‘I can’t have my first kiss with you, Yanric.’
He shook himself on my shoulder. ‘Of course not. Way to make it weird.’
That made me laugh. The little bird had grown on me.
* * *
The weekend passed uneventfully.My father and I toured the West Side, getting the lay of the land. There was a strip of shops, and market stalls, and a clinic for the ill, with a line out the door. Mable and Eden had us over for dinner Sunday night and I was so grateful for their hospitality and friendship.
Now it was Monday and I’d gotten through my first week of classes without an issue. The only problem was that Master Knight was back from being out of town.
She was the lead teacher of Pyrotechnics and today was my first day meeting her; by the grace of the Light, it was a small group with six of us, including Eden. Blair and three of her friends were also in the elective but that didn’t matter if I had Eden at my side. After what happened on the lawn with Blair last week, Eden was shooting daggers at her from across the fire room. We stood in a completely concrete space with two small windows to be used in case of the need for an escape. Four fire extinguishers were mounted on the back wall with a large hose coiled at the front wall that I was guessing would spew water if needed.
“So Blair has telekinesisandpyro powers?” I mumbled to Eden.
She nodded beside me, still giving Blair a death glare. “But her pyro powers are way weaker than her telekinesis.”
I grinned. “So you’re saying you’re more powerful than her when it comes to conjuring flames?”
Eden chuckled. “She’s not even in my league, sister.”
‘Not so humble brag,’Yanric called from where he perched outside of the small window, watching me through the glass.
My gaze flicked to the small opening in the concrete and I glared at my familiar. ‘I told you not to be here for this class. Master Clarke warned me that Master Knight—'
“Line up, class!” a firm, but feminine voice barked, and I spun to find a stern-looking woman.
Her lips were pressed into a tight line and her beady eyes scanned over everyone before stopping on me. Her thin nostrils flared and her chest heaved when her gaze locked with mine. I could literally see the hatred she had for me brewing within her. Her gaze then flicked to Yanric, peering at us through the glass, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Holy fae, she was scary looking. Well, she was beautiful, but the look she was giving me right now sent chills up my arms.
Her dark hair was tied into a tight bun at the nape of her neck and she wore blood-red lipstick. The sound of her high heels echoed off the walls as she walked toward me with all the grace of a lion about to attack. Her pointed ears were pierced with over five rings per lobe and she wore tight-fitting black pants with a white blouse. She didn’t look a day over fifty. She was one of those elegant women with soft hands who didn’t look they’d seen a hard day’s work in all their life.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, my heart pounding in my chest like it threatened to jump out of my rib cage and flop onto the floor, showcasing my anxiety for all to see.
‘Permission to fly to your shoulder and intimidate her?’Yanric asked.
‘No,’I growled back. We were just learning our boundaries and I didn’t want him making this teacher hate me more than she already did.
“Fallon, I presume? Daughter of Marissa Bane.”She said it like an accusation and then let it hang in the air.
“Technically, yes,” I said
“Technically?” She raised one eyebrow and spoke with such a calmness it frightened me.
“I was raised in Isariah without magic. My father—”
“I heard.” She cut me off with the wave of a hand. “Well, step up and let’s see what you’ve got, because from what I hear, you certainly aren’t magicless.”
She gestured to the center of the room and I blinked rapidly.
“Uh, Master Clarke told me strictly to observe all classes right now.”
“Is this Master Clarke’s class?” she asked as she strode closer, and Blair and her friends snickered at that.
No, but he is my advisor,I wanted to say but thought better of it.
“No, Master,” I answered formally, knowing that I was in trouble if I disobeyed her. I really didn’t want to get on her bad side, anymore than I already was.
