The Fae & The Fallen: Gifted Fae Academy - Year One

by Brittni Chenelle

  Professor Greene eyed me, as if he understood everything that had transpired with our body language alone. He nodded at Reina, a gesture that to me seemed to say, Go get her.

  I smirked and jogged after her, the news of our acceptance surging through me like a great light driving away my dark thoughts and apprehensions. I threw my arm around her. “Hey, classmate!”

  “You know we were classmates before, right?”

  “Not at GFA,” I cooed. “Look, Reina, about earlier… I’m sorry. I-I promise I won’t do that again. I was overwhelmed and just kind of lost control. Let’s just pretend it never happened.”

  “That’s your explanation? Seriously?”

  “Let's celebrate tonight.”

  She raised an eyebrow and it looked like I might get the slap I was looking for earlier.

  I laughed. “I mean dinner.”

  She moved my arm off her shoulders. “I don’t know, Kaito.”

  “Please, let me do this. I have to thank you for getting us both in GFA.”

  She grinned. “So you admit I got us in?” She pulled out her phone and held it up. “Can you say that again for the camera?”

  “I will. After dinner.”

  She sighed. “Fine.”

  “Great, come to my place at 8.”

  “You’re not taking the bus home?” she asked.

  I floated my cell phone out of my pocket and into my hand. “Nah, I’m going to call my parents and stuff. You know, tell them the news.”

  She smiled and headed for the gate.

  “Don’t forget, Reina,” I called. “Eight o’clock.”

  She called back, “I’ll never forget about you.”

  The sweetness of the memory of that day at the pier, echoed through me. Back then, I’d been looking for the right moment to kiss her for weeks and by the ocean that day I wanted to go for it. My nerves got the best of me and I was going to chicken out until she said those exact words.

  Today I’d once again stolen a kiss, and it surprised me as much as it must have done her. It was a mistake I wouldn’t repeat, but I was too excited to spend the night at my empty house. My “friends” would no doubt be jealous and hateful about it, and how could I explain to them that ungifted Reina and I had taken the exam together? I chuckled at the irony, that after all the years of torture I’d dished out, Reina was still all I had.

  15

  Reina

  It was official. My crush on Kaito had returned with a vengeance. All I wanted was to go to GFA and leave my old life behind, but no. My stupid heart made me fight on his behalf to get him in. Kaito… the freaking master of my torment. Never mind that aneurysm or whatever happened to him earlier. Now we were going to have to live on campus together. My mind shouted in distress, but my stomach was in knots and jumbled with butterflies. My heart raced. Kaito kissed me… then he promised never to do it again.

  My skin stung with disappointment as my mind replayed that promise on loop. Why? Didn’t he want to do that again? I didn’t even want it to stop that time. It was a far cry from our first kiss, and I felt… hot. I scrambled to crack open the bus’ window, but it didn’t help much. I heard the whipping of the wind but didn’t feel it.

  I pressed my forehead to the glass. In all the times I’d imagined what it would be like to kiss him, really kiss him, I’d certainly never imagined that. The exam, GFA, and my newly-discovered gift had taken a back seat to the kiss I could still feel on my lips.

  The bus hit a sudden bump and my head slammed against the glass with a smack and, before I could react, it happened a second time. Ouch. That was karma one hundred percent. I took a deep breath, willing all my butterflies to drop dead. I could control my emotions. I’d gotten over Kai before, I could do it again. Instead of dwelling on the kiss, I thought of all the times Kai had humiliated or hurt me. I thought of how many nights I cried myself to sleep. And by the time the bus stopped to let me out, a few blocks from home, I had worked myself up enough to cancel our dinner plans.

  Instead of going straight home, I decided to walk a few laps around the block. I found myself check-listing what I had to do rather than deal with such a weighted day. First, I had to pack my things. That would be easy enough; I hardly owned anything since I’d sold it all. Even with my inheritance, I had to sell everything to have enough for… I sighed. I hated the empty feeling that popped up when I thought about it. It was a void where something important belonged—something I’d given up. I debated whether to tell Vivian that I got into GFA and was moving out. Fuck that. There was no universe in which that conversation went smoothly. Finally, I needed to cancel my date. I mean dinner. It would only take a second to send the text, but… I could squeeze that in later. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and spun.

