Oath Breaker

by Shelley Wilson

  He watched me as I sipped my drink.

  ‘I’m Terry.’ He extended his hand across the table and I took it, shaking it firmly just as Zak had taught me.

  ‘I’m Mia.’

  ‘So Mia, where are you heading on this chilly morning?’

  I hesitated; regardless of the sweet, hot chocolatey gesture I needed to lie to this guy. I wasn’t ready to spill all the gruesome details of my screwed-up life, especially to a stranger.

  ‘I’m going to Scotland.’

  He raised his eyebrows and let out a long, low whistle. ‘That’s a hell of a long journey.’

  I laughed at his expression and managed to relax my posture, realising for the first time how tense I was.

  ‘I’m visiting my brother, and he lives in the Scottish mountains.’

  Terry cocked his head to one side as if weighing up my answer.

  ‘How do you know he lives in the mountains?’

  I blinked. ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘How do you know your brother lives in the Scottish mountains? Did he tell you?’

  I shook myself out of the shocked silence and stammered a reply, ‘Yes…he told me.’

  The fact that Zak had only mentioned Scotland to me nine years ago didn’t matter. It was the first thing that had popped into my head. This conversation was making me feel uncomfortable, and I looked around again for any sign of Sebastian.

  Terry slipped out of his chair, and I curled my fists ready to fend off an attack, but he smiled and moved towards the exit.

  As he reached the door, he glanced back at me.

  ‘You might be interested to know that your brother is closer than you think, Mia. I wouldn’t bother going all the way to Scotland. Perhaps stay close to the belly button, and be careful who you trust.’ He winked and then he was gone.

  The gasp froze on my lips. The ‘belly button’ was Zak’s phrase.

  I flew out of my seat and rushed to the door, stumbling over my own feet as I went. The cold air hit my face as soon as I stepped outside. I scanned the car park for Terry, but he was nowhere to be seen.

  ‘Mia?’

  I whirled around to find Sebastian standing behind me, his posture rigid, deep grooves trailing along his forehead.

  ‘I…I was worried about you,’ I lied. ‘Thought you’d dumped me and run.’

  My eyes continued to roam the car park.

  ‘I’m sorry. It was a business call that couldn’t wait.’

  I trailed after him as we made our way back to the car. Sliding into the seat, I scoured the dark corners, the parked cars and the surrounding area for any sign of Terry.

  Hope filled my chest like a helium balloon.

  There was only one way that he could know about Zak’s quirky phrase. Whoever this guy was, he knew my brother, and if that was the case, then my brother knew where I was.

  When Sebastian told the police that I would be staying with him, I’d pictured a semi-detached house with a front lawn and overgrown flower borders. As he pulled through the tall, wrought-iron gates and into the winding driveway of a stately home, I began to feel slightly cheated. How could he live in such a grand place while my dad barely scraped enough together to afford the dirty hovel that I’d called home?

  ‘It’s a school,’ he mumbled, as if sensing my animosity.

  Panic gripped me and my fingers tightened around the car seat. I was briefly reminded of Terry’s warning about who I should trust.

  ‘You’re dumping me into a boarding school?’

  ‘No, Mia, this is my home. I run this school for gifted girls.’

  I snorted. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you but I’m not gifted. In fact, my grades are about as good as my conversational skills.’

  Sebastian huffed, the stony exterior wavering momentarily but snapping back into place as he stopped the car in front of two huge wooden doors.

  ‘I apologise. I should have forewarned you about the nature of my job and home, but Hood Academy is not for the academically gifted, Mia, it’s for the physically gifted.’

  ‘What, like a prep school for Miss United Kingdom? Ohmigod, do you run an underage brothel?’

  ‘Mia!’ For the first time since he walked through the door of my ruined house and into my mess of a life, Sebastian looked flustered.

