Slayer Traits First Year

3

Mom and Dad left us in a lie.

The chant floated around my head, constant and unrelenting, swimming around and twisting my stomach until I could do nothing but glare at my feet to keep from throwing up. I struggled to separate the memories of utter ruin and the charade flaunted in front of me. Instead of cracked marble flooring, and charred walls, glass lanterns were illuminating pristine white floors, ornate doorways, and flowing drapes. A broken balustrade was replaced with an exact shiny new replica, and extravagant chandeliers dangled from every fixture where the night before the only light that glowed was from the burning of a yellow-eyed monster.

I stood off to the side, listening to the string quartet inside of the ballroom play a beautiful piece, watching as the immaculately dressed serving staff greets the soon-to-be students and their guardians. The Hunters took their time to examine the bright and shiny conditions of the foyer. The Fair House did its job. It appeared perfect and safe and sparkled like a jewel.

Make-up on a corpse. Pretty...

Kyle stood quietly beside me, clutching my hand as his eyes flickered across every corner of the room. Every time someone moved, he moved a little closer to me. Every time someone came up to ask where our parents were, Kyle hid his face from them, and I answered back the phrase that now seemed carved into my tongue.

"The Heads of Family regret to inform their guests that a mission had come up and that they'll join us as soon as their circumstances change," I would reply almost mechanically.

It sounded so fake even though I knew it was true. Mom and Dad had driven us here and started walking with us towards the Fair House but as soon as we crossed the gate – the only thing that hadn't been fixed yet – Dad's phone alerted him to some threat that would require the Heads' immediate attention. Luckily, Tolk and Emi were already waiting for us at the entrance, or else Kyle would never have come inside.

"Tea, for the young Master," a waiter said. Kyle jumped and burrowed deeper into my side.

"Thanks," Tolk took the teacup from the tray and handed it to Kyle. Kyle took the saucer with shaky hands and clutched it close to him, blowing at the steam. Tolk fished out a flask from his dusty old black trench coat and poured its contents into the two champagne flutes before handing them out to Emi and me, dismissing the waiter with another order of whiskey.

Emi raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Sneaking in alcohol like it's some kind of dance? Really, Teach, I'm disappointed in you."

Tolk rolled his eyes, "You're a nervous wreck, and Kyria's hoping the ground will swallow her up. You should be grateful for the help."

"I'm not nervous," Emi pouted.

I chugged the vodka-juice mix and held out my glass to Tolk, "Another will keep me from fighting the Hunters."

"You're not supposed to fight the Hunters," Kyle mumbled.

"No vodka, no Hunter left standing," I shook the flute and Tolk raised an eyebrow before pouring more vodka into my glass.

Emi grinned and clinked his glass with mine before we tossed back our drinks. The vodka burned my throat, kindling in my chest like a roaring fire. I hated the taste of it, but the tingling through my fingers gave me a broken sense of courage. Emi, a veteran of sneaking alcohol from his Dad's liquor cabinet, handled it like a champ.

Tolk took a sip from his flask just as the waiter arrived with his whiskey and following behind him was Larry, waiting to greet Tolk. Tolk turned to him, an eyebrow raised as he observed Larry nodding at him and turning to Kyle.

"Young Master Salyeria," Larry said with a tight smile. Kyle just stared at him before Larry took a deep breath and looked around the foyer, "Where are the Heads of Family?"