Tainted (The Soul Chronicles Book 1)

by Morgan L. Busse

  Marianne closed the distance between them and grabbed her in a tight hug. “You’re here!” She let go of Kat and turned toward the crowd, her hands clasped together. “Can you believe it? All these people are gathered here for the opening.”

  “But in support or protest?” Kat turned her attention back toward the crowd. Ms. Stuart’s words from that morning fluttered through her mind. How many were happy with women attending the academy, and how many were not? Her gaze found the policemen again, their telltale olive green uniforms standing out amongst the colorful gowns of the women and darks suits of the men. For the first time, it struck her how incongruent their presence was.

  Ms. Stuart had been right. Kat drew back and held her book bag in front of her. “Does the administration expect a riot? And why isn’t there someone here to greet us?”

  “No, not necessarily.” Marianne stared at the crowd, her face beaming. Marianne always did enjoy a crowd. “Papa says the World City council ordered a police patrol to keep the crowd in check, just in case they get rowdy. And I think I see one of the professors over there.” She pointed toward a group of men, all huddled together, talking. One wore a long white lab coat.

  A church in the distance chimed the hour. Half past seven.

  Kat eyed the professor again, but he seemed too intent on his conversation to lead the students inside. It seemed they were on their own. She straightened and held her chin high. Riot or no riot, classes would be starting and she did not want to be late. “Well, let’s go, Marianne. They aren’t going to bring the classes to us.” She started across the courtyard. Marianne caught up to her, and together they approached the crowd. A couple of the young ladies and the young men by the fence followed them.

  The band started another song, some sort of upbeat tune. The buzz from the mass grew louder. A couple of people turned. Kat took a deep breath, her heart thumping inside her chest. One of the women at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a gaudy violet dress with an oversized hat, pointed at Kat. “Look, here they come.”

  More people turned around and started walking toward Kat and Marianne.

  “Are you ladies new students at the academy?” a high-pitched voice shouted.

  “How were you chosen for the academy?” the lady in the violet dress asked.

  “Women do not belong in the academic world.” The man who spoke glared at her and Marianne. The other men around him nodded.

  Kat bit her lip and came to a stop, a shiver running down her back. She attempted to ignore the men while twisting her head back and forth, looking for a way through the throng of people. There was none. And the men were drawing closer.

  Marianne seemed to be enjoying the attention. “Yes, we are students here.”

  “What do you plan on doing with an education like this?” another man shouted.

  A large baroness of a woman sniffed and held a handkerchief to her nose. “The delicate psyche of a woman cannot handle such knowledge. What was the city council thinking?”

  Marianne lifted her chin. “We want to work at the Tower, contribute to science and society, just like men do.”

  A couple of people laughed and one man snorted. “You really think they will let you work at the Tower?”

  By now the crowd had surrounded them. Questions flew from every direction. Kat could hardly breath. An elbow caught her in the ribs and a hand brushed her backside. She jerked away from the touch and twisted around. She couldn’t see over the crowd and the heady smell of perfume and body odor was making her lightheaded.

  Marianne bumped into her and fumbled with her bag. “We, uh, need to go now.”

  No one seemed to hear her.

  “Why do you think the academy is finally allowing women students?”

  “Do you really think you can compete with men?”

  Enough! Kat straightened to her full height and brought her gaze on those in front of her. “Please excuse us.”

  No one listened.

  Kat raised her voice. “Make way, we need to get to class.”

  Hands shoved her from behind and something wet and foul hit her across the cheek. Kat stumbled forward and fell against the woman in front of her.

  The woman pushed her away with a shriek. “Ugh, what is that on your face?”

  Kat reached for her cheek and tried to straighten.

  Another push. Kat threw out her arms and tried to catch herself, but her skirt twisted around her ankles, trapping her legs. She hit the cobblestones hard. Pain shot across her kneecaps. The crowd moved and someone stepped on her hand. As she yanked it free, the foul stuff across her cheek dripped onto the pavement, brown and runny.

  Kat grit her teeth. A red haze filled her vision. Her heart beat faster and her fingers began to tingle. The cold lump returned. She would make them move!

  She arched her fingers and bared her teeth.

  She would make them all move!

  The cobblestone cracked beneath her palm. Tiny flames appeared along the crack, rising as if she were pulling fiery weeds from the ground.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the crowd move away from her as someone dressed in green came near.

  Kat blinked. Oh no! She stared at the flames spreading beneath her hands. No, no, no! She struggled to breathe as she swatted at the fire. I can’t do this. I can’t—she gasped—I can’t lose control. She brought her palms down across the flames and crushed them beneath her hands. She curled forward, a cold sweat spreading across her body. Her skin burned where the flame had been moments before. Can’t lose control!

  “Back away. Now!” A masculine voice rang out across the crowd. The people responded and moved back even more.

  Kat checked the ground one more time. No flames, but she couldn’t close the crack in the pavement, couldn’t erase the telltale char marring the stone.

  How could I have done that? Right in front of the Tower! What if Father had seen it?

