34. Polaris
34
POLARIS
“ I don’t think it’s safe for you to go in there alone,” Bryony murmurs, and I offer her a tight smile. I don’t want to step in there on my own either, but it’s literally the only class she’s not with me. I should be able to handle that. I have to.
Her concern is appreciated. She’s been all hawk-eyes on me since I told her everything that unraveled yesterday. When I hadn’t shown up at our next class, she assumed Juniper had kept me behind longer, and by the time the end of the day rolled around, she was summoned by her coven leader.
The guilt is etched into her eyebrows now as she glances between the classroom before us and me. It’s not her fault, though. It seems I’m the subject of some sick game, and as much as I don’t like it, I can’t hide from it.
“I’ll be okay. Nobody in here could be doing it. None of us have access to our magic,” I state, and although her lips are pressed in a firm line, she nods in agreement.
“Don’t leave here without me. Understand?” Her glare leaves no room for questioning so I nod as she squeezes my arm before pushing me over the threshold of the classroom entryway and hurrying to her next class.
My sudden burst through the door earns me a few questioning looks from the others in the room. However, it seems my weirdness is no different from how it was at Florentine’s because everybody from there doesn’t even bother to roll their eyes at me.
Professor Sommers stands in the far corner of the room, hands clasped together as she stares at me with wide eyes. She rocks back on her heels, waiting for my outburst to continue, but when I drop to the carpet in the middle of the room, hoping to become invisible, she claps, garnering everyone’s attention.
“Gather around everyone; there’s no time to waste. We have sigils to break and magic to learn. The quicker you master what’s holding you back, the quicker you see the back of me,” she declares, a soft giggle vibrating through the room. “Has anyone broken their sigil without me knowing?” she adds, casting her gaze around the room, only earning everyone’s disappointment before she proceeds. “Okay. Well, those who have been with me longer, please, make use of the books in the corner. My newest Florentines, please, follow me.”
Scrambling to my feet, I run my hands down my jeans nervously as I follow behind Sian and Terence to where Sommers guides us. There’s a large table set up with just enough seats for us, and I opt to take a chair on the opposite side of the table from the vampires, who think I’m beneath them now. Helena and Danica get comfortable on my left, and it’s clear that B still isn’t here.
Would he need to be if he’s a human?
I don’t know, but it’s still concerning.
“Okay, it’s important for us to learn a little more about you. I don’t have much, but I have very limited documents that specify your last name and the place that name originated. By some miracle, it may trigger your sigil, but the chances are slim. However, from there it’s possible to begin searching for lineage in the right places that may offer the smallest sliver of knowledge that is the true key to your sigil.”
My heart pounds in my chest, shocked by her words, as I try to take a calming breath. She needs to prepare me for groundbreaking information like this. I’m not ready.
“I’ll start at random in whatever order the documentation is filed in, and then you can join the others searching through the research files we have. Any questions?” she asks, taking the free seat at the head of the table, only waiting a beat for anyone to respond before she proceeds. “First up, Helena Davenport,” she states, glancing around the table, and Helena lifts her hand nervously beside me. “Davenport is your family name that trails back centuries, a strong line of witches from Buttercup Roe, which is confirmed from the knowledge we have stored. When researching, focus on the bloodline Davenport and any connection to Buttercup Roe,” she explains, waving her hand for Helena to join the others.
“Thank you,” she breathes, twisting her hands nervously in front of her as she slowly rises and scurries away without a backward glance.
It’s as simple as that: Helena now has something to go on. I’m almost irritated that this information wasn’t provided in our last lesson, but I guess it was already information overload, and we can’t learn everything all at once.
“Sian Gloom. Gloom…Gloom…” Professor Sommers repeats her last name a few times, tapping at her chin as if she’s deep in thought. Then her eyes draw wide and her face seems to pale.
“What is it?” Terence asks, planting a hand on Sian’s shoulder as she rolls her lips together nervously.
“Oh, it’s just…I believe the Gloom line of vampires leads back to those initially impacted by the curse.” Her words grow soft with every new one that parts her lips, unaware that she’s stolen everyone’s breath at the table as we wait for her to proceed.
“As in the blood kin curse?” Sian clarifies, eyes sparkling with awe as the professor nods. “You’re telling me I’m linked to those loved by the witch?” Her voice is almost whimsical, like there’s a sense of pride in what she’s hearing, but the way Sommers’s lips draw thin as she looks down at the table tells a different story.
“Actually,” the professor states, offering a tight smile Sian’s way. “I believe the Gloom lineage is linked to those banished for treason.”
“What does that mean?” she asks, balking at the accusation as if it affects her personally.
“Well, it means your ancestors were some of the first cursed because of their prejudice.”
“My ancestors were…bad?” Her bottom lip wobbles and Terence drapes an arm around her shoulders in comfort. It’s weird seeing them like this, but it doesn’t seem to stoke any feelings inside of me.
“Bad is subjective; I guess it depends whose side you stand on,” Sommers explains, scanning the document in her hand again. “Right now, what you need to focus on is your ancestors and their connection to…the Marshlands.”
