Grove Captain: Scythe Grove Academy #0.5

by Laura Greenwood

  Grove Captain

  Scythe Grove Academy #0.5

  Laura Greenwood

  Contents

  Keep Up To Date

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  Author Note

  Also by Laura Greenwood

  About the Author

  © 2021 Laura Greenwood

  * * *

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise – without prior written permission of the published, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address; lauragreenwood@authorlauragreenwood.co.uk.

  Visit Laura Greenwood’s website at:

  www.authorlauragreenwood.co.uk

  Cover Design by Taurus Colosseum

  Grove Captain is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Keep Up To Date

  To keep up to date with new releases, sales, and other updates, you can join my mailing list or Reader Group.

  Blurb

  Juliet has five days to get as many reaper bounty points as possible if she wants to become Sakura Grove's Captain.

  When Juliet and Tobias find a ghost with unfinished business on the moors, they know it's their duty to help him, even if it means losing the competition.

  Can they find a way to save the ghost and become Grove Captains?

  -

  Grove Captain is a prequel to the Scythe Grove Academy urban fantasy academy series (non-bully). It is full of reapers, ghosts, an m/f romantic subplot.

  Chapter One

  The night is surprisingly still, and I have to wonder where all of the other students are. Normally, Scythe Grove is alive with all the hustle and bustle which comes from so many students and no curfews.

  I step into the grove at the heart of the academy. I assume it's where the name came from in the first place. The moonlight is causing creepy looking shadows across the ground, but I don't pay them any attention. There's no reason to be uncomfortable here. The grove is full of magic, I can feel it in every part of me. The wood in the grove calls to me, like it does to all the other reapers. I'm not sure what they do to the trees here, but the wood here is tuned to make perfect scythes.

  The power makes me miss mine, but I don't need to carry it around unless I'm on an assignment.

  "Tobias? You there?" I call out, looking around for my classmate.

  "Here." He steps out from between two of the trees with a suspicious amount of dramatic flair.

  I roll my eyes. Why does he do this?

  "Are you ready to tell me why you wanted to meet me at midnight?" I ask, crossing my arms and leaning against one of the trees.

  Tobias chuckles, a sound which goes right through me. He steps closer, the moonlight illuminating his handsome features. "Don't you want a midnight rendezvous, Juliet?" he asks.

  "I'd rather have them with someone who will follow through," I quip.

  "Who says I won't?" His voice is low, almost as if he's interested in being more than just friends.

  I lean in, leaving our faces only inches apart. "Past experience." I push away from the tree and begin to pace up and down. "So, what do you want?"

  "To ask you to join my team for Grove Captain."

  The words stop me in my tracks, and I turn to face him. I'm sure my expression betrays my shock, as he shrugs it off. "What?"

  "Grove Captain is normally held by final years."

  "Yes. But there are no rules about it. I checked."

  "That doesn't mean we're qualified to do it."

  "Really? You're going to try that excuse? You're the best in our class."

  "I'm not sure that makes me suitable to be Sakura's Grove Captain." Though now I'm saying it, that does sound like the kind of thing I'd be good at. And it would look great on my CV when I apply for jobs once I'm done here at Scythe Grove. I want a position in the Reaper Guard, and to get that, I need to have everything I can in my corner. Being one of the youngest Grove Captains in the history of the academy would definitely be that.

  "You'd be the best Captain Sakura has ever seen. No one would do a better job."

  "Careful, I might start thinking you like me," I joke.

  "I do like you," he points out. "Or I wouldn't be asking you to do something so important with me. You know how it works."

  I nod. No one can compete for Grove Captain on their own, and the rules state that each person of the two-man team has to be from a different Grove. I think it's to stop there being any true splits between the Groves, just healthy competition.

  "Have you told Mathias about your plan?" I ask, curious as to why he isn't asking his twin to be his partner for this crazy plan. Mathias may not be able to beat me in tests, but he's still a good Porter.

  "Yes. He thought it was a great idea.”

  I raise an eyebrow. "Surprising." I begin pacing again to cover up my racing thoughts. A big part of me wants to say yes to him. It's just competing. If we're successful, then we become the Grove Captains for Sakura and Ilex for the year. If we lose, then we can try again next year, or the one after.

  "Mathias doesn't want responsibility," he points out.

  "It would make him a girl magnet."

  Tobias snorts. "He likes the attention, but have you ever seen him take a girl back to his dorm room?"

  "I can't say I've noticed. I don't spend my time watching your brother's nighttime habits."

  "Would you watch mine?"

  I freeze. Is he asking what I think he is? I shake my head. He's simply teasing. There's nothing in what he's saying, and I need to remember that.