  As we sat in the car, and I waited patiently for a worthy explanation, the front doors opened and a stream of girls burst through. They were dressed head to foot in tight-fitting grey jumpsuits with long poles strapped across their backs. Like water breaking around a boulder in a stream, they swarmed past the car and sprinted off across the open lawn to the right of where we were parked.

  A tall, lithe student with long red hair split from the group and began shouting commands. The others quickly manoeuvred into pairs and began sweeping their arms in slow, deliberate movements.

  ‘Are they dancing?’

  Sebastian shook his head and reached for the door handle.

  ‘They are training, using Tai Chi movements to prepare their bodies ahead of the hand-to-hand combat.’

  ‘Hand-to-hand combat! What the hell is hand-to…?’

  I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence as the girls swung the poles off their backs and began fighting each other, using them as weapons. The clash of wood on wood filled the early morning air as I stepped out of the car.

  They moved with grace and determination, and I was transfixed at how fast they could wield the long staffs. There were a few grunts and yelps as fingers got caught in the onslaught, but none of them gave up.

  ‘This way, Mia. I want to get you settled into your room before breakfast.’

  Reluctantly I followed Sebastian up the front steps, losing my footing as I kept an eye on the girls.

  I HAD TO admit, the interior entrance hall of Hood Academy was impressive. The high ceilings bore lavishly painted frescoes from Greek mythology. The walls were decorated in rich, golden, wood panelling that gleamed in the warm light cast from the chandeliers. Chunky pieces of furniture hugged the walls. Intricately carved sideboards, full of dusty old books and red sofas occupied every available space. The room was clearly designed to be multipurpose. An inviting entrance for visitors and a communal gathering space for the students. To the left, through an open door, I could see a large dining area. Several tables and long benches filled the floor space, and I heard the gentle clatter of cutlery being laid out.

  Directly to my right a half-glazed door stood slightly ajar with a name plaque in the centre. Dr Sebastian Roberts.

  So my uncle was a doctor; interesting.

  Two staircases leading off from the hallway dominated the space; one veered to the left and the other to the right. Sebastian walked up the left-hand stairs and I followed, swinging my rucksack over one shoulder.

  ‘Breakfast will be served at eight in the dining room. Follow the smell and you should be fine. If you need me, come to my office, anytime.’

  ‘What is this place?’

  Sebastian stopped suddenly on the stairs, and I walked straight into the back of him. Jumping back, I grabbed onto the handrail to steady myself.

  ‘Mia, there is so much you don’t know, so much that your dad probably should have told you but didn’t. I need you to be open-minded about this place.’

  When he looked at me, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and I allowed myself a brief moment of guilt. Was he grieving over the loss of his brother? In the horror of the aftermath, I hadn’t considered it, or maybe I just didn’t care enough.

  He turned his back and kept on walking up the stairs. It seemed that neither of us could communicate our true feelings.

  We stopped on the first-floor landing and Sebastian gestured to the higher levels.

  ‘The second and third floors are for the older students and teachers. This floor is for our newest students. We do maintain a basic curriculum of maths, English and science, but predominantly your studies will be centred around learning to fight, defend yourself and hunt.’

&nbs
p; My mouth went dry, and all I could hear was the sound of a clock ticking somewhere off in the distance.

  ‘What exactly is it that I’m learning to hunt?’ I said, deliberately grinding out each word.

  ‘Werewolves, Mia. You will be hunting werewolves.’

  I SAT ON the end of the bed and stared at the wall. He had been so matter-of-fact when he’d told me. So cold and clinical. Not once did he stop to think that I might not believe him or that I’d laugh in his face and tell him there was no such thing.

  Memories of a huge brown wolf crashing through our living room window stomped through my thoughts. I’d seen it with my own eyes. Fear had crippled me as I watched the creature pace the floor, broken glass crunching beneath its immense paws. The only other sound had been the whimpering sobs from my dad. He didn’t move to protect me, he just mumbled words I couldn’t understand. And then, the creature launched itself forward to rip my dad’s throat out. As it turned to face me, all I could focus on were the hazel eyes and blood, lots and lots of blood, smeared over a long snout, and sharp fangs.

