Whatever they served smelled like heaven and my stomach let me know it, rumbling.
“This is Pennywise Cafeteria. Because we live on campus during the year, it’s run more on college hours. Pennywise is open from 5:00 a.m. in the morning until 7:00 p.m. at night Sunday through Thursday; 5:00 to 11:00 on Fridays and Saturdays when we have Game night. Please be sure to thank the staff. They’ve worked hard to bring you an outstanding selection of fine dining. Bon Appetit’!” He finished, waving his hands expansively with a broad grin and motioned the first table to begin.
I watched as Sirris made a beeline for the Sushi bar. Thomas and his brother’s headed for pizza. I enjoyed a salad and baked potato soup.
Over lunch we shared our schedules and compared classes.
I shared History of Magical Creatures and Combat and Weapons class with Thomas. Sirris joined me for Elemental Earth Magic. All three of us had Sorcery and Enchantment together to round out the afternoon. At least I wouldn’t be alone.
I ran my finger down over my schedule and frowned over the TA column. Under most of the classes it wasn’t filled in, but in the last two at Sutter’s Field, there was a set of initials. Kimmy looked over my shoulder, checking our schedules against each other.
I tapped my finger over the abbreviation and looked up.
“N. Seul. What’s he doing on my class list?”
Kimmy shrugged. “He’s a teacher’s assistant, a lot of the prefect’s are.”
“You’re kidding me. I can’t get away from him.”
She looked at me, but I caught Sirris smirk. Lucky thing she was on the other side of Kimmy.
We finished lunch and left to join our groups again. I took my time getting there at only two minutes early. Everyone else was accounted for and I earned a glare of disapproval from the fearless leader himself. Yay me.
He handed me another envelope, as careful not to touch me as I was him this time.
“All right, we start at the dorms. You have your room assignments. Everyone drop your stuff and greet your new roommates if they are there. Meet back down in the lobby at 1:30 and we’ll finish up. Last stop; Sutter’s Field.” He turned without another word and strode off with great ground eating steps. The rest of us hurried to follow.
The dorm buildings were gender specific. He left the girls in our group in the lobby of the women’s dorm, following the boy’s next door to the men’s. We’d all meet back up in twenty minutes. It didn’t give us much time. I opened the envelope and looked at the number. Room 109. I was on the ground floor. I hefted my pack higher and moved down the hall and started looking at numbers as I went. Whatever hex they’d put on the new backpack had worked wonders. Still, I’d be glad to unload it down to nothing but a clip on water-bottle. I’d unpack later.
Room 109 was about three quarters of the way down on the left. It was already open when I got there. I entered to a pair of bright orange Nike’s. I remembered those shoes. Black eyes peered out from beneath the bottom bunk and a similar pack to my own sat next to her pillow. Great. I’d been hoping for Sirris, or one of the triplets. Instead I’d gotten the only person in Drae Hallow stranger than me.
“Fern, right? I assume that means I get the top bunk?” Fern nodded and went back to writing in her journal. I’d been watching Fern since we got here off and on. I tried to remember if she’d ever spoken to anyone. An awful thought occurred to me. “You speak, right?” I asked, half expecting her to shake her head.
“Of course. Whenever I have something to say.” Was all I got, in a light musical voice that had me blinking in confusion. It’s didn’t fit the hello darkness personality she exuded from every pore.
Disgruntled, I removed my pack and opened it. I took out my bow and examined it to make sure it had survived being carted around in a bag for most of the day. Satisfied I leaned it against the end of the bed. I heaved the rest of the pack up top after removing my water bottle and clip.
I hefted my key, jiggling it in my hand and stooping to peer in at Fern again. “Hey.”
She looked up, one dark brow rose in question.
“We both have keys. Can you make sure you always lock up? My bow is important to me, I want to make sure no one has access to it.”
She shrugged. “I’ll lock up. I don’t want anyone in here, either.” I was fairly sure she included me in that statement.
I nodded my thanks anyhow and turned to leave.
