Just as my relieved exhale began to leave my body, it stuck in my throat as I caught the eyes of those who sat around him.
Josie, Lauren, and Clayton.
They boxed Asher and Hattie in with their leaning and overly exaggerated interest in what they were saying.
It took everything out of me to not roll my eyes.
Breakfast with The Big Three was the last thing I'd ever choose to do, but with Hattie sitting next to Asher and shooting a huge smile at me, I pushed my grievances aside and joined them.
The three of us would at least have a small bubble together within the horrid group.
I glanced down the length of the table and caught Piper's gaze. She crinkled her nose and bared her teeth with a hissing expression. I nodded in full agreement.
"Good morning," I said as I scooted into my seat. “Sorry I'm late. It was a crazy night."
Josie glanced at Lauren with a smirk.
I ignored her and looked at Asher and Hattie. "Did you guys sleep okay?"
They both nodded and kept their eyes fixed on me.
"That's good. It's a lot to get used to at first, but I'll be here for you," I said.
"Better late than never," Josie murmured.
I reached for the pitcher of coffee as if she didn't exist. Ignoring the immature commentary was my best approach to not getting sucked into their evil web.
"So what do we have planned for our new recruits today, Lead-mentor Shaye?" Clayton chimed, eyes blinking with inflated anticipation.
But his sarcastic tone wasn't lost on me.
"Well, Fellow-mentor Clayton, I have an amazing day planned, full of surprises."
His eyes widened from my sarcastic retort. Judging from his subtle fidget, he hadn't expected it.
I held my breath. A promise of surprises was all I had at the moment. I'd just have to make it up as I went along.
Josie lifted her orange juice and swirled it in the crystal glass. "I'm sure you'll teach the new recruits everything they need to know. The legal stuff, anyway."
My eyebrows pulled together as I glared at her.
She was so full of shit.
Asher's eyes lit up, though, as if he noticed an opportunity for a good day. His hopeful expression made me chuckle.
Noah staggered into the dining room at that same moment and shuffled over to Piper. At the distant end of the table, he waved to me with a guilty grin. Piper grimaced as if to say, "Sorry, girl. Didn't mean for you to get stuck down there."
But it wasn't their fault.
I'd overslept.
I thought about the horrible vision in my room again, and the hairs on my arms stood up. A creepy feeling, like I was being watched, prickled at the back of my neck. I turned my gaze away from Piper and Noah, and glanced back at my section of the table. In a brief instant, I caught Josie's knowing eye as she watched me with one eyebrow lifted.
Did she suspect something between Noah and me? Or, more importantly, was she aware of what had haunted me last night? There was no way to be sure.
As soon as I made eye contact, she pulled her glare away and played with the food on her plate as if nothing had happened.
But she knew something.
She was up to no good again.
And I couldn't shake the feeling that she absolutely had something to do with my strange nightmare.
I moved my gaze off her and landed on Lauren. She smirked at me while twiddling her fork in her hand. She was so caught up in being Josie's lackey, she had no idea how irrelevant she actually was.
I rolled my eyes and returned my focus to Asher and Hattie.
In a low whisper, I said, "We can explore the house and the grounds later. There are tons of cool things to discover."
Their eyes lit up as I thought about the numerous secret chambers throughout the manor, the practice rooms with altars, and all the artifacts around the place. There was something interesting at every turn.
I wouldn't want to overwhelm them at first, though, so maybe we'd start with a walk outside to explore the grounds.
Then Ms. Harrison tapped her water glass with her spoon.
"Good morning, all," she started. "I'd like to welcome our new students, Asher and Hattie."
Everyone turned to them with smiles of greeting.
Ms. Harrison continued. "I'd also like to share the morning announcements."
Everyone turned back to her and listened intently.
"As you know, with the coming of the Fire Festival, much preparation is required. We will be looking to our graduates to lead this special occasion."
I sat taller in my seat, eager to hear every word.
"We will be selecting one of the mentors to rise up as Festival Ambassador," she added. "They will bear the honor and responsibility as marshall of the celebration."
Her words straightened my spine.
The Fire Festival was everything to me. And this year, it was going to be my moment to shine—to clear away all doubt and stand true to myself.
I couldn't have one of The Big Three become ambassador. That would be a nightmare of epic proportions. One that I knew was a definite possibility.
My world began to crumble out from under me.
"We will hold a trial to choose the ambassador in one week's time," Ms. Harrison added. "Skill, precision, and command over one's top gift will be at the forefront of the trials."
My eyes widened as I huffed. It took everything out of me to keep my hand from smacking over my mouth.
Skill, precision, and command over my top gift was the furthest thing from my qualifications. My fire was still uncontrolled.
Sure, it was known to be the most volatile of gifts, the most difficult to harness, but still. I couldn't look like an amateur in the trials.
It was my control over my other abilities that had supported my graduation status. Telekinesis, astral projection, empathic skills—those were the things I had better mastery over.
But for the Fire Festival, showing control over my fire would be paramount. Obviously.
Damn it.
