Hawthorn Academy: Year Three

by D. R. Perry

  "That's why I was born on the Hawthorn campus." Hal's mouth dropped open. "But why? If you loved her so much, cared enough to search for decades. Why did she hide from you?"

  "That's a question even we can't answer." Detective Klein sighed.

  "She should be here then." His jaw tightened. "She'll hear from me. Even if I have to send Detective Ambersmith to her door again."

  "Again?" Doctor Klein blinked.

  Hal shook his head, hands balled into fists. Faith put an arm around him. She looked up at me, eyes narrow and nostrils flared. The silence stretched until I broke it for them.

  "She managed all his health care, medical records. He had to sneak in here and get a blood test from my grandmother, just to get diagnosed."

  "This was the anonymous test from twenty months ago?" Doctor Klein consulted her folder. "That's the first you knew of your condition?"

  Hal looked up, eyes shining with tears, nodding.

  "No." Detective Klein looked smaller somehow after that. Like he'd deflated. "We're too late."

  "Too late?" Dylan blinked. "For what?"

  "A license, of course." Faith clicked her tongue. "To turn him before—"

  "Before I die." Hal swallowed. "If there's any chance at all, I'll fill them out with you today."

  "There's not." Bubbe sighed. "The waitlist is two years long, even for emergencies. I checked right after they called."

  "We thought we had more time." Doctor Klein shook her head.

  "What about testing his blood?" I straightened. "Get a better idea of how far his progression is? Maybe he's got more time than you think."

  "That's a good idea Miss Morgenstern, but unlikely. If he'd known, started those experimental infusions before the onset of symptoms, we'd have better odds. Still, I'll do the tests."

  "A long shot's still a shot," Faith said. "Hal's a fighter."

  "Not like you." Hal grinned at her. "But thanks. So, what's the other reason you're here? You talked like there was more than one."

  "He's got your curiosity, Cal." Doctor Klein flipped through the papers in her folder. "My department's doing research on testing. Collecting samples from as many extrahuman types as possible. We've only got one extramagus in the bank so far and wanted to ask Miss Morgenstern and Mr. Khan if they're willing to participate."

  "Is it for magic in the blood, or DNA, or maybe metabolism? Blood only, or cheek cells too? Oh! What about stem cells from teeth?"

  "You must have big college plans, Miss Morgenstern." Doctor Klein raised an eyebrow. "To answer your question, we're developing a blood test to identify genetic conditions like Hal's. We're also blood typing for extrahuman ability. We're already there with common shifters and halfway with changelings, but we haven't got enough data from magi. Especially extramagi. And there's a growing demand for an alternative test, considering the news this autumn."

  "My grounding lasted longer than that video's had its fifteen minutes." I sighed.

  "On television, perhaps." She tilted her head. "In medicine, it's big news. A psychiatric colleague of mine is very interested. She thinks we must abolish the old way of testing. There's a path forward if my test works, but I need a bigger control group of known extramagi. Something more recent than Mr. Pierce’s translations. Your grandmother’s been sharing those with us and they’ve been a help in research, but not when it comes to registry regulations."

  "Okay." I nodded.

  "Sure," Dylan said.

  "Have you checked with Nurse Smith at Hawthorn Academy?" Bubbe asked. "Perhaps the infirmary has a sample on file for Filberto Luciano. If you accept a hair sample, I've got some of my brother's. He was an extramagus too."

  Hal, Dylan, and I went about the business of donating blood. Faith called Hawthorn's infirmary while Bubbe headed to the basement to get the box of Great Uncle Noah's things. After that, the Kleins exchanged contact information with Hal, who insisted on including Faith. We all waited around as the vampire guests left. Once they were out the door, Hal drooped, unable to rise from his seat.

  In the end, Dylan carried him out to the waiting room and placed him in his magical moving chair. Logan, all finished with the now sleepy crab family, listened to Faith relate what had happened as we all bundled up for the walk back to Hawthorn campus. Frigid air pinched at my nose and cheeks. Logan and I didn't linger at the door. We had to meet Cadence down at The Point in five minutes, so there wasn't even time for coffee.

