Dessert sounded wonderful, but I didn’t need it. “No, I’m fine.”
Snow poured herself some blood into a golden goblet and came to sit beside me. “What happened?”
I told her about Polonias and Mizrabel and all that happened with Sera. “I believe she didn’t mean to wake the sorceress or the land, but that doesn’t change the fact the deed is done and I’m not sure what to do about it.”
Snow watched me, sipping from her glass, her features twisted in an unreadable expression. “How about I help you research Polonias and Mizrabel? We can check the books now, if you want.”
I shook my head. “I do want your help, but not tonight. I’m tired and we have a big day tomorrow.”
“Alright.” Snow took my hand again.
“Besides, I need to hear all about Jasmine. Where did she come from? What is she? Who is she? Tell me everything.”
After a long day, I changed into my periwinkle PJs and climbed into bed. My room at the academy was on the floor below Snow’s. As I lay in bed, I pondered all Snow told me. I couldn’t believe she had a daughter and the girl was an original vampire. We also discussed the Unknowns and what they had to do with us, but we really knew very little about them.
My bedside table lamp still glimmered, casting shadows. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind. Opening ceremonies were in the morning and I needed to be up early.
“Diminius.” The light went out. I tucked my sheet and comforter under my chin, the way I liked it, and was about to close my eyes when a tiny red light flicked on above my head.
“What the hell?” Startled, I sat up, and scooted toward my headboard. The light grew bigger and bigger. As it grew it moved toward the foot of my bed.
An irritated female voice spoke. “Cinderella, it’s time. Magic has awakened us from our slumber and Polonias is in danger. The land needs you. All of our world’s inhabitants need you.” She sneezed. And the rosy light became the outline of a woman who appeared to be around my age with brown hair and very eclectic taste in clothing.
Without thinking I pulled the comforter up past my nose. “Revealith,” I whispered, hoping the magic would show me what she really was. My first thought was Mizrabel, but she didn’t sound like the sorceress.
“Tut-tut,” she quipped, then sneezed again. “Knock it off with the magic. I’m allergic.”
That made me laugh. “You’re allergic to magic?” She reeked of it. How could she be allergic to something she so obviously possessed.
“Well, yes. No need to be rude, Cinderella.” She tapped on the light blue lampshade next to my bed and it illuminated.
I choked back more laughter, no longer the least bit frightened. “Sorry. By the way, my name is Cindy, not Cinderella.” I only sounded a little put out by her using my full name.
“It isn’t?” A book appeared in her hands and she flipped through the pages, sending sparkles of magic into the air. “Yes. It’s right here. Cinderella. Plain as day.”
I blinked back my irritation. “I don’t care what your book says, my name is Cindy.”
“Fine.” The light around her dimmed and the book vanished as her feet dropped lightly to my carpet. I let the comforter fall slightly. She was obviously some kind of witch, like me, and here didn’t seem to be anything malevolent about her.
She smoothed out her outlandish bright green dress. The sleeveless bodice sparkled with different colored gems, and the tulle skirt pooled out around her like an overabundant tutu. Her legs were covered in black and lime green striped stockings and a surprisingly conservative black heels. The woman was around my height, and atop her curly brown hair sat a green and black hat, not pointed, but fluffy, like an old-fashioned artist’s beret. At the front rested a lovely gold and lime colored butterfly. It looked real, and I wanted to reach out and touch it. Her eyelashes were lined in green jewels that matched her eyes.
“What are you doing in my room?” I asked as I watched her reorganize herself.
She sniffed but said nothing, then stuck her hands out to the side like she intended to walk on a tight rope before jumping into the air.
I worked to keep a straight face.
When she came back down, her feet landed on the carpet with a thud. “Twixit,” she said, jumping up into the air twice more. Each time, her feet returned to the ground with an increasingly loud thud.
She glanced at me from under her long, bejeweled lashes and jumped a third time.
