Shadow Seer (Scythe Grove Academy Book 1)

by Laura Greenwood

  He takes it instantly, not questioning the weight or acting like it's a burden in the slightest.

  I take my chance to walk slightly ahead of him, taking in the atmosphere of the grove. A few students are milling around in the grove, doing various things from chatting with their friends to reading a book. There's something very peaceful about the whole setup. It's so at odds with the way people hang around in the house I left.

  Guilt wells up within me at the thought of just leaving, but I push it aside. I don't think any of the people there actually cared what I did so long as I followed the rules and that doesn't make for a good living environment. Add in the fact I didn't have a choice about the Shadow Oath, and it makes sense that I want to get out of there. I'm making the right decision for me, I'm sure of it.

  But that doesn't mean it's fair to just disappear. Once I'm settled into my new room, I should write them a letter so they know I'm safe and that I'm not coming back.

  "We need to go up here," Mathias says, directing me down a small winding path that disappears through the trees. "But you need to put this on." He holds out a blindfold.

  My eyes widen. "Why?"

  An expression of discomfort flits across his face. "I'm sorry, it's part of the Grove ceremony. Part of it is about feeling which of the trees calls to you the most magically. If you really don't want to, you just have to promise to keep your eyes closed."

  "I'd rather do that, if it's okay with you?"

  "Of course." He shoves the blindfold back into his pocket and holds out a hand for me. "I'll have to guide you," he explains.

  "Oh, right." I take his hand in mine, surprised by how comfortable it feels to do so. I'm not sure if it's because of Mathias himself, or because of the magic in the grove making me feel that way.

  I close my eyes, letting my other senses take over as Mathias guides me through the trees. The magic thrums through me, even stronger than before. Something about it is electrifying. I can't believe I ever doubted that I'm a reaper. They should have brought me straight to the grove and I'd have believed it. There's something about this place that feels right to me, even if I can't explain why.

  "Just a couple more steps and you'll be in the right place," he assures me.

  "Mmhmm." I don't think I can hold a conversation very well while trying to keep my footing at the same time.

  "All right, I'm going to let go of you now, and then you need to follow Professor Montgomery's instructions," Mathias says. "You're going to be fine."

  I nod.

  "Don't open your eyes," he reminds me.

  "I got it," I promise.

  "Good morning, Miss Weston. Welcome to Scythe Grove Academy," a man's voice says. I have to assume this is the professor Mathias referred to.

  "Hello," I respond.

  "In a moment, the Grove Ceremony will start. You must wait in silence until the gong sounds, and then you must walk towards the corner of the grove you feel best matches with you. Once the gong sounds for a second time, you may open your eyes," he instructs.

  "Okay." It's an interesting ceremony, and I'm not sure I understand how it works but I'm willing to give it a go. Especially as I can feel the magic of the grove even stronger here.

  Silence descends around me. I've no idea if it's just me, Mathias, and the professor here, or if there are more people around. The temptation to open my eyes is easy to ignore with the way the magic bounces through every part of me.

  At first, I'm not sure whether one corner of the grove is calling to me. But as I pay more attention, I realise that isn't true. Nothing about the rest of it makes me feel as if it's incompatible for me, but whatever is in the bottom left corner feels as if it sits the best. I can't explain why.

  Maybe I'm not supposed to be able to. At least not without more lessons on how it works. Perhaps in time, I'll be able to understand it more.

  A soft gong rings through the air. The sound isn't as jarring as I expect it to be.

  I take a deep breath and trust my instincts, making my way towards the corner which calls to me the most. I don't worry about tripping over anything, not with the magic guiding me. Besides, if they often use this part of the grove for ceremonies like this, then they'll make sure there isn't anything on the floor to trip me up.

  I come to a standstill and wait. I long to open my eyes and see where I've ended up, but I know I have to wait. I'm not sure what will happen if I don't abide by the rules, but I don't want to find out. Maybe they'll retract the offer to come to Scythe Grove Academy and I'll have to go back to the Association.