I had one week.
At least there was still a chance.
Then Josie's grating voice pulled my attention to her as she leaned into Lauren and whispered, "I got this."
The steady murmur among the mentors at the table grew to a deafening level as I realized everyone wanted the position of Fire Festival Marshall. It was a recognition that carried a high level of honor and prestige.
But for me, it was my soul.
And this year, the Fire Festival would be marked by the Ring of Fire. It was just too huge of an opportunity for me to miss.
To lose it to another mentor, particularly one of The Big Three, would ruin everything for me. I'd be forever labeled as the rogue witch who couldn't control her element and therefore would never become an influential coven member.
I twitched from the pressure and looked at the remaining red patch on my palm. I'd burned myself like an amateur. There was no denying that.
"Are we ready, fearless leader?" Clayton's voice smacked my face.
I looked up and found him standing over me, with Asher and Hattie hovering behind him. Breakfast had finished, and students were clearing their spots.
"Um, yeah," I answered, snapping my attention back to the moment. "I was thinking a walk through the grounds first would be a good idea."
"Okay. Okay. Sounds good," he agreed.
We brought Asher and Hattie to the back kitchen area and showed them the process for clearing their dishes. Then, I led them to the side door that opened to the back gardens.
The four of us stepped out into the cool morning. The sun shone brightly, accentuating the red, yellow, and orange hues hinting within the leaves.
"It's pretty here," Asher said, soaking in the sprawling lawns and manicured gardens of the multi-acre property.
"I agree. The seasons are one of the best things about the northeast," I said, thinking more about the seasons of the witch, than the actual weather cycles.
"Are you from around here?"
Asher hesitated as if unsure of how much to say.
"No," he stated. "My parents always wanted me to attend boarding school. So, this is it, I guess."
His tone held a hint of sadness, and I wasn't sure if it was from missing his family or wondering why they wanted to send him away.
It was a plague for many of us here—wondering why our parents didn't want us.
I nodded, allowing him space to share more when he was ready.
"How about you, Hattie?" I asked. "Are you from around here?"
She looked around as if searching for something recognizable.
"I'm not sure," she murmured. "I think I was somewhere like this before when I was little."
I glanced at Clayton, and he shrugged.
It wasn't an unusual response from a new recruit. It was actually the same reply I had when I'd first arrived at Hazeldene. And to be honest, my answer remained the same.
"It's okay," I assured her. "That's a common answer around here. It has a familiarity about it for all of us."
She blinked up at me with a weak smile.
"I think, as you both start to practice your skills more, you'll get a better understanding of why you're here and how it'll become your true home—a home that will be your choice to remain in."
"Yeah, no doubt you guys will love it here," Clayton added. "Like, for the first time in your lives, everything will make sense. You'll finally feel like you fit in."
I wondered if that was how Clayton felt when he first arrived. I couldn't imagine him not fitting in wherever he was before, but then again, he arrived soon after me, so I couldn't really remember his story. In my memory, though, he didn't seem quite as put together as he was now.
"That will be a relief," Asher huffed. "I'm sick of feeling like an outcast."
"Yup," I agreed. "We all know what it's like to feel like an enigma. Like a misunderstood misfit. But here, our gifts are celebrated. You'll have all the freedom you need to practice and get good at your skills."
They both looked at me like I had two heads.
I glanced at Clayton, and he pulled his chin in as his perplexed brow lifted.
"Um, do you guys know what your gifts are yet?" I probed.
They continued to stare in confusion.
Then Hattie finally spoke.
"Chancellor Kelly explained this place to us, but not a lot of it made sense. I mean, the nearby Lakefield High School seemed like a good option too, but she said that school wouldn't have the proper training that we required. She called us sensitives." She shrugged. "So, I don't know. I guess I'm just a little lost. I don't know why I'm here."
Asher kicked the pebbles under his feet and kept his eyes down.
"I guess I'm the same," he mumbled.
My heart rate sped up in my chest. This was the first time I had mentees who weren't quite sure why they were here and seemed uncertain about the whole supernatural-training thing.
I looked at Clayton, and for the first time, his arrogant confidence was gone. He held the same look of concern that I felt.
"Okay, then," I said. "It's our job to help you figure all of this out and to be sure you have the best experience possible."
They both smiled through their worried gazes, and I knew we had our work cut out for us, but I also knew we could do this.
Walking across the rolling back lawn, I slowed as we approached Ms. Harrison's quarters.
"This was the guesthouse back when the manor was originally built in the 1600's. It's the housemother's residence now," I explained.
Looking back at the majestic manor, Asher mumbled, "Jeez, this place is really old."
I nodded. "Yup. It has some pretty serious artifacts throughout. Even stories of a crypt in the basement. But that's for another day."
"A crypt? In the house?" Asher gushed. "That's cool."
I grinned.
I was really starting to like this kid.
"I guess you could say that," Clayton said. "If you're into creepy coffins and mummies in your house." He chuckled.
Asher smirked awkwardly. "Yeah. Weird."
