by Valia Lind
"We need to go. Headmaster is looking for you," he says after he looks over at the wolf. I nod my head and swallow the tears that are threatening to overwhelm me. But before I can take two steps, Aiden does something that breaks me completely. He closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms, much like he did after the dance. This time, he clings to me as tightly as I cling to him, and in this one embrace, I realize I've fallen in love with the alpha.
"We can't stay here!"
The shouting greets us as Aiden and I reach the headmaster's office. Voices both male and female are talking over each other, and we push into the partially open door without an invitation. The moment we're inside, the arguing stops and the people in the room turn to face us as one.
Some of the teachers are here, but there are a few people I've never seen before. These must be the council members Headmaster was talking about.
"Miss Hawthorne, it is good to see you up and about." Headmaster Marković greets me warmly. I give him a small smile, still very unsure of myself in front of this group. He motions me closer, and when I walk farther into the room, I see that a few upperclassmen are here as well. Including Natalie. The other girl doesn't seem very impressed with me, but then again, I'm not impressed with her either.
"What possessed you to try story spell casting, girl?" One of the older women I've never seen before speaks, her voice full of disapproval. She appears to be in her seventies, her hair pulled so tightly into a bun, it makes my own scalp hurt. Her eyes are dark as she stares at me, waiting for an answer.
"Matilda, please," Headmaster Marković says, waving the woman off. "Miss Hawthorne saved her fellow students at the risk of her own health. That should be admired."
"It should be reprimanded. You have no idea what kind of power you are playing with here." There is so much venom in her words that it takes all the air from my lungs. But then, it makes me angry. This semester has taught me a lot about myself and one of those things is that I am braver than I give myself credit for. I'm not about to cower at the words of some old lady.
"Not to mean any disrespect," I begin, shocking everyone into silence. "But I didn't see you out there in the front lines, fighting to protect the students of this fine institution. I hope all the screaming and bloodshed didn't inconvenience you too much."
"How dare you?"
"No, I will not be spoken to like I'm some kid," I say, standing up a little taller. There's a light touch of a hand on my arm, and I realize Aiden is encouraging me with that small move. "I did what I had to do, and I would do it all again."
"Miss Hawthorne," Headmaster Marković interjects, shifting my attention to him. I'm pretty sure there's a gleam of approval in his eye, but I know he's not about to voice it. "What Elder Matilda is trying to say is, there are always consequences to this type of magic. Consequences that may not reveal themselves right away."
"I understand that, sir. And I will answer for those consequences when the time comes. But I will not apologize for saving my friends’ lives."
"I told you, Henry. I told you!" Elder Matilda points her finger at the headmaster before she turns back to me. "She is unlearned and cannot be given the responsibility."
"That is your opinion, Matilda," Headmaster Marković replies. "And you are only but one vote."
"Headmaster, could you tell us what's happening?" Aiden says, voicing my own question.
"The council has voted to have Miss Hawthorne perform a story spell casting on the school." My heart leaps in my chest, elevated all at once. They're giving me permission to help. I was planning on doing so myself anyway, but this means I have their support.
"When can I begin?" I try not to sound too eager, but I can't hide my excitement.
"Immediately. We're on borrowed time here, and the wards could break down again at any moment."
"Wait a second." Aiden turns to me. "What exactly is story spell casting?"
"It's vile, and it has no place in this school," Elder Matilda spits, shooting daggers at me. I glance at the others in the room and find that the opinion seems to be divided. Most of my teachers look on with encouragement, as does one of the other Elders in the room. But the rest are very apprehensive, although not as hostile as Elder Matilda.
"It's an ancient way of spell casting that hasn't been performed in generations. But it's powerful, and it's what Miss Hawthorne did at the training building."
"But it nearly killed you!" Aiden's attention is entirely on me now, and he's not even trying to hide the worry.
