by K L Rymer
The life of a zoology student, hey...
Since I gave up my dorm (all my stuff got magically transported to my new room at the academy), I have to find someplace quiet and free of witnesses to teleport.
Bangor has a lot of hills. Too many, in fact, but I trek to one of the tallest, knowing the perfect locale.
It’s normally a drinking site for students as I’d gone there with Sophie and Megan during Freshers, but at ten in the morning, it’s usually empty. The only people around are dog walkers, but I will be vigilant and make sure I’m not seen vanishing into thin air.
Finally, I arrive at my destination absolutely covered in sweat, and pull out my pin.
The hill has a good view of the strait, and I take it all in for a moment, savoring the smell of the crisp, salty air. Despite all the discarded beer bottles and cans, it’s a nice spot. Gulls cry from above, my only witnesses at that moment, and now I focus my mind on my new location.
“Take me to Merlin’s Supernatural Academy.”
I feel the tug at my head first. Then the magic seizes hold of my arms and legs, and soon I’m spinning through space and time. The next thing I know, I’m standing at the academy gates, clutching the pin.
I just... teleported. All of my atoms disappeared and re-organized themselves into a different timeline, and I double over, puking into the dirt.
And I’m supposed to wake a sleeping dragon...
I wipe my mouth, peering up at the castle. It’s a beautiful structure, and it still holds that gleaming white shine, and the courage seeps into my veins again.
Time to start my new classes at Merlin’s Supernatural Academy.
I march through the gates, across the courtyard, and toward the doors. A few students hover about, whispering and pointing as I pass, but I pay them little heed.
If I can sit through a whole hour of learning about a cow’s... you know what... then I can do anything. Even knock Matthew off his feet.
I go to admin, get my key and new timetable, and then head on up to my room. They even have to give me a small map since the school’s so gargantuan.
Just as I thought. My room is in the gloomiest, darkest tower of all to the north, and I try to forget about the fact I got sorted into Mendacious House. I guess that just means I will have a tower block all to myself. I don’t need anyone else.
I arrive at the foot of the winding stairs and head on up. Seriously, I’ll be able to bounce coins off my ass soon with the amount of climbing I have had to do. First hills, now stairs. At least I don’t have to haul luggage.
When I enter the common room at the top of the stairs, I’m surprised to see other students clad in black Mendacious blazers like mine.
They look up the moment I enter, and I deflate a little. Just when I thought I got to have some alone time...
They’re a mismatched looking bunch. There’s a small, wispy girl who I don’t remember seeing the first day, a tall guy who could pass for a bear, a curvy girl with a nervous smile, and another guy with glasses hunched over a laptop. Five in total.
I guess evil’s not that common of a trait then.
Yet I don’t see Matthew or Angelina, and I grind my teeth, wondering how those two could end up anywhere but here. There really is no justice in the world. If I had to guess, they’re both in Ingenious. Smart people are often evil, too. There’s no way they’re Audacious, and least of all Magnanimous.
At least Zahara got sorted into a good house. That I can make peace with. Considering how she was the only one who showed me kindness on our first day, I would have to say she made it into Magnanimous though I can’t picture her in yellow...
“Why, look who finally made it.”
My heart soars, and I spin around, coming face to face with those black, inky eyes.
Zahara.
“What... what are you doing here?!” I cry.
She shrugs. “What did I tell you? Unseelie. I’m evil by default just like you.”
I shake my head, the blood rising to my cheeks. This is just wrong. Besides, I’m pretty sure there were other Unseelie at orientation which doesn’t make sense. Why aren’t they all here, too?
“You shouldn’t be here,” I reply. “You’re a good person. You were the only one who bothered to speak to me the first day.”
Zahara plays with her spikey dog collar, shrugging once again. “Meh, blue or red really aren’t my colours, anyway. And don’t get me started on yellow. Ugh!” She sticks out her tongue, and I spot that piercing.
She’s right. That black blazer really does suit her, but that’s beside the point. I continue to shake my head, but now I smile, meeting her inky eyes.
“Well, at least we get to be in the same house.”
