And it wasn’t coming from me.
Shit.
Then I felt a wave of warmth rush out of Emersyn, and with it, her fierce desire to hug them all.
That’s my girl.
“Oh no.”
I frowned and followed the sound until my gaze landed on that same young boy who’d tripped inside. He was hiding behind an older girl and shaking.
“I’m sorry, am I in trouble?” He said with a shaky voice. “It was an accident—”
“Of course it was. You’re not in trouble.” I shook my head and glanced at the rest of them. “None of you are. We just want to talk to you.”
Silence.
None of them spoke. Or moved. They all just stared with nervous eyes that had that reflection that animal eyes did under bright lights.
There had to be several dozen of them out here, all huddled together under a terrace.
Now that we were out here, I wasn’t quite sure how to start.
But fortunately, Emersyn made the first move. She cleared her throat then lifted the sleeve of her left arm up until her Empress Mark was visible. Then she held it out for all of them to see…and smiled. “Hello, my name is Emersyn Bishop. I am the Empress in The Coven.”
Their eyes all widened and they sat up straighter. Then they looked to me.
I followed her suit and pulled my sleeve up. “Deacon English, Devil in The Coven. Also, my mother is a Major of New York and my father is a Minor.”
The girl standing in front of the young boy stood up and flicked her pale blond hair over her shoulder. Her light brown eyes were sharp and fierce. She glanced back and forth between Em and me. “King Kothari told us we could trust The Coven…”
“And you can.” I made sure to look them in the eye.
Emersyn flicked her wrists and two balls of fire filled her palms. She threw them down into the snow, then waved her hands to make the flames stand three feet tall. The shifters gasped – then dove toward it with their hands out. A second later, they all turned to stare at her with smiles.
“King Kothari and his dragon warriors saved our lives at a very crucial time. We are allies in this world, but more importantly, we are friends.” Emersyn stepped closer to them and their eyes soaked her in. “That’s why we opened up this school for you.”
The same girl, the only one speaking besides the boy, frowned. “So, you really do want us here?”
“Of course we do,” Emersyn breathed. “I’m sorry we weren’t here when you all first arrived. Eden – our homeland – was under attack and we had to return. But before we left, Deacon and I spoke with Koth and Silas about y’all coming here.”
“Why would you think we don’t want you here?”
The girl shrugged. “We get a lot of…weird stares.”
Emersyn sighed and I felt her frustration. “What’s your name?”
“Marcy.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m a mountain lion – in case that was your next question.”
“It wasn’t, but that’s awesome.” Emersyn smiled. She pointed to the group. “Is this everyone?”
Marcy shook her head. “This isn’t even half of us.”
My eyes widened. Wow. That’s more than I expected to come. “Where is everyone else?”
“In the dorms,” Marcy said softly. “Most of us just grab our meals and go back to our space. But a few of us have been trying to…make an effort.”
“Do you want to be here?” I asked, in case that was the issue. “Like, was this a choice—”
“Oh, we’re all thrilled to be here.” Marcy smiled and glanced back at her group. “It’s nice to not have to hide and pretend we’re human. It’s just…we can’t help but think the arcana all hate us. That we’re unwanted.”
“They just stare,” the boy cried.
“More like gawk,” another guy grumbled.
“I’m sorry.” I cursed and scrubbed my face with my hands. “Most arcana have never seen a shifter before, and apparently some of our younger students thought you were a myth. Fault of our ancestors, I assure you.”
Emersyn smiled. “I mean, you did just turn into a snow leopard right in front of them. That’s badass.”
The shifters all chuckled. One of the guys ruffled the boy’s hair.
Marcy smirked. “This is wonderful to hear, because we all want to be here.”
One of the girls in the back stood and raised her hand. When I looked to her, she licked her lips. “Are we allowed to talk to the school Majors? Because everyone gives us weird looks if we go near them.”
