She was probably right, and Sage knew it. They’d dodged questions before, but it was much better to be hurtful than even giving a sliver of truth away. Especially for Sage, whose emotions always seemed to reveal themselves involuntarily. Like somehow she’d give herself away from the simple twitch of an eye and they’d see right through her act. She was not so great at shrugging off attention… not like Camila.
The Shadow Society was well known at the Academy and according to the whispers across campus, it was just a fancy name for a group of honor kids with ultra-rich parents who bought their way in. Sage hoped that was the case, anyway, because looking a little closer, there was no denying something weird was going on. As soon as both of them had joined the society, their appearances changed. Softer hair, more defined features, muscles that seemed to grow overnight.
Sage ran her hand through her silken hair, once a tangle of frizz, and closed her locker. Sage watched Harriot walk past with her friends, whispering and scowling in Camila’s direction. The swirling inside her stomach kept churning like it had all day. But now it was mixed with guilt.
“It’s better to let them take their guesses,” Camila continued. “They’ll never know the truth.”
That was the worst part of being a part of the society. Even after a full semester, Sage still hadn’t gotten use to pushing people away for their own safety. She shook off the uneasy feeling and nodded.
Camila slid her arm through Sage’s and together they walked through the emptying corridor. Tugging Sage in close, Camila said, “We’ll always have each other.”
Sage let her smile grow. Camila always knew how to make her feel better. Meeting her in the Shadow Society was her saving grace. She’d finally found somewhere she belonged.
As they swung a left and ascended the stairs a rush of footsteps thumped behind them. Within a few moments, a flash of platinum blonde hair appeared beside them and Nadya, another society member, glared her sky-blue eyes in their direction. Still jogging, she said, “Do you like being late?”
“I like to live on the edge,” Camila stated.
Nadya frowned and puffed ahead. Sage swung her head to Camila and in synchrony they rolled their eyes. Sage liked to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but Nadya made it so hard.
They followed her as she swung open a door and slid inside the room where their secrets were kept. Hiding behind locked doors, boarded windows, and sound-proof padding lived the truth of who those recruits really were… what they had become.
They were Shape-shifters. Or, more specifically, Shadow Guardians. And their purpose was to protect the innocent and work in secret.
Chapter Two
For Sage, being chosen felt like a lifetime ago. She’d just won the prestigious humanitarian award for her volunteer work at the orphanage and next minute she was invited by Makoto to join the mysterious group. And now, she was one of five exclusive butts sitting inside a large theater-style lecture room.
“It takes a certain type of person to become a True Guardian.”
She’d heard her mentor, Makoto, say that line countless times. About how lucky they were. How special they must be to be one of only five students chosen. He was selective, only choosing the best of the best.
But that particular day his words didn’t feel as empowering as he meant them to be. All it really did was instill a panic in Sage that fed the already growing knot in her stomach. She began to wonder if maybe he’d made a mistake and somehow she would stuff it all up.
Makoto looked to be of Japanese descent and was strikingly handsome with styled black hair and a strong jawline. He also looked like he was barely hitting thirty years old, but his true age was over a thousand. At least, that’s what Sage liked to think. He’d never told them his age but had mentioned he was one of the first Guardians ever, so she’d assumed he was ancient.
An elbow dug into Sage’s ribs, followed by a whispered, “Blah blah blah, when are we going to get to the juicy stuff?”
She glanced sideways. Camila gave a sly smile then exaggerated a yawn. As she brought her hand away from her mouth, she flicked her wavy brown ponytail over her tanned shoulders and winked.
“Shhh…” Sage hushed, trying not to laugh.
Three sets of eyes flicked to the two girls as they sat at the back of room. Sage would often mentally defend herself by thinking that they didn’t sit at the back, back. But technically, even if they were on the fourth last row, there was no one else behind them. She fained a smile and slumped deep into her seat.
This year’s recruits weren’t exactly inseparable yet, not like previous years. After she’d found a closeness with Camila, she was waiting for the moment where the rest of them clicked and became a solid team. She wished they’d at least try to make an effort, but if she was honest with herself, she and Camila didn’t exactly make it easy for them. Regardless, she cared for them anyway. They were practically all she had.