  The faint smell of hot stone hung in the air, fueling her panic. Black spots appeared before her eyes. The cold lump began to beat again in her chest and her fingers tingled. Kat closed her eyes. Calm down. She took a deep breath through her nose and let it out her mouth. Just—she trembled—just calm down.

  “Are you all right, miss?”

  Her eyes flew open. A man crouched before her, dressed in olive green. One of the policemen. He tugged at his breast pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief. Kat looked up into hazel-green eyes beneath an olive-colored cap.

  “Here.” He held out the handkerchief. “For your face.”

  Kat touched her cheek and flushed. “Thank you,” she said with a mumble and took the cloth. Her face burned more as she wiped away the foul brown refuse. Why would someone throw such rank sludge at her? What had she done? Tears prickled her eyes, but she held them back and took a deep breath. She didn’t want to lose control again.

  She finished and looked at the cloth. “I’m sorry. I don’t have a way to clean your handkerchief.”

  The policeman took the cloth and wrapped it up in another one. “Don’t worry about it. Now let me help you up.” He held out his hand.

  Kat hesitated, then took it, wincing as her burned skin touched his.

  With one strong pull, he helped her to her feet. Once she was steady, she dropped his hand, wanting nothing more than to hide. Instead, she worked on making herself presentable.

  The policeman bent down to retrieve her book bag—was it her imagination, or did his fingertips linger on the charred cobblestone?—as Marianne came rushing to her side. “Kat, are you all right? What happened? Did someone push you?”

  “Yes.” Flustered, she brushed her skirt, her face still hot.

  “Your bag, miss.” The officer handed her the book bag with a grim countenance. Though young, he already bore the inspector medal on his chest, and there were traces of maturity beneath his carefully trimmed blond
mustache. A patch of hair grew beneath his lips, now slightly open. His olive green uniform and coat emphasized his lanky, muscular build. “I’m sorry. I should have reached you sooner when I realized what the men were about to do.”

  She pressed a hand to her cheek. “I’m fine now.” Perhaps she’d been mistaken. He’d seen nothing.

  He nodded, then turned his attention to one of the other officers, who approached and saluted. “You caught those men, Patrick?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  A man yelled from the crowd and something flew into the air.

  Both officers looked back. “Very well,” said Inspector Grey. “Grab Reid and Stanson and get this crowd out of here. They have no business harassing the students. I’ll see to the ladies.”

  “Yes, Inspector.”

  Inspector Grey turned back toward Kat. He studied her, his gaze steady and penetrating.

  Had he seen the fire? Kat looked away and brushed back a wisp of hair. “Thank you, again, for your help.”

  Inspector Grey gave her a curt nod. ““My pleasure, Miss . . .?”

  “Bloodmayne.”

  His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t remark on her name. Instead, he motioned toward the stairs. “We should get you and the others inside before anything else happens.”

  Three officers were already herding the crowd toward the gate behind them. Only a few reporters remained, their notebooks out as they scribbled away.

  Inspector Grey extended his arm toward her.

  Kat looked at it and blinked. No man had ever offered her his arm before. She tentatively took it, the heat rising again across her cheeks.

  He pulled her close, but not too close, and started across the courtyard. “I am sorry you had to experience that.”

  Kat set her jaw and kept stride with Inspector Grey. Marianne conversed with the students behind them. “If we are to enter a man’s world, then we better be able to take care of ourselves.”

  Inspector Grey lifted one eyebrow, but said nothing more. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he released her arm, giving her a slight bow as if in dismissal.

  Before Kat could say anything, Marianne had her hand and was pulling her up the stairs, chatting in her ear. Kat didn’t hear a word. At the top, she paused and looked back. Inspector Grey stood at the bottom of the stairs where he had left her, talking to two other police officers.

  “So that’s Inspector Grey!”

  Kat turned around. “Who’s Inspector Grey?”

  Marianne giggled and reached for the door. “He’s the youngest inspector ever to be named on the World City Police Force. Papa says Stephen Grey is slated to become one of the district superintendents.”

  “Really?” Kat glanced back. Inspector Grey stood alone now, like a sentry at the bottom of the steps. The other ladies walked past him, but he didn’t watch them, his eyes on the crowd leaving through the gates. There was an aura of authority around him. Yet at the same time, he didn’t seem to be much older than some of the apprentices Father worked with. “He does seem young.”

  “He’s brilliant, too. On his tests, he scored higher than any other cadet ever.” Marianne held the door open.

  “And how do you know this—wait, I know.” Kat held up her hand. “Your father.”

  “Papa.” Marianne giggled again.

  Kat’s chest tightened as the other students—men and women—bypassed them and entered the academy. She glanced up at the Tower. Was her own father watching her now?

  She felt someone else watching her from behind. Kat stopped inside the doorway and looked back.

  Stephen Grey had turned around, his gaze on her. Their eyes met and her throat seized up. He had seen the fire. There could be no doubt. What other reason would there be for him to watch her? The look in his eyes . . . like a cat contemplating a cornered snake—wary and aloof.

  “Pity he’s engaged to Vanessa Wutherington.”