“I have banished ancestors and you want me to focus on something other than that fact?” Sian grumbles, her face heating with agitation as Sommers sighs.
“Unless that fact alone will lift your sigil, then yes.”
As if triggered by her words, Sian’s hand clamps on her chest, a scream rippling through the air as she tosses her head back. Terence leaps back, eyes bugging out as we all gape at her. The cry of pain seems to stretch on for an eternity before she falls silent and limp in her seat.
“What the?—”
“Quiet, Terence,” Sommers snaps, seemingly unaware that panic flickers through all of us until Sian slowly tilts her face. She slips her fingers beneath the neckline of her t-shirt, her frown growing tighter and tighter with every passing second as she slowly retrieves a golden pendant from around her neck. Only…it’s as if it’s been burned right down the middle and the chain is no longer hanging as one.
“My sigil,” she whispers, disbelief morphing her voice as she holds out the necklace.
“Your sigil is free, Miss Gloom.”
“Oh my gosh!” she cries, knocking her chair backward as she rushes to her feet. “I’m free. I’m really free.”
“Well, freedom is also subjective, Sian. You now will fall prisoner to your lineage. You will now feel both the pros and cons of being a vampire.”
“Which means I no longer need this class, right?” She’s too busy staring at the necklace hanging from her fingertips to even look at Sommers, and the second the professor speaks her agreement, Sian’s out of the door, leaving all of us behind.
“Good riddance,” Danica mutters under her breath, but it’s clear everyone at the table hears her, and she quickly finds herself on the end of a deathly glare from Terence.
“Watch your tongue, witch,” he snaps, and Danica cackles, her head falling back with glee as she mocks him.
“Watch my tongue. Maybe you should watch your tongue because last I recall, you don’t know what to do with it.”
I gape in a mixture of horror and disbelief before a laugh bubbles in my stomach, impossible to hold down as it parts my lips, and I clap a hand over my mouth. My cheeks heat as others chuckle too, while Sommers and Terence both splutter to redirect the conversation. Terence’s eyes find mine, a snarl on his lips, but it only amuses me more.
Apparently, Danica is more fun than I thought. I’d love to tell her who I know is excellent with his tongue, but I would never want her to find out for herself.
“Let’s remain focused, shall we?” Sommers calls out, drenching the space in silence. “Polaris Beauchamp,” she calls out, and I freeze, feeling all eyes at the table swing my way. “It shows here that you’re linked to the Marshlands as well. Use your last name and the location to begin your research,” she orders, waving her hand dismissively, and I rise with a sigh.
She could have delivered such news a little gentler, but it seems that’s not her priority, I guess. Her job is to give us the tools needed to remove the sigil, and I’m more than ready to break these bands around my wrists.
Rising from my seat, I take the slip of paper from her hand and head toward the corner where everyone else is gathered, face buried in a book as they desperately read through page after page, hoping for something.
The bookcase behind them is lined with so many books I don’t know where to begin, but starting somewhere is better than starting nowhere, so I head for the top left corner and decide I’ll make that my beginning.
Running my finger down the spine, I note the title of the book, Witches and Their Bloodlines .
It seems like a good enough place to start.
With my heavy book in hand, I find an empty seat and open it to the first page. I only make it five pages deep before the bell rings, pulling me from the sheets of finely typed information.
“Whatever book you are holding, take it with you. Your assignment for the week is to complete it,” Professor Sommers explains, twisting her hair into a messy bun on top of her head as she addresses us.
With the leather-bound book pressed against my chest, I head for the exit, looking left and right before I step out into the hall. Keeping my back pressed against the wall as I exit, I regret not knowing exactly which direction Bryony is in so I can head toward her.
“Are you heading to the dining hall?” Danica asks, and it takes me a second to realize she’s talking to me.
Gulping nervously, I nod, and she rolls her eyes as she tilts her head to the right. “You can walk with us if you want to meet your friend there,” she offers, already walking away. It takes me a split second to make a decision before I relent, hurrying after her and Helena, who don’t offer up any conversation as we head toward the dining hall.
I balance my new book with one hand as I slip the other into my pocket to retrieve my cell phone, tapping out a message to Bryony as I try to keep up with them.
Polaris: Meet you at the dining hall.
Polaris: Don’t worry, I’m not alone. Danica and Helena are here.
The little dots appear on the screen immediately, followed swiftly by a message.
Bryony: Who?
I roll my eyes at her but quickly tap out an answer before I slip the device away.
Polaris: The two other new witches from Florentine’s. I just learned that Danica is quite funny, so if I die, hopefully I’ll have a laugh along the way.
I’m sure I’ll pay for that. It’s probably not a subject to make fun of, but it’s amusing nonetheless.
The dining hall quickly comes into view and the two seem to speed up to grab their preferred seats. They don’t bother to glance back to see if I’m still here, but I almost appreciate it. I don’t need to try to understand their motives right now, either.