“Caroline and Noah are both very, very nice. You can definitely talk to them.” I lifted my hand and pushed my magic out, focusing my thoughts on my two friends. Red smoke slithered out of my palm and into the lunch hall behind me.
A moment later, Caroline and Noah came rushing out the side door – followed by those two blue cats.
Caroline arched one eyebrow. “Did you call for us?”
I smiled and waved them forward. “Yes. Our shifter friends here are concerned because they feel like they aren’t allowed to talk to you two.”
Noah gasped. “What? Why would – no. You can definitely talk to us…I just…didn’t think you would want to.” He blushed.
Caroline walked over to stand beside me. “I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t. I promise you can talk to us. But maybe…” she looked up to me, then to Emersyn.
I frowned. “But maybe what?”
She shrugged. “I don’t want to overstep, but maybe they would like Majors of their own?”
Emersyn gasped then smacked her own forehead. “Oh my Goddess, I’m such an idiot! Would y’all like that?”
The shifters all exchanged glances then turned to us and nodded.
I let out a deep breath. “That settles it, then.”
“Right. Easy to fix. Thank you, Caroline, for suggesting it.” Em rubbed her palms together. “Okay, the Yule Ball is next Friday night, so I want y’all to think about who you’d like to have as Majors – one guy, one girl. We’ll have you vote at the Ball and announce it later that night. That work?”
Marcy grinned. “Thank you. Yes. That’ll be perfect.”
Yeah, I know which girl they’re all gonna pick.
Chapter Three
Emersyn
“Man, this is kind of a crash course, isn’t it?” Caroline laughed and flicked snow off her shoulders as we re-entered the lunch hall.
I groaned. “This is why adults should be in charge of this and not two high school students.”
Caroline grimaced. “I know Heather would love to be more active here, she’s just worried about overstepping her boundaries.”
Deacon scoffed. “Seriously?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, and not just because of The Coven.. The Headmaster, too.”
I looked to Deacon.
He nodded. “I’ll talk to her. And both of our fathers, Caroline. Let’s go through our checks and balances and make sure we haven’t missed anything else.”
Noah snapped his fingers. “What happened to Cheryl? The cute girl with the glasses?”
“Cute, eh?” Caroline arched one eyebrow at him.
His cheeks turned bright red. “Well – I mean – not like – you know —”
Caroline giggled and kissed his cheek. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”
“Please don’t fluster me. My nerves can’t take it.”
I threw my hand over my mouth and laughed.
“Cheryl is great, though. I’ll call her back to town.” Deacon shook his head and chuckled. “Noah, my man, do me a favor and go over to the shifter dorm? Just talk to them. Make sure they’re okay, ya know?”
Noah gave him a high-five. “On it.” Then he turned and skipped out of the lunch hall.
The empty lunch hall.
I spun in a circle yet found not a single soul in there with us. “Where is everyone?”
Caroline laughed. “Oh, they’re all in class. Turns out attendance isn’t a problem when you go
to magic school.”
“Wow.” I turned back to Caroline just in time to watch the fat blue cat try – and fail - to sit on her shoulder, only to end up draping itself over her. “What’s the deal with these two?”
“Yeah, I’ve never taken you for a cat lady, Caroline.” Deacon reached out and scratched the fat one’s head. “Or any kind of pet, for that matter.”
“I know!” She giggled and pulled the fat one down into her arms, then rubbed its belly. “But these two…do you not recognize them? These are the two who found us in Central Park.”
I gasped. “Really?” I’d almost forgotten about that.
“Yep. This big boy here? This is Gus-Gus, because he reminds me of the little fat rat from Cinderella. The healers tell me he’s stress eating.” She held her hand out and snapped her fingers, then the tiny cat jumped up and landed in her palm. “This is Zeus. He’s the one who was injured that Gus-Gus called us to. The healers say he’s recovering nicely.”
I frowned. “Zeus? Like the Greek God?”
“Yup.” She grinned. “Because he loves lightning and he’s a total flirt with every girl he sees.”
At that, I laughed. “And they’re your pets now?”
