Chapter 11
“She’s taking us to the dining hall,” Vesta said. “Over there are the classroom buildings, the administration building, and then out around the edge of the property are the three residence buildings.”
“So you had magic school before magic college,” I said.
“Well, Barncot is really high school for witches. We learn all the standard education stuff, but there are classes in controlling magic and how to fit in with the wider world.”
“Do I know any other Barncot grads?”
“Most of our group came here for at least a year or two. Geniveve, Taylah, Thirzah, and Freia. And there are quite a few in the upper classes that came through here.”
“You’re really from Golf Alpha?” Maya asked, having dropped back from the front, now on Vesta’s other side.
“Yes. Mom went to Arcane, so I got a spot at the last minute.”
“Why would a witch go to a planet without magic?” Maya asked.
“Well, that’s a great question. She and my dad were big on the whole homesteading thing, and Mom was a healer. I think they figured it would be an opportunity. If they didn’t like it, they could come back.”
“So growing up without magic must have stunted you. How can you stay in the program at Arcane?” Maya pressed.
She felt of envy and resentment, and this time it was directed at me. “Did I take your spot?”
She grimaced, so fast it was just a flash, but then her expression settled as just one of resignation. “Who knows,” she said with a shrug.
“Actually, the class was full, but Gina had to admit you because of the legacy thing,” Vesta said to me.
Then she turned to Maya. “Greenacres has magic, just not much. So his mother was able to train him in many skills. He missed some stuff that takes more power, but his skill with the rest is likely greater than some of our peers because he had to make do.”
“But you have no element?”
“I can do basics in all elements, like most witches. I can light a fire, stir a liquid, raise a small breeze, and I’m good at growing stuff. But I have other skills that are finely honed by the environment I grew up in.”
Maya gave me a look of pity. It was deliberate, as she was pressing for more information. “That must be frustrating?”
Vesta snorted, clearly amused. “That, Maya, is a rushed judgement.”
“She doesn’t really pity me, Vee. She’s fishing,” I said.
Maya’s eyes widened briefly before she shut down and stared straight ahead. She was still playing a part, acting more offended than she was as her intent switched to deep introspection. I figured she was rethinking everything she thought she knew about me.
We entered the dining hall just then, following the others into the big open and very noisy room, Alex and Kristin coming in behind us.
The dining space was more than half full of girls from all four grades, and more were coming in from other doors around the building. The noise, already at a painful level, rose even higher when the young women of Barncot Academy spotted Vesta’s parents and Ashling.
“Where are Darci and Levi?” I asked Vesta as forward progress came to halt and we divested ourselves of luggage and parkas.
“Back at home base,” Kristin said behind me. I turned to look at our six o’clock security and saw both Alex and Kristin putting in earplugs.
“Smart move,” I said.
“Not our first rodeo,” Alex said with a grin.
Maya, noting our interactions, turned to Vesta. “How long have you been together?”
“Almost from day one,” Vesta said.
“More like day five,” I said.
“That’s from your perspective. Mine was different,” she answered. “Now, gird your loins, like literally.”
“No shit,” Maya said with a snort.
I glanced back at Kristin in confusion, and she smirked while hand signing boy in my direction, then the sign for girls with a wave that encompassed everything around us. Oh. Shit.
Declan, Stacia, Holly, and Ashling finally made it fully into the room and suddenly Maya, Vesta, and I were exposed to the majority of the bedlam.
Almost instantly, the noise dropped as eyes took us in, then it rose just about as quickly to an even higher level.
If looks were sunbeams, I would have been burnt to a crisp.
Vesta turned to me with a grin. “You might find this uncomfortable,” she said.
“He’s a male witch,” Maya countered. “He’ll feed off this for weeks.”
I ignored her, reaching up to pluck Buster from my shoulder. My cat was watching the room, purring softy, and she allowed me to detach her. I set her on my pack, but she jumped down immediately.
“He won’t,” Kristin said, stepping out to survey the room and exits.
Holly turned back and gave me a questioning look.
Right. Security first. I scanned quickly, first inside and then outside and then farther still.
I shook my head at the Pack Second and she gave me a nod.
All the other werewolves including Stacia had noted the exchange and they settled down just a bit.
Maya hadn’t missed it either. “You have some kind of sense?”
“He has many,” Vesta said, patting the other girl’s shoulder. I could feel her through our bond and her attitude toward Maya had shifted considerably since arrival. She was beginning to get annoyed with the Head Girl.
The tables were all round, and each held ten chairs.
