Of Water and Moonlight (Thunderbird Academy Book 1) Page 3

  He should be home. He should be reading books and trying to figure out how to fight the Ancients. But instead, he's gone, and for the first time in a week, I let myself feel it.

  I miss my family. I miss my sisters. And I'm scared. All the time.

  I can't let people see just how terrified I am, but I've experienced firsthand just how powerful the Ancients are. I can't pretend the fear away. But that's exactly what I've been doing. With everyone's eyes on me, I can't let myself breakdown. Even though I want to, basically at all hours of the day.

  From the core of my being, I let it all go. So, when the tears start to fall, I don't wipe them. I let myself cry in this underground magical library as my heart misses my dad and breaks for the hole he's left in my life.

  I cry for my family and the trials they continuously have to overcome to stay alive.

  I cry for every person in this school and every family they represent.

  Here, away from the prying eyes of the public, I let myself be a teenage girl and feel every emotion.

  Because I know the moment I step back into the halls of the school, I have to put my brave face on.

  4

  “Do you think Mr. Olsen assumes he's the only one we have to do homework for?” I ask Jade as we head out of his class two days later.

  "I feel like all the teachers assume they're the only ones giving us homework. But I can't deny I'm fascinated about this paper."

  "You want to write about the infamous Salem witch trials?" I'm surprised. Most witches I know stay away from that subject, but Jade seems genuinely excited.

  "I actually do!" she exclaims as we head to lunch. "It's such an interesting part of our history, and something that links us to the human world, even more so than they realize."

  Of course she would be fascinated. She grew up in a mostly human community. And she's right about the connection. From what I know, most of those who lost their lives weren't even witches, but witches did their best to protect the humans from the stupid prejudice of the government. So many more lives would've been lost if the covens didn't step in. But I also know many still carry the heaviness of the knowledge that they couldn't save everyone. That's something I'm all too familiar with.

  "Don't look now, but Aiden is staring again," Jade whispers as we grab our food and head to the table. I don't need her to tell me. I felt his gaze the moment we stepped into the room. It's like he's attuned to me, much like I am to him.

  "I have no idea what his problem is," I say, before I raise my voice just a tad. "It seems like he needs a hobby. He must live a boring life."

  I know for a fact that he heard me, even across several tables, because I swear, I can feel the air chill around me.

  "You really shouldn't provoke him like that," Jade whispers with a smile. "But it's pretty entertaining to see you go at each other."

  "Thanks," I reply dryly. "I'm glad someone is enjoying themselves at my expense."

  Not that we've really "gone at each other". We've had three interactions total, and they went much like our first one. Or the current one. He glares, I poke fun, sometimes there's growling. But I'm not really mad at her. If anything, I'm mad at myself for letting him affect me the way he does. We've become these weird enemies, and I still have absolutely no idea what I've done to deserve it. One of these days, I will ask him. Until then, I will hold my ground.

  I've only taken about two bites of my sandwich when the PA system sounds, and a robotic voice begins an announcement. But even before it can begin, it's cut off by the continuous alarm. There's a pause in the air while everyone tries to figure out what to do, and then everyone is on the move. Chairs are pushed back in panic as students begin to scramble for cover. Some begin to scream as bodies clash together, trying to climb over tables to get to the exits.

  "Come on, this one means serious danger," I say, reaching for Jade's hand. Before I can take it, we're pulled apart by people trying to get out of the room. I have to shoulder my way through the throng, and then I'm grabbing her arm and tugging her behind me.

  The moment we're in the hall, I realize we're never going to make it to our room on time. The larger number of students in the school makes it very difficult to move around, much less head to the opposite side of the building. I flatten us against the wall, trying to stay out of the way.

  "We're never going to make it," Jade says, coming to the same conclusion. She looks at me with fear in her eyes, and I try to think. I need to find a place to hide. Somewhere we can protect ourselves. The rooms seal with magic once the residents are inside, and I can already see students pushing into rooms that are not their own.

  "Come with me."

  I twist around to find Aiden on the other side of Jade, his eyes hard. I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off.

  "My room is closer. Come on."

  He turns, heading toward the stairs, and now it's Jade who doesn't hesitate. She grips my arm and pulls me behind her as we weave through the bodies. With Aiden in front of us, it's much easier to make it up the stairs. Once on his floor, we race toward his room, stumbling inside just moments before the alarm shuts off. He closes the door, and the quiet slams into us. I can feel the magic of the school sealing us inside as we stare at each other, Jade and I breathing heavily.

  "What's happening?" she asks, glancing between Aiden and me as the two of us continue staring at each other. He doesn't take his eyes off me when he answers.

  "The school grounds have been breached."

  Jade has been pacing for ten minutes now while Aiden leans against the door, and I stand by the window. I've been trying to see if anything is going on out there, but the lawn has been completely deserted.

  "How can the school have been breached?" Jade asks for the third time, and I can't blame her. This is supposed to be impossible, but here we are. Not even two weeks into the school year, and we're already in lockdown.

