by D. R. Perry
I'd lost count of the number, but the next student I noted in the slideshow was the last one. Michelina Zanelli had brassy blonde hair and tanned olive skin. Like Arick, she had no familiar, but she stood alone behind the refreshment table like I had last year.
"And we're out." Hal rested a hand on my arm.
"I'll make sure he gets upstairs safely, Faith."
"Thanks."
I escorted Hal Hawkins across the room, locking eyes with Dylan as we got closer to his section of the wall, I felt Ember tug my hair, so I helped Hal lean against the wooden surface and turned.
"Hi." A boy stood behind me, extending his hand for a shake. "I'm—"
"Arick Magnuson, I saw." I nodded. "It's nice to meet you, but I'm kind of busy right now."
"I just wanted to ask how you got your dragonet.” He glanced at Hal, his brow wrinkling. “Are you okay?”
"Hal’s not feeling too well." I shook his hand. "Stop by my table at breakfast or dinner and we’ll talk."
"Oh." When the handshake ended, he turned his hand palm up and stared at it like he'd just met a celebrity.
Oh, no. It seems you've got a fan club. Infamy is greater than fame.
Hal leaned more heavily on my arm, nearly throwing me off-balance.
"Come on, Hal, let's get you upstairs." Dylan came to support him on the other side. "See you later, Magnuson."
"Yeah, later."
We didn't speak again until I asked the stairs for the third floor. The only sound on the way up was Dylan's yawn. Once we reached the top, Hal finally said something.
"You're someone's role model already." Hal grinned, lips pale and eyes sleepy. "Good going."
"Maybe." I shook my head. "But what could he know except that I'm an extramagus? The last person who considered that awesome was Alex."
"It’s probably Ember." Dylan raised his eyebrow. "Dragonets attract loads of attention. I mean, I know from personal experience and everything."
"Thanks, Dylan." I sighed. "I hope you’re right."
"It can’t be that bad, surely?" Dylan shook his head. “I’ve never seen Alex go for someone who wasn’t attractive. I mean, look at Darren.”
Hal sighed. "I’m sure all his interest in her came from the extramagus thing. He must have asked me a hundred questions about her powers after Valentine’s Day last year."
I felt like I'd been frozen in a block of ice because this wasn't something I expected other people to understand, let alone point out. I stopped walking in the middle of the hall.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Dylan blinked. "You broke Aliyah."
"Sorry." Hal's forehead wrinkled, making him look just like his father for a moment. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't feel like I have time to mince words."
"I knew all this, but I didn't expect anyone else to notice." I took a deep breath and continued on our way toward his room. "At least you unleashed that now instead of mid-crisis or something."
"Yeah." Dylan nodded. "As much as I'd like to laugh and say what crisis, I worry we'll have more than one this year."
As we waited for Hal to palm the plate next to his door and go inside, I realized Dylan was on to something. Fewmets would hit the fan eventually, probably several times once extramurals started. If I'd had a djinn's lamp, I would've wished for him to be wrong, but even magical wishes might not equalize the social battles ahead.
Chapter Fifteen
The first-day lecture should have felt like a review. Professor Luciano talked about a subject most extrahumans had been hearing about since early childhood: coincidence.
“The idea of fate is as old as humanity.” As he spoke, an illustration of three women at a loom appeared on the chalkboard. “Extrahumans know more about it because of our connection with the Under, and by association, with changelings and their faerie parents. Destiny is not as simple as the idea that your path was decided before birth. It works in patterns, cycles that could be either followed or broken. We call that coincidence.”
Luciano’s take was extremely old-school, likely a product of his education at the oldest extrahuman universities in the world. Or perhaps because of his Italian citizenship and heritage. The cradle of magus society was the Mediterranean.
“As adult magi, you’ll need to know how to recognize, research, and track coincidental patterns. Your third-year studies will largely focus on that. For now, I want you to begin paying attention. Anything that looks like a pattern should be noted and discussed with your peers during library time. At the end of the year, you’ll turn in a brief personal essay about what you noticed.”
