Chapter 2
Ash
I’d barely stepped over the threshold of the teleportation circle and already I was in the financial aid office. They’d been waiting for me at the gate. Apparently, something was wrong with my funding for my sophomore year at Widdershins Academy.
“I’m sorry to inform you, Mr. Vale, but it seems the scholarship you were relying on, fell through,” the financial aid officer, a female banshee with long silver hair, said as she shuffled paperwork.
“But… why?” I asked, completely flabbergasted by the situation. “I surpassed all the academic requirements and then some. And I filed all the paperwork well within the deadline. What went wrong? Can we call the Emberwoods and get this sorted out?”
The banshee grimaced. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Mr. Vale. The Emberwoods are… well, they’re gone.”
“Gone?” My stomach tightened into a knot. “Where did they go?”
“Nobody knows,” she sighed. “Apparently, they were high-ranking members of the Purity Front, and their allegiance was discovered last fall. It was also confirmed that they’d been performing illegal blood magic on their son for many years.
There was an altercation and several people died.
But before anyone could apprehend the Emberwoods, they were gone.
” She looked up at me, a pitying look on her face.
“Their estate is empty, their accounts are empty, and everything they once sponsored has been frozen or drained. I’m sorry. ”
I sat there staring at her for a long moment.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The Emberwoods were one of the richest and most powerful witch families in the paranormal world.
It was a miracle that I’d even gotten a scholarship from them in the first place considering my family was unheard of by most. But now I sat there, the cold realization sinking in that I’d been going to school thanks to a family of radical racist assholes. It made me sick to my stomach.
“So… what do I do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Do I just… go home?”
“Thankfully, no,” she replied, smiling softly. “Your magic is extremely rare, so Professor Blackwood has secured you other funding. However, it only covers classes and your room. Your meal plan and textbooks will have to be paid for out of your own pocket.”
“I… I can’t,” I said. My family was as poor as they came. Two centuries of banishment from the paranormal world had taken its toll. “I’ve only got enough money to buy maybe one book.”
“Professor Blackwood had a feeling that might be the case, so she had us put a student work position on hold for you.” The banshee pulled out another piece of paper and slid it over to me.
“It’s not a pretty job, but it pays the most. And we can give you the entire semester’s worth of pay up front so you can cover books and your meal plan. ”
I stared down at the piece of paper. Everything was filled out except for my signature at the bottom. My job title? Locker room attendant for the athletics department. Thrilling.
“You’re allowed to use any magic you have at your disposal to help you complete the work,” the banshee added. “But the job does have to be completed to a satisfactory degree. Coach Flannery will be doing check-ins with you on that.”
So, this is what happened to witches like me, ones that came from families that had been shamed.
While all the rest of my classmates were going to parties and mastering experimental magicks, I would be bewitching brooms and mops to scrub the locker room like some low-budget version of Disney’s Fantasia.
But what other choice did I have?
I picked up the pen with a sigh and signed my name on the dotted line.
It was a simple decision. Either clean jockstraps or go back home in shame, my magical education cut short because I couldn’t afford it.
My family had sacrificed too much already for me to even get here. I wasn’t going to give up now.
“Excellent,” the banshee said, her voice carrying that ethereal quality that always made my skin prickle. “Coach Flannery is expecting you in his office right now. He’ll explain your duties and show you around the facilities.”
“Right now?” I glanced down at my shabby clothes. I’d worn my best for arrival day, which wasn’t saying much. “I haven’t even seen my dorm room yet.”
She gave me a sympathetic smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “The sooner you get started, the sooner you can settle in. Your belongings have already been transported to your room.”
Great. Just great. I’d been at Widdershins for all of fifteen minutes and already my year was taking a nosedive. I tucked the employment contract into my worn messenger bag and stood up.
“Thank you for your help,” I managed to say, because my mother had raised me with manners, even if we were disgraced.
“The athletics building is on the far end of campus,” she instructed, already turning her attention to a stack of paperwork. “Coach Flannery’s office is near the entrance. Good luck, Mr. Vale.”
I trudged out of the office, feeling the weight of my new reality bearing down on me.
The hallway was busy with students filing last-minute paperwork or talking to financial aid, just like me.
Laughter echoed off the stone walls as friends embraced and caught up on their adventures while they waited in line.
No one noticed me as I slipped through the crowd, which was exactly how I preferred it.
The less attention I drew to myself, the better.
I found the athletics building easily enough.
The smell of sweat and magical cleaning solutions hit me the moment I stepped inside.
Trophy cases lined the walls, filled with gleaming cups and medals from decades of magical sports competitions.
I paused briefly at one display, my eyes drawn to a team photo of the football team.
A dark elf with striking white hair stood in the center next to a werewolf and a beastkin, the three of them holding a championship trophy aloft.
Something about them seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
I never had time to go to the games, anyway.
I was too busy studying to make sure I met the requirements of my scholarship.
The one that just fucking disappeared overnight.
When I reached Coach Flannery’s office, I hesitated before knocking. I’d never actually met any of the coaches before. Athletics wasn’t exactly my forte, and I’d spent most of my freshman year either in the library or practicing my shadow magic in the abandoned sections of the academy grounds.
I took a deep breath and knocked.
“Come in!” boomed a voice from inside.
I pushed open the door to find a large, hairy werewolf with piercing blue eyes sitting behind a desk. His nose started moving the moment he saw me.
“You must be Mr. Vale,” he said, taking one last deep sniff. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”
“No, sir,” I replied nervously, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t really do sports.”
