Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS
Orion talks the entire time it takes us to walk from our dorm to the main quad at Thales. He stops beside a fountain and shifts his monologue recounting the events of last night to the facilities and amenities.
“The easiest way to remember the layout is like a dartboard, with the fountain as the bullseye, and each part of the board representing each segment of our community. The first circle is used by everyone, irrespective of species or lineage, and comprises areas we all use. You’ll find the school administration office and the principal’s office there.
” He points before doing a slow spin, stopping briefly at the library, student study areas, gymnasium, student health clinic, and the dining hall.
The buildings that house each of those are the ones I saw with Master Maddern yesterday. In the light of day, the architectural detail and the age of each of them are obvious.
“It’s really pretty here,” I say, taking in the campus.
“This academy has been a part of the supernatural landscape for a long time. It first opened in the early 1700s; there’s a stone in the principal’s office which has the exact date.
It’s pretty amazing, right?” Orion’s not as impressed as I am, but it’s still clear he’s not completely blasé about how special it is to be surrounded by history.
I wish my mom were here. She was always drawn to ancient worlds and antiquities.
Orion starts walking off. “To enter any of these buildings, you use your student card. The library and study areas are accessible at any time of the day or night. The dining hall isn’t carded, and you don’t need it to eat there, but it’s a good habit to always have your card on you.”
I hold up my card, showing him I have it in my blazer pocket.
“All meals are provided,” he says, but stops so abruptly I nearly crash into him.
“What?”
He looks a little chagrined. “Wait. I should have said most students have their meals included. Sorry, I just assumed you were a scholarship student like me.”
I wave him on. “No harm, Orion. Apparently, all my fees and anything else associated with Thales have been paid in full. Like everything.”
“Shit, huh.”
“What does shit mean?”
“It’s outrageously expensive to attend Thales. There are other schools in Quin-state, but coming here is my family tradition, even though we don’t have that kind of money anymore. I got in on a scholarship.”
“A scholarship? That’s kind of amazing, Orion. Where I come from, that’s proof of you being a good student.”
He pulls a face before walking off again.
“The dining hall opens early and shuts late. Thales also has coffee shops and food shops, which is where a lot of students go, but you have to use your own money there. I know Master Maddern said everyone is encouraged to take all their meals onsite, but there’s no hard-and-fast rule. Except for House dinners.”
“House dinners?” I ask as I race up the stairs next to him.
We push inside the doors and walk through the foyer only to reach another set, just as large; inside it sounds as packed and raucous as a stadium. We’re not the only ones arriving, other students are too. And while we’re all wearing the same uniform, seeing the different colors is eye-opening.
I come to a stop just inside the second doorway, overwhelmed by the number of bodies inside but also remembering I’m surrounded by supernaturals.
Orion twists around. “Maya?”
Except he’s not the only one who is watching me. The loud chatter dims until I swear even those beings sitting in the back corner would be able to hear my breathing.
I’m not panicking, but it’s a lot to take in. The dining hall is freaking huge to start with, and it doesn’t look like there’s a spare seat in the place. Now that everyone is staring at me, I blaze pink and am unsure what to do.
Orion saves the day. Ignoring everyone, he steps into my field of vision and then gives me a small smile of encouragement. “Let them stare. You’re new and you’re also a Nom. When they figure that out, they’ll go back to what they were doing.”
I push my shoulders back and raise my chin a little higher, spurred on by my dad reminding me to be the best version of myself I can be, in every situation. “I feel like you’re not happy being a Nom, Orion.”
He shrugs before weaving us through the crowd, acting like we’re the only ones in the hall.
Except we’re not, we’re surrounded by other students.
I think my reaction is made worse because everyone is in their colors too.
I need to ask Orion who wears what again, but there’s a hint of danger in the air that stops me from asking until we’re alone.
I ignore all the glares thrown my way, and the whispers as I pass too. It doesn’t mean I’m relaxed by any means. Honestly, I feel like I’m about to throw up, but I walk next to Orion, borrowing some of his confidence.
