by K L Rymer
The girl next door, hey? What does that make Angelina then? The girl way, way across the street?
I really do need to stop.
We sit in silence now, and my head reels with everything he just told me.
So, Mattie liked me all along? From the moment he first saw me. If I recall, he referred to me as “rotten goods” since the only transport I had back then was Shankfoot’s cart.
Matthew had looked me up and down, even winding his car window to get a better glimpse of me, but apparently he was checking me out.
I really don’t know how to read people.
He hid his true feelings well. He had me convinced that he was a real asshole. Not that he wasn’t, but still. Who knew he had a heart all along?
He watches that family of ducks with a sad glimmer in his eyes, and I can’t help but be curious about his own family life. I know it’s just him and his father these days in their grand mansion. His mother has been in the hospital for a while.
“Matthew... what else is on your mind?”
The mage exhales and glances my way. “The... the prophecy. The one where we are supposed to kill each other?”
A dark prickle spreads down my arms. “Yeah... I forget how it goes...”
Mattie laughs half-heartedly and looks me sincerely in the eyes. “I promise you, Bryn... that I will do all I can to stop it. I will not be my father’s pawn.”
I stare at him with my mouth agape. “M-Mattie...?”
He squeezes his eyes now, and his face contorts. “There’s... something else I ought to tell you...”
My heart’s thumping in my mouth now and I swallow. “Well, tell me. I’m sure I can handle it. I’m a big girl.”
He studies me carefully, and he has never looked so ashamed of himself. “The real reason my father has had a change of heart... he wants me to earn your trust. Double-cross you and Myrddin.”
My head spins as I take in his words. “Is... that so...?”
I knew it was too good to be true. Matthew Humphrey the III really was a scoundrel.
Mattie takes my hands. His pupils encompass his whole eyes, and now he lets me glimpse into his soul. I see that crying little boy, and I choke back a sob.
It’s the same little boy who yearns for his mother to get better.
His mother has been in a coma ever since he was a child. She may never wake again.
“I promise, Bryn... that that won’t happen. I will not betray you. I... really have fallen for you. I’ve never met a girl who makes me feel the way you do.”
I pinch my eyes shut, but a tear still escapes. Now that’s what every girl wants to hear her man say, and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed.
What’s happened to me? I really have gone soft.
I used to be cool...
Mattie scoots closer and takes my cheek in his hand, and I gaze into his eyes once again. “We will stop him together. You and I. Two enemies coming together for the common good. He will only bring misery to both the human and supernatural realms. Only you and I can stop him in the end, Bryn.”
I can’t help but smile, and I lean forward and kiss him on the lips. He kisses me back, and soon he takes me in his arms as I nestle into him once again and watch the ducks.
An explosion comes from the castle, and we both jump, peering up at the northern tower.
Black and pink smoke wafts from the open windows, and I roll my eyes, snuggling up to the boy of my dreams again.
It looks like Damien and Felicity are dueling again or having sex.
Same difference.
Chapter 30.
Easter vacation came to an end, and then that all too familiar sinking sensation returned to my stomach.
Despite the pile of work I had to complete, as well as Damien and Felicity’s stupid antics all around the academy, it had been the best two weeks of my life.
I didn’t want it to end. Just having Matthew all to myself without his psycho ex around was pure heaven. He was mine and I was his.
Nothing could get in the way of our happiness. Not even a stupid prophecy.
Despite Myrddin’s forewarnings, though well-intentioned, I had nothing to fear. Life was good.
Well, at least that’s what I kept convincing myself. I still can’t shake off the sensation that something bad is on the horizon—the calm before the storm.
Matthew was the perfect boyfriend all over Easter; it was hard to believe he hadn’t turned a new leaf.
Well, that was until classes re-commenced, and he suddenly changed right out of the blue. My first clue was when I reached up to kiss him that first morning. He had pulled away, and my cheeks burned bright red. I would have blamed it on my morning breath, but Matthew has kissed me awake on more than enough occasions now.
So if it’s not my breath, then what?
That scenario has played through my mind over and over, and before I knew it May had arrived and exams were about to begin.
We were awarded study leave which was just as well. Bangor had given me the time off to prepare for exams too. Unfortunately, many students saw it as an excuse to party all night. And that goes for both schools.
One thing humans and supernaturals have in common—we’re all loud drunks.
I had no one to talk to about my concerns with Mattie. I couldn’t go to Myrddin because he would only warn me and make me depressed. Felicity’s normally a good shoulder to cry on, but she can’t keep her hands off her demon these days. Zahara would just tell me to get on with it and Nora’s too happy with her merman.
Megan and Sophie are out because they don’t even know that Mattie and the academy exist.
So, in the end, I went to Jack. He never had much to give in the way of advice, but darn he was a good listener, and I guess that’s all I needed.
Mattie will come around. The dark clouds over his head will disappear, and then my perfect gentleman will return.
He won’t slip from my fingers just yet.
Besides, I should cut him some slack. It is a stressful time. Exams are looming, and as a Humphrey, the world has high expectations of him. He has to be the best of the best. Otherwise, his family will lose their respect from the rest of the magical world.
