‘What’s a tanglecat?’ Trudy asked.
‘They c-come from Tangleroots,’ Jesse explained. ‘They’re c-cats, but they’re clever and nasty. So, actually, j-just like normal c-cats, but cleverer and n-nastier.’
‘One of the apex predators in the forest,’ Xanthe said. ‘Not much bigger than a domestic cat, so there are a couple of much bigger predators among the trees. None of them will willingly tussle with a tanglecat. They’re solitary, aside from mating season, so if you put a few in a bag…’
‘They get mad,’ Trudy said. ‘Got it.’ She turned her attention back to Krystal. ‘Xan’s right, you are.’
Krystal just smiled. ‘You hear them talking now?’
‘Well, no.’
‘If we’re really lucky, they’ll all spend their allowances on anti-necromancy charms too. However, I’ll get an appointment to see Scintilla Rainshadow tomorrow. Maybe this has gone a little far. Who was that other girl? I think I’ve seen her in lectures, but I’ve never learned her name.’
‘She’s Charity Darkmoon,’ Charlotte supplied.
‘Charity? Well, that’s got to be one of the most inappropriate names for its owner I’ve heard in a while.’
25th Day of Autumngate.
Krystal entered the dean’s office as quietly as she could, took a few steps into the room, and then waited while Rainshadow glowered at some papers on her desk.
‘Whatever you do, Krystal Ward,’ Rainshadow said after a few seconds, not looking up immediately, ‘try to avoid administration.’
‘That’s good advice, Dean Scintilla Rainshadow,’ Krystal replied, ‘but doesn’t every career end up in administration eventually?’
Rainshadow looked up finally. ‘There you have me. What can I do for you today?’ She pointed at a chair and Krystal sat down, keeping her back straight and her head high.
‘There have been some… unpleasant rumours circulating concerning the zombie incident.’
‘So I’ve heard. You do understand that no one seriously believes you were involved in what happened to Glinda Starshimmer, don’t you?’
‘Yes, of course. I’d be in a cell at best if anyone thought I was responsible. I just wanted to be sure there was no problem. I’ve no proof of who started the rumours, but I’ve heard things and I was concerned about pressure from some of the parents of other students.’
The dean’s face darkened. ‘There have been a few pointed queries from certain families. They were answered with the simple truth. That the Celestina School of Magic does not countenance necromancy within its walls and so none of our students practise it.’
Krystal nodded. ‘The Goldring and Darkmoon families, by any chance?’
Rainshadow raised an eyebrow. ‘Of course, as a matter of policy, the school would never reveal the source of private correspondence from the families of students.’
‘Oh, of course.’
‘Those are, in a sense, the same family, however. Felicia Goldring’s father is Anders Darkmoon. Charity Darkmoon’s father, Dorian Dusklight, is Anders Darkmoon’s assistant. They supervise and ensure the magical security of the palace. As such, they are important men and could, perhaps, bring pressure to bear on the school. However, Celestina Nightsky takes such attempts to influence the school badly, and she has influence of her own. The foolish chatter of their daughters you may worry over should you be inclined, but not the foolish chatter of the parents.’
‘Thank you, Dean Scintilla Rainshadow,’ Krystal said, smiling. ‘I’m not inclined to worry. I don’t really fit into the social cliques in the school anyway. I have my friends and they all know the truth. That’s what counts.’
‘That’s a very good attitude. I hope you keep it as you get older.’
‘I shall endeavour to,’ Krystal replied, and then she got to her feet. ‘Thank you for your time, Dean Scintilla Rainshadow.’
‘My door is always open, Krystal Ward,’ the dean replied, ‘but don’t forget to close it on the way out.’
~~~
It was dark outside, but the sports hall was brightly lit. Large, modern electric lights illuminated the hall’s high ceilings and the dragons, mostly blues, flying as fast as they could through the obstacle course which had been set up for them. There were hoops and bars suspended from the ceiling, the bars marked to show whether the flyers should pass above or below. Some of the hoops were swinging now, but that was because not everyone was as good a flyer as, for example, Charlotte.