As soon as the vampire table comes into view, I bolt to the left, avoiding it the best I can, only to pay more attention to the humans’ table instead. As I make my way up the walkway between the witches’ and the humans’ table, I nibble at my bottom lip, considering whether to approach someone or not.
I fight with myself all the way up to the far end, and just when I’m about to forget about it and take a seat, a girl from the human table lifts her gaze. Before I can even think about what I’m actually doing, I cut the distance between us, rounding to a stop an inch or two way too close to her.
“Hi.”
Her eyebrows pinch together as she leans back slightly. “Uh, hi?”
“I’m so sorry, I just…I’m new, from Florentine’s, actually. I don’t know if you’ve heard of that or not, it’s just?—”
“I have,” she interjects, and I blink at her. “Heard of Florentine’s, I mean,” she explains, and I’m acutely aware that I was rambling like Minnie. I need to rein myself in.
“Good. That’s great. I actually came here with a friend, a few of them, and well…he was announced as a human when we did the whole hands in the water thing, but honestly, I haven’t seen him since we got here. I was wondering if you have?”
There, I finally got to the damn point.
“What’s his name?” she asks, and I smile, the curl genuine on my lips as I beam at her.
“B, uh, Benjamin. His name is Benjamin.”
I hold my breath, but the moment she purses her lips and shakes her head I know the words she’s going to say before her mouth opens.
“I haven’t heard of him, sorry.”
Damn.
She spins back around to face her table, effectively dismissing me as I stand frozen in place, letting the defeat settle in before I slink away to my own table. I don’t know why I’m so bothered by it. It might be related to the loss of Veronica. I can’t think too much about it right now, though. I need to focus on my surroundings.
Dropping down into an open seat, with an empty spot beside me for Bryony, I rake my gaze over the food on offer. Steamed salmon, vegetable gratin, burgers, hot dogs, lasagna. There’s too much to choose from. I don’t know what to settle on, so I opt for the closest option and load my plate with some lasagna and garlic bread on the side.
Snatching up my cutlery, I poise my hands, ready to dig in, when I sense someone taking the seat beside me. Relieved to have Bryony at my side again, I spin to face her, only to find someone else entirely.
She’s stunning. Brunette waves fall around her face perfectly, her green eyes bright, and the natural glow that enhances her features is undeniable. I haven’t seen her before, though, and the way she glares at me tells me I wish I weren’t seeing her now, either.
“Do you really think you can take my place at the head of the Alpha Pack?” she bites, sitting straighter in her seat so her breasts are almost in my face.
“I’m sorry?” I mumble, gaping at her as she bares her teeth.
“Don’t play dumb. It’s unbecoming,” she snaps, rolling her eyes at me.
Clearing my throat, I lower my cutlery, silently saying goodbye to my food as I tilt myself to face her better.
“Do I know you?”
She scoffs. “You should.” She leans closer, her eyes locked on mine as she presses her palm on the table. “Minnie is my friend, Lincoln is mine, and Wylder is mine too,” she reads off, and horror sinks into my gut.
Oh, God.
Her eyes widen as she takes note of my reaction. “So something did happen between you and them?”
I stutter, scrambling to make my brain work, but it seems something is broken up there, and she’s going to kill me for it. Literally.
“Bianca.”
She stills, peering to her right at the sound of her name, and I follow her line of sight to find Asher glaring down at her.
“Asher,” she snipes, her lips twisting in distaste. “We were just talking,” she adds, tilting her head back just enough to look down her nose at me.
“Fuck off,” Asher snaps, tucking his hands into his pockets as he glares at her.
She presses her hand against her chest, drawing more attention to the swell of her breasts, which are now on full display. “Don’t be rude,” she grinds out, and Asher scoffs.
“Then don’t be you.”
Whatever this is, I want nothing to do with it.
It seems Bianca feels the same way because a moment later, she launches to her feet and storms off without a backward glance.
“Sorry about that,” Asher murmurs, cocking a brow at me, and I shake my head in disbelief.
“I don’t really know what that was.”
“She’s an omega,” he offers, but all I can do is blink at him too. “It’s a ranking within the wolves,” he adds like that makes sense, and I nod slowly, hoping to appease him, but I think he sees right through me.
“Hey, miss me?” Bryony hollers, filling the seat Bianca just vacated, and I nod as she glances between the two of us. I consider catching her up to speed, but I’d rather do it without Asher listening. But something comes to mind and I snap my gaze back to Asher.
“She mentioned the Alpha Pack. That’s who helped me the first day with Blaze…” I breathe, my pulse thundering in my ears as he nods slowly, like he’s worried about spooking me.
“That was me.”
That was me?
He says it so casually.
“Why?” I ask, and he shrugs, stepping back, and I sense whatever chance I may have had of learning something from him went away the moment Bryony took her seat.
He shrugs again as if confirming my thought, taking another step back to seal it. Just before he disappears, he nods at me. “Don’t be late. Minnie is always a stickler for punctuality.”
Just as quickly as he arrived, he’s gone, and I’m no wiser to what the hell is going on here.