One Broken Legacy

Chapter 3: The New Kid and The Outcast

"Maybe something with the demon hunts in the fourteenth century and how we still follow an oppressive system?" I waved my hand around. "If you want to that is."

I watched as Nick's head cocked, eyes scanning me for any hint of a joke. I had played my hand, now I had to hope he would take the bait.

"You're serious?" Nick spoke slowly as though he expected me to laugh in his face at any moment.

"Hell yeah. What else would we do?" I pulled out my laptop. "I know this stuff like the back of my hand. How about the first treaty between humans and the supernatural in fourteen eighty-three? It should be easy."

"Sure." The sullen boy was replaced with the dork in the photo. "We could start with the witch trials and vampire burnings in the years before."

"And the werewolf persecution. The Nigh Districts of the city, too. Should we include pictures?"

For the first time in my life, I was enjoying a human school, though I had only attended two. The information was interesting, and I got a chance to rebel in the smallest way.

"I have a few. I'll add them at the bottom."

A black and white photo of an old flyer to show a divided photo of a man with long teeth and black eyes chained to the wall, a woman with horns burning on a pyre, and scrappy dogs huddled together, baring their fangs.

It was gruesome, to say the least. My stomach rolled as I stared at the horns on the witch, and I ran my hands through my hair where they would have been. It was hard to wrap my head around what life had been like back then. My family was just starting to become known as a resource to both groups. It was around the same time Uncle Finn was reborn, so I had heard first-hand accounts of the monstrosities that occurred. Women, children, the elders, anyone differed: they were all wounded in some way.

"What should we do about its relation to the present? There haven't been a lot of laws in recent days." Nick looked over the screen of his computer, eyes searching. "A few protests, but nothing major."

"We could draw a comparison to the old-fashioned way of thinking and the oppressive laws that haven't changed? I, for one, think that would be a great comparison."

"We are either going to get a good grade or fail."

I offered Nick a smile as he filled in the last line. Our page was small for sure, but I was certain we were saying more than most of the students.

"Either way, we're saying something that these pricks need to hear. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I think I'm going to like you," Nick laughed, and my smile twisted. I was winning. "How about we stick together while you're here?"

"I'd love that. I have to go to town later to run some errands, want to join me? I don't know where anything is."

"Can't. My mom has a trip and I have to say goodbye to her before she leaves." Nick rubbed the back of his neck before shrugging. "Maybe some other time?"

If my theory was correct, he was desperate for friends or someone to talk to. That would work well for me. A few days and I would have enough information to make a serious guess as to whether or not he was a wolf. Hell, I could already see enough to guess he was related to them, background knowledge or not.

"I look forward to it."

There was a comfortable silence as we continued to finish up the slide. I had to admit, I underestimated Nick. He seemed well versed in the laws and history of the supernatural. Almost as good as me. Almost.

For just a moment, I hoped he was a werewolf, then we might become acquaintances rather than investigator and target.