“Well, here we are,” Mrs. Winnifred said. “Have a seat, I need to get back to continue greeting the rest of the students.” As she walked away, I noticed a banded cat tail sticking out of the back of her red skirt.
The students I was with went their own ways after Mrs. Winnifred left. The two who knew each other walked toward a large group of students sitting together in the back corner. They were all fit and big. A few wolf ears and tails gave them away as werewolves. Even in places like the academy they liked to form packs.
I wanted to go find a seat, but I found myself rooted to the spot. I scanned the crowd for anyone I knew. No one. The last time I had talked to my friends from primary school, none of them had been acceptance to the academy. I went to glance at my watch before I realized it wasn’t there anymore. There was frantic whispering in the group of werewolves.
“The dragon’s daughter?” I heard someone say.
“Shhhhh.” I turned to Simon to roll my eyes. Of course, he wasn’t there. I wasn’t used to facing crowds on my own without Simon’s wit and charisma to hide behind.
“Sophie, you need to sit down,” I mumbled to myself. It worked. My feet moved, and I found an empty seat in the back. I kept my head down and tried not to listen in to the conversations going on around me. Listening in on conversations had become a favorite pastime of mine, turned out it was less fun when the conversations were about me. Sometimes I couldn’t tune it out.
“Yeah, the dragon.”
“Pearson?”
“Where’s her brother?”
I needed something to do with my hands, but I didn’t have my phone to pull out and look at. Instead I tried to focus on studying the painting of clouds and angles on the ceiling.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” I looked up to see a guy standing in the aisle, pointing to the empty seat on my left. I had to lean back to see his face.
“No. Let me scoot down, it’ll be easier.” After I moved, he sat down on the end with a seat in between us.
“I’m Hudson,” he said. “Are you a first-year student?”
“I’m Sophie. Is it that obvious?” I asked. He laughed as he pulled his shoulder length black hair back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.
“It’s my first year, too. What animal do you think you’ll be?”
“I have no idea,” I told him. “The only trait I have is great hearing. But that could be anything, right?” The thought of shifting for the first time made my blood pump. Ever since the Revealing Ceremony I had been thinking about it. What could I become? Since animage magic rarely flowed in identifiable patterns for witches and warlocks, I could be anything. My nerves began to disappear as I remembered what I was there for. I wished I didn’t have to wait a whole month for my birthday.
“What do you think you’ll be?” I asked Hudson.
“Oh, I already know,” he said. He leaned back in the chair and propped a long leg up on the seat in front of him.
“Oh, really?” I raised my eyebrow at him.
“I’m a werewolf.”
“Ah.” Werewolf animages shifted into their wolf forms which they’d had since birth. But werewolf animages had the ability to shift all the time, not just during a full moon. And they had extra magic, too.
“What pack are you from?”
“The Dwayyo pack,” he told me.
“Wow.” He’d just named the biggest pack in the eastern part of the country. Their alpha used to be on the Council. Hudson didn’t offer any other information about his pack. He shifted in his seat. I was curious why he wasn’t sitting with the other werewolves. Hudson opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could get it out, I heard someone calling my name.
“Sophie! Sophie!” I turned in my chair to see Gracie gliding toward me. I smiled and waved. She sat down in front of Hudson and me. Her huge butterfly wings were getting stares from the other students.
“It’s so good to see you!” she said. “I just got through the portal. I wasn’t allowed to come in the front like I wanted. Unless it’s Halloween, I can’t exactly walk around in public. So annoying. Why is the school in New York, anyway? You’d think it would be out in the middle of nowhere with all these animages and crazy magic running around. It’s so nice to see a friendly face. Who are you?”
She stopped and stared at Hudson. It took him a moment to realize Gracie was talking to him.
“Oh—I’m Hudson.” He reached out a hand for Gracie to shake.
“I’m Gracie. You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“New skill,” she shrugged. “I can tell what kind of supernatural someone is when I touch them.”
“Do me!” I said, sticking out my hand. Gracie laughed and shook her head.
“I already know you’re a witch. And it won’t tell me what kind of shifter you’re going to be if that’s what you’re thinking. That won’t work until after you shift.”
“Aww darn.”
“How much longer do we need to wait here?” Gracie asked. I went to look at my watch again and sighed when I realized it still wasn’t there. Hudson had on an analog watch.
“Looks like it’s five minutes until eight.”
“This is going to be so much fun!” Gracie said. “When do you guys shift for the first time?”
“My birthday is tomorrow,” Hudson said.
“So, you’ll be the first this year, no pressure.” I gave him a wink. Thankfully, shifting was one of the easiest things we would have to do at the academy. Our animal forms would come easily to us after our sixteenth birthday. Harnessing the magic of each animal was a different story, though.
Before we could say anything else, Headmistress Adiana appeared on stage. Everyone quieted down as they noticed her. Her unicorn horn sparkled in the sunlight pouring through the windows.
“Welcome, students to another year at Animage Academy. I am delighted to see the familiar and new faces among you.” Students started to clap, and the headmistress paused until the noise died down.
“Isn’t she so wonderful?” Gracie gushed.
