She tipped her head, and her expression remained flat. “Sterling and the Directorate know what your benefactor wants to reveal.”
I rubbed my hand over my face in frustration. “Does Sterling know who my parents are? And that they went here?”
“Yes. He knows that your mother was Morelli and concealed her identity to enroll at the Academy. But he doesn’t know the true nature of your family line.”
I locked eyes with Magnolis. What if my being here really was dubious? I could understand the facts of my exact heritage being kept from the student body because I’d never be accepted. But why Sterling? This was his academy, and he had a right to know. How could he assess the risks otherwise?
Guilt settled in my middle as the faces of all my new friends came to mind: Emiko, Holly . . . Aspen. “I need to see that file.”
Magnolis waved her hand at me dismissively. “The file won’t tell you anything. Most of it is manufactured.”
If she was telling me the truth, a part of me was glad. I didn’t quite trust the Directorate, and if they knew I was Zayne’s niece, I’m quite sure they would have either had me banished or—more likely— “taken care of.” For the time being, they only appeared to be watching and waiting. Not that I liked that, either.
But the other part of me knew that Magnolis was keeping too much from me. Why? Perhaps she was trying to protect me, and keeping me in the dark was the only way she knew how. “Nine said that you helped my parents cross to The Other Side.”
Magnolis seemed to consider her words. “It’s very dangerous to cross The Middle without the help of one of the Four Points. I’d always liked your mother, so when I heard they were planning to attempt the journey, I used a connection I had to Mrs. North to help you all cross.”
“And they didn’t come. Only I did as an infant.” Before I learned this from Nine, I’d always thought my parents died several years after I was born but I still didn’t remember them. Of course, little of what I knew about my past turned out to be true.
The professor pursed her lips. “They did, but came back. Your mother came to me and gave me your ring to keep it safe.” Her eyes grew distant, and I twisted nervously at the ring.
“She was scared, and I knew someone was after them. But there was nothing I could do to help protect them since your mother wouldn’t allow it. She only told me to give you the ring when you most needed it for protection . . . but not before.”
I looked at Professor Magnolis in confusion. “But why? If I’d had the ring when I first got here, my magic might have returned right away.”
The professor avoided my eyes. “Because she knew that your magic would mean either salvation or a curse.”
Chapter 9
Even though the chair I sat in had a thick, plush cushion, it suddenly felt as hard as a rock.
Curse? Did she mean a real curse, or was she speaking metaphorically? I sat there, staring at her for what must have been at least several minutes, mulling the question over in my mind. Finally, when I couldn’t think of anything better, I asked. “Must you talk in riddles? If you’d come out with exactly what you mean, this entire conversation would be much easier.”
She sighed. “I only know what your mother told me, and those were the words she used.” Magnolis looked down at the ruby ring on my hand. “Despite the enchantment, I think she had hoped that you would awaken the magic inside you on your own without the ring.”
“Why?”
“Since you are only half Morelli, your magic could have grown from your father’s side or hers. Morelli magic can be different than that of the typical witch or wizard.” She paused as if to choose her words. “One must know what they are looking for, but there is almost a signature to it or a feeling, especially if you know the user.”
“Is that why Zayne Gabrick could see me during the battle when he attacked me?”
“Your uncle is a powerful wizard, skilled in the nuances of magic, particularly Morelli. Most likely, the only reason you were able to defeat him is that he must have been taken off guard when your magic presented. There’s no way he could have expected your power to be so strong, even if you had been schooled since you were a young child.”
I pinched my fingers around the ring’s band and wriggled at it. “I could take it off.”
Magnolis shrugged. “It’s too late. The seed of your magic has already been planted, favoring your Morelli side. Taking off the ring will make no difference at this point.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, stopped pulling at the ring and pushed it back onto my hand. “So what does that mean for me? Am I doomed to become evil?”
Magnolis studied me for a moment and leaned closer. “What I’m about to say to you is a very unpopular opinion. And I expect you to keep my telling you this to yourself.” She took in a breath and held it as if the words she wanted to say were stuck. “Evil lurks in all places, not just among the Morelli. The Directorate would have us believe that the problems in this world primarily derive from the Morelli influence, but I would go so far as to say that the Morelli’s aggressive tendencies stem directly from the Directorate’s forcing them to the Middle. The Directorate caused the problem they have today, but they refuse to admit it.”
“Forcing? I thought the Morelli decided to go to the Middle? At least the first time around.”
Magnolis flattened her lips. “If you call them making their exit because of the fear of death a Morelli choice, then yes.”
My stomach twisted with sickness. “Then why would the Directorate allow me to stay here? It makes no sense.”
“But it does. Your being here is a way for them to appear benevolent . . . flexible. As you know, over the years they have allowed a handful of obvious Morelli into the school—although none have lasted more than a few weeks. Despite the Morelli attacks, there is a growing number of witches and wizards who voice the injustices The Side of Magic brought upon the Morelli people when we banished them. When your name appeared on the registration for this year, it was immediately brought to the Directorate’s attention. In my opinion, they evaluated you and found you harmless, and they felt that your presence would placate those speaking out. We were told they would agree if one of the senior faculty were to step up and become responsible.”