"I'll be fine. I need to be more selective with my words. I think it only drained me so much because I was the conduit. If I use something else as an anchor, it won't be as bad." I try to reassure him, and I hope I'm making sense, because at this point, I'm making this up as I go.
"You need to be very specific with your words, Miss Hawthorne," Headmaster Marković agrees. "Next time, the aftermath of the spell could be much worse."
I understand what he means. I can die. I read about it in the books, not that I'm about to mention it now. But I don't think I need to. Aiden is a smart shifter. He knows what we're talking about. He opens his mouth to protest again, when the phone on the desk rings. Headmaster answers immediately, and only a few words are spoken before he turns to us.
"You need to start the spell immediately. More are coming."
31
They don't let me say two words before Mrs. Hously is guiding me into Headmaster Marković’s chair. She hands me a piece of paper and a pen before she squeezes my shoulder.
"To tell a story you need a setting. Use the school as the basis, paint a picture. It doesn't have to rhyme, although poetry has always had the strongest affect in spell casting." She rattles off instructions hurriedly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Think of what matters the most. The greatest stories are filled with love and adventure. They're filled with heart. Find that and you will be fine."
My eyes drift to Aiden involuntarily, and I find him staring at me just as intensely. The teachers and staff hurry out of the room as Headmaster begins issuing orders.
"We need to keep the school as safe as possible until Miss Hawthorne is finished. Rally everyone. Every student, every magical being, tell them we are officially at war. I know they are scared, but if they have even a glimmer of magic, they are not helpless."
Miss Cindy rushes over to her desk and then the alarm begins to blare. Those in the room scatter quickly, each heading for their assigned areas.
"Mr. Lawson," Headmaster calls out, and I realize he's the only one, besides the Elders, left in the room.
"I'm staying with her."
He doesn't take his eyes off me as he says the words, and the intensity there takes my breath away. Then, Natalie moves from behind him, placing her hand on his arm.
"Your pack needs you, Alpha," she says, sparing me half a glance that's filled with so much hostility, I think my skin got burned.
"Miss Hart is right." Headmaster steps up, glancing between the two of us. "Miss Hawthorne is in capable hands."
I know he doesn't want to, but Aiden can't ignore the call of the alpha. He gives me one last heated look that's filled with all kinds of promises, before he's out the door.
"Now, Miss Hawthorne—"
"I'm on it."
Ignoring the angry glares from Elder Matilda, I concentrate on the paper in front of me. I am not a writer. Books are magic all on their own, and it's because of hard work and talent that authors create such stories. I think back to what Mrs. Hously said, that the best stories are filled with heart. And I know my heart belongs to this school.
It may not be anything I expected, and I never would've imagined this is where my life would lead me, but I love Thunderbird Academy. This place has been a home away from home, and I will not rest until it is a sanctuary once more.
I begin to write, letting those emotions guide my pen. When the screaming starts, I don't let up. Headmaster and the rest of the Elders, join hands, mumbling their own spell as I work
on mine. I feel the magic fill this space, I hear the battle rage all around me, and yet I still write.
"Work faster, girl," Elder Matilda snaps, but even that sounds far away. I completely give myself over to the story. As the building begins to shake around me, I feel my heart bleed out into the words in front of me. When the last dot is on the page, I am spent. I glance up to find the Elders still in the midst of their spell, sweat running down their brows.
"Sir," I call out, afraid of breaking their concentration, but they don't answer me. "Headmaster Marković."
"Now, Maddie. Now," he calls, and I have no choice. Glancing down at the paper, I begin to read.
"There once lived a girl,
With magic in her veins,
Inside a castle made of stone,
On the grounds of Ancient remains.
The place has always been,
And the place will always be,
An institution of knowledge, of honor, of friendship,
Of tranquility.
Until the evil came and fought to destroy,
So, the girl took a stand and wrote a song.
It spoke of her happiness, of the friends she had made,
And it spoke of a boy, who had changed her fate.