“This is my favorite time each year. I love seeing all of you gathered here, ready to start a new year and work to develop your magic. Today we get settled and tomorrow we will begin our classes.” Someone in the back whooped. The headmistress smiled in his direction. “I can’t wait to see what amazing things each of you accomplishes this year. Returning students, you are free to return to your dorms. You will find all your bags have been delivered and your uniforms for this year awaiting you. Take today to get reacquainted with friends and the school. Tomorrow, the work begins.”
There was a rumble as most of the students in the auditorium rose from their seats and exited the auditorium out of a couple of side doors. When they left the room felt much bigger.
The headmistress waved us forward. “Come students, I promise I don’t bite.” A couple of students laughed nervously as we all made our way to the front two rows. Gracie, Hudson, and I filed in next to three girls in the second row.
“Welcome to your first year of Animage Academy. I like to speak to all the first-year students alone for a minute. It is so nice to see your bright and shiny faces. The academy is a wonderful place to live and learn. Here you will connect with your true selves through your animal and the magic it brings. It will be hard and possibly dangerous work. But working together you will become the strongest supernaturals of your generation.”
She paused and let the weight of her words sink in.
“We animages are rare out in the world. But here is a place we can come together and feel welcome. Your professors and your fellow students are here to help you succeed. Rely on them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always work hard to achieve your full potential. My door is always open if there’s anything you need.” The pride of being an animage filled my chest. Admiration glowed on the faces of the nearby students. I didn’t feel so alone anymore.
“Everything you need to know
about rules was covered in your introduction letter. But I always like to point out a few things: Remember that you are not allowed off campus except for planned outings and holidays. And, do not shift for the first time until you are in class under the supervision of your professor. Animage Magic can be volatile and while shifting is not difficult, students have been known to be consumed by their magic on the first try. Good luck my students. We will be expecting great things from you.”
We all began to clap, although with so few of us still in the auditorium, it was more like a smattering than the ringing echo it was earlier. Headmistress Adiana inclined her head towards us and then waved her arm and a row of doors to our right all burst open at once. With wild excitement filling me, I jumped up and made my way out onto the grounds of Animage Academy for the first time.
It was nothing like I imagined. What had looked like a block of dilapidated buildings and overgrown lots from the street was now a series of manicured lawns and neat brick buildings. The whole block—and more was part of the Animage Academy property with no way to tell from the outside. Around the buildings, the grounds stretched as far as I could see. There was no sign of the bustling city that I knew surrounded us.
We were standing on a cobblestone walkway that meandered from the main building down a path lined with flowerbeds, benches, and old-fashioned lamp posts. Two older students stood at the first lamp post, watching us take everything in.
“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” The blonde girl said as she stepped forward.
“The whole campus is shielded by powerful magic so even though we are in the middle of New York City, no one can see in and we can’t see out. We are the hall advisors for the dorms this year. I’m Penelope with Waterstone, the female dorm. And this is Nick with Graytower, the male dorm. If you have any questions, you can ask us. The dorms are right beside each other, so follow us.” We all followed Penelope and Nick like a herd of ducklings making their way to the pond for the first time.
“The building you came out of is the admin building and has the public lobby, the auditorium, the headmistress’s office, and other conference rooms and offices. It has a ballroom where they host dances.” She continued to show us the buildings as she walked. I knew we had a map, but I still tried to memorize them all so I would be able to find my way around the next day. I didn’t want to make it completely obvious I had no idea what I was doing. At the back of the property, the cobblestone street ended at two final buildings. Behind them stood a thick hedge of trees.
“The trees are the barrier to the Animage Academy property. Don’t even think about trying to sneak out. The spells on this place are too powerful for even an advanced fourth year to be able to sneak out. Girls and boys are allowed in each other’s dorms from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Now split up and let’s go see your rooms.”
“See you later,” Hudson said as he split with us to head to his dorm. Gracie and I followed all the other girls toward the Waterstone Building.
“Welcome to paradise,” Penelope said as she ushered us in.
The sound of running water greeted us as we entered. A huge golden fountain in the middle of the lobby greeted us. It sat in the middle of a grand staircase that wrapped around to make its way to the upper floors.
“Wow,” I heard someone whisper behind me.
Wow was right. Even after hearing all my life how amazing Animage Academy was, seeing was believing. We walked past pristine white walls, plush couches, and even a baby grand piano as we made our way to the stairs. I felt like I’d been transported to a high-end resort instead of an old-fashioned apartment building I had expected from the exterior.
“Does everyone remember your room assignments?” Penelope called, breaking us out of our dazed staring. There was a rustle as everyone made to pull out their paper to check their room numbers. I grabbed mine from the pocket of my shorts.
“Head on up and find your rooms, ladies. Both staircases lead to the same place on the second floor. It’s easy to find your way, all the first-year students have rooms on the fourth floor. Enjoy the walk. Make yourself comfortable, I will meet you back down here at noon to take you to the cafeteria for lunch.”
Even Gracie had been stunned into silence by our new living quarters. She stood beside me, her eyes wide, taking everything in.
