Ex Nihilo Academy

by Jennifer Watts

  “No, please stay with your friends. I’ll take the truck back since I have school tomorrow.”

  “Lily, I want to.” The way he looks at me tells me that there’s no point in arguing so we walk back to the truck together and he hops into the driver’s seat. As we drive back to the ferry dock I lean my head against the fogged up window.

  “Thank you again for coming tonight.” He says quietly as he pulls the car up to the dock and on to the waiting ferry.

  “Thank you for inviting me. I had a really good time.” I yawn, letting my eyes close. “Lily?” He says my name like it’s an unanswered question.

  “Mmmm?” It’s all I can manage.

  “Never mind. It’s not important right now just get some sleep.” I barely catch the end of his sentence before the sound of the waves and the sway of the boat lull me to sleep.

  Chapter 7: The Royal Treatment

  I’m sitting in the headmasters’ office for the second time in less than a week and staring at the shiny surface of her desk. My face is still burning from the embarrassment of being summoned from class over the PA system; apparently being called to the office is taboo even at a school for supernaturals. She sits behind the desk with her ankles crossed and her hands steepled over her mouth and Lucinda, who was kind enough to come with me, is sitting in the chair to my right.

  “One of the students has brought to my attention that there was an attempt on your life over the weekend. While I was hoping the incident at the dance was simply an accident it would seem to be too much of a coincidence to ignore.” I resolve to kill Luca as soon as I see him, if that’s even possible. He had to be the one that told.

  “I understand that your parents wanted to give you time to adjust but we don’t have the luxury of time anymore. The Council is depending on you and the fate of supernatural’s’ around the world may very well rest in your hands.”

  “What do you mean rests in my hands? What Council?” I look back and forth between the two of them.

  “At the request of your parents we were telling you only what we felt you needed to know, but now you need to know everything. The supernatural community is governed by a Council called the ‘Council of Five’ that has a representative from each of the races: trolls, witches, wolves, fairies and vampires. Your mother held the fairy throne. Each seat carries with it a long history and tradition and ascension to that throne is hereditary and can only be taken by someone sharing the same bloodline. In the absence of a blood heir then it passes to the next oldest fairy family but it is extremely rare for this to happen. You are the last in the Hughes line - the fairy princess to be more exact - and it appears that someone is trying to kill you.”

  “Why would someone want to kill me over some group of stuffy, old figureheads?” Lucinda clears her throat and shoots me a look while Professor Winters’ eyes assess me coolly.

  “I assure you that our Council is neither stuffy nor bureaucratic as the human politics you follow may be. The Council’s power is all-encompassing and their decisions directly impact each and every one of us. At present time the newly appointed vampire leader is calling for a revolution. It is his belief that we are superior to the human race and shouldn’t hide our true natures. He is calling it emancipation but it’s really just a clever coup d’état he’s plotting. He hides it well enough in rhetoric but at the heart of it he truly believes that humans are dispensable and should be used however we see fit. It is a very dangerous proposition that if accepted by the races will almost certainly mean war.” She comes around the desk to face me. “So far he’s been successful in convincing the witches that they need to reveal themselves. The wolves and trolls favor discretion. You would be the deciding vote.”

  “So what are you saying?” I ask, my voice wavering.

  “I am saying that we need to double your training sessions and educate you on the Council so that we can get you to London as soon as possible to take your seat and cast your vote.”

  “Isn’t that a little hasty? You still don’t know for sure that someone wants me dead. The speaker and the car, they could’ve been accidents.”

  “They were not accidents.” Lucinda says quietly. “It’s just like your parents.”

  “Lucinda.” Professor Winters says sharply.

  “They were her family. She has a right to know.”

  She sighs and removes her glasses, pinching at the bridge of her nose. “I suppose she does. Lily, the investigation revealed that there was no mechanical failure detected during the plane crash and that the fuselage was inexplicably crushed. Planes don’t just rip in half. The only thing that could take down a plane that quickly and with that level of precision… ”

  “Is magic.” Lucinda cuts in.