“And that was you.”
She nodded. “I argued that the enrollment spell always has and will decide on the student roster. Each student has a reason and a purpose for being here. Once we start deciding who is chosen to enroll, then the entire system falls apart. Sterling only conceded because he believed you would never make the journey successfully on your own and he would be able to wash his hands of you. And even if you did, there would be no one to pay your tuition since he was not offering you a scholarship. But the moment you arrived, a benefactor stepped up and paid your tuition in full.”
Of course, everything Magnolis told me only spurred more questions in my mind. I had to be careful to ask only the ones that wouldn’t shut her down. “So my mother was chosen by the enrollment spell, too?”
“She was, and I had no idea of her true identity until after she graduated. She was very good at concealing the nature of her Morelli magic. I have a feeling that if she had lived, her powers would have rivaled the strongest witches and wizards.”
Other than the photo I had in my dorm room, I had no real memories of my parents, and the loss stabbed at my heart. “And my father?”
“Liam Barrows was a promising wizard, as well, though not as strong as your mother. It’s likely that is why you seem to favor your Morelli heritage.” Magnolis scanned the white hair falling over my shoulders.
“I still don’t really understand why the Directorate would agree to my being here.”
Professor Magnolis’s face grew somber and a stress line formed between her brows. “The Directorate never does anything without a reason, and I highly doubt it was to invite the Morelli back to The Side of Magic, even if some of you proved innocent. Then during the battle, the Directorate saw yo
ur magical abilities and were eager to allow you to stay. They will use you as they see fit when the time comes.”
Anger stirring in my chest, I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want the Morelli to hurt anyone, either here on The Side of Magic or on The Other Side. What my uncle was doing was wrong. But I wasn’t hearing the entire story, and the Directorate might be in the wrong, too.
I’d rarely felt as if I had any control over my life, and now I was finding that it’s even worse here on The Side of Magic. I couldn’t stand the thought of allowing anyone else to pull the strings of my fate.
“If what you say is true about my strengths, then maybe it’s Morelli magic I need to study. If I’m only exposed to regular magic, I might never be able to fully tap into what’s inside of me again. If evil can be used in either type of magic, then Morelli magic is not inherently evil. My mother didn’t use it that way, and I don’t have to, either.”
Professor Magnolis’s face went nearly as white as my hair. “Without more training, I fear that you will not be able to control it. We were all very lucky that the battle only lasted as long as it did. You need to focus on simpler magic first. I’m not saying that Morelli magic is not in your future; in time, I can provide you access to the books and tools to learn more about it, but that must be much later.”
The Morelli magic from my ring had shown me the Directorate’s true nature and seemed to keep them from discovering I hadn’t told the full truth about my family line. Regular magic only seemed to make me vandalize statues belonging to the Academy.
She caught my eye. “Josy. I want you here. But moving too fast with your skills will bring on the Directorate’s negative attention. There are already enough parents of students who have expressed displeasure at your being here. We were able to placate them by giving evidence that your potential abilities can serve the needs of The Side of Magic. And from here on out we want to acclimate them to you.” She pursed her lips together. “Then there’s the risk we take in the magic overwhelming you. Great and sudden power has a habit of corrupting even the most innocent souls.”
My memories flickered with the vision of my uncle. I had the feeling that he had not always been evil, that something had changed him. Was it the Morelli magic, or was it simply his anger over my mother marrying a regular wizard that had grown into hate?
“You understand what I mean, Josy, right?” Magnolis broke me from my thoughts.
My gut told me that Professor Magnolis truly did want to protect me. She seemed to have cared about my mom and had guarded her secret of being a Morelli all these years. But the problem was that she obviously had an agenda, and she wasn’t telling me everything she knew.
“I understand.” There was no use arguing her right now; doing so would likely cause her to dig her heels in deeper. Agreeing with her would be more beneficial to me than not. More than that, I was just now making friends. Why risk rocking the boat?
But the back of my mind worked on the knowledge that Magnolis had access to more Morelli magic than just my ring, and I needed to find it.
Chapter 10
On the way back to my dorm, the world seemed to press on my shoulders. I really had no idea what was expected of me. Not that I was doing it on purpose, but should I continue inching along with my magic skills to avoid scaring anyone that I might suddenly become the boogeyman? On the other hand, the Directorate were interested in my ability to channel the magic of others and make it more powerful. It had obviously been helpful against the Morelli. Shouldn’t I be exploring that power and trying to replicate it? If I had access to the Morelli spell books, I might be able to do it, but how in the world was I ever going to find them? It wasn’t as if Magnolis was forthcoming, and it’s not as if I could go around asking a bunch of questions without getting myself into hot water.
Hey, Chancellor Sterling. I thought it would be cool if I got my hands on some magic books that have the means to destroy everything you stand for. I’ll just need to borrow them for a few days. What do you think?
Yeah . . . that would go over well.
I passed Sycamore Hall, where I knew Aspen must be. So much of me wanted to go to him and tell him everything, but what I really needed right now was to think. So, keeping my eyes trained forward on the path, I picked up the pace. Somehow, I’d spent too long in Magnolis’s office without realizing it. It was close enough to lunchtime, and I was starving.
