by Erin Forbes
Nobody dared to speak a word as we hurried down the castle steps. We turned onto the path that led toward the open field. Every so often, I glanced around at the other students. A few of their familiar faces had greeted me at the welcome ceremony, and I wondered about the Gifts each of them possessed.
We crossed the path of several little students, who followed in the footsteps of a young and energetic teacher. Two girls dragged behind the group, unable to contain a melody of childish laughter. One of the individuals was shooting colorful puffs of fog into the air. I watched with curiosity as she tossed her arms toward the sky.
“Her name is Holland Shepard.”
I jumped at the sound of the voice. Ronan O’Reilly was walking beside my shoulder, grinning at the amusement of my reaction.
“Holland has a bit of an odd talent,” Ronan remarked as we stepped into the field. “She can manipulate colors.”
“How long has she been here?” I inquired, feeling surprised to encounter such young children.
“About two years,” Ronan responded as we came to the center of the meadow.
Georgina gestured for the group to form a circle as we each sat down. It felt good to be outside, with the breeze blowing through my hair and the fresh air filling my lungs. The field seemed to contain a magical essence. My eyes crinkled into a subconscious smile as they soaked in every detail of the magnificent surroundings.
Aisling did not have the landscape that many people might expect of a foreign realm. It was quite similar to our ordinary world, although the meadows held an unexplainable and wild freedom. The only building nearby was the castle that sheltered the Academy for Gifted Youth. If an observant person searched into the distance, they might even catch sight of a small stone village. I wasn’t quite sure that cities existed in a realm like Aisling; however, I was beginning to accept this concept.
One could not help but feel as though they were holding hands with Mother Nature, and she had gifted them with the power to see the world through a different pair of eyes. In the faint distance, the meadow grass met a forest of birch trees. Even from where we rested, the group was able to observe the slow and steady dance of the branches.
Once everyone found a suitable place in the grass, the conversation began to diminish. Georgina cleared her throat before speaking. “Today is your first official day at the Academy for Gifted Youth, which means you will be participating in the Presentation of the Gifted.”
Immediate whispers and muttering followed this statement. The old woman eventually clapped her hands together, bringing the voices to a sudden silence.
“Many of you may be anxious about this event, but the presentations are quite simple,” Georgina told us. “The entire Academy will gather in this field to present the students of the new year. Each of those individuals will receive three minutes to display their Gift in some way or form. Each of you must decide how you will present your power, and I encourage you to be creative.”
My heart felt as though it had begun to beat a little faster with the thought of standing in front of the entire school. I did not know how I was supposed to present my elemental Gift. I was not entirely sure I would be able to conjure up an idea in just a few hours.
“If you looked at the back of your schedules given to you upon your arrival, you would have been informed the students have only two classes before the presentations,” explained Georgina. “Classes will resume as usual tomorrow morning.”
I forgot to glance at the back of my schedule. The expressions of my fellow students suggested an identical situation.
There was a long moment of silence before Ronan tapped me on the shoulder. I suddenly noticed the horrific stares coming from each of my classmates. My anxiety was growing like a weed, and my hair was catching aflame.
Georgina must have eventually taken notice, for she paused her discussion and turned her attention toward my side of the circle. It was evident she was holding back a burst of laughter.
“I suppose we will have to work on that,” said Georgina.
“Sorry,” I muttered as Emery began to douse my head in water.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The remainder of Georgina’s lesson was exceptionally captivating. She told us about her Gift and journey to placement as a teacher at the Academy for Gifted Youth. The elderly woman had the ability to understand any language as though it were her own. The professor told us about the discovery of her Gift. Despite the fact that she had never taken any classes in foreign language, she had extraordinary multilingual abilities. In my opinion, this was extraordinary; after all, it seemed like a very useful talent.
As we walked back to the old castle, my eyes carefully examined the exterior of the stone structure. The tall, mossy walls were reminiscent of the ancient castles in Ireland and Scotland, which my family had visited during the previous summer. Four stone towers stood tall in the distance, suggesting the potential hideaway of a princess.
Once we gathered inside the castle, the professor bid us farewell. The group scattered across the entrance hall, hurrying off to the next classes. As my legs carried me toward the nearby corridor, I retrieved the schedule that was folded in one of my pockets.
“Alice!”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to greet the voices that had called my name. Kade and Ronan hurried through the crowded hallway. A pair of similar smiles illuminated their freckled cheeks. Despite my muddled and confused emotions, the twins did not fail to bestow their happiness on my spirit.
“What is your next class?” Kade asked curiously as her wings swept gracefully behind her.