  Thankfully, the second gong sounds.

  I open my eyes and look around, surprised to find myself standing under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom despite the time of year. It must be the magic keeping it that way, as the holly bush opposite also appears to be at its peak. That must represent the Ilex Grove Mathias said his brother was part of. A huge hawthorn tree with beautiful white flowers stands to the side of it, and another tree with what appear to be conical yellow flowers stands next to it. That one must be banksia, I don't think I've ever seen a plant like that before.

  "Welcome to Sakura Grove, Miss Weston," the professor says. He walks forward with a cane tapping at the ground with each step. "Here is your pin."

  "Thank you." I take it from him. A blue-rimmed shield with a pink cherry blossom at the centre and two crossed scythes behind it sits in my hand. I'm not sure whether anyone wears the pins, I didn't see a similar one on Mathias' clothing, but I'm excited to own it.

  Mathias grins. "I guess I'm taking you to our common room now."

  "You're in Sakura too?" I ask, a small amount of relief flooding through me. At least I'll know one person there.

  "I am. And I'll be happy to introduce you to everyone. Are you ready to continue with the tour?"

  "Are we done here already?"

  He nods. "It's that simple. Professor Montgomery will send a message to the housekeepers for Sakura to ready one of the empty rooms for you. It should be ready by the time we get there."

  "That's probably a good thing. I'm going to need a rest by the time we're done."

  He chuckles. "I don't blame you. It's a lot to take in. But everyone will be around to help if you need it."

  Despite having no real reason to, I find myself believing him.

  Chapter Six

  A shield with a blue rim, a pink flower in the centre, and scythes crossed behind it hangs over the door of the building Mathias directs me towards.

  "Welcome to Sakura Grove," Mathias says.

  I step inside the common room nervously. How are these people going to react to me? I've not grown up knowing I'm a reaper, and now I'm muscling in on their territory as if it's no big deal. I'd be annoyed at myself.

  A dark-haired girl jumps off a table and strolls towards us with an easy confidence I'm not sure I'll ever be able to pull off.

  "This is Juliet, our Grove Captain," Mathias introduces.

  "Hi," she says brightly, holding out her hand.

  I take it nervously.

  She smiles widely, and I can't help but think how perfectly this girl fits the stereotype of House Captain. I bet she's top of the class, and on a sports team too. That sounds like the kind of overachiever who normally ends up in this kind of position.

  Normally, they're raging bitches too. I should be careful of her.

  Despite that, I take her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

  "Juliet, this is Syxe," Mathias says, introducing the two of us.

  "Welcome to Grove Sakura." She drops my hand. "Would you like a tour?"

  I shake my head. "It's been a long day, do you mind showing me where I'm going to sleep?" That's an understatement, but I doubt Juliet cares enough to want to hear about the problems of the new girl, even if she is the Grove Captain.

  "Of course." She smiles reassuringly. Does she mean it?

  I turn to the reaper who has been showing me around so far. "Thanks for bringing me, Mathias."

  His cheeks flush, bu
t I have no idea why. I push it away. Maybe he's not used to people expressing their gratitude to him. I'm not sure why, he seems like a nice guy from what I've seen so far.

  "You're welcome."

  "If you come with me, I'll show you to the dorms. Do you have your stuff with you?" Juliet asks.

  I nod and gesture to the small bag at my feet. It's not much and I'm aware of that, but it's all I own.

  "Why don't I grab your bag?" She picks it up before I can respond, but I don't mind. I'm tired from everything that's happened in the past couple of days.

  "Thank you."

  We leave the common room in silence, and not the comfortable kind.

  "How did you find your first day?" she asks.

  "Overwhelming. There's so much I don't understand." A part of me is still wary of her, but it's not fair of me to judge her without even trying to get to know her first.

