“Skylar!”
Demarcus waved his arms crazily above his head as Mia and I walked over to their table. “You guys made it! Sweet!”
“Looks like he’s already having fun,” I said.
Sylvia rolled her eyes. “One espresso. That’s all. Seriously.”
I went and grabbed Mia and me some lattes from Cid at the wooden coffee bar. The entire place was decked out in shiplap and diffused lighting, all doused in a double helping of hazy incense. A couple dozen other Academy students, most of them from lower years, were clustered in groups at other tables.
“And then—perfect, here she is. Skylar, we were just saying we have to do the tradition,” Jen said when I returned.
“Tradition?” Penny said in her thick accent, wide eyes blinking at all of us.
Penny was…interesting. Her family had been these royal succubi in Romania or something until some hunters killed her parents and left her in cursed stasis. The Coalition found the poor girl a few months ago and sent her to the Academy where we all kind of took her under our wings. She doesn’t use magic at all and can’t seem to dress in anything more modern than black 19th century dresses, but we all love her anyway.
“It’s tradition—usually,” Sylvia said, eying Demarcus, “to take shots of Cid’s espressos.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea…” Mia said.
“That is…coffee?” Penny said. “It is…strong?”
Strong would be an understatement, but after our first day it was just what we needed.
“I’ll get ‘em,” I said, jumping up.
“Again?” Cid said when I asked him for his specialty espressos. I just gave him my sweetest smile, and he sighed and brought out two dozen tiny cups full of the bubbling liquid. “Just…no hanging from the ceiling this time.”
I took the tray. “No ceiling. Got it.”
He tugged it back. “Or magic.” He nudged his head to the Strictly No Magic or Users Will Be Cursed sign behind him.
“Of course, Cid. Now…just…”
I gently extracted the tray from his grasp and triumphantly returned to the table. Mia eyed each cup as I handed them out. “Oh boy…”
“To not failing!” Demarcus said, raising his.
“To not failing!” we repeated.
We clinked and I downed mine in one go. Fireworks went off in my brain before it’d even hit my stomach. I could almost feel my neurons bulking up. Nothing seemed impossible. I could run a hundred miles or read a thousand textbooks or…both! At the same time!
“And there he goes…” Sylvia muttered as Demarcus sprang from our table to go chat up everyone in the shop. Mia’s pupils were vibrating at a rapid rate, her hand shaking as she took another cup. Penny sniffed hers before taking a dainty sip.
The next couple hours flew by and I soon forgot whatever I had been so worried about before, wired as I was on coffee and friends. It was as I was taking my fourth cup that I felt a presence hanging over my shoulder.
“Hello, Skylar,” Logan said glumly.
He sat perched on the back of our table’s booth, head hanging low. He was a poetry-loving Vamp in my Paranormal Literature class who hung out with us whenever we were out late enough to be his morning. The dude made Edgar Allen Poe look like an eternal optimist, but he was still cool.
“Cheers, Logan!” I said, holding a cup out to him. His eyeliner-rimmed eyes examined the liquid before holding up a hand. “I fear I’d be overstimulated.”
“That’s kind of why you come to a coffee shop, man!” Demarcus said, returning to our table. He slid back in next to Sylvia and began talking all of our ears off faster than his lips could pronounce the words. I tried to return to the conversation, but it was kind of hard with Logan looming over me. I turned to find him still staring, as though I had coffee stuck on my upper lip.
“You have darkness inside you,” he said, so low I thought I’d misheard.
A chill raced up my arms. I shifted, just slightly, so I could partially face him. He was still staring. “What?”
I was used to Logan saying downright strange things. The guy practically cosplayed as Marilyn Manson three-hundred and sixty-five days of the year, after all.
Logan leaned in closer. “I can see it. You would be perfect for our group. We’re called the Midnight Club. You should come see us. There’s someone who might be able to help you discover your inner turmoil.”
