Chapter 32
Bayla
Mirror Lake
Angus MacRae
Beloved Mum,
Even if you can’t read these letters because you’re seriously ill right now, I’m still writing to you, because the idea of writing to a book instead of a person seems a bit lonely.
This weekend, I moved into a shared student flat, and you were right: I just had to get out of Moenia. I think you just know me too well.
As for my housemates, they’re very friendly, especially Diana, the daughter of the new Circle member.
She wants to study molecular biology, which is the complete opposite of my interest in the humanities, but we immediately clicked.
The second girl – you won’t believe this – is Amanda. Yes, exactly, Amanda. I only knew her from the temple and from my visits to Alaister, and I had the feeling she was like her mother. Strict and cool. But here in this house, far away from Gloria, she’s almost a different person. She is talkative and open, very cheerful in fact, and doesn’t mince her words. In short, she’s great to talk to.
I’ll ask Alaister tomorrow if his twin sister is the same with him. I mean, it’s similar with him. Especially since he’s a male Quatura and you know Gloria. If there’s one person in Blairville who treats and controls everyone else from the top down, it’s her. I’m always amazed that you two could ever be friends.
I just hope that Alaister doesn’t give himself such a hard time anymore, especially now that university is starting, which – by the way – I’m really looking forward to.
Studying literature is and remains a dream and I can still hardly believe that it will finally come true tomorrow.
We have all grown up so quickly. Amara is already in her fifth semester. You would be so proud of her.
Mum... Even though I don’t believe in the gods, I pray every single night that you wake up again. I cry a lot. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I had to get out of Moenia.
Oh, one more thing... I’ve been wondering the whole time if it’s a coincidence that I ended up in a student house with two Quatura. I get the feeling that Gloria is somehow involved, but it’s just a feeling.
Beloved Mum,
Vanderwood is such a beautiful place, almost magical. Even though we still have to wear uniforms here – which, in a way, has a special flair, though Amara definitely disagrees with me about that.
The campus is simply huge, and I feel like I’m entering another world as soon as I wander through the stone corridors... And believe me, the ancient-looking library – which reminds me of a temple from the inside – is a dream with its old bound tomes. You can even touch the books, not like in Moenia.
I immediately borrowed a few books, including a collection by Jane Austen, which I had to read straight away. I sat down under a tree on campus and enjoyed the sun while I let my fingers glide over the coffee-scented paper. And I met someone.
I thought long and hard about whether I could write about it, but I don’t think there’s a better place than these letters here.
His name is Alarik Copeland. Yes, I know, he’s a Copeland. A real Senseque. On top of that, he’s the Alpha’s son, and the Alpha has recently become the director here.
Anyway, this young man sat down right next to me in my literature lecture. Just like that... Maybe because there were no other seats available?
He didn’t even care that I was a Quatura and he a Senseque. I’m so glad that no one from our Circle or from his pack is attending this lecture, otherwise someone would have reported it to Gloria immediately, and then we both would burn in hell now.
I had mentioned to him that we would be punished if we were seen next to each other, and he turned to me for the first time and laughed.
It has to be said that he is not unattractive, quite the opposite! He has bright green eyes and dark brown wavy, nearly curly hair. A warmer, softer brown than mine. And he grins a lot when he’s not busy writing something into his notebook.
But he can’t just sit down next to me and start discussing the species with me. That’s what he did, and his opinion on this sensitive topic is that the current species policy is total nonsense.
Somehow his words felt forbidden, but also somehow... right.
It’s been on my mind all afternoon, and I think he’s right. We have no reason to be at odds with each other. In fact, we might even benefit each other.
I’m still thinking about it a lot, but I don’t dare talk about it with anyone other than the wolf guy. But maybe... I should talk to Alaister.
Beloved Mum,
Alaister has become very handsome over the summer. I haven’t seen him for a long time, but today, as I sat there under that tree, and he came up to me in his uniform with his books under his arm, there was something very masculine about him.
His platinum blond hair makes his ice-blue eyes with their slight green tint look even more intense, especially in the sunlight. His facial features have also become more angular... and his broad shoulders...
I had told him that he had become attractive, whereupon he had pulled me away from the tree by my foot. I’d laughed out loud and told him that he was still just as cheeky as before the summer break, to which he’d just grinned and sat against the tree with me.
It’s funny to see my best friend grow into a man after all these years in Moenia and at school.
“The professors here are all so arrogant,” he’d said, and I’d grinned. He had grown up a bit spoiled himself, even if he hadn’t had the best and especially not the most caring childhood under Gloria’s care.