  I set a brisk pace, trying to keep warm. Ember helped, snuggled inside my coat like a hot water bottle with scales. Logan carried Doris the same way. He struggled to keep up by the time we got to Harbor Street, so I slowed. Cadence beckoned to us halfway down the block from the apartment building she lived in with her parents, turning down a side street I recognized.

  "Is she taking us to Noah's?" Logan asked.

  "Looks like it."

  Sure enough, Cadence lingered by the basement entrance. A hat and scarves covered her entire head and most of her face, not a typical look for her even in the depths of winter. Once we reached her side, she rang the bell on the door's frame.

  "So, what's—"

  "Shh. Inside."

  I stood in the cold, blinking. The last word I'd use to describe Cadence was covert. Somehow, that's how she acted. Elanor let us in, and we all walked past her down the stairs, letting her follow us down.

  Instead of sitting on the futon or one of the beanbags in the living room, my friend headed straight into the soundproofed music studio. Once we were all inside, Elanor closed the door behind us and remained outside.

  "Okay, what gives, Cadence?"

  "You guys, this is serious." She tossed her coat on a stool, unwound the scarf, and removed the hat, revealing red-rimmed eyes, tear-blotched cheeks, and half her hair shaved off.

  "What happened?" Logan gasped. "You look like—"

  "2008 Britney, I know."

  "No, not her." Logan blushed. "Cyndi Lauper."

  "He's right. It's more of an undercut.”

  "Hmm. You two don't lie about stuff like that." She sighed. "I feel more like Britney all the same."

  "What did Crow do this time?" The room warmed up a little too rapidly. I drew a deep breath and banished the tiny flames around my hands.

  "No, Aliyah. It's about last night." She sniffled. "My mom. She's not who I thought she was."

  "What?" I blinked.

  "Not her, not Dad. Not me either." Cadence wrung her hands. "Our whole family, we're not ambassadors. We’re exiles. So, Mom has no strings left to pull. She's got to stay in her lane at work. Or she's out of a job, and we're out on the street."

  "That's horrible!" I ran to her side and put my arms around her. "Cadence, I'm so sorry."

  She cried on my shoulder for a while. I wasn't sure how long, but Logan came over and patted us both on the shoulder, holding a box of tissues. Although in other ways Cadence wasn't acting like herself, in her sadness, she remained the same friend I'd always known. Mercurial and thoughtful.

  She pulled back, wiping her eyes on her sleeves.

  "Triton's Beard, Aliyah. Don't apologize. It's not your fault."

  "It's mine." Logan held a small globe of water and stared into it. Doris rubbed against his legs.

  "No." She sniffled again. "That's not how it works."

  "Wait, what's happening here?" I blinked.

  "Sorry for borrowing your tears, Cadence. Water never forgets." Logan spoke at the globe. "How did I not see it before? How much did my father pay them?"

  "Too little." Cadence's voice shook. "Even if it had been billions, too little."

  “Probably it was a threat.” He sniffled. “That’s more his speed.”

  "What did he buy?" My voice sounded tiny, squeaky. Cadence opened her mouth to answer three times but couldn't manage.

  "A kraken egg." Tears streamed down Logan's face. "He wanted me to bond with her, but she never even hatched."

  "Kraken are sacred to merfolk." Cadence choked back a sob. "So, the DelMars are ex
iles. Forever. Down the entire family line. And we're not supposed to tell outsiders why. Or swim past the shallows."

  We ended up in a hug pile on the floor in the middle of the room. Eventually, someone knocked on the door. I got up to open it and found Elanor and Izzy on the other side with more tissues and mugs of hot cocoa. Cadence and Logan walked out shortly after I did and we each took turns washing our faces in the bathroom before joining our other friends in the living room.

  Cadence told them about the exile situation, how the reason was a secret. Elanor flat out accepted the fact that she'd never hear it, but Izzy drew some cards before nodding and letting it go. After we'd all calmed down, I asked the question that had been bothering me the entire time.

  "Why not come to my house for this?"