Caroline shrugged. “They refuse to leave my side. And I found I quite like that.”
Deacon whistled. “A boyfriend and pet cats. What an upgrade.”
“I know, right?” She winked. “Now, c’mon, let me show you around the youth building.”
“The youth building?”
“Oh, right.” Deacon turned to me and shrugged. “That was my call. I figured this city is intimidating enough as it is. Thought it might be best for the younger students to have their own wing.”
I blinked and pursed my lips. “Are the kids separated in Edenburg?”
“No, but that school is a world of its own. It’s a totally different mindset.”
“True. Very true.” I smiled and took his hand. “I think that was a great judgment call. Let’s go see the kid wing.”
By the time we got two buildings over to the Youth Building, I was exhausted and had a list of things I wanted to work on. My thumb was already aching from how much typing I’d done on my phone. Some of the tasks were little – like add more lights and the hallways were too cold. Other tasks were bigger – like brainstorming ways to help witches and shifters feel more comfortable together. Granted, that list wasn’t very good. Which was why I had a note to call Chutney and pick her brain.
A pair of double glass doors opened automatically as we approached…and then bright golden light washed over me. I blinked and walked inside.
“All right, this is the kid wing.”
The kid wing looked exactly the same as the rest of the school except it had brighter, softer lights. There were even lockers.
“Which ages are over here?” Deacon asked from behind me.
“Currently, K through seventh grade.”
I frowned and glanced over my shoulder at her. “Why seventh grade and not eighth?”
She shrugged. “Because eighth graders are teenagers, and they think they’re grownups – so they might as well be with the older students. Seventh and under are still kids. Puberty hasn’t claimed them all yet.”
“Oh. Okay. Makes sense.”
Deacon leaned back on his heels. “Why currently?”
Caroline smiled. “Because Headmaster Muller tells me local parents are inquiring about pre-school options.”
My eyes widened. “Pre-school? As in…toddlers?”
Deacon threw his head back and laughed. “Goddess, I miss New York.”
Caroline chuckled. “Obviously that’s just talk. Dad said he would bring it up to The Coven and see how you all felt.”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m not making that call. You’ll have to speak to Tennessee on that one.”
“What she said.” Then Deacon frowned. “Do little kids need lockers? Did we have lockers as kids? I can’t recall.”
“Honestly, I can’t either. But Amelia has been my little informant and apparently the kids want lockers.” She bit her lip. “Unless that’s a problem?”
I thought about it for a second. “Well, as long as they’re taught how to use them…and we ensure there are no bullies locking little kids in their lockers.”
Caroline’s smile turned wicked. She tapped on the lockers. “Oh, no, these are magical lockers. That can’t happen at this school at all. Mom has all kinds of spells on them.”
I sighed. “I love magic.”
“Hey, speaking of Amelia…” Deacon shoved his hands into his pockets. “How is my little cousin doing with all this? I’ve asked her, but she acts tough.”
“She’s loving every second of it.” Caroline chuckled. She strolled over to a door then tapped on the wall beside it. “Have a look for yourself.”
I skipped over and peeked through the window in the door. Deacon leaned over me and rested his chin on my head. Inside the classroom there were about twenty-ish twelve-year-olds waving wands around. I scanned each face until I spotted the one that looked strikingly like Deacon.
Amelia held a crystal-tipped wand in hand, grinning from ear to ear. Her pale blonde hair was tied in pigtail braids with purple ribbons at the bottom. She waved her wand around and little flashes of magic sparked from the end.
“This is a Wands class, to teach them how to use their wands.”
Deacon scoffed and his breath brushed over my forehead. “I want a wand.”
“Actually…so do I.” I chuckled. “Can you believe I never got one?”
“What? How is that possible? You attended Edenburg.”
“Yeah, for like two days.” I watched the kids try to make magic from their wands. “And in that time, I was instructed to be in the Swords and Pentacles classes for fine-tuning my combat abilities and opening a school of magic skills.”