“Now, you know that when you half-shift and you align with your Guardian, you gain certain attributes.” Makoto paced in front of his desk, gliding his finger along the timber as he moved. At the edge of his unbuttoned collar a dark shape on his skin peeked through. It was a spiral, a black tattoo-like marking.
Sage had one too. They all did. It was the mark of a Guardian—the gateway to the Veil and the door in which their Guardian animal stepped through.
Makoto continued, “For carnivores, we grow fangs and claws mostly. But for others, it’s a little more random. Can anyone tell me why this is?”
A hand in the front row shot up. Sage stared at the straight arm reaching for the sky. It belonged to Nadya. Top of the class Nadya. Camila moaned.
Nadya was the perfect example of a True Guardian. It was worse that she knew it, too. Which often made Sage wonder if she herself wouldn’t make a good Guardian, because she sure as hell didn’t want to be like Nadya.
“Well, those attributes need to grow from human parts. And if there are no human parts similar to the Guardian’s, then it gets a little complicated. The Guardian randomly chooses which attributes to grow.” Even staring at the back Nadya’s head, Sage could imagine the arrogant pout on her face.
“Right.” Makoto lifted his finger off his desk and pointed to Nadya. His finger followed the seats above her until it rested on Sage. “Can you tell the class what it feels like to have your attribute grow?”
Sage felt heat rush to her cheeks. Ugh. She hated when he called her out in class. Especially when it was to talk about her specific Guardian.
A barn owl. A freaking barn owl. When she first became a Guardian at the start of the school year, she’d secretly been a little disappointed that an owl chose her to be its human counterpart. Especially when Camila got to have a cool animal like a cougar.
When she wasn’t shifted, the owl sat beside her, hidden in the Veil and unseen by human eyes. Its feathers were a mix of white and fawny tan and she could sense its beady eyes staring up at her. Watching. Waiting for her to call it forward. It was small and unassuming, yes, but also fierce. After Makoto taught her how to fly, she’d grown to like it.
She had to like it. After all, they were connected with a special bond that would last a lifetime.
But still, whenever she spoke about it a sense of embarrassment lingered, as though she was being judged.
Sage tucked a finger underneath the black, leather choker that firmly hugged her neck. It belonged to her late-mother, and she’d worn it every day for the last ten years. “It’s, uhh, fine. I don’t know. It just feels like someone is poking my back and then they’re there.”
She was talking about the wings. Yes, while everyone else grew fangs and claws, she got wings and talons. Nothing really to complain about, except they weren’t that easy to hide.
Makoto smiled and nodded in thanks. His eyes twitched and the irises that once were brown turned flaming gold. As his smile grew, so did his canines, reaching over his bottom lips. At the tips of his fingers, long claws replaced his nails.
“Now,” he said. “Watch the shift.”
To Sage’s eyes, Makoto looked like a human in desperate need of a manicure and a dentist appointment. She called her owl to her, and when they were aligned, she could see so much more. The world a human couldn’t see.
Between the normal world and the Veil, a wolf appeared. It stood in line with Makoto like a ghost and its golden aura encased them both. They were one. Aligned.
That was the half-shift.
Makoto said, “Watch carefully.”
There was a flicker in the connection and Makoto’s wolf stepped forward. It looked the same to Sage, except the wolf was in front. To a human eye, though…
Sage returned to human form, letting her owl move back beside her. Makoto’s human body was nowhere to be seen. In his place, was his wolf; large, with thick, jet-black fur. Real enough to touch.
The full shift.
The wolf howled; nose aimed in Sage’s direction. Another elbow to her rib. She whipped her head to Camila and two bronze eyes stared back. Through her fangs, Camila hissed, “He wants you to see the next bit properly.”
Sage called her owl back so she could see the Guardian and Makoto in their true form. When Makoto seemed satisfied that she was ready, he pointed at his wolf. “Watch.”