And since I have been getting private lessons from Myrddin, he’s most likely jealous. I had managed to catch up with my peers in the end. If I just think of my magic as a flow of energy throughout my body, then I will ace the exam.
Watching a little anime on the side helped too since those kids are always inheriting some newfound power. Plus they’re all chosen ones like me with an awesome sage master.
The first of the practical exams comes around—Magical Equilibrium.
We stand in the school’s main training ground. It looks a lot like the coliseum in Rome though nowhere as grand, but still impressive. It has seats all around that overlook a sandpit.
The written exams are in the main hall with desks placed at regular intervals, and there’s an invigilator always breathing down your neck to detect signs of cheating.
There was one I didn’t like. A miserable old witch with a face like a frog and her breath smelled sour. Once or twice she whacked a student across the head with a cane for daring to peek at a neighboring desk, and it was like we had traveled back in time to the Victorian era (because she most likely taught at the academy then).
Her cane was magically enchanted and would give the poor student she whacked a numerous amount of boils and warts.
Yep. Your typical witch indeed.
Our invigilator for our practical exams is quite the opposite though. His name is Ken Tanaka, a mage of Japanese descent, and he’s beautiful. He has onyx eyes and long black hair tied up into a man bun. On the surface, he looks twenty-five though he’s obviously much older.
If I wasn’t already spoken for, I would have been tempted to break the rules and have a hot teacher/student relationship with him. Or a hot invigilator/student relationship. He’s not a teacher at this school and a crying shame.
I
would never miss his class.
A couple of Magnanimous girls drool over him in their yellow stealth suits, and Zahara rolls her eyes. Though I do catch her wandering eye whenever he passes us in that skintight suit of his, and yes sensei has a pretty huge package.
The guys don’t seem so impressed. Especially Damien since he catches Felicity ogling the instructor with her big, jewel-like eyes. And with her short stature, she has the best view of all.
I try not to look myself since my own boyfriend stands a few rows away, looking just as fine in his skintight red suit.
The only girl’s eyes who don’t wander are Angelina’s. I scoff. With her looks, she could have any man she wanted.
She stands like a marble statue in her flawless black suit, and her eyes are determined. It’s not as if she needs the black to slim her figure down though.
Angie spends all of her time in her room up in Mendacious tower, and she doesn’t even bother with the rest of us in the common room. It’s not as if we would have accepted her anyway. When she’s not in her room she’s down in the gym from four in the morning, most likely picturing my face on a punching bag.
She’s become an outcast. No one talks to her now, but, of course, the half-vampire couldn’t care less.
She only has one goal on her mind now, and that’s to beat me in the exam.
I’ll gladly beat her rock-hard ass.
Mr. Tanaka finally stops, planting his feet firmly in the sand. “Good morning, students. My name is Ken Tanaka, and I will be your instructor for today. First things first, I want you all to spread out and keep as much space amongst you as possible.”
We scatter. I spot Damien and Felicity exchanging a glance, wishing the other good luck. Those two don’t even have to communicate with words anymore.
One day I will tell their beautiful pixie/demon children all about the time their parents met, and how they almost never would have been born if it weren’t for me, Auntie Bryn.
Eventually, we all find a spot on the sand, and the sun and the asteroid beam down on us. Thank god the suits are made to absorb sweat. I’m boiling.
I just wonder how the vampire students are coping. The sun doesn’t affect them so much in this world, but they still try to avoid it if they can. Hence why the school windows have blackout blinds.
I see a few vampire students rubbing their skin irritably. They must be burning up. My eyes drift to Angelina.
Hopefully, she’ll combust into flames.
Before I get a good look, Mr. Tanaka addresses the class. “Now all take your positions.”
All at once a couple of hundred students take up their positions. I see students crouch and other students standing on one leg. One mage girl even does a handstand, and I shake my head in disbelief.
It’s amazing to see all the different bodily positions we use to channel our powers. Most take up similar stances to me, keeping their legs wide apart and palms up.
Felicity gets up on her tippy toes while Damien hunches his back, forming claws with his hands. Zahara spreads her arms wide and Nora folds hers together. Jack stands solemn and tall, and Thomas gets down on all fours.
Matthew channels his lightning as he keeps his hands and fingers apart.
And Angelina... she levitates, no longer needing the ground (the show off).
A few winged students do the same, such as Caleb the angel, and that bitchy griffin girl who’d almost dated Damien.
Angie’s skin doesn’t burn. The sun has no effect on her whatsoever.
In fact, she’s as cool as a cucumber, and I focus on keeping my stance now lest I lose concentration.
It’s just as Myrddin taught me.
For the exam, we have to hold our stance for the first fifteen minutes. Then we practice distributing our powers around our body for another forty-five before letting them go and hitting our bullseye at the other end of the stadium.
Only the students with projectile powers do the last part. Shifters and vampires will release a loud roar or venom.
