“I’m sure you’re right but try and understand, we’re a group of vampires, a warlock, a hybrid and a former Black Bane, walking into an all werewolf academy where they’ve only ever entertained the notion of Silver Shadow off-spring. Let’s at least try not to peeve them where we can?”
“Fair enough,” replied Ulric, not looking like he thought there was anything fair about it.
Professor Frewin sent a streak of magic, so bright and powerful that I’d never seen anything like it, straight into the tree’s gargantuan trunk and waited. He tapped his foot impatiently as he checked the time on his wristwatch. Before then it had never struck me how old-fashioned he was and I couldn’t help but wonder about his age.
In the distance, past a swath of tall, very slim trees, I caught sight of three brilliantly white wolves winding their way cautiously towards us. As they too saw us, they froze mid-way. All three went rigid like Ulric did when he was about to shift. But only the one in front shifted into his human form. He was a man who looked about thirty if that, with hair the same colour that his coat had had seconds earlier. His burly stature reminded me of Kane’s, though he wasn’t as unusually tall. His eyes appeared almost as frosty as Valenthia’s but had an electric blue that surfaced as he took in our odd little group.
“Professor Frewin Diamond?” the man asked. He continued to survey all of us, his gaze finally falling on Professor Frewin.
“That’s me,” replied Professor Frewin, holding out his hand.
“Pleased to meet you – Reed Norden. I’m a professor at Silverstone Academy. I’m here to take you there,” Reed Norden said as he eyed us again.
The other two shifters that had stayed in their wolf form followed a few steps behind, their bodies held a less than friendly stance.
“I’m just going to say it, yes we’re a strange bunch,” said Professor Frewin, trying to make light of the situation.
“Agreed,” replied Professor Norden completely serious, his piercing eyes lingered on me, “the strangest group of allies I’ve ever seen, who have fallen on even stranger times.”
“Charming,” whispered Valenthia, rolling her eyes. One of the werewolves heard her and let out a low growl of disapproval.
“I brought two of our star students with me, so they can help you all get settled in,” said Professor Norden, “that’s Sibel,” he pointed at the wolf that had just growled at us, “and that’s Rhonen,” he gestured to the other. “We always knew a war between light and dark was imminent. We didn’t think it would be set off this way.”
“I’d be lying if I said we know for sure that things have gotten that dire yet,” consoled Professor Frewin, “but ever since it was discovered…” he trailed off, “Why don’t we discuss this once we’re inside?”
“Yes, good thinking,” agreed Professor Norden. He started walking back the way he’d come.
“I thought this was the entrance?” asked Professor Frewin, pointing at the large tree.
“It is. For regular students and staff. Under the circumstances, it’s best we go a different way,” said the werewolf professor. “Follow us, please.”
We followed the three werewolves and as we did, I zoned into what Ulric was thinking. It was a mix of curiosity and a slight anxiety about whether he’d be accepted. Whether he would or wouldn’t be, there was no doubt that the rest of us would have a tough time of it.
Chapter 4
The entrance we’d been taken to, was nothing more than a small opening covered by dirt and decaying leaves. When we reached it, Professor Norden stood aside and the werewolves, Sibel and Rhonen began to dig up the debris and burrow into the ground like they were uncovering an object they’d concealed there earlier on. Having displaced enough earth to reveal a narrow tunnel, they instantly disappeared down it.
“After you,” said Professor Norden. Ulric expertly jumped through and disappeared, after which Natalie climbed into the tunnel and lowered herself down apprehensively. “Why don’t you go first, Frewin and I’ll join you next?” suggested Professor Norden, “We might have some explaining to do to the security guards. I did warn them that vampires and witches will be coming through but I think one of them was due to change shift so we wouldn’t want any accidents?”
“Indeed!” said Professor Frewin, swinging himself feet first into the hole. After Professor Norden had gone, I looked at Valenthia who I knew had been bursting to say something since we’d come into contact with the werewolves.
