by Lexie Scott
“These rooms are charmed, so no one outside of it can hear us.”
I glanced around as if I could see proof of the spell.
“It makes it so groups can meet here without disturbing the quiet of the students studying out in the main area.”
“That’s nice.”
“It also means that whatever you say in here won’t be heard by anyone else, so tell me what’s going on.”
Where was I supposed to start? I felt like a crazy, obsessed girl because of what I saw, even if I couldn't control it.
“Have you ever seen something?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re going to have to be a tad more specific.”
“Like a memory of something, but it hasn’t happened yet.”
“A premonition?” she offered.
As soon as she said the word, it felt right. My intuition recognized it. “Yeah, that.”
She leaned her hip against the table and folded her arms. “I’ve had a few. My psychic abilities aren’t very strong. Why? What did you see?”
This was it. The moment I decided to trust her. She could use this information to tease me and humiliate me in front of Sai and the guys, or she would prove she was really my friend. I didn’t have much to lose, so I went for it.
“Sai ran into me on my way here and when he touched my arms this . . . premonition came into my mind. But it felt familiar, like I was watching a memory. But it couldn’t have been because we barely met each other.”
“Okay, what did you see?”
I sighed, preparing myself for her to tell me I was crazy. “We were walking down a city sidewalk, holding hands, and laughing, and we looked like we were in love.” I rushed out the last three words, hoping she wouldn't hold on to that part.
Her brows shot to her hairline. “Really?”
I swallowed. “Yeah. What does it mean?”
She puffed out a breath. “From what I understand, premonitions are glimpses into possible futures. Since there are a million decisions we make each day, the future can change.”
“It was just strange how real it felt.”
“That’s interesting. The few I’ve had didn’t necessarily have emotions tied to them. I simply saw myself at this school in my first one.”
“It didn’t feel like a memory?”
She shook her head. “Not that I remember.”
“What do you think that means?” I had no one else to ask, and I wanted answers.
“Maybe it’s more likely to happen?” She guessed. “I’m really not sure. I wasn’t put into the psychic program because my abilities weren’t strong enough. Maybe yours are.”
I dropped my head back. “I’m not sure I can handle another thing.”
She chuckled. “I’ll keep your secret for now. But if Mrs. Hedgings is tutoring you, then I bet it will take a week or two to figure it out.”
“Great, I can’t wait.” I sighed and picked up my stack of books, but I paused. “Oh, there’s something else.”
She perked up. “What?”
“Mrs. Brooks told Niall he has to tutor me in Water Magic.”
Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth, but I caught the corners turning up and I swatted at her.
“No laughing at me!”
That broke her, and she giggled uncontrollably. “Sorry, it’s just him? Of all people?”
I rolled my eyes but finally caved. “I know. It’s terrible. He already hates me, and now he’s being forced to help me.”
“At least he’ll be able to glare at you up close now.”
“Thanks,” I deadpanned. “Super helpful.”
She just grinned. “You’ll survive. I hope.”
I groaned and picked up my books, and she took hers. “Come on, let’s go drop these off, then we can get dinner and study after.”
I wanted to take a break, maybe catch my breath after a whirlwind day, but she was right. I had way too much to do just to get my head above water.
When we got to the dining hall, it wasn’t nearly as full as I expected. “Where is everyone?”
“Most of the sports have practice right now. Plus, the hall is open from five to eight-thirty each night, so we can come when we want.”
We each took a tray, and she selected a chef salad while I opted for a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. She went back to the spot where we ate lunch, and I sat across from her.
“Do Daniel and Malik play sports?” I assumed that was why they weren’t here.
Her cheeks pinked just slightly. “Yeah, they both play soccer and rugby.”
I watched her closely, but she avoided my gaze. “So, is it Malik or Daniel?”
Her fork dropped to her tray. “What?”
“Which one do you have a crush on?”
She shook her head and focused on her salad like it was suddenly the most interesting thing in the room.
“Oh, come on. You blushed when I brought them up, so just tell me.”
She looked around before her shoulders dropped. “Promise not to say anything?”
I nodded and leaned in.
“Daniel.” She sighed. “I’ve liked him since our first year, but he’s only ever seen me as a friend.”
I thought over the times I’d seen them together, but I didn’t pick up on any signals from either of them. “Does he know?”
She shook her head. “No, and he never will.”
“Why not?” I bit off a corner of my grilled cheese.
“Because he’s one of my best friends, and I don’t think I’m his type. I can’t tell him and ruin what we have.”
“How do you know you’re not his type? Has he dated anyone else?”
“Not seriously. He’s gone on a few dates, but they never last.”
I wagged my spoon at her. “I wonder why?”
She rolled her shoulders back and tightened her high ponytail. “He goes for the typical blondes with perfect bodies and more interest in makeup than school.”
