Gifted: The Winterwood Academy Book 1: A Young Adult Witch Novel

by Kate A. Fox

  I was almost sure the light was bright enough for their to be no need of the oil lamps but still they flickered in their iron lampposts and the wall sconces that hung from each building, lighting up every path so that the only shadows were forced to remain at the very edges of the courtyard.

  Even seeing the courtyard for the second time I was astonished by its beauty.

  "Here we are." Merrin told me as we stood before the steps that led up to the double doors leading into the girls dorm.

  Above them, just like the doors of the main building, was a carved sigil. This one, however, was different from the last. A circle sat at its centre with two crescent moons placed back to back on either side.

  "That is the sigil of the triple Goddess." Merrin explained to me, "As the personification of the moon herself, Selene sits in the centre with her sisters to her left and right."

  Even as she said the words I felt a deep pulsing inside of me that definitely wasn't my heart.

  Welcome my daughter. The voice spoke in my head once more and I began to tremble for what felt like the millionth time that night.

  "Ascend the steps and look upon your new home." Merrin instructed me and I did as she said.

  With every step I could feel my confidence growing. It was broken the moment that the door swung open and I stepped inside.

  I had half expected the building to be dark and silent but to my astonishment there were girls of all ages sat on deep purple and navy blue sofas. Several of them were lounging on large, oversized bean bags in pastel colours. More still were standing around a pool table on the far side of the room with cues in hand. A television blasted music from the MTV channel and some half naked woman was dancing on the screen but nobody was paying much attention to it.

  In fact, none of them were paying it any attention at all as they all turned to gawk at me. I should have known that, even at a cult school, the kids would be up late on a Friday night. Or should I say Saturday morning?

  "Merry Meet, girls. Greet your newest sister. Brianna Winters!" Merrin's voice boomed.

  The girls all began to offer up their welcomes. Some simply saying hello, others shouting 'merry meet'. A couple of the girls even got up from their seats to come over to me.

  "Hey, Brianna. My name is Zoe Johnson." A girl with short cropped curly black hair smiled at me. She had a rounded face that bordered on chubby but she was still hella pretty with almond shaped brown eyes.

  "Zoe is to be your roommate." Merrin told me and I felt a wave of relief. Although she was already a member of this crazy cult, Zoe seemed almost normal. In fact, she seemed quite friendly.

  "I'm Keeya Davenport." A second girl said. Clearly of African descent, her skin was warm and smooth and the colour of a creamy caramel mocha. Her thick black hair was combed back from her face in a ponytail and it looked as though she’d used a ton of product to stop it from sticking out at odds and ends.

  Was everyone here good-looking or was it just my imagination?

  I glanced around the room and found that although there were girls of all shapes and sizes, none of them could be described as ugly.

  "Hi, I'm Brianna."

  Keeya began to giggle as though I'd said the funniest thing imaginable and I felt instantly stupid. Of course they already knew that.

  "I'm so happy to finally have a roommate again!" Zoe chuckled as though she thought I was funny too.

  Again? What had happened to her last roommate?

  A small tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach told me it was best not to ask the question out here in front of everyone.

  Both the girls and Merrin hung their heads for a moment as if a moment of silence was passing between them. Yet another thing that made me glad I hadn't opened my big mouth.

  “Zoe, perhaps as Brianna’s roommate, you might be kind enough to give her a tour of the dormitory?” Merrin said, her smile warm but there was clear authority in her voice that said Zoe didn’t actually have a choice. I could only hope that she would be happy enough to give me a tour otherwise I was just going to be a pain in the ass for her. Just what I wanted, to get off on the wrong foot with my roommate.

  “Sure! I’d be happy to.” Zoe said in a chipper voice and before I realised what she was doing, she had linked her arm with mine.

  “We’d be happy to Lecturer Merrin.” Keeya added with the same sweet smile.

  “Thank you girls.” Merrin offered them a mirrored expression before she turned to the rest of the room. “Have a wonderful night girls. Merry part.”

  With that she turned and made her way from the building, her ashy blonde hair swept behind, caught by a breeze that was coming from outside.

  That sweet, sharp breeze did nothing to ease the heat that was causing me to sweat buckets. Was it just me or was the weather getting hotter by the day? Or was it because I was nervous? I couldn’t be sure but I found myself wishing I could follow Merrin back into the coolness of the night.

  “Follow us!” Zoe said and she began to lead me through the groups of girls who had all begun to turn back to whatever they had been doing before.

  She led me towards an archway to the left that looked eerily like the one in the main building. It too was carved with plants and I knew without seeing that inside would be some kind of dining room.

  When we stepped through I found myself standing in a pastel green painted kitchen. The surfaces were all made of what looked like oak including the huge dining table that sat beneath a large five panelled window. What was more interesting were the number of fridges and microwaves that sat along one wall behind an island surface that sat at the very centre of the room.

  “As I’m sure you can tell, this is the kitchen.” Keeya chuckled and rolled her eyes.

  “The fridges are full of food and drink that the school provides us with. It’s all snacks and stuff because all our main meals are prepared for us in the main dining hall.” Zoe explained.

