by Holly Ice
I scoffed. ‘We did fine, thank you.’
‘Uh-huh. So lucky. If he’d partnered with me, I’m not sure I’d let him go when class ended.’
‘I don’t think that’s socially acceptable.’
‘Uh-huh. I don’t care.’ She grinned and stopped pestering me so she could eat.
Shane was sitting with his friends from our first meeting, kicking back and laughing loud enough to hear across the room.
‘You like him, don’t you?’ Kaylee asked. ‘Go over there. Say hi.’
‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’
‘Sure it is. It’s not like he’s going to tell you to get lost. He asked to partner with you. He probably likes you, too.’
‘I’m not so sure.’
His pointed questions and glowers at my familiar weren’t normal flirting behaviour.
I sighed and stood to scrape my food scraps into the bin.
When I turned back, Shane and his slim friend had joined Kaylee. She looked between them and her familiar. Something was going on.
I went back over. ‘Hi, Shane.’
‘Hey, Bianca.’
He smiled at me, but the way his lynx prowled around the feet of Kaylee’s familiar had my instincts screaming this was more than a normal meet and greet.
This was what he’d done with my familiar, like he was trying to work out what made us tick. Was this why he’d partnered with me in class? To get to Kaylee? Or was he going through this routine with all the throwbacks? He had said they intrigued him…
The way he looks at the two of you, it’s like he’s suspicious, but I can’t work out why.
My raven was perched on the table where I’d been sitting, watching Shane and his friend, and, come to think of it, I didn’t think he’d joined me when I scraped my plate. Were you watching them this whole time?
Yes.
I guessed that meant he could separate from me, at least for small distances. What did they say?
Shane wanted to know if she recognised her familiar or knew of any witches in her family.
I thought you said she’d not know who they are?
She shouldn’t.
What did she say?
That she didn’t.
I frowned. I was missing something. I grabbed a seat across the table from the three of them.
The thinner guy gave me a wave. ‘Don’t think we’ve properly met. I’m Cameron.’
‘Bianca.’
He nodded. ‘I was telling Shane I almost thought you’d be joining our house.’
I looked to his side and realised the wee woman standing behind him must be his familiar. And his words were eerily similar to what Shane had said.
‘I guess not.’ I shrugged. ‘From what I understand, it’s not that likely for someone like me.’
‘No, but we’ve been surprised with some throwbacks like Kaylee lately.’
‘Lately?’
‘Yes, we’ve seen an increase in throwbacks the last few years, and a few must be closer connected to the witch community than they first thought as there have been more Cognata than expected.’
Shane’s lynx slapped her tail on the floor. Yes, this meant something. But more throwbacks just meant more shenanigans in their family tree, didn’t it?
‘We should go,’ Shane said, watching the clock.
Cameron nodded.
‘Good meeting you, Kaylee,’ Shane said, giving her a smile. Then he turned to me. ‘Maybe I’ll see you both at the party?’
‘Yes, you should come,’ Cameron said. ‘You only join the supernatural world once! And trust me, you won’t have much time to party around studying in a week or two.’
They left.
Kaylee checked the time. ‘Did you want to get ready with me? The party sounds like a lot of fun. They have one every term to welcome the new witches.’
I should get to know her better, but my gut was wrenching me out of the canteen in the strongest tug I’d ever felt.
‘Catch up with you? I want to do something first.’
The boys had almost left the room.
‘Are you going to ask him out?’
I laughed. ‘No, but I’ll think about it.’ Or rather, I’d think about finding another hot guy I could get with to get my mind off bad boy handsome.
‘You should. He’s hot.’
Yes. Yes, he was. And he was also hiding something. And the yank after them suggested it was something I needed to know about. So what was it? His familiar was no longer treating me as an outright threat, but neither of them were completely relaxed around me either. If it was just a case of me being new and unknown, brilliant. But if it was something more…
I feel like I have to follow them.
Hurry. It’s not a hunch pulling you after them. It’s spirit magic.
Really? That explained why it felt like a hand had grabbed my intestines and was stretching them taut between me and the boys. Was the reaction so strong because my magic had been activated?
Move.
‘Got to go. Meet you back in our room, Kaylee!’
‘Sure. Good luck!’
Following the unpleasant jerk in my belly, I spotted the boys walking out the front doors and around the side of the building. I slowed so the gravel driveway’s crunch didn’t give me away and shadowed them at a distance. My gut wouldn’t lose them.
I peered around the corner. They were on the lake bank by a small thicket of trees. I couldn’t get much closer without them hearing me, so I stopped. They could be out here for how pretty it looked. Maybe Shane wasn’t into women and he and Cameron were taking a romantic walk.
But then a man stepped out of the trees and clasped hands with them. Unless they were kinky, this wasn’t a romantic tryst.
I didn’t recognise the new man, but the way he searched the horizon put me on edge. I tucked behind the building.
Lyall pumped his wings and landed on a tree closer to the meeting.
What are you doing?
Finding out what’s going on.
Is that safe?
I’m a raven. They won’t realise I’m your familiar.
I bit my lip. Is the guy they’re meeting still looking this way?
No. You’re safe.