  I stood up and paced the floor.

  Sebastian had dropped his bombshell, dumped me in my new room and left. He had nothing more to say to me. Did he know what I’d seen? Was he fully aware that a werewolf had killed his brother?

  My head was spinning as I tried to comprehend everything that had happened. In twelve short hours, I’d watched a mythical creature murder my dad, been whisked away by an estranged uncle werewolf hunter and had an odd conversation about my brother with a complete stranger.

  I’d just hung my coat on the hook behind the door when it burst open and a pretty, young blonde girl dashed inside and collided with me. We both fell and hit the floor with a bang.

  ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?’ She jumped to her feet, extending her hand to help me up. ‘I didn’t know you’d arrived.’

  ‘I didn’t know you were expecting me.’ I fumbled to my feet with her help and dusted off my jeans.

  ‘You’re Mia, Dr Roberts’s niece. He told us you were joining the school and I, for one, am so excited to be your roomie.’

  I glanced around the bedroom, seeing it properly for the first time. There were single beds on either side of the room with a large mahogany dressing table separating them. Single wardrobes and a huge chest of drawers sat on the opposite wall. A doorway led to a private bathroom. Fresh cream linen and soft blankets covered the bed I’d been sitting on, whereas the other bed was covered in multicoloured cushions and an assortment of stuffed animals. Rich purple curtains framed the window and a plush grey rug stretched across the centre of the room.

  ‘I’m Elizabeth, but my friends call me Lizzie.’

  I shrugged and sat back on the bed, crossing my legs underneath me.

  ‘I guess you know all about me, then.’

  Unfazed by my abrupt manner, Elizabeth sat on the end of her bed and scrutinised me.

  ‘You look so similar to your mum.’

  I recoiled.

  ‘How the hell do you know what my mum looks like?’

  ‘Oh, there are tons of photographs in Dr R’s office. When I first arrived here, I thought the pictures were of his wife. I actually told him I thought his wife was pretty.’ She laughed and her blue eyes twinkled.

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He got all embarrassed and told me she was his sister-in-law but that they were close. I felt like such an idiot.’

  Her smile was infectious, and I could feel the corners of my mouth twitching in an attempt to return her warmth. She was nice. I didn’t know how to handle nice. So I did what I do best and clamped down on any attempt at being friendly.

  ‘Have you eaten? Breakfast is great and there’s plenty of it. Come on.’

  My stomach growled, confirming that I hadn’t eaten for far too long. Elizabeth giggled, and grabbing my hand she pulled me off the bed and towards the door.

  She ignored my veiled attempts at being moody and didn’t stop talking all the way to the dining hall, filling me in on which student stayed in which room, who held the best parties and where to get my equipment. As we got to the ground floor, I noticed another door close to Sebastian’s office. I hadn’t seen it when I first arrived.

  ‘Where does that lead?’

  Elizabeth pondered the existence of the door for a moment then shrugged her delicate shoulders.

  ‘I think it’s Dr R’s storeroom. It’s always locked and I don’t remember ever seeing anyone use it.’

  I followed Elizabeth into the dining hall. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air and I realised just how hungry I was.

  With a full plate and a large mug of hot chocolate, I trailed behind Elizabeth to sit at one end of the dining table. The hall was full of students, in their grey jumpsuits, chatting and eating and laughing. It was strange to think this was a school. The lunch hall back at my old school hadn’t been as upbeat. In fact, nobody dared to eat the slop they dished up or to take on the popular kids who taunted anyone with a pulse.

  I was halfway through my sausages when a hush fell over the room. I glanced up to see the tall red-haired girl from the garden saunter into the hall with what looked like two bodyguards bringing up the rear. I rolled my eyes. Apparently even Hood Academy had its own popular crew.

  Elizabeth stiffened beside me as I became aware of the redhead hovering over me.

  ‘You must be Mia.’