“Oh, for the love of butterflies!” She stomped around in a circle and pulled at her thickly fluffed skirt. The funky black and green hat on her head danced around precariously. I thought it would fall off, but it didn’t.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked, trying to contain my giggles. Maybe I was dreaming.
She huffed and said something, but I couldn’t understand with her back to me. I watched her shoulders rise and fall. Then she turned. “I’m Quilla Templeton. Your fairy godmother. Maybe you remember me?” She stuck out a hand wrapped in in a fingerless glove.
I got on my knees and moved toward the edge of the bed. “Um, Quilla, is it?”
She nodded, blowing her bangs off her forehead. “Yes.”
I took her hand. “I’m much too old to need a fairy godmother and you seem too young to be one.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s a title, Cinderella.” Her cheeks reddened. “And I’m older than I look. We fairies age at a much slower rate than humans.” She stepped back.
“If you’re a fairy, where are your wings?” I didn’t mean to sound presumptuous, but fairies were supposed to have them. That much I knew.
Her cheeks got even redder. “Well, aren’t you just a tactless bundle of appallingly bad manners?” She crossed her arms. I waited. “A mean and awful fairy by the name of Tinkerbell used magic to steal my wings.” Tears filled her eyes. “I haven’t been able to get them back.”
“Is that why you can’t fly?” I asked, sitting on the edge of my bed. I figured that was the reason she was jumping and stomping around a few moments ago.
Quilla let out a squeal, stomped around in another circle, and then stopped when she faced me. “I can fly just fine. Maybe not with my beautiful wings, but I have magic nonetheless.”
I leaned back, realizing we weren’t getting anywhere by arguing like this. “Why are you revealing yourself to me now?”
She glanced at the ceiling. “A roof,” she said quickly.
Confusion rolled over me and I decided to try again. “Why are you here?”
“Right. Yes.” Still preoccupied she snapped her fingers and sneezed. “Our land has been asleep for a thousand years, but someone used a spell to wake us and that’s why I’m here.” Her face became serious. “It’s your magic that will save the land of Polonias and all of its people.”
The words sounded rehearsed. I wasn’t buying it. “Right. And you’ve got some great mountaintop property to sell me in Florida, too. Am I right?” I winked, crossing my arms, working to stay calm. Quilla wasn’t wicked, that I could tell, but she was annoying as hell and must have exceedingly strong magic to get past the protection barriers up around the castle.
Her hands dropped to her sides. “Florida? No. I don’t even know what that means.” She shook her head. “Stop talking and listen.”
I shrugged. “Bossing me isn’t helping any.”
She glared. “May I speak? Or are you going to interrupt me again?”
“Continue,” I said, sarcastic, crossing my legs and resting my elbows on them.
She put her hands on her hips. “Polonias is a land created by magic. It’s connected to this world but resides on a different plane. It’s elsewhere, if you catch my meaning.” She looked at me hopefully.
“I have no idea what you’re saying.” After Snow freed all supernaturals, it was her magic, along with the magics of others, that created the other realms, but Polonias wasn’t one of them.
“Ugh, this is ridiculous. The Croswells should be ashamed of themselves. They were supposed to t
ell you the truth when you received The Eye of Abernathy.” Quilla gave me a pointed look. “You’ve never heard of Polonias?”
Occasionally, since receiving the spell book, I saw things. They came mostly at night and didn’t make sense, so I ignored them. “Maybe a dream or two of another place, though I didn’t know its name,” I said.
“That’s Polonias, I’m sure of it. King Loyalor sent me to find you and bring you back.” She walked over to my bookshelves, pulled a book, and turned it over. She blew on it and dust sailed into the air. I braced myself, but this time she didn’t sneeze.
“Why me? I’ve never heard of Polonias, been to Polonias, or known a single thing about Polonias. Why would I be the person to save it? Sounds like a bunch of bull.”
She gasped. “It. Is. Not. Bull,” she enunciated. “It may sound odd, but it’s true. You and you alone possess the keys necessary to save our land.”
