Unbound: Mage's Academy I

by Finley Morrow

  When I got back to Halewick, there was another girl in the kitchen with Ligeia. They were working on some new kind of potion and I could tell from the scent it was potent. It had a heady smell that brought feelings of energy and excitement almost out of nowhere. When Ligeia looked up, she saw me and yelled out, "Hey girl, you want to come test this for me?"

  I responded laughing, "I'm good, but it smells awesome."

  "Thanks, Maeve is showing me some of her skills." She replied. I assumed Maeve was the petite girl beside her with short light green hair. She was probably under five feet tall. "Oh yeah," she interjected, "Maeve, this is our newest housemate. Meet Esther."

  After we'd been introduced I learned that she was a second-year and bound to an elemental deity, which explained her pixie-like demeanor and appearance.

  "So have you picked out your outfit for tonight yet?" Ligeia asked me, pouring their concoction into a thermos.

  "Um, well I didn't bring much with me in the way of party clothes." Or any clothes really. I wondered idly if there was a store nearby with anything I could get for a good deal.

  "You might be surprised if you look in your closet," Maeve said with a grin. Her voice was high and sweet and for a moment I didn't even realize what she said, because I was distracted by her musical tone.

  "What do you mean?" I asked. Had they put something in my closet?

  "Go find out." She said, still smiling. I wondered if it was some kind of joke, but I hadn't gotten a vibe from either one of them that was mean-spirited. I was starting to hope that we might even become friends.

  I walked up to my room and was greeted again with that familiar smell. It was a mixture of dust and wood, that reminded me of old books. I went to the wardrobe and opened it. I was shocked to see that Maeve was right. It was crammed with clothes. I brushed my fingers across the fabrics. There were lots of dark colors and interesting patterns. It didn't seem like anything that either Maeve or Ligeia would wear, but where had it come from.

  I picked out a dress from a huge number of choices. It was a deep blue color. If you looked closely you could see the moon and stars motif that covered the dress. It was beautiful and the material was soft and buttery. It was nicer than anything I'd ever owned. At the bottom of the wardrobe was a selection of more than ten different pairs of shoes. Was I living in a fantasy world?

  I chose a pair of vintage soft black leather boots that laced up. It was a witchy look, but I felt drawn to it. These were the kind of clothes that I'd always wanted to wear but never had access to. I put on the dress and boots and felt powerful. It was thrilling. On the dresser was a box with what appeared to be amulets. I studied them. there was a silver necklace with a crescent moon inside a circle engraved with symbols. I wasn't sure why, but I was drawn to it, so I put it on. It fit me like a glove. I walked back downstairs feeling like a million bucks. Ligeia and Maeve let out a series of whoops as I descended the steps.

  "Wow," Maeve said slowly. "They did well for you." She exclaimed.

  "Who's they?" I asked, still uncertain about where all of this had come from.

  "The school, of course." She explained. "They supply everything that students need to be successful at the Academy. Some students require more than others." She shrugged. It didn't seem to bother her that I had come with nothing but a single small bag.

  They had both since changed into their outfits as well and they did not disappoint. Ligeia's outfit was stunning, skin-tight leather pants with knee-high boots and she had even added gold beads into her dreads. She looked like she was ready to go into battle. Maeve, on the other hand, was wearing a billowy linen skirt that suited her with a soft floral blouse. On the other side of the room I heard small footsteps and a tiny black cat padded over to us.

  "Who is this?" I asked, reaching down to scratch behind her ears.

  "This is Luna," Ligeia said, she's the house mascot. She was purring loudly and blinking her bright green eyes at me. She was sweet and I felt honored that she seemed to like me.

  "Are you guys ready?" Maeve squeaked.

  "Hell yeah," Ligeia said.

  "I'm ready," I added.

  "Then let's get to the Fen," Maeve said. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was ready for anything.

