Draiochta Academy: All Genres Academy Anthology

by BBB Publishings

  Two months ago

  “Kia, it came!” mother yells from the kitchen. I race down the stairs practically running her over as I make my way into the room. In her hands is the letter I’ve been waiting for my whole life. It’s the next piece to the puzzle on my journey to joining the EOO, Elite Occult Operations. I can make out the iridescent script from here, the magic infused into the paper, for witches’ eyes only.

  Her hands hold my future. The answer to whether or not I’ve been accepted into the ADA, the most prestigious higher learning institute in the magical community.

  I’m a legacy, both my parents attended and my two older brothers, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get special treatment. I’ve worked my butt off for this honor, and no one has helped me get to the top, not even my father being the general of the most elite section of the EOO. I had the highest score of anyone who applied and worked hard to ensure I aced my magic exams. In order to be considered for the EOO, your magical aptitude has to be above an eight out of ten. There were also other requirements I had to complete such as community outreach, potions making and prerequisites to becoming a well-rounded practitioner.

  -

  Taking the offered letter from her hands, I tear it open, not worrying about the envelope as it floats to the floor. The piece of paper I pull out is thin and a pang of fear runs through me. Shouldn’t it be thicker? One single sheet of paper seems like a bad sign.

  “What does it say?” my mother shrieks, her impatience worse than mine.

  I start to read, my heart skipping as I comprehend the first line. I got in. It’s so satisfying to know all of the sacrifices have paid off. I close my eyes for a second and relish the satisfaction.

  “I’ve been accepted.”

  She jumps up and down screaming before grabbing me and hugging me tightly.

  “I’m so proud of you baby girl,” she says, tears evident in her voice. Pulling away she looks into my eyes, her tear-soaked cheeks bring up all the emotions that I’m feeling right now.

  “What the hell is going on?” Ilan, my oldest brother says. He’s just returned home from work, and as usual acting like a jerk. I take in the stripes on his robes, signaling his rank as a lieutenant in the EOO, and feel a pang of jealousy. Ilan’s magic isn’t strong enough to be in the EOO, let alone a lieutenant. How he got into the ADA is a mystery to all of us. Dad is the only one who knows, but he’d never tell.

  Ilan is his pride and joy. His magic abilities only scored at seven and a half. Ilan swears he’s an eight, but we all know the truth. He’s wearing his formal robes instead of the signature moto jacket which means they had an official meeting today.

  “Your sister is going to ADA in the fall!” my mother announces. “She’s going to be with you and Jared. Maybe one day she’ll be in the EOO.” Mother’s voice is filled with pride, but my brother’s face falls as he hears the news.

  He’s the only one who doesn’t want me to succeed. Five years separate us and yet he still thinks it’s a competition. Nothing satisfies him, so I’ve stopped trying to be friends with him. Instead, I tolerate him because one day he’s going to be my boss. That’s what’s laughable. I might have more raw power, but he’s had more years to hone his skills, and more time to train. When Dad retires he’ll be the likely candidate to fill his shoes.

  He sneers and looks down at me, barely able to keep the contempt out of his voice. “That’s great Kia,” he lies. “I just hope you’re not expecting Dad to play favorites with you. I had to earn my place, and so will you. You have more to prove than any of us, so try not to embarrass the family name.” By the end of the speech, his voice is full of bitterness — anger twisting his face into a snarl. He’s baiting me for a fight I won’t have. Ilan is a bully. He needs to feel better about himself through the pain of others. It’s not worth it to engage.

  “I’ll try my best, brother. I’m not expecting anything from Dad, and definitely nothing from you. I’m not worried about embarrassing the family, after all, I’m not the one who scored below a 9 on the magical rating scale.” I drop the bomb with my sweet voice and kiss my mother on the cheek. She gives me a reproachful glare but says nothing, used to Ilan and I fighting this way. I give him my back. I don’t need to look at his face to know my barb stung. Ilan is so sensitive about his low score, for a magical family that wasn’t ours it isn’t too bad, but if anyone was embarrassing, on paper at least, it was him. Smiling wickedly I strut from the room, let him fester on that, I have some planning to do.

