by Belle Malory
I gasped for breath, and somehow, I finally woke up.
Tears stung my eyes. Swallowing hurt. I coughed, the inside of my throat tight and achy. For a dream, it felt so real. Like I’d just been strangled.
I looked around, noticing nothing out of the ordinary. The room was exactly as it had been, no creepy nightmare snake. Draping my legs over the edge of the bed, I surveyed the floor before standing.
This is crazy.
The last few days I’d been riding a nonstop rollercoaster of emotions, and the anxiety was catching up. That’s all this was. A bad dream due to a lot of ups and downs.
I let out a shaky breath and went to the closet to get ready. At least my cranky roommate already left for the day. I’d die if she witnessed me freaking out, especially after last night.
You’ll be gone before the week’s end.
I knew the houses were big on rivalry, but I never considered I might not be welcome in Aphrodite. Were they all going to hate me?
Ugh. I couldn’t worry about it right now. It was almost time for class.
Half an hour later, I was showered, dressed, and ready to go. I chose the white toga, hoping to blend in since it was a universal color. The fabric was silky, and the fit was flattering. I spun in front of the floor-length mirror, checking it out in appreciation. No wonder Mythonians loved these things so much. The shoes were nice too, a pair of soft leather sandals that wrapped all the way up my calves.
My books arrived last night, left stacked by the door in a neat pile. I went to put them in my new messenger bag, but as soon I touched the first one, I dropped it, flinching. It zapped me. I slowly picked it up again, noticing a sort of electric current surrounding its bindings. These books weren’t normal books. Then again, this school wasn’t a normal school, and neither were its students. Magic radiated from everything.
Quickly stuffing the books into my bag, I hurried out the door. Voices buzzed from every direction. Several girls in lavender togas gossiped in the stairwell. They talked about the professors and compared each other’s schedules. One of them looked back at me and whispered to her friend, “Do you think that’s her?”
One look around told me I was the only one there. Zack told me this would happen, I reminded myself. Aphrodite students were curious.
Downstairs, everyone hung out in the community room, a myriad of white, lavender, and pink togas. Everyone in this house was so pretty and feminine, even the guys. It made me feel a little lackluster in comparison.
I stood in line at the breakfast bar, looking over the spread. There were bowls full of fruit, piping-hot porridge, scrambled eggs, an array of pastries, coffee and juice to choose from. My stomach was too tied up in knots to eat though, so I passed on most of it. Instead I grabbed a single blueberry muffin and waited for the coffee pot. The brunette in front of me turned and offered a friendly smile. “First day jitters?”
“Yeah,” I said, smiling back. “This place is…overwhelming.”
She handed me the pot once she was done. “Ah, I thought I recognized that freshman anxiety.”
I winced. “Is it that obvious?”
She grinned. “Don’t worry, it becomes second nature eventually. I’m Penelope. Second year.”
“Sheridan…” A group of kids over by the sofas started pointing at me.
“What professors do you have?”
“Um, first period is Ambrosia.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Loud and rule-heavy, but she’s great at teaching magic, and her tests are open book.”
Whispers, funny stares, and the pointing all continued. I glanced down at my toga, wondering if I spilt anything. This was awful, not knowing why I stuck out. I was used to blending into the background, not being noticed.
Penelope started to catch on too.
“Do I have something on my face?” I whispered, laughing nervously.
She slowly shook her head, her eyes widening a brief moment. Suddenly, her entire demeanor changed. A second ago, she was laid back. Now she was stiff and obviously uncomfortable. “Good luck with your classes, Sheridan.”
“Thank”—I frowned as rushed away from the breakfast bar—“you.”
She disappeared so fast, I barely had time to blink before she was gone.
All around, kids continued to stare and whisper.
“Thorne girl,” one of them said.
“Ares descendant,” said another.
My knuckles whitened against the handle of the coffee pot. I pressed my lips together, feeling the heat of their gazes burn my skin. Ignoring them was impossible. I couldn’t stay there one second longer. I grabbed my muffin and made a mad dash for the door. To make things worse, they all watched me leave, like I was a mouse working its way out of a maze.
“Sheridan, there you are!” Zack was out on the lawn, all smiles as I hurried down the steps. His familiar and welcoming face was a breath of fresh air, especially after being in that suffocating house.
“Come on.” He twirled one of those crystal arrows like a baton. “I’ll take you to your first class.”
I latched myself to his side. “What’s going on, Zack? Everyone in there was being super weird.”
“Whoa, calm down,” he said, chuckling. “It’s probably just curiosity. You’re from the human world, and you’re an Ares descendant.”
I didn’t buy that. Those Aphrodite people dissected me like I was some kind of magical superfreak specimen.
“There are lots of freshmen,” I pointed out. “How do they know who I am?” I stared him down, letting him know I wanted answers.
He sighed. “Look, I might be the incarnation of love and cuteness, but it doesn’t mean I understand how teenagers think.”
Ugh, he was no help.
At least the walkways were safe. Out here, everyone minded their own business as they made their way to class. Togas of all shades dotted the grounds, and I blended into the fold without much notice.