  I gasped. William Citrine, a Bronze Tier Fae, jutted past on the far side of the street, fire spurting from the bottom of his shoes. His trademark golden hair was almost reflective in the orange glow of the low sun. His gift, blazing from his feet like he were wearing rocket boots.

  “William Citrine!” I called, fumbling for my cell phone in hopes I could snap a picture, but in a flash he was gone.

  It was a sign. Everything would be okay. I felt a little bit cheerful as I rounded the corner. After all, my dream of going to GFA had come true. I was finally gifted and I wasn’t sure how, but they said it reminded them of Yemoja Roux. I almost broke into a skip. The sun was setting and streetlights had already clicked on. I pulled open the door to my house, imagining what my roommates would say when I told them. No doubt they wouldn’t believe me. I was delighted. I froze as Vivian stood at the base of the stairs. She shouldn’t have been home yet. She stood with her hands on her hips, nodding as if we were having a silent conversation.

  “Your school called,” she said. “Why didn’t you tell me you got expelled?” My gaze was drawn to movement at the top of the stairs; several of my roommates peeked around the corner.

  “You don’t understand. I—”

  She grabbed my hand and the electric pain shot up my elbow, spreading to the rest of my body. “I got into GFA,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’m gifted.”

  She chewed loudly on her gum. “You’re a fucking liar, that’s what you are.”

  My body screamed for release. “It’s true,” I spat, feeling vomit rise to my throat. “I start tomorrow.”

  “The fuck you are,” she said.

  Tears swelled in my eyes, her gift twisting each cell in my body. I writhed. I’m gifted. Tears spilled down my cheeks. I’m gifted. Something snapped inside me. If I was gifted, I wouldn’t take another moment of this. I gripped her second hand and pushed my gift to my hands. She stared back at me stunned, and after a moment’s delay, she burst into a fit of laughter.

  Veranda Yarrow was wrong. I was not gifted. Not at all. And Vivian held me in torturous pain for a full hour, but I’d already cried myself dry by then.

  I splashed my face with water, my bloodshot eyes and red nose an accurate reflection of how I felt on a day that was meant to be triumphant. My cell phone buzzed in my pocket.

  Kai:

  My parents were so excited about the news they came home early. Reschedule?

  I sent a thumbs up and felt my eyes begin to water again. Of course. I was happy for him, but the ache leftover in my chest told me how much I’d actually wanted to go.

  Later that night, I was violently shaken from my sleep by one of my roommates. I sat up. “What’s going on?” I asked, squinting through the dark to see who’d woken me.

  “Another Fae died,” she said, and I knew it was Alyssa by her voice.

  “Who?” I asked, and I internally begged for her to say anything besides Yemoja Roux.

  “Will Citrine.”

  16

  Kaito

  As I stepped out onto the fourth floor of the boy’s dormitory and the smell of stale sweat hit me, I regretted my decision not to commute. My parents had encouraged me to give dorm life a try, but I couldn’t remembe
r, for the life of me, why I thought it would be a good idea. It was nice having my parents back. We’d spent the whole night discussing the circumstances of the entrance exam, all of which I fabricated and they fell back into their parental roles like they hadn’t given me a debit card and abandoned me for the last two years. They were finally proud of me and I’d do just about anything not to mess that up… except live in this disgusting dorm.

  I dragged my suitcases through the empty hallway, observing that the size of the rooms didn’t appear to be much bigger than jail cells but found relief that everyone appeared to be in class already. I wanted to get my bearings before I was forced to defend myself against the most Elite students in the country.

