor Jessa. It seemed I wasn’t the only person not good enough to be in the presence of the glorious Viviane. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to antagonize Viviane. That would probably only make her more suspicious of me, and Dorian wouldn’t like it. But I couldn’t stand by and watch someone get bullied.
“Viviane’s just in a bad mood because she sucks at sigils,” I said. “That reminds me, do you know where the library is? I’d love to see it.”
Twelve
THE ONLY BOOKS I KNEW were the ones I borrowed from Gabriel’s bookshelves and the torn pages we sometimes recovered in the Dregs. Nothing could have prepared me for the Academy’s library. It spanned four floors, each packed to the brim with thousands of books. Dorian told me the journal he was looking for was on the third floor, so I excused myself from Jessa and went to wander around alone.
But the third floor was mostly just open space—a large reading area with couches and desks and lamps. The walls were lined with shelves so high you needed a ladder to access them. I browsed the heavy leather volumes for an hour, but couldn’t find anything about Nicholas Armenia, whoever he was. Then, at the end of the long side alcove, I noticed light coming from behind the bookshelves. I gripped a shelf and it shifted loosely under my touch. The whole wall was on wheels. I took a deep breath, then slid it to one side, revealing a hidden door behind it that said “Restricted Access.”
I glanced behind me, then twisted the handle experimentally, but it wouldn’t budge. While I had some experience picking locks, I wasn’t entirely sure my tools would help me. Mages probably had all sorts of special locks and spells.
But Dorian had been specific. I was supposed to search the third floor of the library. I hadn’t found anything yet, which meant whatever he was looking for must be behind this door. Why, though? The other books were out in the open and not concealed behind secret doorways. I tapped my foot on the floor and surveyed the lock, trying to find anything unusual about it. There were too many people around to break in now, so I’d just have to come back later and see if I could get it open.
I headed back downstairs, noting that the large spiral staircase appeared to be the only way up and down. It was loud, too, which would be a problem if I had to sneak into the library after it closed, which was at 9pm, according to the sign on the entrance. I couldn’t sneak into a restricted area with everyone around, which meant I had all day with nothing to do, since classes didn’t officially start until tomorrow.
I reached the first floor, when I heard Celeste calling my name. I panicked at first, thinking she’s already caught me trying to access an off-limits area, but I let out a breath when I saw her easy smile. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, I reminded myself. There’s no reason a new student wouldn’t check out the library on the first day.
“Hello,” I said.
“How are you doing? I hope Jessa has been showing you the facilities?”
“Yes,” I said. “She’s around here somewhere. I might have gotten a little lost. This place is huge. I’ve never seen so many books before in my life.”
Celeste laughed. “It’s really something, isn’t it? I’ll admit I’ve barely read a fraction of the volumes here
, but we all have our unique fields. I’m so disappointed that last night was your first impression of our noble institution. I assure you, that kind of thing is exceedingly rare.”
“Demons, you mean?” Dorian said the demon had either escaped, or been let out… but from where?
Celeste sighed. “They’re harmless when properly contained. I assure you, you’re entirely safe here.” I noticed she hadn’t exactly answered my question, but I let it slide.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” I said. It was sweet she was worried about me, but I didn’t need protecting. Celeste nodded and smiled gently. “I was going to find you later this evening, but since you’re here, why don’t I accompany you to your choosing?”
“Choosing?” I asked.
“Yes,” Celeste replied. “All the new students are given an amulet or an object to help them channel their magic.”
“Oh,” I said. Dorian hadn’t mentioned this part. I clenched my fists, hoping it wasn’t another test. Celeste tapped a finger to her choker. “It’s a very important choice,” she said. “Many of us keep our objects for life. But you won’t be going at it all alone. You’ll have Nathanial to help you.”
Right. Professor Gareth.
I followed Celeste through a long hallway and down a long, stone staircase. Blue flames flickered along the otherwise dark stone walls, and once we reached the bottom, Gareth greeted us with a smile. “Ah! I remember you,” he said, standing up from behind his small table.
