“What do they teach in this school?”
Chance took a drink of hot cocoa, lifting the cup high, draining it completely. He set it down and smacked his lips. “Boy, those are good. I will never get tired of hot cocoa.” He looked at me. “You know I hardly ever get it? “
I grinned and took another sip out of my half-full cup. “This is the first hot cocoa I’ve ever tasted, and I think I’d like to drink nothing else, from now on. Forever.”
Chance threw his head back and laughed.
“Okay, okay, you asked what they teach at the school. Well, they teach things like lessons on history, on plants, on chemistry, on physics, on all sorts of things. And the classes are fun!” He grinned.
“And the food is free?” I asked.
“All you can eat!”
“ALL YOU CAN EAT?! I can eat a lot, you know. Sometimes, I’m so hungry I wish I could eat all day and all night!”
“Holly, I know things have been hard, and I know you’ve been hungry a lot. I’ve been over your file. I know all about you and what your life has been like. And I’m here to tell you those days of scrambling for your existence are over. If you want them to be.”
I took a deep breath. It sounded too good to be true.
“Chance, what’s the catch? You’re saying this school wants me to have lessons, food, a bed, a room of my own, all of that, all paid for by some scholarship I never knew existed. What’s the catch?”
“You’re suspicious. I get it. But Holly, there’s no catch. I swear. No one’s going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” His eyebrows rose in a plea.
“You want me to come with you, don’t you? You want me to go to the school?”
“Well, yes. I do.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because I get credit for bringing in another lost aos sí, um, I mean, another lost child of the Faefolk. Because I get a work credit for bringing you in.”
“For bringing me in? You make me sound like I’m wanted by the coppers.”
“No, it’s not like that. Holly, the school is only for certain people, people that have a certain ancestry, people with certain gifts.” Chance looked around. “Look, have you ever read those books about the boy wizard? The one that goes to the school of magic?”
I thought for a minute. “I haven’t read the books, but I saw a newspaper talking about the movie. I haven’t been living under a rock, you know. The picture showed a boy with glasses and a lightning scar on his forehead.”
“That’s the one,” said Chance. “You know how that school he goes to, only certain kids can go, right? Only witches and wizards can go to that magical school. And he didn’t even know he was a wizard, until he got his letter asking him to go to the school, right?”
I nodded.
“This is exactly like that.” Chance sat back, folding his arms together in front of his chest, a satisfied look on his face.
I shook my head. “Not so fast. There’s no such thing as magical witches and wizards. That’s all made up, out of that book that lady wrote.”
“Very true, Holly. There’s no such thing as witches and wizards, and no such place as a magical wizard school. But!” he held his finger up. “It’s the same kind of thing. We’re saying you’re a certain kind of person, and this school we run is only for those certain kinds of people. People like you.” He spread his fingers wide. “Not just anyone can attend, you know.”
He looked around the coffee shop. Some people were sitting and drinking from coffee cups and eating bagels and croissants and other things, and they were wearing school uniforms. They were clearly students.
“Do any of them go to your school?” I asked.
“Oh, no, no, no. None of them do,” Chance answered.
“None of them?”
“Not a one.”
“How can you be sure?”
“For one thing, the school is not nearby. It’s very far away.”
“Far away? Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to go to a school nearby? Isn’t that what kids usually have to do?” I asked.
“They do if they’re hum... uh, if they’re going to regular school. My school is not a regular school. Not by a long shot,” he said.
“But the subjects you said were taught. History, chemistry, physics, those all sound like regular subjects.”
Aunt Clare had taught me the basics of some of them. I knew what a regular school taught.
“Okay, Holly. Let me put it this way. The school I go to is very specialized. It only teaches a very select few people, people who have a very certain background. The scholarship I offer to you will pay for everything you need. Books, school supplies, room, board ...”
“What’s that?”
“What’s what?”
“You said ‘board.’ What’s that?”
“Oh, that means food and stuff,” Chance said.
“Oh.”
“So, like I was saying ...” He put out his hand and started ticking off each finger as he listed things. “Books, supplies, room, board, all lessons, uniform, everything you’ll need.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Everything I’ll need?”
“Everything.”
“What about toasted rainbow bagels?”
“Uh, those we don’t have. But if you’ll come with me to the school, I’ll buy a dozen here, and you can bring them with you.”
My eyebrows rose.
“What about hot cocoa?”
“School’s got it.”
“And strawberry cream cheese spread?”
“We’ll bring some from the shop, along with your rainbow bagels.”
I thought about it.
Were there any drawbacks? I couldn’t think of any.
Wait.
I looked at him.
“What if I go with you to the school, and I don’t like it?” my eyebrows rose in a question.
“You are always free to leave, at any time,” he said without hesitation. “You are not going to be a prisoner. That would be against the rules. Um, against the law.”
I thought about it, turning the idea over and over in my head.
I took another bite of toasted rainbow bagel with strawberry cream cheese spread.
I took another drink of my hot cocoa.
“Okay, one last question, and you have to answer truthfully,” I said.
Chance nodded.