It’s all going well until I trip right near one of the biggest tables full of students wearing uniforms the color of golden honey.
I don’t just trip, though; I fall flat on my face. The thud of my head on the floor sends stars shooting through my vision for the second time in a handful of days. I can’t move a muscle, locked up in shock and pain, which gives the entire dining hall the opportunity to see what has happened.
Behind me comes laughter, and without question, it’s directed at me. It’s cruel, and I want to run away from it. As soon as the pain eases up, I’ll try to reclaim some dignity.
Eventually the hall stops spinning. It takes a while, and the whole time, their laughter winds around me like a tornado. It’s only when I’m sitting up do I see what I tripped over.
My eyes move from the foot still stuck out where I tripped over it, and I follow it all the way up to the face of the person it belongs to.
“Careful, Nom. Don’t harm yourself at breakfast, we need you. All of us need you.”
He might have a pretty face, along with a halo of golden curls, but it’s the venom in his words that holds my focus.
I hate confrontation, I truly do, but I also hate bullies. I memorize his features for later, because the other thing I know is that bullies love an audience. He and I will be having a little chat about his stunt, but not here and not now.
“That’s quite enough,” a voice booms from above. “We’re not in high school.”
The voice speaks so loudly that it rattles the windows and is delivered with an air of authority that instantly silences the crowd. The guy who tripped me stands and offers me his hand, feigning innocence.
Orion’s warning about touching others has me climbing up to standing without his help, and burying my hands in my pockets.
I also turn my head slightly, like I’m looking in the opposite direction as I walk around the guy’s outstretched hand.
And yeah, I’m being petty, completely ignoring his staged gesture, because you’d have to be clueless not to know all he’s doing is trying to belittle me further.
I close one of my eyes and breathe through my mouth after a few steps because I can feel something warm dripping down my face. I focus on getting to Orion and, given the slightly horrified way he stares at my forehead, I know what’s happening, but I have to handle it with as much dignity as I can.
Stopping next to him, my back now to the crowd. “I have a problem,” I say quietly.
“I’m really sorry, Maya. I should have taken us the other way around.”
“It’s fine, honestly.” I wave his apology away, trying to deal with the issue that’s about to become a very large one. “But, Orion, we’ve got a problem. I can’t do this…” I point to my face as a way of not saying the word.
He looks as perplexed as you’d expect, not catching on until my eye starts to twitch as the drip becomes impossible to ignore.
“Shit, really?” His voice is low, but he doesn’t drill me; he looks around before he darts away.
“Thanks,” I offer before he’s too far. It’s hard putting all my trust in him, but I have to so I can focus on not fainting and making the whole situation a hundred times worse.
I swear I shut my eyes for the briefest moment before the beating pain, and the dripping, is replaced by something completely opposite. I lean into Orion’s touch as he presses something cool and soft against my forehead.
“Oh my god, thank you,” I whisper.
“You’re welcome,” someone answers.
But it’s not Orion.
My eyes blast open, and my heart jackhammers so hard I think I’m having a heart attack. “You’re not Orion.”
“True. I’m not. Now who are you?” While he speaks softly, I don’t move my eyes from his mouth—or more accurately, the very obvious fangs in his mouth.
He lifts his hand away, and I will myself not to focus on the red coating his finger. He stares at me, and I get locked into a weird state where my thoughts are vapid and floaty.
“Don’t you dare start that shit!” someone shouts from behind me.
Another person answers, “She is fair game until things are decided.”
I’m not sure what they are yelling about, but it’s obviously about me. Before I can ask what is going on, a flash of green flies across my line of sight as the guy in front of me is tackled to the ground.
“What the hell is going on?” I know I’m talking to myself, but right now it’s kind of warranted. Do these people have no comprehension that only a few days ago, I knew nothing about supernatural beings, and now I’m basically drowning in them?
I employ the same tactics I did when dealing with the asshole in the gold uniform only moments ago; I blatantly ignore the fighting at my feet and take an obnoxiously wide step over them before scurrying to where Orion stands, shaking his head.