  Chapter Two

  Present Day

  The cool air from the open window blows into the bedroom ruffling the pages of the spellbook I’m trying to decipher. The delicate faded pages slide between my fingers. I’m gentle and careful not to tear them. The spells are written in Creole. My knowledge is negligible at best, and this is definitely some very old Haitian Creole. Our family libraries are full of spell books, some more advanced than others, and I’m always trying to get ahead. I probably shouldn’t be reading it, but this one called to me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice my lilac drapes fluttering in the breeze and pause. Magic seeps into my pores from the moonlight, and the heavy scent of gardenias fills the room. It’s my favorite time of day, the witching hour, but not even the extra magic of the time is helping me overcome the exhaustion that’s now seeping into my bones. Nonetheless, I let the twelve bells of midnight infuse me and then push on. Ignoring the nagging need to sleep.

  I’m working too hard, and I know it, but I’m not about to start my first semester unprepared. As Ilan so eloquently warned me, I have big shoes to fill. That means knowing at least some of the more advanced spells. Once I step through the doors of the academy I won’t have access to the family libraries.

  The course load and the training for EOO is intense. I might not be willing to show my fear to Ilan, but I feel it. Everyone is going to know who I am, and they’re going to test me. You can bet your ass when they do I’m going to be ready, no one is going to be able to say I got into ADA on my family name.

  I wipe my tired eyes and try to make sense of the page in front of me. My shoulders and neck hurt from crouching over, the tension making it hard to focus. The spell, if I’m reading it right, could help immensely. I’ll need my brother Jared’s help to update it to a more current language, maybe if I sweet talk him just right he’d be willing.

  My eyes flutter closed, but I shake myself awake. Keep reading, just a few more spells, and then I can sleep. Gripping the pages a little tighter, I squint under the light and focus again. This spell is about making animals become more attuned to your feelings or something of that nature. I really need Jared to help.

  “Kia, you’re already in, you can stop studying for just a few minutes, and you know … pay attention to me,” Jayden says coming up the stairs and pausing at the door. His large frame fills the doorway and I feel a flutter in my stomach as I look at him. That flutter is new, but damn, Jayden has really blossomed recently. His grey eyes roam over my body and I feel my skin heat in response. He came over a little while ago but is so at home that he decided to let me study while he watched some TV. Clearly, he’s done with TV and tired of being ignored. Jayden is so good to me, and very understanding of my obsessive habits, but he’s still a guy and needs his attention.

  I smile through my exhaustion as the words break through my mental fog. It’s not like I don’t want to hang out with my boyfriend, but school and succeeding are more important. Jayden will always be here for me. I roll my eyes and respond, “ A couple more spells, and then we can make out, promise.” I hear a grunt and a shuffle as he moves to the bean bag chair in the corner of my room, knowing he’ll respect my wishes for a little bit longer. Jay is the type of guy you keep. One that always has your back and who you can count on when things are rough. He’s my best friend, and somewhere along the way, we became more. It’s still pretty new, and there are times it feels weird, but Jayden is my perfect match.

  When my mom found out we
were dating she had this self-satisfied smile like she was happy we had finally crossed that line. She never pushed us to date, but she didn't care if the door was closed when we were studying either. His parents and mine were both very hopeful for a match but careful to let us make our own decision, and for a long time, it seems as if we were only going to be friends.

  My parents are willing to have me mated at a young age as long as it's to someone who can meet my magic and comes from a respectable and powerful bloodline.

  When it comes down to it, it’s hard to compete with Jayden’s power. His raw magic is off the charts. Even if it weren’t, he would make up for it with his bloodline, the Celestines are witch royalty, like my own. But unlike us, they’re wealth is substantial. My family is a bit more modestly well off, but that’s never been a problem between us. Money is the last thing I think about when it comes to Jayden. What I do think about a lot lately is that muscular frame, those impossible grey eyes, and the way his lips feel against mine. Spells lose their appeal as my brain, and my magic aches to reach out to the man in the corner. As he senses it, a slow smile spreads across his face.