I peeked. The three of them had huddled together.
Can you hear?
Hush. I need to concentrate.
Damned bird. I watched for body language. They knew each other well from how close they stood, and the guy looking around told me they didn’t want to be seen.
But almost as soon as this weird meeting started, it finished. Cameron and Shane turned back. The guy they’d met disappeared as quickly as he appeared.
Shit. Lyall, I’ve got to move.
I know. I’ll follow you in once they’ve gone.
What did they say?
They reported the familiar types each throwback witch received this term.
I broke out in a clammy sweat. The tugging sensation pinged my intestines back into my stomach. This must be what I needed to ken.
Who is this guy? And why tell him that?
My familiar should be my business, shouldn’t it? I mean, I ken everyone who’d gone through the ceremony could see them, but telling someone their form the day they were revealed felt intrusive. Couldn’t the guy visit the school if he wanted to know? Didn’t they keep statistics he could ask for? That teacher in the initiation took notes.
Is he a reporter?
I don’t think so.
I didn’t either. Not with that calculated look towards the school. This man had more to hide than his sources.
I made for the stairs. I didn’t want the boys to know I’d followed them, and I didn’t have an excuse to stay in the foyer. But this gave me an excellent reason to approach Shane at the party. I knew there was something weird about him. Whatever this was had to have something to do with it.
Chapter 8
My dresser had nothing semi-formal, so while Kaylee rocked a sparkly dress with a slit in the si
de, I was reduced to dark jeans and a strappy white top which was probably supposed to be for the gym rather than a top to wear under my hoodie and school jacket. But didn’t people say you shouldn’t try too hard? It was far too cold for a dress anyway. Kaylee was mad to try it.
Lyall perched on my shoulder. I checked my bag and my bracelet, but I was good to go.
‘You ready, Kaylee?’
She was reapplying her lip gloss for maybe the third time, but I watched with more amusement than annoyance now. The girl was boy crazy, and far too eager to please everyone she came across, but she wasn’t as much of an arse as I first thought.
‘Yeah.’ She rubbed her lips together and stashed the gloss in her purse. ‘Let’s go!’
We joined the stragglers heading for the lake. A couple smiled and waved at Kaylee, and she called a hello back. She was making friends faster than I was. Though that wasn’t too surprising. She had a personality that appealed to people. I was more of a loner.
‘I’ve been meaning to ask, how did you get away from the other barghest in Edinburgh? Did the guys from the WMCF arrive in time?’
Their complaints department got back to me this evening, apologising for my ‘rushed treatment’, with a few caveats. They said they’d detained Kaylee on the scene, which was why she got a more thorough introduction to this world. They found me less than an hour before the plane was due to leave. Reading between the lines, my comfort was less important than the cost of delaying the trip.
‘Fire,’ Kaylee said.
‘Fire? Like, shooting it out of your fingertips?’
She didn’t seem to have that kind of heat to her. Though it was harder to tell the strengths of Cognata witches. With all that she did for others, I wondered if she was like a ticking time bomb and all the expectations on her meant she’d explode.
‘Fireballs, to be precise.’
I choked. ‘Wow. That must have been a shock.’ I didn’t even see what I did to get away. I couldn’t imagine how much of a heart attack I’d have had if fireballs appeared out of nowhere.
‘Not as much of a shock as when I first saw those things. I was running about for ten minutes before they cornered me. By then, I was glad for the fire.’
‘So how did you end up in the graveyard?’ I asked.
‘I was drunk enough to think a super-secret Halloween ghost tour was a good idea.’ She rolled a shoulder with an embarrassed smile. ‘Might have taken too long to leave and lost my group. Serves me right, right?’
‘No.’ No one deserved an attack like that. ‘I’m glad we both got out of there.’
‘Yeah. I was beyond glad when Justin arrived and forced the singed barghest into a truck.’ She frowned. ‘Are you healing okay? I heard you got clawed, and I know it’s my fault. When I started firing, one of them made a run for it. They must have found you.’
‘It’s not your fault.’
Kaylee eyed my arm. She’d seen me apply a fresh dressing earlier. ‘You’d think they’d have healing in a witch school.’
‘Apparently it costs so much energy it’s risky, and not worth doing for something as simple as a scratch.’
‘You asked?’
‘No. I found it in the school handbook, rule book, or whatever you want to call that doorstop.’
‘I only got as far as the scheduling and initiation stuff. And the clubs.’
‘Aye.’ I laughed. ‘I’ve been looking for the supernatural my whole life, you ken?’ It almost made studying seem fun. Almost.
‘Oh, I do. I was addicted to ghost tours and scary movies.’
‘Scary movies? I can’t picture it.’
She made a hacking gesture as if she was holding a knife over her head. ‘You better believe it!’
‘That’s an easy one!’
‘Yeah, well, it’s a good one, too.’
We stepped out onto the drive and retraced the steps I’d taken earlier, only this time we curved around the school.
A band played under the arched pillars which supported the upper floor. The song wasn’t familiar but had a brilliant beat and soft guitar. And the singer’s voice was haunting, echoing through the trees and over the water without a microphone. She must be amplifying her voice with magic. I squinted. A yellow glow around her throat confirmed it. Amazing.