  8

  The fen was overwhelming. To start with it was hauntingly beautiful, a lush meadow deep within a marsh. Everything was rich with dark greens and earthy smells. I inhaled deeply. I hadn't realized there was anything like this so close to the school. Then were the people. It seemed that everyone from the school had turned up to the party. Maeve mentioned that it was a yearly tradition, and I got the impression that the students at the Mage's Academy took their traditions seriously. The students were all dressed in flashy looks, from brightly colored hair, to punk chains and eyeliner. Nobody here was what you might call normal. I didn't feel out of place at all in my celestial dress. After wearing the dress for more than a few minutes, I began to realize that there was something strange about it. It almost seemed to glow gently.

  Maeve, Ligeia and I surveyed the crowd. Before too long Maeve flitted off.

  "Where's she going?" I asked, watching my new friend dancing away with pixie like grace.

  "Probably to find her boyfriend." Ligiea responded, rolling her eyes. I cocked my head and she added, "He's a Lycan,” As if that explained everything.

  “She’s dating one of them?” I questioned.

  "Yeah,." She stated matter of factly. “They’re popular with the girls,”

  I couldn't hide my shocked expression. "How does that work?" I asked.

  "Well, just like all magic, it has to do with which god you're bound to. The lycans are bound to the God of Beasts."

  "Ahh," I responded, nodding politely as if it all made sense.

  "I know it's a lot, but you'll get the hang of it all soon." She said encouragingly. "Why don't I go get us some drinks."

  "Sure," I said. She was right. I was beginning to feel that it was possible for me to be a part of this world. I would figure it out sooner or later, so it was best to just take it in stride. As Ligeia walked away, I was left alone. Normally, this would have made me nervous, but I was feeling exceptionally open that night. It must be the succession of strange things, one right after another. I simply didn't have enough will left over to be anxious.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure moving along the edge of the fen. Unlike the others he was not dressed in anything flashy. I looked closer. It was the boy I'd seen earlier. I still didn't know his name, but I followed him with my eyes. I felt an uncanny physical sensation deep in the core of my being. It was like nerves, but somehow pleasurable. He was wearing all black. Was he coming to the party? I secretly hoped that he was, but it looked more like he was running away. I wanted to get closer to see what he was doing, but I didn't have any good justification so I stayed put. A voice broke my reverie.

  "Hey, It's Esther right?" A blonde girl who I'd seen earlier in the dining hall was standing before me. "Whatcha doing?" She asked innocently. If Ligeia was to be believed she wasn't very nice, but she wasn't giving me that impression right now. In fact she seemed to be the epitome of innocence and purity.

  "Oh I just thought I saw somebody I knew," I fibbed. By the time I looked back again at the edge of the meadow, he was gone. There were Cyprus trees all around the fen, obscuring the view. Plus it was dark. He was nowhere to be seen. It was almost as if I'd imagined seeing him.

  "Oh." She trailed off, before adding, "You're new right? I'm Aria." She smiled with wide blue eyes.

  "Yeah, this is actually my first day here," I laughed. She had an bright personality and I was having difficulty understanding why Ligeia seemed to dislike her so much. "It's nice to meet you Aria."

  She was joined by two other girls, both tall and slim with those same hypnotic blue eyes. They held a small wooden box.

  "We just wanted to welcome you to the school." Aria said with a jovial tone and a glimmer in her eye.

  Her friends ha
nded me the box. "Oh, thank you," I could feel myself grinning, which was very out of character for me. I didn't know what had gotten into me. I opened the box gingerly. It contained a strange silver bracelet made up of smaller links. The design appeared like small cast thorns. It wasn't pretty exactly, but it was certainly unique. Perhaps this was a normal welcoming gift at this kind of school.

  "Aren't you going to put it on?" The taller of the two friends asked.

  Aria cut her off, " Of course she is Leila. Here, I'll help." She took the box from me rather forcefully, removing the bracelet and holding it up to my wrist.

  "Um okay," I said uncertainly. Something felt a bit off.

  I peered around, hoping that Ligeia would see me. She was over by a large cauldron of what could only be the drinks she had referred to. I met her eyes, and tried to signal to her to come over. She caught my meaning immediately and headed over my way. Her eyes widened as she took in my situation. What was she seeing that I wasn't seeing? She rushed over, nearly jogging now.