  “I thought you wanted to translate a few more spells,” he teases. His grey eyes turning dark.

  “I think I’d rather exchange energy, and make out instead,” I tell him.

  He begins to stalk toward the bed, another new thing that increases the butterflies in my stomach when my phone begins to vibrate and screech, an unearthly sound that sucks all the lust out of the room.

  I begin searching for it frantically, while it shakes the desk as it begs to be unearthed from the pile of books I’ve stacked on top of it. I grab it and look at the screen as my last bit of hope is snuffed out as the red notification jolts through me like a shot of espresso.

  A demon has escaped the Demon Division at Arcane Defense Academy, the only place that is powerful enough to house the strongest demons. That’s the thing about ADA, it’s not just an academy it’s also a prison.

  Worry crosses my face as I think of my father and brother. Both work in the EOO and that’s the division that captures and secures demons of a certain level. They’re strong for sure, but this exceeds their level of expertise. The Demon Division or the DD is sent in when the demons are too much for the witches. They are also tasked with making sure the demons stay where they belong.

  This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for, a chance to put my knowledge to good use, make a name for myself, but I need more information on what we’re fighting before I get started.

  “Jared, what’s going on?” I ask my brother after dialing his number. In comparison to Ilan, the two could not be more different. Where Ilan is almost cruel and unfeeling, Jared is the caring sensitive brother. He is the middle child and is always trying to keep the peace between his volatile stubborn siblings. Because of this, we have a better relationship than I have with Ilan. Jared has helped me become a better witch. His knowledge and resources are incredible, and when you’re a witch who loves to learn it helps to have a brother who excels in creation magic.

  “Kia?” He answers distractedly. When Jared is focused on something, it’s hard to pull him away from it.

  “Yeah, it’s me, tell me what’s going on,” I repeat holding the phone close to my ear so I don’t miss something. I can hear a deep exhale and feel his eyes rolling over the phone.

  “What did I tell you about calling me? You shouldn’t have even gotten that message. You’re lucky Dad doesn’t know you have the Demon Alert System installed on your phone,” he scolds. Jared is overprotective of me. I'm the baby sister, and even though I’m not a kid anymore, it's something he’ll never stop doing. He makes it his job to watch over me, but I don’t need it. There’s a power growing inside of me and even though I may not know how to use it, it’s there.

  “Can we table that for now? I want to know what happened. Don’t make me call Parker,” I threaten, knowing that the mention of his boyfriend will make him talk. Parker works as a clerical witch in the accounting offices at the academy. His power level is pretty low, but he’s one of the best people I know. I hope they get married, in fact, I ask about it constantly.

  “Oh, you want to play dirty? If you don’t let it alone I’m going to call Dad,” he responses, a bit of anguish in his voice. The summer has only begun and this is the third notice of a demon escaping. I’m not the only reason he sounds frustrated; something else is going on, something huge. The spells that hold the baddies aren’t working, and that task falls on his department. As a member of the Rituals and Incantations Department or RID, his job has gotten increasingly harder. They’ll be up all night going over the spells used to hold the demons and make sure they’re secure.

  RID witches are the most powerful of us, but they make mistakes too. Someone is getting sloppy. It’s the only reason I can think of for how demons are able to break free from their spelled cages.

  “Kia, I have more important things to do than fill you in on something you shouldn’t even know about. You’ll learn about all of this when you get here. Enjoy your summer, give Jayden a big kiss from me, and stay out of this, okay? You hear me?” He adds, his tone turning serious. I’m starting to think this is about more than demons escaping. Jared hasn’t been home much lately and when he does come home he passes out until the next day when he’s rushing out the door to go back to work. I need to find out what’s going on. A big case like this could help get me into more advanced classes.

