Unbound: Mage's Academy I

by Finley Morrow

  Unbound

  Mage’s Academy I

  Finley Morrow

  Copyright © 2019 by Finley Morrow

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Ready for Next Semester?

  About the Author

  1

  I sat outside the principle's office that Friday afternoon, feeling like a child in time-out. I could hear Principal Morton and his Secretary whisper screaming behind the door. While their exact words were unclear, I knew it wasn't good.

  "Did you hear what the girl said happened?" the Secretary hissed.

  "I'm about to talk to her to get her side of the story," Principal Morton replied.

  I sighed. It had always been like this, getting in trouble for strange things, I mean. I can't remember a time before it. This time, however, it was completely absurd. I couldn't possibly have done what I'd been accused of.

  "Katarina Snow said Esther set a flock of ravens on her, Can you believe that?" The Secretary's voice grew louder and more shrill until the Principle shushed her.

  "I couldn't believe it either, but she had scratches and claw marks all over her face." That was the Principal again. I stifled a grimace. Katarina was an awful girl, who always took pleasure in mocking me. I was an easy target I suppose, no friends, no family, and a habit of making strange things happen around me. It was the perfect storm. I couldn't see why Katarina would need to make fun of me when she had everything that I'd never have. That’s the way it always worked though, wasn’t it?

  After a few moments, I heard the sound of footsteps and the door creaked open. "Okay, Esther, the Principal is ready for you." Mrs. Myers, the secretary, was pretty in an old-fashioned sort of way, with her perfectly coifed hair and exquisitely painted nails. She smiled at me, and I appreciated the gesture even though I could see the pinched corners of her mouth. Was the Secretary actually afraid of me? I sighed again, feeling my shoulders droop before sitting down in the chair across from the principal. She walked away shutting the door behind her, and I almost winced. I was probably in for it now.

  "Alright, Miss Crenshaw," Principal Morton spoke very formally as he typed something into his computer, probably pulling up my transcripts. "I can see that you've had a bit of trouble adjusting since you've been here."

  That was putting it lightly. It had been one weird occurrence after another the entire time I'd been here at Central High School, which hadn't been long at all. I counted back in my head. It had probably only been six months altogether. None of it had been my fault of course, but how was I supposed to explain the strangeness that followed me.

  First, there had been the incident with the dreams. The first week I was at school, I submitted an art piece to the school's talent show. It was a painting of a sparrow. I thought it was rather well done and I had been pretty proud of it. Not a week later, however, sparrows started flying into classrooms. Some had even roosted in the gym. There weren't enough open windows in the school for that number of sparrows to have possibly flown in. They had to hire a special crew to clear them all out. That wasn't even the worst of it. Many of the students had shown a disliking for me right away, but it wasn't until later, that the teachers began to feel the same way.

  Another time, probably a few months later, the dreams started. Several of the girls at school began to complain that they were having dreams about me. That I was whispering sinister things in their ears. I thought this was all foolish nonsense meant to make me sound creepier until the teachers started having them too. My English teacher could hardly speak to me after that. Then not to mention the ravens that had always flocked around me. It was honestly a nightmare. Nobody had ever told me exactly what I supposedly said to them in dreams, but it was bad enough to make me an outcast.

  I replied to Principal Morton as best I could, "Yeah, I guess you could say that." I wasn't sure what to expect from him as he began to type again on his computer.

  "Have you ever thought about Alternative Schooling Options," He asked. I could tell he was trying to be gentle, but I wasn't having it.

  "I'm not going to drop out if that's what you're saying," I replied fiercely. I may be a bit unique, but I was a good student and he couldn't deny me my education.

  "No, No that's not at all what I'm saying," He explained quickly, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "What I mean is having you ever thought of going to a different sort of school?"

  "Different, how?" I asked carefully.

  "Well, we're aware of your situation and we took the liberty of sending your transcripts to an Educational Consultant." He said. By situation, he must mean the fact that I lived in foster care. I had never known my parents and had been moved from Group home to group home for as long as I could remember. The place I was in now, was alright, not the best, but not the worst either. At least it was clean and I had my own bed. I didn't say anything, instead waiting for him to continue. " There are many boarding schools that will take students on scholarships. We think it might be a good option for you, all things considered." He smiled as if he was telling me good news. I knew he must have considered it pretty hard because they really couldn't expel me. I technically hadn't done anything, so it wouldn't look good for them. The state wouldn’t think too highly of accusations of magic.

  "Hmm, I see," I said, mulling it over. "And just what kind of schools are bending over backward to offer scholarships to kids like me?" I smiled back, hoping he could sense my challenge.

  "Well, you do have excellent grades, Esther, I'm sure they would be happy to have you. I set up an appointment with the Consultant for tomorrow afternoon if you're interested." He said. I fiddled with the zipper on my coat. "I would mention the incident with the Ravens, of course," He added with a look of intent.

