The Mating School

Chapter 36

"Ok, say it again," said Lily with a pen poised over the dry erase board in a fourth-floor study room. "Just the first part. I don't write very fast."

"The Lycan transformed in 54; She will settle the untold score."

The pen squeaked a bit as she wrote. "Ok.. 54.. 3054? That would be this year?"

"It's got to be," said Anne.

Lily's blood ran cold. So far as she knew only she or Christy fell into that category... "Surely there could be other Lycans transformed this year outside of the school," said Lily.

"It's unlikely," said Anne. "You remember Christy transformed outside of school and she hurt all those people in her pack when she lost control."

"Did she?! I thought that was just a rumor," said Lily. "I didn't know that. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh, I thought you knew, that's all," said Anne.  "Are you ready for the next part of the prophecy?"

"I-" said Lily. "Um, yeah, go ahead."

"She will unite with states before. Or there will follow brutal war, and friendship will be nevermore."

"States before?" said Lily, after writing it down.

"I think it just means the existing governing body."

"So the school officials?" said Lily.

"Seems so," said Anne. "I'm not sure what friendship it's referring to though."

"Friendship with the existing government maybe?" said Lily.

"Might be," said Anne. "Might be other friendships also though."

"Hm," said Lily thinking about her loved ones in Ahjuta pack. "I still think we should have had Sophie come with us. She might have had some good insight about some of this."

"It just didn't feel right," said Anne. "Besides if the prophecy is about you it's better that there's more time for us to process it and figure out what to do."

"It could be about Christy though," said Lily looking down at her notes with a furrowed brow. She wasn't sure why, but something about it seemed off to her. 

"Did Christy even transform this year?"

"I think so.." said Lily, reading over what she's written. "What was the rest of it then?"

"Take it now. The open door. It's not something to be ignored; It closes soon in 54."

"It doesn't seem like a very cheerful prophecy," said Lily. The atmosphere felt so sullen. 

Anne laughed, but in a muted way. "What will you do?"

"I don't know," said Lily. "Something about it seems so ... unusual. It was so lucky how we got to the prophecy and didn't get caught."

"Something to be grateful for," said Anne.

"What do you think I should do?"

"I think it wouldn't hurt to meet with the school officials and see what they have to say," said Anne.

"Hm," said Lily. "I suppose that's reasonable... 'The Lycan transformed in 54'"

"I think I'll ask Christy when she first turned when I see her next," said Lily. "Either way it seems strange to me. I mean what are the odds that we would find it and that it would end up potentially being about me? The rumored prophecy about a Lycan monarch would have been nicer really."

"True," said Anne.

"I don't know Sophie," said Lily. "I guess it's all just so unexpected."

"What part?" said Sophie folding a blanket near her bed.

"Just the prophecy I guess," said Lily, who was sitting on her bed with a notebook open, as if writing her thoughts down would give her the answers she needed.

"You sure it even pertains to you?" said Sophie.

"As sure as I can be," said Lily. "I talked to Christy, and she transformed in 53. She said she'd been struggling for nearly a year with her increasing powers and didn't know about Lycans at all."

"What will you do?" said Sophie.

"I don't know," said Lily. "I feel like ...I'm so young still. And for so long... I wasn't even seen. And now... and now it's so much so fast, and to think of going to talk to those who rule the shifter population and ... what do I even have to talk to them about?"

"Maybe you just need to go and hear what they have to say?" said Sophie. "Show them that you're friendly and that you don't want to overthrow them or something silly."

"They have no reason to not think me friendly though," said Lily. "I'm just a girl trying to figure out my life."

"I know Lily," said Sophie, walking over and sitting beside her. "But I think that you'll grow to be a lot more than that. I'm sure of it. I've seen you grow so much already. And maybe this prophecy is just to cue you to go lay some kind of foundation with the existing ruling officials, and maybe that way you can have more time to figure out where you need to go from here."

"I suppose you're right," said Lily. "Anne seems to think I should go. I'm not sure why I feel so uneasy about the idea, but I suppose I'd better face the unknown sooner rather than later."

"Do you know how to contact them?"

"Anne has some links with them. According to her, I can approach my teacher Mrs. Bernette after Energy Control class on Wednesday, and she can get me in contact."

"It does seem kind of weird doesn't it," said Sophie.

"Yeah, but the current officials are linked to the school," said Lily. "So I guess it's reasonable. I think the weird part is that ...outside of being a Lycan I'm so far removed from all of that. I don't see why they would even care to meet with me in the first place."

"I suppose if you go, you'll find out. Maybe you shouldn't sell yourself short. Who's to say you wouldn't be invaluable to them?"

Lily's cheeks warmed, and she couldn't help but laugh. "If anyone's invaluable, it's you, Sophie."

Sophie's arm was so warm and friendly as they hugged. Time slowed down, and for a moment, the weight of what Lily had to face tomorrow didn't seem quite so heavy.

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