by JA Wren
In a daze, Rayna followed along, all the way back down the portrait hallway until they stopped at the reception desk.
“Angie,” Hale said to the plump, older woman behind the desk. “Could you please ask one of the third year students to show Miss Knox to her new dorm room? Spiritual Realm would be best if possible.”
Spiritual Realm. That sounded—odd. And creepy. Like they’d be summoning spirits in some sort of séance. Rayna wasn’t sure she was up to something like that. Every movie she’d ever watched featuring an Ouija board ended in disaster. Usually with everyone getting killed by some angry ghost.
Last thing she needed was to summon her apartment poltergeist. “Uh—”
“Don’t worry,” Hale waved a hand, her ring glinting in the light again. “It’ll all make sense eventually.” She clapped her hands together. “Would you like to see your room?”
Fifteen
“Hi, my name is Evelyn. Welcome to the Labyrinth Academy.”
Rayna eyed the tall, unbelievably stunning girl with pale lavender hair hanging down her shoulders in perfect waves. It contrasted with the black crop top riding beneath her ribcage and her plum colored, high-waisted skirt. Her gray, almost iridescent eyes, picked up the shades of purple while her shockingly bright smile was damn-near blinding.
She linked arms with Rayna, barely sparing Asher a glance as they left the building where she’d met with Hale.
He seemed to be staring in the opposite direction, either avoiding Rayna or the newcomer, she wasn’t sure. For the first time, he hadn’t taken her hand and she didn’t know what to make of that.
Was he growing tired of being stuck with her?
Evelyn led them back up the path between the tall trees, following it the same way they’d come earlier.
“I understand you’re very new to all this, so we’ll keep to the basics. I’m a third year student, and if you need anything at all, you’re always welcome to come find me and ask. Except at night. I’m more of a day time person, so that wouldn’t be wise.”
Evelyn laughed, a light, chiming sound, but Rayna failed to see what was so funny.
Her necklace, which hadn’t glowed once since they’d entered the huge gates of the academy, emitted a few sparks of light. Tink poked her flaming head out of the dark red crystal and stared at Evelyn. She tipped her little face up at Rayna, shook her head, then ducked back into the pendant.
Rayna had no clue what that was all about or what it meant, but then she was finding it hard to understand the Wisp. One minute Tink was saving her butt and the next she was leading her to her death.
“Okay,” Evelyn continued, seemingly unaware the Wisp had been side-eying her. “I’ll give you the full tour tomorrow morning before classes, but the building we just left is the admin block. If you have a schedule issue, or a problem with a professor, or need to go off campus for whatever reason—”
“We can leave campus?”
Evelyn swatted her arm a little too hard. “Of course, silly. This is an academy. Not a prison.”
Rayna’s shoulders relaxed. She could see Kally, visit her BFF if and when she wanted. That was a huge relief, because she didn’t think she’d survive any length of time without her friend.
“The building also houses the staff accommodations, so don’t go wandering too far inside. Unless you want to catch a professor in their jammies.” Evelyn shuddered and leaned closer, voice dropping. “I once saw Quincy in his multicolored nightgown and these fluffy slippers with little pom-poms on them. Let me tell you, not a good sight.”
Rayna could easily picture the eccentric man in the weird outfit, yet she doubted he looked all that different from the way he’d been dressed when they met.
Good thing they weren’t still in Hale’s office or she might’ve blurted that one out loud and offended her would-be tour guide.
“But if you’re ever hurt,” Evelyn continued in a more serious tone. “The infirmary is just off the administration office. They treat—well, they literally treat anything from a scraped knee to—” She cut off with a megawatt smile, her voice pitching way higher than anything resembling normal. “Better not frighten you on your first day.”
Yeah, because leaving it to her rather vivid imagination was so much better than sharing any actual gory details.