So, the cheerleaders, if the school had a cheer team.
“But they don’t last, so that’s obviously not his right kind of girl.”
“Tell that to him,” she grumbled.
I felt for her. It sucked having a crush on a guy who didn’t notice you, at least not that way. I didn’t want to make her more upset, so I changed the subject back to sports.
“We didn’t have a rugby team at my old school. Is there not a football team?”
She perked back up. “No, the school tried to offer it, but the shifters took offense to the pads and helmets. Apparently, real sports don’t have protection. So, rugby took its place and is now so popular that there are four teams.”
“Four? Not just varsity and junior varsity?”
“Nope, each year there are too many shifters and vampires, even a few witches who are brave enough, that want to play. Plus, it’s not like they can play against any local high schools, not that there are any within a few hours. But shifters versus non-supes in sports is just unfair. The championship team from Drexel plays one of the other supe schools. The school that wins holds the title for the year.”
“Other supe schools? Where are they?”
“There’s an all-shifter school in Alaska, two schools in South America, one in Australia, two in Asia, and one in Europe. Those are all open to the three species now, but it’s only been a few years.”
“Why isn’t the one in Alaska for all species?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. Maybe not enough witches and vampires want to go there.” She stabbed her fork into her salad and took a bite.
“So, what other sports are there?”
“It goes rugby, soccer, track and field, then swimming.”
“Only those four?” What about basketball, volleyball, tennis?
“Those are the favorites, so the schools decided to focus on those. There are girls’ teams for each if you’re interested.”
I shook my head and broke off a corner of my sandwich. “No thanks. I have zero athletic pr
owess.” I held up my right arm and pointed out three small bruises. “I get hurt enough just existing. These two are from walking into corners, and I can’t remember where this one came from.”
“Me too. Plus, going up against super speed and strength isn’t very much fun for witches.”
“There’s not a spell or potion you can use?”
She shook her head. “No. There are rules against that, which is stupid, but oh well.”
That hardly seemed fair, but since I had no interest in joining any of the teams, it wasn’t something I had to worry about. There was more than enough on my plate already.
“So, Daniel and Malik won’t be around for dinner?”
She pushed her salad around. “Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they have games or practice. They already committed to studying with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays and even the weekends if you need more help.”
“They’re willing to spend their only free time helping me?” Why would they do that?
She nodded. “They’re your friends now too. Plus, it’s not like there’s a ton to do outside of studying here.”
That was a fair point. We weren’t allowed off campus, and I’d overheard that the nearest town was over an hour away and had one gas station, diner, and motel. Not exactly the most tempting place to escape to.
“That’s really nice of them. I’ll have to find a way to repay you all.”
She waved me off. “Saige, I’m serious. We’re friends. You don’t need to pay us back. I’m sure a time will come when you can help us, but no one is keeping score.”
That was good because I doubted I would be of help to them anytime soon.
“Have you heard about the new group that’s here?” She leaned toward me, but her eyes were on the food line.
I shook my head. “Not unless you told me about them.”
“I forgot to mention them before. I guess they kind of count as a fourth supe species, but it’s debatable. They aren’t completely non-supes but aren’t exactly witches either. From what I’ve heard they only have one ability, and it doesn’t fall under the normal elements.”
“Really? What are they then?”
She faced me. “They’re a part of a group called the Sorcerer's Society. They’re descendants of witches, but I guess over time their abilities changed. I heard the group of them were in some sort of trouble, so they had to come here because it was the only safe place.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure of all the details. The girls live on the floor below us cause they’re a year younger.”
I studied the group of three girls and eight guys. They did seem a little out of place. No one else was talking to them and seemed to give them a wide space.
“The best part is that the girl,” she pointed over her shoulder, “that one with the long brown hair.”
I darted my eyes the girl’s direction, and Hannah continued, “She’s with five of the guys.”
“With them? Like in a relationship?” I was so confused. “Do the guys know?”
“Oh yeah, it’s like they’re bonded, but I don’t think the Sorcerer’s Society members bond if I’m right.”
“Bond?” I asked.
“Like mated or married.” She hurried on. “It’s not that uncommon in our society for polyamorous relationships to occur, but five? Man, she’s either the luckiest girl in the world or cursed.”
“Which are her five?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. They kind of always move as a group, and they’re all in the same classes, so I haven’t been able to narrow it down.”
I continued to watch them, focusing on the pretty brunette. She seemed friendly with all of them and touched all of their arms, shoulders, and backs, so I couldn’t tell either.
“Huh.” I didn’t know what else to say. I’d dated some back home but never anything serious. My longest relationship lasted two months and ended when his best friend wrote me a note in biology, telling me he wanted to break up. I’d only shrugged and told him that was fine with me. He didn’t like holding hands at school and always wanted to make out during movies. I didn’t miss him.
