I slumped into the chair, my messenger bag sliding to the floor beside me. The werewolf’s office was cluttered with trophies, team photos, and what looked like decades’ worth of memorabilia. A framed jersey hung on the wall behind him, though I couldn’t make out the name.
“I appreciate the job,” I said, trying to sound grateful despite my disappointment. “I really need to stay at Widdershins.”
“I understand,” Coach Flannery nodded, his blue eyes studying me with uncomfortable intensity. “Professor Blackwood speaks highly of your magical abilities. Says you’ve got a rare gift with shadows.”
I tensed. Most people reacted poorly when they learned about my particular talents. Shadow magic had certain... connotations.
“It’s just what I was born with,” I mumbled, looking down at my worn sneakers.
“No need to be defensive,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “We’ve got all types here. Our star quarterback is a dark elf, for crying out loud. Not every day you see one of those.”
Coach Flannery stood up, his massive frame making the office feel suddenly smaller. “Let me show you what you’ll be responsible for. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s honest.”
I followed him through a door at the back of his office that led directly into the men’s locker room. The space was enormous—rows upon rows of lockers, benches, and an open shower area that made me instantly uncomfortable.
“You’ll be in charge of keeping this place sanitary,” Coach explained, his voice echoing slightly. “After practices, aftergames, and especially after the shifters use it during full moons. They tend to shed.” He chuckled at his own joke.
“I’ll need to clean all of this?” I asked, unable to hide the dismay in my voice. The room seemed to stretch on forever.
“That’s right. Plus the women’s facilities next door, though you’ll need to coordinate with their practice schedules. And the equipment room.” He pointed to another door. “But like I said, you can use your magic to help. Most of our previous attendants have developed quite efficient systems.”
Great. I was following in the footsteps of a long line of desperate scholarship students.
“When do I start?” I asked, already calculating how many shadow clones I could maintain at once. Maybe I could delegate different tasks to each one.
“Tomorrow morning, at nine sharp. Football team has an early practice. But they should all be out by then.” Coach Flannery paused, studying my face. “You look like you’ve got something else on your mind.”
I hesitated. “It’s just... this… well, to be honest, this wasn’t what I was expecting to do this year.”
Coach Flannery’s expression softened slightly. “Life rarely goes as expected, son. But sometimes the detours teach us more than the planned route.”
I swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in my throat. “I know. I just... I worked so hard last year. Perfect grades, extra credit projects for Professor Blackwood. And now I’m going to be spending all my free time scrubbing toilets instead of practicing my magic.”
“You’d be surprised how much magic goes into good cleaning,” Coach Flannery said, crossing his massive arms. “And you’ll still have time to study. We’re not slave drivers here.”
His attempt at reassurance felt hollow as I glanced around the cavernous locker room again. The thought of beingsurrounded by sweaty jock gear while everyone else was enjoying campus life made my stomach churn.
“Look,” Coach continued, his voice dropping to a gentler tone that seemed odd coming from his burly frame. “I know this isn’t ideal. But Professor Blackwood fought hard for you. Said your shadow magic is some of the most promising she’s seen in decades.”
That caught me off guard. Professor Blackwood had always been kind to me, but I had no idea she’d advocated for me so strongly.
“She did?”
Coach nodded. “She believes in you. Said your family’s past shouldn’t determine your future.”
I felt a rush of gratitude toward the stern but fair professor who’d taken an interest in my abilities last year. I’d need to write her a thank-you note—a real one, not the cheap enchanted cards that sang when you opened them.
“I appreciate that,” I said, straightening my shoulders slightly. “And I’ll do a good job here. I promise.”
“I know you will.” Coach Flannery walked me through the rest of the facilities. There was the equipment room stacked with helmets, pads, and various magical sports gear. He showed me the training room with its enchanted ice baths and healing stations, and finally the women’s locker room, which looked identical to the men’s but smelled significantly better.
“You’ll get a master key for all these areas,” he explained as we finished the tour. “But there are strict rules about when you can enter each space. The schedule’s posted on the bulletin board in my office.”
By the time we returned to his office, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of space I’d be responsible for maintaining. My shadow magic was strong, but I wasn’t sure it was janitor-strong.
“Any questions?” Coach asked as he scribbled something on a piece of paper.
“Just one,” I said. “The financial aid office mentioned I could get paid for the whole semester upfront?”