I snorted, feigning disgust, but Mizrabel mentioned the land to me as well. She said it belonged to her. People with power were idiots. Except Snow. Everyone else was an idiot.
“Don’t snort at me. It’s very unladylike.” She shoved the book back in its place and stomped over. She leaned down so our faces were aligned. “Are you going to help us or not, Cinderella?”
I leaned in until her nose touched mine. “No.”
She pulled back, rubbing her nose with her hand. “Well, that’s just unacceptable!” she sputtered and threw her hands in the air. Glitter shot from her fingertips, filling the room, and she sneezed. “People will die, Cinderella! Lots of people. And fairies, water sprites, and gnomes. They’ll die too.” She was out of control, flitting everywhere at once. “Do you want that on your conscience?”
I didn’t want anyone’s death on my conscience, but I didn’t believe for one second she was being serious. And the way the butterfly danced atop her head made me take her even less seriously.
She stopped suddenly and looked at me. “You’re a disappointment!” Then, with a quick lightning crackle and a sneeze, she vanished.
My light flicked off and I was alone.
Timidly, in case she came back, I made my way back under my covers, tucked them to my chin, and thought and thought and thought.
Mostly I believed Quilla Templeton was a nuisance fairy sent to me as a prank by one of the advanced students. Still, a tiny speck in my brain wondered if she was telling the truth. Time passed and the speck got bigger, until I decided to talk to Professor Pops about it. Maybe he would know something about Polonias.
Eventually, I dreamed. I stood in the middle of a misty meadow. It was dark except for a pink moon hanging against the gray-violet sky. Gigantic black trees surrounded me. But it was silent. Still. The tall grasses didn’t swish and tickle my bare legs. Not a single leaf rustled. There wasn’t a breeze or even the tiniest sound of insects.
Only my breathing.
But I sensed someone was out there. Just beyond the tree line. Watching me. Waiting for something. Or maybe he was stalking me. Maybe I was his prey. I didn’t know.
A figure stepped forward. Dark. Solitary. I sucked in a breath. My heartrate sped up. I knew I should run, but my feet were planted to the spot. Like the tall grasses, I was stuck still, unable to uproot myself.
Five feet away, the figure stopped. I strained to catch a glimpse.
Arms reached out, grasping as though to touch me, but couldn’t.
A male voice whispered. “Come, Cinderella. I need you.”
Chapter 7
After breakfast, opening ceremonies for the academy took place in the grand ballroom. Since the academy only officially existed for a few years, there were fifty-five students in varying classes. All of them came from the human realm and they all possessed at least one of the seven magics. Two students could change into werewolves and one was a werecat. There were three vampires and a plethora of witches. There were also several varieties of other magical creatures, including a half troll, and a few half elves.
A rag-tag group, to be sure, but still, it was a start.
Coco, Professor Pops, and Snow went out of their way to find great teachers. There was a teacher from each of the seven magics as well as others, like me, for a total of fifteen instructors. Some were only part-time, including Professor Pops, Snow, and Heathcliff, while the rest of us taught on a permanent basis. The other adults were already onstage, and I hurried to make my way up.
The grand ballroom was decorated to go with this year’s school theme. Signs glowing in varying shades of blue—the elf house color—read BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
Little pixilettes buzzed around in the air, writing the word believe in sparkles so from up on the stand it looked like the room rained blue glitter. The kids oohed and aahed, enjoying the theatrics.
The curtains were midnight while the chandeliers gave off a bluish hue. The chairs were wrapped in navy blue and the walls sparkled with sky-blue paint. It was a little over the top—okay a lot. Jaxon, the school’s president and head of the activities committee, really outdid himself. His magic came from the elves, which were known for their extravagant natures, and the ballroom was a testament to that.
As I took my seat on the end, I smiled at the electric excitement in the air.
“You ready for this?” Eldrick asked. He taught elven magic, which included the ability to see into the future as well as the past.
In the human realm, a select few people had used a portion of the seven magics for years. Those who called themselves psychics or fortune tellers (at least the real ones) possessed elven magic.