“I’ll leave you in Nathanial’s capable hands,” Celeste said. “Don’t worry too much, Wynter. This should be an exciting experience!”
Maybe it would be, if I wasn’t only pretending to be a mage. How would I even know what to choose? Would Professor Gareth see through me if I made the wrong choice?
“Thank you, Headmistress,” I said, the title coming out awkwardly.
Celeste laughed and waved a dismissive hand. “Please, call me Celeste,” she said. “I think that’s friendlier. Don’t you?”
I nodded and smiled. She just had such a warm, enthusiastic personality that I couldn’t help it. Then, Celeste went back up the stairs, leaving me along with Gareth.
“I didn’t catch your name last night,” Gareth said. “Though we were all rather busy, as I recall.”
“It’s Wynter,” I replied. Gareth looked unremarkable in every way, but I’d seen him in action when he tried to bind the demon into Viviane’s necklace. Unlike the other mages, his clothes were simple and unadorned. A gray vest, a tweed jacket. His silver hair was pulled loosely behind his ears, but twisted up at the edges.
“Wynter, then,” Gareth said. “That’s a lovely name. Has anyone explained the choosing to you yet?”
“I get to choose an object, right?” I said, mostly guessing from what Celeste had told me.
“You do,” Gareth replied, “And generally, the object you choose will be aligned with your primary area of study. So once you’ve picked, we’ll also help you select your classes.”
That sounded sensible. I would have had no idea what subjects to study.
Gareth pushed open a door behind him and gestured in a dark, cavernous room.
“In here you’ll find a room filled with enchanted objects. Just choose one and bring it back with you.”
“But how do I know what to choose?” I asked.
“That’s up to you. Go with your instincts,” Gareth said, “And if you choose—say—a pen and learn later that you really dislike drawing sigils, you can change to another area. You should take this seriously but not too seriously. If I can offer one suggestion, use your heart, not your head. Pick what feels right.”
***
I took a deep breath and stepped past him. I imagined Gareth would close the doors behind me, but thankfully he didn’t. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could see the gleaming outlines of metal surfaces. Before me, there was a large room, filled with—for lack of a better word—treasure. There were gems and jewelry, swords and daggers, expensive-looking handkerchiefs and bits of armor. I felt like this was a trap of some sort. I was a thief, and they’d just let me into the vault. Anything in this room would feed Sterling and Briar for three months.
Hisses burst into awareness, their voices scraping and whispering. They sounded like the ones my device made, and my palms started to sweat as I expected to see a burst of flame. My first instinct was to go for a sword. I couldn’t use magic, but maybe I could compensate with swordplay. What little I knew. I grimaced. Any of these mages would probably wipe the floor with me when it came to swordplay, but it would be comforting to carry a weapon around.
Then I realized, Celeste said I’d get to keep my object for life. Dorian hadn’t warned me about the choosing, which meant he either didn’t know or didn’t care about it. If I picked something ridiculously valuable, would I be able to buy my freedom and get Briar away from my uncle?
I gravitated to the jewelry and trinkets. Everything hissed when I passed it, but the sounds were too soft for me to pick out individual words. I pursed my lips together and picked up a heavy amulet. It was bright silver with a large, faceted stone that shimmered in all the colors of the rainbow. “Would you mind coming with me?” I asked quietly. “I don’t really know how this all works.”
I paused and trailed my thumb over the gemstone. The hisses grew a little louder, until the gemstone was practically screaming like a tea kettle. I flinched and put the necklace down quickly.
“If you don’t want to,” I murmured, “It’s fine. I understand. I wouldn’t want to be chosen by me, either. It’s not like I’m going to become some powerful mage.”
I wouldn’t even be a mage. Was I really communicating with these objects, or was I already going crazy, like the mage in Viviane’s stories? The hisses increased in pitch, and I could almost pick out words at the edge of my hearing. I spun around, but they were coming from everywhere, whispering accusations at me.
