by Tiegan Clyne
I turn to Alice. “You don’t think Christopher will be painting the signs, too?”
“Maybe,” she shrugs, “if Gideon tells him to.”
I have to ask. I shouldn’t, but I can’t stop myself. “Do you like him?”
“Christopher?”
“Yes.”
She squints at me. “Like him, or like him?”
I pull my legs up and wrap my arms around them. “You know what I mean. Do you like Christopher?”
Alice mimics my posture and puts her chin on her knee. “I like him as a friend, and I think maybe he’d be a good person if he could grow a spine. But I don’t like him romantically, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
I shrug. “It’s a valid question.”
Lockwood proceeds to cast another spell. This one spreads magic over the entire courtyard, concentrating on the giant oak in the middle where so many students like to sit.
“What do you think he’s doing?” I gesture to him. “What kind of preparation?”
“I’m not certain, but I think it’s probably meant to diminish the power of dark magic.”
Ugh, so not cool. “That’s cheating.”
Alice nods. “Yep.”
“Seems underhanded.”
“That’s because it is.”
I shake my head in disapproval. Lockwood stalks into his tower, his cloak whipping violently behind him. After last night, you’d think he’d be at least a little relaxed.
My friend chuckles at my silent annoyance. “I’m certain Nevermore cheats just as much.”
“So sporting.”
“That’s life,” she says. “Let’s just watch the sunrise, okay? Let it chase your nightmares away.”
“Does it ever get rid of yours?”
“Yeah,” she whispers, her voice tiny. “For a little while.”
Once dawn has claimed the night sky, we go back to our room. Sirena is already up and singing in the shower, much to Broin’s disappointment. He caws and shakes his head at the bathroom door, then glances at me.
—You know what this week is, Little Red!—
—Unfortunately.—
He flies up to perch on the windowsill, where he can watch the gate. He’s nervous. I can feel it through our bond.
—You know who’ll be here to represent Nevermore.—
It isn’t a question. He’s warning me.
His Excellency, Reverend Cassim Salvador, the High Priest of our coven, is also the headmaster at Nevermore. If I’m to be punished for what happened to my family—a punishment I richly deserve—it will be by his hand. He’s the cruellest of our clan. Even the leaders in Maleficis pale in comparison.
I’ve been punished more times from him than anyone else in our clan. There’s good pain, and then there’s bad pain. What Cassim brings to the table far exceeds the bad kind. I no longer take pleasure in the things he can do and inflict. If I were a weaker person, I might run away until the threat of seeing him is over.
But I’m a Hemlock. I don’t fucking run.
—It’s not in your blood.—Broin points out.
I can feel how much he wants to protect me. But he knows as well as I do that he doesn’t have the power to stop Cassim. Not only does the high priest have the authority of our entire clan at his back, he has dizzyingly powerful magic of his own. It was only a matter of time before he found us.
Sirena finally emerges from the bathroom in a dark green blouse and white jeans. Her feet are hiding in a pair of diamante sandals that catch the light and Augustus is locked firmly to the heart-shaped pendant around her neck, as always. She’s got her hair in a loose fishtail and her make-up is on point.
“Morning, girls,” she chirps brightly.
“Good morning,” Alice responds. She’s sitting on her bed with Jasper in her lap, stroking his white fur while he nibbles on carrot tops.
“No school uniform today?” I ask. “It’s Monday.”
“No classes,” Sirena responds. “We’re decorating for the Festival.”
“Yay. I can hardly wait.” I roll my eyes, muttering bitterly, “Not. But at least it means no more Magical Studies today.”
“Always looking on the bright side, huh?” Sirena laughs.
“Heaven yes. I can’t stand Professor Shite-ingale and his hostile lectures.”
As I enter the bathroom, I hear Sirena asking Alice, “Who the hell is Professor Shitingale?”