You can still see that he doesn’t sleep much, and that he has started drinking that strange serum that Gloria has been giving him for a long time now.
I’m increasingly worried about his health, because this stuff is not harmless. Sometimes it seems to make him numb.
Anyway, I shared my thoughts on the species with him, and he started philosophizing about how best to combine the powers of all of us. But he told me that it is not in our nature to understand each other, due to the rules of genetics alone. I had to think long and hard about the genetic rules. But what made me think even more were his last words.
“That can certainly be changed, Alice.”
Then he got up and disappeared into the main building.
Alaister sometimes speaks in riddles. By the way, he really is a biochemistry student now. And I’m sure he knows more about the genetics of species than I do. However, perhaps someone else in particular would know more than both of us...
Beloved Mum,
Diana was more open to the subject than I would have expected. She is – how shall I phrase it – a budding molecular biologist. And I think I’ve awakened a forbidden interest in her. That’s how it feels for me, too. As if I wasn’t allowed to talk about it at all, like in Moenia.
Diana had asked me where my sudden interest in such a dangerous topic had come from, and I had told her about the young, charming Copeland man. She had immediately told me to stay away from him to avoid possible confrontation, especially since I was the Domini’s daughter.
I told her to relax, and that the young man is nice, but she’s worried about me. She even said she wanted to keep an eye on me, but I think she’s overdoing it.
An hour ago, I started writing down all my questions on the topic. I think I’ll do some research, maybe there are some old town stories about our origins in the university library, hidden between all the literature for humans.
I haven’t dared to go to Moenia until today, but next Sunday is a rite of passage. My little sister’s rite of passage. I will have to come. I don’t want to lose contact with Margot, especially not now that you’re so unwell. I don’t think she has anyone, and Amara is very involved in Moenia’s temple studies. I hardly ever see her on campus.
I think I’ll seek her out tomorrow, maybe even share my latest thoughts with her. But I won’t tell her about the director’s son. She’d kill me.
Numb3rs
Jay Varton
“So much for your mother’s diary,” Larissa said, drawing quotation marks in the air.
I turned red.
A few seconds ago, I had read Julian, Larissa, and Julie the diary entries of a complete stranger. A sister of Margot and Amara...
Alice Blair.
“Don’t worry about it. All the better if it doesn’t belong to anyone we know.”
What did Larissa mean by all the better? It wasn’t just anyone. It was...
I looked at Julie.
“A Blair?”
Julie stared at me, confused.
“None of this makes any sense,” she whispered absent-mindedly.
“I thought there were only two Blair siblings...” Julian sounded as confused as Julie looked, and she just nodded, lost in thought, before continuing. “There is no Alice... at least none that I know of. I’ve never met her.”
“Then the love letter wasn’t addressed to your mother, but to her...” Julian continued in thought.
“Professor Copeland wrote a love letter to a Blair who disappeared,” Larissa summarized.
“What the hell?”
I widened my eyes.
Grace was standing in the doorway, looking at us like we had done something very forbidden, and she was our mother about to kick our asses.
“And anyway, what are you two doing here? Together.”
Julian jumped up with a jerk, and I had to grin before Grace’s death stare brought me back to reality.
“Grace,” Julie began calmly, as if her cousin wasn’t standing in the doorway pissed off. “Do you know an Alice Blair?”
“Hell, no! I don’t know anyone by that name.” She stepped toward us and looked at the diary as if it were a deadly poison. “Where did you get that?”
I looked at her, unsettled. Individual corkscrew curls fell wildly down her face, and I realized that she was the last person who was supposed to know about this.
Now she was standing in front of us. And she wouldn’t calm down without an explanation from us.
“From the room of the person who wrote the diary,” I began with inner reluctance.
“Her mother apparently lived in a shared house with this Alice Blair and another one of you witches, and now she owns the house,” Larissa said, and I looked at her stunned.
“And there’s a room?”
Grace didn’t sound so angry now.
“I think it’s crazy that she got a love letter from our professor.” Larissa sounded sensationalistic.
“She disappeared, Larissa.”
The color in Julie’s face had finally lost its saturation.
Grace looked at us all in alarm. “Maybe someone found out, and she had to leave town. They must have erased her memories.”
“Wow, chill, why would they do that to her?” Larissa laughed, but Grace’s expression darkened.
“Because love relationships between the species are strictly forbidden. It’s written in the treaty.”
I looked at her, dumbfounded.
It was the first time I’d heard that. Even though it made sense in this town…
“Anything else I should know?” I asked, frustrated.