“Now, I’m sure you’ve already figured this out, but the academy is located inside the very center of the labyrinth, hence the name.” She beamed the shiny smile that was starting to grate on Rayna’s frayed nerves. “Which means the grounds are a perfect sphere and the cobble path runs between the inner and outer buildings. You’ll likely never get lost because as long as you keep on the pathway and head straight, you’ll simply circle the campus over and over.”
Fun.
Rayna hoped she’d never have to experience that, because frankly, walking in circles was her exact definition of lost.
“Inner circle buildings are all the basic classrooms I’ll show you tomorrow, and outer buildings range from dormitories and training grounds, to pretty much everything else.” Evelyn pointed to their left, through the trees. “I’m sure you spotted the stables on your way in, but try to avoid the area if you can. Some of the magical creatures get anxious around strangers. Skittish and powerful don’t mix so well.”
Asher snorted, grumbling something under his breath, but before Rayna could ask him what was up, Evelyn continued, acting as though he hadn’t even made a sound.
Weird.
He was hot enough to get more than his fair share of attention. And even if Evelyn wasn’t into guys, it still didn’t explain why she seemed to be ignoring him.
Like she was going out of her way not to address him or even glance in his direction.
At all.
Rayna eyed the beautiful structure she’d seen when they first entered the academy, with its tall spires and gold detailing. It sat in the center of the grounds, the pathways curving around it, which she guessed made it the main inner building she’d only get to tour in the morning.
Bummer.
As they cleared the dense trees, several students wandered around. They stared, probably because Rayna was still covered in blood and burned clothing. She tried not to notice. Tried to filter them out and focus on the mini-tour.
Huge buildings wrapped around the grounds like a giant ring banding the inner circle. All incredibly gorgeous with matching charcoal spires tipped with gold and walls made from packed stone.
Evelyn waved at a pair of hot guys as they passed by, but she didn’t stop to introduce them. No surprise there. She did lean in closer to whisper, “We’ll leave introductions for when you’ve had a chance to clean up.”
Right. Because she was currently still covered in blood stains, with a dress scorched from where Asher had to cauterize her stab wound.
Lovely.
As the guys kept their gazes trained in her direction, Rayna suspected it was too late. No chance of undoing her ragged appearance. The guys smiled though, earning a low growl from Asher which Evelyn pointedly ignored.
“And on our right, we have one of my personal favorite places. It’s mostly used by the Psych students—”
“Psych?”
Evelyn nodded. “Labyrinth Academy is split into three primary disciplines.” She held up her hand and ticked them off with her fingers, nails painted a glittering silver. “Psychic Realm, Physical Realm, and Spiritual Realm. The last being the rarest. And most powerful.” Her smile turned smug and she bumped her bony shoulder into Rayna’s. “That’s us, by the way. We rule the academy. As we rightly should.”
Something inside the glass building—the greenhouses, Evelyn had pointed out—went boom, blasting a hole through the ceiling and shattering the glass dome. Green smoke puffed from inside like a chimney, turning teal and then blue as it rose higher into the sky.
Evelyn laughed. “Looks like someone will be getting detention first thing tomorrow morning.” She turned to Rayna. “We’re not permitted to experiment or use our
abilities on Sundays. I think it’s just so the professors can get a day off. Which, as you can see, rarely happens anyway.”
Rayna frowned at the smoke clouding the glass like the entire place had filled with the green stuff. It kept billowing from the broken dome and she could have sworn it was gathering into the shape of a serpentine dragon as it rose higher into the sky. “And what the hell happened just now anyway?”
Evelyn shrugged, like a smoky dragon was an everyday occurrence. “Psych students playing with something they shouldn’t.”
They stepped onto a large, sunny patch of lawn Evelyn explained as the quad, where most students hung out during free periods or where they ate lunch. Students lazed around, soaking up the last of the sun rays, while a group of girls pointed and snickered amongst themselves.
She hoped to hell that was thanks to Asher and his good looks.
Not because of her tattered outfit.