Everybody else was still laughing, completely oblivious to what he was saying. Usually I found Logan’s anecdotes endearing—the guy wouldn’t harm a fly—but right now…
“I’m good, thanks,” I said, taking another cup of espresso and downing it. My brain got an extra kick down the highway of jittery nerves. I continued ignoring Logan’s blatant stares at the back of my head. I had no idea what he was talking about, and right now, I didn’t want to bother finding out.
After a while, Logan gloomily excused himself. We continued laughing. Demarcus continued joking. Nobody asked me what had happened during sparring, and I felt a swell of gratitude.
“Mia’s been holding out on us!” Sylvia said, throwing her arm around her. “You should have seen how Colson looked after she thumped him in combat class. He was like—” She made a goggle-eyed expression before bursting into laughing hysterics.
“I think he was just being nice and letting me win,” Mia said softly, though she’d perked up at the praise.
“Nah!” Demarcus threw back another espresso—number six, I think. “But nobody was as shocked as Asher, right Skylar?”
There was a thump as someone—probably Sylvia—kicked him under the table. The cold, scared feeling from earlier began creeping through my coffee euphoria.
“Asher…” Penny said. “He is handsome one, yes?”
“Heck yes he is,” Sylvia piped up. “Penny, I know you’ve been asleep for, like, a billion years, but you can see that, can’t you?”
“He is…attractive, yes,” Penny said thoughtfully.
“Only to you and every other girl in school,” Demarcus said. “That should be his first name: Attractive Asher.”
“Along with arrogant, and self-absorbed, yeah,” I said. I knew I was being loud, but I was two espressos past caring. The remarks Asher had made during sparring were coming back to me now, snowballing with my own insecurities and fear toward whatever magic I’d unleashed in class. “The guy thinks he owns the world.”
“Doesn’t he?” Demarcus laughed, and something about that—and maybe the amount of caffeine running through my veins—made me fed up.
I stood, planting one foot on the table like a pirate claiming her booty. Mia buried her face in her arms. Sylvia gave an apologetic smile to Cid as he glared at our group.
“If the rest of the girls want Asher Dunadine, they can have him,” I said. “I don’t. I’m getting a new partner. One I can actually stand.”
“For the record, you’re not exactly easy to stand yourself.”
I whirled around, nearly toppling off the table in the process. Asher, Colson, and a few of their friends and ever-present cluster of girls had walked in. A couple from their group smirked up at me. I felt myself growing hot all over and immediately stepped down.
“Nobody gets to choose their partners,” Asher went on, unbothered by all the eyes swinging our way. “That’s the way it is. That’s the way it’s done.”
It took me all of three seconds to get over my surprise at seeing him. “Well not anymore. I’m leaving your pretty butt and getting someone else.”
Asher gave a slow, easy shrug. “Good luck. Me and my pretty butt will stay right here.”
“Skylar!” Mia called as I brushed past their group and stepped outside. But I wasn’t listening. I had a partner to dump.
It was only when I burst into Lipstuck’s office that I realized I may not have thought things through. A lot of the caffeine had run its course during my heated walk over and I was feeling a little more clear-headed.
Still…
“Miss Rivest!” Lipstuck straighted at his desk, two tall-backed chairs placed in front, framed by large bay windows behind. “Miss Rivest, there are office hours. This is hardly the time for questions about course work—”
“I want a new partner,” I blurted out.
Lipstuck’s mouth froze in a surprised O.
My idea was sounding dumber to me by the second, but I plunged on before he could interrupt. “I know the Masters choose who we’re partnered with based on compatibility and skill and personality, but I think they got us wrong. Asher and I, I mean. He’s…I’m…I just don’t think it’s going to work.”
Lipstuck mouthed silently a few times before sighing. “You’ve only been partners for less than a day, Miss Rivest, and haven’t even begun practical hours. How could you possibly know he’s not the right one?”
