Watcher Academy

by S. K. Gregory

  Where am I?

  I stepped into a chamber to find a woman kneeling in front of an altar. She had dark skin, long black hair and her body was painted with white symbols.

  Anunit. It had to be her.

  I must be in the past or her memories of the past.

  Anunit rose from the ground, clutching something in her hands. Dark red liquid dripped from it onto the floor.

  Oh God is that a heart?

  I watched in horror as she sank her teeth into it, tearing a strip free. My stomach lurched. That’s disgusting.

  It seemed to be some kind of ritual, but for what, I had no idea.

  The sound of feet marching toward us drew my attention. Soldiers entered the temple, along with a beautiful woman. Her skin seemed to glow, as she glided forward. She wore a gold gown which barely covered her body. I don’t know how, but something told me that this was Ishtar.

  This is the bitch who screwed with Max.

  Anunit started chanting faster, backing away from them. The woman threw out her hand and Anunit flew backwards onto the ground. The heart bounced away across the floor.

  Ishtar signalled the men and they marched forward, surround Anunit, weapons trained on her. She gave Ishtar a defiant look, but I could see fear too.

  On Ishtar’s signal, they stabbed her over and over again with their weapons. Anunit’s screams echoed around the temple as they tore into her body.

  Ishtar raised her hand, revealing a glass orb. The glass orb. She approached the body, reciting a spell in her own language. A black mist rose off the body and filled the orb.

  I couldn’t watch any more. I turned to find Anunit behind me. The unstabbed version.

  “Why are you showing me this?” I asked.

  “So you can understand. I was robbed. I deserve a second chance. I am capable of great things, more than a silly girl who fancies herself a warrior against evil.”

  Anger rose inside me. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. I am sick of everyone looking down their noses at me. I am a Watcher and it is my job to stop people like you. So get out of my body!”

  I shoved her hard and the temple melted away. We returned to the table where I continued to fight against her, but she was so strong. I could feel myself growing weaker.

  “It’s not working,” Chelsea said.

  “She’s stronger than I thought,” Max shot back.

  I felt the rope snap on my right wrist. Spencer and another Watcher rushed forward to grab my arm. Anunit wrenched my arm free and struck the Watcher across the face. He went down, knocking Spencer over in the process.

  Anunit let out a howling wail and the room plunged into darkness. She went for the other rope, trying to get free while everyone was distracted. I summoned everything I had and yelled, “She’s escaping.”

  A spark of electricity flashed to my left, right before Chelsea jabbed me with the taser again.

  While I struggled to maintain a hold on my body, the others tied me down again and the lights flickered back on.

  “We need a stronger spell,” Chelsea said.

  “Anything stronger could kill her,” Max said.

  They started bickering over what to do.

  “Try again,” Spencer said. “We have to save Dell.”

  Max started the chanting again. Anunit writhed inside me. “Dell, Dell, Dell. God, do you know what you’re even trying to save? A snivelling child who hid from life wherever she could,” she said. “She’s nothing. No one will miss her when she’s gone, well maybe her obsessive ex, but that’s it.”

  Stop it.

  “Time is running out for all of you anyway. Tick tock. Better to let loser Dell go now. We all know she’s worthless…SHUT UP.”

  Anunit fell silent for a moment. “Well, looks like she has some backbone after all.”

  Max continued the chant and I could feel her start to weaken.

  I’m winning.

  “I’ll kill her,” Anunit threatened.

  “Just finish the spell!” I screamed.

  He reached the end and the lights began flickering wildly. Anunit wailed again as a black mist rose from my body and into the bottle. Max quickly stoppered it.

  I blacked out.

  ***

  I opened my eyes to find some concerned faces staring at me. Well, Max and Anita looked concerned, Chelsea seemed annoyed.

  “Is she gone?” I croaked, my throat sore from all the screaming.

  Max held up the bottle, which contained a dark mist. “We got her.”

  “Good. Do me a favor, stick that thing in the microwave.”

  Max smiled. “How about we find the darkest corner of the Academy and put the bottle there instead?”

  “Sounds good.” He left the room to do that.

  Anita untied the ropes and helped me sit up. My head spun, but I felt better than I had before. Lighter.

  I glanced around for Spencer, but he seemed to have left. I didn’t blame him.

  Anita helped me to stand up, leading me to a chair. “Go easy,” she said.

  “I’m so sorry for what I did,” I said to her.

  “Hush, honey. It wasn’t you, I know that.” She gave me a hug. “Do you want anything? Water? Tea?”

  “No, I’m fine. Just exhausted.”

  Anita looked to Chelsea. “She should go home and rest.”

  Chelsea looked ready to explode. “We need to discuss the fact that she lied.”

  “In the morning,” Anita said firmly. “Come on, dear.”

  She led me out of the building. I would have to face Chelsea eventually, but now I just wanted to sleep for a week.

  She’s finally gone.

  I made it halfway across campus before I broke down crying.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lying curled up under the covers, I stared blankly at the wall. I was tired of sleeping but didn’t feel ready to face the world yet.

  Brenda appeared in my line of sight. “Are you still in bed? You better not be getting sick, I don’t want to catch anything.”