The Academy for Gifted Youth
Class Schedule Student Name: Alice Hanley
7:30-8:30 a.m.: Exploring your Gift with Professor Georgina Iris
8:45-9:45 a.m.: Enchanted Creatures with Sir Theodore Barrington
10:00-11:00 a.m.: Free Period (studying suggested)
11:30 am-12:15 p.m.: Lunch in Dining Hall 12:30-1:15 p.m.: Study of Gifts with Mr. Oliver O’Reilly
1:20-2:00 p.m.: Realm History & Exploration with Professor Blakely Biddle
Class time over—please return to the Dining Hall for dinner at precisely 6:15 p.m.
As we continued to walk down the hallway, I handed my schedule to the brown-haired girl. Streaks of dark shadows crossed the stone floor, while sunlight streamed through the castle windows. My newfound companions peered over the piece of paper with bright curiosity in their eyes. “I knew it!” Kade suddenly exclaimed. “Enchanted Creatures is your next class.”
“Follow me,” Ronan said, before taking a sharp turn down the next hallway.
No more than fifteen minutes later, we were standing in another silent classroom, although there was not a single desk in sight. An old green chalkboard and large stack of books were the only items in the room.
A tall, white-haired man hurried through the open door. Each of the students turned their attention toward the professor, who continued to pile more books in the corner of the room. He eventually noticed our presence and rushed over to the green chalkboard.
“Welcome to your second class. My name is Sir Theodore Barrington, and I will be teaching you about the subject of enchanted creatures,” the man announced before jotting his name down with a piece of chalk. He gestured for us to take a seat on the floor.
“As many of you know, the vast majority of the creatures in the realm of Aisling do not exist in other worlds. This class was created to teach you precisely about those creatures,” Professor Barrington explained. “In time, you will learn this land is home to animals of both beauty and terror. You must understand this class was not created for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, it is essential to learn as much as you can about this subject. I suggest you pay special attention to the details.”
Ronan listened with a remarkable expression of interest upon his face. There was a sudden and loud snap that followed this observation. My classmates instantly jolted into a defensive stance. As I whipped my head around, a giant, blac
k-haired figure appeared on the other side of the room. I was unable to identify the species of the creature, as it faced with its back toward us. Each of the students scrambled up from the floor with haste.
After a long moment, the animal turned to meet our anxious gazes. It quickly became apparent that the beast was an enormous black wolf. Each of the students slowly backed up until they stood beside our professor. The wolf merely gazed upon us with uninterested golden eyes; the canine did not display any signs of aggression. If one were to watch with observant eyes, they might even notice the faint expression of amusement hidden behind the creature’s smile.
“This is Sage,” our teacher told us. “In human form, she is a fourteen-year-old girl. I’m sure you have seen her around the castle. Perhaps, if you are one of the young ladies in Lancaster Hall, she is your roommate.”
A collection of delicate whispers swept across the empty floor, colliding in the center of the room. Fearful expressions gradually dwindled in the eyes of rapt teenagers.
“She is not a werewolf.” Sir Barrington shook his head, as though he were acquainted with the voices of our thoughts. “Sage is Gifted, just like each of us, although she is studying to become a Guardian of Aisling. She takes several exclusive classes, which the Academy offers by invitation.”
“My uncle has the Gift of transformation as well,” said the blond boy who stood beside me. “Although, I’m sure he could never be a Guardian. His other form is nothing more than a little rabbit.”
“You might be surprised, Grayson.” Our teacher smiled. “The Guardians of Aisling accept Gifted people of all different sorts, especially those with the ability to transform.”
As he spoke, Professor Barrington reached into the front pocket of his neatly ironed shirt. He retrieved a small compass, which displayed a golden insignia on the cover. I recognized the detailed design, for it was the crest of the Guardians of Aisling. The students stared at the professor with an expression of surprise.
“You are one of the Guardians of Aisling?” Grayson questioned, unable to hide a look of astonishment.
“The Guardians keep the castles and villages safe, and they guard the children of Aisling from harm,” said Professor Barrington, ignoring the question. “Even the tiniest of songbirds can find a place among the ranks; however, they must be chosen. Yes, Mr. Nolan?” He pointed toward a boy at the edge of the group.
“How can one tell a Guardian apart from any wild animal that might be wandering through the forest?” The boy lowered his hand, which had been waving wildly in the air. His question addressed the very thought that had been floating through my mind. It would seem very silly to start a conversation with a common hedgehog. They are nothing in comparison to cats, who surely understand the human language.
“Would you care to answer that question?” Our teacher glanced down at the shadowed wolf.
The creature began a low howl. In a matter of seconds, it had transformed into a petite girl with curly hair. She appeared to be perfectly ordinary, although her eyes remained a bright hue of gold.