  Then I heard it, the thrum of a guitar pouring out of a room at the end of the hallway. For the love of god, please don’t let that be my room. As I read the numbers on the doors and moved closer to the end, I began to give up hope. “Fuck,” I said as I arrived, double-checking that the room I’d been assigned was in fact the one with the guitar-playing douche in it.

  I stepped in and my eyes were immediately drawn to the huge posters on the right side of the room, which prominently displayed a familiar pop idol. Oh god, what the fuck? My concern quickly changed to a cringe as my gaze lowered to the guitar slung guy with unmistakable blonde curly hair. I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing. “Carter Mason?” I asked. “Seriously?”

  He brushed his curly blonde hair out of his eyes only for it to fall back into place. He grinned up at me without missing a note on his acoustic guitar. “The one and only.”

  Sure enough, splayed out in his desk chair with his bare feet up on the bed, was the once legendary pop star who dominated the charts in his early teens.

  I turned back to the door. “I’ll just get a transfer.”

  “Wait, bro,” he said. “Listen to this part.” I sighed, debating whether I should use my gift to smash his guitar. The melody switched to a slower more soulful tempo. The notes danced through the air and lulled me into a sort of involuntary calm. I gaped, but the shock I felt was instantly wiped away with every pluck of his strings.

  “Chill, man. Just chill.”

  I pulled my luggage into the small room and sat on the empty bed to the left as my new roommate played on. A few moments later, his hands stopped and he coddled his guitar down on his bed as if it were a baby he was putting into a crib.

  I ran my hand through my hair. “What was that?”

  “My gift allows me to help people relax.”

  I swallowed. “But you didn’t touch me.”

  “Sound waves, man.”

  It was unfathomable. Only Yemoja Roux could use magic without touch… This was a strange exception. “What else can you make people do?”

  He shook his head. “Just relax. It may sound lame, but the last thing your opponent wants to be during an attack is relaxed. Plus the teachers allow me to use my gift outside the classrooms and training zones since I can’t really cause harm with it. As your mentor, I should mention that using your gift willy-nilly is a big no-no. If you use it outside of the designated areas, you will get thrown out of here fast as shit.”

  I crossed my arms. “How do you know who’s the strongest if you can’t fight?”

  “Dude, relax. You can fight all you want in the designated zones, plus there’s the class ranking. I suggest you learn quickly what everyone’s gift is before you go challenging people. I guarantee everyone here will know yours, although it’s been impossible to get any intel on the new girl, Reina.” He raised his eyebrows. “You know her, right? What can you tell me about her?”

  I shrugged. “No idea. I don’t think she even knows what her gift is.”

  “Alright man, well get unpacked. I’m supposed to show you the campus.”

  I unzipped my suitcase and started pulling out my clothes. The prison cell-sized room was symmetrical with twin-sized beds pushed to the side walls. A desk and chair for each of us at the back with a window above them and an impossibly small dresser on either side of the door. My gaze drifted to the posters on the opposite walls. “Why do you have posters of yourself hung up? That’s so weird.”

  He crawled out of his chair and lay in his bed. “Just reliving the glory days, my friend.”

  An odd thought popped into my head. “Wait, did you use your gift when you were on stage and stuff?”

  He beamed. “You think they liked me for my pretty face?”

  17

  Reina

  When I woke up, I felt a new sense of purpose surge through me. I was finally going to begin attendance at GFA and leave my old life behind, along with my past mistakes. I found a moment to pull each of my roommates aside to say goodbye, but most of them didn’t believe my story. I’d visit when I could, but I knew moving on to GFA made keeping in touch unlikely.

  Considering this was my fresh start, I was certainly bringing a lot of baggage to it. I’d literally only packed a backpack full of belongings, but emotionally I carried a lifetime of expectations along with newly-invigorated feelings for Kai.

  On the bus ride, I decided to lay low at this school. I’d fly under the radar and sharpen my skills without drawing the wrath of the school’s Elites. Even with all my thoughts consumed with daydreams about my new life, none of it sunk in until I was standing outside my usual place at the school’s gate. I reached out to trace my fingers habitually over the crest when the doors opened.

