Mortal Raised

by Kit Bladegrave

  The first was getting back on his feet and lunged at me, but I easily sidestepped him and gave him another swift kick in the rear.

  “Enough of this!” the one with the sword snarled and held his arms out to the side as a visible shiver slid over his body.

  “Seriously?” I growled, not believing he was going to shift here where we could still be seen by a bunch of people walking around.

  But then the shift stopped short, and only his hands boasted the sharp, long claws of the dragon he was.

  They glinted in the sunlight, and he snarled as he launched himself at me with new speed.

  The first hit caught me off-guard, and I barely managed to bring up my arm to block another attack, but his claws swiped down my side, slicing me open.

  I growled in pain, never seen a dragon shift like this before. It shouldn’t have been possible, but there was no time now to debate how he was doing it.

  I let myself drop to the ground, spun my daggers around, and slashed across his middle.

  He growled as he staggered away from me, but I was losing blood quickly.

  The other man came towards me, but I was not going to be dragged back to that place, not ever again.

  Filled with the fury of what they did to me, to my family, I yelled and threw myself at my attacker with everything I had, driving him back with the force of my attacks until I slipped past his defenses and drove my dagger straight into his heart.

  I needed to shift, needed an outlet for my rage, but two arms wrapped around me and threw me across the pavement, my head smacking into the ground.

  My vision blurred, but I saw the half-shifted man coming towards me, and with a final yell of anger, I drove both daggers upwards just as his claws aimed down, digging into my shoulders and pinning us together.

  He gasped for air, but then his body collapsed on top of mine, and I went limp.

  I had to get up. I was bleeding out, but I lacked the energy to move anymore.

  Zara was dead, and she was just another in a long list of those I’d lost. I didn’t want to keep on fighting, didn’t want to see anyone else die…

  But if I didn’t get up, more would come for Everest, and the rest of them who thought they were safe. Each movement shooting agonizing pain down my body, I pried his cold dead hands from my shoulders.

  He’d shifted back in death, and I rolled out from under him. Somehow, I found my feet, and taking my prized daggers with me, I sheathed them at my back and hunched over so no one would see my face as I stumbled my way back to my bike.

  I probably shouldn’t have ridden it, but I had to get to the warehouse before someone noticed the blood and called the paramedics. A mortal hospital wouldn’t do me any good.

  I parked the bike inside, shut it off, and made it three steps before I fell to the cement floor.

  I fumbled in my pocket for my cell and pressed the number to call Tank, but then everything went dark.

  “Zara!” I growled and shot upright, headbutting someone in the head. “Damn it,” I sputtered as I held my forehead.

  Someone else cursed beside me. “Davis?”

  “He’s awake,” I heard him say and saw the laptop sitting close by, Jenny and Preston’s faces onscreen. “See? Told you he’d be fine, no need to worry.”

  I grunted at the no worrying part.

  “Slade? What the hell happened? We told you to stay out of trouble,” Jenny yelled. “And Davis gets there to find you unconscious and bleeding to death! What did you do? Huh, what? You got a death wish now?”

  Despite the fact she was not in the same room with me, I still cringed at her fury. “Not like I went looking for a fight.”

  My shoulders throbbed, and my side screamed in pain, but Davis hadn’t done a bad job of taking care of my injuries.

  “Just tell us what happened,” Preston said as Jenny paced away from the computer.

  “I went to get food, and I smelled them. They’re already here.”

  Preston hung his head as several vivid curses flew out of his mouth. “How many?”

  “Three, but I took care of them all.” I frowned, remember the fight. “Preston, one of them stopped mid-shift.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean his arms and hands shifted, but the rest of him didn’t.”

  “That shouldn’t be possible,” he muttered.

  “Exactly what I thought, but he did it. And there’s more of them here, I can feel it.” I swung my feet around, ignoring Davis’ protest to take it easy. “Preston, I think this group was a scouting party of some kind, checking out the defenses at the school. To find a weak spot to infiltrate.”

  “Right, I’m sending in a larger team to assist.”

  “Are you crazy? If you send more now, they’ll send more now, too. Do you want this city to become a bloodbath?”

  “I am not leaving you and Davis to handle this alone. Not if they’re about to launch a full-scale attack.”

  “The second they catch wind of that many of us around, what do you think is going to happen?” I argued. “You might drive them to attack sooner, and even more people might get killed. Just let me gather some more intel first, see what I can find out. Please.”

  Preston backed away, and he and Jenny talked quietly together, her throwing worried looks over her shoulders at me every few seconds.

  “You were almost dead when I found you,” Davis whispered beside me.

  “Almost.”

  “Slade, you can’t just throw your life away like it means nothing. We saved you to be part of something greater, to finally put an end to this war. We need you alive.”

  “I’m not trying to get myself killed. Why does everyone think that?”

  His face fell. “Zara. You were whispering her name the whole time you were out.”

  I wiped a hand over my face and shrugged. “I’m fine, alright? Let’s just stick to the mission and keep Everest alive, and that damn school protected.”