  “Are you guys seriously telling me that I missed all the excitement?” a bubbly yet frustrated voice sounded behind us and I whipped around to see a pretty, petite girl stood under the archway. Her icy blonde hair took me by surprise for a moment and I was reminded once more of the woman in my dream.

  But the closer I looked the more I realised she definitely wasn’t her. There was no illuminating light emanating from her and she didn’t make me feel the same way that the supposed ‘Goddess’ had made me feel.

  She was just a normal girl with skin so pale that it was almost the same shade as mine, and pale blue eyes that reminded me of a cloudless summer sky. They were beautiful even behind the thick rimmed glasses that she was wearing.

  I made a quick mental note: some witches still need glasses. Anything to keep myself feeling as normal as possible.

  “Brianna Winters, this is Lucille Fields.” Zoe explained, gesturing at the girl who I finally noticed was wearing pale blue pyjamas that were decorated with small stars.

  “Hey Brianna! It’s so nice to finally meet you!”

  Lucille swept up like a pretty blonde whirlwind and enveloped me in her arms. The scent of fresh perfume was clouded all around her but beneath it I could smell something else, something that oddly reminded me of the ocean.

  So shocked by the turn of events I couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

  “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to her lack of boundaries.” Keeya chuckled as if she saw the startled look on my face.

  “It's not my fault you are so cold and heartless!” Lucille said but her voice was not unfriendly and she stuck her tongue out, reminding me of Polly. A fresh wave of homesickness battled its way through my stomach.

  “Let’s not start with the bickering.” Zoe rolled her eyes at the two of them, “We’re showing Brianna around.”

  “You know, you can call me Bri.” I put in and all three girls turned to look at me.

  “Bri it is.” Zoe smirked back at me.

  I was a little bit shocked at myself. I only ever let my nearest and dearest ca
ll me Bri.

  “They call me Luci.” Lucille added as if that meant we had something in common. I could think of worse things to have in common and so I smiled back at her.

  “Enough with the introductions.” Zoe said almost as if she was annoyed, “You are interrupting my tour.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle, biting my lip to stop them from noticing. When Zoe got annoyed she seemed to turn into a pretty little pixie haired bobble head. It was kinda cute.

  “There’s a toilet just through there.” Zoe explained pointing to a door to the right that led into the back part of the building. Around it were carvings of waves.

  “Next we’ll show you the study room.” Keeya said and Zoe glared at her as though she was not pleased to have her limelight stolen once more.

  “Merrin asked me to show her around, remember?” Zoe snapped.

  “I was just trying to help.” Keeya blushed.

  I suddenly couldn’t help but think that maybe I had walked right into some kind of fight.

  Then Zoe smiled and purred, “I know.”

  She turned to me then and gripped my arm once more, leading me back through the archway and across the main room to another archway that was carved with the same wind symbols that had been on the library in the main building.

  “This is the study room.” Zoe explained.

  I didn’t really need her to tell me that but I smiled and nodded anyway.

  The room was larger than I expected and filled with back to back desks that each had their own laptop. Around the edge were bookshelves that were practically bursting with books.

  “We can use the laptops any time we like but just remember that anything you do on them is recorded and checked by the lecturers.” Zoe warned as though she thought I was going to start looking at some kind of black market material. I mean, what could be more black market than witchcraft?

  Was I beginning to sound like one of those crazy Christian kids who thought that witchcraft and such was forbidden? Maybe I was. It made me cringe. I’d never been one for judging but this was all new to me.

  “There’s also a toilet back there.” Zoe pointed at another door that seemed to mirror the one in the kitchen.

  “Finally we’ll take you up to see your room!” Zoe sounded excited.

  As soon as she took me up the winding staircase to the right of the main room and down the hall to a room right at the very end, I could see why.

  When she opened up the door, which I noticed didn’t just open on its own as the others had, I saw that the room was huge. Scratch that, it was giant.

  The walls were painted a pale purple with silver trim and all the furniture was made of the same old oak that had been in the kitchen and the study. There were two double beds facing each other on either side of the room. There were two closets set into the walls next to the beds. Two desks. Two mirrors. Even two windows looking out onto what appeared to be an empty field at the back of the academy.

  The bed on the left was dressed in a red and orange duvet set and red drapes hung from the four posts that surrounded it. Hanging on the wall were posters of horses. A shelf of books with titles like, ‘Healing’ and ‘The World’s Flowers’ and ‘Spells and Potions’, was set above the desk. That side of the room was decorated just as I would expect a teenager’s room to be. There were even red and orange cushions on the bed that reminded me of the ones I had at home, although they weren’t heart shaped.

  Yet another stab of homesickness hit me in the gut.

  The other side however was bear save for a mint green duvet set and dark purple drapes that hung around the bed itself.

  How did they know my favourite colours?

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure your things from home will arrive before Monday and you’ll start to feel more comfortable.” Zoe told me in a soft voice as though she sensed how hard this was for me.

  “Zoe’s right. It always feels better when you have your own things around you.” Luci added.

