Chapter 0008

I turn from the ancient, wooden doors to find the Headmistress watching me.

"Morning, Mrs. Decan." I shift the heavy book to my other hip.

"Miss Sutton." She nods. "Let me show you to your class. Oh and here's a map of the grounds."

A piece of paper flutters from out of nowhere to flap in front of me. I grasp it out of the air and a tingle shoots up my arm. There's a detailed drawing of the dorm we're inside along with a few classes and the cafeteria on the second and third floors. Behind is a small garden, several other buildings marked as Magical lab, Magical Mathematics & Science Building, Library, Gymnasium, and cemetery.

"Cemetery on campus?" I blurt out. "Sorry. I'm just not use to all of this."

"Yes, we have a gravesite on the premises. It helps the necromancers in their studies."

"Wait. Like raising people from the dead- zombies?" Now I really have to run away from here. I hate all those zombie movies with the dead trying to eat the livings' brains. I could deal with horror movies, but not those.

"You got something against necromancers?" A girl with dark hair woven with purple strands leans against the wall.

"Ah, no." I shook my head. "But the idea of a corpse chasing me freaks me out."

She snorts. "Guess it's lucky that we haven't covered controlling zombies in class yet."

"Y-you're a necromancer?"

"Brene, this is Melanie," Mrs. Decan says. "I've asked her to accompany you to your classes and ensure you're settled in."

"So I told you what mine is, what's yours?" Melanie asks, pushing away from the wall.

"My what?"

Mrs. Decan waves goodbye to us and enters her office, closing the door after her.

"Power. I can talk to the dead, do seances; that shit. What about you?"

"Nothing. I'm not a witch."

"Oh. You're not a vamp or you'd be groggy right now." She clicks her tongue making the silver piercing tap against her teeth. "Are you a fae or were then?"

"No, you misunderstand me. I'm not a supernatural, I'm only human."

"That's impossible." She draws back. "Only non-humans are allowed here."

I shrug. "If you have any ideas of how to prove that to everyone, I'm all ears."

"Wow, a human, huh?" Melanie walks closer to me and sniffs.

"Are you part werewolf too?" I ask, tucking the map of this huge place in the magical history book.

She laughs. "I like you. C'mon, guess I'm following your schedule today. Do you have a copy?"

"Sure." I hand her the slip of paper that had been in my dorm room last night.

Before I can say anything, she grabs my arm and rushes me outside. "You've got Mr. Bergins first thing? That sucks."

We run down the stone path, past a small garden and water fountain with carved, marble fairies. When we head toward the cemetery, I dig my heels into the ground.

"What is it?" She stops and faces me.

"Why are we heading to the graveyard? I thought Magical History was over there." I point to our right.

"It was until Mr. Bergins joined our Academy. Now it's past the cemetery."

I frown, pulling out my map. Is she trying to trick me? "There's nothing there."

"Brene, I'm not pranking you."

"This says you are." I wave the paper at her.

"Turn it over."

I do so and find a blank page. "Nothing on this side."

"No, like this." She traces her finger along the path we are on, then flips the paper over again. This time, a glowing line shows another set of buildings.

"What the hell?"

"There's a leyline that crosses the cemetery." She hands me back the glowing paper. "We use it to move across time and space to Mr. Bergins' class."

"Like teleporting?"

"Magical teleporting, but yeah." She beams. "You're not scared are you?"

"Hell no." I tuck the paper inside my book, excitement trilling through me. "Used to binge-watch Star Trek shows every summer."

"See? I knew I liked you." She loops her arm in mine. "I am an excellent judge of character both the living and dead."