Hungry Earth (Elemental Book 2)

by Oxford, Rain

  Then she got on the highway.

  She went at least sixty miles an hour over the limit.

  * * *

  By the time we arrived at the paranormal university, I felt like I had been on a roller coaster for hours. Since Clara made the six-hundred mile drive in just over five hours, I felt a little shaken.

  “Does your father know how fast you drive?” Hunt asked when Clara shut the engine off.

  She grimaced. “Yeah, sorry. I know that was a painful trip, but Dad had been on my case, begging me to slow down. Normally, I’m twice as fast. He just has a lot on his mind right now, so I’m trying to be accommodating.”

  Hunt held out his hand and the keys shot into his grasp as if pulled by a magnet. He tried to pass them to Remy, who sat across from me in the passenger seat, but she just looked at them like he was handing her a snake. “You will be our new driver,” he told his daughter.

  “I can’t drive.”

  I sighed and took the keys from Hunt. “I can drive. Do any of you even have a driver’s license?”

  “Why would we have a driver’s license?” Clara asked innocently.

  Pocketing the keys and grabbing my bags, I got out of car.

  “You will receive your class schedule in the morning from your new elemental mentor. Remember that you need eighteen credits to pass from now on,” Hunt said. “Your room is the same.”

  “What about Henry and Darwin?”

  “They are still your roommates. If you would prefer different–”

  “No, they’re good. I just didn’t want to get someone like Jackson or a vampire.”

  “Actually, the vampires are going to be sleeping in a renovated area underground,” Hunt explained. “For their own safety, we decided they should not be asleep around other students.”

  “And what does the wizard council have to say about that?”

  “The wizard council does not need to know everything.”

  I sighed and turned to the castle. “Hey, wasn’t there a tower right there?” I asked, pointing to a part of the roof.

  “Was there?”

  It was around two in the afternoon, so the castle didn’t look as dark and foreboding as it could have. In fact, the snow patches in the shadows on the roof and courtyard almost made it seem picturesque. Almost. If the eccentric structure of the castle wasn’t enough to figure out that this wasn’t a normal school, the fully grown male lion napping out on the grass between the castle and dorms was.

  “I’m going to put my stuff away.” I headed to the dorms, in a hurry to get away from the vampire. I opened the entrance door and stepped back barely in time to avoid being run over by two tigers. Zhang Wei was chasing Li Na, but I knew he was just playing.

  When I got to my room, I saw Henry’s collection of books already immaculately organized on his bookshelf. The jaguar shifter was fairly OCD with his organization. Darwin sometimes moved one of his books or pencils just an inch or two and when Henry returned, he always fixed it before doing anything else.

  I unpacked my bags and went down to the dining room, where I saw the tables pushed aside and a dozen students forming a circle. Assuming it was a quarrel, as they happened often at Quintessence, I nearly turned to return to my room. However, I was curious. I reached the group and was confused as to what I was seeing; a black snake writhing in fire. There was a clear liquid on the floor that was on fire, while the three-foot long snake flopped around in it.

  “What the hell is going on?” I asked.

  “He’s not hurt,” Becky said. I hadn’t noticed I was standing right next to her until she spoke to me. “It’s not real fire; it’s an illusion.” Right then, the fire died and the snake shifted into a small, black-haired guy. Most of the students in the group started clapping.

  I went to get a tray of food and sat down at my usual spot, though it had been moved a few feet closer to the wall. To my surprise, Becky sat next to me, but she adjusted her glasses and focused all her attention on her food, which was no more than a couple strawberries and a bit of broccoli.

  “Not very hungry?” I asked.

  She shuddered. “My father is worried about the vampires, but since he believes they don’t like the blood of vegetarians, he has ‘allowed’ me to continue with my schooling so long as I don’t eat meat.”

  I studied her for a moment. Although her large, thick glasses blocked much of her face, I figured she had to be at least nineteen or twenty. “Does he pay your tuition?”

  “No, but since my father is Grayson Adams, high-standing member of the wizard council, I really don’t have a say in the matter.”

  “I thought the council was trying to make peace with the vampires.”

  “They are, but that doesn’t mean they trust the vampires. I was told that you were supposed to be keeping the peace between the other students and vampires.”

  “I was under the impression that was confidential.”

  “Nothing is confidential in this school.”

  Henry sat across from me with his own tray of food. He didn’t comment on Becky’s presence. Because the shifter was usually so put-together, his appearance was a little surprising. His black hair was longer than normal, his black t-shirt was wrinkled, and there was a cut on his right ear. It was no surprise that he wasn’t wearing a jacket in the middle of winter; most of the shifters weren’t.

  “Did you enjoy your break?” I asked.

  “Not particularly.”

  Before I could ask him anything else, one of the C-Five women sat next to him. She was in her mid-twenties, attractive, and obviously interested in Henry. She pulled her long auburn hair over her shoulder and leaned close to him, almost touching him. “I heard you and Addie were having problems. Want to go out with me?”

  With his usual aloofness, he studied the woman for a moment before returning his attention to his food. “Ask me on the second.”

