“When outside, we always travel in a group of at least three,” offered Sibel, “because there’s power in numbers.”
“Excellent!” said Professor Norden, “and from what I’m seeing today, most of you could use that refresher. We band together at this academy and as part of our wider pack. Silver Shadows do not single out their own,” he warned, “including those who have been made honorary members.”
I tried not to look at Wilhelm as the professor said this but failed and as I instinctively glanced at him, I saw him do a severe eyeroll. That was still better than the snickers I’d endured at Bloodline Academy. And, I preferred to watch Wilhelm show his disgust than look at Ulric because what Norden had said, had made me feel utterly guilty. Winnie was out there, reeking havoc on the world as a solid member of the Dark Legion and I was keeping it to myself. She was his sister and as cruel and heartbreaking as it was, he deserved to know the score. That way, at least the part of him that thought she was dead could stop grieving for her. But I knew Ulric and that instead, he’d grieve anew for the fact that his sister was evil. Maybe in some ways that would be worse than her being dead.
“If you or your entire group feels at any point that you’re about to be overpowered, split up but try and outrun the threat by maintaining the shape of an equilateral triangle so the distance between each werewolf is the same,” said Xanthe.
“Well done,” agreed Professor Norden, “and to add to the strategy for that, keep ears on the ground and your eyes on your packmate closest to you in a clockwise direction as much as possible. If worst comes to worst, you increase each of your chances threefold by escaping and getting help for the others. What else? How about one to lessen the chance of being attacked in the first place?”
“Go out only during the day as much as possible,” said Rhonen, “although to be honest, I’ve been thinking on that one a fair bit and it wouldn’t save us from Black Banes.”
“Correct and correct,” nodded Professor Norden, “but Black Banes are usually too busy guarding their dark overlords during the daytime to go and pick an unprovoked fight with any of us.”
“We hope,” said Wilhelm to an awkward pause.
“There’s no need for hope. It’s a pattern we’ve been aware of for years and it’s only intensifying thanks to all that’s now brewing,” sighed Professor Norden, deciding to rebuke him after all. “So, there you have some of the main takeaways,” he addressed the four of us, “stick together, if you need to retreat, split up enough to throw off a full-scale attack on your whole group and stick to the safety of daytime.”
We all nodded but I realized that for me, it would be virtually impossible to stick to his guidelines if I was to make contact with the Sanguine Guild. But then again, I doubted that the instructions were really aimed at us anyway apart from Ulric, the only one who could conceivably be adopted as part of the Silver Shadows.
“Today we are going to go to the woods and practice some of what we’ve been learning,” announced Professor Norden interrupting my thoughts. That got our attention.
“But it’s daytime,” whispered Valenthia fiercely, “and we’re not werewolves!”
“I think we need to go along with it,” Natalie whispered back, “they’ve been kind enough to take us in and trust us.”
I nodded along, feeling completely guilty. It was my fault that my friends were here, that they were now on the run from Bloodline Academy – a place that would have been a normal and regular part of their lives, had they never met me.
“The outer woods or the inner ones?” asked Sibel.
“Follow me and you’ll know,” said Professor Norden beginning to move off towards the exit. We all filed neatly into a line up and followed him.
“I hope we’re not going too far,” I heard one of our classmates behind me say. As she whispered something about her moonstone, I turned to look. It was Esyn and she looked a bit worried.
Professor Norden led us through the hallway and past a few darkened classrooms. It dawned on me how similar to Bloodline Academy the halls were, with their twists and turns and I did a doubletake as he held open a set of doors and stood aside for our class to pass through.
The entrance took us to a broad and dim flight of stairs going down. Natalie and Valenthia swapped looks as we descended downwards, without a clue as to where we were heading. It seemed that every supernatural academy had its’ own damp and dreary tunnel system and I wondered if Silverstone Academy came complete with dungeons as well. I reminded myself that this wasn’t Bloodline Academy and these were werewolves on the side of light magic. Nothing we’d come across so far, had indicated that this place had the same darkness about it as the others.