Grace understood me immediately and sighed. “I keep forgetting that you’re clueless.”
I looked at her with growing frustration, but she avoided my gaze.
Larissa intervened. “What treaty?”
“Long story...” Grace began. “Actually, you shouldn’t even be here.”
“Are you trying to kick me out again?”
I bit my lip and noticed Julian tense up noticeably, as if he was uncomfortable with the whole situation. I tried to catch his gaze and when I succeeded, I tried to let him know with my facial expressions that everything was okay.
His chest rose. Then he stood up. “I should probably go now.”
“Right,” Grace grumbled, as if there really was something unbearable about Julian.
He nodded at me and then he was gone.
“I don’t understand why the species have such a problem with each other in the first place,” I sighed, thinking back to the conversation with Alarik in his car.
“Because we don’t match biologically or morally, and because history has shown that we don’t belong together.” Grace rolled her eyes and stood up again. “Probably that girl was sent away. It’s a disgrace that someone like that was part of our family...”
It bothered me that Grace immediately judged everything and everyone just because the Circle and the Councils told her to. I was surprised that she didn’t even care what had happened to this Alice. This was her aunt.
Larissa gave me a look that made me understand that Grace’s behavior made her uncomfortable, and the only reason she didn’t comment on it was because she was probably mad at Grace.
“My mother wouldn’t be making such a huge secret out of this room if that Alice girl had just been sent away. It might sound silly, but I think there’s more to it than that,” I voiced my concerns out loud.
Now Grace laughed for the first time. “Do you think there’s a conspiracy?”
“Quite possible, with all the things that are going on here,” Larissa interjected sarcastically and crossed her legs.
Grace eyed her suspiciously, as if she had turned into a monster overnight. To me, she was still Larissa Champson, my best friend. And I didn’t understand the rules any more than she did. We were both clueless.
“What if this Alice had something to do with my father and that’s why she had to disappear? What if...” Julie looked up, and her next words weighed heavier than my last meal. “What if your mother covered for her?”
I froze into a pillar of salt.
Grace’s jaw dropped.
“Do you know what you just accused Bayla’s mother of? That would be treason against the Councils,” Grace whispered, her face filled with bewilderment.
Larissa, who didn’t seem to understand anything, leaned against the modern bed railing and interrupted the serious bewilderment, her gaze fixed on Julie.
“May I know what’s the matter with your father?
By now, we were all downstairs in the kitchen, even though Grace had kept her distance from Larissa, and Julie hadn’t said a word since Grace had told Larissa about Alaister. Nothing new had come out of it other than what I already knew.
All we had been told was that no one talked about him because he was supposed to have done bad things.
But ever since I had read the pages of Alice’s diary, curiosity raged inside me. And I knew it wouldn’t go away until I knew everything.
Since Grace had been cooking her carrot soup in annoyed silence, Larissa had given me three we-must-go-after-it-anyway looks. And that was after Grace had told me upstairs that I should return the diary and preferably not interfere in my mother’s private affairs. Larissa had rolled her eyes, and I’d had a hard time stifling my knowing grin.
Emely slammed her law books shut with a snort and stacked them on the coffee table in between the couches. She and Grace skillfully ignored each other.
The entire time, Emely seemed unfocused, which was probably because Larissa was a Ruisangor. Just this morning the Copeland girl had attacked Miles DeLoughrey and Julie had told me that things were really hostile between the Ruisangors and the Senseque. I was surprised that she hadn’t fled the accommodation or threatened Larissa by now.
Confrontation
Christopher Tyng
“I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, but one of you is in big trouble.”
Vivienna appeared on the stairs together with Amber.
She was wearing a white pantsuit and Turkish rose-colored high heels. If it hadn’t been for that devastated look on her face, I probably would have spent a minute longer trying to figure out how she managed to always look so polished. Everything about her screamed money. From her car to her behavior.
She stopped in front of us at the kitchen island and waved a long piece of plastic in the air.
“What’s that?” Grace asked at the exact moment I saw the two red lines.
Vivienna slammed the object onto the marble countertop and pushed it into the middle so that it lay between us like a menacing omen.
“Maybe you can answer that question for us,” Amber said snappishly, and their mischievousness literally spilled over so that you could have taken a bath in it.
“A pregnancy test,” Larissa blurted out in surprise. She looked confused. Very confused. And my alarm bells immediately rang.