  Don’t worry, I don’t think possession is contagious.

  When I didn’t answer her, Brenda let out a frustrated sigh and flounced out of the room.

  Anita suggested I go to the hospital and get checked out, but I refused. I just wanted to be alone. After a marathon shower, I retreated under the covers, where I’d been for a whole day.

  I knew I couldn’t stay here forever. I would have to go in and see Chelsea, receive my punishment. I just hoped that Max didn’t get into too much trouble. Not after what I put him through.

  What would you say, Grandpa? If you were here.

  “He’d say, get the hell up and face this. No hiding away,” I muttered.

  Throwing back the covers, I got ready to return to the Academy and face the music. I had no idea what awaited me but at least I was free of Anunit.

  I hoped what Chelsea said was true, that she would spend eternity on a shelf where she belonged.

  The walk across campus felt shorter than usual. I tried to appreciate every minute of it while I could. No doubt I’d be heading home tomorrow. Back to an old mansion with no career and no future. I had no one to blame but myself.

  Chelsea ushered me into the small room with the monitors away from everyone else.

  At least they don’t have to witness my humiliation.

  I sat down, hands clasped, ready to be reamed by Chelsea.

  “You do know that being a Watcher involves teamwork? There is a certain level of trust needed to do this job safely.”

  “I know.”

  “You touched artefacts you had no right to touch. You were possessed by an ancient priestess for days without telling your superiors and you killed Antoine.”

  I didn’t respond, I had no defence.

  “The higher ups have been informed and they have handed down your sentence. Six months’ probation.” She choked out the final three words and I was certain I misheard her.

  “What?”

  “I don�
��t know what kind of connections you have, but they apparently want you here.”

  “That’s insane. I killed someone.”

  Chelsea seemed shocked that I was agreeing with her. “As far as they are concerned, Anunit killed Antoine. Since you weren’t in control, you are exonerated. That and it turns out Antoine was stealing artefacts. He found a way to override the system so he could sneak in whenever he wanted.”

  He was a thief. It still didn’t mean he should have died. My head spinning, I tried to comprehend what she told me. I could stay, but how could I after everything? No one would trust me.

  “You can continue to shelve books and you will not go near any artefacts ever.”

  I got to my feet, not meeting her gaze.

  “Don’t think because you’re being protected that it affects you in here. I will be watching your every move. You’ll screw up again and then you’re gone.”

  I headed for the stacks, knowing every eye was on me. Spencer stepped in front of me. “Hey, how are you?” he asked. He seemed concerned, but not enough to stick around last night.

  “I’m okay,” I muttered.

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Dell. I could have helped you.”

  “I didn’t know what was happening.”

  He nodded. “Look, we are a team here. You can trust us. You aren’t the first Watcher who has faced something like this and you won’t be the last.”

  “I know and I know that Anunit was in control but how do I get past the fact that a man is dead because of me?”

  “Anunit did say he attacked first. I’ve been looking into him and, well, I can’t say much but he wasn’t just stealing to make some quick cash. He was working with some very bad people.”

  “I still feel guilty. I think I need to be alone, I have books to shelve.”

  He nodded and let me go. It was for the best. I didn’t want to drag him down with me.

  At least no one could see me in the stacks, I could be alone and avoid the gossip. I could only imagine what they were saying about me.

  Just focus on the work, keep your head down and when the day is over, a drink is in order. Or half a dozen of them.

  I picked up a book, noting the title, whispering it to myself. I found it soothing. I used to do it at home when Grandpa let me help him in his library.

  “A Guide to Lycans,” I whispered. “Compendium of Demon Lore. Tick tock. Banshees and the Sidhe. Tick tock.”

  I froze. What am I saying? What did tick tock mean? Didn’t Anunit say it too. She said time was running out for all of us. What did that mean?

  “Attention, everyone,” Chelsea announced. I moved to the stairs to see what she had to say.

  “The senior Watchers will be here in approximately two hours.”

  Crap, I forgot all about them.

  Chelsea motioned for me to come to her.

  “I think it’s best if you stay out of sight while they are here.”

  I nodded. That would be best.

  I spotted Max by the coffee machine. As I approached him, I found myself muttering ‘tick tock’ under my breath.

  “Max?”

  He glanced at me. “Probation, huh? I bet that was unexpected.”

  “Yeah. I’m really sorry for hitting you and tying you up. And all the other stuff…” I trailed off remembering how Anunit behaved.

  He faced me. “Why are you apologizing?”

  “Because I…”

  “No, not you. Her. You need to learn to separate the two in your mind if you want to remain sane. Trust me.”

  “Easier said than done. I keep saying tick tock and I can’t stop.”

  He shrugged. “Most likely just a residual echo left over. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “I don’t think so. It feels like more than that. Like my brain is trying to tell me something.”

  “Like what?”

  I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate. “Tick tock, tick tock.” The words came unbidden. I opened my eyes. “It has to mean something.”

  “Tick tock like a clock or a timer?” Max suggested.

  Chelsea approached us. “What’s going on?”

  Max filled her in.

  “She’s just rambling,” Chelsea said.

  “No, I’m not. Anunit saw something and it’s still in my head.”