“You know the way,” our professor called from behind us and we continued to follow our classmates who apparently did. The smell of staleness was replaced by the scent of pine needles and I took in a gasp of fresh air, which was becoming crisper and more inviting with every step.
“Where are we?” breathed Natalie, sniffing at the heady aroma.
“You’ll love it,” smirked Rhonen, who’d fallen into pace with us.
“I think I already do!” blushed Natalie as Valenthia rolled her eyes and then smiled at me. I couldn’t help but smile back. This was definitely going to be something we needed to discuss with our friend the second we were done with class.
We walked on in the now pitch-black underground and I felt the sudden unevenness of the ground that made me stumble. As I steadied myself, I looked down to find thick, gnarly roots coming out of the otherwise flat and solid mud. One of our classmates who was quite far ahead of us must have shifted as he howled, conjuring up a cacophony of sounds from the other animals and creatures that lived there. I looked on, realizing my vampire vision had kicked in. “What the…?” I blurted, looking around at the budding night forest before us.
“Quite stunning, isn’t it?” remarked Rhonen. Ulric’s eyes glowed like embers in the darkness as he took my hand. I could feel his pulse quickening with the anticipation of something fantastical.
“Where are we?” asked Valenthia, as awed as I was.
“Welcome to Silver Scape,” said Professor Norden, joining us. His eyes shone brightly as did the rest of the class’s in an array of warm and cool bejeweled tones.
“What is this?” asked Ulric in a low voice.
“It’s everything that light magic should be,” said our professor, “it’s one the few remaining enchanted forests that stands free – thanks in part, to us.”
“It’s underground,” I remarked. I knew enchanted forests had existed in the past. Lorna, one of my coven’s High Priestesses, had received our coven’s large quartz crystal, known as the heart of our coven, from the faeries whose forest she’d helped to save. But I’d always assumed it was a regular forest – above ground – where supernatural creatures dwelled.
I jumped in surprise as something the size of a small bird, with electric blue wings whirred past my ear. I resisted the urge to bat at it as I realized it was some sort of a supernatural being. Valenthia instinctively hissed and her eyes lit up crimson, making a few of our classmates cautiously step backwards.
“She’s just a wee wood sprite, leave her be,” commented Rhonen, looking at Valenthia a tad judgementally.
“Sorry, up until a second ago, I didn’t even know she existed,” sulked Valenthia, peering away from where the sprite had last been seen.
“No harm done right, Cirro?” said Professor Norden trying to smooth over the incident. Cirro the wood sprite lingered over his shoulder and buzzed something into his ear. “Yes, yes, it’s fine. You can go spread the word to all of the forest’s inhabitants that by the order of Savina Silverstone, these new students are allowed to be here.” The wood sprite buzzed something else in Professor Norden’s ear and he replied, “I know, the resemblance is striking but we need to extend our hospitality and that includes not staring,” he whispered looking briefly at me and realizing how obvious he had been and sent her on he
r way. “Sorry,” Professor Norden mouthed to me as the glowing eyes of our class settled on me once more.
“Nah, I’m used to it, I guess,” I replied.
“Anyway, you were noticing how the forest is below ground,” he continued, having put any embarrassment he’d caused comfortably behind him.
“And there’s a moon in the sky!” exclaimed Ulric, gazing through the canopy of beech and ash trees, where the heavy clouds had parted to give way to the iridescence that now shimmered down on the ancient forest.
“That’s also right,” said Professor Norden, “do you feel her pull?” he asked Ulric, gesturing up into the sky.
“Yes! Is it…real?” asked Ulric, squinting hard as he tried to figure it out for himself.
“As real as any supernatural conjuring,” replied the professor.
“So, no?” asked Natalie, perplexed like the rest of us who were not used to anything close to that level of enchantment.