“Next, we have the Gamma dormitory, or dorm G as we all call it, where the third year students live. Then there’s the Beta and Alpha dorms for second and first year students. You’ll obviously be in dorm A, but we’ll deal with your, uh…situation in a bit.”
For the first time, Evelyn’s gaze flicked to Asher. Just the briefest second, but something like scorn tightened her pretty features.
So weird.
What did she have against him when they’d clearly never met before?
“Anyway, between dorm G and B, you can explore the library and study halls if you’re into that sort of thing, but it’s basically where all the Psych nerds spend their time. Be sure to check out the rec and common rooms, though, because that’s where the fun happens. I’ll be honest and say most first years don’t really hang out there.” She gave another of those brilliant, smug smiles. “Of course, being a Spiritual girl, you’ll have a lot more leeway with the older students, so they shouldn’t give you too many problems.”
“Hierarchy. Got it.”
Evelyn nodded, her eyes glimmering. “Exactly. And we’re at the top of the pyramid.”
Rayna barely repressed her disgruntled groan. She’d never fit in with the Spiritual students if they were all like Evelyn.
Privileged. Thinking they were better than the rest of their classmen.
Asher brushed his fingers against her hand as if sensing her unease, sending tingles along her nerves. A pleasant shiver swept down her spine as she glanced up at him, thinking about how those flames had curled from his hand, over hers, and then coiled around her arm.
She wanted to feel them against her skin again.
Every damn inch of her hungered for it.
She still had no clue what or who he really was, but he definitely wasn’t a regular guy. “And where do you fit into all this?”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze, instead staring at a gazebo situated in a big open grass patch between dorm B and A.
Creeping plants covered most of the structure, with dense bunches of flowers in every shade of pink, purple, and blue. They dripped from the vines like a wisteria, but she’d never seen one with an array of colorful blooms like that.
“Can we talk about it later?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Evelyn waved her hand in front of Rayna’s face. “Never mind him right now. Don’t you want to see where you need to find breakfast in the morning?”
Not really.
Except her stomach grumbled like it was disagreeing, reminding her she was perpetually starving and could really do with a snack. Her metabolism had long since burned through the pastry, even if it had been the best thing she’d ever eaten.
Hoping Evelyn didn’t hear her stomach’s growls, she nodded at the excessively cheery girl. “Where to?”
Evelyn pointed at a building beyond the gazebo, between the first and second year dorms. “Over there is the dining hall and cafeteria. Breakfast and dinner is served every day, but you have to find your own lunch. There are a bunch of shops where you can buy pretty much anything you like. And I do mean anything. We’re talking genuine French croissants and real-deal Japanese matcha tea. But you can also do just about any other shopping there—clothes, toiletries, or whatever other supplies you might need. The campus is incredibly diverse, so they cater for any and all needs.”
Evelyn’s gaze drifted to Rayna’s dress, taking a slow meander over her ruined outfit. “You, uh, might want to consider grabbing a change of clothes sooner rather than later. Blood isn’t exactly a rarity here, but you’ll want to make a good first impression when you meet the rest of the students in the morning. Especially your fellow Spiritual Realm classmates. And preferably without tempting the—uh, just take my advice, okay?”
Ominous.
And what was she worried the blood stains and blackened marks might tempt?
When they rounded the next part of the campus, Evelyn pointed to a pair of massive buildings. “Here we have the training grounds and locker rooms. It’s mostly used by the Physical students, but the Spirituals do a decent amount of work here, too. And at least it’s mostly free from the Psych nerds.”
Poor Psych students.
It was obvious Evelyn didn’t think very highly of them.
As they walked along the next bend in the pathway, passing a double staircase leading from the main inner building into a deep blue pool, water erupted. It splashed right next to them, sending a spray of droplets through the air.
Evelyn shrieked, the pitch high enough Rayna was worried she’d go deaf. But then the stunning girl morphed before her eyes and her concerns about her ears evaporated, replaced with regular old fear.