The tall blue was sweating a little as she threaded her way through the tight turns of the course, but she was confident and she knew she was good. Of the girls she had seen so far, she was quite sure she was the best. She knew she was actually better at straight racing where her power could be used to its fullest, but she was good at aerobatics. She had been the best in her class at school and she was pretty sure she was up in the top scorers here.
She dived through the last hoop and glanced back at the trio of judges. They were leaning together, looking at a stopwatch and chattering. Charlotte was not sure what her time had been, but she was pretty sure it had been good.
So why was Xanthe, sitting on the floor behind the judges, looking so worried?
~~~
‘I like Dean Scintilla Rainshadow,’ Krystal said. She was in bed, in the dark, her arms wrapped around Trudy’s naked body. More and more now, they occupied the same bed at night and Krystal’s embarrassing pyjamas remained under her pillow. ‘She has a sense of humour and, well, she seems to like me. Us, actually. I think she likes us misfits.’
‘She seemed nice enough when I was talking to her after… Well, you know. She was calm, and I was practically snorting smoke over you. I think she thought I was angry about what happened to Glinda.’
‘Well, she told me that she couldn’t tell me that Felicia’s and Charity’s fathers had both written to her about the “necromantic practitioner” in the school. Since she couldn’t tell me about it, she also didn’t tell me that she’d told them where they could stuff their “concerns.” Oh, and she suggested I should avoid a career with administration in it, though I think that was because she hates that part of her job.’
Trudy giggled. ‘She told you that she couldn’t tell you, huh?’
‘Yes, so I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. No one said anything to me.’
‘It sounds like you should both be in politics.’
Krystal cringed. ‘No chance. That’s worse than administration. I’d become a housemaid before I became a politician.’
Another giggle. ‘You’ve the manners and the training. I love the way you always call the dean by her full title, even when you’re in bed with me.’
‘She’s not actually my friend, and she’s fully worthy of my respect. I’ve no intention of becoming some rich dragon’s housemaid, however. I’ve no idea what I want to do after school, but not that.’
‘Shame,’ Trudy said. ‘I wouldn’t mind a royal housemaid. You could plump my pillows and warm my bed, and I’d be sure you gave me the proper service due my station. Every night.’
Krystal could see Trudy’s lips curling in the dim light from the window, even though the grey was trying to keep her voice even. ‘Every night?’ Krystal said, adding a hint of outrage to her voice.
‘And three times a day on the weekends.’
Krystal, normally a well-spoken girl, slipped easily into an accent Trudy knew mostly from Greystone and the docks. ‘Oh, woe is me, for Mistress Trudy Black be such an ’arsh taskmistress an’ does nought but t’ keep me lips pressed to ’er nethers.’
‘How did you come by that accent?’ Trudy said, giggling. ‘You stop that. I like you being all posh.’
‘One or two of the nuns hailed from the docks here,’ Krystal said in her normal voice and then switched back to her street brogue. ‘An’ the beatin’s! When I don’t speak proper, Mistress Trudy Black be quick with the switch. I’ve gone t’ bed with me arse as red as a strawberry, so I ’ave.’
‘Ha! And I ju
st bet a little minx like you enjoys the spanking.’
‘Oh, I would if she used ’er ’and,’ Krystal said with a purr in her voice. She had been spanked exactly once in her life, when she was five, and had learned from the experience that she never wished to have it happen again, but she was getting into the role now.
‘Ancestors take you, Krys! We need to get to sleep and now I want to do something else entirely.’
‘Oh, Mistress Trudy Black, I’ll be good. Don’t be getting’ out the switch for me.’
Trudy let out a frustrated groan. ‘You really are a minx. Stop doing that.’
Krystal lowered her eyes and said in a sulky voice, ‘As you wish, Mistress Trudy Black.’
There was another groan. ‘Ancestors save me,’ Trudy said. ‘I swear if you’ve not got your head between my thighs in thirty seconds, I will spank you.’
‘O’ course, Mistress Trudy Black,’ Krystal said with a flash of white teeth in the near-dark, and then she vanished under the sheets.
26th Day of Autumngate.
‘When did you learn to act anyway?’ Trudy asked at breakfast. ‘You’re not telling me the nuns taught acting, are you?’