This test teaches us all about balance and calm. In year two we will finally learn how to use our powers as a combatant. Most of what we learned in year one was just theory and simulation (though we did get to train and fight like normal people).
However, Mattie and I received a few private sessions until I almost killed him. So I guess we’re not complete novices there.
Supernatural power is a dangerous thing after all, and it needs to be wielded correctly. Only the hotheads and the impatient will fail this exam.
I suppose it’s like magical yoga.
Mr. Tanaka holds up a hand and counts down. “Three, two, one... go!”
Magic bursts to life all around me. Lightning branches between Mattie’s fingers as he closes his eyes.
Damien does the same and holds a black shadow between his hands. The tips of his horns flicker with flames. His face has frozen into a snarl, and being the son of the Devil I can imagine that’s pretty dangerous power to harbor. It must hurt like a bitch since he’s sweating.
Felicity carries her sparkling puffs of pink inside her palms, a peaceful expression on her doll-like face (the polar opposite of Damien right now). She’s going to ace this exam, so long as she resists the urge to steal anyone’s shoes.
Zahara has summoned her navy blue energy which she channels between her arms, and it looks like a flow of water.
Jack balances his super-human strength as he crushes a boulder between his hands. So long as he doesn’t actually crush it he’ll pass. A delicate balance indeed.
Thomas is in his wolf form, and now he looks like an oversized German shepherd. His fur is the same color as his mousy hair. Every so often he will transform back into a human, and then something in between, and it’s the thing of nightmares.
His cat does the same, and her form goes back and forth between a girl and a lynx.
Nora has set her hair free, and it writhes like serpents. Her eyes are alight with green energy as she channels her gorgon powers. Her skills consist of turning people into stone, but for as long as I’ve known her she hasn’t managed to accidentally turn anyone into a statue ( though she did come close once with Macson).
Her powers only come about when she is truly angry, and since she’s such a bubbly, good-natured girl, she rarely has to use her skill. Her face is twisting and turning right now, and I know she’s thinking of something that makes her angry.
Angelina still levitates, and her blue eyes are aglow. As far as I’m concerned, she already failed when she tried to kill me. That girl can’t control her anger. Period.
Like my classmates I balance my magic between my palms, imagining myself inside that peaceful oasis with Myrddin again.
Before long the first student keels and Mr. Tanaka orders them to leave. They’ve failed.
A few others pass out too, losing control. It either burns them up from the inside, or they release it in a burst of energy which is why we are positioned so far apart.
This is a dangerous exam after all. But through it all I maintain my stance, keeping my red fireball aloft.
Nice and steady... Don’t keel now.
My face is sweating, and my body aches, but I’m almost there. More students fail, and just as I’m about to lose my own nerve and follow suit, Mr. Tanaka calls out. “Time’s up.”
Finally, I concentrate all my energy into my hands and throw it across the stadium. It hits the bullseye.
A pink burst of magic hits the target beside mine, and Fel looks at me with a wide smile. Damien’s black shadow hits his target, and Zahara’s navy finds hers. Suddenly someone throws pieces of crushed boulder at another bullseye, and I peer around at Jack. He wipes his hands with a smirk.
Nora throws a stone knife, and I stare at her impressed. When did she sneak that in?
Then there is Thomas. He doesn’t have any projectiles, but he releases a howl and it sends shockwaves through the air. His cat produces a similar yowl, and they both return to human form.
Thank
heavens their suits remain intact, or we’d have a bunch of naked students on our hands. That material’s not only sweat-proof but shifter-proof too.
Nora’s merman sends a stream of water at his target, and there he stands with his trident. I never saw what he did during the exam. I wonder if he had to maintain his fish form throughout. Judging by the water dripping from his golden hair that seems to be the case.
Jack’s succubus throws one of her knives. The girl can turn her nails into weapons. Absolutely terrifying.
I love how everyone improvised in the last part of the exam. Everyone found something to throw at their bullseye, displaying their creativity which will up their scores.
Angelina forms a globule of venom (yuck) and splatters her bullseye right in the middle. I don’t have time to gripe though because Mattie sends a streak of lightning across the stadium, and his target goes up in flames.
Everyone cheers, yet I can’t stop looking at his eyes. For a moment it was like he was almost picturing...
He jerks his head up next, and I flinch when he settles those white eyes on me. My heart thumps in my ears, and I swallow.
The mage twitches and closes his eyes, and when he peers back up again, they’re his normal gray. His face twists and then he rushes out of the stadium before Mr. Tanaka can give him his results.
What... what just happened?
Chapter 31.
Everyone passed their practical exams with flying colors, and before we knew it the exam period was finally over. It’s double the celebration for me since I had managed to complete two lots of exams for two separate schools.
I’ve officially finished both of my first years at Bangor and at the academy. Just two more years until graduation, and then I’ll be a fully-fledged zoologist/mage.
Of course, we all have to wait until July for the results of our written exams, but I know we nailed them all. We’ve got this...
The academy will be throwing a party to celebrate the end of the school year (a not so formal event this time around). This party will allow us to unwind before a long summer of relaxation.