by Demi Dumond
Great, everybody knew. Did Professor Kiln rat me out? And if everybody here already knew I was a magical idiot, then what was the point of all of this with Professor Kiln? The point had already been made.
I crossed back to the front of the room to confront her. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"It's a magic school," she answered. "You're here to do magic, are you not?"
"Then tell me how," I said defiantly. "And yes, since everybody here now knows that I'm the magical equivalent of an idiot, go ahead and use a bunch of small words so I can understand."
The room had gone silent. The students looked stunned that I would stand up to Professor Kiln and humiliate myself openly, but they didn't understand that there was no self-respect left for me to salvage today.
Nobody looked more surprised than Professor Kiln. Her eyes flashed at me in anger before subsiding into something else. A terror washed over me. The anger I could deal with, but I had no idea what she was planning on doing next.
She went back to her desk, sat down, and pulled out a few papers that she looked over. The class waited patiently for her to finish whatever it was she was doing.
Then she stood up and looked me in the eye. "Okay," she said. "I've been doing magic for decades without even thinking about it," she said as she walked past me, eyes lit up in excitement to address the rest of the class. "This feels like an excellent opportunity to review the basics of our craft. What does the magic feel like and where does it come from?"
The class blinked at her, and their expressions turned from smug to a small fraction of the terror I had experienced. It was clear they weren't sure.
"Anybody?" Professor Kiln asked.
Finally, a hand shot up. "It feels like static electricity in your head that wants to get out."
"Excellent." Professor Kiln said. "And how do we call the electricity in the first place. What draws it into your body so that you can use it?"
There was another long silence. Then another hand. "You call it, in your mind, like a thought that's alive."
Professor Kiln clapped. "Nicely done. And not just for Keira. Understanding the roots of your magic, what it is in its smallest components, will help you master the craft even faster than practicing rote movements and memorizing words. You would all do well to look for and discover the source of your magic."
"Yes, Yoda," a voice in the back said softly, causing a cascade of laughter to fill the room.
She allowed the laughter to die down before signaling for me to try again. For the first time today, though, I felt like it might be possible. At least abstractly, I had an idea of what I should do, and at least that was something.
I mimicked the same movements I had been doing all morning, only this time, as goofy as I felt, I called to my magic. The only thing I had to hold onto right now was the fact that I had, in fact, passed the magic entrance exam. For now, I'd have to ignore the fact that I was the worst-of-all-time.
All of a sudden, my thoughts turned into a buzzing feeling in my head. Holding onto it, I quickly took a breath and held it. Hope flooded my body and brain for the first time today. Along with a sense of awe. When I exhaled and moved my hands, there were very faint pink sparks. I couldn’t believe it! Even after the sparks had dissipated, I turned my hands over and over, staring at them in wonder.
"Okay, Keira. You've mastered your first entry level spell. Now take your seat, please, so we can all move on with the class."
I was never so happy to return to my seat. For the rest of class I took furious notes but there was no way I could concentrate. I did magic. A protection spell. I felt an internal pride that almost made up for the hours of humiliation.
When the bell rang again, I knew I was finally free to go. Triumphantly grabbing my things, I filed out with the rest of my classmates. I almost got out of the door, too.
"A minute, if you would, Keira." I should have known Professor Kiln wasn't just going to let me walk out the door. What could she possibly want now? I went to her desk. "Yes, Professor?"
"You asked why I was doing this to you. A student was attacked this morning. He is gravely injured."
I frowned, why the hell was she telling me this? "I'm sorry to hear that. What happened to him?"
"We don't know yet, the only thing I know for sure is that he could do that protection spell in his sleep. Headmaster Julius's standards may be getting scandalously low, but I won't have students walking around these halls completely unprotected." She grabbed my arm. "Study hard, catch up fast, and watch your back."
I tried to swallow back my fear as I stared into those cold, dark eyes. Suddenly I was very worried about being the worst-of-all-time when it came to doing magic.
Was she saying someone or something was stalking the student population? And was she implying was that I was the weakest wildebeest in the herd? FML.
14
Keira
I made it to the last class of the day. Of course, as I entered, every eye turned to me including the teacher.
Ignoring them, I weaved my way to the back where there was only one empty seat left. Luckily for me, it was next to Ian. I slid into my seat. As usual, one look from those baby blues made me melt.
When I sat down, a note was on the side of my desk opposite Ian. The note read GO AWAY NO MAGIC GIRL. Geez, all-caps in real life? What kind of lunatics were these people? And go away? Where the fuck was I supposed to go?
I glanced at the note, then at Ian. He raised an eyebrow at me. I decided not to tell him about the note.
The teacher started his lecture, turning to the blackboard and noisily adding a few words. The chalk noises grated on me, as did the note. When I was confident that the students around me had turned their attention back to the teacher instead of me, I balled up the note and dropped it on the floor.
The teacher was old and frail looking. He had a long gray beard to go with the blue and gold beanie he wore on his mostly bald head. His robe matched the beanie but completed the look that he had literally just gotten out of bed, Ebenezer Scrooge style.
