It seemed silly to think since I’d never believed in his gods before. I believed in my creator and I didn’t think he’d want chaos over peace. But sometimes when I read the pages of history I wondered if what I thought was naive.
∞∞∞
The next day I dressed in my usual uniform, all black with a red phoenix on the chest, and strapped myself with weapons. Loud purring drew my eyes to the closet. Atticus, the fluffy white cat strutted out and bumped into my legs. “Princess, I am exhilarated you have returned.”
“As am I, Atticus. It’s good to see you again.”
“Any new drama I should be aware of? The first few days of academy can be such a bore. No one is fighting yet,” he said silently in my mind. “How is our wicked, handsome prince?”
I chuckled and combed through my hair. “You’re supposed to bring me the drama, not the other way around. And the prince is well. Looking and being as good as ever. He’s not so wicked toward me anymore.”
Atticus hopped onto the vanity and sat in front of the mirror, blocking my view. “I heard that Delilah May, a fifth-year Delhoon girl, was caught kissing a boy from Collweya in a broom closet last night after the party. Oh and of course the blood moon but you saw that, no doubt. Like I said, not too much to gossip about.”
I chuckled finding it amusing that the cat gossip network would talk about who is kissing who in a closet. “I wouldn’t say the first day was too boring. The princes and I fought trolls in the arena.”
“Meh,” he said flicking his tail. “Not that your victory was unimpressive but all saw it. Cats prefer the details not everyone knows about.”
I guess fighting trolls wasn’t anything new and juicy. “Well, here is something you can do. Find out everything you can about the Fae, the people the merfolk say live across the sea, and report back to me. Especially about a prince from the Winter and Night Courts.”
“Interesting assignment but of course I am up to the task.” He blinked a few times then went to licking his paw. “Consider it done.”
I headed out the door and checked my schedule one more time to make sure I knew where my first class was.
After a breakfast filled with chatter about the blood moon, a note conjured out of a nearby candle and fell onto my lap. When I read it I started thinking about the ways I could torture Jennika. Lightning strike. A huge one that would roast her hair. I imagined her with blown-out hair, ends sizzling. Or better yet, shove her face into the lake and hold her till the bubbles stop...
“Who’s that from?” Zyacus asked, leaning close to me.
I turned and planted a long, more-passionate-than-usual-in-public-kiss on his scrumptious lips. I hoped she watched all ten seconds of it.
He pulled away smiling. “Now I want to skip class and hide away with you.”
I chuckled. “How about we hide away after classes. Since it’s the first day and all.”
“I thought I was the responsible one and you were the troublemaker?”
“I’m still trouble,” I purred.
When a chime sounded, all students cleared the dining hall for class. Legacy and I walked together to herbology. Although both my mother and grandmother had taught me a great deal about plants and herbs growing up, I wanted to know more. They’d told me stories of how their knowledge of plants and herbs saved them on multiple occasions.
After partnering up, Professor Nimblewatt, a short, silver-haired Hesstian man who looked as old as an ancient gnarled oak tree, led us to the woods. “I’ve given each group an assignment. You’ll identify and locate the plant on your paper and bring it back to me. Everything will be within this close area so no need to venture far.”
Legacy and I headed off to find a plant with tiny orange blooms growing up a grayish-green stem. I looked down at the paper again. The Vivarna plant is Poisonous. Properties include: a light citrus scent. Prickly stem that will cause a rash on bare skin. If ingested will cause paralysis for up to three hours.
Legacy bent down moving aside tall green grass. “We should totally make a tea out of this and give it to some poor fool. It would be hilarious.”
I scanned the ground looking for tiny orange blossoms. “Umm, no we should definitely not.”
Legacy stood, wiping her hands on her pants. “You’d do it to Jennika.”
I chuckled. “Certainly, but she deserves it.”
“Exactly. I saw her last night. It would seem her banishment has been lifted.”
“Oh, I saw her too. She purposefully dumped her drink on my boots.”
Legacy shot to her full height. “No she didn’t,” she hissed. “What did you do?”
I groaned. “Ugh, nothing. I couldn’t with everyone around. But I’m plotting. She sent me a note at breakfast this morning. She wrote, ‘Don’t get used to him. He’s mine.’”
“I’ll kill her!” Legacy said, stamping her foot. “We have to retaliate.”
“I’m a step ahead of you. Don’t worry.” We walked on looking for our assigned plant.
“Good. Oh, and I saw you talking to Firo Hazelvale,” Legacy said as if that was supposed to warrant a response.
“And?”
“My father says the Hazelvales sided with Queen Kyria during the Queens Challenge and also voted against the opening of this academy. They want a peaceful but separate land.” She stooped down, dropping to one knee. “Do you think they could have been one of the people who paid the vampires to attack?”
I almost laughed but then considered it. “I guess it’s possible but Firo told me he was going to fund this academy. If the Hazelvales wanted it closed, he wouldn’t do that.”
“Found it,” she said, moving her hand in a circular motion around the plant. It slowly pulled up from the ground, white roots dangling as it hovered, and I held out the thick brown cloth we had to wrap it in.
“True,