Zahara grins, showing a row of perfect white teeth, and links my arm with hers. “My new best friend. I’m going to love giving you a makeover. First things first, this pretty blonde hair has to go...” She grabs my locks, and I raise a brow, peering at the others.
Zahara introduces me to the guy with glasses. Now that I’m up close, I see he’s actually pretty hot. He has a toned physique, but he’s far too awkward and has a mop of messy, brown hair. Plus, there’s the lame turtleneck, one that looks like it was knitted by his grandma.
Some girls are into that, I suppose.
He shuts his laptop and stands, holding out a shaky hand. “T-Thomas Goldburn. Pleased to meet you, human.”
“Human? I’m guessing you’re a... uh...?”
“A wolf shifter,” he chuckles nervously, pushing up his glasses.
I beam. “Ooh, like a werewolf?!”
His face falls, and now he looks at me utterly aghast. “N-no! I turn into a wolf at will. Werewolves only turn every month at the full moon. Honestly, I thought you knew all this? You’re a zoology student, right?”
I scoff. “I see gossip spreads in this school, but no. We learn about real... I mean non-magical animals. Ones that don’t turn back into a human that is.”
Thomas still looks confused, scratching his mousy head. Zahara punches his arm, and he yelps, growling at her. I see that gold glint burning in his eyes. “Hey!”
“Lay off, Tom. She’s new to our world. This stuff’s alien to her.”
Just as I’m wondering if this school has alien students, Thomas grumbles and sits back in his chair, opening his laptop. It seems we’re done talking then.
We proceed to the next student, the curvy girl with the nervous smile. “Hiiiii! I’m Nora Stone. Gorgon.”
My eyes expand, and now I finally notice that her hair is, in fact... alive. It writhes as if it has a mind of its own. Not snakes, per se, but the thick, curled strands squirm all the same. “You turn people into stone? How cool. Just like your name.”
At that, I make a point not to look her in the eyes which I’m sure were bright, unnatural green. Not at all like my hazel. I already gave her a once over—curvy and beautiful with dark, ebony skin.
“Well, not on purpose...” Nora mutters, smoothing back a wild strand.
The tall guy steps beside her, and I crane my neck. He could be over eight-foot, but wow... he’s a specimen. Long, wavy, brown hair down to his shoulders, and a heavyset build. His hands look as if they could crush a skull, and I swallow hard.
“Jack Small,” he drones, his voice deep, gruff.
I suppress a laugh, keeping an eye on his thick knuckles.
Small?
Zahara leans in and whispers, “He’s half titan. A human father and a titan mother.”
I blink. Humans and titans can have sex? I guess it makes sense if it’s a human male and a female titan. The reverse would be catastrophic.
Now we come to stand before the tiny, wispy girl. She squeaks, dashing behind a chair, and I glance at Zahara.
She sighs. “Pixie. Shy creatures though natural tricksters. They belong neither to the Seelie or the Unseelie, just somewhere between. Unfortunately, she has ended up here. I think her name was Fizzle Whip or something.”
“F-Felici
ty... my... my name is Felicity... Th-Thorn...” the small girl whispers, and I meet those round, blue eyes around the arm of the chair.
Now that I get a good look at her, my heart melts. Such a cutie. She seems so sweet. There’s no way she should be in Mendacious. Her features are like all the girls I watch in anime—huge eyes, button nose, and tiny, heart-shaped lips. A perfect doll. I just want to pick her up and put her on my shelf.
“Don’t be fooled,” Zahara warns. “She may look innocent, but pixies are crafty little creatures. Just... keep an eye on your shoes...”
I nod, gazing at Felicity. She peeps again, vanishing behind the chair, and now all I can see is wispy strands of white-blonde hair.
I re-count and come up with a new total. “So, only six ended up in Mendacious then?”
“Actually, it was seven...”
The voice comes from a corner of the room, and my heart thumps when I finally spot that shadow. It has a pair of glowing red eyes, and I back away, falling into the chair that Felicity hides behind. The pixie squeaks once again and retreats even further, but she’s not the only one.