  “Ugh, you’re so frustrating. Forget I mentioned it. I love you bye,” I hang up without waiting for his response.

  I guess I’m going to have to call Ilan. Even if he’s the biggest asshole, his pride will allow me to get the information I need.

  The phone rings three times before he picks up. “Hello?” he says, a voice so deep and raspy it sounds like he smokes a pack of cigarettes a day. There’s also a tinge of attitude there. I guess I called at the wrong time.

  “What’s happening at DD?” I ask, knowing exactly how to approach this.

  “None of your business. Don’t you have a book to read? Or maybe a test to take?” he retorts, malice dripping from his voice.

  Perfect, he’s already angry. This is going to be too easy.

  “I should have known you wouldn’t know. They’re probably sending in more powerful witches. I mean you being only a seven and a half, it’s not like you’ll be much help,” I say, baiting him with the one thing I know he’ll flip out over. Getting Ilan mad makes his tongue slippery.

  “I’m not a seven and a half! I’m an eight! My power is just as good as yours. You wouldn’t be able to take down a shax demon. Even if it was lower class,” he screams into the phone.

  “Thank you, Ilan,” I reply unable to keep the smile out of my voice and hang up the phone before he realizes what he did. Fucking idiot.

  “We need to go,” I exclaim, sounding breathless, my excitement coming through as my magic zips through me.

  “What happened?” Jayden asks, alarm in his voice. He looks around as if something will jump out at him at any moment.

  “A shax demon has escaped from DD and we’re going to capture it,” I answer, a smile spread across my face. I jump from one foot to the other in elation. This is going to be so badass. I’m going to definitely secure a spot on the internship team at the EOO. They only take three students and this will get me in for sure.

  “Are you nuts? We can’t go after a shax demon. We’ll get killed or worse, dragged to the Underworld.” His voice is coated in alarm. Jay isn’t cut out for demon hunting. He’d prefer to be in the labs with Jared.

  “Don’t be a baby. Ilan said it’s a low-level demon. He won’t be able to get through us. And besides, it’s going to look amazing on our resumes when we do this. Do you know the doors that could open for us if we’re successful?”

  “Kia, it’s not worth it. I don’t think it’s safe. Let’s just get something to eat and chill out.” Worry is written all over his face. He’s unsure we can do this,
but with our powers combined, it’ll be so easy to take it down.

  “This isn’t an opportunity that I’m going to pass up. I’m going to do this with or without you, but my chances of success are much higher if you come with me.” This is the one thing that he won’t do. He’d never leave me in harm’s way while he waits at home. He’s too kind-hearted.

  He grits his teeth and gives me a look of annoyance, but puts his jacket on and follows me out the door. He’s my ride or die. The only person who would be on my side regardless. I can’t even count on my family this much.

  “Where are we going?” he asks, starting the car. It comes alive with a purr and I shift in my seat, excited that we are going to actually take on this demon. I’ve been reading up on taking down all kinds of demons. The EOO can handle low-level ones. The DD takes care of all the rest.

  “Lafayette Cemetery. There must be a few fresh bodies there, so it’s probably been drawn to that place.” Shax demons like to eat the flesh of the newly dead. They can scent it from miles away.

  He turns the car in that direction. It’s not far from my house, but it is a good enough distance where we might not make it in time. I tap my fingers on my thighs in anticipation. Jayden grabs my hands and gives me a tense smile. He’s biting his lip, something I know he does when he’s nervous, but I don’t think it’s about the demon.

  “What’s the plan? I don’t want to go into this blind,” he finally asks. He squeezes my hand a little too tight as if I’ll float away if he doesn’t.

  Right … he still thinks I’m charging into this half-cocked, and maybe I am, but I do have a plan.

  “I’m thinking I’ll approach him from the front and you can come up behind him. Once I have him captured in an immobilizing spell you can slip under it and cast the containment charm. It will keep him inside this amulet until we can get it back to the ADA.” For a moment listening to this plan gives me a brush of doubt, but I can’t let that stop me. This is too good of an opportunity.