Deacon grimaced. “Tough break. We’ll get you one when we get back to Eden.”
I nodded. I wanted one very badly. Without it I felt like an imposter in the Wands Suit.
Ariana Grande’s voice echoed up and down the hall. Caroline cursed and dove into her pocket. She pulled out her cellphone then silenced it. “Shit. It’s later than I thought. Do you mind if I bail on you for today? I really, really like my afternoon classes.”
Deacon chuckled. “Yeah, go ahead.”
“Thanks for showing us around.”
“No problem.” She started back down the hall, then suddenly stopped and glanced back at us. “Hey Deacon?”
He arched one blond eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Don’t you dare let Emersyn miss seeing Christmas in New York.” She winked and disappeared through the doors.
I frowned. “Why did that sound like a threat?”
Deacon laughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Because it was, Butterberry…and it’s warranted. Christmas in New York is unlike anything you’ve ever seen.”
I arched one eyebrow. “Yeah, you’re gonna have to prove that.”
He grinned. “Challenge accepted.”
Chapter Four
Emersyn
“Did you tell your parents we’d be out for dinner tonight?”
Deacon looked up from typing on his phone. “Literally just did. Mom was relieved, she had plans this evening and didn’t want you to think she was ignoring you. She really is trying to do better. It’s kinda nice, actually. I mean, we had a home cooked meal last time. That was huge, and it was because of you.”
I bumped my shoulder into him as we rounded the corner onto Fifth Avenue. “Glad I can be of service.”
“Though your fried chicken was better than Stedman’s,” Deacon said with a chuckle. He grabbed my elbow and pulled me close to his body just as a huge crowd almost barreled me over.
“Of course it is. I’m a southern woman. Fried chicken is what we do — WHOA!” I froze. My jaw dropped and my breath left me in a white cloud. My pulse quickened. Fire coiled around my wrists, ready to attack. “What’s going on
?”
Deacon grimaced. He glanced left and right, glaring at all the people lined up like one of Bettina’s frozen statues on the sidewalk. “Trump Tower.”
I sighed and all of my sudden anxiety disappeared. “Oh. Donald Trump. Right. Human president.”
“I keep forgetting that dude is the President now and this corner is always a nightmare. I should’ve taken us down another block before cutting over.” He growled. “I don’t even care about his politics right now, I just care that he has to be here while in office. Makes everything nuts. New York ain’t got time for this.”
I shook my head at the dozens of people desperately taking pictures and videos of the building. “But like…do they know he’s not out there? You can’t see him, so why the craze? Although I will admit that the massive wreath on the wall there is pretty epic. Also, do New Yorkers use the word ain’t?”
Deacon grinned and wrapped his arm around my waist. “You think that is great? Well, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” He squeezed my side and led me forward, into the thick of the crowd.
I kept my head down while we walked, concentrating only on the feet of the constant rush of people stampeding toward us. The one thing I’d noticed about New York City was that it always felt like I was swimming upstream. At all times. I never felt like I was in the right walking lane. It was that video game Frogger but with people, and if a bus ran you over you didn’t get to restart. Or a taxi.Those drivers were insane. And the pedestrians seemed to not care about getting run over because they just went. Without looking. It was a wild kind of jungle here.
Not that Deacon noticed. I glanced up at him and found him smirking, like the chaos was entertaining to him. There was a chance he was sensing my desire to set a garbage can on fire just to clear the sidewalk a little bit. He probably would enjoy watching me do it. Luckily, he wasn’t encouraging me to.
Crowds had never bothered me, but I’d never seen a crowd like this.
Then again, nothing was like New York City.
It was an amazing place…despite the sensory overload.
Especially at night. This city lit up in the dark. There were lights everywhere – some flashing, some twinkling, some shining bright like the North Star. My eyes didn’t know where to look first. I loved the way the colored lights reflected off the streets and cars – it made the exhaust from the cabs and honking horns bearable.
The Uptown Witch Page 2