Matlock Academy: Year One

*Chapter Two

Dimly, Ana registered movement around her.

Medics were hurrying around, cleaning up corpses to take them back for revival.

"Magi, what's your name?" a voice asked.

When a hand shook her, Ana flung her arm out, catching their jaw with her fist.

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry!" she yelped, stepping back.

Ana had no idea what was wrong with her. She looked at her hands like they could give her the answers she needed.

The medic stretched his jaw. "It's fine, it happens. What's your name?"

Ana blinked and looked around as the Pit was cleaned up. "Ana."

"Ana-what?"

"Uh, Anastasie Leonov..."

"Good, okay. What hurts?"

She swung her eyes back to look at him, but didn't know if she really saw him. He clicked fingers in her face and she blinked again, focussing a little.

"Ana, you with me?"

She nodded. "Yes, sorry. Hurts? Leg, left ribs, uh...everything?"

The guy – a faelen-shade – looked her over. "Okay, hold tight." He laid a hand over her forehead and she felt a warm, happy tingle spread through her.

Feeling rushed to her leg, first hot, then pain, then a soothing cool, then something like restless energy. Her ribs felt like they stretched and rearranged, knitting back together. Her skin tingled like tickles and she felt revitalised.

He talked as he worked. "We'll patch you up better than normal – the life-dome helps with that – given you have to fight again now. The others are coming out. You did amazingly well you know. What house are you hoping for?"

"Dragul," Ana answered, suddenly feeling a whole different kind of numb as she saw Micah walking out of the tunnel. That darkness stirred inside her and she shut it down, turning her eyes back to the medic. "Dragul. Both my parents were Dragul."

The corner of the medic's lips quirked like he knew something she didn't. She noticed he was a lot paler than he had been. "Well, good luck with that." He smiled at Ana once more, then hurried out.

The other five students were strolling to the middle of the Pit. Ana watched them carefully. They were healed, but their uniforms were still torn and bloody. The Sixth Gairou faelen-shade watched Ana with something like begrudging respect and wariness. The Fifth Melchion irin-shade looked her over, his wings popping and beating as though he was remembering what she'd done to his race-brother. The Fourth Gairou vampen-shade licked her lips as they eyed off each other and Ana was sure the other girl thought she'd be delicious. Ana had trouble looking at the Gairou Alpha; he barely looked at Ana past a vague glance, his expression full of boredom and condescension. And Micah, the only designated Dragul of the lot and the second magi; Ana could see he wanted to talk, but she glared at him and his step faltered.

Ana's gaze flickered to the Gairou Alpha and she saw him watch her behaviour with Micah with humoured disdain. Annoyance flared in Ana and she spared him a glare as well. He looked her over with slightly more interest. She saw his eyes were glowing amber, bright like topaz, and full of calculating intelligence. He was the sort of attractive that made your stomach flip before you remembered yourself.

Ana looked away and up to the Headmistress where the others seemed to be looking. All of them, but the Alpha. She could still feel his eyes on her. She tried to ignore the way her skin warmed as though she could tell exactly where his eyes fell.