The top of the chalk board said The Care, Feeding, and Cautions of Supernatural Creatures. Professor Smythe.
Fascinated, I looked over the notes on the board, which appeared to be about shifters and pack behavior. I hadn’t finished reading them all when the professor grabbed an eraser and then the words were gone. It was like he did it on purpose. “There will be a test tomorrow on shifters,” he announced.
Shit. I didn’t even have time to read the notes, much less write them down, and now they were gone.
Then the professor cleared his throat. Loudly, and with several coughing fits. “I would like all of you to listen up. There has been talk of prophecies and monsters. You need to stop this nonsense.” He limped behind the desk where he picked up a silver cane and waved it at all of us ominously.
“I want you to focus on the task at hand. Passing my class.” His eyes scanned the classroom as he scolded us. “Not taking matters into your own hands.”
There was excited whispering.
“Silence,” he shouted. “This class is a core requirement for all graduates. If you don’t pass this class, you will never graduate from this academy. So, unless you want to grow old and stay here with me, I suggest you spend more time studying. In fact, I think I’ll add several more books to this semester’s required reading.”
The class filled with loud groans. This seemed to satisfy Professor Smythe, and he went on with his lecture.
A few minutes later, the Professor stopped talking for a moment and retrieved a sticky note off of his desk, then he looked at his watch. “Mr. Klein, your presence is required at the cafeteria.”
Ian got up and gathered his things as if it was a regular occurrence, leaving me there with the empty space. Which was a shame, because I was planning on asking him how I could help my magic after class.
The professor continued his lecture without incident until the bell rang.
The other students couldn’t get ou
t of there fast enough, a detail I didn’t notice until they were all gone. When I looked up, Professor Smythe’s glare was now fixed on me. What now? Are all the professors going to hate me?
I will admit that I had never been any of the teacher’s pets when I was growing up, but I had done nothing to draw their wrath either. And I hadn’t done anything wrong. I mean, at least give me a chance to screw up first. Then you can hate me. Respect my process.
I decided to break the ice. “Um, hello Professor Smythe. I’m Keira, the new girl. Nice to meet you.” I moved forward through the desks, nodded to him, and then tried to make my way out of the room when he stepped in front and blocked my path. I noticed that when he wanted to, he could move pretty fast for an old guy with a limp and a cane wearing a bathrobe.
“You have brought this upon us.” He pointed a grizzled old finger at me. I couldn’t even focus on his words; all I could do was stare at the gaudy rings that hung loosely around his tiny stick fingers. He had rings on all five fingers, sometimes two to a finger. It was too much. But he struck me as a guy who wasn’t into fashion.
I broke free of the trance of his point ringed finger and raised an eyebrow at him. “What exactly have I brought upon you?”
“You’re the one from the prophecy,” he accused.
I dropped my backpack on the floor at that revelation. “Hang on, you just told all the students to knock it off with the prophecy.” I was legitimately confused at what was going on now.
“I told the students to focus on their own path. It’s my job to keep them safe from any threats,” he said.
“Threats?” I almost laughed. “You clearly didn’t see my tiny fizzle of magic in Kiln’s class. What exactly makes you think I’m a threat other than the coincidental timing of the whole weird moon thing of when I got here?” Hand on my hip and ready to argue with him if need be.
“The earthquake,” he replied. Then he walked back to his desk and threw himself in his chair.
The earthquake, I had forgotten all about that. That had to be a coincidence too. I frowned, though. The coincidences were starting to add up.
Anyway, Professor Smythe was no longer blocking my path. He was ignoring me completely and reading a book, making harrumph noises and turning old, gilded pages. I let myself out of the class quietly.
As soon as I stepped out of the class and into the hallway, I found myself surrounded in a half circle by glaring students.
Whatever this was, it wasn’t going to be good. I cast hopeful glances at the last of the students passing by, but it was clear nobody wanted to get involved.
Then the passing students were gone, leaving only the angry mob and I out in the hallway. I could have kicked myself when the realization dawned on me. “Oh, I get it. When that old professor said forget about the prophecy, what he really meant was: get her.”
The looks on their faces said that my words had hit the mark. They took a step forward. I took a step back, not sure what was happening. That’s when my back literally hit a wall.
That bothered me, because I had never backed down from a fight before, and I wasn’t about to start today. I set my backpack down against the wall and took a step forward back into the midst of them. They may have me surrounded, but I was no stranger to a street fight. I’d be okay if it was a run-of-the-mill fistfight
But if they went all magic eight ball on me, then I was in trouble, judging by the tiny spell I was barely able to pull off in Kiln’s class. These guys were masters at that and a whole lot more.
I decided the best course of action was to nudge them into a physical fight. There was a saying in my old neighborhood: take out the biggest bully and you’ll break up the crowd. The odds weren’t good here, but it was worth a try. I took a step toward the biggest guy in the half circle surrounding me, wound up, and kicked him in the crotch. He went to the ground instantly with an angry groan.