“Oh, that reminds me,” Zack said, tossing his arrow back into his pack. “You have a message from Xander Arius. He said to meet him at lunch in the woods by the courtyard. Looks like you’re already making friends in high places.” He clapped me once on the back, wagging a brow. “Good for you, Thorne.”
I straightened at the name. He told me he would find me, but I was kind of afraid to find out why. Not only that, but why in the woods? I really wanted to stay out of trouble. If I met with Xander, even secretly, I would be directly disobeying Grandpa’s orders. And even though he wasn’t here to catch me, I had a nagging feeling he’d find out.
“He’s not a friend,” I said to Zack. “I don’t even know the guy.”
“Everyone knows him. House leader of Ares. Highly skilled with magic—he’s kind of a star around here.”
“Well, I heard he was trouble,” I said, thinking about what Hazel told me.
Zack nodded. “Oh, he’s trouble, too. The guy refuses to back down from a fight. It kinda makes him a target, but it’s also how he made it to where he’s at.”
I blinked, gaining some respect for the guy. He sounded fearless. “I was referring to the rumors about his family.”
“Oh, you mean about them being Hollows?” Zack looked around, making sure no one was listening, in the same cagey way Hazel had.
I nodded.
“Don’t buy into it. Hollows are full of cold, dark magic. I speak from personal experience. Witnessed one myself being escorted to prison on Winter Island.” He shivered. “You’d know if one was around.”
To be fair, nothing about Xander seemed cold or dark when I met him. In fact, just the opposite…
Still. Keeping my distance was probably a good idea. There was no need to further piss off Grandpa, and I really, really needed to stay focused. The Fates sent me here for balance and inner clarity, and neither of those things seemed possible around that guy.
“We’re here,” Zack said, stopping in front of the Academia building with the animals carved into the arches. “Your classroom is the f
irst one on the right.”
“Thanks, kid.”
“Yep. See you later for Mirror Realm.”
I still had no idea what that was, but it was too late to ask Zack since he was already walking away. Oh well. Guess I’d find out soon enough.
Taking a deep breath, I looked up at the intimidating entrance. A pair of lions topped the archway, carved mid-roar. I bit down on my bottom lip and started climbing the stairs, hoping for the best.
Here goes nothing.
11
The torment didn’t end in House Aphrodite. Class was just as bad, if not worse. The whispers and stares started almost as soon as I sat down.
“Daniel Thorne’s daughter.”
“Cursed.”
“Why is she in Aphrodite?”
“Why is she at Arcadia?”
“Where is her sister?”
My cheeks flamed and my whole body went stiff. I hated being the subject of so much attention without knowing why. This couldn’t all be because I switched houses. Headmaster Waddley said it wasn’t often done, but he never warned me I would become the freaking outcast of Arcadia.
For a long while, the seat next to me remained empty, no one brave enough to sit there. The room itself was lovely. Rows of stone tables arranged with polished wooden chairs in place of the plastic and metal versions I knew from my old school. The walls were covered with oil paintings, bookshelves, and a giant candelabra floated from the high ceiling. But I couldn’t focus on any of it, too distracted by everyone else.
“She doesn’t belong.”
Hmm.
They were probably right. Outside of this place, I was a would-be murderer. Here, I didn’t know the first thing about magic. I wasn’t sure where I belonged.
A dark-haired girl in a black toga sat down, dropping her stack of books on the table. “Hello, Thorny. I’m Jett.”
Hades descendant, obviously. She wore a spiky choker collar, her eyes were surrounded with black shadow, and her magic felt different than any I’d encountered so far. It smelled of charcoal and minerals, and it felt like an iron grip.
I cleared my throat. “You know my name?”
“Everyone knows your name.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to get that,” I said sheepishly. “But how?”
She pulled out a notebook from her bag and set it out on the table. “Apparently, your dad was some sort of legend.”
Dad?
Maybe she meant Grandpa. I couldn’t see my studious professor father making waves in a school like this.
“No, I meant your dad. Daniel Thorne, right?”
I nearly jumped out of my chair. Holy shit—she can read minds!
“Only when the subject is close, and only when the thoughts are really loud, like yours.”
“Well, stop it,” I practically screeched. “That’s an invasion of privacy.”
She rolled her eyes, like I was making a big fuss over nothing. “You can shut me out if you try hard enough. Look for me.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant, but then I started to pay attention to her magic again, noticing that sharp, cold feeling at the center of my skull. I visualized a hot, solid shield and put it up like a fence around my thoughts.
“Good job,” she said, looking impressed. “But that smacked of Ares magic, and you’re supposed to be Aphrodite, aren’t you?”
How the hell did this chick know so much about me? How did everyone know so much about me?
“That’s true.” I cleared my throat. “While we’re on the subject, I thought the mind tricks belonged to Athena.”
“Hades descendants are gifted psychics too. We have to be in order to bridge the gap between the land of the living and the dead. Most of us can communicate with spirits.” Bitterness filled her voice as she set out a pen and a notebook. “Unfortunately, that particular talent skipped a generation in my family.”