  I chewed the remains of my breakfast and swallowed before staring up at her stern face.

  ‘Stay out of my way.’

  With that, our introduction was over, and she left as quickly as she’d arrived. The hush lifted and the laughter resumed.

  ‘Who the hell is she?’

  Elizabeth glanced nervously around her.

  ‘That’s Felicity. She’s a true breed.’

  ‘A what?’

  ‘True breed! Her father, grandmother and great-grandmother were all hunters. She’s the latest in a long line of dedicated hunters. They’ve written books about her family.’

  ‘Well, I don’t give a crap about her ancestors or her inbreeding, she’s a freak.’

  Elizabeth sniggered. True breed not inbreed.’

  ‘Whatever. I don’t like her.’

  ‘No-one does. Because of her family’s connections, she gets to run some of our training sessions and pushes us to the limits, and it’s hard for the younger kids.’

  ‘How long have you been here?’

  ‘I’m still in my first year. A werewolf attacked my sister and me when we were camping last summer, so my parents enrolled me here.’

  ‘I don’t get it. Why did your family ship you off and not your sister?’

  ‘She doesn’t have the sight. Only I could see the werewolf.’

  ‘So you only get to be a hunter if you can see werewolves?’

  ‘Yes, you can’t fight something you can’t see. When did you see your first werewolf?’

  I closed my eyes and then thought better of it as the scene unfolded in my mind for the millionth time.

  ‘Yesterday, when it jumped through our living room window and murdered my dad.’

  Elizabeth was right. Sebastian’s office was full of old photographs, not just of my mum, but my dad too. I picked up a brass frame with a faded picture inside; three happy faces beamed up at me. I’d never seen my dad smile. Being so young when my mum died meant that I missed out on the pleasant side of family life.

  Sebastian opened the door and stopped midway between his office and the hallway, his jaw slack and eyes wide.

  ‘You did say I could come and see you anytime, remember?’

  With a deep sigh, he walked into the office and closed the door behind him.

  ‘Sorry, Mia, I’m still getting used to seeing your face.’

  ‘Oh, thanks. I see we both need to work on our family bonding skills.’

  I flopped into one of the armchairs that sat in front of his desk, tracing the intricate carvings with my fingertips.

&nb
sp; ‘You’ve got a lot of old stuff in this house.’

  He huffed and I realised that was as close as he came to a laugh.

  ‘The original owner of the property left the house and its contents to me in their will. I’ve just added the odd piece over the years.’

  I stood up and walked across to the large picture window. The view looked out over the front lawns, the same piece of land where I’d watched a bunch of schoolgirls thrash the living hell out of one another.

  ‘I can’t do this.’ I watched as it started to rain, big fat blobs of water chasing each other along the imperfections of the glass. ‘Actually, scrap that. I don’t want to do this.’

  I spun around to catch him studying me from his leather desk chair, his fingers laced together behind his perfectly coiffed head of hair.

  ‘I understand now why you brought me here, but I don’t know why I could see that werewolf. I do know that I don’t want to get that close and personal with another one anytime soon.’

  He lowered his arms and placed his large hands flat on the desk. He addressed his knuckles when he finally spoke.

  ‘Why didn’t it kill you, Mia?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘How is it that you survived a werewolf attack that claimed the life of your father?’

  I opened my mouth to speak, but the words dried up in my throat. I’d asked myself that same question over and over. The sight of all that blood, the broken glass and the piercing scream as the creature’s fangs ripped out my dad’s throat. Those huge brown eyes that looked…sad. It had played out in my mind a million times. I was paralysed with fear, unable to move a muscle, and I thought I was going to be next to die. The wolf watched me for a long time as if it was studying my reaction. When it approached, terror had vibrated through my entire body, but it licked my hand and then left.

  ‘Werewolves know when they are facing a hunter, Mia. That monster could see that you were dangerous and it fled.’

  I shook my head. That wasn’t right.

  ‘No, it could have killed me, but it didn’t. It just walked away.’