Chapter 2
The last four months were pure chaos; making appointments for all the tours, meetings, and evaluations, and then agonizing over choosing our classes, followed by getting everything we needed for school, all while trying to make sure we spent as much time with our dad as possible.
We even flew down to Florida for a week in July to see our grandparents as one last hoorah, and I honestly think it was one of the best weeks of my life, just spending time with my family and relaxing.
Now, though, it’s time to take the next step toward my future.
Saperra Academy is located on a small island off the coast of North Carolina just big enough for the school grounds, but it’s beautiful.
Back on the mainland, humans are aware of supes but unless you see someone shift or use their powers, humans don’t know who’s a supe and who isn’t, especially since we are not allowed to show our powers without good reason.
Getting off the ferry is like walking into a new world.
We disembark at the front of Manor Hall, and it looks like a massive medieval castle.
There were only a handful of other people on the ferry with us and most looked older than students.
We arranged to arrive two weeks early so we would have time to get our stuff here and get used to the grounds, since we weren’t able to attend the official campus tour dates.
“Wow, this place is amazing,” I breathe. Marsh is standing next to me, and both of us only have a couple of suitcases each. Thanks to magic, we were able to use a spell to make our bags fit almost triple what should have been possible.
“I know, I can’t believe we are really here, and together.” He uses his free hand to reach out and squeeze mine. “Let’s do this baby sis.” Rolling my eyes, I squeeze back before letting my hand drop. We grab our bags and start walking off the dock towards the front of the hall.
Everyone else that was on the ferry with us has already made it wherever they were going, so it’s just us and the captain.
Right as we make it to the doors I hear the dreaded beeping from my dexcom and mine and Marsh’s phone alert too.
I let out a long sigh and look down at my Apple Watch: fifty-six with a double arrow down.
“Why didn't it alert us before now?” Marsh asks, reaching into the front pocket of my bookbag to grab one of my low snacks.
When I was first diagnosed, we were told the only thing you can do for low blood sugar is ingest sugar.
They told us you can drink juice or eat something with carbs, and through trial and error, and personal research, we learned that a lot of diabetics have a favorite candy they use when their sugar is low to help bring it up.
“I have no idea. Maybe us coming through the wards messed up the connection?” I reply as he pours a small handful of sour Skittles into my hand. I eat them so much the sour hardly bothers me, but they taste so much better than regular ones to me.
I shove them in my mouth right as the front door starts to open, and I look over at my brother wide-eyed and start chewing as fast as I can.
A man walks out dressed in a nice suit, with gray cropped hair, and light blue eyes. He’s about the same height as Marsh, but you can feel the power radiating off of him.
“Welcome! You must be the Sutherland twins; I’m Dean Foster.
” He reaches out to shake our hands, and I have to wipe the sour powder off on my jeans.
He ushers us through the doors and talks as he leads us through the foyer and down a ridiculously long hallway to who knows where.
“You can leave your bags here, they will be taken to your rooms. Normally one of the office assistants would be here to welcome new students but you two are the first freshmen to arrive. There are a few students from the other grades here, but most won't be back until later this week. Follow me to my office and I’ll get the registration book and then Headmaster Campbell and one of the TAs will join us as witnesses.” He finally stops at the second to last door on the right.
“Here we are, come in and take a seat. You both know what this entails, correct?” Nodding in the affirmative not that he gives us time to respond.
“We will use a small knife to make a little puncture on your finger. You will both deposit a single drop of blood on the page. It will then tell you what house and dorm you’ll be in.
Our dorms are all coed but suites are normally assigned to a single gender.
However, it's completely up to the book and the powers that be. We have four primary dorm houses: Raven, Dragon, Unicorn, and Kitsune. If you’re both ready, I’ll go get the others.
” We both nod and he turns and walks out the door we just entered through.
I look at my twin with panic in my eyes. “What if we aren’t in the same house? We’ve never even spent a night apart.” It’s starting to get harder to breathe; my heart is pounding and black spots start dancing across my vision. I can’t be separated from my brother. I can’t do this alone.
“Magnolia!”
I hear my brother talking to someone else in the room, but it’s muffled like I’m under water.
I feel a sharp sting on my arm and suck in a breath.
The brain fog starts to clear. I open my eyes, although I have no idea when I even closed them, and glance at my brother while rubbing my arm where it stings. “Did you zap me with your magic?”
Marsh looks at me like I’m stupid and tilts his head pointedly at the others in the room.
“Yes, I did. You’re calm now, aren’t you?
” I look around the room and finally notice we aren’t alone.
Dean Foster is back and there are two new men with him.
One is very obviously the Headmaster; he's only around five-ten, and lean with matching white hair and beard, you can’t feel the power radiating off him like the dean.
However, there is something in his eyes I don’t like.
The other guy next to him is stunning, easily six feet tall, with red hair and gorgeous blue eyes.
He’s clean-shaven, showing off his sharp jaw, and he’s built like an Adonis.When we lock eyes, there is weird flutter in my chest; something about him calls to me.