In an instant, his wolf moved back to his side taking not even half a second to shift.
“How the hell?” Down the front, next to Nadya, Caspar leaned forward. His Guardian’s blue eyes stared in the space where Makoto’s wolf had been. “You didn’t half-shift to return?”
Caspar was a bit of an enigma. Sage never knew where his allegiance sat. He was Nadya’s sidekick, but there was a kindness to his eyes that drew her in. Not a speck of hair was out of place on his buzz cut, and his dark-brown, dreamy eyes matched his unblemished skin. And that jawline, it was something to behold—the moment Sage met him she thought he’d be the perfect male model.
“It’s about control. Knowing your Guardian, working together as a team. You could miss the half-shift phase all together if you want. Although, it is my favorite phase. Our strongest phase.”
“Mine, too,” Nadya said and Sage wondered if she was just saying that to appease Makoto.
“That. Was. Epic!” a voice cried from the side.
Arielle sat by herself on the edge of the lecture room. Her natural red hair bobbed on her shoulders as she clapped with excitement. Aligned with her Guardian—a ginger house cat—her neon green eyes flashed around the room, beaming at her classmates.
Everyone seemed surprised and Sage frowned as she looked at all their faces. Wasn’t shifting like that normal? She wondered. She’d been doing that from the beginning. Sometimes growing bulky, not-so-subtle wings between the shifts was the last thing she wanted.
Makoto’s brows dropped as he stared at Arielle, as though wondering if she was being sarcastic or not. He must have decided that she was because he cleared his throat and walked back to his desk, sitting on the chair behind it. There were only a few minutes left of class.
Sage sighed and pulled a pencil from behind her ear. She pressed the lead onto paper and began to draw. Her long dyed-purple hair fell onto the paper, it’s lighter ends covering the spiral she darkened, around and around. She’d dyed her hair to match her owl, who had a bright purple aura. When she was half-shifted, her eyes shone like violet dipped in glow-in-the-dark paint.
“I’ve got a new assignment for you all,” Makoto said.
“Separate ones?” Camila enthused.
Makoto chortled. “One day, Camila, one day. But this one is a team assignment. I’ll give the lead to…”
Sage looked up from her drawing and shared a bored glance with Camila. They both whispered, “Nadya.”
“Arielle.”
“Whaaaaaa?” Arielle cried, jumping out of her seat. “Me? Really? Oh, my goodness, sir. I won’t let you down.”
“Oh God,” Camila moaned.
“It could be worse,” Sage said, closing her notepad.
“The assignment starts now. You’re to meet in the library immediately, you’ll know your mission when you see it.” Makoto glanced to the clock at the exact same moment the bell rang out.
Anticipating his next words, no one moved an inch.
“Repeat the rules.”
In unison, the five recruits recited the same thing they did at the end of every class.
“I work in secret and won’t show my true self to civilians. I protect the innocent and won’t kill unless they are a Fallen. I am careful with who I trust so I won’t turn anyone until I graduate.”
Sage had no idea she’d break two of those rules by night fall.
Chapter Three
The five of them walked across campus together. Nadya and Caspar in front, Sage and Camila behind, and Arielle bounced around in between. Graystone Academy’s buildings were old and, contrary to its name, made of sandstone, except for the dorms, which sat on the hill that overlooked the campus. The dorms were modern with rendered exterior painted in pale yellow—like they were made to fit but kind of didn’t. In between the clashing of worlds was the football field. And a forest—dense and evergreen—surrounded them all.
The pathways around the three main academy buildings were made of cobblestone and Sage winced as she watched Arielle skip along, gracefully avoiding the unleveled ground. Sage was waiting for Arielle to trip, but she never did. It shouldn’t have surprised her. When she was turned by Makoto, Sage learned that the best part about becoming a Shadow Guardian wasn’t necessarily the shifting ability. It was the growth in muscle, stamina, intelligence, agility.
“The boys are out!” Camila drawled. Her eyes were fixed on the football team running onto the field for practice.