  "Who else is competing?" I ask instead, keeping the topic on neutral ground. He's never shown any romantic interest in me before, and I don't think that's changed. He wants me on his team because he wants to win.

  "For Sakura and Ilex, no idea. But I talked to Rosie Barnes, she said she's entering for Hawthorn."

  I nod along, that doesn't surprise me. She isn't a final year, but she is in the one above us. She's competent, capable, and knows her stuff.

  "Who is her partner?"

  "Eleanor Van Beek." Ah, a final year in Banksia Grove.

  "Unexpected."

  "I think they're related," he says.

  "That makes more sense." It always amazes me how many related people there are at the academy, especially when reapers come from all over the world to attend Scythe Grove. Each reaper academy specialises in a different reaper skill set. Scythe Grove's speciality is Seers and Porters, who work in duos to help the lost souls of the world find their peace.

  "So, will you do it?" he prompts.

  "Just tell me when." I turn to face him, finding him standing closer than expected.

  A small smile spreads over his face, making my heart skip a beat.

  "I have to admit, you took less convincing than I thought you would."

  "Call it curiosity. I like to challenge myself."

  Our gazes lock onto one another, and for a fleeting moment, I think he may be more interested in me than he's letting on. I'm imagining it, I have to be. Tobias is the kind of person who knows what he wants, and g
oes after it. If he wanted to start something with me, then he'd have made his move already.

  Despite knowing that, I find myself biting my lip as I step closer to me.

  To my surprise, he doesn't back away. Have we ever spent this much time in a place that's just the two of us? Now I'm thinking about it, we haven't. And there's no reason to bring me here to ask the question about the Grove Captain competition, nothing about what we're doing is against any rules.

  "Juliet..." he whispers.

  "Yes?"

  Everything changes between us, I can feel it in the air. I'm not sure how we got so close together, or why anticipation feels as if it's hanging in the air.

  Tobias reaches out and pushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

  I guess I'm wrong about whether or not he likes me.

  Taking a chance, I close the little space there is left between us, and wrap one of my arms around his neck. When he doesn't pull away, I know I'm doing the right thing.

  Another couple of seconds pass before his lips are on mine and he has an arm around my waist pulling me to him. I kiss him back, throwing myself into the moment. Everything around us fades away, though I can still sense the magic coming from the trees in waves. Maybe it's just the effect of my kiss with Tobias, but it's almost as if it's stronger now.

  We break apart and stare at one another, neither of us saying a word.

  "So...that was something," I say to break the silence.

  Tobias steps back and rubs a hand across the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

  I raise an eyebrow. "You didn't want to kiss me?"

  "No? Yes? Eurgh. I hate negative questions."

  I almost want to laugh. I know what he means. It's hard to decide whether or not to say yes or no to those kinds of questions.

  He sighs. "I wanted to kiss you, but I didn't intend for it to go like that."

  I blink a couple of times as I try to process what he's saying. "How did you intend it to happen?"

  He chuckles. "Honestly?"

  "I find that's best."

  The smile doesn't leave his face, but it doesn't completely hide his nervousness. "I planned on spending time with you during the Grove Captain competition, then taking you out for a celebratory drink at the end. After that, I'd make my move."

  "What if we'd lost?" I ask, mostly out of curiosity.

  "Then it would have been a sorry we lost drink," he responds.

  "Interesting." It's not that I didn't think I liked him like that, I've always thought Tobias is attractive, and I admire his work ethic and intelligence, so I suppose this isn't completely unexpected. "So, what happens now? Are you still going to make me wait until after the Grove Captain test for that drink?"

  Relief washes over his face as he realises what I'm saying.

  "I'm free now, if you are?"

  I check my watch, but mostly to tease him a little bit. "I've got time."

  Chapter Two

  Tobias slips his hand into mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "It's going to be okay," he says needlessly.

  "I know. I'm just not sure what to expect," I admit.

  I'm sure the same is true of the other dozen students milling around the room. We're all here for the same reason, to find out more about the Grove Captain tests and what they involve. It's a well-kept mystery around the academy, which I suspect is to do with them wanting to make it fair to everyone involved. The only thing we know in advance is that the tests involve a reaper team, one Seer like Tobias, and one Porter, like me.

  It only takes a few minutes for me to make a note of the people in the room. There are at least three people from every Grove here, which is going to make it interesting. The three other Sakura students are going to make things harder for me. I don't know any of them personally, but I do know their reputations. All three of them are good students and strong contenders.

  The two of us are the only first years in the test, and it's starting to make me nervous. How are we going to be successful at this?

  Rosie Barnes nods at us from across the room, showing a surprising amount of support. For whatever reason, she must want us to do well.