“What kind of very special people does the school only accept?”
He blinked. Then he leaned forward.
“We only accept those of faerie blood.”
It was my turn to blink.
A glowing happiness began to spread in my heart.
“Okay, I’ll go,” I smiled.
He nodded. “Wise decision, Holly.” He reached inside his coat and drew out a long cream envelope, and handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
“Your letter of acceptance into Titania Academy.”
Chapter Six
Head Injury
“I thought I saw pointed ears when you first came in,” I said as we walked along the grass. A large bag full of rainbow bagels and strawberry cream cheese packets bounced against my leg.
“I keep my glamour on so no one can tell I’m different. There’s safety in blending in with the crowd you happen to be in,” Chance said.
“Boy, do I know that well,” I said. “Aunt Clare taught me that lesson before anything else.”
I was in a fantastic mood. I could not believe everything that had happened to me in the last two days. It was like I was waiting to wake up from a wonderful dream.
Now that would be a nightmare.
I pinched the side of my leg, to be sure.
Nothing happened. I was still walking with Chance, still on my way to the Academy, and still carrying more food than I’d ever eaten in a week, in my whole life.
I puffed as I walked. Chance was not hurrying, but my legs were shorter, and I had to hurry to keep up.
“Chance, you said you’re in second year
?”
“That’s right.”
“And how do you like it? I mean, are the classes hard? Is there a lot of homework?”
Aunt Clare had gotten me a notebook and a pencil, and we’d done lessons in the cubby. She’d taught me well. She would teach me a lesson, then have me go off on my own to practice it. I’d learned my multiplication tables that way. And a whole lot more.
“There’s not too much homework, but I won’t lie: there is some every day,” Chance said. “The important thing is not to fall behind.”
I stopped.
Something was wrong.
“Hey,” Chance had stopped walking and come back to where I was stopped. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I ... I’m fine.” A blackness came over my eyes and I lost consciousness.
When I came to, I was lying down on my back in the grass. Chance was kneeling next to me, my feet in his arms. He was raising them up off the ground. They were about two feet high.
“Wha ...what happened?” I said, still groggy.
I put my hand to my head, then to my ear, which tickled.
“You conked out. Right in front of my eyes. Good thing we were walking on the grass,” Chance said.
My ear felt sticky now, and the tickling increased. I heard a roaring sound. I put my finger in my ear and wiggled it around, then lifted it to my face to look.
It was covered in blood.
“Ohhh dear. Oh, my. Okay. That’s a ... um ... right. That’s blood. That dude must’ve hit you harder than I thought,” Chance raised his head and scanned the area. “Okay, um, we need transport to the gate. Um, I mean, we could use some help ... er. ...” His voice trailed off.
He was still holding both my feet up in the air.
“Hey, put my feet down. I want to get up,” I said.
“Okay, okay, but ... um... okay.” He gently lowered my legs and got to his feet, then extended his hand to help me up.
I grabbed it and rose to my feet.
I was instantly overcome with another wave of dizziness.
“Whoa there,” Chance said, catching me as I swayed forward. “Hold on, don’t take another tumble.” He held my arms and continued to look around.
We were about a hundred yards from the edge of the great park.
“Holly,” Chance said. “Can you walk at all? If we can just get to the gate, I think we can summon help.”
“I ... I think so. I’ll try. Help me?”
“Of course,” Chance moved one arm to support my shoulders. I took an unsteady step, then another.
“Grab ... Chance? Grab the bagels, we can’t lose them,” I murmured.
“Okay, hold still. Don’t move,” Chance said, balancing me on my feet and then racing back to grab the bag of rainbow bagels.
I swayed but didn’t fall.
Then he was back, holding me under my arm. He began to walk slowly forward.
“That’s it, let’s take it slowly. You’re fine. We got this.”
I walked slowly forward and didn’t pass out again, so at least that was progress.
“Okay, okay, good. Almost there, allllllmost thereeeeee ... Huh? What’s that?” Chance stopped.
“What’s what?” I asked, looked up at him.
“Oh, gosh, oh my. Ohhhh dear. Holly, your ear is dripping blood,” he said.
I put my hand to my right ear. It came away even bloodier than before.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
“Not really, but there’s a low roaring that sounds funny, right there in my ear. It’s weird. ...” I murmured.
My legs buckled.
“Uh oh, here we go.” Chance caught me halfway to the grass. “Easy there, easy. Can you ... can you ... okay.” He lowered me to the grass.
“What is wrong with my legs?” I mumbled.
“Holly, I think you’re lightheaded because of the blow to your head, and because of the blood you’re losing.” Chance thought for a minute. “Listen, I’m going to go for help.”
I looked up into his eyes.
“You’re leaving?”
There it was. I knew it was too good to be true.
“I’m not leaving you, Holly. I’m just going to be a few minutes, probably less than ten, and I’m coming back with help. ’Cause you need help.” Chance squeezed my hand.
I did not feel reassured.
“Chance, please don’t go. I want to go to your school. I want to go ...” my voice trailed off. Tears formed in my eyes.