Even Jack backs off, the biggest, most beastly-looking man that I’ve ever seen, and Nora tries to calm her erratic hair which wriggles in fear. Thomas slips his laptop away, his body tense. His eyes shine bright gold.
Only Zahara stays put, keeping her gaze on the shadow. “Stop being lame, Damien, and come out here. Bryn would like to meet you.”
Um... no, I don’t. Damien can stay far, far away.
The shadow sighs and slinks forward, and I recognize the black shoulder-length hair, pale features, and red eyes. It’s the creepy guy I saw on the first day, and I didn’t like the look of him one bit, even back then. He just oozes evil, and I don’t mean to be so judgemental. Even without the gothic fashion, I’d still find him creepy.
He wears a long, black coat (with the school’s emblem stitched to the front pocket), heavy steel-toe boots, and a ripped T-shirt and jeans (all black, of course).
“Bryn, this is Damien. A demon,” Zahara introduces.
“Half-demon,” Damien corrects, keeping those ominous red eyes on me, and I catch that slight smirk.
A demon...? Christ, I’ll take tricky, little pixies any day over a demon.
“Well, I guess that’s everyone,” Zahara concludes, taking my arm again. “Welcome to your new home, Human Bryn Williams...”
I display a fake grin and allow her to lead me to my room. Just as I disappear up another set of stairs, I spot the others observing me.
Damien stands to the center, his red eyes aglow as they follow me carefully. Nora and Thomas flank his sides, their fear of the demon finally subsiding as they watch me curiously. Jack towers at the back, quiet and solemn, and little Felicity steps to the front, her big, blue eyes shining like beacons, and I see now how small she truly is—only reaching Damien’s waist.
They look as if they’re witnessing a living legend, and I think back to my sorting ceremony, wondering what stories have already been spreading about me.
Great... I love hearing rumors about myself.
Chapter 8.
I rush to my first class at the academy—Human Studies.
Seriously, why should a human have to learn about humans? Well, I guess that’s what anthropologists do pretty much, but still, it’s dumb. But it would be interesting to learn about myself and my world from a magical perspective, a perspective involving mages, shifters, gorgons, titans, pixies, fae, demons...
Wow, what a mouthful. What creatures didn’t go to this school?
And surprise, surprise, I’m late. I’d needed a little rest when I got to my new room since teleporting makes one tired. What can I say? The four-poster looked comfortable, and I had a HD view of the mountains. My room at Bangor didn’t have such nice scenery. For one, a cluster of trees was in the way of the strait.
It’s just as well. I was late for my first class at Bangor too where I learned all about cows’ genitals (pictures and everything). At least my classes at the academy will be a bit more interesting. Aside from Human Studies, I also have Magical Training (that’s pretty much gym class), History and Legends, and Magical Equilibrium. Then there are your standard classes like math and language studies (though we do get to learn various languages from different magical races).
That’s all good and dandy, but the school administration is forgetting one vital thing—I have no superpowers. I can’t even predict the winning horse of a race. So why do I need to learn about Magical Equilibrium?
At last, I arrive at the class, and I see the divide instantly. To the front are pretty blue, red, and yellow blazers, but at the back are black Mendacious. Nora waves me over enthusiastically, her live hair squirming like worms, and I just want the ground to swallow me up. Everyone’s watching me.
With a sigh, I slip into the room, ignoring the burning eyes of the male professor, and edge toward the back to be with my new roommates.
As I pass, I encounter Matthew and Angelina, and I have the shock of my life when I spot their blazers. Angelina wears Ingenious blue that makes her vivid eyes pop all the more. But Matthew... his blazer... is red. Wtf.
How... how can he be in Audacious?! Ingenious I could understand, but noble is not one of his traits. For one, he is an asshole. And two, he’s destined to ride the White Dragon.
This just sucks.
Meanwhile, I’m stuck in Mendacious. An outcast in this cruel, magical world.
It seems he reads my mind because he gives me a wicked grin, clasping the red lapels of his blazer which I’ll admit is sexy, but still... I want to punch him in his stupid, chiseled face.