  “It is an unfortunate truth. Your mother was very vocal in her opposition of a reveal to humans and her opinion was always held in high regard with the Council.”

  “You are telling me that my parents were killed over stupid politics!” I can’t keep the venom from my voice and I don’t even try. In that moment I want more than anything to close my eyes and back at the old bungalow: waxing my surfboard in the yard and listening to mom play piano while dad fries up tofu scramble and veggie sausage on the stove. I am filled with a sudden loathing for this place and these people.

  “You’ve been feeding me lies and hoping that I’ll just adapt. Well guess what? It’s not working. But I am smart enough to read between the lines and what you are saying is that I don’t really have a choice. So I’ll do exactly what you say and double my training efforts, learn about your politics and cast my vote. Then once everything has returned to normal and this vampire leader guy gives up his agenda I get to leave this place. The Council can find other fairy to do their bidding and I am done with Ex Nihilo, and so help me I will find whoever killed my parents and make them pay. Agreed?” I think I catch them both by surprise. There is a beat of silence before the Professor answers.

  “That sounds reasonable Ms. Hughes but as hard as it may be I urge you to put your feelings of revenge aside and focus on what’s important right now.”

  I clench the edge of the desk with both hands. It is all I can do to keep myself from launching myself at her.

  “My parents’ lives may not have been important to you but I assure you they were to me.” I sling my bag over my shoulder and stalk out of the room, ignoring Lucinda’s calls as she follows after me.

  “Lily! Please wait!” I’m halfway down the hall before I stop. This isn’t her fault. She’s the one that wanted to tell me. When she reaches me she pulls me into a firm hug and I let go. I’m crying hard and my nose is running on to her sweater but she stays where she is and gently rubs my back. “I’m so sorry.” She whispers. “I wish there was another way.” I pull away and wipe at my nose.

  “But there’s not and I get that. So I will do what I am required to do by birth and nothing more.”

  “That’s all the headmaster is asking.” She smiles at me, the corners of her green eyes crinkling.

  “Have you ever met the Council?” I ask.

  “I haven’t, but I hear that their bark is worse that their bite and you have a good head on your shoulders so you’ll be fine.” She runs a hand through her spiked platinum hair and then produces a handkerchief from her pocket. “I’m always here if you need to talk but right now I’d better get back to class. And that goes for you as well - especially now that you’re on an accelerated learning plan.” She winks good-humouredly and heads off down the hall. I take a moment to wipe my eyes which are undoubtedly red and puffy so I don’t see Luca when he passes by me.

  “Trouble with your boyfriend, princess?” He says it so snidely that my eyes fill up with tears again.

  “For once why don’t you just shut your mouth, Luca! You obviously have no idea what you’re talking about.” My voice wobbles when I shout and for the first time since I’ve met him he actually looks embarrassed.

  “Come with me.” He is at my side before I can blink and his large
hand is grasping my fingers as he leads me into one of the empty classrooms. He closes the door and flicks on the lights and I’m surprised that the classroom is unlocked – supernatural’s’ are definitely more trusting than the California Department of Education - or maybe it’s just a private school thing. He drops my hand and pulls out two stools for us to sit on as I look around at the science lab with its high tables, glass beakers and Bunsen burners. “I’m sorry for what I said. Please don’t cry.” He says seriously.

  “Forget about it.” I swipe at my eyes and take a deep breath.

  “Did you get the news about your parents?” He reaches for my hand again and I recoil.

  “Great, so everyone knows that my parents were murdered except me.”

  “I didn’t know for sure. I heard rumors.”

  “Then you probably also heard that your leader is one of the prime suspects.” I spit back. “He isn’t my anything. I don’t participate in that nonsense. I knew your parents and they were good people who didn’t deserve to die.” He says, the irritation in his voice clear. “You knew my parents?”