Mage. Thief. Murderer.
“I’m not like the others,” I said, raising my voice so it filled the room. “I’m not from Reverie. Or any of the other Floats. Sorry, they aren’t called that. Not here.”
The hisses stopped abruptly, dissipating to nothingness. Maybe some sort of instinct was supposed to come to me, some instinct I didn’t have because I wasn’t really a mage. It was like all the objects knew I was a fraud. I considered walking back through the door and telling Gareth I’d failed, or asking him to choose for me, but I couldn’t risk exposing myself.
I still had no idea what to choose, but decided I might as well get a weapon. Something flashy, that would fetch a good price when all this was over and protect me in the meantime. I’d be depending on the device to fake my magic, but I knew it would be useless in a real fight.
I’ll go with you.
I halted at the sound of the voice. It was, by all accounts, a nice voice. Gentle and soft, like moonlight streaming through a dark sky.
I glanced at Gareth, who was standing outside the room watching me. He hadn’t reacted, which meant he was too far away to hear the voice. I wondered what he was thinking. Did he suspect anything? Was I taking too long?
“Where are you?” I whispered, keeping my back to the door and my voice low. I walked through the piles of antiques and collectibles until I found a table with racks of swords, displayed against red velvet. The world shifted around me. The air felt heavy, like I was pushing through an invisible barrier. One sword stood out, practically glowing in the dim light. It was a silver and gold rapier, with an elegant guard and decorative engravings twisting up the blade. Emeralds sparkled as I curled my hand around the hilt of the sword and pulled it free of its scabbard. It looked like the sort of blade Alexander had used, but I didn’t think his was magical.
“I don’t know anything about swordplay,” I muttered.
That can be remedied.
The voice was much louder this time. I was so surprised I practically dropped the sword.
“Yes, but probably not easily.” Was I speaking to myself, or the voice in the darkness?
I gripped the hilt tighter and held the sword out in front of me, watching the light play down the blade. These voices—they sounded similar to the demon Dorian had killed. Was there a demon trapped in this sword? Were there demons trapped in all of these objects? Did they know they were trapped? I sheathed the blade again and cleared my throat.
“I want this one,” I said, raising it up as I exited the room.
Gareth hummed. “It’s an elegant weapon,” he said, “Battle magic is a relatively new discipline, too, so there’s a lot of excitement about it.”
“Is it?” I asked.
Gareth nodded. “It’s…” he trailed off. “Are you from Reverie? You have an accent.”
“Argent,” I said.
“Ah,” Gareth said. “You wouldn’t know, then. About…eighty years ago, Reverie began experiencing quakes, so the Council and aristocracy gathered together to fix the problem. I’m simplifying this, but after years of investigation, it was determined that the Kingdom of Aubade had laid a curse upon Reverie.”
“Is that possible? To curse an entire kingdom?” I asked.
“Theoretically,” Gareth replied, “Although I’ve never seen a credible account of such a thing. Now, we know that we were wrong. But at the time, it sounded reasonable, so Reverie went to war. And during those years, the Academy was at the forefront of finding innovative ways to use magic in battle. The Academy was very focused on training students as quickly as possible to fight, so all sorts of different magic emerged. Before that, we relied primarily on sigils, potions, and dancing. But for the war with Aubade, we began exploring other outlets for our powers.”
“Oh,” I said.
“Most of the magic discovered during that time was eventually outlawed by the Council for being too dangerous,” Gareth said, “But battle magic was allowed to stay. It was also around this time that we first allowed admittance from the Lower Realms.”
“So what happened?”
“Eventually, we surrendered,” Gareth said. “It was, mind you, an honest mistake. Reverie had never experienced quakes before, and we were desperate to understand what was happening. But it was a terrible mistake that cost many people their lives and destroyed swaths of the Lower Realms.”