“Well, let me ask you this: is it not day above ground?”
“But our vampire powers,” said Valenthia, quickly adding “can I stream?”
“Try it,” replied Professor Norden to which Valenthia looked hesitantly from Natalie to me.
“I’ll try it,” I said, getting ready to stream. I made it past the first rush of trees and while it felt good, I felt some drag in my body. It wasn’t a lot but it was discernible to me. I tried again, with the same result. I returned to the group pretending all was as it should have been and went and stood by Ulric and Natalie and nodded.
“Cool!” declared Ulric. Professor Norden instructed the class to get into groups and do a few warm up runs to begin. “See you soon,” said Ulric who was told to join Rhonen and Sibel’s group.
“I felt this weird resistance in my body as I was streaming,” I confided to Natalie and Valenthia as everyone quickly dispersed throughout the forest.
“What, like heavy?” asked Valenthia, with a frown.
“Yes,” I said, “was I going as fast as usual?”
“Fast enough that we couldn’t tell looking at you that you were having a problem,” replied Natalie swapping what was definitely a look with Valenthia.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Sanguis Sitis,” said Valenthia as Natalie nodded.
“What’s that?” I asked, starting to feel uncomfortable. So, there was a proper name for it, which was never good.
“You know when you were new to St. Erzsebet’s Academy and you asked me if you’d need blood to live off from now on?” said Natalie gently.
“Yes, and you said that vampires don’t need to live off blood, it’s something they choose,” I replied beginning to see where this was going.
“Technically we don’t,” replied Natalie in a voice that was too soothing for my liking.
“But if one is to be a vampire with any kind of power worth having, blood is necessary,” said Valenthia. “Your vampire body is basically in starvation mode right now.”
“So, your body is conserving energy by dulling some of the supernatural powers that use it most,” said Natalie.
“I know we have a lot going on,” said Valenthia, “but to add another, we all need blood – and soon.”
“Did Esmeralda’s crystal help restore some of your strength?” asked Natalie, “I guess not if you still feel like this when streaming,” she thought out loud.
“It helped my witching magic,” I said thinking about it, “but no it did nothing for this part of me – which really sucks because blood has always helped my inner witch magic become stronger,” I complained.
“Blood is blood,” concluded Valenthia, “there’s little that can replace it.”
“You never got a real answer to your question about whether this is all real,” said Professor Norden walking up to us.
“Is it?” Valenthia asked boldly, standing straighter like she was making a conscious effort not to come off as the weak starving vampire that she was right now. That all three of us were.
“It’s an enchantment that goes back to Esmeralda Quartz,” replied Professor Norden.
“Esmeralda did this?” I asked, getting taken in again by the wonder of where we were. What Safi and I had achieved in St. Louis Cemetery had been a paltry and childish attempt at magical enchantment and protection compared to this. This was truly spectacular. I saw another wood sprite, a neon green one, settle on a cedar tree ahead of us and asked, “are the other supe species that live here real?”
“Yes, she did,” said Professor Norden, “and yes, all the supernatural species and beings that abide within Silver Scape are as real as you and I. Esmeralda created this hidden sanctuary as a place where the surviving members of the Grey Guild could live and replenish the werewolf population – what became known as the Silver Shadow pack – in peace and safety.”
“I didn’t know that vamps could even enter such spaces?” I asked, remembering how even the most powerful vampires had had to stay away from St. Louis Cemetery following the magic we’d weaved.
“Practiced witches like Esmeralda Quartz had no problem creating so-called magical loopholes,” elaborated Professor Norden, “her only aim was for the forest to be as inclusive as possible to all those not working for darkness and death. Anyone that the other witches and warlocks turned away she gave a home to. And in time all the sprites, elves and gnomes added to her magic, bringing the depth you see. We built Silverstone Academy where we did, so we could guard the hallowed existence of this forest.