  “I did but it was a long time ago.”

  “How old are you Luca?”

  “How old do I look?”

  “I don’t know nineteen or twenty?” I say and his mouth curves up into a smile.

  “You’d be warmer if you times that by five.” He smiles.

  “You’re a hundred years old?” I don’t think he appreciates my horrified expression because he sighs.

  “Princess, how old do you think your parents were?”

  “They never really talked about it and they refused to celebrate their own birthdays. They always said you are only as old as you feel, but I guess around forty? My friends always said they could easily pass for thirty.” He shakes his head.

  “I’m not sure if I’m the one who should be telling you this but I guess you’ll learn soon enough; supernatural’s age differently than humans. Your parents were easily over two hundred years old. And your friend Tristan, he may look seventeen but I assure you he’s not. We are born naturally and we can live a mostly ‘normal’ adolescent life aging at the same rate as humans until puberty hits, and then the aging process slows considerably. We still age but it takes decades which to the naked eye looks a lot like immortality.”

  “So you’re not immortal? From everything I’ve read and seen about vampires I’d just assumed you were.”

  “No, all of us from the five races can be killed. Not easily but we can be and there are very different and very specific methods for successfully getting rid of us.”

  “And vampires are born?”

  “We are, true vampires at least. All of those legends about us lurking in alleyways and biting unsuspecting humans to turn them into one of us are simply pop culture perversions. The reality is that we take our bloodlines very seriously.”

  “So you can’t make a vampire?” I ask, knowing that we’ve strayed off topic but curious all the same.

  “You can and some idiots do, but it’s not the romanticized ‘turning’ you’ve seen in films. Usually it’s done by bottom feeding vampires with inferiority complexes who prey on occult groups and lonely souls who think becoming a vampire will make all of their problems go away. It is a messy and dangerous process with a very low success rate and turned vampires are never quite right in the head.” He puckers his mouth in distaste and I can help but notice again how full his lips are.

  “Meaning what, exactly?”

  “Have you ever seen the movie Pet Sematary?”

  “You mean you have?” I ask incredulously and he laughs.

  “I’m one hundred years old, of course I have. What I mean is that you can bring someone over and make them a vampire but they end up leaving a piece of themselves behind. They are vacant and simple-minded and only a step up from zombie. In fact it’s probably where the zombie legend stems from.”

  “Why do you bite people then?”

  “Everybody has to eat. We glamour them so they don’t feel any pain. It’s intended to be clean, quick and efficient. Humans have enough blood that they don’t miss it and in the interest of safety and fairness children, the elderly and the infirm are off limits.”

  “But wouldn’t that change if you all revealed yourselves? Wouldn’t people become more vigilant in protecting themselves?” I ask and he nods in agreement.

  “You are preaching to the choir, princess. The vampire leader is a fascist and an extremist and he doesn’t speak for all of us. I am truly sorry about your parents.” He brushes his hand across my cheek then quickly pulls away.

  “Please call me Lily. I am no more a princess than you are an extremist.” I say, quietly. “I am not trying to tease you. Whether you like it or not you are supernatural royalty.”

  “I thought you didn’t believe in all that nonsense?” I challenge and he grabs my chin and tilts my face up towards his, catching me off guard.

  “I believe in you.” I breathe in his clean, spicy scent and take in just how flawless he is up close with his smooth caramel skin, strong straight nose, and eyes that are such a deep shade of brown they’re almost black. I’m sure that he can hear my heart skipping as he holds my face in his hand.

  “That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me since I came here.” I say and he frowns.

  “Have I really been that bad?”

  “Yes, Luca. You really have.” He releases my chin and steps back.

  “Then I’ll try harder.”

  “That would be a nice change.” I give him a half-smile and he nods.

  “I’ll see you around… Lily.” My name sounds strange on his lips and I like it.