SUTTER’S FIELD APPEARED A little larger than most of the football fields I was familiar with and shaped about the same. Heavy forest surrounded it on three sides. On the fourth, the trees thinned, and we had a decent view of Bitterroot Lake, a short walk away.
The biggest difference was the practice dummies that had been placed around the field along with various other props I couldn’t identify. It reminded me the play fields where I used to have paint ball wars with my friends in North Dakota.
On one end of the field was a compact building no bigger than a hut and a water station comprising a basin and several spigots to refill our water bottles. Sutter’s field had been built for function, not frill.
I glanced at my list, noting my last two classes of the day were here. Sorcery and Enchantment with J. Chang and Combat and Weapons with M. Tannon. Nick was the TA for both of them. I figured I’d be ending my days with a real bang. Neither teacher was present. I guess they figured having Nick here was good enough. I looked at the sky—or maybe they just didn’t want to get wet.
If he didn’t wrap things up soon, we wouldn’t be so lucky. Almost as if he heard me, he gathered us together.
“That’s it. Tours over and this is where I leave you. You have the rest of the day to yourselves. Curfew for all first and second-year students is dark. Make sure you are in your dorms before then as they lock the doors. Questions?”
Two manicured hands shot into the air to get his attention and ask him questions he’d already answered. He frowned at them in irritation, oblivious to the admiring glances the two giggling first year girls sent his way. As far as I was concerned, they were welcome to him. I frowned. Now where had that thought come from?
“There’s a curfew—be in your dorms before they lock the doors. Lunch times and study hall times are on the list. Read the back. Now if there aren’t any more questions, you’re dismissed.” He didn’t wait to see, turning away as if he had somewhere much more important to go. Maybe he did. His eyes lit on mine for just a second, inscrutable from the distance before we were all watching his long stride disappear back down the trail towards Rule 9.
I turned to ask Fern if she was ready to go. But she had already turned and was heading up the trail. I hurried to catch up as it started to rain.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I snagged a seat right next to Thomas the next morning in History of Magical Creatures. It relieved me when Carol Shamon ignored me as I came in and sat. She had a polite smile for Thomas. I was fine with being ignored.
I’d expected to be bored to tears. But Ms. Shamon knew her subject, and despite her waspish personality, the words jumped off the page and came to life as she spoke. Thomas was right. She might not be warm and friendly, but she loved what she taught.
Will Bennett taught Potions and Poisons. Fern was the only person I knew in class. She sat in the back left corner. I sat in the right. I realized neither of us liked having anyone we didn’t know at our backs. I expected the class to be interesting. Instead, the steady drone and lack of any swing in the cadence of Professor Bennett’s voice lulled me. It was still early morning, and I struggled not to nod off.
I yawned as I got to my feet at the end of class, noticing several other students blinking bleary eyes as they gathered their things.
Elemental Magic woke me back up. Sirris sat beside me, her eyes wide and confused. She concentrated on everything Feather Hodges said, as she flitted around the room at top speed; hands weaving through the air as she spoke. I found out that her class was a year-long study of the four fundamental elements.
“For some of you, Elemental Earth Magic will be a breeze. Your natural abilities will make sense of much of what you do. For others—” Her eyes moved around the room and lit on several students as she spoke. “—it will prove more difficult.” I opened the book she passed out and had a hard time pulling my attention away and back to what she was saying. An entire world of strange knowledge existed in those pages. I wasn’t much of a reader, but I couldn’t wait to read this one.
A glance at Sirris face and I figured I might have to read it to her.
The most arduous part of my day came after lunch on Sutter’s field. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d need to be in much better shape to survive it. I’d be putting in miles of running every day, including strength training and gymnastics. Along with the fitness training we received in combat and weapons class, there was martial arts training in Tai Chi from Jobe Chang, who taught Sorcery and Enchantment. Combat and weapons should have been my favorite class. Learning how to use unfamiliar weapons and improve my combat training, what could be better than that?
