I’d seen the tall, redheaded man twice in the halls. But besides a greeting video in the app, he was pretty illusive.
Everyone froze, unsure what to do. The headmaster pushed his brown robes back, pointed his wand high, and red flares shot out of the tip.
What exploded?
In the midst of the rubble, a rounded form the size of a SUV stepped out from the smoke. Not only did people move then, but they screamed as they did it.
The creature looked like a combination between a bear and lava. Smoke tendrils floated above its rocky and molten body.
The lava bear roared again, sharp black teeth gleamed in the morning sun.
Shit, I needed to get out of here.
Rising onto my heels, I gripped my bag when Headmaster Sprucian yelled at the people in the courtyard. “Everyone, cease moving. It responds to movement.”
“Immostable,” Headmaster said while waving his wand, arms wide to protect the fleeing students. The bear stopped its chase, only to shoot burning lava out of its mouth.
Another faculty member with silver curls, and who I’d yet to meet, shuffled into the courtyard. She lifted her wand and sliced the air. An orange slit appeared and floated. She mumbled to herself, and it grew, continuing to widen until Headmaster Sprucian could magically push the lava bear through it.
It roared and slashed its massive paws in all directions. Lava shot out all over the place every time it opened its mighty jaws. Once its claws receded through the portal, the silver haired teacher wiggled her wand up the slice, and it sewed it back together.
Just like that, the horror show vanished, as if it never existed in the first place.
“All right everyone, crisis averted. Class will be delayed thirty minutes, but then I want to see butts in seats.” Professor Jules popped into the courtyard, causing more than a few of us to scream from her sudden appearance.
She leveled everyone with a glare and strolled away like she hadn’t just magically appeared and scared us to death. Headmaster Sprucian talked with the silver haired woman, their expressions pinched.
My muscles were taught but I managed to crawl away from the picnic table.
It took me a whole other minute to stand, and then I was heading for my room. I passed rubble, smoke, and dirty scared faces.
Delanie had left her friends the moment of the attack. Her cries were heard louder than everyone else’s. Naturally.
No one got hurt. We were shaken up, but besides a sore shoulder from falling on it, I’d be fine.
I just needed to breathe, to take a minute of silence, and process everything that just happened. It all felt too great. The pressure, the unknown. This place, and these people. All of it was so far from my normal reality.
What was normal reality anyways? I thought I knew, but it turns out, I had no idea.
“Temperance. Shit. Are you okay?” Another person from my reality slash non-reality walked up to me. Rylan reached out and his hands cupped my face while searching for wounds.
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “I’m just… This is a lot.”
I pushed his hands away and I watched his eyebrows lift. Yeah, I had his cock in my mouth hours ago, and now I didn’t want him touching me.
His face fell, but instead of apologizing to him, I took a step back.
“I just need some space,” I uttered. “Can you give that to me please?”
My thoughts raced, and my heart ached in my chest. My magic buzzed and I didn’t think I could control any outbursts right now.
Arriving at the McKenzie Institute had been a whimsical experience. But, just like all things, magic had two sides—the whimsy and the dark. The gravity of my new life knocked me on my ass.
Literally.
Rylan smiled and gave me a nod like he wasn’t upset or fazed that I pushed him away.
“Take your time. I’ll see you in class.” He leaned over to kiss my cheek, and I didn’t move.