  I stepped through the magical barrier, revealing the school that sat tucked away behind it. I nearly choked with emotion, as I’d so often imagined what it would feel like when those gates opened for me. I walked through the gardens toward the front building and climbed the stairs as I’d done the day before. This time, at the top of the stairs stood a girl who looked about my age.

  She had long, enviable legs, a tight blush pink ponytail, and a heavy black eyeliner that winged out from the sides of her ocean blue eyes.

  “Hurry up,” she groaned.

  I skipped up the stairs. “Hi, I’m Reina.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Pleasure. I’m Miranda Callix, your mentor apparently.”

  Oh great. She hated me already. “Oh, well if you’re busy, I’m sure I can figure it out on my own.”

  “And disobey Headmistress Tricorn? No, thank you. Just move quicker and don’t ask me any questions. I’ll tell you what you need to know. By the way, where’s your shit? You were supposed to bring your stuff today.”

  I lifted my engorged backpack. “In here.”

  “That’s all you have?”

  I nodded. “I’m an orphan, so…”

  She tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. “Luckily we wear school uniforms here, so no one will really notice you’re poor. Except at the end of the term is the Winter Ball and you’ll need a dress for that.”

  I followed her into the main hall, secretly screaming with delight as I observed the iconic maroon blazer with the school crest on the left, black gloves, collared shirt, and black, maroon, and white plaid pants. I couldn’t wait to get my uniform and I couldn’t believe I was actually a student.

  Instead of heading up the stairs, she led me down a different corridor. There were large portraits of high achieving Fae who had once attended the academy. I stopped at one in particular: William Citrine. It was hard to believe that a Fae so great he had his portrait hung in his alma mater could be dead. He wasn’t even twenty-five.

  “Keep up,” Miranda bellowed, and I followed as she turned into an enormous ballroom. The vaulted ceilings were painted with clouds dipped in pastel colors and went up at least four stories. The entire south end of the room was made of glass that poured the light of the morning onto the hardwood floors. And just on the other side of the glass laid the rest of the campus.

  “Eeeeep!” I squealed and ran to the windows to get a better look, my voice carrying through the gold-trimmed ballroom. “This is amazing!”

  Miranda nudged me out of the way and pushed open what I’d previously tho
ught were glass windows, but they must’ve been doors because she stepped out onto the balcony.

  “Okay, left to right,” she said, pointing to the closest building to us. It was a basic shape made from sand-colored stones but had expensive looking moldings around the windows and the front door, and lush green ivy crawling up the side. “That’s the girl’s dorm, Pink House. You can get your room assignment and key from the security desk in the foyer. Usually you’d be assigned to a room with your mentor, but I happen to have my own room.” She smiled brightly but it dimmed when she looked back at me, as if she’d only just remembered she was mentoring me.

  She pointed to an identical building on the far side. “That’s Blue House. We can totally sneak in and hook up and stuff, but don’t try it unless you know what you’re doing. If you get caught, they’ll throw you out.” She looked me up and down. “Not that you’ll need it. You’re obviously a virgin.”

  My gaze bulged. “You can tell that by my face?”

  She tilted her head. “I don’t know, it’s more about how someone carries themselves.”

  I started fiddling with my charm as she continued her pseudo-tour. “That big building in the back is the class hall. Obvi, it has all the classrooms.”

  I gulped. It looked more like a mansion, with its huge windows and ivy-covered stones, than a school. In the back right of the campus was a modern-looking building that appeared to be made of mostly iron, concrete, and glass.

  “That’s the student center. It’s got a cafeteria, ping pong tables, a movie theater, clinic… I don’t know, maybe a library. I don’t spend much time there, obvi.”

  I wasn’t sure what was supposed to be obvious about it. Or if she just liked the word.

  On the far right were two massive snow globe shaped buildings that seemed to capture the sunlight and shoot it through the iridescent walls. “And what are those?” I asked.