chapter Five

Layla quickly left class and crashed through the double doors. She took off down the sidewalk grasping her hair in her hands. Her fingers and body still tingled. It was as if she had been dipped in a polar plunge.

Professor Vale had told her to go to the Headmistress's office. She didn't know what to expect when she got there.

She heard footsteps falling behind her as if chasing her. She looked back and noticed that it was Theo. He stopped when he reached her breathing heavily and shaking his head.

“You walk fast. You could've slowed down,” he panted.

Layla couldn't help but notice the fact that his chest was rising and falling, showing off his build even more in a way. She gulped as she watched a bead of sweat slip down his forehead.

“He told me to go to Dr. Thalia. That's where I'm going,” she said turning on her heels.

A figure appeared out of a portal of shadows, taking the shape of Damon.

“Do you even know where her office is?” he mused.

She had to admit, she didn't know. This place was massive. She took a deep breath and let out a sigh, running her hands through her curls.

“I assume you're here to lead me there then?” she challenged, looking Damon directly in his eyes.

He shifted a bit before he responded, “Follow me little flame.”

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When Layla walked into Dr. Thalia's office she couldn't help but notice how beautifully historic everything was. The marble looked old and true but dazzling as it sat atop her desk. Old relics and reminders of the Greeks hung on display and sat high on shelves.

She wondered how they had gotten these things themselves. And what half of them were even for?

This was not her world. Or at least she didn't think that it was. But how could she explain what happened in the class earlier?

Theo and Damon sat in the lobby of the office, just outside the door. Layla could feel the pulse of shadows and the threatening crackle of lightning as she sat waiting.

She took notice of some scrolls that sat on the end of the desk. The table was engraved in runes. The scrolls though… they seemed to be talking to her.

She looked around before slowly reaching out. She didn't know what was going on but something about the scroll screamed out to her. Called her and demanded that she see it. Before she could reach it, she heard the doorknob turn and jumped.

Dr. Thalia walked in, bringing with her the thick feeling of a bad storm. It felt as if the air had gotten muggy and heavy. And it smelled of rain.

“Layla. Thank you for meeting me here. I hear we have some things to discuss,” she said glancing at me and then darting her eyes to the scroll.

She walked over and grabbed it, placing it inside her drawer of the desk. It slammed shut loudly as she closed it and plopped into her comfy office chair.

She batted her hair out of her face and opened her suit jacket.

“Vale says you had an outburst of power a few minutes ago. What happened?”

“I-I channeled? I did what he told us to do. I wasn't- I don't know. I didn't mean for it to happen.”

“I'm sure that's true,” Dr. Thalia said. She continued but what happened today is something that we can't have happening again. You're a liability if you cannot control your powers.”

Layla looked at her sheepishly.

The headmistress placed her hands before her and sighed.

“Speak to no one of this incident further. If they ask, you do not know what happened.”

Layla nodded in response. That was all she could do. She didn't know what to say at all.

“And until your alignment is confirmed, you are neither light nor shadow…and that makes you dangerous,” she gave Layla a warning look.

“I will try to make sure it won't happen again and to keep everything under wraps,” Layla said matching Dr. Thalia's look.

Something in her eye made Layla think that she knew more than she was letting on.

The headmistress nodded and began straightening papers before her, “Glad we can agree,” she stated.

Layla couldn't help but ask, “What even happened back there? I'm human. I just thought I'd been invited here to learn. not to become a part of it. To fit into the school,” she cried.

Thalia took a deep breath and dropped the papers back down leaning back in her chair.

“Your wrist is marked no?” she asked.

How she knew Layla didn't ask or care to know as she just wanted answers or something.

She nodded and lifted her sleeve on he right arm, where she brandished a silver crescent moon on her wrist, just below her thumb.

“That is a symbol that hasn't been seen in many many ages. That is something that the gods of this generation do not dare test. That's the sign of a child of a primordial god.” she stated.

Layla stared blankly.

“So what does this mean? I'm a child of a god?”

Thalia nodded her head slowly. “It would seem a very ancient one. One that was here before many of our parents were. One of the cosmos and beginnings.”

“I don't understand.”

“Then to put simply. I believe that you are someone that the gods will grow to fear. Because your power is constant. It is raw and it is dangerous. It can be used with them and for them…or against them.”

Layla's mind was swirling and she couldn't control the onslaught of thoughts that assaulted her brain. She didn't know anything about her family. She didn't even question that Perse was here. She had just accepted everything. Now it all made sense. All of the weird things that her grandmother blathers on about. She wasn't sure what to feel or how to process what she was learning about herself.

Dr. Thalia got out a fresh piece of paper and a fountain pen that sat before her. It was filled with a pretty shimmering ink that looked like melted quicksilver. It seemed to whisper and giggle to her. She tried to shake the feeling before Thalia noticed, but it seemed that she had.

“I'm writing you a pass to be exempt from practicing in your channeling course. You are to watch and listen to the direction and learn. But not participate until Vale reports to me that he sees it fit that you join, is that clear?” she asked, writing quickly and handing Layla the slip.

She nodded and grabbed the bag as she gathered herself to leave.

She had to hold it in until she got outside. She was feeling so many things. But mostly rage. The fact that she was being threatened and treated like a threat when she didn't even know what she was.

If she were dangerous. Then why would they want to help her learn how not to be?

She saw her way out of the office and came face-to-face with Theo. Damon was nowhere in sight.

“I'll walk back to the doors with you,” he offered. It sounded more like a command than a suggestion.

“That's fine.”

He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets as he began walking on the sidewalks to the dorms.

“What happened?” he inquired, glancing over.

Layla swallowed.

“She told me I was to watch in class from now on until Vale decided otherwise. That I was dangerous because I am neither light nor shadow,” she answered looking back at him.

His eyes darkened as he listened.

He seemed to process it and sighed.

He looked down at her arm, glancing at the mark. He reached out and grabbed her arm peeling back the sleeve to examine it.

Heat flared through the mark and the air thickened. Layla pulled back her arm as she had when she received the mark.

“I'll see you tomorrow then. I'm going to head to my room,” she said quickly. Needing to get away. She knew her cheeks were flushed.

They had arrived at her building and he stopped at the foot of the stairs.

His arm went back to his side, “See you tomorrow Layla.”

She turned and ran up the stairs. She couldn't help but feel someone watching though. She turned before she disappeared into the building to look behind her. Theo was already gone. But sitting in the grass under a tree watching her was Damon, his dark shadows teeming with life of their own around him.

He pulled his hand up and wiggled his fingers at her in a wave as he had the first time she'd seen him.

She quickly walked into the building shutting the door behind her.