“As you likely know, Esmeralda was working in very dangerous times – the dark-blooded wanted to suck her dry and the light-blooded witches, who should have stood as her sisters, wanted her out of the way.”
“Like they want to do with Kat,” said Valenthia, giving a voice to what I didn’t have the guts to say.
“The fact that you – a Sanguine vampire – see that,” said Norden, “fills me with much promise. Yes, it is no coincidence that the Supernatural Light Alliance turned Kat away.”
“I am half-Sanguine though,” I stupidly added, knowing in my heart at this point that it had crap all to do with why everyone from my coven to the wider Crystal Witches, had turned on me.
“If they thought they could use you, they would have made an exception,” said Norden, “these people knew you for many years from what Professor Frewin said.”
“And the vamps…” I started.
“Thought there was a real chance they could use you.”
I said nothing. I knew everything he was saying was absolutely true and yet it still stung so much. What was I supposed to do with this knowledge anyway? I wished I felt suspicious about the Silver Shadows, that maybe they had their own agenda. But it seemed in all likelihood that if they did, it was the one that actually included looking out for us. For me.
“What can we do?” asked Natalie, “I mean, how can we participate in your class – help Kat?”
“Practice your own skills here,” replied Norden, “Principal Silverstone has said you’re to have anything you need.” Natalie and Valenthia both lit up but before they could say exactly what all three of us currently needed, Professor Norden cut them short, “Anything except for blood. Obviously, we don’t deal in blood and we forbid anyone to consume it on the premises.”
“We’re vampires,” stated Valenthia trying to invoke her normal level of nonchalance.
“And we’re primarily light-blooded werewolves who have already given you a free pass on that because of who your friend is,” said Professor Norden sternly, “there is only so far we’re willing to go. I suggest familiarizing yourselves with the layout of this forest, it mirrors the real forest area outside from where you can get to anywhere in this region. Including partway to where the likes of Kellum Bathory are hiding.” Professor Norden gave us a brief nod and disappeared into the woods, calling out instructions that made a dispersed group of four werewolves come bounding out of the trees, seeking out their professor.
“Shall we?” asked Natalie, cheerfully gaz
ing into the enchanted forest.
“What – drink from a wood sprite?” asked Valenthia making us both gasp.
“Their blood doesn’t tempt you the same as…you know, does it?” I began.
“Witch blood – also known as slightly watered-down faery blood? No, silly, I was being sarcastic,” replied Valenthia getting cranky. I wasn’t so sure.
“Does it tempt you?” I questioned Natalie as we walked through the dense foliage.
“No, I don’t think so,” grinned Natalie, quite unbothered.
“I’m serious you two!” I whispered fiercely, “I don’t care how hungry we are, you are not to go bloodsucking the poor elemental creatures that live here.” Apparently, I hadn’t been as softly spoken as I’d thought because a multi-coloured cloud whose edges resembled the aurora borealis, rose up from around us and dispersed to a safe distance in the trees. We heard a sound best described as a fierce hum that emanated down and around us.
“I wasn’t really planning to – jeez!” said Valenthia cupping her hands over her ears. The sound was actually quite painful and completely deafening making the three of us double over on the earthen carpet.
“Uh-oh, what’ve we done?” asked Rhonen, who was back in his human form. I’d lip-read him as I couldn’t actually hear what he was saying, though I could tell he was amused.
“Nothing!” I hollered back. Rhonen stretched his body standing straight, spreading his arms out at each side so that he looked like a huge cross. He closed his eyes and went completely still. The sharp humming began to subside and eventually Cirro the wood sprite flew down, her vibrant electric wings moved so fast that they were nothing more than a blur of shiny blue. She perched above Rhonen’s shoulder like she’d done to Professor Norden earlier. It took me a few seconds to realize that the excruciating sound had stopped as my ears still rang. There were definite disadvantages to having enhanced hearing as a vamp.
“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” replied Rhonen with a smirk.
Sanguine Spell Page 9