Giggling to myself, I grab a fresh towel from the rack and take a quick shower. The water is just this side of painful, and I let it beat onto my back. The combination of heat and the needle-like impact of the water onto the carving that Lucifer and Broin left behind is a comforting pain, and I finally turn the water off with reluctance. I take my cue from Sirena and dress in clothes I can work in—black denim trousers and a buttoned-down grey shirt courtesy of Alice. I tie my hair into a high ponytail and fix my face with a little red lipstick and rouge, then I’m ready for the day.
Alice showers next, then the three of us go to breakfast. If I’m honest, I don’t really want to face the usual crowd of idiots. I also don’t want to work on whatever decorating tasks they’re going to assign when I have an empty stomach.
Heaven hath no fury like a witch’s hunger.
After breakfast, Marcin assembles everyone into the Great Hall. Once there, we’re split into four groups, and then Marcin is leading the way out. She reminds me of a wood elf by the way she walks, so nimble and light-footed, almost hopping on her tiptoes with each step.
In the main vestibule, the decorating has kicked off already. Instead of a breathtaking landscape stretching over the enchanted ceiling, royal blue and emerald flags flutter over a bright morning sky. The raven sigil is from Nevermore, and beside those, Everafter’s sigil, a gold star streaking across a white background and trailing a rainbow behind it, sways proudly. Never thought I’d see the day when both academies would come together.
Marcin flicks her bushy, strawberry-blonde hair out from her eyes and claps her hands. “Group A, please come with me to the auditorium.”
Luckily, I’m in this group along with my roommates. That’ll make this endeavor all the more tolerable. But with every good spot of luck, of course comes the bad. Aurora and her two little mutts are also in this group. Oh, and there’s Erik and Gideon. Fan-bloody-tastic.
Professor Rumpkin flies over our heads, her gossamer wings buzzing wildly. She signals one of the groups to follow her while Marcin ushers us into the auditorium. A chorus of oohs and aahs break out among the students. It’s not at any of the decorations, or lack thereof.
It’s at Professor Huckleberry.
She’s waiting for us on the center of the stage, a line of paper lanterns at her feet. Even from all the way back here, I can see what’s got everyone awe-struck. Her usually chestnut skin is a dark mossy-green, and every strand of hair has transformed into leaves and grass that sway about her. When we reach the stage and stand in line, her gaze lands on me, and her eyes are blinding like the sun.
“Good morning students.” She moves around on the stage, her green and yellow gown leaving a trail of leaves in her wake. “Please split up into threes and gather on the stage. Come on now. We have much to be done today and so little time!”
Alice grabs my arm and looks around for Sirena. Lo and behold, she’s talking to Erik. Beside him, Aurora is whispering into Gideon’s ear. He’s not looking at her though. His eyes are on me.
I smirk at him. He simply glares in return. Good. I don’t want him to lose his hatred for me. Hate is a powerful and useful weapon in this world. Some boys often get confused between reality and fantasy once their precious dicks are involved, but hate will always overpower anything weaker than it. I want this prince to despise me until his final breath if he’s to be a useful pawn in my game with the devil. And while sex is amazing, angry sex is even better.
Sirena joins us, scrunching up her face. “What do you think the deal is with the facepaint? I must have missed the memo.”
It takes me a moment to realize she’s referring to Professor Huckleberry.
Alice answers before I can. “Seelie are strongest during the first seven dawns after the full moon.” Nodding to the professor, she says, “This is how Miss Huckleberry really looks. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Yeah,” we both answer at the same time.
“And is it the same for the Unseelie?” I probe, surprised I didn’t know this tidbit already. “But for seven moons?”
Alice nods, leading Sirena and me onto the stage with the others. “Yes. It’s similar to how our powers are stronger on the full moon. But Kyrie told me Seelie and Unseelie are stronger for longer because their lifespans are different to ours. A week is only about a day to them.”
Sirena snorts. “Hold up. Is Kyrie the guy who checks you out every time we’re at the library? Wake up and smell the potion, Ally. He’s got the hots for you.”