Coach Flannery gestured to the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat, son. Professor Blackwood filled me in on your situation.”
I slumped into the chair, my messenger bag sliding to the floor beside me. The werewolf’s office was cluttered with trophies, team photos, and what looked like decades’ worth of memorabilia. A framed jersey hung on the wall behind him, though I couldn’t make out the name.
“I appreciate the job,” I said, trying to sound grateful despite my disappointment. “I really need to stay at Widdershins.”
“I understand,” Coach Flannery nodded, his blue eyes studying me with uncomfortable intensity. “Professor Blackwood speaks highly of your magical abilities. Says you’ve got a rare gift with shadows.”
I tensed. Most people reacted poorly when they learned about my particular talents. Shadow magic had certain... connotations.
“It’s just what I was born with,” I mumbled, looking down at my worn sneakers.
“No need to be defensive,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “We’ve got all types here. Our star quarterback is a dark elf, for crying out loud. Not every day you see one of those.”
Coach Flannery stood up, his massive frame making the office feel suddenly smaller. “Let me show you what you’ll be responsible for. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s honest.”
I followed him through a door at the back of his office that led directly into the men’s locker room. The space was enormous—rows upon rows of lockers, benches, and an open shower area that made me instantly uncomfortable.
“You’ll be in charge of keeping this place sanitary,” Coach explained, his voice echoing slightly. “After practices, after games, and especially after the shifters use it during full moons. They tend to shed.” He chuckled at his own joke.
“I’ll need to clean all of this?” I asked, unable to hide the dismay in my voice. The room seemed to stretch on forever.
“That’s right. Plus the women’s facilities next door, though you’ll need to coordinate with their practice schedules. And the equipment room.” He pointed to another door. “But like I said, you can use your magic to help. Most of our previous attendants have developed quite efficient systems.”
Great. I was following in the footsteps of a long line of desperate scholarship students.
“When do I start?” I asked, already calculating how many shadow clones I could maintain at once. Maybe I could delegate different tasks to each one.
“Tomorrow morning, at nine sharp. Football team has an early practice. But they should all be out by then.” Coach Flannery paused, studying my face. “You look like you’ve got something else on your mind.”
I hesitated. “It’s just... this… well, to be honest, this wasn’t what I was expecting to do this year.”
Coach Flannery’s expression softened slightly. “Life rarely goes as expected, son. But sometimes the detours teach us more than the planned route.”
I swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in my throat. “I know. I just... I worked so hard last year. Perfect grades, extra credit projects for Professor Blackwood. And now I’m going to be spending all my free time scrubbing toilets instead of practicing my magic.”
“You’d be surprised how much magic goes into good cleaning,” Coach Flannery said, crossing his massive arms. “And you’ll still have time to study. We’re not slave drivers here.”
His attempt at reassurance felt hollow as I glanced around the cavernous locker room again. The thought of being surrounded by sweaty jock gear while everyone else was enjoying campus life made my stomach churn.
“Look,” Coach continued, his voice dropping to a gentler tone that seemed odd coming from his burly frame. “I know this isn’t ideal. But Professor Blackwood fought hard for you. Said your shadow magic is some of the most promising she’s seen in decades.”
That caught me off guard. Professor Blackwood had always been kind to me, but I had no idea she’d advocated for me so strongly.
“She did?”
Coach nodded. “She believes in you. Said your family’s past shouldn’t determine your future.”
I felt a rush of gratitude toward the stern but fair professor who’d taken an interest in my abilities last year. I’d need to write her a thank-you note—a real one, not the cheap enchanted cards that sang when you opened them.
“I appreciate that,” I said, straightening my shoulders slightly. “And I’ll do a good job here. I promise.”
“I know you will.” Coach Flannery walked me through the rest of the facilities.
There was the equipment room stacked with helmets, pads, and various magical sports gear.
He showed me the training room with its enchanted ice baths and healing stations, and finally the women’s locker room, which looked identical to the men’s but smelled significantly better.
“You’ll get a master key for all these areas,” he explained as we finished the tour. “But there are strict rules about when you can enter each space. The schedule’s posted on the bulletin board in my office.”
By the time we returned to his office, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of space I’d be responsible for maintaining. My shadow magic was strong, but I wasn’t sure it was janitor-strong.
“Any questions?” Coach asked as he scribbled something on a piece of paper.
“Just one,” I said. “The financial aid office mentioned I could get paid for the whole semester upfront?”
“Ah, yes.” He pulled a form from his desk drawer and rolled it up. Then, chanting a few words under his breath, he turned his wrist over sharply and the paper disappeared with a small snap. “It’s all taken care of now.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh, there’s one more thing,” he said, pulling a book from the shelf near his desk and holding it out to me. It looked ancient and stained at the edges, but I took it from him anyway. “That has all the cleaning spells previous workers have used to make their jobs here easier.”
“Oh. Thanks.” I wasn’t very excited about a book of cleaning spells, to be perfectly honest, but it would help. “I’ll give it a once over.”
Coach Flannery nodded. “Now, I’m just an old werewolf, but I’ve been around a while.
This book might not seem like much, but all magic is pliable.
Maybe instead of endless study, you can put what you’ve learned to practical use and make these better.
Consider it a challenge of sorts.” He gave me a soft smile. “Practice is important, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied, faking a smile. The last thing I wanted to do was work on perfecting the art of cleaning magic. But then again, what other choice did I have? The work had to get done, and I didn’t want to waste all of my time cleaning. So maybe he had a point. “I’ll see what I can do.”