Everyone furiously scribbled notes, even Logan, who always got a transcript of the lecture as part of his IEP accommodations. Everyone must have found this idea and the assignment interesting. It gave me a strange feeling, like part of my brain had floated up to the ceiling.
Maybe that’s why I went through the motions for the rest of the day until Gym, which shook me out of the odd funk.
"Listen up, kiddos, because I'm only telling you once!" Coach Pickman clapped her hands to get our attention. "You might be second-years, but you're still twerps to me. If you want to make the extramural Bishop's Row team, you'll work your hinies off, starting this minute."
She stopped in front of Dorian, who stood with his hand in the air, a tactic that had worked wonders on Professor Luciano that morning. It flew about as adeptly as a waterlogged pigeon with Coach Pickman.
"Spanos. What's your problem?"
"I'm just checking. You got the note from Nurse Smith, right?"
"Necessary medical device, boo-fricking-hoo. You're still running laps. Everyone new to me does. I made Hawkins do it last year with his note, and you're no different."
"But, Coach!"
"No buts in my gym unless they're on the court running laps. Snap to it, Spanos!" She clapped her hands so close to his nose I thought she'd pinch it.
She turned her back on Dorian, which was a good thing under the circumstances. He dropped his jaw, then narrowed his eyes as he snapped it shut. The look my classmate gave the coach was like a hail of arrows on a battlefield. As I sauntered toward the starting line marked on the track around the court, I slowed my pace to walk beside Dorian.
"Dude, she's harsh but fair most of the time. It'll be okay. Just run the laps. Look at it this way; you can't be any slower than Logan. He's practically a turtle."
"Easy for you to say. He said you're the fastest kid in our year." Dorian hung his head, tugging on the section of shirt covering his chest. It clung oddly like he wore something under it. "This is going to hurt."
"I'm sorry. She's only tough at the beginning. If you have any problems today, she’ll find something else for you to do."
"Maybe your psychic friend can give me a reading about gym class." Dorian rolled his eyes. "Thanks for checking on me, from one delinquent to another."
"Lee Young says giving a damn is my superpower." I shrugged. "Who am I to argue with that?"
Coach Pickman's whistle cut off our conversation. Like last year, the simplicity of running lulled me into a sense of calm, which was a tough state to attain at school. Gym was one of my only escapes from feeling like a misfit on this campus. If I were perfect, I'd love it here, but I'd learned last year that nobody was.
You could be, with a little work in the right direction.
"No." I disguised my response to the Evil Inside Voice in measured breathing as I paced my run. Last year, it had wanted me to give in to my temper and live up to my mother's notorious Hopewell heritage. Instead, I'd decided to do everything I could to stay good.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Logan and Dorian at the back of the pack, though Dorian's face was red and he was sweating far more than I'd expected. Maybe he had mundane asthma or something. I hoped it wasn't an awful magical malady like Hal's.
Without Alex Onassis in our class this year, I pretty much had no competition on the track. Faith paced herself well and was the next fastest, but she still ate my dust. I
hoped to get on the extramural team this year, but it was a long shot even with my speed.
Elanor Pierce was the star player at our school, and my brother Noah was a close second in ability and skill. In our year, Dylan and Grace were both better athletes than me. Lee and I would probably compete for the last slot on that team, with one of us on reserve. If we got that far. There were three other students in Noah's year who’d give us a run for our money.
I watched Hal press the button on the stopwatch as I passed the finish line, then I leaned forward with my hands on my knees, just breathing. When Faith pulled up after me, we both sat on the bench near him.
"Sorry, Aliyah." She shook her head. "I'm not much of a challenge in here."
"That's okay, I can take it easy for now. Lab's next, are you ready?"
"As long as Luciano doesn't start with the hardest experiment again, I am."
"I promise to put out any fires, whether I start them or not." I put my right hand on the left side of my chest.