I tried to stare at her, but she just looked at the test and then at the other girls in the room. And at that moment, I realized that everyone was watching each other very suspiciously. Grace and Larissa looked at each other, but Grace seemed very confused. Vivienna’s eyes were also on Larissa, as if it was obvious that it was her pregnancy test, and I began to wonder if it could actually be. Larissa was... No… She was a risk-taker, but with whom should she...?
No matter how hard I tried to meet her eyes, it took and took... Then she looked at me.
She started to laugh. “You don’t think...”
Larissas expression hardened and I swallowed with regret.
“You’ve been whoring around with the DeLoughreys for a while now,” Amber blurted out.
Larissa narrowed her eyes angrily and if it hadn’t been for the kitchen island between them, there would have been another conflict.
“They’re my...” She gritted her teeth and cursed something inarticulate.
“Larissa,” I said, trying to calm her down, but she slapped my arm away.
“I’ve seen the look on your face!” she said, and I sighed at her remark. “You’re thinking the same thing as them!”
Okay, maybe I had been on the verge. And even if I had, I would never have judged her.
“No. Believe me.”
The next attempt to touch her failed. She pulled her arm away.
“Leave me alone,” she hissed, and I swallowed. “You never fail to surprise me.”
Then, with abnormal speed, she darted to the countertop next to the stove and sat on it.
I immediately felt the tension on the first floor, especially coming from the Quatura.
Bayla, be realistic... You know Larissa. That was exactly the problem.
“Who says it’s not you, Vivienna?” Julie’s voice sounded different than usual. It was less quiet, stronger, and accusing.
“Excuse me?” Vivienna seemed to feel offended. But more than that, she seemed surprised – as I was – that Julie dared to say something like that to her.
“She’s right. All you want to do is cause trouble. What if this isn’t even real?” Grace reached for the pregnancy test and held it up for all to see. “What are you up to, mh?”
Vivienna’s face darkened. “You don’t really think I would fake a pregnancy test, do you?”
“Then tell me. Who’s the lucky one?” Grace seemed to enjoy seeing Vivienna upset.
“Maybe we should ask the person who did the test?” Amber intervened again. “I was there when Vivienna found it.”
“Don’t you think it’s a bit weird snooping around in the garbage and meddling in other people’s business?” I said, frustrated. It was beyond the privacy of anyone present. Even if my curiosity was slowly growing.
Amber came closer to me.
For the first time, I had direct contact with her and felt threatened by it. She was one of those girls whose make-up was so perfect that you felt like you were wearing make-up from a children’s make-up workshop, even if you hardly used any make-up.
“I can well imagine it would be awkward for you if we found something like that.” She stepped even closer. “Especially if it was yours.”
I could smell her ultra-sweet perfume, which had been lingering in my nose for the last few days. I coughed, and she shrank back with a disgusted expression. Vivienna looked at me a little too long, and I remembered the day Alarik had saved me from the conflict with Larissa. Vivienna had looked at my eyes...
Unease spread through me.
“Bayla? Pregnant? By whom?” I heard Larissa laugh in amusement and looked at her, annoyed. Her eyes were full of triumph. Was she serious?
“Help...” Amber rolled her eyes and leaned against the countertop. “I’m sensing Virgin vibes.”
I didn’t quite know how to respond to this rude comment since I was no virgin, but felt my headache setting in again.
“It really shouldn’t matter whose it is,” I said, taking the test from Grace’s hand and throwing it across the room toward the garbage can... and landed it.
For three seconds, everyone was watching me. And that was extremely uncomfortable, so I quickly continued. “You should mind your own business.”
Vivienna seemed to be literally drilling holes into me. “But it matters.”
“Why?” I said, stepping toward her. She jerked back. “Why do you insist?”
We both stared at each other until it became noticeably uncomfortable.
Amber snorted. “She still doesn’t know anything.”
I finally broke my gaze away from Vivienna and looked at her sidekick. “What is it I don’t know?”
Would I ever know everything relevant?
“She should be starting to learn what certain things mean,” Amber just kept talking to Grace as if I didn’t exist. Polite as always...
“Did I miss something?” I now asked Grace.
“Seriously? Are you telling the girl anything at all?”
Vivienna sounded outraged.
Grace threw her arms up in the air helplessly. “She hasn’t even finished the rite of passage yet!”
I looked at Grace, stunned.
They had had the task of telling me everything.
“Pff...” Amber turned to me, rolling her eyes. “Anyway. There’s a certain prophecy. And if any of the Quatura present here are pregnant, we’d like to help fulfill that prophecy and report it to the Councils.”
Oh, God spare me from that ridiculous prophecy Julie had once told me about.
