Dark Heart, Bright Eyes |ONC 2024|

*1*

Zara Morrigan stared out the car's window, desperately ignoring the sting of her mother's gaze burning into the side of her face. Her fingers tapped nervously over the small bag resting on her lap, the leather smooth and cool to the touch. 

"Darling--"

"I know, Mother," Zara rushed to cut her off, fingernails digging into the leather. "I know it could get me expelled, but what else am I supposed to do? I won't use anything in this bag if I can help it."

"Of course you will." Her mother's voice dripped with pride and exasperation in equal measure. "And you likely wouldn't even be expelled." She cocked her head, flame-bright hair falling over a slender shoulder. "Not unless you actually killed someone. But there are so many things worse than death, aren't there?"

Zara stifled a smirk, her hand flattening out over the bag again. Sometimes, she remembered her mother did, in fact, love her. It was just difficult for Ceira Morrigan to accept that she had borne a daughter bereft of magic. That her daughter had to rely on magic tools and tricks to survive in their world where might was right, and none of the other Families had ever suffered such an embarrassment.

 "It will be fine, Mother," Zara said with a flippancy she didn't feel. "I've known most of these people since grade school. I know how to deal with them and their uninspired little games."

Ceira gave a delicate snort. "There are plenty of your age-mates who I'm sure won't be able to so much as cross the University's threshold." She shot a sideways glance at her daughter. "But they aren't the only ones you will be surrounded by, darling. Belmare is famous around the world, with powerful creatures from every country in attendance. It's far more than a school, and there are much higher stakes than the petty, teenage politics you've been exposed to."

A shudder ran up her spine at the idea. Something not missed by her eagle-eyed mother.

"If only I had married a monster," Ceira mused, resting her chin on her knuckles. "Perhaps then you wouldn't be so fearful of them."

With that, Zara knew the conversation was effectively over. Maybe if Ceira had married a monster, Zara would be at odds with two of her parents instead of just one. 

With a quiet sigh, Zara went back to staring out the window. The road wound up one side of a mountain, then down, traveling farther and farther into the wilderness. The forests grew darker and more menacing. Clouds filled the previously clear skies, making Zara frown.

It stayed that way year-round at Belmare, her father had warned her. Too many monster students had a sensitivity to sunlight, dooming all others to a dreary, gray existence throughout the school year. Drops began to splatter against the window, blurring the view. 

Zara grimaced. She hated the rain.

She hated the dark.

The driver began to slow the car, and Zara leaned forward, peering through the windshield. Elaborate gates of black metal reared up before them, swinging silently open as their car approached. Zara settled back in her seat as they passed through the gates, hands gripping the bag in her lap even tighter. 

Other families milled on the lawn, umbrellas or magic barriers raised to spare them getting wet from the rain. The wind stirred with emotion as freshman students and their parents were shuffled toward the main hall on campus for orientation.

The bells in the world-famous clocktower rang out as the driver pulled to a stop.

Zara put her fingers on the door handle, then paused, staring out over the crowds beginning to disperse across the campus. Scales, wings, teeth, claws.

Magic. 

More than anything else, Zara hated monsters and the pretty faces hiding their cruel hearts. 

Maybe she would kill someone in the hopes of getting expelled.

Word Count: 639