Marsh nudging me in the side snaps me out of eye-fucking this stranger.
The dean clears his throat, gesturing at both men. “This is Headmaster Campbell, Professor Crellet’s TA Rune Bloodgood, and his familiar.” I look down at where he’s pointing and there is the cutest little raccoon at Rune’s feet.
Headmaster Campbell claps his hands together. “Okay, with introductions out of the way, let's get started.” He grabs a large, weathered, leather-bound book and a small knife, barely bigger than a letter opener, and sets them down on the desk.
“Which one of you would like to go first?” He motions the knife towards us, and Marsh jumps up putting himself between me and the Headmaster. I roll my eyes. Like the Headmaster of a very well known school is going to stab me in front of witnesses.
“I’ll go first.” He holds his hand out for the headmaster, as he steps up towards the desk. The dean, Rune, and I step up next to them.
The Headmaster opens up the book, and turns it to a page that says ‘Tempus Revelat Veritatem’.
Time reveals truth. “Hand please? It’ll be just a little prick, as we only need one drop of blood on the paper for the house and dorm room assignments to show up.
” Marsh places his hand palm up on the headmaster’s and the older man makes a small pinprick on Marsh’s pointer finger.
He lets some blood well up then turns his hand over and lets the blood drop onto the page.
It makes a hissing sound, and a puff of smoke rises from the paper as the blood soaks in and vanishes.
Words start showing up as soon as the smoke clears.
Marshall Brooks Sutherland
Age Eighteen
Species Witch
House Raven
Dorm Fifteen Room Two
“Okay Magnolia, it's your turn.” As Headmaster Campbell turns to a blank page, I place my hand in his, and he pricks my finger.
However, unlike my brother, I have layers of scar tissue from years of finger pricks from having to check my blood sugar.
He presses a little harder making me let out a hiss.
A drop of blood finally wells up and he turns my hand so it drops to the paper.
Magnolia Elizabeth Sutherland
Age Eighteen
Species Witch
House Raven
Dorm Fifteen Room Three
Marsh and I both let out a huge sigh, and he pulls me into a hug “See Mags, I told you it would all work out.”
“Great, well since that is taken care of I will leave you with Dean Foster and Mr. Bloodgood as I have business to attend to. It was great to meet you both and I’ll see you around campus.
” With those parting words, the Headmaster turns on his heel and walks out of the office. Well, he’s a real peach.
Dean Foster clears his throat awkwardly.
“Right, so… since the book has your magical signature you don’t need room keys.
Only those assigned to that room can open the door.
Here is your map of campus, the student code of conduct, as well as all the information about the dining hall and other accommodations around the grounds.
As for your magic assessment and placement test, it will be on the eleventh with Professor Barlow.
Rune here will show you to your dorm. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. ”
“Thank you, sir.” Marsh shakes his hand again as Rune and his raccoon make their way to the door.
He places his hand on my back and nudges me to follow behind the hottie and his trash panda.
I still feel that weird fluttering, but honestly it feels like my heart is just fluttering being close to someone so damn attractive.
“Hey man, thanks for showing us the way.” Marsh, always the social one, steps up next to Rune, making the raccoon at his feet hiss.
“Mikko, hush.” The deep timbre of his voice sends shivers down my spine. I can’t remember the last time I had any real reaction to someone. “It’s no trouble, but may I ask why you two are here so early? Most kids wait ‘til the last minute to show up.”
Marsh lets out a chuckle. “Baby sister back there doesn’t do anything last minute. Plus we weren’t able to make it for the spring tour dates so we wanted to be here with enough time to get settled and have everything set up before everyone else got here.”
I send a zap of electricity to his ass. “For the thousandth time, one minute doesn’t make you my big brother.
” He yelps in surprise then cackles good-naturedly.
I pause mid-step, looking down at my watch to check my sugar.
My dexcom didn’t beep again, so hopefully that's a good thing. Eighty-three. Good.
“Hey, uh Rune. Will the wards around the island affect our devices?” I ask, speeding up so I’m next to them again.
He looks down at me, clearly confused. “Like your phone? The barrier shouldn’t do anything to interfere with the reception.”
“No, my dexcom. It didn’t alert like it normally does.”
“Dexcom?” Rune asks quizzically.
“Yeah. It’s a device that monitors my blood sugar since I’m a type one diabetic.
I wear two devices-” I stop and raise my shirt, pointing to the bigger one on the right side of my stomach.
“This is my omnipod; it’s what delivers insulin into my body when needed.
” I point to my left arm, shifting my sleeve out of the way.
“This little one is a dexcom. It continuously monitors my blood sugar and sends an alert to my phone and watch, and of course to Marsh’s as well, so I really need these to work properly or you know… I’ll die.”
“I understand why you’d be worried, but the wards shouldn’t affect anything.
All other devices work here, however, if you’re still worried about it, I’ll speak to the Dean and Headmaster to make sure.
Now then, do you want to see your home for the next six years?
” he asks, pushing open a different door than where we came in.