She gave of herself, of her magic, her heart,
She did not hesitate to protect, to impart,
This story will not end with failure or pain,
The institution will withstand,
Just like witches, and shifters, and pixies, and fae.
There is nothing more precious than the love of a girl,
And there is nothing stronger than the bonds of a spell.
Protect, protect, protect."
As I read the words, the world around me shifts. I hear someone screaming my name, but I'm too lost in the story to care. It's as if I am singing to a melody only I can hear, and when I'm done, everything feels right again. The paper falls from my hands, and I drop back down to the seat, my heart beating wildly, my body buzzing from the magic.
"Stupid girl, what did you do?" Elder Matilda is screaming as I focus back on the room. The others look horrified, and I don't understand what's happening.
"Headmaster Marković?"
He doesn't meet my eye but continues to stare out the window. I follow his gaze and find a forest I've never seen before on the other side of the glass. I no longer see the campus I have come to love, nor do I hear the sounds of struggle. Confusion clouds my mind as I glance down at the words I've written.
"What did I do?"
No one moves as a knock sounds at the headmaster's door. He walks over to it, pulling it open, and a person steps in. My mouth falls open at the sight, and at first, I think I'm hallucinating.
"Okay, which one of you have decided it would be a good idea to drop Thunderbird Academy in the middle of Spring Court's forest?"
I don't think I hear him right, and then it all falls into place. They warned me to be careful with my words and intentions. I wrote with my friends in my heart.
"Umm, Liam?" I stand, and the fae's eyes dart to me immediately. "I think that was me."
His eyes light up at the sight of me as his mouth breaks into a breathtaking smile.
"Maddie Hawthorne, why am I not surprised? I knew you wouldn't survive the year without me."
<<<<>>>>
Maddie’s List of Old Slang Words/Phrases
Claws sharp - A lot of knowledge about various things.
Chicks on a raft! And Eggs on a toast! - diner speak, sometimes used as a utterance of surprise.
Made in the shade - Everything is going well and there is not a care in the world.
Don’t have a cow - Don’t get upset or go ballistic.
Peachy keen - very good.
Tickety-boo - everything is correct or everything is okay (depending on the situation)
Gigglemug - a perpetually smiling person.
Minding you Ps and Qs - “be on your best behavior”, “mind your manners”.
Dilly Dally - wasting time through aimless wanderings.
Pang-Wangle - live or go along cheerfully in spite of misfortunes.
Source: bustle.com, mentalfloss.com, first hand experiences.
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author. Photographer. Artist. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Valia Lind has always had a love for the written word. She wrote her first published book on the bathroom floor of her dormitory, while procrastinating to study for her college classes. Upon graduation, she has moved her writing to more respectable places, and has found her voice in Young Adult fiction. Her YA thriller, Pieces of Revenge is the recipient of the 2015 Moonbeam Children's Book Award.
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Also by Valia Lind
Hawthorne Chronicles - Season One
Guardian Witch (Hawthorne Chronicles, #1)
Witch’s Fire (Hawthorne Chronicles, #2)
Witch’s Heart (Hawthorne Chronicles, #3)
Tempest Witch (Hawthorne Chronicles, #4)
The Complete Season One Box Set
Hawthorne Chronicles - Season Two
Of Water and Moonlight (Thunderbird Academy, #1)
Of Destiny and Illusions (Thunderbird Academy, #2) - coming January 2020!
The Skazka Chronicles
Remembering Majyk (The Skazka Chronicles, #1)
Majyk Reborn (The Skazka Chronicles, #2)
The Faithful Soldier (The Skazka Chronicles, #2.5)
Majyk Reclaimed (The Skazka Chronicles, #3)
Complete Box Set
Havenwood Falls (PNR standalone)
Predestined
The Titanium Trilogy
Pieces of Revenge (Titanium, #1)
Scarred by Vengeance (Titanium, #2)
Ruined in Retribution (Titanium, #3)
Complete Box Set
Falling Duology
Falling by Design
Edge of Falling