"No more fires." Bailey, the next classmate to finish laps, managed those three words through her athletically-induced huffing and puffing.
"It wasn't my fault, Bailey."
"Not the second time." She rolled her eyes, then sighed. "Give your sob story to my sister."
"Hmmm?" I blinked. What in the world was Bailey talking about?
"I'm never switching to Team Dubois." She snorted.
"Whatever." Faith narrowed her eyes. "Why bother talking to us then, Bailey?"
"Hit the locker rooms, kiddos!" Coach Pickman jerked her thumb at the doorway.
"We're not trying on any gear?" Logan blinked.
"No." Coach Pickman crossed her arms over her chest shaking her head. "There's only two of you with any chance of making the team. Next time, we're focusing on mundane sports. Remedial, but hopefully fun. Catch my drift?"
"We're too early for Lab." Hal set the stopwatch aside, along with the notepad he'd used to record times. "What should we do?"
"Report back here after you're cleaned up and in your regular clothes. I've got something to show you."
We all headed to the locker room as she'd instructed, even Hal, who hadn't done anything besides change into his uniform. Our locker rooms had one common area with benches and hooks for bags and blazers, with sauna access, a steam room, and a first-aid station. The middle doorway led to a smaller gender-neutral locker room, the one on the left was just girls and just boys on the right.
Even though it hadn't been a challenge, I'd exerted myself, so I went to the girl's side and rinsed off in the shower before changing. When I emerged, Dorian still sat in his gym uniform, ridiculous purple shorts and all. It looked like he was waiting for something, although everyone else was dressed and gathering their school blazers.
"You okay, Dorian?" I stopped and sat on the bench next to him.
"Yeah." He took a few deep ones. "I can change fast. Don't worry."
"It wasn't about changing, it's the health stuff. After that run, are you all right?"
"Yeah. Hal said you were one of the first to notice something was up with him. I get it, but I'm okay. It's physical, but I can deal."
"Okay." I nodded, standing up. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."
"You're the nicest miscreant I've ever met." Dorian chuckled. "And that's saying a lot. The Academy’s full of them."
"Thanks, I guess. See you out there."
Dorian must've been the master of fast changes because, by the time I'd found a spot on the bleachers, he emerged from the locker room in his regular clothes. I gave him a quick smile as he walked across the court.
"Morgenstern, Fairbanks. You can goof off because I want you both at tryouts for Bishop's Row. The rest of you pay attention." Coach Pickman pointed her whistle at the ceiling. The scoreboard descended.
I should say it served as the scoreboard on every other occasion I'd seen it. This time, it looked like the screen out in the lobby, and there weren't any scores on it. Instead, it displayed a PowerPoint presentation.
I didn't goof off, but I didn't study the subject raptly either. I'd seen something like it before from Cadence. Coach Pickman was telling the class about cheer squads. She recited words off the slides in a monotone, giving the impression she’d had nothing to do with its creation.
"Coach Chen is organizing a cheer squad. If you have questions or want to join, talk to him." Coach Pickman put her whistle to her mouth and gave it three sharp blasts. "Dismissed!"
We filed out of the gym, entering the hallway in one group. The doors were wide enough to allow for that, and it let me get a look at Logan's face. His eyes were alight, like the day he'd met Doris. I hadn't seen him this excited for a long time.
"So, cheer squad, huh?" I smiled.
"Yeah, looks like it." He grinned. "I bet I'll see Kitty there, and Eston too."
"Maybe me if I don't make the team. Which seems likely."
"You'll make it." Dorian elbowed my shoulder. "Grace isn't going out for Bishop's Row this year."
"Oh?" I blinked.
"Yeah, says she wants to leave it for Dylan. He loves it, and it's not her favorite thing."
"I still have to worry about all the third-years, plus Faith, Lee, and my brother." I shrugged. "Not to mention that part of my probation came from an incident at Bishop's Row last year, so I might not even be eligible."
