8. Serafina
EIGHT
Slamming my textbook closed, I glare at my brother as he dismisses the class. We’re in a rather large circular room for being up in a tower, with the semicircle of seats stepping down to the front of the room and Atlas’ desk. There’s also a massive projector that looks to be at least ten years old and a curved whiteboard that extends over half of the wall at the front.
There is even a massive fireplace with an impressive-sized wooden mantle above the stone structure. Dozens of old, leather-bound books I recognize from my time with Atlas as a child in his library adorn its surface, along with a golden globe that was gifted to him by Dani and Gabriel a few years ago.
The students are filtering out of the classroom, some stopping at the front of the class to talk to Atlas before they leave, and I scowl, wishing they would hurry up so I can speak to my brother in private. I only have two classes today, which is completely different from my original schedule. Despite the smaller number of classes I now have to attend, they are more advanced and much harder. The homework I got from Atlas alone already has me stressed.
Grabbing my textbooks and shoving them into my shoulder bag, I stand, walk down the steps toward the three students gathered around my brother, and ask him questions.
The moment I step off the stairs and stride toward them, the girl on Atlas’ left looks up and frowns, taking a step back. The other two quickly follow, looking up from their tablets, their eyes widening as I get closer. A simple gesture of my head toward the door has them stumbling over their goodbyes and scurrying away like scared little mice before I can get within ten feet of them.
“Ah, and there they go,” Atlas sighs, watching the students, a mixture of amusement and frustration warring on his face when he looks at me. “I’ve missed your particular brand of warmth and charm, Serafina. I believe you’ve been spending too much time with our brother. Maybe hang around Danica or Kayla more on your next visit home,” Atlas suggests dryly as I stand over him.
I arch an unamused brow and then look at the whiteboard. “A ten thousand word essay due by next week? Are you kidding me?” I ask in exasperation.
“There is no kidding in my classroom,” Atlas says, lips twitching up at the corners as he wheels himself to his desk. He glares at the large clock hanging directly above it, running a hand through his brown hair. I frown when I see the dark rings under his eyes.
Fae age slower than normal, and our life expectancy is more than double that of humans. Atlas may be in his early forties, which is considered young in the Fae world, but right now, with the under-eye dark circles and stress practically radiating off him in waves, he looks much older than he is.
Watching him, I”m more than a little glad I chose to come to Silverwood. He needs this more than I initially thought. After I talked to my sister-in-law last night, and she agreed with my reasons for being here, I knew I made the right choice. Thankfully, she said she would talk to Gabe, so I didn”t have to. So far, I haven”t had any texts or phone calls from him, so I’m crossing my fingers that everything will work out.
“And what about the other classes you signed me up for? I was perfectly happy with the ones I selected,” I mutter, simply to annoy him. “I know one of them is some kind of hard-ass professor. Though I’m starting to believe that might be you,” I whisper that last bit under my breath as I stalk after him, my heels clicking on the stone floor as I go.
“Who? Ambrose?” Atlas asks, already aware of who I’m talking about, which doesn”t bode well for me. “Yeah, he has a… particular way of teaching. But I believe you’ll learn a lot in that class that could be helpful for tracking down the cause of these missing girls.” I feel myself frown as I listen to him.
“Is the professor a suspect?”
Atlas snorts and shakes his head. “God, no. I wish! Then we wouldn”t have to deal with him. It is probably best not to let that man know we are related. In fact.” Atlas looks up from his desk, brow furrowed. “It”s safer if no one knows we are. Not many people are aware of my relationship to Gabriel. But they know yours. It may compromise my position here at the school, and Gabe will have to send in someone new.”
“If you want to get technical, we aren”t related,” I point out with a huff, yanking my gaze from Atlas as I look at the time. I don”t have any more classes today, which is good since my stomach is starting to cramp up from hunger. I skipped breakfast, and it was well past lunchtime.
“That”s crap, and you know it. You are as much my sister as Gabe’s. DNA doesn”t matter,” Atlas grinds out, his brown eyes filling with hurt seconds before they dart back to the papers on his desk. Gabe and Atlas share a mother, while Gabe and I share the same father. Our father killed their mother long before I was born. He then searched for another Fae woman to bear a second Reaper son and found my mom. Meaning Atlas and I aren’t technically related.
“I know that, Attie. Besides, I’ve always envied you not having a monster for a father,” I whisper, swallowing hard as I look around the empty classroom. “But if you want to keep the fact that we’re related a secret, that’s fine. Plus, it helps that we have different last names.”
Atlas nods, but his jaw is still tight. My comment upset him. I frown, shifting from side to side. I’ve never been good with emotions, so I try to stay away from them. I can’t even process my own in a healthy manner, so there is no way I can help another person.
“Uh…” I rasp, stepping forward and patting Atlas on the head in a rare show of affection. “You okay?” I ask, then curse under my breath. I know he’s not okay. Why did I ask him that?
See, I suck at this.
Atlas surprises me when he chuckles and shakes his head, peering up at me through dark lashes. “Are you patting me like a dog?” he asks, and I shrug, immediately removing my hand. My fingers had begun to grow numb as my magic itched for release. I step back, not wanting to risk hurting Atlas with my magic.