Hattie fell silent as she stared up at the high gables of the gothic estate. Her gaze moved along the lead glass windows, the architectural details of the balconies, and tarnished-brass downspouts.
"They hung witch-sympathizers here," she whispered.
"Say what now?" Clayton quipped.
She blinked and looked at me with narrowed eyes.
I swallowed hard as I watched her scan the rest of the grounds.
A moment later, she turned in the direction of the secret garden and walked straight for it.
"Wait, where are you going?" I called after her.
She continued her steady gait in the direction of the labyrinth.
"Hang on," I yelled. "I wanted to show you the remains of the old stables. They're really cool."
She slowed her pace, staring into the thick of trees ahead of her. With a slight shake of her head, she turned her attention back to us.
Thank goodness I'd got her attention.
Last thing I needed was for our new mentees to discover the secret garden. There'd be no stopping them from running into the labyrinth. Its draw was too powerful.
"Stable ruins? Here?" Clayton asked.
I shook my head, nearly smacking my forehead with my hand. He was so clueless about everything other than books, etiquette, protocol, and basically anything scholarly.
"Yes, ancient ruins,” I smirked.
Clayton froze in his spot as Asher's eyes widened with intrigue.
Chapter 3
The students at Hazeldene never ventured beyond the manicured grounds of the estate. It was sort of an unwritten rule that everyone seemed to follow. If it weren't for my friends and me, the stable ruins would probably never have been discovered in the first place.
I thought back to the time I dragged Noah and Piper into the woods. I'd had a recurring dream about a house, a barn, I couldn't be sure what, but I'd had the same dream enough times that I needed to search for something. Anything.
And the woods seemed to be the perfect place to look. The ancient trees called to me whenever I walked the grounds, tempting me to enter their protective shadows.
The day we stumbled across the ruins, everything shifted for me.
At that moment, I connected to a deeper history all around. One that I felt a part of in some way.
It was what had led me off campus last year in search of answers.
A decision I regretted to this day.
And no one at Hazeldene would ever forgive me for it.
"Okay, Master General," Clayton snarked. "Is this another one of your rogue missions?"
My face burned red from his uncouth use of the word 'rogue'. If he had any idea of how that word triggered me, he would have thought twice.
But it was too late.
"Okay, Clayton," I barked. "Enough of your crap. If you don't want to come, you don't have to. But I'm sick of your undermining comments and self-righteous attitude."
I stood panting from the words that had burst out of me.
He fell mute for a moment, then cleared his throat.
"Fine. Just don't make me say 'I told you so'."
My face burned hotter.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll say it either way," I replied through narrowed eyes.
I was just so sick of his act. Walking around like he ruled the place, never doing anything wrong, and then using that power against the rest of us to make us feel weaker.
We'd all recently graduated from the academy, so one would think the popularity status lines would have blurred by now. But nope. The Big Three used all their energy to keep those lines firmly in place.
Well, not anymore.
Maybe I'd had some stumbles, but I knew I was just as good as them. Maybe better.
And there was something about Asher and Hattie that confirmed that to me.
The way they looked up to me already. Their belief t
hat I would support them no matter what.
That alone gave me no choice but to be the best mentor I could ever be.
I shook my head to clear my tangled regrets and focused on the new recruits.
"So, something I've found to be extremely valuable," I said to Asher and Hattie, "is using the courage to search beyond what is right in front of you. Follow your intuition. Explore your curiosities. Those were the times in my life that I grew the most."
I thought of all the times I got in trouble, and to be honest, each instance was one of the best moments of my life.
I may have placed myself in danger more than once, but each time brought me closer to my truth.
Clayton straightened his purple jacket and looked away.
I couldn't help but smirk. He knew my comment about exploring and taking risk was directed at him. His choice to remain safe within the institute’s academia kept him sheltered, rather than ever taking a chance and going rogue.
Huh.
That was the first time I'd ever used the term 'rogue' in a positive sense.
And it felt right.
"I'm just saying," Clayton commented, clearing his throat. "Aren't the woods off limits?"
Asher's eyebrows lifted as he stared at me with bright eyes.
"Some parts, but not the part we're going to," I replied to Clayton. "Don't worry. We're not breaking any rules."
My tone held slight teasing within it. But, sure, he asked for it.
What a wuss.
We walked to the back edge of the grounds, and I led them along a narrow trail I'd used many times before. Asher remained close on my heels, searching for any sign of something cool, while Hattie stepped quietly behind us with caution in every movement. Trailing at the back, Clayton kept his eyes sharp for any danger.
As the light of day faded, blocked by thick pine branches above, the woods took on a new otherworldly feel. We grew eerily quiet as we ventured deeper in.
"There should be some remains of an old stonewall around here somewhere," I muttered, scanning the low-growing bushes and vines. "It'll lead us in the direction of the ruins."
We walked a bit farther over the spongy forest floor, and I listened to the rustling of scurrying squirrels and the alarm of flapping wings.
Mystic Coven: Fire Festival (Supernatural Academy Graduates Book 1) Page 3