‘Sister Constance Silvercloud was an actress on the stage before she became a nun,’ Krystal replied, ‘and the orphanage would put on plays every midwinter and midsummer. Sister Constance Silvercloud said I had natural talent, but I think I mostly got better at it because… Well, it made it easier to lie about… me.’
‘Ah. That figures.’
‘When was Krys acting?’ Jesse asked.
Trudy started blushing. So did Krystal. ‘Uh, she was doing an, uh, imitation,’ Trudy said. ‘Last night. She sounded just like someone brought up in Downtown.’
‘I don’t know whatcha mean,’ Krystal said. ‘I talk like a proper lady so I does. I pronounces all me hayches an’ I know long words like eddycation.’
Jesse giggled. Trudy raised her eyebrows. ‘Laying it on a little thick there.’
Krystal looked meekly down at her food. ‘Sorry, Mistress Trudy Black.’ Trudy went crimson and Krystal switched back to her normal voice. ‘I’m surprised Charley isn’t here. She’s normally here before us so she can get through one of her big breakfasts.’
‘You don’t know how her try-out went yesterday, do you, Jesse?’ Trudy asked.
Jesse shook her head. ‘I was in bed early. And it sounds like you two were as well.’ Trudy’s cheeks were reaching incandescent levels.
‘Here she comes,’ Krystal said. ‘With Xan. Which is interesting in itself, but neither of them look too happy.’
Trudy was just happy that her sex life was off the table. ‘Something up, Charley?’ she asked as soon as the tall blue was close enough.
‘No,’ Charlotte said. ‘Exactly the opposite. I won’t be up at all.’
‘The, uh, try-outs didn’t go so good?’
‘No, the try-outs went fine, right up until the moment they told me I wasn’t on the team.’
‘But–’
‘She was the fastest in the obstacle course,’ Xanthe said. ‘By four seconds with no faults. But the judges were more concerned with letting a necromancer’s assistant get on the team.’
‘Oh,’ Krystal said. ‘I’m sorry, Charley.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ Charlotte said with some venom in her voice. ‘We all know whose fault it is. The only reason they think I’m your accomplice is that you were good enough at magic to find… find out what happened to Glinda, and I was there when we did. No, this is Felicia’s fault.’ Her gaze shifted across the refectory to where the squad of indigos were sitting. ‘I am beginning to have some very dark thoughts about that girl.’
‘Wishing her ill isn’t going to fix this, Charley. If you want the draconist view, it’ll not harm her, but it’ll taint your soul. If you want the practical view, it won’t harm her, but you’ll lose sleep over it.’
‘I’ve already lost sleep.’
‘She has,’ Xan said. ‘I can attest. I lost sleep too, keeping an eye on her.’
‘She’ll pay,’ Krystal said, her eyes narrowing. ‘I’m not sure how, yet, but somehow she’s going to pay.’
1st Day of Harvest.
The first day of the month of Harvest, or the next weekend after it, was a traditional time for gardeners to tidy up their patches. This year, the first day of Harvest was actually a Silverday and there would be people out all over the city, all over Draconia even, peering at flowerbeds and lawns and wishing they had put in more work over the summer. Perhaps knowing that this would be the case, the Weather Bureau had done their best to avoid rain: the sky was a clear blue with barely a cloud in it and, while the temperatures were dropping now, it was warm enough for a dragon to be out in shorts.
Jesse made her way out through the back door of Nightsky Hall, smiled up at the sky, and then headed off across the cobbles to the gate into the gardens. Nightsky backed onto a sort of private lane with apartment buildings on it. This was where some of the staff lived and students could take rooms after the first year. The area also gave access, through a gate, to the school’s gardens which were looked after by the groundskeeper and the gardening club, and this was the day the club members would get their allotted areas for the year.
The groundskeeper for the school was a tall, muscled, green dragon named Thaddeus Harlow. Jesse had seen him a couple of times around the school, but had never got the nerve up to actually speak to him. Now she was going to have to, because he was standing near the gate beside a statue of Celestina Nightsky, whether in normal or dracoform it was impossible to tell. The clipboard he was holding suggested that he was waiting for students to ask him for their plots.
