Merlin's Supernatural Academy: Complete series (Books 1-4) : A Young Adult Supernatural Academy Series

by K L Rymer

  Orangutans are pretty adorable (even scary-ass dragons like them).

  The class is over by the hour, and a heavy sensation sinks in my gut.

  I have to go back to the academy where I’m nothing but a prisoner.

  Diafol rises. “Time to go. This room reeks of human filth.”

  Two girls offer him strange looks. One just happens to be Rachel, the pretty redhead Damien kissed back in year one. She’s beautiful because she has auburn hair and tanned skin. Not to mention big, brown doe eyes too and a teeny, tiny waist (she even models).

  Diafol scares her away next, and somewhere I’m sure Felicity’s smiling. “What are you looking at?”

  Alarmed, they scramble out of the room, dropping several of their books.

  I glare at Diafol. “You’ll give yourself away...”

  The dragon clenches his jaw, grabbing my shoulder. “The sooner we leave this place, the better. I hate humans.”

  “Yeah, you mentioned it once or twice...”

  He yanks me away down the steps so he can teleport us away as fast as he can. He has to get us to a safe place first since there are humans around.

  On our way out the building, we bump into a familiar, redheaded girl, and my heart soars when I look into the bright blue eyes of Megan.

  She stares at me like she’s seeing a ghost. “B-Bryn...”

  I can’t stay and chat as Diafol drags me away, but my brave, scouse friend tugs me back, glaring at the son of a bitch. The dragon turns on her, but one look at that crazy redhead and he backs off.

  It must be an aura she gives off, but Meg’s one of the feistiest girls I’ve ever met.

  “If you don’t mind, sir, I would like to talk to my friend...”

  Diafol sizes her up, and Megan arches one of her fair eyebrows.

  The dragon looks back at me, a sour expression on his miserable face. “Five minutes.”

  He steps back and Megan whispers low enough for me to hear. “Bryn... I know everything... Matthew told me.”

  I watch her speechless. “W-what... you... you spoke to Mat—?”

  “There’s no time to explain. Look, if you need further proof, I found this in the Lost and Found in PJ Hall.”

  She tucks her hand into her pocket and shows me my pin with the Dancing Dragons. I can’t believe I’d lost it. It sure would have come in handy!

  “Matthew tells me it helps you teleport. Can you imagine? Not having to get three trains anymore, but you should take it.”

  She presses it into my palm, keeping a watchful eye on Diafol. I’m pretty sure Headmaster Humphrey (I can’t believe I’m calling him headmaster now) has summoned magical barriers around the school to stop students teleporting, but I’ll find a loophole somewhere.

  I chew my lip. On the other hand... with all the shit that’s going to happen very, very soon... I would like it if Megan had a form of escape. She could take her family somewhere far, far away... Maybe the moon, I don’t know, but so long as it’s far from earth. She could even take Sophie too, but leave the likes of Rachel and Jonathan behind.

  My old roommate, Jonathan, is still a perv, and I just hate Rachel for being too pretty. Petty, I know, but she did kiss my best friend’s crush back in first year...

  I shake my head. “No. I have superpowers after all. Taking that pin wouldn’t be very Audacious of me. You don’t have powers though, Meg. Well, apart from speaking to spirits... I still wished you’d said something. It would have been nice to have someone to talk to...”

  Megan had known all along that I was different, yet she kept her trap shut.

  She shrugs, smirking. “Nah... it was fun watching you sneak around.”

  I roll my eyes, smiling. The redhead smiles back, and a furrow forms between her brows. “Stay safe, Bryn... and... save us all...”

  Tears burn in my eyes, and I wipe my nose.

  I love this girl... I still remember how she let me stay with her family for Christmas, and they’d all welcomed me with open arms.

  I still have her Nan on Facebook...

  She takes my arm then and glances at the red dragon tattoo. “I see why you chose it now. Sorry about the sheep comment I made back then.”

  I laugh, “It’s fine, Meg. It beats having a kiss mark on my ass though.”

  Megan winces. “Yeah... biggest regret of my life...”

