“Well, you haven’t really been excited about going off to one of the more exclusive schools, and I know you’re only going so we aren’t separated, and I’m grateful… but you haven’t wanted to talk or even think about it,” Marsh explains, suddenly lookingdejected. My stomach sinks, and I feel guilty that I made him feel bad about wanting to chase his dreams.
“It’s not that I’m not excited, it’s just a lot of change and it makes me nervous being so far away from Dad in case something happens. The school is a long way from Louisiana. You know how hard it is to manage my diabetes when I’mnotstressed,” I sigh. I know it’s not something we can change, but dealing with being a type one diabetic, in a world of magic where most witches don’t get sick or have disabilities, I’m one of the rare witches that wasn’t so lucky, and to top it off, all the diabetes scares have caused me to also suffer from terrible anxiety.
Marsh scoots closer in his chair to he’s hugging me to his side. “I know it’s hard but I will be with you every step of the way. I know everything there is to know about you, and how to manage anxiety and diabetes. You will be fine.”
I cuddle in closer, I know some people find it weird how close me and Marsh are, but it’s always been just us and our dad. Our mom died when we were little and she was raised in foster homes until she aged out of the system. Our paternal grandparents are amazing but they moved to Florida a couple of years after our mom passed and they retired. We still see them for all the holidays, but other than that it was only the three of us. Our dad took over the farm so he was constantly working and it left me and my twin to entertain ourselves. We did everything together – learned how to control our magic, how to walk, talk, drive, all the milestones that parents usually make a big fuss over. I couldn't picture moving to a new school so far away without him.
My dad clearing his throat drags me out of my head. “Alright kids, me and your mother made accounts for both of you as soon as we found out she was pregnant. She was doing well for herself when I met her, having opened up her own apothecary,and when your grandparents found out they added to it as well, so you both have savings accounts with $500,000 each. Since you both got a full ride, I’m giving it to you for y’all for living expenses. Don’t go blowing it all in one year ‘cause it’s more than enough to last you until you graduate and then some. You both will be able to get whatever you need for your dorms. Your cars won’t be able to go with you since the school is on an island and there aren’t any shops or anything, but we can see what’s going to be the best way to ship whatever you need.”
“Dad, are you serious? I didn’t think we would have had a savings account at all, let alone that much.” I stare at him slack-jawed.
“Well, I wasn’t going to raise spoiled brats. So I saved every extra penny for your futures,” he shrugs it off like it’s nothing, but beams proudly at us.
Marsh bursts out laughing. “Okay then Dad, looks like we need to reply to the letter and look up how to send packages, ‘cause I’m about to put my next day delivery to good use!”
August 1 - Lunchtime
The last four months were pure chaos; making appointments for all the tours, meetings, and evaluations, and then agonizing over choosing our classes, followed by getting everything we needed for school, all while trying to make sure we spent as much time with our dad as possible. We even flew down to Florida for a week in July to see our grandparents as one last hoorah, and I honestly think it was one of the best weeks of my life, just spending time with my family and relaxing. Now, though, it’s time to take the next step toward my future.
Saperra Academy is located on a small island off the coast of North Carolina just big enough for the school grounds, but it’s beautiful. Back on the mainland, humans are aware of supes but unless you see someone shift or use their powers, humans don’t know who’s a supe and who isn’t, especially since we are not allowed to show our powers without good reason.
Getting off the ferry is like walking into a new world. We disembark at the front of Manor Hall, and it looks like a massive medieval castle. There were only a handful of other people onthe ferry with us and most looked older than students. We arranged to arrive two weeks early so we would have time to get our stuff here and get used to the grounds, since we weren’t able to attend the official campus tour dates.
“Wow, this place is amazing,” I breathe. Marsh is standing next to me, and both of us only have a couple of suitcases each. Thanks to magic, we were able to use a spell to make our bags fit almost triple what should have been possible.
“I know, I can’t believe we are really here, and together.” He uses his free hand to reach out and squeeze mine. “Let’s do this baby sis.” Rolling my eyes, I squeeze back before letting my hand drop. We grab our bags and start walking off the dock towards the front of the hall.