“I just…” I swallowed a lump in my throat. “I just do. Asher thinks he’s so good at everything—and so handsome—and he doesn’t take things seriously and I can’t fail and I know I will if we’re together.”
Lipstuck gave an awkward cough. “Ah, I see. Would you like to…”
I didn’t realize he was talking to one of the chairs until a figure rose from it, honey-blond hair practically gleaming in the dimming rays of sunlight cast through the windows.
“Well, Master Lipstuck, I thought our earlier conversation was interesting, but this takes the cake!” Lucien Dunadine flashed me a grin and my brain pretty much screamed bloody murder. I’d just bad-mouthed his son. Slandered him. And now I was going to catch trouble, maybe get kicked out and—
“We can finish up our discussion another time, Headmaster,” Lipstuck said.
“Much appreciated.” Lucien gave him a little bow and then put a gentle arm around me, leading me back out into the corridor. My legs felt like they’d turned to stone, making it near impossible to walk. My tongue had become a lead weight in my mouth.
“I wonder…did your mother ever tell you the story of how she and I met?” Lucien said, strolling beside me, hands clasped behind his back.
I forced myself to swallow and glanced over at him. He didn’t sound angry. In fact, he was still smiling, like he was recalling a fond memory.
“Uh, no, Lucien—er, Headmaster—sir. Maybe she did a little. That was back when the boroughs were more defined than they are now, right? You guys were called Mages.”
“Correct! The Mages were those who oversaw the magical boroughs and tried to keep peace between the races. Though that didn’t always work out like we’d hoped.” He gave me a conspiratorial wink. “She and I ran into each other one night. It was a fortuitous meeting, though it sure didn’t seem like that at the time.”
“Why’s that?”
“Oh, your mother absolutely hated me!” Lucien said brightly. “You should have heard some of the colorful words she used. I think I still have some of them written down…”
I blinked. That story couldn’t be right. Lucien was…Lucien was practically a second father to me. The one who used to watch over me when my parents were away. Read me stories so I could fall asleep. The one who loved me as much as my own dad. You couldn’t hate the guy.
“But…how is that possible? Now you guys are—”
“Yes, now is a very different story. But we had to get through a lot before we got to now.” Lucien’s eyes twinkled. “In your mother’s defense, I kind of gave her a reason to hate me. I’ll let her tell you the whole story sometime. It’s a good one.”
We’d made it back to Philus Hall. A few students were trailing from the dining hall back to the student dormitories. Lucien gave them a jovial wave. “The thing is, Skylar, nobody really knows how two people will get along. Some who appear as though they’ll be the best of friends could turn into the most bitter of enemies. While others who believe they have nothing in common find there’s an awful lot they share. It’s not always readily apparent, and we can’t always predict it. But what we can do is try to see things from each other’s perspective. You might find you and Asher are not so different after all.”
“But Asher and I…you know. We grew up together but he…we’re not the same now.”
“You have contrasting qualities, yes, but not incompatible ones.”
I squared my shoulders. “With all due respect, Luci—sir—Headmaster, I’d still like to request a change of partners. I think I’ll do much better with someone else.”
I held my breath while Lucien gazed serenely out the window.
“If I’m being honest, Skylar, I’ve heard some great—and not so great—things about you.”
My heart clenched. “I can explain—”
“You’re rash, passionate, defiant, hardworking, lazy. Quite a set of opposing qualities, wouldn’t you say?”
I was at a loss for words. What were you supposed to say when someone asked you that?
Lucien turned to me, and I was somewhat relieved to see a twinkle in his eye. “You’re so much more like your mother than you realize.”
“I’m nothing like my mother,” I muttered. “I’m just…I’m just me.”
“And that’s the best person you can be!” Lucien said. “In time, I’m sure you’ll see that. But for now…I could grant your request to seek a new partner, but with the new year already started and no incoming candidates, we might not find one we think is compatible.”