I’d grab something to go in the dining hall and head back to my room to tell Merrygold what the professor had said. She wouldn’t judge me and was always a good listener. She was a ghost, and none of these problems affected her anymore— the perfect neutral voice.
“Josy.” Aspen’s voice from behind stopped me in my tracks. My heart sped up, and I slowly closed my eyes.
“Not now,” I mumbled under my breath but turned slowly toward him. His backpack was slung over his shoulder and a grin pulled on his lips.
Despite wanting to be alone, I couldn’t help but return the expression. Aspen was so cute and hopeful standing there with his backward baseball cap and a light grey jacket over his blue t-shirt.
“Do you have time for an early lunch?” He nodded toward his pack, which I assumed held some food. “There’s enough for two.”
I was famished. What harm could a quick bite do? I could eat and then make some excuse to get back to my room.
“Sure, why not?” Up ahead was a bench, so I started toward it.
He took my hand and stopped me. “Actually, I’m headed out to Eagle’s Height. I couldn’t concentrate in my room, and that place is always inspiring. I’d really love to share it with you.” Aspen gazed down at me.
No. I needed to tell Aspen no. But how could I do that? I’d never had a boyfriend before, let alone one as sweet as Aspen. My rebellious lips said, “I’d love to see it.”
Aspen’s smile spread ear to ear, and we set off down the path.
Not far off the academy grounds, the landscape turned into a forest with tall, majestic evergreens. Overhead it was almost as if the sky had been painted a bright blue. I held my hand over my eyes to block the sun’s glare streaming through the branches and slowly inhaled the earth’s fragrances. The mixture of fresh pine and soil had never smelled so good. The weight I’d felt before began to lift. I didn’t know if it was from walking with Aspen or just getting away from the school.
“Are we allowed to be out here?” I realized that I hadn’t even thought of this before since I hadn’t been off the grounds since I’d arrived.
“We don’t live in a prison.” Aspen chuckled and tugged me down a faint path through the trees. It wasn’t well worn, but I could tell it had been used occasionally.
Magnolis had mentioned that I would need an escort if I were to go off-campus, but I was with Aspen. Maybe he could be considered my escort. “Does the Academy own this property?”
“They own two hundred acres.”
If we weren’t even leaving school grounds, I wasn’t going to worry about it.
After we had walked for about twenty minutes, the trees became sparser and revealed a grand vista I never would have guessed was here. I released Aspen’s hand and jogged through the remaining trees to get a better view.
At the canyon’s edge, the earth opened up to a wide expanse. Far below was a gorgeous rushing river. On the far side was a waterfall that thundered into the water beneath us. Mist hovered over the falls, creating what I could only describe as—clichéd as it was—a magical scene.
I wrapped my arms around my torso, shielding myself from the chilly breeze coming off the river. My hair caught the wind, several tendrils floating to my side. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the fresh air deeply, and my body felt renewed.
“I should have remembered that you’d probably need a jacket out here.”
Before I could tell him that I actually enjoyed the breeze, Aspen was wrapping his jacket snugly around my shoulders. I turned to refuse it, but the look in his eyes was so endearing that I couldn’t bring myself to do anythi
ng but immediately pull my arms through the sleeves. Aspen’s scent—something between the best soap I’d ever smelled and the air on a sunny day—rose from the collar and beckoned me never to remove it.
“Are you sure you didn’t put a love spell on me?” I mumbled, intoxicated by the scent. Mortification rose in my chest when I realized that the words had exited my mouth instead of staying in my head like they were supposed to.
Aspen gently spun me toward him. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
My heart thudded against my ribcage as he eased closer and brushed his lips against mine. I wanted nothing more than to melt into him and remain there endlessly. Instead, he pulled back, grinning.
“We should have lunch.” He tugged his backpack from his shoulder and set it on a rock big enough for the two of us to sit on.
I plastered a fake scowl on my face. “So . . . do you drag all the girls out here to”—I signed a pair of air quotes with my fingers—“have lunch?”
Shyness entered his eyes, and he lowered himself to sit on the stone. Around us was a hedge of bushes that made the area fairly private. He unzipped the backpack and brought out a metal water bottle and a sack from the dining hall. He returned his attention to me. “I haven’t brought any other girls out here for lunch . . . or otherwise. Just you.”
Right then and there I nearly melted into a puddle. Was this guy for real? “Aspen, why are you doing this? You must know that people, probably including your family, are not going to like it if you’re with me. It’s going to put a target on your back.”
Aspen shrugged. “The students at the Academy already avoid me since I didn’t grow up in the good ol’ witches and wizards club. And my family? They might be more receptive to you than you might think.” He handed me a sandwich wrapped in paper. “I’ve wanted to fit in my entire life, but nothing I’ve ever done has made that happen, so I keep mostly to myself now. I think that since you arrived, I’ve realized that I really don’t want to fit in.” He tipped his head in the Academy’s direction. “I want to belong.”
Spellcaster Academy: Episodes 1-4 (Spellcaster Academy Omnibus) Page 14