  "Can I help with any of it? I'm always here if you have any questions. Mathias is too."

  "Mathias..." I trail off, unsure what I want to ask.

  Juliet chuckles. "What do you want to know about him?"

  "Is he really as nice as he seems?" I blurt out without thinking.

  She directs me to a flight of stairs and the two of us begin to climb.

  "I suppose that depends what you mean by nice. He's charming, intelligent, and easy to get along with."

  Hmm, something in her voice makes it sound like they're more than just friends. A small amount of disappointment wells up within me.

  "Oh, so you and him..." Am I prying too much? Probably, but that isn't stopping me.

  "Definitely not," she answers quickly. "I'm dating his twin."

  "Sorry," I mumble.

  "Don't worry about it, all you did was ask a question," she reassures me.

  "Why..." I trail off before I can fully ask the question.

  "We need to go to the left here," she says. "Why what?"

  I let out a pent up sigh. "Why aren't you more annoyed about this?"

  "This being you asking about Mathias, or that I'm showing you to your room?"

  "Both?" As much as it surprises me, I can already feel myself warming up to her.

  "Mathias may be my friend, but he's more than capable of looking after himself. And you don't need to worry, he hasn't had a serious girlfriend in the entire time I've known him."

  "Ah, so he sleeps around." That's not good.

  She snorts in amusement. "No, I don't think so. He just likes to flirt, but secretly, he's a bit of a romantic." She stops at a door with one-hundred-and-fifty-seven written on it. "This is you."

  She slots a key into the door and pulls it open, gesturing for me to enter.

  A small grateful smile spreads over my face as I slip into the room.

  "Would you like to come in? I have a few more questions." I know I don't need all of them answering right away, but it'll help.

  "Absolutely," she responds, coming to join me.

  I glance around the room and decide to settle myself on the bed. My bed. That's a surreal thought. I've never had a room to myself before, but now I do. It's a weird feeling and is going to take some getting used to.

  Juliet pulls out the rolling desk chair and takes a seat. "What would you like to know?"

  I bite my bottom lip. That's a good question. Everything is racing around my head as I try to get a handle on what's happening.

  "Can you see the ghosts too?" I blurt.

  "Yes. All reapers can. But I can't talk to them. That's why we work in pairs."

  "Oh." I'm sure my confusion must show on my face.

  "Some reapers around the world learn how to do it differently. There's one sect who like to take a special kind of mushroom that lets the ghosts communicate with them, but it's not nice. I wouldn't try it if I were you," she warns.

  "Duly noted."

  "Lessons haven't been going on for that long," she continues. "So you won't have much catching up to do. And we'll all be here to help you. Especially those of us here in Sakura Grove, it's right there in our Grove motto, every stranger is an opportunity."

  "That's an interesting motto."

  "A little, but it's been that since the founding of the academy, there's no changing it now."

  "What does being in a Grove mean?" I blurt. "I'm not really clear on that."

  "Did you not have Houses at your previous school?" she asks.

  I shake my head.

  "Ah, I can see how that might be confusing. The Groves are just a way to promote different people working together. Otherwise, students tend to stick to their friends and no one else."

  "But won't everyone just make friends within their Grove instead?"

  An uneasy expression crosses her face. "A lot of us already knew one another before coming here," she admits. "But that doesn't mean anything. You'll make friends in no time."

  I'm not sure I completely believe her about that. I've never really been one to make friends, even if I also haven't made a lot of enemies either. I'm the kind of person who fades into the background and no one pays any attention to.

  But maybe that's because people sensed I was different in some way. We didn't have many supernaturals at my school.

  "But don't worry yourself about it. Why don't you rest and one of us will come to get you before dinner. But if you're not ready to go, then just tell us." She flashes me a wide and genuine smile.

  "Thank you," I respond.

  She gets to her feet and makes her way out of the room with a quick wave.

