I shrug, and he tears his hand away from me, his face paling slightly. I turn back to the group, who are adjusting to the academy and the forest. Some are throwing up; others are crying and wailing. Wini is climbing to her feet, crossing her arms. “I’m glad my little sister made it. She is the blonde one. You remember me telling you about her. Winifred Venus.” Lock points at her. “And oh, yeah, look who else survived. I remember that friend of yours. What was his name? Peter?”
“Parker?” I breathe out his name in shock as I follow where Lock is pointing. Sure enough, Parker is one of the witches throwing up at the edge of the group. His red hair is hard to miss, all curls and madness, even hidden in his cloak hood from the pouring rain. Parker has been my best friend since I moved in with Melody, and he kept me sane. Parker and his sweet mother knew what Melody was doing to me, and they tried to help, tried to invite me over as often as they could. Parker’s family didn’t have much money, and things were tight, but they always made room for me on the days I needed it. Parker is the main reason Melody called me a whore because I was always at his house. The joke’s on her though; he likes men. Why is he here? Parker never aced the tests, never really cared for Bloodstone Academy, and he never applied.
“Yeah, that’s his name. I’d be jealous, but I remember you telling me about his boyfriend,” Lock carries on. “Isn’t it nice that he is here this year? A good friend for you.”
What game are they playing? Why would they bring him here? Parker’s the only person I had as a friend as a kid. The only one that bothered with me. Yes, I did get many beatings for being his friend, but it was always worth it. I try to smile, try to do anything that’s not a complete grimace. Parker is going to struggle here. He isn’t built for war, and he often joked that a flying fork could kill him. His spell work is bad too. “I’m really glad he’s here.” I am happy to see him, but not like this.
“Yes, it will be nice, as long as he doesn’t interrupt our time together.” He walks away, and I know that was a threat. Parker is a tool to keep me in line, just like Lock is to keep me distracted from my bonded. Every year I was forced to forget, there was a plan from the Umbral Authority. This year, they are playing dirty, but so am I.
I walk at Lock’s side through the haunted-looking castle, down the winding corridors and steep staircases, where I run my hands against the familiar black stone. Even when everything is going wrong, even when this world’s a mess, I really do love this place. The gothic architecture, the haunted look of every corridor and room, the dark walls, the dark green and red fabric rugs and carpets. The way that every bit of it looks gloomy and uninviting. It speaks to my soul. It helps that I’ve actually been coming here for three years. In some ways, it’s home to me.
Lock opens the door and I step through into the courtyard, with him following close behind me. A sense burns in my chest, and I know one of my bonded is here. “Let’s join the others.”
“You join the others. I’ll just be over here.” I make my way through the crowds of people, hearing Lock’s protest, but soon the group swallows me up. I need a moment away from him, and I need to see one of my bonded. Just for a second, just one look.
All the air in my lungs freezes, and I stop when I see him. Kane. His silver hair is damp, drops of rain water dripping down the sharp angles of his perfect face and chiselled jawline.His stormy, dark silver eyes search through the crowd, his chest heaving as two other shifters talk endlessly to him. He doesn’t hear them. I run my eyes over his uniform, the black shirt sticking tightly to his body, indecently so. My lips part on instinct as I run my eyes back up, and the world stops as our eyes lock.
It’s like looking into a cold, unfeeling storm, but the storm is home. I remember him pushing me down last year when I approached him, and it’s the only reason I don’t go up to him now. That would be too much attention, especially when he looks so angry. I smile at him, and he scowls, turning his gaze away and focusing on one of his friends. I wish he were still looking at me.
I reluctantly turn away just as Parker finds me. His face lights up and he comes closer, wrapping me into a tight hug. He is the same height as me, making it so easy to hug him back. He kisses the middle of my forehead with a loud smooch, and I laugh as we both pull back. He cups my face and sighs. “I was so fucking worried about you, Miss Juni. I knew you’d get into this crazy academy, and then that bridge…how the fuck am I here too?”