Except, Nick Seul spoiled it for me. It was clear from the get-go that he had it in for me. He never missed a trick trying to make me appear inept. I never missed an opportunity to piss him off right back. In class we studied battle tactics for use on the field and the implications of using magic to enhance it. Behind the scenes, Nick and I studied the art of war against each other. We were very good.
It was going to be a long semester.
TWO WEEKS GAVE ME ENOUGH time to settle in and get comfortable. It was lunch time, and I’d already grabbed mine on the way to my table, while I waited for the others. Kicked back, my knees folded in front of me, I leaned back in my chair and nibbled on a stick of celery, watching the drama of a high school cafeteria unfold. Seems some things didn’t change.
Fern Mason, tray in hand, turned away from the Pizza station and looked around for a place to sit where no one would see her. She did the same thing every day. And every day, the sharks circled, wondering if she would provide them with a treat. I sighed. I felt the tension in the air rise at the neighboring tables as they noticed her all alone.
Before I thought better of it, I waved my hand in the air and got her attention. I pointed at our table. Was that relief in her eyes? I could never tell. She nodded once and came over and sat. At the opposite end of the table from me, back to the wall and head down as she ate. Her hair hung loose, and she brushed a hank behind one ear. I wondered if she used it as a shield sometimes against the world.
My attention moved back to the door as Thomas, his siblings, and Sirris all entered en masse. The Tuttles headed for the pizza bar. Sirris for the fish and seafood. I grinned. They almost ate nothing else. A long bench ran on the opposite side of the table and I watched in amusement as Sirris and Thomas sat down; and Kimmy squeezed in between them, wiggling her butt to split them further apart. She earned a glare of promised retribution from Thomas. Kimmy never missed a trick. She seemed to live to irritate her brothers. Sirris moved over without a word, her concentration already on the barely cooked fillet of salmon and the rounds of sushi on her plate. It wasn’t hard to see why she stayed so slim.
I grabbed an apple off my plate and leaned forward, my feet sliding to the floor. “Hey Sirris, you coming to Game Night tonight?” On Friday’s and Saturday’s the cafeteria stayed up late, and they turned the building into a recreation hall, complete with board games, several flat screen TV’s with Video games and unlimited snacks. I joined at least one night and we tried to coordinate and all go on the same night.
“Yeah, I’m coming. But tomorrow I’ve got to study.” She said the last like she was spitting out something bitter. I knew what she meant. We had a huge exam on Monday in Elemental Magic. An hour of going over my notes would do me. But for Sirris, no amount of studying would see that A. She struggled to understand the material no matter how much I tried to help her. For me, earth magic came as natural as breathing. But that was not the case for Sirris, whose magic was bound to the water.
“That’s good. I’ll help you study on Saturday. I got a couple quizzes coming up too I can look at. Wanna meet at the library?” The library made up the other half of the Commons building.
Sirris shoved her last chunk of sushi in her mouth and nodded, but her eyes looked glum.
Next to Kimmy, Thomas jumped, his eyes going flat. He reached around and grabbed something off the back of his head and wiped his fingers on a napkin, his mouth pulled to a thin line of disgust.
My eyes narrowed, and I looked beyond him to the table at his back. A table filled with what looked like the entire soccer team and their girlfriends sat next to ours. Two third year boys, Mark and Jordan, laughed and whispered to each other. They didn’t bother to hide their guilt.
Thomas’ refusal to fight back made him a challenge and an easy target. Other students trying to look tough never missed an opportunity to comment on his weight or the way he dressed like a country farm boy. I thought it just made them look ignorant.
I’d asked him once why he didn’t do something about it. He’d told me that bullies weren’t worth his time and that he figured if they targeted him, they left someone else alone. Thomas had thick skin. I always imagined it was an excellent thing for them he didn’t take exception to their stupidity. Thomas would have ruined their world if he had. I suspected that part of the reason was Sirris, and the attention she paid him. The only one that missed the way Sirris looked at Thomas was Thomas, who remained clueless. Jealousy made people do stupid things.