  I waited for Jenny and Preston to announce they were dragging me away, but as Jenny stormed off looking annoyed, he told me they were going to let me stay. “Tank will be back in a few days, but you are not to get yourself into another fight, got it? Not unless you have to do it to keep Everest alive. Gather what information you can, and I expect you to report back every day. Understood?”

  “Will do.”

  “Fine, then listen to Davis and keep your head down.”

  “And about the other issue?”

  Preston grunted. “Let me deal with that. I’ll send some more scouts out.”

  “You know, the only way we’re really going to get to the bottom of this is if we send someone back,” I said quietly. “Get them close enough to see what the end game is.”

  “They’re after those who are unprotected,” he insisted, but it was more than that.

  He knew it, and so did I.

  “Why do they want Everest dead so badly?” I asked. “Why?”

  “You don’t think they’re just there for the school?”

  “No,” I said firmly. “No, I do not. When I was fighting them, they said they needed me alive, me and the witch.”

  Preston’s brow furrowed, and he leaned away from the screen.

  “Preston?”

  “Do what I told you do. I’ll get back to you soon enough.”

  “Who is she, Preston? Really?” I asked again.

  He disconnected the video chat.

  “Sure, leave me with no answers. That’s really helpful,” I snapped.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Davis asked as I found my feet, and holding my side, limped towards the stairs.

  “To get cleaned up and changed,” I muttered.

  They were after Everest, specifically Everest. Now the question remained, why?

  We already knew they were after the next generation of magic users, but this was different.

  Targeting her meant she was important to them.

  I would just have to watch her closely until I could find out
why.

  Dragon Feared Excerpt

  It wasn’t bad enough that she found out she had to go to a school for witches, but finding out that she’s dealing with dragons, that’s going a little bit too far.

  With classes like Advanced Spellcasting, Mystical History, Mortal History, Introduction to Spells, and Artifacts 101, you’d think Ever would be too busy to try to learn more about the mysterious guy with those haunting blue eyes named Slade that keeps haunting her dreams and showing up at random places.

  You’d think that a kiss from Jared—The Jared Winchester The Third—would occupy what time her classes didn’t.

  But, no. Not Everest. She wants answers. She wants to know more about Slade, her mother, her father, not to mention being a First Descendant.

  Why is being a teenager so complicated when you’re a witch that dragons fear?

  Chapter One

  Everest

  My first night at the school I slept like a rock on what had to be the most comfortable bed I had ever had the pleasure of being acquainted with.

  Edgar had apparently dropped by after leaving me alone with Elsa, because when Amelie opened the door after Jared left, I noticed all the décor he had picked out with me was already set up.

  The room had two large windows that overlooked the courtyard, so I was starting to feel a bit like royalty. I stepped out onto the balcony earlier that morning and took in the view of my new home.

  I couldn’t stop staring beyond the walls, something pulling me in that direction. I’d had weird dreams all night again, flying around on the back of a dragon, but this time, I hadn’t felt like someone else.

  And the battle below had taken place over a modern city. It was strange, but it hadn’t lasted long before I was seeing Mom again, hearing her cry as a man spoke to her.

  When I’d finally opened my eyes, I was shaking from what was happening and told myself they were just dreams.

  After I’d woken up a second time, it was Slade’s eyes I’d dreamt about and wished again that I could find him. Seeing him turn up at the mall, though, something told me I would get my chance.

  I spent that morning getting to know Amelie.

  I learned that she was a third-generation attendee at the school, and I was embarrassed to admit to her I wasn’t really sure how many relatives of mine had been there before me, but told her I knew at least Mom had attended.

  She bragged about being an excellent student, and I was relieved to hear that. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck with a slacker as a roommate. I’d rather hang out with the nerds any day.

  I wasn’t sure what a place for witches and dragons to study at meant for my future as a historian, but either way, I was going to take this opportunity seriously.

  Amelie had invited me along on some holiday plans, but I felt like I would be intruding, so I turned her down.

  She had happily hurried off with Penelope and Janelle, and I enjoyed the entire suite to myself. I took the day exploring a bit, but stayed out of Amelie’s personal bedroom.

  I bummed around the dorm and got in some well-deserved relaxation time. The most exciting thing I did that day was pick up my school uniforms from the main building. Skirts, mid-length, or black slacks, with black blouses, ties, and a black blazer with the school logo on the front right side. I guessed they could’ve been worse, but I still wasn’t looking forward to wearing this all the time.

  I wandered aimlessly around the campus after dropping the clothes back off in my dorm, not talking to anyone, just admiring the grounds.

  The gardens were gorgeous, filled with bright flowers and vegetables the further along I went. There was a greenhouse set along the back wall that surrounded the entire campus, more gargoyles perched there, too.

  The strong smell of basil and other herbs met my nose, but when I neared the greenhouse, I noticed a sign stating what was inside. None of the plants sounded vaguely familiar, and I decided against going inside to check them out.

  I found myself near the front gates toward the afternoon, when a weird pang of needing to leave hit me.

  I frowned, wondering where that had come from when the necklace against my skin warmed—the one Edgar had given me.

  I hadn’t taken it off yet, feeling like I would be losing something if I did.