Evelyn tugged her wet hair away from her face, revealing once-gorgeous features replaced with scary big eyes smudged with black and angular cheekbones grown sharper than natural, her cheeks hollowed out to make her face even more terrifying.
Her lips curled back with a hiss, rising above wickedly pointed fangs.
Sixteen
“What the fuck?” Rayna jerked back, into Asher, rushing to get as far away from whatever the hell Evelyn was.
The girl in question glared at a guy lounging in the pool, the top half of his ripped body peeking out of the water. He smirked, then ran his hand across the surface to send more spray towards Evelyn. “What’s the matter, Eve? Afraid of a little water?”
She scowled, razor-sharp teeth still bared, but at least her face was shifting back to it’s pretty—normal—state from before. “You know what saltwater does to me, you ass.” She straightened her shoulders. “And I’m trying to look my best for our newest edition.”
Evelyn gestured to Rayna and the guy’s piercing blue eyes took her in from head to toe. “Who is she?” he asked as he waded to the edge of the pool.
Evelyn’s chin lifted, pointing her nose higher. “Hale wouldn’t part with too many details, except to mention she’s a daughter of Nyx. So, you know that’s gotta mean she’s packing some serious firepower in that petite body of hers.”
The guy whistled while his gaze grew a little too interested for Rayna’s liking, but her brain was too busy processing to give a damn at that moment. He hauled himself out, hands braced on the stones surrounding the water, then sauntered closer, rivulets sluicing down his muscular body and the tight green bathing suit he wore.
It should’ve been enough to distract anyone attracted to men, but Asher leaned in close, stealing all Rayna’s attention when his lips brushed her ear.
His front was plastered to her back because she’d wedged herself against him to escape the creature Evelyn had turned into. Delicious heat radiated from him, drawing her in even closer.
“Evelyn’s a Siren,” Asher whispered, warm breath tickling her ear. “Beautiful and deadly. Especially towards men.”
Rayna had a picture of Sirens in her head, something like a mermaid with a fish tail lurking in the water, waiting to drag men into the ocean and send them to a watery death.
Definitely not the poised girl shaking off the tiny drops dotting her skin and dress, brushing them f
rom her lavender hair. Evelyn was currently chatting with the wet guy, his gaze darting at Rayna every few moments.
“Doesn’t look like she’s about to kill him.”
Asher snorted. “I’m guessing he’s some sort of water nymph. Could make him immune to her since Sirens usually drown their victims by luring men into the water with their voice. A sort of seduction men can’t resist. Some women, too, but it’s rare for Sirens to even target a female victim.”
“What about you?”
He moved away a few inches and she instantly missed his warmth surrounding her, had to fight the urge to lean back into him, beg him to never stop touching her. To never let her go.
He shrugged. “Her Siren Call wouldn’t have the same effect on me as other males. I doubt she knows that, which is probably why she didn’t really acknowledge me.”
And he didn’t want to give away the fact her voice wouldn’t work on him, so he’d done the same—ignored her in return. The question was why it didn’t affect him. What was he that made him so different?
“Let me guess.” Rayna glanced over her shoulder to narrow her eyes at him. “You can’t tell me why it doesn’t affect you.”
His jaw clenched. “That part I can and I will. But not yet. Later. When we’re alone.”
She shivered at the thought of just the two of them, no one else around, right as Evelyn and the strange guy stepped closer.
“Rayna,” Evelyn said, her smile bright again. “I’d like you to meet one of your fellow Spirituals. Piers is in Beta house—second year—and usually not quite so annoying, I swear, but if he ever gives you any trouble, let me know. I’ll be happy to teach him his place.”
Piers rolled his eyes with way too much exaggeration, tipping his whole head round. “You know that shit doesn’t work on me, Eve.” He held his hand out towards Rayna. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”
Ignoring the sweetheart that rubbed her the wrong way, Rayna extended her hand, realizing too late it was the one still attached to Asher. It forced his arm to awkwardly follow hers.