I must look pretty moronic at that moment because Angelina laughs out loud, twirling a long lock of her bleached blonde hair. Matthew keeps his evil sneer on me, his eyes alight with mischief, and I bite my tongue, heading to the back of the classroom.
Fuck them. They can shove their blazers where the sun doesn’t shine. I don’t need a red or blue blazer to get far in this world. Leave that to a pair of talentless assholes.
Finally, I make it to my seat beside Zahara as she pulls her pierced tongue at me. In the corner of my eye, I see Nora deflate, sinking back into her chair.
Oh... I never meant to offend her. I’ll apologize later.
The professor, a midget with a shock of white hair and a purple tweed coat, still won’t take his burning gaze off me, and I shift my eyes back and forth.
What’s his problem? I was like a minute late, get over it.
“Well, well, well, it looks like we have our very first human in our Human Studies class.”
All heads turn toward me. Nora and Thomas scoot away, trying to look as if they’re not with me, and I take back wanting to apologize to Nora. Screw her.
Jack is indifferent, and little Felicity shudders in terror. But Zahara and Damien are the only two who don’t succumb to the hostility that is suddenly thrown our way. The half-demon even has his steel-toe boots up on the desk while Zahara twirls her black chewing gum.
Black chewing gum? Really? Could she be any more goth?
Shit. If Mendacious were so unpopular before I arrived, then I’ve just made things a hell of a lot worse.
We go on that way for at least five more seconds, the whole class staring at us like we’re monsters, and the professor finally turns back to the chalkboard, scribbling his name.
Professor Higgles.
Ha... Classic.
“Today, students, we will be learning all about human encroachment and the effect it has on our magical world. Countless races already have gone extinct, no thanks to... Homo sapiens...”
The students mutter irritably, facing the only Homo in class (not that kind of homo, idiot), and my cheeks burn bright red. This is just going to be some human bashing class now, isn’t it?
Professor Higgles resumes with his lesson, drawing a diagram of a map—an assembly of continents, and it vaguely resembles our own world.
“This is the supernatura
l realm. And this...” he scribbles another map next to the otherworldly one. “Is the human realm. Note how they are fairly similar. Of course, neither one is separate or independent of the other. All our continents overlap, but over time our populations have decreased, leaving more land for the humans to disperse and conquer. Soon, it’s only a matter of time until all humans invade the few pockets of land we do have left, seizing what’s rightfully ours. In fact, it’s starting already. Case in point.”
Higgles points at me, and once again the whole class shifts around in their seats. Nora can’t scoot any further at this point, but who cares? I’m sick of this shit. Not all humans are bad. Do the words Steve Irwin ring any bells? Professor Jane Goodall? Or how about Sir David Attenborough? Humans who have actually dedicated their lives to making a damn difference. Sure, they help endangered animals, not supernatural races, but still.
I raise my hand. I’m a zoology student, and there is one thing I know, and that’s gene flow. Look it up.
Higgles narrows his eyes. “Yes, Miss Williams?”
“You know, some of you could always leave and immigrate to the human world. I’m sure there’s enough room for all of us. Why stay here where you’re all just going to go extinct? That’s not how populations survive. In fact, that’s how many perish. Disperse, spread your magical genes...”
The class gasps. Some bare fangs, and others flap bat wings. (Huh, a gargoyle. How nice.) But I only smile smugly.
I love being smarter than everyone else.
The professor scoffs, and I cock a brow.
“Disperse and interbreed with the likes of you? Outrageous! The last thing our world needs is more half-breeds.”
He hisses the last word, keeping a jaundiced eye on all of Mendacious. I knew Jack and Damien were half-human, but were Nora, Thomas, Felicity, and Zahara, too?
I peer at each of them next, finally seeing the human in all of them. They wear it on their heartbroken and embarrassed faces. Little Felicity looks as if she’s about to cry, shedding tears from those enormous pools. Thomas bows his head, while Nora’s hair droops. Zahara clicks her jaw and Damien... he just scowls at the professor like he wants to vanquish him to the pits of hell. Jack’s his usual, solemn self.