So far, the only person I know my magic won’t hurt is Gabriel, since he’s also a Reaper. He’s the only one I can let my guard down with. He’s also the one who stressed to me over the years to be careful with our family. Just because I care for them doesn”t mean they’re safe from my magic. It can and will kill them if left unrestrained.
“You had sad puppy eyes,” I defend when Atlas’ chuckles turn into full-blown laughter. “It seemed like the right thing to do.” When Atlas” face turns red from trying to suppress his laughter, I simply roll my eyes at him. “Dick,” I hiss under my breath as I stride away from him.
“I love you, Fina!” he hollers after me, making me shake my head and flip him off over my shoulder. “Make sure you have that essay done. Gabe wants weekly reports on your grades!” The door of the classroom shutting cuts off his laughter as I rush down the spiral stairs of the ridiculously high tower. My feet seriously ache, something that’s only gotten worse since my small run this morning.
“Freaking brothers and their weird emotions,” I mutter, striding out into the hall and jerking to a halt when a set of bright blue eyes appear in front of me.
“Did you know talking to yourself is a sign of anxiety, depression, and even obsessive-compulsive disorder?” Adam asks, his soft voice filtering through my red haze and calming me slightly. I narrow my eyes at him, wondering how the hell his presence alone calms me down.
“Do you have any other magic besides teleportation?” I ask, bypassing the talking-to-myself thing he just said. I already know I have issues; I don”t need Adam to tell me that. So I step around him and continue my way down the crowded hall, not bothering to move out of people”s way. I’m glad when they scatter before I even have the chance to glare at them for getting in the way.
“Not that I’m aware of. Though, like I said the other day, I can see people”s auras! It”s a fun trick that my mom has as well. Why?” Adam asks, rushing to keep up with my long stride. I don”t answer, not sure what to say to him.
You calm my murderous magic, and I want to know why.
Yeah, probably not something I should say out loud. I don”t even know this guy, though I guess we are friends, so maybe we should try to get to know each other.
“Are you hungry?” Adam asks after a moment of silence on my part, and I nod, loving how he doesn”t seem offended at my lack of answer. “Dining hall or the shop?” he asks, and I tilt my head to the side.
“Shop?” I ask as we descend the main stairs, moving through the castle to the courtyard outside. The sun still hides behind a thick blanket of gray clouds, casting a darker shadow over Silverwood.
“Yeah. It”s over by the sports field and arena. It”s nothing big, just a convenience shop for the students since the nearest store is in the town at the base of the mountain. But it”s nice to have access to snacks and necessities without driving thirty minutes to get them.”
“The shop sounds great,” I tell him, shouldering my bag as I head in the direction he pointed out. I’m desperate to get out of these shoes, and I honestly need a nap. Last night”s dream knocked me off my game, and I don”t feel like I slept a wink.
Adam leads me through the crowd of students, which slowly begins to thin as time goes on. I watch as a young guy runs for the castle, his hair a mess and his face panicked. He looks at his phone and curses, picking up his pace.
“They have the best homemade soap here,” Adam mutters, shoving open the little wooden door to the small building in front of us. It”s cute and completely different from the rest of the university, more like a cottage than a medieval-type building. The log structure has flower boxes under each window, filled to the brim with brightly colored flowers. They must have some kind of enchantment on them to survive the cold climate here at Silverwood. The windows have bright white shutters on either side, giving the building a cheerful look like someone”s grandma lives inside.
“Marjorie makes a fresh batch every Sunday. She has this oatmeal and honey one that I buy every time. It”s so good,” he continues to ramble on. Smirking, I nod and follow him inside, a small bell chiming as we walk in. Of course, Adam”s favorite thing in the shop would be soap.
Looking around, I instantly feel at ease. The tiny shop is filled with wooden shelves that appear to be handmade. On one side of the store are snacks and a few groceries, with a cooler on the back wall containing milk and some other refrigerated items. On the other side, there are shelves filled with household needs, most of which appear to be homemade. There are even a few knitted blankets hanging in the corner, ranging in color from soft cream to the school colors of black and gold.
Plants hang in every corner of the tiny cottage, and the humidity is thick, making me feel like I just stepped into some kind of paradise island shop.
“Adam!” a stout little woman who can”t be over five feet tall calls as she bustles over to us, a large smile on her wrinkled face. Her gray hair is swept up into a cotton candy-like bun on top of her head, and her dress is made of several types of fabric, some patterned, some solid. All of them are layered together, making her skirt full and colorful. She has a soft-looking leather belt cinched tight at her waist, and her top is a patchwork of the same fabrics from her skirts laced up the front of the dress. She looks like some adorable witch from a child”s fairytale book who lives in a forest.
“Marjorie,” Adam greets fondly, nodding at her as he looks over the small shelf of tiny soap bars. “This is Serafina, a friend of mine,” he’s quick to introduce me, waving in my direction.
“Hello,” I say softly, trying to control my magic so I don’t frighten the cute older woman.
“Hello, dear,” Marjorie greets me, smiling at me with only a hint of hesitancy before looking back at Adam. “I have a new batch curing in the back. I want you to try it out,” she says, bouncing on her toes excitedly. Adam’s eyes widen in delight as he nods.