Alice’s face reddens, right down to her neck. “He does not! We’re just—I mean, he’s just—”
“Have you got your wands at the ready?” Professor Huckleberry calls, lifting her own wand for us to see. It’s crooked with a small gold leaf on the upper right side. “I would like you to choose a lantern and cast the enchantment Supernatet. Hands up those of you who are familiar with this spell?”
Most of us lift our hands. I doubt the others used it to tape their sister to the ceiling. I had done that when Red broke our mother’s jewelry box, one of the few things we had left of her. I’d been so mad at Red that day. Of course, we made up before going to bed later that night. It’s the Hemlock rule: never go to bed on an argument. The memory sends a sharp stab into my chest. No, now isn’t the time for that.
I put on a smile and point to the nearest lantern. “Shall we use this one?”
Sirena is practically jumping on the spot when we cast the spell and lift the lantern up to the ceiling. It joins the other lanterns levitating there, a sea of flickering lights.
“That’s pretty neat,” I say to the girls. As I turn around to face them, there’s a loud crackling noise, and the lanterns above our heads come falling down. “Watch out!”
I shove the girls out of the way and instinctively lift my hands. The only spell I can think of is Conprimo, which will seal the energy around the lanterns, essentially freezing them. But the instant I cast the spell, the fire within them reacts badly to my magic, and they combust into a gorging fire that spreads like wildfire over the ceiling.
That…wasn’t really what I was aiming for.
Chaos descends quickly around the auditorium. Students are screaming and panicking; Mrs. Thornhart is blowing her whistle; Professor Huckleberry is rushing to my side with her wand raised. She gives me a worried look, then swipes her wand in three consecutive swirls. The fire instantly turns into snow that drifts lazily toward us.
“I didn’t mean to cause that,” I hurriedly explain. “I was just trying to help.”
“Oh, sure you were,” Aurora spits at me, shoving her wand into her back pocket. “You just so happened to set the whole display on fire but you were ‘trying to help’? Sure you were, Darkblood. You did that on purpose and everyone here saw it.”
“Just like I saw you pointing your wand at Redera seconds before the lanterns started to fall?” Sirena snarls, holding me back. “Yeah. Pot calling the kettle black, sunshine, and you know it.”
Mrs. Thornhart rushes over to us, sounding her whistle. “Settle down, children. Everything is under control.”
While Thornhart and Professor Huckleberry address the chaos, Sirena pulls me to the side. Her face is paler than usual and her eyes are wide and unblinking.
“Are you okay?” I touch her arm softly, suppressing the urge to give her a hug. Me? Hugs? Again? I really don’t know what’s coming over me.
Sirena nods. “Yeah. That was a close one, huh? Two seconds more and we’d be burnt to a cinder.”
Alice joins us, her face tilted toward the snow. “A close one… I think Aurora was aiming for our heads.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I mutter, glaring at Aurora. The bitch is grinning at me. She’s just standing there fucking grinning at me! “Don’t worry, girls. I’ll get her back.”
Sirena wraps an arm around me and snorts. “You always do, sista, and I want front row seats.”
“Soon, my pretties, soon.”
We laugh, turning our attention back to the chaos. Professor Huckleberry’s gown is now the same color as the snow and she’s talking to Mrs. Thornhart. She winces when Thornhart blows her whistle right into her ear.
“Children! Please join Group B in the library. Princess Aurora and Prince Erik, you two will stay behind. I want a word with you.”
Looks like the culprits have been sniffed out. I give them a smug grin and step off the stage. Gideon stands in my way, and I challenge him with a simple stare. He opens his mouth to speak, but Cinder grabs him away, muttering something about ‘that filth’. No matter. I’ll be sure to have a word in private with him later.
The three of us rush out of the auditorium and head to the library. Here, the students have been more successful and much of the decoration has been done already. Thank Lucifer.
“Hello there,” Beauty welcomes us, a cardboard box in her arms. “Are you here to help with the waterfalls?”
A particularly excited Sirena shoves me and Alice to the side. “Did someone say water?”