I wouldn’t have minded, but Jett sounded torn up about losing out on that ability. “If it makes you feel any better, I’d much rather read minds.”
“That’s why you’re not in Hades.” She smiled, easing the tension. “Don’t worry, by the way. Everyone will be talking about something else by the end of the week.”
God, I hoped so. “Do you know what my dad did that made him so, um, legendary?”
She flinched at the question, but the classroom door slammed close before she could reply. The sound echoed throughout the room, and a hush fell over the students.
A tiny woman with a pixie cut scurried inside, carrying a box of supplies that she placed on the front desk. “Hello, hello! Welcome to Basic Magic Principles.”
For a woman so small, her shrill voice carried throughout the large space.
“I’m Professor Ambrosia. Now, before we begin, we need to set something straight.” She walked down the main aisle, folding her arms across her chest as she scanned our faces. “This class is taught at first period because the morning is the best time of the day for practicing magic. Energy is regenerated through sleep cycles, and the dawn provides us with the perfect blank canvas. However”—her expression became formidable, making it clear her next words needed to be taken seriously—“upon your next arrival to this class, I expect each and every one of you to respect your energy in complete and utter silence. That means the moment you enter those doors, there will be no talking, no whispering, and you will most certainly refrain from befouling my classroom with your incessant gossip.”
Her eyes landed on me, a sense of knowing in her sharp gaze. Oh god. She knew I was the subject of said gossip. I scooted down in my seat, as if that might help me disappear. Jett even gave me a look of pity. Great.
Thankfully, Professor Ambrosia turned on her heel, making her way back to the chalkboard. “Moving on. Please take out your books,” she said. “You’ll have to ask them to open for you.”
Ask…the…book?
Oh man.
I was never going to get used to this school.
On my way to my next class, I got lost. Zack wasn’t lying when he said this place was full of mazes. Somehow, I ended up on the outskirts, where the edge of the academy’s manicured lawn met with unruly forest.
“Looking for Mythonian History?” someone shouted, heading down a path that led away from the sidewalk. “This way!”
I looked up from the map the headmaster gave me, and a pair of lavender togas slipped through the trees. It seemed like a strange place for a classroom. Then again, this was a school full of mazes. If that’s the way the students were going, it must be that way. I treaded across the ground, looking for a pathway.
A branch snapped under my feet.
Netting came around me from all sides. The ground flew away as I was pulled higher and higher. I was dangling from the tree like an animal waiting for slaughter. My heart raced, and I gasped for breath, clawing at the rope around me.
Had I been booby trapped?
A sly familiar laugh came from below. I moved frantically to try and find its owner.
Her—Ione.
She was with a boy almost as pretty as she was. They stood there like gawking supermodels in their lavender togas, grinning from ear to ear.
“Trapped, fire-blood?” she called up to me.
I wanted to give her a snarky obviously, but stopped myself since they looked like the only people around who could help.
“Do you think you can get me down?”
She laughed again, shaking her head. “No, I don’t think so. I think you’re exactly where you need to be.”
That little—“Did you set this trap?”
“Does it matter? Either way, I wouldn’t help you. Like I said before, one way or another, you’ll be gone before week’s end. My advice is to leave now.” She turned to her pretty boyfriend. “Don’t you agree that’s wise advice, Felix?”
He nodded, grinning. “Very wise indeed.”
“See? Told you.” She actually had the audacity to wave goodbye. “Remember, fire-blood. Things can always get worse for you.�
�
Worse than being caught in a snare? There was something seriously wrong with that girl.
“What is your problem?” I shouted, but the two of them walked away. They pretended I no longer existed, heading back down the sidewalk. “And how am I supposed to leave if I’m stuck up here?”
I hit the netting with my palms, growling. My eyes stung. I was over this school. I wanted to go home, back to my own school where no one gossiped about me. I wanted to go back to the way it was before I found out about Riley and Connor. Before I tried to kill my sister. Before I found out about magic…
Magic.
I focused on the top of the net, trying to untie the knot with my mind. Then I tried to start a fire to sear it apart.
Nothing happened. Figured.
It was only my first day in, so it wasn’t like I was an expert. I had no phone either, thanks to Mythos’s stupid no-technology policy. Grandpa mentioned I’d have to contact him through the postal service. Absolutely ridiculous in this day and age, but apparently, that’s how things worked around here.
I sighed, looking around. Students were coming this way, a group of three red togas. I shouted, trying to get their attention.
“Hey!” I stuck my arm through one of the netting holes, waving it frantically. “Hey, you guys! Can you help me down?”
One of them heard me, thank God. A guy with shaggy brown hair and metal armbands. He turned to help, and the others followed suit, but they stopped as soon as they got a good look. The shaggy-haired guy shook his head. “Sorry, but we don’t help defectors. Get one of your own to help you out.”
“They won’t,” I mumbled, sounding more pathetic than I meant to.
He shrugged. “Not my problem.”
I gripped the net as I watched the three of them walk away, squeezing until my palms burned.