  She smiled brightly. “Will do,” she said, then turned and walked away.

  “I’m not sure if she just treated you like a toy or if you treated her like one,” I said.

  He shrugged. “I didn’t offend her. That alone is an improvement.” He sighed. “I hate disappointing women.”

  “Can you fake it?” Becky asked.

  “No.”

  I had seen the change in him during the four full moons of our first semester. Each time, he and Addison got back together for the moon, and then spent the rest of the month arguing. By the end of the second month, when he had been physically exhausted, I knew it was not by choice in any way. It was also something entirely unique to Henry, although most of the shifters had some sort of reaction to the moon cycle.

  We played cards for a while after eating and were just getting up when we heard a commotion outside. Along with the two dozen other students in the dining room, Henry and I went outside to see Jackson and a vampire fighting.

  The vampire was a young man no different in appearance than any other person in his early twenties, with medium brown hair and hazel eyes. He was on the thin side and a good six inches shorter than me, so there was nothing threatening about his looks. However, I could sense what he was.

  Astrid was the first vampire I knew, and I had felt there was something off about her before I knew what she was. The sensation was subconscious; I couldn’t smell a vampire, they didn’t look any different, and there wasn’t a subtle hiss in their voices. I just recognized a vampire when I saw one. Shifters, on the other hand, were a different matter. Since I could remember, I was able to communicate with animals. I could feel the animal side of a shifter in my mind. Wizards and fae could still throw me for a loop.

  Jackson was throwing fireballs at the vampire, who was dodging them easily. Jackson, no bigger than his opponent, was not a particularly bright or talented wizard. Vampires were far faster than everyone else and this one was toying with the man.

  “Aren’t you going to stop them?” Becky asked.

  “Fighting is not against the rules,” I said.

 
She sighed. “If the council sees vampires and wizards fighting after making their peace treaty, they’re going to go down hard on the wizard. It’s not worth it.”

  Knowing she was right, I turned to the pair. The vampire was apparently getting irritated, because he punched Jackson in the stomach. He wasn’t even moving as fast as I knew vampires could, yet he was too fast for the wizard. Jackson screamed with pain. When he formed another fireball, I reacted instinctively. Water was the only element I had “mastered” so, without allowing myself any doubt, I focused on it.

  Water was gentle and trusting, but it was adaptable. I focused on the idea of water over the actual liquid itself. At the same time, heat was building in my chest. I imagined water forming out of the air between them and constructing a wall. It wasn’t remotely dangerous, but I wanted to stop a fight, not hurt someone.

  The heat in my chest released at the same time water formed between the vampire and Jackson. Unfortunately, the heat was released into the water, which exploded into steam. Both the vampire and wizard jumped back with surprise. Everyone, including them, looked at me.

  “Jackson, if you want to pick a fight, you can’t blame him when you get bit.”

  “I didn’t start it!” he exclaimed. It made me think of a six-year-old screaming that it wasn’t his fault.

  “You ambushed me!” the vampire argued.

  Done with my job, I turned and went back inside. Just as I was about to enter my room, Jackson called my name. He was out of breath and pinching his nose as he stopped about ten feet away from me. I saw blood on his upper lip and assumed the vampire had gotten a shot in on him before he ran after me. “What do you want?”

  “I heard the council asked you to help the vampires settle in here.”

  “You heard wrong.” Technically, since my uncle was a member of the council, he wasn’t that far off. Then again, I got the idea that Vincent did a lot of things that the rest of the council wasn’t aware of. Because he also asked me to find out why the council was really visiting the school, I could only assume they weren’t all completely honest with him, either.

  “Last year, everyone thought you were on our side because you caught that vampire in the hall. Now you’re going to give them alibis and be their best friend? It’s pathetic that–”

  “I will help keep the peace if I see a way to,” I interrupted, “but I’m not going to cover up their shit, or yours. I will never trust a vampire. If you ambush one of them, I’m going to laugh when he punches your lights out, like I would if you attacked anyone else. I see duels like what you were doing out there as consensual and not really any of my concern. But if a vampire decides to prey on anyone, paranormal or otherwise, the council is not going to be the only ones who hear about it.”

  Chapter 2

  I sat at my usual spot for breakfast, wondering how this semester would be different from the previous one. At least I wasn’t working undercover as a wizard. Darwin sat next to me and Henry sat across from us. “So what did you two do over the break?” Darwin asked.

  Henry turned green and focused on his food.

  “I worked,” I said. “What did you do?”

  “I worked, too.”

  “You have a job?” Henry asked, surprised.

  Darwin scowled. “Yes, I have a job. I’m a journalist. I told you that, like, three times. Devon knew about it, right?”

  “I had no idea. I just thought you were nosy and good at getting information.”

  Henry very discreetly cleared his throat. Darwin and I turned to see Professor Langril approach us. “Happy to see you three survived the holiday,” he said, smiling kindly.