Still, even if Thomas wasn’t bothered to defend himself against such stupidity, I wasn’t going to sit still for it. It just wasn’t in my nature. I took my spoon and gathered some peas. I turned it around and pulled the handle back into position, aiming. My eyes picked up a flicker of movement at the other end of our table. Fern’s attention fixated in their direction. She stared at Mark and Jordan hard, eyes intent. Her fingers weaved through the air in front of her, index finger extended as if she were drawing a picture.
I looked at the two boys. Mark was still talking, but Jordan’s eyes had gone wide and frantic. His face turned green. He turned to say something to his buddy, and it was all over as he opened his mouth and hurled in spectacular fashion all over his friend who leapt sideways and lost his balance, falling off his seat and sliding across the wet floor. By then, everyone at the table had turned to watch the spectacle. All but Fern, whose head had bent once more over her plate. But I could have sworn a slight smile lifted the corners of her mouth.
TWICE A WEEK IN ELEMENTAL Magic Class we had lab time on Sutter’s field to put into practice what we’d been studying in class.
Deep in the woods surrounding the field, fifteen of us gathered in a circle around Feather Hodges, listening to instructions. Friendly and knowledgeable, Ms. Hodges was my favorite teacher. I was a natural in Earth Magic—my water-bug friend, Sirris, not so much. Not that she didn’t pay attention, it was just that nothing seemed to sink in. Sirris stared without blinking, her eyes wide and bloodshot on Feather as she spoke.
“We’re all going to spread out so we have our own space. I want you to find a spot and sit cross legged.” She waited until we formed a large ring, with herself at the center.
“Remember, we cannot control the earth! Respect, you must respect her. Relax and sink into the earth, let its essence embrace you. Extend your fingers out and down and feel the hum of energy. Mother earth is alive, let her invite you in.” Ms. Hodges voice continued to murmur as I sank deeper into the trance of that soft melodic voice. I felt every limb, every part of me relax and fade in. I sank back, my senses floating.
I came to several moments later with a jolt, eyes staring up at the blue sky through the tangled branches of the trees above me. I lay flat on my back. A light weight had settled along my limbs. I looked down the length of my body and realized that it covered me in tiny fresh growth. Bright green new leaves attached to fingerling vines wove and twined over my arms and legs, hugging me
. I should have been frightened, but I was totally relaxed. An immense lassitude whispered over me as if I was receiving a warm hug from a dear friend. I glanced around. Several others appeared to be in like states, smiling like they had just woken from a long nourishing nap. I knew how they felt. My gaze met Ms. Hodges, and she nodded.
My eyes fell on Fern Mason. Unlike everyone else, she was sitting. Heavy growth had encircled her shoulders and arms like a heavy green cape, thicker and darker than ours. She was awake and relaxed, her fingers alive with a golden shimmer of light, stroking the velvety spotted head of a fawn no bigger than a basketball that had curled up in her lap. Her eyes met mine, dark with knowledge. A frisson of emotion I couldn’t name shivered along my spine.
I looked for Sirris, my mouth falling open when I spotted her. She’d called the earth too. Only hers hung thick and wet and dripping. Mud, at least an inch thick, covered her from head to toe. The only part of her fully visible was her eyes, blinking through the streaming mess in disgust. I tried not to laugh, she looked so miserable. There were several other students that hadn’t called anything close to what Fern or I had. But what Sirris managed was the worst.
Ms. Hodges moved in her direction, a sympathetic expression on her face.
“Hold still Sirris.” Feather moved her fingers in a circle over her head and whispered beneath her breath. Seconds later, I watched a whirl of mist follow the circular movement of her fingers and widen until a slight cloud the size of a large dog whirled over her head and darkened. We all gazed in amazed astonishment as it let loose and a torrent of rain fell and started washing the mud away. Sirris raised her head with a sigh and used her hands to brush at the filth, a smile spreading as her long blond hair rinsed clear. Another whirl of her fingers, and Feather changed the bit of weather and it became a small tornado of whirling wind, surrounding Sirris and drying her clothes within minutes.
Fire Born Dragon (Rule 9 Academy Book 1) Page 13