“Do you think they’re legit?” she promptly asked, frowning at the makeshift tunnel.
“Professor Frewin seems to think so.”
“And is he?” she asked.
“Don’t get me wrong – I’m done with Pearl and her gang,” I whispered, “but something about him seems sincere.”
“Yeah, apart from the whole vampire hunting,” snapped Valenthia.
“Do you want to go first?” I asked, getting a distinctly creepy feeling, like we were being watched even though I couldn’t sense anyone else. Professor Frewin was right. This part of Europe was intense. New Orleans seemed quite literally a world away now – and a tame one at that.
“Fine,” answered Valenthia, looking disgusted and a little nervous as she lowered herself down. I followed straight after her and was surprised to find that once underground, we were still in a crudely dug tunnel, complete with lanterns to be able to see where we were. The earth down there was so fresh that it reminded me of a giant, freshly dug grave. Any sign of daylight coming from the opening we’d descended through, was rapidly being re-closed as two of the four security guards shovelled and packed dirt back into it.
The other two were busy scrutinizing us. Both had platinum hair that was cropped on one side and past the ear on the other. They were identical twins down to the facial expressions they wore which were of slight disdain. Frewin and Norden stood between them and the rest of us. As I’d made my way down, Norden had been giving them information about our arrival.
The students who had accompanied Professor Norden had shifted into their human forms and the girl who Norden had introduced as Sibel was staring us out with her arms firmly folded across her chest. She glared from Natalie to Valenthia but it was only when she reached me that her vibrant eyes, the same shade as Professor Norden’s, went wide. She shook her head brusquely like she was trying to shake free from something making her ashen hair that was tied up in a messy bun, almost fall loose.
I turned my gaze to the guy named Rhonen who had the same platinum hair as seemed prevalent of the Silver Shadows I’d come across. His eyes were a more translucent shade of amber than Ulric’s and glowed in the same way as he watched me and didn’t stop gawking even when I watched him back.
“Right through here please,” said Professor Norden, ushering us to walk behind the two security guards who had taken the lanterns and were leading the way. Professor Frewin raised his eyebrows in the flickering light and followed. Sibel and Rhonen walked behind and I thought I heard one of them snickering about something. Valenthia immediately turned around and whoever had made the sound, instantly stopped. I guessed that it didn’t matter where in the world or what the species, schools were the same.
I’d noticed that Sibel and Rhonen wore identical uniforms and unlike the other academies I’d encountered so far, theirs wasn’t the formal cookie-cutter blazer, shirt and bottoms. Most enviable to me, was that Sibel wasn’t wearing an uncomfortably short skirt like us. They were both wearing smart casual jogging pants that I’d caught to be a navy tone in the dim light, paired with a white t-shirt and matching navy hoodies.
“Okay,” said the werewolf professor after we’d semi-crawled through the constricted space for a few minutes.
I jumped as something bumped up against my left side. As it swept past, I saw that it was one of the other two security guards in their wolf form. He let out an echoing howl and something completely unexpected began to happen. The dead end that we’d reached which led upwards in a curve, began to fall in on itself.
>
“Sorry, should have warned you he’d do that,” grinned Sibel as Natalie screamed in alarm.
“Yes, sorry about that,” said Professor Norden, “had to try this temporary measure so that there was no way we’d be ambushed.”
“Quite!” said Professor Frewin, intrigued.
As the one side of the tunnel continued to collapse the other end now opened up to a proper building which looked regal on all accounts. We emerged from behind a marble slab that landed us in a beautiful cream hall, tiled all over in marble. Students were abundantly huddled around the large room and as we came up, all of them stopped what they were doing to gawk at us. Great way to make an entrance.
“These are our exchange students we mentioned this morning – please make them feel welcome,” urged Norden ushering us through into a hallway.
“So, this is what it’s like, not to fit in,” mumbled Valenthia, staying close to me.
“Yep,” I replied.
“It’ll be alright,” Ulric smiled at us and thought.