She poured her heart out, clutching her chest in the high notes and throwing her arms out for the full voice parts. She moved with a commanding swagger and subtle roll of her hips. Red-hot stage presence. The crowd lapped her up.
Her next song was more upbeat with a reggaeton vibe. I grinned. This I could dance to.
I spun, threw my head back to the stars, and took a deep breath of the fresh pine in the night air as I rolled with the music, throwing my body into interpreting each rise, fall, and lyric. My jumps lasted longer than they ever had before, as if I floated for a moment, and my landings were so soft I barely felt the jar in my knees, giving me far more energy for the next jump or spin. It was like the air was honey, slowing my falls.
‘She can really dance.’ A low drawl I shouldn’t have heard over the beat and cry of the music. But it jolted me back to Earth.
Shane stood by Kaylee, staring at me like he’d seen something extraordinary.
I walked over. ‘Hey.’
‘You’re amazing.’
I laughed. ‘I don’t know about that, but that dance was something else. I felt like I was weightless.’ I was giddy from all the extra energy I shouldn’t have. I should be tired, not ready to run a marathon.
Kaylee nodded so fast her hair bobbed. ‘Weightless is right. I didn’t know you could dance like that. Amélie said there are lots of sports clubs. There has to be a dance one you could join.’
‘Aye, maybe.’
‘You used air magic. Your instinctive control is spectacular.’ Shane grinned and shook his head. ‘Told you air is your strongest element.’
That was… unsettling. I didn’t want to stick out in the human world. ‘Maybe I should join that dance class.’
‘You’d blow them all out the water,’ Kaylee said.
‘Yeah, maybe.’ But that wouldn’t be the aim.
The singer was jumping back into the chorus, and Kaylee was swaying side to side with the beat, but I didn’t feel like dancing anymore.
‘Where’s the drinks table?’
Kaylee pointed towards the side of the crowd.
‘Thanks. Do you want anything?’
‘No.’
‘Okay.’ I glanced between her and Shane. ‘See you in a minute.’
I turned and shoved my shaky hands in my jacket pockets. This must be why the WMCF had insisted I come here. Using magic without realising could mean my friends saw it. And if their minds were wiped to forget, they’d never be the same again. I couldn’t let that happen.
Two guys stood behind the drinks table, filling up the ice and serving drinks.
‘A dram of whisky, please.’
One filled a shot glass. I downed it and signalled for another when someone brushed against my back.
I turned and frowned. ‘Shane?’ Maybe I should have asked him if he wanted a drink, too?
I downed my next dram of whisky, but Shane didn’t order anything. He squeezed my arm, looking at my shaky hands.
‘Want to talk?’ He nodded towards the lake.
I swallowed hard. Talking was probably a better long-term solution than drinking. ‘Yeah, sure.’
He pushed through the thickening crowd towards the waterline. Dark shadows of other witches were out this way, but they’d spread out enough we could hear each other speak without being overheard.
Shane faced the water and slid his hands into his back pockets, while his familiar curled around his feet. ‘It must be hard, adjusting to all this.’
‘I’m coping.’
He glanced at me. ‘I saw you freak out. You’re worried about fitting into your old life again, right?’
I bit my lip. ‘I don’t want Finn or Rhea to see something they shouldn’
t. If something happened to them…’ They were the only family I had.
Shane looked deep into my eyes. ‘Your magic has only just been released. Give it a few weeks. By Christmas, you’ll have a much better hold on how and when you’re using the elements.’
‘Maybe.’
He took my shoulders. ‘You will. Trust me.’
I wasn’t so sure. Going back to normal life after this place wouldn’t be straightforward. I saw that now.
He frowned and dropped his hold to get out his phone. ‘What’s your number?’
I blinked. Was he interested, or was this just him being a good guy? I gave him my number anyway, and he sent me a quick text with a winking smiley face.
‘If you ever need to ask questions or talk things over, message me,’ he said, smiling.
I saved his number and shifted my feet. He seemed like a nice guy, so why was he sneaking around talking to strangers about throwbacks? There had to be a good reason.
‘I saw something earlier today,’ I said.
‘Oh?’
‘You met with someone on the grounds.’
Shane stiffened, and his familiar vibrated with a growl. Her teeth peeked between her lips.
My heart beat faster. But the cat couldn’t hurt me. She wasn’t corporeal.
‘I’m not going to tell the teachers, but why does that guy need to know what my familiar is? Can’t he meet us like normal people?’
Shane blew out his breath. ‘You heard?’
‘My familiar did.’
He cursed. ‘Look, don’t worry about it.’
Did he expect that line to work? ‘I know something is going on. The moment I arrived you sought me out and wanted to ken about me. And then you were staring at my familiar as if you couldn’t believe it was a raven. What’s this about?’
‘You don’t need to know.’
‘I really do.’ No one else cared what our familiars were, beyond the applications to our magic. ‘This place is mad enough already. Secrets like this don’t help.’
Shane’s jaw tensed. He watched the water and the reflections from the coloured band lights.
I stepped into his personal space, close enough to feel his breath on my cheeks, and searched his dark eyes.