“Almost every Guardian of Aisling can be identified by their golden eyes, but another common trait is the crescent moon birthmark that can be found on the underside of our wrists,” Sage explained as she held up her arm.
After a few minutes, our teacher thanked the girl and gestured for her to take her place with the class. I was fascinated with her unusual Gift; however, several students continued to watch the young girl with careful and anxious eyes.
Sir Barrington quickly began another lecture on the various species of poisonous insects and plants that could only be found in Aisling. The topic seemed dull compared to what we had just learned. My focus began to drift.
Eventually, the bell rang, and each of the students piled out of the empty classroom. As I gathered my books and put them into my messenger bag, a hand tapped on my shoulder. Kade was standing behind me. She was accompanied by a group of several teenagers.
“We are all walking down to the meadow for the Presentation of the Gifted,” said Kade. “Perhaps you would like to join us.”
I nodded and followed her out of the classroom. My heart was pounding loudly in my chest, imitating the steady rhythm of a drum.
“Will you be presenting, too?” I inquired.
“Only first-year students are required to present,” Violet Holloway answered.
“Does that mean I’m the only one of us who will be presenting?” I asked.
“It’s not like you’ll be completely alone,” Kade reminded me. “You will have your sister beside you.”
“I know plenty of first-year students who are presenting,” added Violet, attempting to assure me.
I was hesitant to believe such a statement, as I had not met another first-year student. Nevertheless, the school was relatively large, and my suspicions were likely to be wrong.
“Oh, Alice! Don’t be so nervous!” Kade scoffed as we pushed open the large castle doors and hurried down the gravel path.
The manor was teeming with students of all ages, and the path was terribly congested. My eyes searched the crowd for my sister, but she was nowhere to be found. As we reached the edge of the field, five sets of wooden bleachers appeared in the center of the meadow. Almost every seat had been filled—the entire school was here.
I stopped walking. It took a moment for the rest of my friends to realize, although Violet eventually turned around. As she doubled back from the rest of the group, I noticed a glimmer of sympathy in her kaleidoscopic eyes.
“Are you all right, Alice?” Violet asked.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered.
“You can do this,” Violet said in a kind voice, which may have been confused for that of an old friend. “I know you are scared, and you have every right to be, for many people are going to be watching you. But you must know that each of us is here to support and embrace your Gift.”
I could barely hear her voice my mind was so focused on the echo of my surroundings. Violet pointed me toward a small booth that stood on the other side of the field. A long line of students trailed away from the front, although they were moving forward with swift strides.
“Go check in,” Violet instructed me. “Ruby Lane will be at the booth, and she will tell you where to wait for the presentations. I think you should find your sister.”
I hurried over to my place in the line, while Violet and Kade found a spot in the grandstands. My hands were shaking. I had tried to think of an idea for the presentations, although nothing seemed to be creative enough. I wanted my act to be noteworthy.
Standing up on my toes, I searched the crowd for Emery. She was not too difficult to find in a gathering, for there were few girls with such fair hair. Even so, I did not see her anywhere, and the line was beginning to move along. I allowed panic to ignite an orange ball of flame in my right hand.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Once I reached the entrance booth, Ruby Lane handed me a form to sign. I flipped through the pages until I found my last name. My sister’s signature was already written on the paper. I quickly jotted down my name and handed back the peculiar clipboard.
“Thank you very much,” said Ruby, before pointing toward the presentation area. “I want you to go through the gate. You must line up with the other students in the middle of the field.”
A tall guard stood beside the entrance. His face was dark and expressionless. As he held open the gate, however, I was sure I spotted an expression of sympathy in his golden eyes.
“Thanks,” I murmured.
My skin crawled as I hurried across the open field. The eyes of countless students and professors seemed to be glaring at my shaking hands. A trail of burnt grass was left in my wake. The group of new students provided a shelter from the judgmental stares.
I could have sworn I heard someone calling my name. Glancing over to the right side of the gathering, my eyes caught sight of Emery. My sister was standing a few feet away. She waved and began to switch places with the other
students until she stood by my side. Her gaze was bright with excitement.
“I must have searched the entire castle for you! Did you enjoy the last class?” Emery asked, pulling her long blonde hair back into a ponytail.
“It was fascinating.” I nodded before staring into the crowd.
Violet, Kade, and Ronan were seated at the top of the middle grandstand. Their faces beamed with laughter as they waved at us.
“I’ve been talking to Ariadne Moss,” said Emery. “She was in my last class today, and we were assigned as partners for the assignment. Believe it or not, the girl has quite the attitude.”
“Is that so?” I inquired, glancing at her with an expression of surprise.
“She must have argued with the history teacher for over half an hour!” exclaimed Emery, rolling her eyes.