  "What if we're making a mistake?" I whisper.

  "We aren't," Tobias assures me. "At worst, we know what to expect for next year."

  I sigh, but have to agree with his logic.

  "Attention everyone," Professor Montgomery calls from the front of the room.

  Everyone stops talking instantly, and I have to admit that it's nice to be in a room with only people who want to pay attention around. Considering coming to the academy is optional for reapers once we finish high school, it's strange how many people don't seem to care about learning.

  "Welcome to the Grove Captain presentation. We're pleased to announce that your teams have been ratified and approved to compete in the competition. If you're in this room, then you're in the running to become the next Captain for you Grove. If you have any questions, we please ask you to refrain from asking them until after the presentation," Montgomery continues.

  As one, the students around us begin to move to their seats. Tobias and I follow suit, selecting two near the back. Not that it matters when there are so few people in the room to begin with. Everyone is in the spotlight here.

  "As you're aware, the Captain competition is a long-standing tradition here at Scythe Grove Academy. We expect students competing to uphold the values of the student body. If you are discovered to be using methods deemed unfit by the Scythe Grove Academy code, then you will be immediately removed from the competition and will be barred from competing in future years."

  No one said anything, which wasn't a surprise. I doubt anyone in the room will be taking such risks. They all want to be Grove Captains too badly to risk it. The position looks too good on job applications and comes with better rooms for us students. I like the one I'm in now, but I could do with a bit more space.

  "I'm sure you're all wondering about what the task is," Montgomery says.

  The assembled students laugh nervously, that's the question everyone talks about at Scythe Grove. None of the older students who have taken part in the Grove Captain competition have ever revealed what happens in it, so we're all in the dark.

  "Your task is simple. You must accumulate bounty points. You have five days in which to do it," Montgomery continues. "After which, Grove Captains will be assigned."

  I scribble down notes as he explains more, but all he's really doing is outlining the rules, which are fairly standard and the normal ones we have to abide by as reapers. Don't kill anyone, don't interfere if someone is dying, and don't reap someone if it looks like it will cause harm to anyone else. We sign a declaration to do that the moment we start learning how to use our reaper powers, and it's why some reapers choose not to enter one of the academies teaching it. It used to be rare for reapers to ignore their heritage, but more and more often, younger reapers are deciding against this in an attempt to live a mundane life. I don't blame them. Sometimes, I feel the urge to abandon it all myself.

  "Bounty points is all it takes?" Tobias whispers to me. "We're good at those."

  "Is it really that simple?" I respond. "It can't be."

  "Hmm. Maybe there's a catch we're missing."

  "Exactly. We already know that only the best become Grove Captains, which means we need to think about more than just the bounty points."

  "If anyone has any questions, now is the time to ask them," Montgomery announces.

  Several hands shoot up into the air. I double-check my scribbled questions but don't put my hand up yet. In all likelihood, someone else is going to ask all of the ones I have written down.

  Sure enough, as soon as Montgomery starts answering, I learn the things I need to. We're excused from lessons for the next five days. We can't change teams, not that I want to. Tobias and I work too well together anyway. If we want to team up with another pair, we can, but we only get half the points each. Though I suspect they'll take that teamwork
into account when if it comes to a tie, Scythe Grove loves promoting good cooperation between the Groves, it's one of the things they pride themselves on, especially as there have been rumours of House rivalries in other academies resulting in some truly disastrous events including several fatalities.

  Rosie's hand flies into the air. Interesting.

  "Yes, Miss Barnes?" Montgomery says.

  "How many bounty points is the minimum we should aim for?" she asks.

  Good question. I'd like to know the answer to that one too.

  "We've had Grove Captain teams get five hundred points before," he says as if it's nothing.

  "Wow," I whisper, leaning back in my chair. Five hundred is going to be hard. Most standard reapings result in fifty bounty points at the most, getting five hundred in a limited time isn't going to be as straightforward as going out into town and searching for the dead.

  "We can do it," Tobias assures me. "We just have to be smart about it."

  "Unless we find a serial killer victim and solve their death on day one, I don't think that's going to be the case," I counter.

  "We could find one." He shrugged as if it was no big deal and finding the ghosts of violent deaths.

  It isn't impossible, but most reaping of those kinds of souls is left to people with much more experience than a group of academy students. Even if we are supposed to be the best our Groves have to offer, that's still beyond us.

  "Do you have any idea where to start?" I ask him, assuming he isn't just saying that he wants to find a murder victim for no reason.

  A small smile plays at his lips. "I have an inkling."

  "Please tell me you haven't let a soul go unreaped just so we can win this."

  "What? No, of course not. I'd never do anything like that, you know that."