  "To be honest, I think all of you ought to find somewhere else to meet off-campus. Because the Morgenstern house isn’t safe." Elanor sighed. "It's connected to the school, and our dad and his cronies are nothing nice."

  "We can't invade your space all the time. You guys need to practice if you want to pay the rent."

  "What about the extra Bishop's Row practices?" Elanor nodded. "Salem State's gym is safe enough, and I'm there if you want help."

  "Oh yeah." I winced. "I was supposed to put a group together but dropped the ball."

  "Dylan ran with it, so you're good." She grinned. "He asked Noah, Bar, and Brianna already. So Izzy, how about it? Extra Bishop's Row practices on Saturday mornings? Just until the week before the tourney."

  "I'm in." She sighed. “Maybe one or two more teammates can make it but most have other obligations on weekends.”

  "I'd better captain better." My laugh came out all nervous. "Sorry."

  "Can we do cheer stuff too?" Cadence jerked a thumb at Logan. "I hadn’t considered extra training."

  "Sure, why not?"

  Noah walked through the door, hung his coat and a green apron on the coat rack, and went to change. Dylan and Arick showed up a few minutes later because Piercing Whispers had practice.

  The rest of us stuck around to listen in and help them decide their next gig's setlist. Before she left, Cadence thanked everyone for helping salvage the evening.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  On my first day back on campus, I sent Ember around with messages for the team, asking them to meet in the gym after lunch. Alex arrived first, and the pit of my stomach dropped. He walked right up to me and stood with his arms crossed as though he dared me to admit I'd made a mistake. To avoid embarrassing him, I dealt with his situation before everyone else showed.

  I tried telling myself Coach Pickman might be wrong. Despite what I'd overheard during break, maybe his mom would let him come to extra practice. I wasn't wearing ear cuffs.

  You already know the answer without asking.

  I extended the invitation anyway.

  "No way, Morgenstern." He tilted his chin up, trying his best to look down his nose at me. "Impossible."

  "Remember, you'll be welcome if, uh, things change."

  "Why don't you change the location to here, then?" He snorted.

  I said nothing, just pulled the jewelry box out of my pocket and showed it to him.

  "We're both shackled then." His brow furrowed. "I'm not sure which of us has the harsher jailer."

  "It's not a contest." I sighed and returned the box to my blazer. "Anyway, I can run extra drills and give you notes in the gym on a different day."

  "Coach has to be there." He sniffed. "For...reasons."

  "Okay, let's talk schedule, and I'll make it happen." I got out my notebook.

  He rattled off his work hours, and I jotted them down. As we finished, Dylan sauntered through the door. He stopped at the bleachers, apparently tying his shoe. Alex turned his back and took a step away from me before pausing.

  "Thanks, Morgenstern."

  "No problem, Alex."

  "My mother calls me that." He looked over his shoulder. "It's Xan."

  "Xan then. See you later."

  Dylan didn't approach until the door closed. I glanced down at his shoes, which were new, and noticed something interesting.

  "Those are slip-on. No laces."

  "Right. Christmas present. Mum's doing well here." He cleared his throat. "I remember the work-study shuffle. Is that going to hinder him, what with all the extra practices?"

  "No."

  "It's not work though."

  "What did you see?"

  "Big green miasma. What did you hear?"

  "Discord. He's in trouble."

  "Surely not as bad as last year, with Intemperance?"

  "No. Not as bad. But different."

  "Bollocks. What should we do?"

  "I'm not sure. We need more information."

  "I'll keep my eyes peeled if you put your ears on the walls."

  "Did Noah give you a Ted Talk on snark?"

  "I wish." He sighed.

  "If you like him, say something."

  "Noah must need something more grandiose than a plain declaration."

  "I've known him most of his life, Dylan." I grinned. "Don't posture or make him think you're waiting for an answer. Just put your feelings out there. He's cautious, takes his time. But he can't choose something if he's got no idea it's even an option."

  "So I'm not super obvious, then?"

  "Only to the mind magus."

  "Aces." He slapped his hand over his mouth. "Sorry."