  "What is that?" She hissed at Aria and pointed at the bracelet they were about to wrap around my wrist.

  "Oh nothing, just a little welcome gift for our new friend Esther." She said, and all the innocence in her face was gone. I could see now that her face was all sharp edges and her eyes held a hard glint. How had I not seen it before?

  "Get away from her," Ligeia said harshly. She was spitting mad, but I still didn't understand what was going on.

  "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding," I tried to smooth things over.

  "See, Esther knows not to take a little joke too seriously," Aria's friend Leila said with a menacing tone. A joke? What on earth were they talking about. Ligiea took my arm and pulled me away, letting the bracelet drop on the ground.

  "What's going on?" I said.

  "I thought I told you.... ugh." She switched tones mid sentence. "Look, you didn't know. I'm sorry I was harsh, but that 'little joke' they were playing could have caused you major trouble." She sighed. "They were trying to bind you to a goddess against your will."

  "They were what?" I nearly choked.

  "Here," Ligeia said, handing me a drink. "It'll make you feel better."

  "What's in it?" I asked.

  "It's like spiked punch," She said with a wide mischievous smile. "It's been enchanted to cause mild euphoria."

  I took a sip. It was lightly sweet with an herbal taste. There were hints of citrus and lavender. It was really good. I felt a warmth move through me with each taste until it had spread through my whole body.

  "I can't believe the audacity," Ligeia hissed, still visibly angry. "Basically they were going to tie you to a goddess forever. If you notice everyone here has got some type of symbol on them, representing their binding." I looked at Aria and her friends, each wearing a delicate gold chain with an arrow pendant. The strange bracelet was going to bind me to something. I shuddered hard. Ligeia pointed to her head, at the rings lining her ear. "These representing my connection to my god. and that.... thing they were trying to put on you would have bound you to a god or goddess... probably something nasty, although I can't be sure."

  Aria and her group of friends had moved to where Luke was and the others were. Ligiea saw me looking. Maeve was there too talking to one of them. They must be the shifters. I could see now why she had been so disgusted by Maeve's choice of boyfriend, but I had to admit he was handsome. His Golden Brown hair, and vivid green eyes made him stand out among the shifters. The only one more attractive was probably Luke. Although not my type exactly, I could see why Maeve liked him. In a weird way, they suited each other.

  The elixir I was drinking was making me feel giddy. I wanted to tell Ligeia about the boy I'd seen. Something about him had hooked me. I was so curious about who he was.

  "About that boy..." I started.

  "Is he here?" Ligiea exlaimed, taking another sip of her drink.

  "I don't think so, but I swear I saw him walking on the edge of the fen a few moments ago. Before all of that..." I gestured toward Aria.

  "Let's go find him." She said, heading in that direction.

  "I don't know," I hedged. "I don't want to be weird."

  "Nonsense. Everyone here is weird." She said, laughing.

  "If you say so," I said uncertainly following her. We walked to the edge of the fen, until the party was a distant muffle. It was so dark, and there were no sounds, except for the occasional chorus of frogs in the swampy areas surrounding the path. It was pretty creepy actually. We walked for a ways in the direction I'd seen him go. When I began to notice that there were large stones jutting out of the swamp. They were like the fragments of some ancient monolith. I wasn't sure what they meant, but I was certain it had to do with magic.

  "I think I hear something," Ligeia whispered, still laughing. I however, had started to grow wary of being in this swamp alone at night. The party was distant now and I wanted to go back, but Ligeia was pressing onward.

  We saw him then. He was standing in a circle of the large stones, doing who knows what. In tight black pants, and a black shirt, he took my breath away with his terrible beauty. His long dark hair was pulled back to reveal his angular features. I could see that although he had appeared lanky at first, he actually had well defined muscles. I grabbed Ligeia's hand to pull her back to the party. I didn't want him to see me looking at him. I didn't know what would happen if he saw me, but I felt that somehow it would ruin me. When she finally came away from him, her eyes were wide. We walked back to the party.

  "Do you know him?" I finally asked, when we had returned. The loud party felt like a respite after our journey into the silent swamp beyond the fen.

