The girls are wearing flare-sleeved dresses that fall to their mid-thighs, accessorized with a cute, chunkie lopsided belt and knee-high boots. And boys are looking good in fitted slacks with button-down shirts. And while the style is the same for everyone, they range in jewel tone colors from ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue, burnt umber, dark purple and more.
And not all of them are human.
I don’t know much about magical races, but at least a quarter of these people are definitely ‘other’.
“Control is an issue with more than just witches, I see.”
Orion casts a sidelong look and smiles. “True story.”
“Go, join the circle,” Laurel murmurs, giving us a gentle wave forward.
“But I’m not dressed for this. Maybe I should hang back. I can join the welcome circle next week.”
She frowns. “You’re an Emberwood witch and an Elite at that. Now, go on.”
“It’ll be fine,” Orion whispers. “Eliza and I need to join the shifter crowd, but if you get freaked out, we’ll be just across the circle.”
“Yeah, no, that’s fine. You go. I’m good.”
He chuckles. “Shifters can smell lies, but good try. Honestly, though, Poppy. You’ve got this.”
I’m glad someone thinks so.
Taking a deep breath, I step toward the circle. Two guys—one with copper hair and the other with intricate tattoos winding up his forearms—wordlessly part to create a space for me. I slip between them, heart hammering against my ribs.
At the center of the circle stands a petite woman who radiates authority. With a slash of pink streaking her dark hair, she wears flowing midnight-blue robes that seem to move despite the still night air. Her gaze sweeps the gathering of magical pupils, and I swear it lingers on me for a heartbeat longer than the others.
I might just be paranoid.
A moment of panic hits, and I find Orion and Eliza across the circle. They haven’t abandoned me. Laurel’s moving around the outer edge of the circle, presumably to stand with a group of onlookers on the opposite side of the clearing.
“Welcome to the Arcana training program.” The woman opens her arms as her voice carries effortlessly across the clearing. “I am Headmistress Briar, and it is my greatest pleasure to be a part of your journey.”
As she speaks, a rush of calming energy washes over me and I take the first deep breath I’ve managed in ages.
“It is neither a failure nor a shortcoming to need help to improve the mastery of your powers. Whether you’re a newly transitioned vampire dealing with bloodlust, a witch who struggles with control of your affinity, or a shifter dealing with the complexities of duality, hail and welcome.”
“Hail and welcome,” the group repeats in perfect unison.
I miss the cue completely, my mouth hanging ajar. The copper-haired guy beside me shoots me a quizzical look, and heat crawls up my neck.
Headmistress Briar gestures to a group of people standing together in the circle. My stomach drops as I recognize Wylder standing there with three polished, mean-girl types.
“Our seniors are here to guide our newcomers through their struggles,” Briar explains. “They have graciously volunteered their time and expertise, so call upon them if you need anything.”
I’ve caught the eye of the mean-girl posse, and they’re leaning close and whispering to one another.
Awesome. Yay me.
The headmistress raises her hands, drawing my attention back to the center. “We call upon the corners, the elements, the very fabric of our world.” Her voice takes on a rhythmic quality. “Goddess of old, we seek your divine guidance as we open ourselves to your gifts.”
The air changes. It thins as if the clearing is suddenly at a higher altitude. Pressure builds in my ears, and my skin prickles with goosebumps. A whirlpool of energy forms above us, spiraling down toward the headmistress standing unflinching at its center.
Something inside me responds, a vibration that is both exhilarating and terrifying. Power is waking within me, pushing against my skin from the inside.
Headmistress Briar navigates a slow circuit around the inner edge of the circle, stopping before several students. When she pauses, they seem to glow for a moment before sparks of different colors erupt around them.
“A diverse group with us at the moment. Very exciting.”