  “Jade—“

  “There’s—“

  Aiden and I speak at the same time, and I glance at him in time to see him nod. I accept it for what it is and reach for Jade to bring her toward me, sitting down on the bed.

  "The truth is, we don't know what's going on. Maybe this was a test. Maybe something set it off without it getting inside the school's grounds. There's no telling the possibilities. We just need to stay calm until we can know for sure." My soothing voice and solid explanations seem to get through to her and she nods slowly. Then, she stands, walking over to the window and proceeds to stare outside.

  I can understand her concern. I'm worried myself. But I know better than to display that kind of emotion, especially in front of a shifter. I'm not about to let a predator treat me as prey just because I'm feeling weak. Folding my hands on my lap, I do my best to keep them from trembling.

  "Not bad, Duchess," Aiden comments, still leaning against the door. He's been guarding it as if he's afraid someone is going to get in if he leaves his post. I throw a glare his way, but I don't engage. Instead I turn my eyes to the rest of the room, studying it fully for the first time.

  It's not much to look at. There are no decorations, or personal items. Just textbooks and notebooks along with a cup full of pens. The beds are made, and the rest of the area is as spotless as if no one actually lives here. I have questions, but I don't want to ask those either. I just need to keep it together until the doors unlock, and I can get out of here.

  "Really? No response?" Aiden isn't deterred by my silence. "I thought you were all about confrontation."

  "What is that supposed to mean?" He knows he's got me, and I silently curse myself for giving in.

  "Nothing particular. Just that you seem to like the spotlight. Being a hero and all."

  I see Jade glance over at us, but she's staying out it. He watches me for a moment, waiting to see what I'll say. Instead of the anger I expect to feel, all I feel is tired.

  "Look, my sisters are the heroes. They're the ones who are eager to be on the front lines of this. I'm more of a background noise
," I reply, almost sighing.

  "Right. Because sneaking out of Thunderbird Academy and bringing vital information to them in Hawthorne, before you participated in one of the biggest rituals known to man, is totally staying in the background." Aiden folds his arms in front of him, staring me down. Both Jade and I look at him as if he's lost his mind. For a second there, he doesn't sound like he hates me. There's a hint of admiration in his tone, and it punches me straight in the gut.

  "What? They had a class on my life where you're from?" I ask, meeting his eye.

  "I like to know what I'm up against." He offers it up like a challenge, and I feel his look across my skin. Even though I'm trying hard not to let him see just how affected I am, a tiny shiver races up my spine.

  "I did what I had to do to help my family. That's all there is to it."

  He watches me with a newfound curiosity, his head cocked to the side. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me, what it is he finds in me that he has to hate.

  Before we can take this any further, a single alarm sounds before the robotic voice comes over the PA system.

  "All students and faculty, please report to the grand hall. Headmaster Marković will make an announcement."

  The voice repeats the command three more times, but Aiden and I continue to watch each other. I can't even begin to guess what he's thinking, but then, he pushes off the door, yanking it open. Jade hooks her arm through my elbow, and we follow him out in silence.

  I don't know what's going on in this school, but I can add Aiden to the list of frustrating puzzles. He's driving me bonkers.

  5

  The grand hall fills up fast. Jade and I find ourselves in the back of the room, around the same area I huddled on the first day of school. For some reason, I expected Aiden to stay by us, but the moment we're inside, he moves toward his friends without a backward glance. I want to talk to Jade about him and the confusing emotions currently warring inside of me, but then Headmaster Marković steps up to the stage, and a hush falls over the room. He looks more tired than I've ever seen him, and it makes me more nervous than I'd like.

  "I wanted to take a moment and put your fears to rest," he begins without preamble. "The school's grounds have not been breached. I repeat, they have not been breached."

  A murmur goes through the room, and I have a list of my own questions rising to the tip of my tongue. Jade and I exchange a look, but we don't speak.

  "The alarm was not faulty, and there was danger right outside our borders. We decided to initiate the lockdown for two reasons. One, to see how fast we can get the school under lock and key. Two, we needed the freedom to check on the threat without worrying for your safety. Know that your safety is always the priority here."

  He pauses again, but no one even makes a sound. The whole room seems to be holding its breath, waiting for him to go on. He does that slow study of each individual before he speaks up again.

  "I do not want to keep secrets from you. I want you to always be prepared and to understand that there are many dangers out there. Not all of them come from the Ancients. I would like to be able to tell you that nothing can touch us here, but that is not true. While this is the safest place for you, it is a place that has a target on its back. The Ancients know of these schools, and they will not rest until they penetrate each and every one of them. However, they are not our only concern. There are still those radicals who wish us harm. We have always stood on the border line of our magical world and the human one. It has always been up to us to keep the world safe. We just have to work that much harder at it now."

  He takes a deep breath before he continues. A feeling of dread washes over me, as if I know something is coming. And his next words solidify that thought, chilling me to the bone.