"You are." Hal held the door to magipsychic lab for Faith and stood there keeping it open for the rest of us. "My dad said he's letting everybody try out."
"Even Alex?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
"Bummer." Dorian snorted. "I can't stand that guy."
"You haven't even met him."
"I met Noah last night, who mentioned your ex a few times. His reputation precedes him."
"So does mine."
"Yours is like a patchwork quilt, while his is all one color." Dorian shook his head.
I shrugged. "Still, it's better to form your own opinion, don't you think?"
"Didn't he put a poison whammy on you?" Dorian blinked. "Why defend someone like that?"
"I don't know." I stared at my hands.
You do—first kiss and all. But you won't tell Mr. Spanos that.
"Maybe because I don't want to tell you what to think about someone else." I squared my shoulders, looking Dorian in the eye. "You can find out for yourself."
"Facts are facts, Miss Morgenstern." Professor Luciano did his usual butting in, which was his right in his classroom, after all. "The most salient fact at present is that Lab starts now, and you haven't chosen a bench or a partner."
He was right. I looked around the room, noticing that Hal and Faith sat together this time. Bailey was with Logan, which made sense now that everybody knew he had been at the top of the class in our year.
"Morgenstern, I choose you!" Dorian pointed at me, then the bench in front closest to the door.
"Peep?" Ember perched on the edge of the lab bench, blinking at us.
"Caw!" Mercy dive-bombed Ember, knocking her off the table. The critters soared up to tussle overhead. I knew it was playful since I could sense Ember's mood and Dorian smiled at their antics.
"Get your familiars under control and into the designated area, please."
As if in response to the professor, Seth barked at the pair of airborne playmates three times in rapid succession. Ember broke free, circling Mercy once before swooping down to rest on top of the little carpet-covered doghouse Seth hung out in during lab.
Mercy took a spin around the garbage can, which was empty, to her dismay. After that, she followed Ember, settling on the perch above her. It was almost like a pecking order, except the critter with the most authority was on the ground floor.
"Before we begin, I've got an announcement from Nurse Smith." The professor held a slip of paper up, reading from it. "Due to a delayed shipment of supplies, Familiar Bonding will begin tomorrow. Apologies for the late start."
"Saved by the USPS?" Dorian nu
dged me, winking.
"Ears open, mouths closed. This year's labs will expand on the themes we learned last year." Professor Luciano leaned his hands on the teacher's bench at the front of the room. A moment later, the cubbies under our benches opened, revealing the vintage 1980s trapper keepers that held our lab manuals. I ended up with the same unicorn as last year. Dorian's had a yin and yang symbol on it.
"Don't worry, class, we're starting with the basics this year. Safety!"
"Thank goodness," Logan muttered under his breath behind me.
"It's not all boring regulations and tours around the room." Professor Luciano grinned. "I'm also handing out a list of projects for the extramural lab collaboration exercises. Constructing these devices will require you to team up with students from the other two schools. If you try to do any of them with just magi, you will fail spectacularly."
"Is he always this gung-ho in here?" Dorian blinked. "I mean, in lecture, he's kinda blah."
"He loves the lab." I giggled behind my hand. "Maybe a little too much."
The tour was uneventful, as was the demonstration Professor Luciano did with all the safety equipment. It was a good thing, though. Either there had been additions to the equipment closets, or I'd forgotten some of what I learned last year. Maybe a little of both.
The list of collaborative projects was ten pages long. Each had a one-paragraph description, along with the recommended group makeup by extrahuman type. One was for making communication orbs, like the one I had smuggled onto the campus last year to communicate with Izzy and Cadence. This one could record and had a scrying feature. I tapped it with my finger, searching for my pencil with the other hand to circle it.
"Found your project?"
"Maybe. Depends. It says here we don't get teams assignments until October after the other schools send their groups over."
"You'll work with your friends from town, right?"
"Maybe, but a faculty member has to approve and supervise each group, and I like meeting new people.” I blinked then put my hand over my mouth.