Another drop of blood splattered down from my ear. I looked at my shirt. It was a mess. “There’s blood ...”
“I know, and I’m going to help you. Holly. Look at me.”
I looked up at him.
He stared into my eyes for a minute. “I will be back in ten minutes. I give you my word.”
I felt tears run down my face.
“Okay,” I whispered.
What choice did I have?
“Look.” He pressed the bag of bagels into my hands. “Hold on to this. I can run faster without it.”
I looked down at the bag, mesmerized. My fingers curled around the loop of plastic.
“Here.” Chance was removing a necklace from under his shirt. He lifted it, and up out of his top came a green-and-gold enamel leaf, dangling from a gold chain.
“My mother gave me this on my birthday last month.” He pressed it into the palm of his hand. “This is my promise to you that I will return. You hold this for me, and you give it back when I come back, okay?”
I nodded, staring at the leaf and chain. I looked up at his face, nodding. “When you come back,” I whispered.
“When I come back.” He stood up, nodded to me, then turned and ran fast toward the park. I watched him go and held tight to the leaf and chain.
Minutes passed.
I shivered, my head feeling drowsy again.
I thought for a moment, then lifted the gold chain and put it over my head and down on my neck. The leaf looked shiny and brilliant lying on my shirt. I stared at it for a second, then tucked it into my neckline, out of sight.
“Hey. Hey, Holly, wake up.”
I opened my eyes.
My face was cold.
Chance was bent over me, gently patting my shoulder.
“Hey, kiddo, you okay? I guess you passed out again, huh?”
“Guess so,” I mumbled, raising my head. “You came back.” It was a statement of fact.
“Well of course I came back. I told ya I would, didn’t I? I’ve only been gone about ten minutes, just like I said.”
He helped me sit up.
There was someone behind him.
“This is my friend, Brendan. He’s going to help lift you and carry you, Holly.” Chance bent low and whispered in my ear. “We’re going to do this fast, so we don’t garner much attention, okay?”
I nodded. Chance moved to the side and Brendan came into view.
Oh, my God.
Brendan was ... he was ...
“You’re ...” I murmured weakly.
“Yes,” said Brendan. “I am. Now I’m just going to pick you up, kid. Don’t kick me or anything, okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered. I couldn’t stop staring. Brendan was a dwarf. But not a little person, he was an honest-to-gosh dwarf. He was almost as wide as he was tall, and his arms and legs were ridiculously thick. he looked like he could lift a tree.
Brendan bent over and gently scooped me up in his arms like I was nothing.
“Chance, she weighs nearly nothing. Did you even try to pick her up?” Brendan teased his friend as he turned around and began walking to the trees.
“Brendan, just walk. You’re such a wise guy. Dr. Farryn said you should be helpful, not helpful and insulting,” Chance said as they walked.
I felt myself jounced and jostled, and my ear began bleeding again.
“Oh hell, she’s bleeding,” said Brendan. “Why didn’t you say she was bleeding, you ridiculous faun?” He began to run.
“Er, ER ... happy thoughts an
d secret pots, Brendan. Go faster. The quicker we get back the quicker we can get her medical help and stop dropping secrets. Yeah, okay, okay, hmmm ...” Chance began to trot.
They were almost to the trees.
What had Brendan said?
My head began to ring. I put my hands up to my face and tried to hold my noggin together. It was rough being carried while someone ran, but it couldn’t be helped, I guess.
We entered the park and it got darker. Brendan and Chance ran between the trees, straight into the middle of the park, and I held on for dear life, while bleeding all over the nice young man, er ... dwarf, who was carrying me.
“Ughhhh ...” I murmured.
“Hold tight, Holly girl. Hold tight. Almost there ...” Chance said in a quiet voice.
I guess we’re trying to sneak.
Central Park was often full of people even when it didn’t look like it was full of people. Not only were there all kinds of paved walkways running through it, there were pathways through the grass, many worn down to the dirt. There were animal paths through the thickets and trees, and the park was teeming with life.
There were people everywhere.
“HEY!” A strange voice yelled.
Brendan and Chance kept running, and we soon left the voice behind.
Who was that?
“Hurry,” Chance said under his breath.
“Through here,” said Brendan. “It’s a shortcut.”
He ducked around some trees and down a path that curled around some large bushes. I could see a lake on the left as he ran.
Suddenly, Chance stopped beside a huge hedge, and stuck his arm out to bend the branches back. Brendan ducked through the gap, wiggling me sideways so I wouldn’t get scratched. I ducked my head to help.
We were through the bush, and I felt a warm shimmer, and suddenly we were in a massive tree.
The inside was huge.
“Where should I set her down, dear?” Brendan said.
“Just there, on the lounge,” came another voice. This sounded like a woman’s voice, it was kind and high and soft.
“Hi, Jess,” Chance said, coming through right after us.
“Shut the gate, Chance,” said the female voice. I guessed this was Jess.
“Yes m’am,” Chance turned and pressed a lever on the inside of the tree trunk. I heard a low ‘thunk’.
Faerie Misborn Page 4