  The redhead leans in for a hug, and I grip tight hold of her, my normal friend...

  “Matthew is fucking gorgeous, by the way. I couldn’t stop staring at his lips...”

  I grin, smugly. “I know...”

  We pull away and Megan stares Diafol daggers. I wonder then if she knows that he’s the very creature who could bring an end to her world. If so, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she throws her tote over her shoulder, the one with Bangor’s crest on the front, and marches into the building.

  “See you around. I have a boring lecture to get to after all about bogs and fens...”

  I scoff. She didn’t pick conservation like me, so now she’s stuck learning about wetland habitats.

  The redhead vanishes into the building at last, and now it’s just me and my good friend Diafol.

  He steps forward and opens my palm, and I’m glad I gave Megan the pin back.

  I’d rather she had it than him.

  Of course he was listening in on our conversation.

  The brute.

  When my hands come up empty, he smirks and squeezes my shoulder. I flinch.

  “Time to go.”

  Chapter 1o – Matthew

  I hold the phone to my ear, unable to believe what I’m hearing.

  “You... saw Bryn... in Bangor?!”

  “That’s right,” Megan replies on the other end of the phone.

  My mind swirls as I press my hand to my forehead, heat spreading through my body.

  Why would Bryn be in Bangor? That’s the last thing my dad would do, letting her commence her studies in the human world.

  He’s not a very nice person, to put it lightly...

  Shit, shit, shit. What could this mean? Is it another message? A declaration of war?

  “Wait... was she alone?”

  Megan exhales a gritty sigh. “No. Some big, buff guy in a black suit was with her. I don’t know who he was, but he had the world’s biggest chip on his shoulder. Any idea who he is?”

  I shake my head. “The description doesn’t ring a bell. Did he have any interesting, remarkable features?”

  “No, none that I recall... Oh, unless you count the freaky dragon eyes...”

  My heart drops, and the phone slips from my hand, falling onto the lush grass of the spirit world.

  A ringing echoes through my ears as I crouch down on the floor, running my fingers through my hair.

  Fuck. Not good.

  “Matthew?” Megan’s voice calls from the other end of the phone, and with a shaking hand, I grip the device, placing it by my ear again.

  “I’m... I’m here. Thank you, Megan... for... informing me. I... I have to go.”

  Megan snorts. “You’re going to let Merlin know now, aren’t you?”

  I chuckle along with her as it helps to distract my bleak thoughts. “You guessed right.”

  “Well, good luck saving the world and Bryn. She’s in love with you, by the way. Her eyes turned as big as saucers when I mentioned you.”

  My heart races when I think of Bryn’s big, green eyes. She always did look endearing like the first time she saw snow.

  “See you around,” Megan says.

  “Yeah, you too. And remember to call if you see her again.”

  “Will do. Tell Jack I said hello.”

  “Got it.”

  She hangs up, and I yank on my hair, suppressing a yell. I’m still crouched on the grass. Luckily no one is around. They’re all either flying their dragons or doing Tai Chi with Mr Tanaka.

  That’s all he does these days. It’s a form of meditation after all as he’s preparing for war. He has Macson, Jessika, and Peter joi
ning him too.

  Shankfoot spends time in his forge, preparing in other ways. Funny how everyone has their own routines...

  “Matthew?”

  I jump at the voice, glancing up into the smug, golden eyes of Thomas Goldburn. Maximus waits behind him, looking as proud as a show horse.

  I never really liked this nerdy arsehole (hence why I let the likes of Macson and Darius bully him in first year). In fact, I never liked anyone in Mendacious. Jack was always pretty cool, and Fel sweet, but the others I found insufferable. Especially Zahara and Damien Hellborne, the evil sons of bitches...

  Slowly, I rise to my feet, matching Thomas’s height. He’s nowhere as big as Darius, but he’s still a pretty big alpha. I wouldn’t want to have a run-in with this buff nerd (I’ve seen his wolf after all).

  I still remember the way Bryn looked at him when he took his glasses off last summer.

  She thinks he’s hot; I don’t know why. He’s not that good looking...

  What am I saying?