“This is nicer than my house,” she said. “Not nicer than yours, though.”
“I’m not so sure, we don’t have a fountain.”
“But you have a lake.”
“Not in the house. What room are you in?” I asked.
“404, you?”
“415,” I said. We started for the staircase and trudged up the four flights of stairs. At least I would be in great shape by the end of the school year. Gracie waved and entered her own room while I continued to the end of the hallway to mine. There was already a key in the lock. I twisted it and pushed the door open.
A giddy wave of excitement overtook me as I entered the room—well, rooms really. I darted to the far side and threw back the large curtains. I was delighted to find a door that opened onto a patio. With a laugh I pulled it open and raced outside. Our patio faced the barrier of trees at the back of the property. I sank into one of the massive chairs and propped my feet up on a little table. This was like a vacation at a country resort. My eyes searched for a glimpse of the city through the thick trees but no matter how much I stared; I couldn’t see anything.
Unable to sit still for long, I went back into my room, leaving the patio doors open to the sunshine and cool morning air. Along one wall were two doors. One had a plaque that read “Willa,” and the other “Sophie.” It was time to see the room that would be my home for the next nine months.
My bedroom wasn’t as exciting as the patio, but it was still impressive. My duffel bag already sat in the corner. I pulled it up onto the bed and began unpacking it. Living in a fancy hotel sounded fun, but I wanted my bedroom to feel more like home. I placed the few street clothes I’d brought with me in the cherry wardrobe across from the bed. There I found five school uniforms in my size. I inspected them, It looked like my daily attire would consist of a red skirt, white button-down shirt, and black tie. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of wearing a skirt every day.
The last things I unpacked were the photos I brought with me. Our family Christmas photo I sat on my desk. The other photo was a candid shot our mom had snapped of Simon and I. We were sitting on one of the stone walls at the house eating watermelon. I had my head thrown back laughing about something Simon had said. I couldn’t even remember what it was now. It was my favorite photo of the two of us. I put it in its new home on my nightstand and was suddenly overcome with homesickness. Simon would’ve loved it here.
Around 11:30 I ventured back out of my bedroom. There was still no sign of my new roommate. I debated waiting for a few more minutes before going downstairs for lunch but decided against it. She would be here soon, and I didn’t want to miss walking to lunch with the rest of the girls.
Gracie was waiting when I made it down to the first floor.
“Is your room amazing?” she asked me as she grabbed my arm and we followed everyone back out of the dorm and down the cobblestone street. “Everyone always told me Animage Academy was as elite as it gets, but I never dreamed it would be like this. The academy for Elementals is nice, but this is just wonderful. I’m so excited to see what the rest of the school is like.”
“I know what you mean,” I managed to interject, “This is like a resort instead of school. Have you met your roommate yet?”
“Yes! Apparently, there’s an uneven number of us girls so my roommate is a second-year witch named Joelle. She seems nice so far. A bit quiet.” I giggled. Everyone was quiet next to Gracie.
The cafeteria had long rustic tables with matching benches that ran in rows across a big open room. Gracie and I bypassed the tables and filed in the line to the kitchen. It didn’t take us long to grab our food and head back toward the tables.
“Well if it
isn’t the Pearson Princess.” The words sent a chill down my spine as I left the kitchen and stood face-to-face with Kylee Rogers.
“Hello Kylee. Nice to see you.” Except it wasn’t. I put on my best fake smile. It was clear Kylee hadn’t changed much in the two years since I’d seen her last.
“Everyone, this is Sophie Pearson,” Kylee told the two girls flanking her. “Her father is the dragon,” I cringed. “Where’s Simon, Sophie? You two are never very far apart.”
“He didn’t get in,” I mumbled. Kylee practically beamed.
“Didn’t get in? Oh, your father must have been positively devastated. When you write be sure to tell Simon how sorry I am.” I suddenly developed the urge to shove the tray of food I was holding in her face.
“What are those things coming out of your back?” The girl over Kylee’s left shoulder asked. She was another Faerie and was staring at Gracie. The other two girls laughed. I stepped in front of Gracie.
“Leave her alone.” No one was going to mess with my friend.
“Testy, testy. Come on Arielle, let’s go get some food.” The three girls flounced off. I spun on my heel and marched to one of the small booths hidden against the wall. Gracie slid in across from me.
“Who was that?”
“Kylee. She’s another witch. We used to go to primary school together until her family moved across the country a couple of years ago. She used to tease Simon and I relentlessly. It never bothered Simon. He’s pretty unflappable. Me, on the other hand.” I crushed my straw paper in my hand and threw it down on the table for emphasis. “Sorry you got dragged into it.”
Gracie shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I get it all the time from the other faeries. We can be a pretty judgmental lot. Faeries like everything to stay the same. Wings are a pretty rare animage feature. I guess since we have wings already.”
I took a few bites of my fried rice before I spoke again. My temper was still flaring. How could someone like Kylee be an animage when Simon wasn’t?
“What group of faeries are you from?” I asked when I could speak without growling.
Dragons and Destiny (Animage Academy Book 1) Page 4