“This way. We need to report to the Head’s office first. A few things to discuss – obviously,” said Professor Norden. We marched through the large hall whose walls were mounted with the most breathtakingly beautiful paintings of wolves. Some were running through forests and mountains while others were howling at the moon. There was something ethereal about each painting – the way that the wolves were captured.
As we approached a large wooden door, there were two portraits leading up to it of older werewolves who were definitely related. They looked nothing like the rest of the Silver Shadows where they both had grey-black hair and one had deep, hazel eyes and the other had eyes as dark as coal. I briefly wondered which of them was the principal before seeing the gold plaques beneath each portrait that held the birth and death dates of both men. The younger of the two had passed away over two decades ago. The other had been dead for over fifty years. My attention was torn away as Professor Norden rapped on the large door.
“Come in,” said a woman’s voice on the other end. Professor Norden slowly opened the door and ushered us in. A tall blonde woman with dazzling sapphire eyes stood up from her desk and walked over. She was pristine in a dress that matched her eyes and was as breathtaking as any of the profs at Superno or Bloodline Academy. She made me feel even more self-conscious of both, my own muddied appearance as well as my own innate prejudice. Why had I unconsciously expected werewolves to be any less impressive than other supes? She nodded at Professor Norden, who left with a slight bow.
“Principal Silverstone, thank you so much for agreeing to this,” said Professor Frewin going over and shaking the principal’s hand, “on behalf of the S.L.A., we are in your debt!”
“Call me Savina, please!” said Savina Silverstone, “and I’m not doing this for the S.L.A., Frewin,” she instantly corrected. “Frankly I wouldn’t have cared two hoots if it was the S.L.A. that had approached me. I’m doing this because as you know, the Silver Shadows have always had a special relationship with light magic and certain witches and warlocks.” Her eyes wandered over to me. “Our fates are intermingled with that of our brothers and sisters due to all that we have suffered,” she said solemnly as she continued looking in my direction.
“Of course,” said Professor Frewin, making me realize that there was a lot more to being here than I’d ever conceived.
“You must be Katrina Quartz,” said Principal Silverstone, making me feel like I was the only ones in the room, “please, sit down. Make yourselves comfortable – all of you,” she said snapping out of her intense stare.
“Thanks,” I said taking a seat on the rustic couch in the centre of the room. Natalie and Valenthia did the same. Ulric took the chair framing the large coffee table, across form us.
“I’m sorry to hear about what you’ve been through, including the loss of your mom,” said Principal Silverstone, surprising me.
“It all happened so fast,” I managed, trying unsuccessfully to force away the redness that came to my face. I clutched my arm as my skin tingled with the emotions I was trying to repress and my blooming glowed.
“Kellum Bathory,” said the principal, making me flinch, “it’s a name that had all but vanished from our vocabulary in the last several years. But not because any of us had forgotten him and the heinous crimes he’s committed against us. Rather, he became the faceless perpetrator we tried so hard to pursue and yet could not find.”
I wondered whether I should tell her that he was also related to me by the darkest of blood. Instead I said, “He killed both of my parents.”
“You and I share that common bond,” answered Principal Silverstone, “one of the portraits outside is that of my late father – Lucien Silverstone. And were it not for Kellum Bathory, he’d still be this academy’s principal.”
“Wow,” Ulric interjected, as surprised as the rest of us.
“I had no idea,” said Professor Frewin, “I thought…”
“You thought the lies you were fed,” said Principal Silverstone, “the Supernatural Light Alliance is good at pulling all the focus in on itself. That way they don’t have to help anyone else.”
“I’m sorry,” said Professor Frewin. “You know you have my loyalty above and beyond my connection with the S.L.A.”
“I know that,” said the principal. She went over to her desk and picked up a large, smooth crystal of some sort, turning it over in her hand. She walked back over to where we were. “So, Professor Diamond – ”
“Frewin, please, I’ve never been a fan of my full name.”