The academy was well known for their stellar varsity team. Unbeaten in three years, they were the heroes of the school. Which was good for The Shadow Society, taking unwanted eyes away.
Sage raised an eyebrow and teased, “Even after being turned, you’re still drawn to brainless dimwits?”
“Hey!” Caspar said, looking over his shoulder. His striking eyes pierced through her. “Not all are brainless.”
Another thing that Sage shouldn’t have been surprised by. Guardians senses were heightened, too. Better sight, taste, sound.
Caspar leered at her from a good ten feet away. His brother, Owen, was smart. Really smart. He’d gotten a scholarship on his grades alone. And, he was a part of the varsity team she’d just insulted.
Sage grinned apologetically. “Sorry.”
“Mhmm,” Camila whispered, waving her hand at Caspar. “And his brother is fi-ine. He can rub his chocolate-skinned body over mine any day.”
“Heard that,” Caspar said as they stopped outside the library.
They pressed their noses to the window, five eager faces scanning the two storey building. A new assignment was always exciting. Who needed protecting? How would they get to use their abilities to do it?
Looking inside the library, two floors of books circled the walls. At the back of the room, a few single cubicles hid in corners behind a grand piano. Sage had always wondered what a piano was doing in a library, but figured it was more for show than practical use. In the middle, larger tables were scattered around for group study. On one of the tables, a freshman hunched over a book, he pushed his glasses up and nervously looked around as though expecting something.
“That kid looks weak,” Camila stated. “He’s gotta be our assignment.”
“Not all people who look weak, are weak,” Nadya clapped back.
“His name is AJ,” Caspar said. “He’s president of the chess club.”
Camila turned her back and leaned against the window frame. She picked at her fingers and sighed. “Of course he is.”
Sage watched as another boy walked across the library. He was tall and toned and even from where she was, she could tell he was gorgeous. The boy grabbed a chair from beside AJ and spun it around. He straddled the chair, resting his elbows over the back
.
“And that’s Mason,” Caspar explained, staring through the glass. “He’s a bit of a loner and always seems to have an arrogant grin planted on his face.”
Camila pushed herself off the window and turned around. “Do you know everybody?”
The edges of Caspar’s lips lifted into a proud kind of smile. “Yep.”
“Shoosh,” Nadya hissed. She strained her neck as though the minute movement would help her hear better.
Mason scrunched up the sleeves of his unbuttoned blazer, showcasing bandages around both his wrists. His knuckles were covered in scratches and bruises. AJ grimaced as Mason leaned forward, tapping aggressively on the study book. He raised his hands, shaking his head in submission.
Caspar guffawed. “Man, I hate it when people think they’re God’s gift. Mason’s dad was some middle-weight boxing champion, so it doesn’t surprise me his son would be an entitled jerk.”
Sage muffled a laugh. Caspar darted his eyes her way and his head soon followed. As he gave her a questioning glare, she shrugged and with a soft voice she said, “You’re just sounding a bit jealous.”
“Well… I’m not,” Caspar spluttered, turning away from the eyes that were now on him.
“Sorry Cass.” Nadya placed her hand on his shoulder. “But I agree with Sage. We need to be level-headed, we can’t let our insecurities drive our decisions.”
“Ugh,” Camila groaned. “Is this seriously our assignment? To save a dweeb from a bully? I could do that without being a Guardian, you know?”
“We get what we’re given.” Nadya sighed and turned to Arielle. “What’re your orders, boss?”
The question seemed to spark Arielle to life. Her eyes widened, looking around the group in excitement. She’d been standing there, silent and unassuming, as if waiting for the invitation to begin her task as leader.
Bouncing on her heels, Arielle bit her lip. After a few rushed breaths, she said, “Okay. You’re right, Cami. We probably don’t even need our Guardians for it. Remember what Makoto says about only bringing them when needed? Nadya and Caspar, you guys, take the high ground. In case this rough-head escapes to the mezzanine. Camila, you and I will intervene, no shifting, just talk. And, Sage, your little owl could make a great distraction.”
Academy of Magic Collection Page 122