“That’s okay, I can wait—”
“And if we didn’t find someone, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to continue in the advanced classes. You or Asher.”
Any final arguments I had died on my lips. I hadn’t thought about how what I was doing would affect Asher. I’d just wanted to get someone new, someone I felt more comfortable with.
“Skylar?” Lucien said. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I…” My mouth was dry. But there was nothing left for me to say. As much as I thought I’d wanted this, as much as I believed I’d feel better if Asher and I worked with separate people, I couldn’t destroy any chance he had to stay at the Academy. “I think I’ll stay with him—with Asher.”
“That’s the spirit!” Lucien gave me a hearty pat on the back. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to hear it. And remember what I said: Not all good things are apparent at first. It will work out, I’m sure of it.”
I reluctantly returned his smile, all the while thinking he couldn’t be more wrong.
Sleep was being a jerk.
After snapping out of a fitful rest for the fifth time, I finally sat up on the edge of my bed and listened to the small night noises: Mia’s soft, steady breathing mixing with the gentle brush of cars passing outside the window. The groan and creak of the old Academy walls as they shifted. The heavy silence of the living room after the boys had finally gone to bed.
I’d been up enough nights to know I wasn’t getting back to sleep anytime soon. I cast a last mournful look at my wonderfully soft pillow, slipped on my shoes, and left our room.
I loved the Academy at night. With everyone asleep, the place seemed to come to life, almost like the walls were speaking to me, like I could hear the echoes and thoughts and memories of students and masters past and present who’d walked in the very same place I did now.
I ducked around a corner as one of the guard gargoyles drifted past, patrolling to make sure no student was out where they weren’t supposed to be. Like me.
I hurried on once it was gone and soon found myself in Remembrance Hall, staring up at the great oak tree. Lucien’s words played over and over in my head like a song on repeat. It wasn’t what he said that bothered me, it was why he’d had to say it. I’d made the thing with Asher such a big deal, and part of me didn’t know why. That, combined with all the craziness of the last few days, was so confusing. And then there was what had happened during sparring. Against my better judgement, I’d tried dipping back into that dark place before I’d gone to sleep. It hadn’t worked.
So yeah, that was bothering me too.
I hugged myself, suppressing a shiv
er. I only had my pajamas on, but walking and letting all these crazy thoughts get in order had helped.
I dodged a few more guard gargoyles on my way back. I was about to open the door to our room when I paused. I thought I’d heard a muffled thump inside, like someone moving stuff around.
I pressed my ear against the wood. There it was again: a small crash like something falling to the ground. Were the boys shifting furniture or something?
I pushed the door open. “Isn’t it a little late to—”
The living room was empty. Everything was quiet. I stepped inside, frowning, and let the door shut behind me.
There was a soft cry from my bedroom, quickly cut off.
“Mia?”
My heart was beating faster now. Fear built within me as I hurried to our room and shoved the door open. “Mia—”
The window beside Mia’s bed was open, the drapes torn like something had run its claws through them. Her mattress had been overturned, the trinkets on her shelf scattered across the floor.
A hunched figure crouched on the windowsill. Mia was slung over his shoulder, unmoving.
“Mia!” I cried.
The figure turned. A sneer crossed his shadowed face.
Then he leapt out the window and was gone.
Chapter Six
For a moment I just stood there, my brain trying to process what had happened. All I kept seeing was Mia’s limp form and then…nothing.
Move! A voice inside yelled. That’s your best friend! Now’s not the time to have another manticore moment!
In an instant I was at the window, peering down as the shadowed figure stole across the Academy lawn. My heart pounded in my ears as my anger grew. No. No way was he getting away.
I snatched Valkyrie off my bedside table. I heard a door open and thumping coming from the living room.
“Skylar?” Asher yelled. The kitchen lights flicked on. Footsteps pounded toward me. “Skylar, what’s going on?”
Called by Darkness Page 6