Chapter 14
Ifollowed Melody down the bustling hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. I glanced around at the people we passed, all of them so different from what I was used to.
”Here”s the admin office,” Melody announced, stopping in front of a door with frosted glass windows.
Stepping inside, I was immediately hit with the scent of stale coffee and stale air. We approached the receptionist, a woman with hair so tightly wound it looked painful. She glanced up from her computer screen, her eyes sharp behind horn-rimmed glasses. ”Can I help you?”
”Mr Greyson, please,” Melody said sweetly, completely unfazed by the woman”s cold demeanour.
The receptionist picked up the phone and pressed a few buttons. ”Mr. Greyson, there are two students here to see you.” She listened for a moment before hanging up. ”Just head through that door there,” she said, pointing to a door on the left.
As we walked toward the door, I couldn”t help but notice the way the woman”s gaze lingered on me. Melody pushed open the door and led me inside.
The door creaked open, revealing a room that looked like it belonged in a centuries-old library rather than a modern college campus. Wood-panelled walls and shelves lined with ancient tomes surrounded us, their spines cracked and worn. The scent of leather and ink hung heavy in the air, making me feel like I”d been transported back in time.
”Wow,” Melody whispered, her eyes wide with awe as she took in the space around us. ”This place is incredible.”
Focus, I reminded myself, trying not to get distracted by the room”s unexpected beauty. I was here for answers, not to gawk at the decor.
”Ah, you must be Harper,” said a deep voice from across the room. Mr. Greyson stood up from behind a massive oak desk, his dark hair was neatly styled, and he had a familiar air about him, making me wonder if I had met him before. He gestured for us to sit in the two plush chairs opposite him. ”Please, take a seat and close the door behind you.”
I sat down in the plush chair, my heart pounding like a jackhammer. This whole situation was so surreal; I couldn”t believe any of it was real.
”Harper,” Mr. Greyson began, leaning forward on his desk, ”What can I help you with today.”
”Look,” I began hesitantly, fiddling with the hem of my shirt, ”I think there”s been a mistake. That machine must be broken or somethin”. My mom was human, and I don”t belong here.”
Mr Greyson let out a hearty laugh, the sound bouncing off the wood-panelled walls. ”Oh, Harper, that”s far from true.” He steepled his fingers together, a knowing glint in his eyes. ”Your mother was Bonnie Hillstrom, right? Well, she was actually a top-level supernatural here, with three powers. Your father, Shane Bentley, was a three-level power holder as well. Your parents were mated.”
My jaw dropped, and it felt like the floor had just disappeared beneath me. There was no way this could be true. It couldn”t be.
”Wait…” I shook my head, trying to wrap my mind around the revelation. ”So, you”re telling me that my deadbeat mom had magic powers, and I never knew?” Anger bubbled up inside me, mixing with the confusion and disbelief.
”Harper, discovering one”s abilities can be a complicated process,” Mr. Greyson explained, his tone patient but firm.
”How is that even possible?” I asked, my voice shaking. ”My mother couldn”t have been some magical powerhouse. She is an alcoholic who could barely function most days.” I paused, trying to wrap my head around this new information. ”And as for my father, I”ve never even met the man. I don”t know anything about him.”
Mr. Greyson leaned back in his chair, studying me intently. ”Your mother”s mating with Shane Bentley was registered, as was your birth. We don”t typically involve ourselves in domestic issues, but word does get around. It seems your father rejected the mating after it occurred and went on with his life. Your mother, however, didn”t handle it well, becoming unstable over time.”
”Alcohol affects our magic, Harper,” he continued, his voice surprisingly gentle. ”The more one consumes, the less control they have over their powers. I imagine if she was drinking every day, she”d be unable to use them at all.”
I sat there, my mind reeling from the information overload. Anger started to seep in, filling the cracks of disbelief, as I processed what he was saying. ”So, you”re telling me my mother had the ability to help us, to make our lives better – but she chose to drown herself in booze instead, all because some guy walked out on her?”
”Unfortunately, yes,” Mr. Greyson replied solemnly. ”The rejection of a mating bond can be quite traumatic for the one left behind, but it only affects the person who has been abandoned, not the one who leaves.”
”Alright, so I”m stuck with these goddamn powers whether I like it or not,” I said, barely keeping my anger in check. ”But what”s the point if I can”t even use them? It”s been two days since my twenty-first birthday and nothing”s changed.”
”Miss Hillstrom, the manifestation of powers varies from person to person,” Mr. Greyson explained, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. ”Some people experience a physical transformation, others notice changes in their mental abilities, and for some, the change is less noticeable until they learn how to harness their powers.”
”Great, so I”m just fuckin” clueless then?” I snapped, feeling frustration bubble inside me.
”Attending classes here at Oakland Harbour will help you unlock your true potential,” he assured me, his green eyes steady and serious. ”You”re not alone in this journey, Harper.”
”Fan-fucking-tastic,” I muttered sarcastically, rubbing my temples as if that would somehow alleviate the headache that was forming. This whole situation was a giant shitstorm, and I couldn”t see any silver lining.
”Is there anything else I can help you with, Miss Hillstrom?” Mr Greyson asked, his voice softer now, as though he sensed my internal struggle.
”Guess not,” I grumbled, shoving my chair back and standing up. The last thing I needed was more information to process. It was bad enough knowing my mother could”ve helped us if she hadn”t drowned herself in booze. And now I had to deal with these fucking powers I never asked for in the first place.
”Very well,” Mr. Greyson responded, observing me intently. ”Just keep in mind, Harper, our goal here is to facilitate your growth and help you understand your abilities. In the coming week, we will have a new support teacher joining us. She will be our sole human liaison, tasked with aiding those who are transitioning back into the human world from the supernatural one. However, she can also assist individuals like yourself who were raised in the human world and are now adapting to the supernatural one. Would you like me to add you to her list once she arrives?”
”Thanks and yes please,” I said flatly, still trying to process everything he”d told me. My powers were real, and I had classes to attend. Classes that would teach me how to use them.
”Let”s go, Melody,” Her empathetic eyes met mine, and she offered a comforting smile.
Harper and I exited the room together, her arm linked with mine. As we made our way out, I caught a glimpse of Orlando and Dante sitting in the plastic chairs of the admin office. Harper squeezed my hand, silently conveying a message to leave quickly. We hurried off to the lunch hall, leaving Orlando staring after us and Dante smiling contentedly behind.