  “See you around, Luca.” I leave him standing in the lab as I head back toward my locker somehow feeling a little bit lighter. I check the clock in the hall only to find that I’ve missed the rest of class so I drop off my bag and decide to track down Nissa and Cai in the cafeteria to fill them in.

  * *

  “That’s horrible, Lily. I can’t believe they didn’t tell you right away.” Nissa frowns into her chai tea. Cai, who is eating a massive steak, drops his fork and it clatters against the table.

  “I have an idea! You could go and see the trolls. Maybe they know what happened to your parents or at least they can help you see what will happen when you go to meet the Council.”

  “I don’t know, Cai, those guys seem a little unreliable to me. They deceive people for sport and they could end up making her hallucinate so badly that she’ll have to spend the rest of her life wearing a straight jacket in some padded room.” Nissa voices rises an octave just as Kennedy appears behind her.

  “Ooh that sounds like exactly where we should put her, especially after all of these made up stories about people trying to kill her. Seriously, Lily, how much attention do you need? It’s not enough to have the dead parents’ card to play that you have to add a fake stalker to the list?” Kennedy says, flashing me a toothy grin. Nissa’s mouth drops open in surprise and Cai stands to wedge himself protectively in front of me but I quickly dart around him.

  “Take. It. Back.” I say through clenched teeth, my whole body shaking in anger.

  “Not on your life, which may not end up being for that much longer if these imaginary bad guys get you.” She rolls her eyes when she says ‘bad guys’ and without even thinking I push Cai backwards and raise my hands. A ball of fire the size of a melon glows between my palms then shoots forward simultaneously lighting the table, Kennedy’s backpack and her shirt on fire. “Shit!” Cai yells and splashes his glass of water down Kennedy’s front. Nissa grabs her jacket and throws it around the smoldering backpack. “You stupid bitch!” Kennedy shrieks, swatting at her now singed clothes. “This is my favorite blouse. You don’t deserve to be princess if you don’t even know how to control the power you have. You are going to pay for this!” I am breathing heavily, staring down at my shaking hands and I can tell from her tone that she isn’t just talking about paying for the shirt. The c
afeteria is eerily quiet and everyone is staring at us. I collapse into the nearest chair as Kennedy stomps away with as much dignity as one can with a half-charred designer blouse on.

  “What was that?” I whisper.

  “That was your first lesson in elemental manipulation, also known as fairy power. You have the ability to summon and control fire, water, earth and air.” Cai informs me.

  “I guess I should probably work on the summoning and controlling parts.” I say as I notice that my hands are still shaking.

  “At least you know now that you have the power. I’ve seen fairies in class that can’t even light a scented candle.” Nissa adds, eyeing me speculatively. “It could be her you know. She could be the one that’s trying to kill you. Everyone knows the Quinn’s are the next oldest fairy family in line and her father is an opportunistic bastard.” She taps her lips thoughtfully.

  “You give her too much credit, Nissa. I don’t think Kennedy’s smart enough for that.” Cai says dryly.

  “I want to go and see the trolls tonight.” I say to them firmly. I will not back down on this especially with just happened. I need to understand what I am getting myself into. “Then we will go tonight.” Nissa looks at Cai who nods in agreement. “We are a team and we do this together.”

  I’ve been to the principal’s office twice in my entire student life. Once in the second grade for throwing an eraser at Kevin Nolan when he called me a beanpole and once in high school for skipping a half day of classes to go surfing. But it seems that here at Ex Nihilo it’s becoming a regular thing.

  “And so we meet again, Ms. Hughes.” Professor Winters' usual tight bun has loosened from its hold and she looks tired and not particularly pleased at seeing me. “I’m afraid these little visits are becoming something of a habit.” I don’t meet her eyes because I’m embarrassed about what happened and I know that she’s right.

  “I didn’t mean to burn her shirt. I don’t even know where that came from.” I bow my head, too ashamed to make eye-contact. I brace myself for the lecture that’s coming but she surprises me by resting her hand on top of mine.