  “What?” Kat turned back toward Marianne, thankful for the distraction. “The shipping magnate Wutherington?”

  “Yes.” Marianne let out a small sigh as they entered the building. “Grey is one of the more handsome men I’ve met. But my father would never let me have a policeman for a beau.”

  Kat raced to catch up to the conversation. “No, nor mine. Not that I’m really interested in courtship right now.”

  They followed the other men and women down a long corridor with rows of doors on either side.

  “And I will never have a chance. I do not possess your beauty.” Marianne gave her a small pout. “What man would want a plain, intelligent woman? And one with this color of hair?” She pointed to her carrot-colored top.

  Kat shook her head, her chest loosening the farther she drew away from Stephen Grey. “Better to have an education than a husband. At least you know what you’re getting with the education.”

  Marianne laughed, the sound ringing through the hallway.

  A smile sprang across her own face. But she could not completely erase Stephen Grey from her mind. Even if he did see the fire, how would he explain it? If he were a sensible man, he would dismiss it as a figment of his imagination. Right?

  Kat let out her breath. In the end, it didn’t really matter. She lifted her chin and set her mind on her first class. She would probably never see him again.

  3

  Kat stepped into the first-floor classroom and stopped. She placed a hand across her chest and let out a long breath, setting aside everything that had happened thus far. Those problems would keep. For now, she was here, really here, a student at the Tower Academy.

  The room was bigger than the parlor and dining room back home combined. Large, narrow windows lined one wall, letting in natural light. The rest of the walls were lined with shelves laden with books, jars of herbs, mechanical contraptions, and even an armillary globe, similar to the one in Father’s study back home.

  Rows of desks occupied the majority of the room. Students started filling the desks, the men on one side, the women on the other, a boundary drawn without comment. A couple of the young men sent scowls across the invisible line.

  Kat’s smile ebbed, then she straightened her back and headed for the desk closest to the front and adjacent to the men. As Ms. Stuart had said, she was entering a man’s world now. Best show that she was not afraid.

  She sat down and placed her bag beside her feet, sensing eyes on her. Minutes ticked by and the feeling persisted. Finally, she looked over her shoulder.

  A young man sat in the desk next to hers, one row behind. She furrowed her brows. He looked familiar. Wait. He was the young man who arrived in the phaeton this morning. Ash blond hair, high cheekbones, and now she could see his eyes. Light blue. Judging from the phaeton and the fine cut of his clothes, he definitely belonged to one of the high-class families of World City.

  He shot her a grin. “I wasn’t sure about women being allowed entrance to the academy, but if I have the pleasure of looking at you all day, I won’t complain.”

  Kat turned back and stared at the front of the classroom, her hands curled in her lap. What a crass, rude, arrogant—No. She relaxed her fingers and focused on the map that hung behind the instructor’s desk. She couldn’t afford any more episodes. No more feeling. No more emotions. She needed to become cold and calloused if she was going to make it through the academy—and life.

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  She took a deep breath before looking in the young man’s direction. “On the contrary. I am the one who is wrong. I was expecting a more mature selection of students at the Tower Academy.”

  His face blanched, then his eyebrows dipped down and his lips curved into a snarl. “I don’t think you know who I am.”

  “I don’t.” And I don’t care.

  “Blaylock Sterling, at your service.”

  Sterling? She was right. He was from o
ne of the top families, and his father was on the city council.

  “And your name?”

  Kat licked her lips. Of the students here, only Marianne knew who she was. Once the others found out, she would probably be held to a higher standard and watched closely. But she couldn’t hide her surname forever. Might as well get it over with. “Kathryn Bloodmayne.”

  There was a gasp and flutter of whispers around her.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blaylock start and his eyes widen. “You’re Dr. Bloodmayne’s daughter?”

  “Yes.”

  The impish look came back. “That should make classes interesting.”

  She frowned. What did he mean by that? Before she could ask, the instructor walked in and silence filled the classroom. He was an older gentleman, with long white hair pulled back in leather strap, a generous matching mustache, and tiny spectacles across his large nose. He wore a white lab coat over a dress shirt and trousers.

  He stopped behind the desk and looked out over the students. He didn’t seem fazed by women in his classroom. A good sign.

  Kat slowly relaxed in her seat and brought her hands out and across her desk. Her burned palms no longer smarted, but she didn’t dare look at them just in case they were red.

  “I am Professor Flintlocke. Welcome to General Science 101.”

  Without moving her head, Kat glanced around. Where was Marianne? She caught sight of her friend at the other end of her row. Marianne winked at her and grinned.

  A fluttery feeling filled her middle as she focused back on Professor Flintlocke. She wanted to give into the excitement, but held back. If she was going to make it the next two years here at the academy, she had to start controlling her emotions, now. The good ones and the bad ones.

  “We will start with the three main branches of science.” Professor Flintlocke looked over the class. “Who can tell me what they are?”

  Almost every woman’s hand went up into the air. Kat kept hers down. Best keep a low profile as well. She would study hard, but she would stay in the background, the best place to be if she wished to remain unnoticed.