  "It's cool."

  The rest of the team arrived, all carrying beverages. I made the announcement and gave them the schedule. Nobody asked about Xan, so I added that information at the end, including his nickname.

  Might be a mistake. If his mother was right and nobody really cares what happens to him.

  Someone did, though. One of my teammates lingered after everyone else had gone.

  "Can I come to those extra drills?" Lee tapped one foot against the hardwood.

  "Sure. Once I know exactly when they are."

  "Good." He nodded, then turned on his heel and stalked out of the gymnasium, leaving me with my thoughts. I took off along the track, trying to outrun them.

  I showered before dinner, of course, putting on pajamas afterward because nobody much cared what we wore in the cafeteria on Sundays. Dorian stood outside the door to my room.

  "Can I come in?"

  "If you don't mind me drying my hair."

  "That doesn't bother me."

  Grace had left a note on my desk saying her stomach couldn't wait. I put my basket of toiletries away and sat with my hairbrush on my bed, leaving the chair for Dorian. He stood blinking at me.

  "What's up?"

  "Don't you need a hairdryer?"

  "No." I smiled and held up my hands. "I use magic for that. So what can I do for you?"

  "First of all, thanks."

  "Hmm?" I held the brush in one hand and put the other over it as I went over my hair, conjuring a small amount of solar energy to help it dry.

  "For going out of your way to include Xan. Not holding a grudge."

  "Don't thank me for being a decent human. You're the one who's really helping. Inviting him ho—"

  "Shh." He swallowed. "I think the walls have ears."

  "Yeah." I sighed. "Okay. You're really kind to him."

  "I wanted to ask, because of the mind magic, I mean. Do you know if it's helping? Like, are things getting better for him?"

  Don't say one word about them spending break together. You've got no idea who knows what. And he's right about the walls.

  I closed my eyes and tried to sense my surroundings beyond what the voice said. Sure enough, a mild hum came from the wooden walls. What sort of magic energy had caused it, I couldn't tell.

  He's waiting for an answer.

  "He's not the same as he was last year. But Dorian, I haven't interacted with him enough to say for sure what the changes mean. I think the best thing to do is wait and let him show us."

  "What about your first year?" He studied his fingers, which he'
d locked together in front of him. "Because I wasn't there for that. And yeah, I've heard the rumors."

  "The only things I see in him now from back then are mannerisms." My hair was dry, so I set the brush on my nightstand.

  "I guess you're right." Dorian nodded. "Anyway, are you ready for dinner?"

  "Sure, let's go."

  The week passed much like the ones before winter break, for class and regular Bishop's Row practice anyway. The sessions with Mr. Fairbanks were as fraught with tension. Hal sat in his magic chair instead of the couch, revealing its reclining feature. On Friday in the lounge with our to-go dinners, I mentioned it, igniting an excited discussion about enhancements and applications for an entire fleet of them.

  "You don't even have to worry whether there's stairs or ramps because of the levitation," Dylan said. "Faith's idea, but Hal invented the process."

  "But I didn't invent physics," Hal protested.

  "I bet you can add a wood magic enchantment." Lee nodded. "So the frame has a flexible size range for navigating different doorways."

  "We could make them look any which way." Grace smiled. "Glamour and umbral enchantments would do that. I've been working on a color and pattern dial with Az for shoes. I bet it'd work on that too. How cool would it be to make the frame match your outfit?"

  "That's amazing!" Kitty clapped her hands. "Have you considered heating and cooling? You already have water and air in there. Why not add heating and cooling so you're comfortable no matter what?"

  "Awesome ideas, folks." Hal grinned.

  "Use them, then," Eston said. "Build the best chair possible."

  "I'll think about it. Incidentally, the engineering design was my entry in the local magipsych fair. I'll give those a try after it's scored in February." The grin faded. Mine followed.

  He knows he won't have time. Not to do all that.

  "Hey," I cleared my throat. "The team and the squad have extra practice at Salem State tomorrow at eight-thirty. I talked it over with Logan, and we don't mind an audience. So, come along. The more, the merrier."