“A prophecy? That sounds intriguing.” Larissa had made herself comfortable on the kitchen countertop by the window so that her high boots reached over the hob.
It was a while before Grace said anything. “Leave the prophecy out of it.”
“Why?” A mocking grin pulled Amber’s full lips wide. “Aren’t you supposed to be a part of this?” Grace looked focused. And caught. “Aren’t you supposed to carry said child?” Everyone stared at Grace. “Who should we congratulate, Grace?”
Amber didn’t seem to know where the line was.
“I don’t quite understand,” I voiced my thought aloud.
How were they going to know when this prophecy came to pass?
“Believe me, I understand even less,” Larissa laughed, seeming more amused than anyone else. As if this was a game.
“A child is to be born, to a very powerful family line,” Amber hissed impatiently.
“This child shall be the downfall of all other species.”
We all turned toward the living room, where Emely had risen from the couch.
How had I forgotten her presence? She had been there the whole time. Silently. Her face was unnaturally pale.
Our eyes met.
What had she just said?
“Is that true?” I asked in astonishment.
“Of course it’s true!” Vivienna sounded as if I had insulted her. “It’s only a matter of time before this prophecy comes true.”
“Who says the baby has to be the Quatura’s?”
Point for Larissa.
“It can hardly come from you.” Vivienna looked at Larissa challengingly. “What Amber said earlier was just a joke, as you should know.” Vivienna’s smile became more devilish. “Because as far as I know, you’ll never be able to have children.”
Wait... what?
Larissa jumped up and within milliseconds Vivienna was hanging on the wall. Larissa, without flinching, held her neck.
My eyes snapped open.
“Larissa!” I gasped out loud. What the hell?
A massive iron pot flew in her direction and I dashed forward to catch it.
Vivienna had let it fly and was now scowling at me, but I turned my focus on Larissa and pulled her back from Vivienna. I managed this too, and my best friend stumbled back a few meters.
Her eyes were glowing red. Her gaze was full of rage. She looked completely out of control, with tiny veins all around her red glowing eyes.
“Fuck you, Vivienna!” she squeezed out, not without showing her middle finger. And then she disappeared so quickly that all you could hear was the front door slamming, which then fell out of its frame, causing everyone present to wince.
Buddy disappeared up the stairs, whining.
Silence filled the first floor for a while until I realized that everyone was staring at me.
“What?” I said angrily… and remembered Alarik’s words.
Don’t let your anger out around others, Bayla.
Anger... I turned away with a jerk and went to the fridge. God, how strange I must have come across. I hope my eyes hadn’t done anything weird.
“You witches are really fucked up. I can well understand why the Ruisangors voluntarily stay away from you,” Emely finally said, and our eyes met over my shoulder.
“She attacked us!” Pure indignation spoke from Amber’s tone, while Vivienna clasped her neck with her hands.
Emely seemed unimpressed. “Do I look like I care?”
“You would have just been happy if something had happened to one of us.”
“Maybe you’re right, Amber. But not here, on these grounds.” Emely’s eyes began to glow yellow. “I won’t have you pathetic witches dragging my family’s hard-earned reputation through the mud like this.”
“Oh yeah? Maybe you’ll get your family in trouble too.” Amber walked backward toward Vivienna, bumping into her lightly. “Unless your father wants a baby wolf for his daughter.”
The yellow in Emely’s eyes intensified, but she remained standing where she was.
“Stay away from us,” Amber hissed, unsettled.
She was actually scared…
Emely stared at her without saying a word. Veins stood out on her arms and neck under her black blouse.
“I’d love to finish what Larissa started,” she growled.
Then she turned away from them, not without looking back at Grace and Julie. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see the look on her face.
Eventually, she too disappeared through the door.
“We’re going to find out which one of you is behind this pregnancy test.”
Amber sounded confident.
God, how ridiculous. Didn’t they have problems of their own? If I were the owner of the test, I would have been super uncomfortable the whole time.
It was all too much for me, so I walked past them to go upstairs. In the middle of the stairs, someone grabbed my arm. It was Vivienna.
“You might be able to wrap the others around your little finger, but not me,” she whispered in a low voice. So low that a normal human or a Quatura couldn’t possibly have heard her.
My breath stopped.
I knew what that meant.
“I know what you are, Bayla Adams.” Her irises began to glow a light gray. It just wasn’t the tiny fibers running through her irises like spindles that burned into my mind. It was her menacingly cold words. “And sooner or later, your mother will pay for betraying the Circle like this.”