“Definitely. You?”
“Why not?” He clasped his hands together and I smiled.
Eldrick was tall and on the willowy side, but he was handsome with silver hair and bright green eyes that gave him a timeless look. It was hard to know whether he was twenty or twenty-five hundred.
Next to him sat Jordan. He taught the supernatural creatures classes. The man was short and thick with a beard that nearly touched the floor.
Beside him was Heathcliff. When he could, he taught potions, but I had a feeling he would have to be replaced soon. His secretive job in Demonland kept him overly busy.
Next came Kenmei. He was an interesting fellow of Asian descent who taught about dragons and their magic. Then sat Professor Pops, who when he could, taught about a vampire hunter’s magic. When Snow defeated Sharra, she released all magical creatures, and so, since there were still vampire hunters in the world, including Christopher, we felt it necessary to educate the children about what they could do.
Sitting next to Pops was Dorian. He taught weapons training and was by far everyone’s favorite teacher. The girls loved him because he was dreamy. The guys liked that he showed them how to kick ass. Snow was beside him. When she could, she spoke about vampires, sharing about the difference between human made vampires and originals.
After last night, I understood why. At some point Jasmine would attend this school and she was an original, though not completely. She wasn’t covered in fur like Silindra and Sharra.
On the other side of Snow sat Coco. As headmistress, she made sure everything ran smoothly and school life was kept in order. She did a great job, and I didn’t envy her one bit. The school kept her busy twenty-four-seven.
Beside Coco sat Tori. As a full-blooded troll, she could be a little scary. Standing more than seven feet tall, she towered over everyone and had to duck when entering a room. She was also extremely kind and kept herself looking as nice as could be expected for a troll. I would go so far as to say she was pretty, especially on the inside.
Fenn sat beside her. She was a fairy. Her straw-colored hair and pink skin made her stand out almost as much as Tori. The two of them couldn’t look more different, but they were best friends.
Sierra taught about unicorns. Supposedly her ancestors were gifted their healing magic. She had the journals to prove it, so no one doubted her. She looked a little like a wild mustang. Her brown hair was long and thick and went everywhere,
not to mention her oversized teeth. Her smile took up her whole face.
Beside her was Bastille. He taught ancient languages. With gray hair and dark skin, he reminded me of what an old wiseman might look like. He was friendly and easy going.
Lance and Amelia were floaters and taught whenever Snow, Professor Pops or Heathcliff couldn’t. They were both vampires and mostly kept to themselves. I personally thought they were having a passionate affair, but I wasn’t around them enough to know for certain.
Along the edges of the room sat dozens of worker vampires. They barely moved, looking like beautiful female statues. Though Snow released them and they were free to go and do as they pleased, most chose to stay. So many centuries of serving Sharra robbed them of much of their free will. They didn’t do much unless Snow or Coco asked them to.
After several minutes, Coco stood and held up her hands, asking the students to quiet down. Once the room settled, Coco introduced all of the teachers.
“Now, as many of you know, at the beginning of each school year, we have the opening ceremony to welcome everyone.”
Everyone clapped and cheered.
One of the male students, a boy name Casper, shouted, “Go Rams!” Apparently, they were his favorite football team. Casper was a vampire. Unusually, he was born of a human woman, but his father was a vampire, so he was sired, not turned. He drank blood but could eat food as well. He also possessed all other traits of vampires as well as the ability to talk through walls.
Some people laughed at his words. Others booed.
“Quiet down, please,” Coco said, clapping her hands together, making a loud crack.
A vibrating hush settled over the room.
“We have some new students this year. As is the custom, we are going to bring each student forward. Cindy will use magic and the obsidian stone to draw some blood. As it rises into the air, it will turn different colors. Whatever color it becomes will tell us from which magic your power comes and that will determine where your focus of study will be.”
The crowd applauded.
Deadly Witch: Cinderella Reimagined with Witches and Angels (Seven Magics Academy Book 4) Page 3