Everyone else that was on the ferry with us has already made it wherever they were going, so it’s just us and the captain. Right as we make it to the doors I hear the dreaded beeping from my dexcom and mine and Marsh’s phone alert too. I let out a long sigh and look down at my Apple Watch: fifty-six with a double arrow down.
“Why didn't it alert us before now?” Marsh asks, reaching into the front pocket of my bookbag to grab one of my low snacks. When I was first diagnosed, we were told the only thing you can do for low blood sugar is ingest sugar. They told us you can drink juice or eat something with carbs, and through trial and error, and personal research, we learned that a lot of diabetics have a favorite candy they use when their sugar is low to help bring it up.
“I have no idea. Maybe us coming through the wards messed up the connection?” I reply as he pours a small handful of sour Skittles into my hand. I eat them so much the sour hardly bothers me, but they taste so much better than regular ones to me.
I shove them in my mouth right as the front door starts to open, and I look over at my brother wide-eyed and start chewing as fast as I can.
A man walks out dressed in a nice suit, with gray cropped hair, and light blue eyes. He’s about the same height as Marsh, but you can feel the power radiating off of him.
“Welcome! You must be the Sutherland twins; I’m Dean Foster.” He reaches out to shake our hands, and I have to wipe the sour powder off on my jeans. He ushers us through the doors and talks as he leads us through the foyer and down a ridiculously long hallway to who knows where. “You can leave your bags here, they will be taken to your rooms. Normally one of the office assistants would be here to welcome new students but you two are the first freshmen to arrive. There are a few students from the other grades here, but most won't be back until later this week. Follow me to my office and I’ll get the registration book and then Headmaster Campbell and one of the TAs will join us as witnesses.” He finally stops at the second to last door on the right.
“Here we are, come in and take a seat. You both know what this entails, correct?” Nodding in the affirmative not that he gives us time to respond. “We will use a small knife to make a little puncture on your finger. You will both deposit a single drop of blood on the page. It will then tell you what house and dorm you’ll be in. Our dorms are all coed but suites are normally assigned to a single gender. However, it's completely up to the book and the powers that be. We have four primary dorm houses: Raven, Dragon, Unicorn, and Kitsune. If you’re both ready, I’ll go get the others.” We both nod and he turns and walks out the door we just entered through.
I look at my twin with panic in my eyes. “What if we aren’t in the same house? We’ve never even spent a night apart.” It’s starting to get harder to breathe; my heart is pounding and blackspots start dancing across my vision. I can’t be separated from my brother. I can’t do this alone.
“Magnolia!”
I hear my brother talking to someone else in the room, but it’s muffled like I’m under water. I feel a sharp sting on my arm and suck in a breath. The brain fog starts to clear. I open my eyes, although I have no idea when I even closed them, and glance at my brother while rubbing my arm where it stings. “Did you zap me with your magic?”
Marsh looks at me like I’m stupid and tilts his head pointedly at the others in the room. “Yes, I did. You’re calm now, aren’t you?” I look around the room and finally notice we aren’t alone. Dean Foster is back and there are two new men with him. One is very obviously the Headmaster; he's only around five-ten, and lean with matching white hair and beard, you can’t feel the power radiating off him like the dean. However, there is something in his eyes I don’t like.
The other guy next to him is stunning, easily six feet tall, with red hair and gorgeous blue eyes. He’s clean-shaven, showing off his sharp jaw, and he’s built like an Adonis.When we lock eyes, there is weird flutter in my chest; something about him calls to me. Marsh nudging me in the side snaps me out of eye-fucking this stranger.
The dean clears his throat, gesturing at both men. “This is Headmaster Campbell, Professor Crellet’s TA Rune Bloodgood, and his familiar.” I look down at where he’s pointing and there is the cutest little raccoon at Rune’s feet.
Headmaster Campbell claps his hands together. “Okay, with introductions out of the way, let's get started.” He grabs a large, weathered, leather-bound book and a small knife, barely bigger than a letter opener, and sets them down on the desk.
“Which one of you would like to go first?” He motions the knife towards us, and Marsh jumps up putting himself betweenme and the Headmaster. I roll my eyes. Like the Headmaster of a very well known school is going to stab me in front of witnesses.
“I’ll go first.” He holds his hand out for the headmaster, as he steps up towards the desk. The dean, Rune, and I step up next to them.