To be used against me. Being my friend was your mistake. I can’t tell him any of that, though. “You clearly hid your amazing spell work from me.” I elbow him, and he laughs.
“No, be serious. I’m too pretty to fight in the war. What if I break a nail?” He is being serious. “Wait, do you think flirting with the enemy could earn me points?”
I chuckle. “They are Mindless…flirting won’t work. You will need to find a good shifter to bond with, and I’ll help you with spells. I won’t let you fail.” I mean it.
He hugs me again, and I breathe him in, trying hard not to cry. It is my fault he is here, and this place is so dangerous. Parker has no idea what he has walked into, and I can’t even risk telling him right now. Parker shakes his head. “You always havemy back, and I always have yours, Juni.” He smiles at me. “This place is wicked, isn’t it?” He looks at the academy’s black walls and the archway around the doors that lead into the academy. It is made of stone, and each brick displays a different shifter symbol. At the top is a dragon symbol, shining in gold, a stark contrast to the black stone.
“It is,” I agree. The chatter from everyone is getting louder, and Parker wraps his arm around my shoulders to keep speaking to me. I feel eyes burning into the side of my head, and I turn, looking at Kane. He is leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on Parker and me. I quickly look away, trying not to overthink that look.
“My boyfriend is going to be really pissed that I’m not there, that I won’t be seeing him for months…years. He’s definitely going to break up with me.” Parker sighs. Parker has had eight boyfriends, and none of them last more than a few months. This one is no different. “I’ll write to him and break up first.”
“It is really good to see you,” I whisper. I missed him.
“What do you mean? We see each other all the time. It’s not like you’ve been away from me for long. Just a few days.” He taps my nose like I’m being silly, but he doesn’t know. Has he been living the same year over and over? When the tarot cards reset, do they reset the entire year for everyone?
“No, I just mean…I…I’m glad you made it.” I clear my throat and quickly try to change the subject, but I don’t need to.
“Welcome to Bloodstone Academy and congratulations on being fast runners!” Our headmaster steps out of the arched doorway, just like last time, and he looks no different. His long, ominous red cloak pools around his shoulders, with a matching dark red suit underneath. All of his outfit is still the same color as blood, except for the Bloodstone marking like the one on my neck, embroidered in black on the cloak.
His red hair is shaved short but longer than I remember, and there is something about the young professor that still creeps me out. His eyes flicker around the crowd, assessing, touching on me for a second before continuing on as he introduces himself. His bonded comes out behind him, the fox curling its huge tail around his waist. He carries on with his practiced speech, the same as last year, as I search for Wini and don’t find her.
I listen in when Mentor Parker is done. The quicker I sign the binding scroll, the quicker I don’t have to hide that my powers work fine. I’ve already signed the scroll three times, and the academy knows. “We all work for the Umbral Authority, and we all want the same thing—the end of the war.”
“That dude is creepy. I hate that we have the same last name. Maybe I should start using my first name more often,” Parker whispers to me. The Parker clan is huge, and it’s not uncommon for witches to use their last names instead of their first. “But Augustine is a mouthful.” He lowers his voice more. “That’s what he said. Or she said, depends what you’re into.”
I swallow a laugh, and he does too. Mentor Parker is still rambling on, and finally, he turns to go into the academy. I go to follow with the group, but Lock grabs my arm, roughly tugging me aside, and keeps me close to him, but not touching. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Juniper?”
“Parker, this is Hemlock Mercury,” I mutter. “Lock, this is Parker.”
“Oh, yes, the childhood friend. It’s good to meet you.” Lock holds out his hand, and Parker shakes it, his eyes drifting between us in confusion.
“It’s nice to meet you. Mercury clan?” Parker whistles. “Fancy.”
“Well, your friend will soon be part of my clan,” Lock proudly offers. “Now, my fiancée and I have matters to attend to.”
“Fiancée? Wow, you kept that one quiet, Juni.” Parker’s eyebrows raise so high I’m surprised they don’t leave the planet.You and me both, bestie.