  I sit on the bed in silence, trying not to feel too overwhelmed by everything around me. Nothing about the room feels like a home yet, but it's still better than what I've had before. Maybe over time it'll become more.

  But before I think about any of that, I'm going to shower and get some sleep before dinner. To say I'm exhausted is an understatement. At least here at the academy, I can do something about it.

  Chapter Seven

  A small part of me still doesn't believe everything that's happening. How can I be at an academy for reapers with a room of my own and a potential future when a few days ago I was stuck in a house where my only chances at privacy were a bathroom stall and pulling the curtains around my bed and ignoring the world.

  It's so different and I can't get my head around it.

  A knock sounds on my door, pulling me out of my thoughts. I get to my feet and grab my bag, knowing it's going to be Mathias or Juliet on the other side and they're probably going to want to take me somewhere. I appreciate how much both of them are doing for me, especially as I still have so much to learn about the academy and being a reaper.

  I pull the door open, slightly surprised to find both of them on the other side.

  "Is there something special today?" I ask, flicking my gaze between them.

  "Yes," Juliet answers instantly.

  I wait for more of an explanation, but she doesn't seem ready to give me one.

  "You'll find out soon enough," she promises instead.

  "Okay..." Neither of them has done anything to make me feel uncomfortable, so it seems fairly safe to trust them on this.

  I shut the door and slide my key into the lock, twisting it until I hear the satisfying click that means my space remains just that.

  Mine.

  Something I'm definitely not used to. Other than housekeeping if I choose to use their services, no one can go into my room without my say so. Something I appreciate more than anyone can properly understand.

  "Have you had your timetable sent to you yet?" Juliet asks as the three of us set off down the corridor.

  I shake my head. "Should I be expecting it?" I have wondered when classes would start, apparently I'm about to find out.

  "Yes, you should be joining classes in a day or two. There's just your scythe to sort out first," Mathias responds.

  Worry enters my gut. How am I going to afford a scythe?

  "That's where we're going now," Juliet says before I can ask about it.

  "I didn'
t bring any money with me," I whisper.

  "What would you need it for?" Confusion enters her voice.

  "For the scythe. Don't I need to buy it?"

  "Oh, I'm sorry, we should have started with that part," she says. "We're going to the grove so you can make your scythe."

  "Make it?" That has a whole host of other problems. I don't know the first thing about being a reaper, especially not when it comes to making a scythe that has to be used.

  "You'll be fine," Mathias assures me. "It'll come naturally to you. And we'll both be there to answer any question you have about it."

  That's not too bad. I know they'll help me. And I may not know what I'm doing, but they definitely do.

  We make our way out of the building and into the grove in the centre of the academy. Just like the other times I've been here, the magic thrums through me almost instantly.

  "Does this place feel different to you than everywhere else?" I blurt, wanting to know whether they feel it too.

  "Yes," Mathias answers.

  "Like the magic makes my blood sing," Juliet adds. "I love coming to the grove. Sometimes I come down here when I need time to myself. I sit in the trees and just...be."

  "That sounds peaceful." And like something I may have to do myself from time to time.

  "It is," she agrees.

  "So, what happens now?" I ask, searching around for some kind of clue about where we might be making a scythe.

  "We head deeper into the grove," she responds. "Once we're there, you'll be able to pick the right materials and the smith will do the rest."

  Relief crashes through me as I realise I'm not going to have to do all of the making myself. I'd be clueless about how to do any of it to the point where step by step instructions wouldn't necessarily be helpful.

  We head through a bow in the trees and find ourselves in a shaded clearing. A guy who looks oddly like Mathias strides towards us. It isn't until he pulls Juliet into his arms and gives her a swift kiss that I put the pieces together. He's Mathias' twin and Juliet's boyfriend. They've both talked about him over the past few days, but he hasn't shown up until now.

  It'll be good to finally meet him and put a face to the name. Though I should have been able to do that from the fact he's Mathias' twin.