Beauty smiles, her whole face lighting up. “Oh, yes. Most of the decorations have been done but the bookshelves are proving to be tricky. Would you like to help them?”
“Well I’m sure we can—”
Sirena cuts me off, dragging us into the heart of the library. I guess she’s raring to go.
I’ve never seen the place look like this. Between each of the towering bookshelves is a waterfall. Pure, crystalline water plunges down onto rose quartz rocks, sending illusory spray and mist everywhere. As we come closer, I can feel the moisture and the chill, and there’s even a scent of fresh water. Whoever did this enchantment went above and beyond. The illusion is breathtaking.
The problem seems to be the bookcases themselves. Beauty points them out. “What we’re trying to do is make an illusion that looks like a cliff face, but which allows students to still access the books.”
I frown. “What for?”
She looks at me as if I’ve gone stark raving mad. “It’s a library,” she answers softly, like that answers everything.
“Yes but classes don’t pick up again until after the Festival. Nobody will need books until then.”
What I’m saying is obviously anathema to her, and she looks a little affronted. “But… a library… the books should be available to everyone…”
Sirena pats Beauty on the shoulder. “And they will be, just as soon as the Festival is over. You wouldn’t want just any Nevermorian to get their grubby hands on your collection, would you? Heaven knows what they’ll do to them.”
I resent the tactic, but it’s enough to sell Beauty on the idea.
She nods and smooths down her blue skirt. “Right. You’re so right.” Turning to the rest of Group B, she says, “New plan everyone! Just enchant the bookcases to look like rock. It will save time but still look as beautiful.”
I lean toward Sirena. “Good one.”
Sirena merely shrugs. “She was dithering. I hate it when people dither.”
Beauty watches as her precious books vanish behind crags of granite and sandstone. I’ve never seen anyone look so distressed by something they know isn’t real.
Mrs. Thornhart sweeps into the room. “Members of Group A, gather around.” We drift over to where she’s standing. She waits until we all get there, and then she says, “I want to remind you all that magic is not a toy, and that uncontrolled hexes are a danger to the entire community. There will be no unauthorized spellcasting in this school. Am I understood?”
Perfectly.
But I’ll still cast what I want, when I want, and she’ll be none the wi
ser.
Just try and stop me.
When she’s reasonably certain that we all agree to the rule, she hands out pieces of parchment.
“Separate again into your groups of three, just as you were in the auditorium before the… unfortunate incident. You will collectively cast this spell on a ten foot by ten foot square of the floor.”
“Collectively?” A freckle-faced boy with ginger hair screws up his face at her. “How do you collectively cast a spell?”
Amateur.
“It’s like a ritual,” Beauty explains gently. “It requires more energy than one person to put the spell into motion.”
“What does it do?” I ask, eyeing the parchment in Sirena’s hand.
“You’ll see,” the librarian answers with a smile.
I don’t like playing guessing games where magic is concerned, but I think they probably wouldn’t be giving us incantations to build summoning circles or anything like that. We’re only first years, after all.
Sirena, Alice and I move off to our assigned ten-by-ten section of floor. The spell is written in a very old magical language, and we have to read it aloud three times before we all get the pronunciations right. As soon as we finish the third attempt, I can feel a surge of magic all around me, then the floor changes.
It’s as if we’re standing on the surface of the ocean, like the floor in the common room, but instead of a single whale roaming around, this ocean is teeming with fish. They’re orange, blue, green, yellow… brilliant colors, and they’re schooling and flashing like jewels. Sirena claps her hands in delight at the illusion we’ve created.
“Oh! It’s so beautiful!” She pulls Augustus from her pendant and holds him so he can have a good look, too, then puts him back before anybody can rat her out for having her familiar with her.
“I’m impressed,” Alice says, glancing at me. “Did we do that?”
I nod slowly. “I think we did.”
We’re not the first team to finish our spell, but we’re not the last, either. It’s amazing to stand here and watch the floor changing to ocean in bits and pieces. The whole place smells like saltwater and sea breezes, and I wonder if it’s making Sirena homesick.