Declan, Stacia, Ashling, and the headmistress were taking seats a table that had what looked like a number of faculty already around it.
Maya led us to the table next to the head table, which had just two younger looking faculty members at it.
With a bit of skillful maneuvering, Vesta put me next to one of the teachers with herself on my left side and Maya next to her.
“Hello, Vesta. How’s college life?” the woman on my right asked, her eyes glancing over me. Like everyone else, her intent was super curious.
“It’s great, Miss Marsh,” Vee said. “Classes are interesting, especially the Arcane ones, and we just got a Wytchwar team approved for competition. This is Craig, by the way. Craig, Miss Marsh teaches both Biology and Chemistry as well as some of the Earth elemental classes.”
“You are an Arcane student, Craig?” Miss Marsh asked carefully.
She looked young, early twenties, which likely meant she was at least ten years older.
Brown hair, brown eyes, next-door pretty and casually dressed in jeans and a sweater.
She was curious but wary. Probably because of the universal stereotype of male witches.
“Yes, ma’am. Freshman, like Vee. Well, no one is a freshman like Vee, but you get my drift,” I said, taking a drink of water from the prefilled glass at my space.
“Hah. It’s getting to you isn’t it?” Vesta crowed, highly amused.
“Quiet, you,” I muttered.
Miss Marsh looked bemused as did the teacher next to her, a Black woman of comparable age, who had one eyebrow raised.
“Time for your deductive reasoning skills, Miss Marsh,” Maya said. “Can you figure him out?”
Now she was really intrigued as she studied me full on, looking me up and down, her eyes pausing on my feet. I was dressed normally, for me, with a military-cut sweater over a t-shirt, both dark gray, and green cotton work pants with my Greenacres boots on my feet.
“Do I get any questions?” Miss Marsh asked Maya.
“Two, but nothing direct. You can ask about a single characteristic, clothing choice, or accoutrement, but nothing about where he’s from,” Maya answered.
“Challenging,” Miss Marsh said, warming to the task.
“Do you always carry both a fixed blade knife and a folder in your pocket?” she asked.
“Whoa. Unexpected,” I said, glancing at Vesta and Maya. “Yes. At the minimum.”
She tilted her head, eyes glittering as she studied me.
“Heavily muscled but not like a body builder. Rugged outdoor-appropriate attire not in character with most male witches. And the security team watched for your reactions when you entered the building, indicating a possible esoteric sense that weres don’t have.
Your boots are not a normal brand at all; in fact, unless I miss my guess, they’re from off world. You’re from Golf Alpha?” she asked.
“Nicely done, ma’am,” I agreed. Just then a set of older girls arrived at the table in a swirl of mixed perfumes.
“Vesta, you’re looking good,” one of the girls said, a blonde, even as her eyes were locked on me.
“Keri, your senior year is half done,” Vesta said. “Jodi, Bili, Ashley, Marsha,” she greeted the others. “This is Craig, my beloved. Oh, and Craig, this is Mrs. Davidson. She teaches Math and Runes.”
Miss Marsh pulled back and Keri’s face went blank with shock. The other four girls looked confused, as did the other teacher, Mrs. Davidson.
“Beloved, Vesta?” Miss Marsh asked, her intent switching to instant alarm.
“I know, right?” Vesta said. “What are the odds that I would meet my beloved on day two of school and he would be some nerd from another world? Even Omega doesn’t want to waste the computing power on that question.”
“You’re a were?” Miss Marsh asked, shifting as if to put some space between us.
“No ma’am. I’m of witch stock,” I said. “Kinda raised by wolves though. All my Greenacres friends are weres.”
“Mysterious witch stock too,” Maya threw out. “Air mother and father with Earth connections, is it?”
“I think my dad had a Finder ability. Mom was a healer. Trained with Ashling back in the day.”
“Was?” Keri asked.
“Dad died a few months ago. Mom’s been gone since the Adversary attack,” I said, carefully skirting the truth.
“But we still don’t know what kind of witch you are, Craig,” Maya pressed.
“I’m a ki…” I got out but a slim hand was suddenly over my mouth.
“No… you are not,” Vesta said.
“Kinda am,” I said when she pulled her hand away. “I mean, you were there this morning too.”
“Warlock is not the same as what you try to call yourself,” Vesta said.
Miss Marsh and Mrs. Davidson both drew a short, sharp breath.
“All males are warlocks,” one of the girls said. Maybe the short brunette, Bili.
“No, Bili, they are definitely not,” Miss Marsh said. “If you mean the word as I think you do.”