  I knew he had never planned to get my side of the story. He believed Katarina. I'm sure they all did. I hadn't had anything to do with it, but the Ravens did seem to like me. Perhaps if she hadn't purposefully spilled her soda on me at break then they would have left her alone. I shook my head. That's crazy. Of course, that couldn’t have any thing to do with it. Maybe the rumors about me had gotten so bad, I had even started to believe it. It might be good for me to have a change of pace. Besides, it didn't sound like I had much of a choice.

  "Okay, that's fine," I replied, exhaling deeply.

  "Excellent, I'll see you back here tomorrow at 3 pm," He said, with a little too much pep in his voice.

  "Alright, Principle Morton, am I free to go," I asked.

  "Of course. You'll see, it will be great," He exclaimed. He was smiling when I left the room.

  2

  I'm lying in a dark room. I can't see anything, but I can feel something pressing heavy on my chest, something that shouldn't be there. I try to scream, but I can't. I can't m
ove or make a sound. Whatever is pressing on me is cold and smells sickly sweet, like rot. I'm not going to escape. Suddenly there are ravens, more ravens that I can count flocking around me. They began to flap their wings in unison, and peck at the dark creature. They frighten it away and I am lying in my bed.

  * * *

  I startled awake. I'd been having the nightmare for a while. I think this was the second time this week. I didn't know what it meant, but like everything else that happened to me, I did my best to ignore it. It was still dark outside, and when I looked at the clock it read 5:30 am. I had no hope of going back to sleep now, so I decided to go to school early. The library opened at 6 am and I went there often. Mornings at the home were stressful because the little ones all needed help getting ready. There was always a lot of crying and fussing. I did my best to help, but I didn't mind the quiet sanctuary the library provided.

  When I got to school, the day began to slip through my fingers. It passed so quickly I thought that I had dreamed it. Ever since the incident with the ravens, I had begun to function on autopilot. Principle Morton wanted to make sure that I changed schools, so I guess it was good not to get too comfortable. I also had the 3 pm meeting, which I was dreading. Time always seemed to move too fast when I least wanted it too. At least I didn't have any trouble with Katarina that day. She was probably too scared of me now. For a moment I let myself think of what it would be like if instead of hating me, Katarina had befriended me. I only thought about for a moment, because I realized that even if she had, I wouldn't want a friend like her. She treated her friends like garbage, talking about them behind their backs and turning them against each other. It wouldn't be worth it.

  * * *

  As soon as classes were over, I made my way back to Principle Morton's office. It was really a dismal place, with wood paneling that hadn't been updated since the seventies. The secretary showed me in and I sat in the same seat I sat in yesterday. I could sense tension from Principle Morton as we waited in silence. The Consultant was late. Finally, after nearly twenty-five minutes of waiting and only meager small talk, she showed up. The woman who came through the door was dressed in black from head to toe. She had on a tight-fitting, but well-tailored black suit and an inky pencil skirt that fit her like a glove. She had on burgundy lipstick, so dark that it too almost looked black. Her eye-liner was done in a sharp cat-eye and the principle looked utterly taken aback.

  "I'm sorry I was late," She explained in a smooth tone. "My colleague was feeling unwell, so I came in her place. My name is Alice Mistlethwaite. It's a pleasure to meet you both." She assured us, holding out her hand. I found myself eager to return her handshake. She looked like a bad-ass.

  "Oh it's no problem at all, Mrs. Mistlethwaite,” Principal Morton didn't seem to be able to hold on to his formality.

  "Alice is fine," She said dismissively, turning to look at me instead of returning his gaze. "So, Esther, I hear you a looking for a richer educational opportunity."

  "Um, yeah I guess so." I had been very against the idea until now, I couldn't imagine what kind of school she could possibly represent, but it couldn't be that bad.

  "Wonderful, I'm glad to hear that," She said, pulling out a folder from her briefcase. It was black with a gold insignia. "I've just found an opening at a very prestigious school that might be perfect for you." She handed me the folder.

  It read Medeis Academy in gold letters. I opened it to see a large color picture of a courtyard in front of a huge Gothic stone building. It was beautiful and much too expensive, I was sure of it.

  "How much is the tuition at this place," I asked as I flipped through the brochures inside. There were pictures of expertly decorated dorm rooms and feasts served in a huge hall filled with people. I was guessing it was going to be as much as College.

  "It's free," She said with a wave of her hand. "We admit all students based on talent, which we think is the most valuable asset."

  "We?" I asked.

  "Yes, I happen to be a Representative of sorts at a Consortium of very selective schools," She said breezily. That was a little odd. She just so happened to know of a school right away that just so happened to have an opening for me. What did she mean by very selective?