  I shake my head, peering into the wolf shifter’s glowing orbs. He wears his glasses today, looking like your typical nerd.

  “Is everything all right?” he asks.

  I rub my eyes, wondering if I should tell him. I can trust him after all. We’re on the same side, but it may be best if I just tell Myrddin for now. There’s no point in worrying everyone.

  I’m worried sick myself.

  Thomas steps forth, placing a brotherly hand on my shoulder, and I watch him confused. What’s he doing?

  “You can tell me. We’re comrades-in-arms after all...”

  My eyes wander up and down his suit of armour, and I’m impressed. Maybe I should get the dwarf to forge me a new suit. Mine is looking a little lacklustre these days.

  Just how is Thomas going to take all that armour off in time before he shifts?

  The nerd smirks, tapping his chest plate. It makes a hollow sound. “The metal in this land is magically fused to suit the body of the wearer. It moulds with my body shape. So when I shift, it shifts right along with me...”

  My eyes expand. “That’s... bloody cool.”

  “Very. So, what’s the problem? Why were you crouching in the dirt?”

  I gaze into those metallic orbs again, rolling my eyes. Why not? I should just tell him.

  “It’s Bryn... She’s been spotted in Bangor.”

  Thomas’s eyes widen. Maximus’s jaw hits the floor.

  “By... by whom?!” he demands.

  “Her friend. We exchanged numbers and thank god. I wouldn’t have found out otherwise. I need to tell Myrddin so we can rescue her right away.”

  I make a move to find the wizard, but then Thomas draws me back. I turn around.

  He’s shaking his head. “Isn’t it obvious, Matthew? Your father has sent Bryn to the university so he can tempt you out of hiding. He knows you would do anything to save her.”

  The wolf shifter’s right, but we can’t just stand back. She’s only one portal ride away, we can save her!

  “He’s right,” Maximus chimes, and I look up at the golden dragon.

  He’s as big as a shire horse now. Buddy’s the size of an elephant. Maybe bigger.

  Those astute, golden dragon eyes pierce my soul. “To go now would be suicide. The others and I have yet to reach our full maturity. We are simply too young to fight.”

  “It’s true...” Thomas weighs in. “He wants to force us all to fight. So long as she’s still pretty safe, we have nothing to worry about. I’m sure Myrddin would say the same thing.”

  He would. The wizard has been saying it all along, “Bryn is tough. She can handle herself...”

  Yeah, but for how long? It’s only a matter of time until my father realises that his tricks aren’t working and he will kill her. We have to get her away from him as soon as possible.

  I will never forgive myself if anything happens to her.

  Thomas squeezes my shoulder. “Think about what I said, Matthew. Go to Myrddin and seek his wisdom. He will know what to do, but don’t do anything rash, okay?”

  I peer into his intense eyes. “All right. Thanks, Tom.”

  Thomas offers me a crooked, wolfish smile then throws on his helmet, and now he climbs up onto Maximus.

  They re-take to the skies and my eyes land on the forest where Myrddin keeps his portal to the human world.

  It’s time to pay Bangor another little visit...

  Chapter 11- Bryn

  I finally have some semblance of normality again as I resume my studies at Bangor, and sometimes I feel like I’m in first year all over again.

  As revenge for taking me away from all my friends, I will study my ass off and get that zoology degree. And you know what, I’ll save the earth while I’m at it too.

  Matthew III has no idea what he’s done... He has lit a spark inside me.

  Besides, I’m not alone. People keep giving me hints in the academy that they are on my side, and before long I managed to organize my own, secret army. My army so far consists of Orion, Clara, and Katy. Caleb and Darius joined too, as well as Row and Laura. Mr. Higgles and Mrs. Jones are even on board, and you know shit has really gotten real when the teachers get involved.

  I still remember the way Mrs. Jones squeezed my bicep on my first day, dragging me around the academy just after I saw Brynmawr for the first time in the font. As we all know, the red son of a bitch tried to burn my face off (even though he was just a vision), yet still...

  That short, militaristic woman is tough. Mrs. Jones can pack a punch, so Matthew senior better watch out.