Taking a deep breath, Jesse stepped forward. ‘Hello, Thaddeus Harlow. I am J-Jesse Oakleaf and I am here t-to help w-with the gardens.’ Hardly a stammer, sort of, kind of. Jesse was rather pleased with herself.
In preparation for a day of digging, weeding, and generally tending to plants, Jesse had dressed in her oldest shorts and T-shirt, a shirt which had a low neckline and more than a couple of holes in it but it still served its purpose. Harlow had to drag his eyes away from Jesse’s chest before he could answer her, but she did not seem to have noticed where his gaze had been, thankfully… ‘Uh, Oakleaf… Jesse Oakleaf.’ Harlow leafed through the sheets of paper he had on his board, searching.
‘Th-that’s right, Thaddeus Harlow,’ Jesse replied, smiling. With dragons she did not know, especially fairly attractive male dragons, Jesse’s smiles tended to be timid.
Harlow’s eyes flicked up and he saw the timid little smile, and he hoped to all the ancestors that this girl was not coming on to him. He had faced more than a few students who had targeted him for some sort of infatuation, and he had always kept his professionalism. This one though… His eyes flicked back to his paperwork.
‘Is there a p-problem?’ Jesse asked.
‘You’re not on the list,’ Harlow said after several seconds. ‘No, I’ve been through the whole thing three times and I can’t find you– Hold on, what’s this?’ He pulled a smaller paper out from the back of the larger sheets and peered at the handwritten note on it. He frowned. ‘That’s odd. There’s a note here asking that you contact the gardening club president about your membership. It’s not my job to hand out notes to students.’ He handed the note to Jesse anyway and his frown deepened. ‘Sounds to me, Jesse Oakleaf, as though someone’s playing politics with you. Have you annoyed some rich idiot’s daughter recently?’
Jesse peered at the note for a second. ‘N-not exactly. I am s-sorry to have w-wasted your t-time, Thaddeus Harlow. A-and for h-having you involved in this.’ She started to turn to leave, but he stopped her.
‘Hey, Jesse Oakleaf, you’ve nothing to apologise to me about. I’m sorry there’s not much I can do about it if the club committee are being stick-ups.’
Jesse turned her head and gave him another timid little smile over her shoulder. ‘Thank you, Thaddeus Harlow,’ she said, and then
she set off back to her room.
Behind her, Harlow checked his list and wondered how long it would be before he could go to his own apartment and tip a jug of iced water over his head.
~~~
‘I’m sorry, Jesse,’ Krystal said.
‘Just as Charley said,’ Jesse replied, ‘this is not your fault. I just w-wanted someone to tell me it’s n-not mine and it’ll all w-work out okay. If I was back home, I’d run into the forest and let the trees console me, but…’
‘Well, I can certainly tell you it’s not your fault. I can’t say it’ll all be all right, because I’m no diviner, but–’
‘It’ll all work out in the end,’ Trudy said flatly. ‘I think my policy of not joining anything is working out for me.’
‘She has a point,’ Krystal said. She retrieved a note from her bedside table and handed it to Jesse. ‘You and Charley aren’t the only ones.’
Jesse read the note. ‘At least the book club told you straight out why they were kicking you out,’ she said.
‘In a note,’ Trudy said. ‘They didn’t have the guts to do it face-to-face.’
‘Well, I’m an evil necromancer, aren’t I?’ Krystal said with a shrug.
‘No! No, you’re not! This is all stupid.’
‘Agreed, but there’s still not much we can do about it.’ Krystal took the note back from Jesse and returned it to her bedside table. ‘Let’s all go out this afternoon. We could go to Cragscales’ and rummage through books.’
‘That sounds exciting,’ Trudy grumped. ‘Though I wouldn’t mind seeing the old man.’
‘I can look at more plant books,’ Jesse said. ‘That might cheer me up a little.’
‘It’s settled then,’ Krystal said. ‘We’ll have an afternoon at Cragscales’ place among the tomes.’
~~~
‘Necromancy?’ Cragscales said, his tone amused more than anything else, and certainly not horrified. Trudy had unburdened herself to the old dragon because she was quite sure neither Krystal nor Jesse was going to mention it. ‘Those two are saying you’re doing necromancy? That’s rich, coming from them.’
Misfit Magic (Misfits Book 1) Page 14