  After a while, I forced myself back towards the dorm, throwing one last curious glance toward the gate before it disappeared from view.

  That evening, I passed out before Amelie ever returned, and I rose early the next morning, eager for my first day of classes.

  I showered in my private bathroom and dressed in my new, crisp uniform, feeling a bit more like I belonged here, but I had a feeling that wouldn’t last once the rest of the students noticed me.

  “I made breakfast,” Amelie called from downstairs, and I picked up my blazer, told myself I could handle whatever this school threw at me, and hurried to the kitchen.

  Jared was there, and I stumbled over my feet when I saw his charming smile once again. “Morning. How was your first night? Well, ah, and the second, I guess?” he asked.

  “Good, they were good,” I said with a nervous smile, not about to mention the stream of crazy dreams I had again.

  But this time, I swore I saw something happening to Slade, but I hadn’t been able to help it. It was weird, but I shook it off, and sat down to breakfast.

  I heard dishes clinking together and frowned.

  Amelie sat on a stool, busy on her phone.

  I slowly turned towards the sink and nearly choked on my mouthful of pancakes when I saw the dishes calmly washing themselves.

  “That’s, uh, that’s neat,” I managed to say, and they both laughed.

  “Don’t worry, before long I’m sure you’ll be able to do the same,” she promised me.

  “Not so sure about that,” I muttered, not hungry anymore as my gut twisted in knots. “I’ve never used magic before. What if my uncle was wrong? What if I’m not a witch?”

  “You are, trust me,” Amelie promised. “You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. Just going to take some time and practice.”

  Time and practice, I was good at those two things at least.

  “And do you stop by every student’s dorm in the mornings or is Amelie just that special?” I asked Jared.

  His cheeks reddened slightly as Amelie hid a laugh with a very fake sounding cough.

  “I thought I would make sure you were ready to go,” Jared said in a rush. “It being your first day and all, I just wanted to make sure you remember where all your classes are.”

  “Thanks, but I think I got it,” I assured him, smiling to see him unsteady for once.

  Now he knew how I felt around him, and everyone else here. I didn’t think I’d ever made anyone feel like that around me, and my heart gave a little flutter.

  “I’ll walk you to your first class anyway.” He flashed another grin and sat down beside me as Amelie passed over a plate of pancakes for him too, before joining us herself.

  “Isn’t there a cafeteria?” I asked, pretty sure I saw one on our tour.

  “There is, but this is much better than that food, trust me,” she insisted, dousing her pancakes in syrup. “I only suffer with that food for lunch. Everything else, I make. And this kitchen is yours, too, so anything you want to cook or stock up on, have at it.”

  I’d eaten at the cafeteria yesterday, or well, picked up food, and brought it back here. It hadn’t been that bad, but then again, I’d been living off macaroni, ramen, and hotdogs for a very long time. Anything was different from those three items tasted fantastic to me.

  “I will, thanks,” I said, not wanting them to know just how bad my life was before I was dumped here in this school where food was provided, and I had my own room. My own bathroom. I didn’t want to see their cringes or pitying looks.

  “I don’t blame you,” Jared said. “About the food there, although they make some good pies.”

  “Really? The pies?” Amelie said, and we laughed. />
  It was nice to sit with them and listen to them banter back and forth. They’d known each other for years and were apparently really good friends.

  The three of us finished our breakfast and then headed to the History building. I was happy to learn that I had Mortal History with Amelie, Penelope, and Janelle.

  Amelie told me all of us would have Mystical World History together, along with Jared, and that she and I would be together again for Advanced Spellcasting later that day, though I wasn’t sure I should be in a class labeled Advanced. I’d never cast a spell before in my life, but she assured me I would be fine.

  Jared and I also had Science and Combat together. That meant I only had Lessons for Mortal-Raised to deal with without my new group of companions.

  Jared bid us farewell, and I dipped into Mortal History with Amelie. There was an empty seat next to Penelope, so she waved me over. I was relieved they weren’t treating me weirdly, not like Alana had my first day here. Having a few friends would be a big help in adjusting to this new life I found myself dumped into. I wanted to fiddle with my necklace, but it was tucked in my blouse and out of sight.

  Before class started, the teacher called me to her desk after I set down my stuff. She introduced herself as Mrs. Sloak, and from her bright yellow eyes, I guessed she was some sort of dragon, but I definitely was not going to make any more assumptions.

  “Welcome, Everest,” she said softly. “I expect you to do well in this class, what with being mortal-raised.”

  I smiled even as I wondered if there was a label on my forehead stated what I was. “Um… thanks,” I said uncomfortably.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not the kind of teacher who pulls the new student to the front of the room when class starts,” she promised. “Just going to give you what you need and then we can get started with today’s lesson.”

  I appreciated the sentiment.

  She assigned me my textbook, and it looked just like a standard textbook on world history I would have gotten in any normal high school.

  By the looks on the kids’ faces, I could tell that this was one of the boring classes. I sat down by Penelope, and class began. It was just like a regular high school classroom, albeit the fancy stained glass windows, stadium seating, and how the chalk moved itself across the board while Mrs. Sloak spoke.