  "What do you represent?" I asked, half-joking.

  "I work for the Student Acquisition Office," she explained. "I represent the interests of the fields we serve."

  "Oh is this a Vocational School?" I asked, thinking perhaps I would train to become an electrician or something similar. That wouldn't be a bad job, although I wasn't sure it was for me.

  "You could say that we dabble in the art of Vocation, yes." She said, without any hint of irony, despite the fact that her answer gave me almost no information. "In any case, the Academy has decided to offer you a full scholarship, with room and board included. This, of course, would include educational opportunities over Summer and Winter breaks if you were interested in staying on campus." She finished.

  I could stay on campus? That would mean that I wouldn't have to go back to the group home. I could stay there until I turned eighteen. If it was as fancy as it looked, then maybe I could transfer to some really amazing college. I never believed that Principal Morton had my best interests at heart, but maybe this wouldn't be such a bad deal.

  "If I was interested," I paused, trying to formulate my words, "when would I be able to start? And how would I get there?" I asked.

  "As soon as you like," She smiled, baring her perfect white teeth. "I could take you there today if you like. I'd be happy to talk to your caseworker and get it all set up."

  My stomach dropped. Today? Wow, that was fast. I couldn't imagine how that was possible, but instead of thinking it through I nodded.

  "Yes, I think that would be great." I was almost shocked at my own words, but I knew better than anyone that Central High wasn't doing me any favors.

  "Wonderful, Esther. I know that Medeis Academy is going to be an excellent fit for you." She exclaimed, seeming genuinely happy. After we arranged the details of my transport to the school later in the evening Principle Morton sent me out of the office. I was to go home and pack so that Alice could get me from the home at 6 pm. That gave me three hours from now.

  I paused when I exited the office because I could hear continued talking.

  "I just want to make you aware, that Esther does have somewhat of an unusual academic history." Principle Morton said. I could feel my stomach drop. Was he trying to ruin this chance for me?

  "Is that so," she responded, sounding for all the world that she was just humoring him for her own entertainment. Her tone almost made me feel better. "As it happens, we somewhat specialize in students of an unusual background," She cut him off.

  "Well," He replied uneasily. "I guess it's settled then. It was nice to meet you Mrs.- er, I mean Alice." He said awkwardly.

  I walked away before I got caught in the act. I wanted this strange woman to have a good impression of me.

  * * *

  I raced home to gather my belongings - there weren't many. I stuffed everything I owned into a small duffel bag. After packing I went into the community room and logged onto one of the computers. I was going to find every piece of information I could about this Medeis Academy.

  I typed the terms into the box and hit enter, expecting to see a huge list of results. Instead, I saw less than a page, some of which were completely incomprehensible. The first was simply a dictionary entry. It read:

  Medeis adj. - Of or relating to the sorceress from Classical Mythology, see also the proliferation of magic

  Well, that wasn't helpful at all. I went back to the main search page and clicked on the second link. It was a link to a professional resume, someone named Edward Hightower. He was an Executive from some company called Oudeis Industries. He had held several obscure sounding positions within this company and was listed as a graduate of Medeis Academy. How strange. The rest of the links were garbage and didn't even seem to contain the search terms. I rechecked s
everal times, trying to search variations of the name of the school. I even flipped through the packet I'd been given to see if it included a website address, but no such luck.

  I closed the browser as soon as the younger kids got home from school. I set out afternoon snacks for each of them, and they picked up plates of crackers and peanut butter without looking at me. Ever since I had gotten in trouble at school the other kids had stayed away from me. The leaders at the group home made it clear that I was not a good influence. I knew that I was just one more person to filter out of their lives. I didn’t even wonder if they would miss me.

  I helped prepare dinner while I waited for Alice to show up. Then I had the awful thought. What if she never came for me? It was a terrible feeling, to realize that I had begun to hope. That was worse than anything. I couldn't have my hopes destroyed again. I began to check the clock somewhat obsessively as if I could will the minutes to pass faster. When 6 pm finally came, I was tenser than I had ever been. I looked out the window and to my great relief, Alice was standing outside talking to my caseworker, Mrs. Gardener. They were smiling and laughing, so I assumed all had gone well. I was really leaving. It hadn't been the worst home, but I was excited to leave. Maybe I would finally find someplace to fit in.

  * * *

  3

  That night we drove through the winding countryside, heading south. We passed through several states before finally stopping for a meal. Alice stopped outside of a small diner. It was the only restaurant on the exit, but there were no cars outside. We went inside. At first, it seemed like there weren't any staff, but one waitress appeared from the back after we'd been sitting for a few minutes. The menus were on the table already. I began to scan the items, before realizing that I hadn't brought any money with me.