  Chelsea crossed her arms. “What does it mean then?”

  The sense of urgency increased. “Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.” An image flashed into my mind. “Oh God, it’s a bomb.”

  “What?” Chelsea barked. “Where?”

  “Uh, I don’t know.” I tried to glean more information from my brain, but it was like trying to remember a dream. “Um, down, down.”

  “God, it’s like playing charades with a crazy person,” Chelsea muttered.

  “I think it’s in the basement.”

  Chelsea headed for the basement with Max and me on her heels. “I swear if you’re wrong about this…” she muttered.

  I hoped I was, but I knew I wasn’t. Someone had planted a bomb. Probably Anunit.

  Although she did try to burn the building to the ground. Why do that if there was a bomb?

  We moved through the cavernous basement which was filled with boxes, old files and junk artefacts.

  Chelsea turned a corner and stopped. “Found it.”

  On a table against a wall, sat a device. A silver box with a digital read out on the front of it. A timer had been activated. Just over two hours left.

  Chelsea leaned in for a better look. “It’s magically activated. This thing will leave nothing but a crater, probably take half of campus with it too.”

  “Oh God,” I whispered.

  “Can you stop it?” Max asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chelsea paced in front of the bomb, looking stressed. “I don’t need this. I have too much to do today.”

  “Can one of those things be to diffuse a bomb?” I suggested. Now was not the time to worry about a visit.

  “I’m thinking,” she screeched.

  I backed off to let her think. I didn’t want to be here beside an actual bomb, but we needed to stop it or innocent people would die. I looked to Max, but he seemed as freaked out as us.

  A bomb. A freaking bomb!

  “This wasn’t Anunit,” I said. “She saw the bomb, but she didn’t plant it.”

  “Then who did?” Max asked.

  “Antoine, maybe? I don’t know.”

  “But why today? He could have set it up to activate at any time,” Chelsea said. So she agreed with me about Antoine.

  “I think that’s obvious,” Max said. “To kill the senior Watchers.”

  Chelsea went pale. “No. Why would he do that? Doesn’t he know how important this is?” She appeared on the verge of losing it.

  “How many are coming?” I asked.

  She took a breath. “Five.”

  “That’s not even half of them, but it would throw the League into chaos. Maybe he wants rid of one in particular or to create an opening for someone to be promoted.”

  Chelsea looked mildly impressed at my deductions.

  “Well he’s not going to succeed. Go get Lillian, she’s a magic expert. She can help me dismantle this.”

  I ran off to fetch her. She had been pointed out to me before, but we never officially met. No time for formalities now.

  A bomb. This gets crazier by the second.

  Lillian was in the reading room, giving a lecture to a group of Watchers. I ran up to her. “Hey, Chelsea needs you urgently in the basement.”

  Lillian shook her head. “Oh no, she’s not making me clean down there. The senior Watchers won’t go near it. I’m very busy here, I’m sure it can wait.”

  “That’s not why.” I leaned in and whispered, “There’s a bomb.”

  Lillian’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. We should evacuate.”

  I glanced at the others, but they didn’t hear our conversation.

  �
�No, it’s going to tear apart the campus. We have time to stop it. Come on.”

  “Um, we’ll resume this later,” she said, rushing after me.

  Lillian nearly about turned when she saw the bomb, but I blocked her path.

  “Get over here, Lillian, this will take both of us,” Chelsea ordered.

  “I think I’d rather clean the basement,” Lillian muttered, turning back to face the bomb.

  Chelsea had removed her jacket and was now crouched in front of the bomb with a small screwdriver. “I’m going to remove the casing so we can see what’s going on.”

  Lillian sucked in a breath which earned her a glare from Chelsea. We all held our breath as she removed the casing. Beneath it, lay a bunch of wires and a glowing purple cylinder.

  “Okay,” Chelsea said. “It’s not as bad as I thought.”

  “You can diffuse it?” I asked hopefully.

  “No, I mean it probably won’t take out the whole campus.”

  “Oh, good. For a minute I was worried,” I muttered. It would definitely take us out though. I don’t know why I was pinning all my hopes on Chelsea knowing what to do but if anyone here knew about bombs, it was her. We weren’t that different and like me, I’m sure she read up on every subject imaginable to be better prepared.

  Chelsea examined the cylinder closely. “Okay, if we can get the magic away from the bomb, it will reduce the power of the blast.”

  Lillian nodded, but I could see her hands trembling. “How do you want to do this?”

  “I need you to recite a temporal spell, to give me enough time to pull the cylinder.”

  A temporal spell would freeze time around the bomb. It would only be for a few seconds though.

  “What if that sets off the bomb?” I asked.

  I didn’t like the doubtful look on her face. “Okay, then we need to disarm the bomb at the same time, by cutting the correct wire.” She looked at me.

  “Oh no, I’m not doing that,” I said, backing away. One slip up and we’d be vaporized.

  “Yes, you are. I can’t do both.”

  I looked for Max, but he must have gone back upstairs. If he had any sense, he needed to start running.

  I can’t do this. I don’t want to be responsible for everyone dying. Although to be fair, if I did screw up, I’d never know about it.