  “This place is the best home I’ve ever had.” Keeya shrugged and I almost felt sorry for her until Luci spoke up again.

  “That’s because you’ve never really had a home. You always moved again by the time you got comfortable somewhere.”

  Keeya shrugged.

  “K is an army brat.” Zoe explained to me as though she saw the look of bewilderment.

  That made me feel even more ‘normal’ knowing that at least one of the girls had something in common with my best friend.

  “It really is nice here.” Zoe continued, “They treat us like adults, hence the double beds.”

  “That is until you give them something to treat you like a child for.” Luci commented and the girls all cringed as though there was some kind of terrible punishment when someone did something stupid.

  I made a mental note not to allow myself to find out what that was.

  "Why don't you try out your new bed?" Keeya suggested as if to quickly change the subject.

  Suddenly I remembered just how exhausted I was and I was relieved to have an excuse to sit down.

  Crossing the room I couldn't help but notice how plush the carpet was. My feet seemed to sink into the deep pile. The second I set my butt down on the bed it began to mould into my body.

  “Seriously, lie down! These things are amazing.” Keeya instructed and I did as she said, more because I was exhausted than the fact she was telling me what to do.

  She was right. The mattress did feel amazing. It moulded around me, embracing me in all the right spots.

  “Anyone would think you guys have never heard of a water mattress.” Luci chuckled.

  Of course I’d heard of one but I’d never actually laid on one before. I had to admit that it certainly was an experience. The thought of sleeping on one every night made me wonder whether I might, for once, feel well rested. That was if I could sleep at all after everything that had happened to me over the last forty eight hours.

  “We should probably leave you to acclimate.” Keeya chuckled as though she saw my eyes already beginning to droop.

  Acclimate? What kind of teenager used big words like that?

  I never got the chance to ask because Zoe spoke up before my slow brain allowed my mouth to open.

  “Are we still meeting to go down to the river tomorrow?”

  “Of course! That is if Bri is up for it?” Keeya asked and all three girls turned to look at me, hopeful.

  “The river?”

  “Yeah. There’s a river on the outskirts of the campus at the back of the academy.” Zoe explained.

  “We usually go down there to chill on Saturdays because it seems to be the only place on campus that any of us can get any peace.” Luci rolled her eyes.

  “That and Keeya likes to practise.” Zoe added and Keeya rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t spoil the surprise for Bri!” Keeya warned her, “I want to be able to see her face when she sees what I can do.”

  “Urgh...fine but you’re no fun.” Zoe sat on her bed in a huff and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Don’t be a baby.” Keeya laughed and gave Zoe a quick wink before she headed back towards the door, “Come on, Luci. I’m tired.”

  “Guess that means we’re going to bed.” Luci rolled her eyes and I watched in quiet astonishment as the girls gripped hold of each other’s hands.

  “You know you love a good cuddle.” Keeya chuckled and gave Luci a peck on the cheek.

  “Night guys.” Luci blew us a kiss.

  “Love you.” Keeya purred and then the two of them disappeared out of the room, clicking the door closed behind them.

  “Don’t mind them. They always start getting all lovey dovey when bedtime comes around.” Zoe huffed and reached for one of the cushions on her bed to wrap her arms around it and clutch it to her chest.

  “They’re…” I began but she filled in the blank for me.

  “They’re gay.”

  “Wow!” I exclaimed before I had a chance to stop it.

  “
What? They don’t have lesbians at your old school?” she scowled at me and I instantly began to blush.

  “Of course we did!” I responded a little too quickly before adding, “They just weren’t so...so open about it.”

  “You’ll get used to it.” Zoe assured me, “Love, respect and connection are encouraged here, just so long as you don’t go being a slut about it.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle at her words.

  “You know, if you are going to fall asleep you should probably get changed.” Zoe said and it was clear that she’d noticed how tired I was just as Keeya had.

  “I don’t have anything to change into.” I admitted, another flush of embarrassment flashing across my face.

  “Check your closest.” Zoe gestured to the door that sat beside my bed.

  With a groan, I forced myself up and wandered over to it. A part of me almost expected it to open up for me but when it didn’t I quickly gripped the handle and pulled it open.

  To my surprise there was a whole wardrobe of fresh, new clothes. A quick glance was all I needed to know that everything seemed to be exactly the kind of thing I liked to wear. There were skinny jeans, vest tops and v-neck t-shirts, jean shorts and even a couple of tank tops for when it got really hot. On the top shelf there were three sets of silk pyjamas in mint, lilac and dark purple, just like the ones Nicola had brought me for Christmas a couple of years ago.

  The only things that weren’t quite my style were the black and green plaid skirts that hung along with matching green silk blouses.

  “What are these?” I asked, even as I separated them from the rest of the clothing that was hanging from the rail so that I could get a look. On the left breast of the blouse was the same moon symbol I’d seen carved above the door of the dormitory.

  “That’s our uniform.” Zoe explained, “First years wear green. Second years wear blue. Third years wear orange. Fourth years wear red and Fifth years wear purple.”

  Five years. Was that how long I was going to be here?

  “What happens after five years?” I asked, inquisitively.