I couldn't imagine having five boyfriends. Hopefully, they were better than my ex. But who had time for that? How did she split her attention between all of them, or did they do massive group dates?
Five guys doting on you couldn't be so bad though. Right?
Chapter 15
A knock sounded on our door, and I looked up from my history book to check if Natasha was going to get it. Even though it was late, I wanted to read through the first chapter of all my texts before tomorrow’s classes, so I didn’t feel as behind going in for my traditional classes I’d missed for my assessment.
Natasha had her emerald headphones on, so I slid off my bed and went to see who our visitor was. When I opened the door, I stepped back. A tall, pale boy had his arm up, holding a plastic bag out at my eye level.
I cringed at the contents. Fingernail clippings. Gross.
“These are for Natasha.” He waved it, and I took the offending bag. He left without another word.
I closed the door and tossed the bag next to my roommate on her desk. She flinched and pulled off her headphones to glare at me. “Who are these from?”
“How many vampires do you have bringing you their nails?” I climbed back on my bed and resumed my reading position.
“A few.”
That wasn’t comforting. I didn’t like the idea of strangers’ body parts laying around our room. Even if it was just nails, hair, and venom. My human-raised brain had trouble adjusting.
“He was really tall, thin, and super pale.”
She rolled her eyes. “Jesper.”
At least Hannah and the guys warned me about the exchanges between the three species, or this would have been a much different conversation. “Are you working on a spell?”
Her gaze snapped to me. “What if I am?”
I wasn’t going to back down just because she was trying to intimidate me. It might be a stupid idea, but I was sick of quietly taking it when she tried to push me around.
“I was just curious. I haven’t seen one that uses any vampire contributions yet.”
Her eyes narrowed just slightly. “I’m helping a friend find their bonded. I’ve tried with hair, but it didn’t work. I’m trying nails this time.”
Bonded? Hannah’s mentioned that before, but it was also with so much other information that I never really paid attention.
“What’s a bonded?”
She turned in her chair, completely facing me. “You really have no idea what you’re doing here do you?”
I shrugged. “I’m here to learn about my abilities.”
She rolled her eyes. “I mean, you don’t understand our world.”
“It’s been one day. Cut me some slack.”
The corners of her lips flicked up for a nanosecond, almost like a smile, but stopped. I had to be wrong. No way was Natasha softening toward me.
“But your parents didn’t even tell you? About the bond?” she asked.
I shook my head. “They’re human. They don’t know anything about this world either.”
“Right.” She pulled her headphones from around her neck and sat them on the desk. “The bond is a magical connection between two supes. Sometimes we call those two people pairs. When a pair finds each other and forms the bond, it can amplify their abilities making them individually more powerful, as well as together.”
I’d read enough fantasy romance novels for this to make sense. I never thought I’d be living in one though.
“How do you find your pair?” I asked.
“That’s the tricky part. There is no way of knowing who it is until you meet them, and even then, sometimes it isn’t an instant connection. Some people say they feel a sort of energy around their pair, but others don't. Some just get lucky.”
“Then why are you making that spell?”
She grinned. “Because it’s one of the few magical ways to find your pair. The problem is that
it takes some trial and error customizing it for the bond. The one I’m working on is close. We’ve been able to narrow it down to the school, so now I’m working on getting it even more specific.”
And nail clippings were supposed to help with that?
“It’s one of the tricks witches have that shifters and vampires want access to. Finding your pair is a big deal,” she continued while looking back at her notebook.
Yeah, most people would want to be more powerful.
“Can the bond be between anyone?” I asked.
“Like shifter and witch?” she asked to clarify, and I nodded. “Yeah, but there are some traditionalists who refuse to accept that. Or they think that the bond is only platonic in those cases.”
“Are they not all that way? Is a bond more than just about powers?”
“Most––if not all––pairs end up in a romantic relationship if that’s what you’re asking,” she said with a smirk.
“So it’s like your soul mate?”
She shot me an exasperated look. “If you want to turn it into a fairytale, sure.”
“And your friend’s pair is here? At the school? That’s amazing.” What were the odds of that happening?
“It’s not that unusual. There’s a reason the student body is so diverse. This was the only school that accepted all three species for a long time, and it’s the best one in the world. With such a high concentration of supes in one spot, it makes finding your pair a lot easier.”
That reminded me of what Hannah said on my very first day. “The bonded pairs live with the older students?”
“Yeah, once you bond, you don’t really want to live apart from your pair so the school allows them to live together, no matter their age.”
I leaned against the wall. “So have you tried to find yours?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don't need or want anyone telling me what to do or trying to control me,” she snapped back.
I flushed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean––.”
“It’s fine. You didn’t know.” She sucked in a breath. “Not everyone wants to be in a bond. They don’t always end in a happily ever after.”