“Really? Is it the one we were talking about last week?” he asks as he follows Marjorie to the back of the store. I watch after them and purse my lips, looking around the shop. There are two other girls in here, going through the small rack of Silverwood sweaters and shirts by the door. They seem to be ignoring me, so I stroll to the shelves holding all the snacks, eyes looking over them. I need more than jerky and chips today.
My stomach is rolling, protesting my lack of food, and I sigh in frustration. I need to eat but I find it easier to control my magic when I’m hungry. It”s been almost twenty hours since I last ate, and I can’t go a full twenty-four hours without getting massive headaches.
I walk past the chips and crackers, then move past the small bags of sweets before pausing and grabbing a little bag of licorice. It”s my weakness. I love the bittersweet taste of the black candy. Holding the small bag between my fingers, I move to the cooler and smile when I see several pre-made sandwiches and a few salads. Snagging two of each, I walk to the counter, ready to check out.
Marjorie comes bustling out of a small door that I’m guessing leads to the back room, where Adam must still be looking at her new soaps.
“Is that everything, dear?” she asks sweetly, her hand waving through the air, moving the small plants that litter the counter in front of me. Her calm magic drifts over my fingertips as I place my items on the counter, and I nod in answer to her question as my magic immediately senses the new magic.
Earth Witch. All the flowers and small plants suddenly make a lot more sense.
Marjorie rings up my items as I look out the small window over her head. I see a group of students making their way up the path toward the shop. There are eight of them: three girls and five boys.
I pull out my wallet and set some cash on the counter as my attention moves back to the students outside. The girls wave at the boys and head up the short path to the cottage while the guys smile and continue toward the sports fields, but suddenly, one of them in the back pulls up short. Hazel eyes clash with mine, holding me hostage as his surprised expression turns to one of victory, his lips tugging into a smug smile.
“Don’t...” I whisper, my heart dropping as Teos yanks his gaze from mine for a moment, leaning toward his friends to whisper something before pivoting on his heel and rushing up the path toward Marjorie’s shop.
“Fuck,” I groan, snatching my items off the counter as my heart feels like it”s about to explode from my chest. “Keep the change!” I tell the sweet older woman, who blinks up at me in surprise as I make a mad dash toward the back room. “Adam!” I shout the moment I cross the threshold, my eyes scanning over the workbenches and shelves full of herbs and other random things.
Adam is leaning over one of the workbenches, looking at the tiny uniform bars of soap with a small smile. “Oh! Serafina! You have to come and smell these soaps. Marjorie used a blend of lavender and sage with the lemon, and it smells delightful.” He grins, then frowns as I run over to him.
“Uh, yes. Very nice. I need you to teleport me to my apartment,” I whisper in a panic when I see no backdoor to escape.
“What?” he asks, running a hand through his bright red hair as he stands to his full height to look at me. “Are you ok?”
“Yes. But I need you to teleport me out of here… please,” I tack on as I juggle the food in my arms, trying to shove it into my bag. I hear the door”s small bell and curse as I give Adam a pleading look.
“Uh… I”m not the best at teleporting people,” he admits nervously, shuffling on his feet as he looks around us. “I can escort you back to your apartment if you want,” he offers, and I shake my head, shoving the last sandwich in my bag.
“Full disclosure…” I offer, and he nods. “There is someone out there”—I thumb over my shoulder at the tiny door leading to the shop”s front—“that I really don’t want to see right now. I need you to get us out. Now,” I add with urgency as Adam’s eyes widen.
“Uh, would that person happen to be a big rugby player?” Adam asks, his voice hushed as he leans closer to me. His long fingers wrap around my arm as he stares over my head. I feel it then, the warmth from a certain magic I have tried to forget—and I close my eyes.
Shit.
“Bella,” Teos” deep voice chides, and a shiver runs down my spine. “You can keep running, but you’re not going to lose me this time.” His soothing voice courses over me as I slowly open my eyes and look at Adam, who is… shit… he’s glaring at Teos.
“Is he stalking you?” Adam asks, a cold tone in his voice I have never heard before. I shake my head as Teos chuckles, his larger-than-life presence filling the room until I feel like it”s stifling me. The urge to shake Adam’s hand off me and go to Teos calls to me, making me grit my teeth. God. I missed him.
“Yes. Yes, I am. Who are you, and why are you touching what”s mine?” he asks, making Adam”s eyes practically bug out of his head.
“Yep. I can see why you were panicking,” he says, hand tightening on my arm as an odd brush of magic circles me.
“I suggest you let her go,” Teos growls, and I can hear the first heavy footfall as he steps into the room with Adam and me. Adam tsks under his breath, lips pursing as his eyes fall on me.
“Hold tight,” he warns, just as my world shifts. I hear Teos shout my name, then everything spins, and my stomach lurches. On instinct, my hand darts out, wrapping around Adam’s arm, as the feeling of weightlessness has me slamming my eyes shut. Then we fall through the air, and I can”t stop the shout of surprise that leaves my lips as Adam and I crash onto the hard floor of my apartment.