“Apologies, Professor Frewin sent me a message before you arrived in Europe, while you were in transit so to speak. I know all about you Katrina and it’s okay. In fact, if anyone can lure one Bathory out, it’s another. I’ll do everything to make sure you have what you need to succeed.”
“Thanks,” I said floored that she knew who I was. What I was and had still taken me in.
“And you,” Principal Silverstone addressed Ulric, “you used to be a Black Bane.” I wondered if her clairvoyance meant that she too had witch-blood.
“He’s been fully accepted by the Silver Shadows of New Orleans,” interrupted Professor Frewin sounding nervous.
“I can tell,” said the principal. Ulric gave Professor Frewin a look that said, “See? I told you.” “Here hold this,” she handed Ulric the crystal, which I noticed was a beautiful moonstone. Ulric took it and his eyes instantly glowed warmly as the light magic from the crystal reflected from within. “How does it feel?”
“Amazing. Like the entire year’s worth of full moons. Like I could do anything!”
“Exactly. You were made to work with the power of the moon, not be a slave to it!” said Principal Silverstone, lighting up herself. “You will be an asset to this academy.”
“Thanks, Ma’am,” said Ulric radiating pride.
“But he’s already enrolled at Superno,” I said, as it sunk in how long-term this might all be. I couldn’t forget how conditional Pearl had made Ulric’s enrolment back at Superno.
Although I hadn’t been thinking clearly when I’d left Bloodline Academy, it all began to flash before my eyes in that office. That Ulric would need protection if he ended up being expelled from Superno. And then there were Natalie and Valenthia who also couldn’t go back to our academy after everything that had happened. No matter how determined I was to seek revenge on Kellum Bathory, if innocent people I cared about were left to pay for it, I was no better than anyone else. I looked desperately to Professor Frewin, wondering if at least he had considered all the repercussions of helping me even if I’d been too blind-sided by grief.
“Katrina’s right, Savina,” agreed Professor Frewin, “the lad has basically risked life and limb to help her. I have no doubt he’ll be a resource wherever he goes as he has been to me at Superno. But Pearl Quartz will likely use this as her out. She won’t take him back once she finds out he’s helping Katrina.”
“Then consider this your new scho
ol and your refuge,” said Savina Silverstone, “Pearl Quartz’s loss is our gain.” The principal held out her hand and Ulric returned the moonstone, which she placed back on her desk. “Now you two, are the first of your kind to ever set foot on these hallowed grounds – and live,” she said to Natalie and Valenthia.
“We’re here for Kat,” replied Valenthia in a semi-scowl as Natalie nodded vigorously.
“I can see that. And what makes Silverstone Academy different from any other supernatural school on the planet is that I, like my father and his father are open to all supernatural beings working for the force of good. Until now, I hadn’t personally come across any vampires who are.”
“They can’t go back to Bloodline – I mean, St. Erzsebet’s Academy,” I cut in.
“They won’t have to,” replied Principal Silverstone, “our two top students, Rhonen and Sibel, whom you’ve already met are waiting outside to show you all around and help you feel welcome and get you settled.”
“Great,” I said and although I could feel the optimism exuding from Ulric, I wasn’t so sure.
Chapter 5
As the principal had promised, Sibel and Rhonen were waiting outside her door to take us around the school. Professor Frewin had stayed behind as presumably there was a lot to be discussed about next steps. I got the feeling that everything he was doing, would later be opposed by the S.L.A. once Pearl got wind.
“Hi, I’m Katrina,” I said, introducing myself properly to the two werewolf students once Principal Silverstone’s door was shut and we were standing awkwardly in the hallway, waiting to be taken on a tour of the academy.
“Yeah, we know who you are,” said Sibel, “we heard about you last semester.”
“How?” I asked, trying to think of what possible connection Silverstone Academy could have to Bloodline Academy.
“A few of us know some Silver Shadows in North America,” Rhonen spoke up, “especially in New Orleans.” I discerned his accent to be Irish.
Sanguine Spell Page 4