  "While this is not something you have considered for yourself, we are instituting mandatory combat training for everyone," the headmaster announces, and this time it's not a murmur that comes over the room. Everyone seems to be talking at once. The headmaster doesn't shush us, letting the students get their feelings out of the way.

  "But most of us are not preparing for Task Force or protection detail after graduation," one of the witches closer to the front points out, her voice quieting the rest of the students.

  "You are correct," Headmaster Marković says, looking down at her. "And while you do have your battle magic, sometimes an enemy cannot be defeated by it. Or by manmade weapons. I want each of you to be able to pick up a dagger or a sword and hold your own."

  Jade and I exchange another look, but I don't even know what I can say. She looks scared, and I'm sure I do as well. Combat training is not something everyone is cut out for. There is a reason only the select are involved in such intense training. There is a possibility our bodies won't even be able to handle the strain, although that depends on the intensity of the training. My mind catalogues all these facts as Headmaster Marković continues.

  "You have all been paired with a trainer. The information will be in your rooms. Please report to your appointed place and time. While this is not something you chose for yourself, I do ask that you choose to excel at it. It may be the difference between life and death. Dismissed."

  Jade turns to me, her eyes big and round. Most of the students have never used battle magic, and now, they're being trained for combat. There's a heaviness in the air as people begin trickling out of the room. No one seems to want to talk about it. As I study my fellow students, I see fear and apprehension mirrored in each one. So many thought this would be a safe place, and now, it's like we have nowhere to go. We're halfway to our room before my friend speaks up.

  "They're making us into soldiers," Jade whispers, and I shake my head.

  "We're already soldiers, Jade," I say, the reality of the situation clear in my mind. "They're just making sure we're competent ones."

  "Do you have any idea who the trainers are?" Jade asks a few hours later, as we sit on my bed with the envelopes on our lap. There's no name on the paper, just a room number and a time. I am to report to the building on the eastern side of the property tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon. Which makes me a bit curious, considering most of the classes are in the main castle. From what I've heard, special permission needs to be given in order to work in the areas around campus. I wonder the reasoning behind this.

  The other paper that was left on my bed is a note from my sisters.

  We're fine. Everyone is safe. We miss you.

  Just three sentences to keep me updated. I hate this communication lockdown more than I can say. When Headmaster announced it, I really thought I could handle it. But now, I just want to be able to pick up a phone and talk to my family. Right now is definitely not the time to be thinking about that. I tear my eyes away from the paper and get back to the issue at hand.

  "I would guess the students training for Task Force," I reply, focusing on Jade. The Task Force is basically our magical law enforcement. Many go on to serve in human equivalent positions, such as police or FBI. Some stay as personal protective detail within different cities or towns. These are the best of the best, men and women who have spent most of their lives training for this. I can always spot them from across the room. It's an upper level program that requires extra classes on top of the regular ones everyone else attends. There's an exam after your second year, and if you don't pass it, you get moved to a different group. Until you can retest again. They're the only ones I can think of who would be up to this task.

  "It's so weird," Jade comments, bringing my attention back on her. "I've never imagined myself using any of the defensive arts I've learned."

  "Have you ever used battle magic?" I ask, genuinely curious. Most witches our age haven't. I've heard that some covens don't even teach it until later in life.

  "Once. And it wasn't even a huge deal." I nod but don't prod further. Battle magic is a tricky subject. I know from firsthand experience, some witches don't like talking about it. I'm not about to push Jade if she doesn't want to talk about it.
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  "It's just so strange," Jade bursts out, turning to me. Okay, I guess she does want to talk about it. "I mean, battle magic is all instinct. Regular spells have words and rules, but with battle magic, it all comes down to feeling. It seems uncontrollable."

  "You're right, it's uncontrollable and a little scary." She glances at me sharply as if she didn’t expect me to agree. "But it's part of us, just like anything else. I think it's important we learn how to use it now and not when it's too late. We shouldn't be afraid of our magic."

  "I've never met anyone like you," Jade comments, cocking her head to the side.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I guess it's probably because I don't know that many witches our age, but you seem to be wise beyond your years."

  Playfully, I push her shoulder and she laughs. It's not as if I had a choice about growing up. Everything that has happened in the past year has taught me I need to take every lesson and learn from every situation. There is so much more to discover about my magic and the magical community overall. I want to be ready.

  "One of the witches who now lives in my hometown," I say, getting back to the original subject. "Is a boxer. For fun. I've never met anyone like her. But she can take care of herself in hand to hand combat like no one I've ever seen. I think it'll be interesting to learn such skills here."

  "You would." Jade chuckles, before getting off my bed.

  "What is that supposed to me?" I narrow my eyes at her.

  "Just that no matter how much of an introvert you say you are, you are always up for trying something new and exciting."

  I smile at her, letting her words warm me from the inside out. It's something my dad would say, and I appreciate it that much more hearing it now. He's the one who taught me how to love the learning process and how to explore the world around me. I need the reminder, because most of the time, I feel as inadequate as they come.