Nightshade

Chapter Three

The sorting stone does not lie

-The Book of Shadows

I'm practically shaking in Natalia and Cassie's arms as the man surveys all of us. No one has dared to speak since he uttered his last words. We're all too in shock. I can't seem to understand if this is merely a nightmare and I'm still in my bed at home, or if this is quite real. I can't be from his house. It's not possible. No one in my family contained such magic.

I don't even know if I can remember anyone in my life that had it.

The man arches a brow. "Is anyone going to speak?"

The headmaster steps forward. "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" He lets out a laugh of disbelief. "I think the shadows speak for themselves."

"Your house has been dormant for centuries. Forgive me for being a bit concerned," our headmaster replies.

At the information, the man's eyes widen slightly and I believe he finally starts to really take in his surroundings as if he is noticing the changes. "What time are we in? No... the war?" He steps forward eagerly. "Has it ended?"

The headmaster gulps. "No, it has not. It's been raging for hundreds of years."

"Hundreds of years," the man whispers. After a moment, his eyes snap up in a deadly glare. "Who woke me?"

Zander steps forward. "You're at the sorting ceremony for new cadets. Each year we hold a ceremony to sort the cadets' magic as I'm sure you might recall. For the first time in a very long time, someone got House of Shadowson."

"Who?"

Zander points to me. "She did."

When the man lays his eyes on me, the hairs on my neck stand and I suck in a startled breath. He looks as if he's ready to murder me. His defined jaw clenches tightly and his eyes seem to darken.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." The words come out shaky. "The sorting stone wouldn't let go and I just–"

"Stop. Talking." He rolls his eyes, looking back down at the stone. "Years no one gets picked, yet somehow it sorts you into my house." He glances back over at me with a look of disappointment. "Not impressed."

My mouth falls open. "I didn't choose this."

"Clearly." He wipes his bloodied finger on the side of his pant leg. "I demand a resorting."

The headmaster's eyes widen. "She's already lost a drastic amount of blood. You cannot just force her to sort again. Her body cannot take it."

The man ignores him and marches over to me. I'm pushing out of Cassie and Natalia's arms, crawling backward in fear with each step he takes.

"No!" Natalia yells, flying in front of me, but with one wave of his hand, shadows send her flying sideways.

My heart is pumping so fast that I can't process her slamming into the chairs next to us or Cassie running after her in a fit of cries. The man reaches me easily and fists the back of my hair. I struggle against him, screaming in pain from his tight grip as he drags me back to the stone.

"Let. Go!" I whimper, kicking and hitting but not one touch fazes him.

The protectors step in front of the stone protectively before we reach it and pin him with a glare. Zander's nostrils flare. "Let the girl go, Nightshade."

The man holding me pauses, a wicked look crossing his face. "Oh, so you do remember me? Thought so."

"Let her go," he repeats.