  "Yeah, I do." She said breathlessly. "I know that he's someone you don't want to get involved with."

  "Who's someone she doesn't want to get involved with?" Maeve's small voice chirped behind me, nearly giving me a heart attack.

  "We just saw Kairn Wilderwood creeping around the swamp." Ligeia spilled the whole story to Maeve.

  "Oh hell." She said finally. "He's all wrong. You have to be careful around him, Esther." My heart sank at her words. I didn't know why. I hadn't even spoken to him before.

  "Why's that?" I said, keeping my tone light. I was allowed to be curious.

  "Well, he's into some really dark things. Everyone says he's not even bound to a god." Maeve was whispering now.

  "What is he bound to then?" I asked, feeling my pulse begin to quicken.

  "We don't know, maybe a demon, or who knows, maybe something worse." She added in hushed tones.

  I couldn't deny that her words frightened me. I didn't know that demons were part of this world. I supposed I'd have to be on the lookout. There were so many new dangers, some of which I'd already encountered tonight.

  "Being bound to a demon is worse than what Aria was trying to do to you." Ligeia explained, and then paused to tell Maeve the story of what had happened earlier in the night.

  Maeve agreed nodding her head, "Yeah, some of the gods can be harsh taskmasters, but you still always have a choice. You can do what they ask or choose to lose your magic and face the consequences. Most of the time they don't ask the impossible."

  "And with demons?" I asked, not sure If I wanted to know the answer.

  "With demons there is no choice. You do what they ask, or you die." She finished and I felt a shiver run up my spine. I was almost ready to leave the party after that.

  Even after all that had happened tonight, I was still beginning to become convinced that there was a place for me here. It felt right. I tried not to let the nerves of the first day of class spoil my good feeling as we walked back to our house. It really felt like a home, and not just a dorm. The old house was waiting for us and I reentered my room feeling a sense of ease. I was ready to lay down on the bed and I was pleased to find it softer than I was expecting. My eyes began to shut before I even knew what was happening.

  9

  The first day of class started with foreboding weather. The
school was on a mountain that was a magnet for fog and drizzly weather. That morning was no different. The rain had fallen on and off throughout the night. Personally, I had always treasured quiet rainy days, where you felt you just wanted to settle into them. But today I had to get myself ready to start school. I could still hear the pounding rain against the old window in my room. The leaded glass giving more detail about the age of the house.

  I rustled through the wardrobe, which I found to be filled with wonders the night before. It seemed to hold even more promise in the grey light of morning. I chose a soft grey cashmere sweater. I wasn't sure, but I was beginning to suspect the school had a lot of money. The sweater was comfy and loose and I wore it over dark skinny jeans with black slip-on sneakers. I checked the leather backpack and found it filled with thick notebooks with heavy creamy paper. All of it was top quality, although none of it was a brand I had heard of. In fact, I didn't see any brand names on anything.

  I pulled out the crisp new schedule I had been given yesterday and examined it. The first class of the day was Philosophy of Magic at 9am. I looked at the strange clock of many hands, which I had managed to set as an alarm clock the night before. It had woken me up with a strange haunting chime. It was only eight. I still had time. I grabbed a raincoat from the wardrobe before heading downstairs. I was alone. I didn't know what time Ligeia or Maeve had class, but I knew where to go.

  I made my way to the dining hall, to get breakfast. I had always been an early riser, but I didn't mind a chance to be alone and gather my thoughts before the day. I didn't see many people on campus and there were only a few people in the dining hall. They looked to be a few older students, nobody I knew.

  I grabbed some yogurt and fruit before sitting at a small table in a corner of the cavernous room. The nerves began to set in, but I pushed it aside. As soon as I finished I walked into the main building where my class was held. Like all the buildings on campus, it was in a gothic style, with heavy stone. The day was dreary and the building had a cold draft. Students were starting to filter in, looking tired. I finally made it to the classroom. It was small and cozy with a large oriental rug and heavy curtains over the windows. There was a large wrought iron chandelier that cast a warm glow on the room. I took a seat in the middle. I was early, but not the first to arrive. Another girl, a redhead with curly hair and freckles was a few seats over.