  Considering all the murders that occurred in the previous semester, I found the comment ominous, as if we were still in danger. “You, too, Professor Langril,” I said. I wanted to be polite, seeing as how he enabled me to graduate my first circle. “Did you have a good break?”

  “I had a productive holiday. Now, I have brought you your schedule.” He handed me a folded letter and I tried not to cringe.

  “You’re my elemental mentor?”

  “Correct. I am going to be teaching you about the element of earth. You will meet me on Thursday nights at midnight, in the middle of the deep, dark forest… with no one to witness–”

  “Getting creepy, now, Professor,” I said. Darwin’s eyes were huge.

  “Okay, well, good day then.” He turned and walked off.

  “Is he normally like that?” Henry asked as the assistants began handing out schedules to the non-wizards.

  “Yes. He’s completely insane.” I opened my schedule and groaned. “I have night classes,” I said.

  “Tough luck,” Darwin remarked as a student handed him his schedule. He gaped. “I do, too.”

  On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I had Laws of Magic: Circle Two, History of Asian Magic, and Elemental Configuration in the morning, then Development of the Paranormal Community and Paranormal Relations in the evening. On Tuesday and Thursday, I had Visualization Through Meditation, Alchemy & Potions, and Magic in Everyday Life. Then I had Astronomy on Saturday night.

  Darwin looked over my shoulder. “We have Development of the Paranormal Community and Paranormal Relations together with Kale Lucos as the instructor.”

  “Why does that name sound familiar?”

  “He’s a member of the council,” Darwin said. “He’s supposedly a pretty good guy, though he is power hungry and suspicious. When he was a teenager, he had dealings with the mafia, but James Chambers found him and recruited him into the council.”

  “I have those classes as well. What dirt do you have on him?” Henry asked.

  “Can you keep a secret?”

  “Of course,” the shifter agreed.

  Darwin grinned brightly. “So can I.”

  * * *

  Laws of Magic: Circle Two, was exactly like the Circle One version. Alpha Flagstone looked more relaxed, which I assumed was because he had Remy. He still glared at everyone, but less intensely.

  I was a little worried when I entered the History of Asian Magic classroom because both the floor and ceiling consisted of mirrors. The walls were unpainted stone. There were six four-foot long tables facing the teacher’s desk in the front of the room.

  Since Professor Nightshade was in hiding from the wizard council, Tanaka-sensei taught the class, which seemed fitting because she was Japanese and did magic. Once again, Zhang Wei was her assistant.

  Unfortunately, the closest seats to the door were already taken, so I took a seat near the front. Becky sat next to me. “Hi, Devon. I got fire this year. What did you get?”

  “Earth.” I didn’t have time to ask her anything else because Tanaka-sensei started going over the syllabus. It was generic, boring first-day stuff. I wondered if the children’s school was more exciting.

  “You could use the book from the–” Tanaka-sensei was cut off as the back wall shook from an explosion in the hallway. She sighed and continued, as this was obviously a normal occurrence.

  My last class of the morning was Elemental Configuration, taught by Asrik Watson.

  When we entered the room, he told us to sit at the table of the element we mastered the previous semester. There were four tables aligned in a large square, each about eight feet long with a glass bowl in the center. One table had a bowl of dirt, one had a bowl of water, one of fire, and the last bowl was empty. I sat at the table with the bowl of water on it.

  The room was only twelve-by-twelve, so it was cramped with the tables, but unlike many of the classrooms, it seemed structurally sound. The floor was rock tile, the walls were brick, and natural light poured in from the large windows on the north wall.

  Professor Watson was a middle-aged wizard with short, medium auburn hair and light green eyes. He wasn’t particularly tall, short, or thin… he was just very average in appearance. However, he struck me as the kind of man who downplayed his power. Something about the way the man walked to the front of the room told me that his image was a
carefully constructed façade. Or maybe that was my instincts.

  “Hello, class. I am Professor Watson. This class is designed for Circle Two students of any element. All of you have mastered one element and are beginning on your second. In this class, you will learn to use the elements and how to combine them. Some things you will learn in my class are considered extremely dangerous. If you fail to listen to and follow my directions, many of you will be injured. Your required textbook is Initiation Into Hermetics, by Franz Bardon. I know some of your professors don’t care if you use the textbook or not, but you cannot pass my class without it. Don’t read the first section; the theory part, because it was ruined in the translation from German to English. Now, is everyone ready for your pretest?”

  There were collective gasps of shock and horror, but after a class with Professor Langril, this was nothing.

  “Good, good,” he said when no one agreed or disagreed. “Fire students, what element do you want to duel against?”

  The students at that desk pulled themselves together and discussed it quickly. The only woman at that table turned to the teacher. “We want to go against air,” she said.

  “Alright. Everyone outside on the practice field. One person for each element will be voted to spar with the opposing element. You will eventually all get a chance, but we don’t have enough time today to cover everyone.”

  “It’s the first day of school!” one of the women in the air group said.

  “I am aware. Each student will earn a ranking in your element, and each element will earn and lose points for your individual successes and failures. The top student of all my classes will earn honors.”