“Bitch!” A different guy to the left said. Then he rushed me. I knew I had a little room behind me between me and the wall, so I backed up and used his momentum to stiff arm him to the side, where my right foot shot out to trip him.
A wicked smile crawled across my face. This is what I was used to, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t what they expected when they decided to jump me.
Several of them rushed forward at the same time. I kicked and punched, but they were on me too fast. Plus a few circled in behind.
That’s when I felt it. There was a surge of heat and a flash of fire and something hit my chest, knocking me backward to the cold, hard, tile floor.
When I looked up, they were the ones grinning down at me. And with good reason, in a magic fight I was as good as useless.
I tried to get up and was hit with more fireballs, this time from multiple directions. Each time I got hit, the force knocked me backward, knocking the breath out of me, and the heat seared my body.
I screamed and looked down at my arm where a fireball had just dissolved. It left a reddish blue mark that looked like a cross between a burn and a bruise. And damn if that wasn’t how it felt too.
So, this stupid magic school was just going to let me get magicked to death in a hallway for something that wasn’t even my fault. I looked up and saw more fireballs coming at me. This time I was able to get to my feet in time to jump out of the way.
One of the fireballs hit the wall, leaving a black and crimson mark. Oh, that’s what those marks are.
They were all over the place, but mostly in the dormitory areas. These rumbles must happen more than I thought. Another fireball meant for me hit a girl who was in the wrong place when I jumped out of the way.
“Ow,” she screamed as she put out the sparks on her chest.
I may have dodged the last volley, but my attackers adjusted as well, aiming to where I was going and not where I had been. I was knocked down again.
I must have lost consciousness for a second because when I woke up, I had to put out a fire on my top. I smelled burning hair and hoped to hell it wasn’t mine.
I was surrounded though. And I was pretty sure that these Lord of The Flies students were moving in for the kill now and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it.
That’s when one of my attackers went flying into the wall shoulder first with a loud crack. He slumped to the floor with a moan.
I turned to see what the hell was going on now, when I saw Malachai. The presence of the golden hulking fallen angel clearly had them spooked.
They backed up and threatened him with their fireballs.
“I dare you,” Malachai said with a sneer. “Go ahead and see what happens.”
The guy I kicked in the crotch seemed to be the leader. He had recovered enough to point at me while keeping a wary eye on Malachai. “This isn’t over, no-magic. We’re not going to let that prophecy come true.”
Then they scattered like the cowards they were. I went to get my backpack. When I looked up to thank Malachai, he was gone.
15
Keira
I ran down the hallway hoping to find Malachai so I could thank him. The main hallway we were in led to the double door exit out into the courtyard.
Thank goodness. Fresh air always helped to clear my head and I needed it right now more than ever. That’s where I headed, hoping that’s where Malachai was.
I pushed open the heavy double exit doors and found half the school milling around the courtyard and beyond. The late afternoon air was refreshing with just a hint of nip in the air.
The forest might be off limits at night, but it seemed to be the make-out place during the day. Hand-holding students strolled on the manicured paths between the trees.
It almost seemed nice. Normal. For the first time in the last couple of days, I could pretend I was in a normal place where people my age were doing normal things like sitting in the grass, throwing a football, or strolling through the woods enjoying nature.
Unbelievable. One minute these students were in attack mode, and the next they looked like they were in a colle
ge admissions postcard.
I walked out to the stone benches and looked around.
I didn’t see Ian or Malachai, but unless I was imagining things, there were plenty of people still keeping an eye on the new girl. My hands balled into fists, wondering if I was going to be attacked again.
That’s when I recognized Bree. She pulled me aside and continued tugging on my shirt until we were in an open area to the left of the statue.
“What the hell?” I asked. “Why did you pull me over here?”
“You were about to walk right into shifter territory,” Bree said, her face aghast. “You have to stay here, with the mages, unless you want to lose a limb. Or worse.”
“What?” I asked, scanning the courtyard again. There weren’t any fights or territorial skirmished going on that I could see.
“Look,” she said. “The mages are here, the vampires are there,” she pointed to the far end of the courtyard. “The shifters are there, and the fallen creatures are on the other side.”
“Or what?” I asked.
“Look, you don’t want to start any trouble. Some of these creatures have a hair trigger.”
She had a point. I looked over the courtyard now that I had the lay of the land. Rafe stood towering over the other shifters, he was obviously in charge.
Same with Ian when I glanced over at the vampires. It looked like he was holding court. Some of these students were very obviously more powerful than others.
That's when a familiar face appeared. It was Malachi.
“Hey,” I said to Bree. “He crossed the picket line. I thought you said we couldn’t do that.”
“I said you couldn’t do that,” Bree answered, her face turning crimson in Malachai’s presence. “If they’re powerful enough, they can do whatever they want.”
Malachai ignored Bree. His golden gaze settled on me, making me feel warm inside despite his ever-present scowl. I did owe him thanks, though, for earlier.