  I have no idea how Mr. Higgles fights though. Both teachers are spell-casters like me, but the bumbling, wiry-haired man, with his purple tweed suit and wacky tie, just doesn’t look as if he would fare in a fight.

  I’ve just left a lecture at the university. Diafol waited outside the classroom this time since he couldn’t stomach being in a room full of filthy humans again.

  Luckily for me, there are two doors to the lecture theater, so I seized the chance to make a quick getaway.

  Not that I could truly escape. Diafol will find me again, but I could still do with the downtime.

  As I trek the cold, blistering streets of Bangor, I have one goal on my mind.

  The sea...

  The clouds are gathering in the sky as it looks as if there’s going to be a rainstorm, but I trudge on.

  Nothing will stop me from seeing that big, ocean blue (even though on shitty, cloudy days like now, it looks gray).

  When I arrive, I’m glad to find that the pier is relatively empty. I hate to put these people in danger, but I’m sure Diafol won’t be too pissed when he tracks me down.

  I search my pocket, pay a small fee into the box just outside the gate, then enter the pier.

  I walk past small bistros that serve ice-cream and coffee, smiling to myself. The people sitting at those small tables and chairs have no idea how much trouble they’ll soon be in.

  They believe dragons only exist in TV shows and books (or on flags if you’re Welsh), but not in real life.

  I mean, the thought is just absurd.

  It takes about ten minutes to reach the end of the pier where a small, cozy café waits. But I fall down onto a bench with fancy, metal framework instead, and gaze at the straits.

  The Isle of Anglesey spreads just before me.

  I saw a jellyfish on this pier once, and it was kind of cool...

  Soon the heavens gather and people start to leave the pier, but I stay put. Even when it turns into a downpour, I don’t move.

  What’s the point? It can’t be any worse than what Matthew senior and the Black Dragon have in store for me.

  My hair whips around my face, getting all tangled up as a gale nearly knocks me right off the pier, yet I still don’t move.

  If Diafol wants me, then he can come and find me...

  That’s when I hear the voice. “Bryn?”

  I whirl around, my heart leaping to my throat.

  There
he stands, rain dripping down his hair and face as he watches me with sad, longing eyes.

  I jump to my feet, careful not to trip on the slippery floor. “M-Mattie?”

  Slowly, a grin stretches over his chiseled face, and dimples take form on his cheeks. “Hey there, human...”

  Something swells inside of me as I gaze at the man I love, unable to believe that he’s actually here beside me.

  It has to be a hallucination. I must have slipped and KO’d myself on the bench or something.

  He chuckles, and even over the noise of the pouring rain, it still sends a jolt to my heart.

  “You’re not seeing things, Bryn. I really am here... I heard from a little liver bird that you returned to Bangor. I came to see you.”

  Megan, that beautiful, redheaded bitch. Even though I can’t understand half the things she says with that thick, scouse accent, I could kiss her.

  The swelling reaches the back of my throat and I sob like the pathetic woman I am.

  Here we go...

  But I can’t help myself. I run into my man’s arms, letting him scoop me up, and now we kiss in the pouring rain like Ryan Gosling in the Notebook.

  Yeah, I liked the Notebook. So what.

  Mattie and I look just like a movie poster right now. Well, he does in all his handsome, chiseled glory. I just look like a drowned rat.

  We pull away, and our skin and hair is soaked right through. “So, has my knight in shining armor come to rescue me?” I ask, drawing a circle around his right cheek.

  He is wearing his battle armour after all. The heavy rain echoes off his chest plate, reminding me of how naked he really is under there...

  All he wears is a black morph suit and chainmail.

  He smirks. “Not just yet. I... I actually shouldn’t be here. It’s risky. My dad only wants to tempt me out of hiding, but I don’t care... I had to see you.”

  I study the beautiful man before me, completely overwhelmed as the rain drips down his face. He looks so hot when he’s wet.

  I can’t believe he’s all mine; I don’t want to let him go again.

  We will both be ready for his father...

  “Well, hello, Matthew... It’s been a while...”