In the previous chapter: School term began and Oriane met Jessica, Charlotte, Marian, and Elle in her homeroom. Chapter ended at the Teas class near the greenhouse.
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CHAPTER FIVE
"Has the Ministry of Education nominated the next Vice-Chancellor?" asked Uilliam as he manoeuvred his way through the crowded lengthy hallways.
He handed the clipboard over to his associate, an insider within the Chambers working for him.
"They're counting votes," replied Gordon Lynn who scanned the clipboard. He wore a thick hood that shadowed his features, the cloak falling to his waist. The skinny black trousers he wore were tucked into his worn boots. They both walked silently.
"After former Chancellor Charlene Mist's disappearance, Councillor Goff had taken control of the vacancy without requesting an election with the Ministry. They are still handling that situation."
Chancellor Charlene was the daughter of Diana Mist, the founder of the college. She had up and left with a resignation note last term without notifying anyone – just few months before the start of summer break.
With her sudden departure, Former Vice-Chancellor Goff proclaimed himself Chancellor.
Uilliam grunted. "It's been three months, Lynn. We need to know where the votes are swinging."
"The Conservatives are actively campaigning. Progressive seemed docile on this matter." The two main factions on the Elemental Chamber Board of Councils (ECBC).
Self-appointed Chancellor Goff is on the Progressive Party. Depending on who will be appointed Vice-Chancellor, the direction the college will be headed in the next fifty years will be decided.
"Then there's no contest. It's Feeney."
Gordon handed the clipboard back to Uilliam. "As I said," he nodded. "They're still counting votes."
"Keep me posted," Uilliam nodded back and turned the corner to his administrative office. Gordon gave him a bow and disappeared into the crowd.
Aside from being the Defence lecturer at the college, Uilliam was also appointed Defence Executive at the recommendation of former Chancellor Diana herself over two years ago. He was obliged to ensure the stability of the fortifications as well as the political realm at the college.
His office was tucked into a dead-end corridor next to the gymnasium training room and the weapons room. It was spacious, but dark. The room only had one light bulb hanging off the centre of the ceiling. Uilliam didn't need too much light, he could see perfectly well in the dark. There were no windows but a vent and an exhaust fan in it. His desk only had a pile of documents on it. And behind the desk was a huge black leather office chair.
Uilliam sank into his chair, leaned back, and sighed.
There were several things on his mind.
Amongst many things, Councillor Goff's questionable motives and the unexplained breaches of the Aegis. The Aegis was a protective field around the campus premises, fortified by magicks. Anyone who entered through the Aegis must be reported to his database.
The last day or so since the term began, there were a total of four miscellaneous entrances and departures.
Given the chaotic nature of start of term, he could hardly afford to investigate.
And of course, Her great grand daughter whom he had met a week ago.
A curious little thing that made his chest hurt and his fangs ache.
He knew of such symptoms before. When werewolf males were close to their mates, they would have an undeniable desire to mark their scent all over said person. It is often recognised first by the soreness of the canines.
But he had felt no desire to claim her. Just the ache. Everywhere.
Besides, he thought, there was no way he had a mate.
He needed to keep his distance.
From her.
His body had almost perished almost twenty centuries ago, kept alive by his benefactor's magicks before he began sustaining it with his own.
What he had realised however, upon possessing the body, was he could no longer access his full magicks. Restraint by the limitations of a mortal werewolvian body.
Uilliam had long abandoned hope of recovering his previous self. He was glad at least to be free of an eternity of torment.
He had wondered before if the gods had realised he was missing. But after centuries of caution and still alive, he was convinced they didn't care enough to probe.
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Teas wasn't as bad as Marian implied. The class went by relatively easily.
The plants at Mystic High all moved, yes, but most of the time it is because of magicks assisting their growth. The movement is the plants' increased mobility to adapt.
The lecturer, Missus Rutledge, as she had liked to be called, reassured the class that no plants will feel any loss from her students picking a few leaves or stems here and there for the ensuing classes.
Oriane's first day passed by quickly.
Teas and Chemistry were mostly introductory.
Coincidentally, Jessica had been in both her morning classes.
General History and Elemental Political Theory – which the students dubbed EPT – were the only two subjects that required a short essay due by the end of the week.
Oriane was relieved she had already read the first few introductory classes as Carolina had advised. She was confident she could churn out a few words on the impression of the history of immortals and why the Elementals were considered the dominant race.
There was another two hours until dinner. Marian, Charlotte, Jessica, and herself had met earlier during lunch and Marian had promised to hex her bag so she wouldn't have to trek all the way up to the fourth floor everyday. What that meant, Oriane supposed she would find out soon.
She waited on the ground floor of the girl's dormitory for the trio to arrive.
After gaggles of girls and familiars passed her by, finally Oriane heard Marian voice in the distance. The girls were discussing something heatedly and Jessica, she could see, was frowning while listening to whatever it was Marian was talking about.
"Look, what I'm saying is, Dennings wouldn't say anything so revealing without a reason. She's always been so tight-lipped and strict with us. We ought to be– Oh hey, Anna!" chirped Marian with a wave.
Oriane waved back and smiled. "What were you guys talking about?"
Jessica was about to say something when Marian cut in with a nudge, "Nothing in particular. I had Professor Dennings for Maths. We were talking about what she said in class."
Charlotte looked at Marian for a moment longer than necessary. She shrugged, "Yeah. She already gave us an assignment to do by next week."
Jessica chimed in. "Have you gotten the General History essay task for Friday? Lecturer Wilcox is the worst!"
"It's not like he has to mark the papers," said Marian. "He's got all these researchers working for him. Of course he doesn't mind dishing out homework in the first week. How were your classes Anna?"
Oriane tilted her head to one side. "They were alright. But I've got the History Essay to do by Thursday."
Marian made a face. "You've only three days to write it? That's cruel."
The girls made their way to Marian and Charlotte's room on the ground floor, chattering on the way. Oriane told them about the elves in her History class and how odd they dressed.
"Yeah, you'll get used to them," was Marian's reply.
When they settled into the two-bedroom room, Oriane could not believe the size of it. It didn't seem possible to fit a living room, a dining area, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms into such an enclosed space where there were other students' dormitories right next to it. The apartment-sized space was highlighted with white walls with wall stickers, along with wooden dining table, matching chairs, and a plushy couch. Oriane supposed anything could happen in this college.
Marian went into her bedroom to collect something while Charlotte asked if anyone wanted something to drink.
"Where do you get the drinks from?" asked Oriane.
"They're replenished everyday when you've left the room for more than three hours," answered Charlotte as she poured everyone a glass of something white in colour and murky. "This is chilled barley tea."
"Barley?" exclaimed Jessica. "Where did you get that sort of thing?"
"I wrote a note in the fridge for the kitchen staff."
"And they did as you asked?" Jessica mused.
"Mm hm," Charlotte nodded. "I asked nicely."
She brought the drinks on a tray onto the coffee table, just as Marian came out from her room.
Marian was carrying a huge blackboard, a purple leather-bound book, a few candles, and white chalk. She had a big grin on her face.
Jessica held up a glass of barley tea, "Charlotte got some tea, Marian. Have a drink first."
Taking the glass from Jessica, Marian sat with the girls around the coffee table facing the window. There wasn't a television in the rooms. Oriane supposed it was banned on campus.
Charlotte suddenly raised her drink up in the air. She cleared her throat with a cough and said, "Welcome back to Mystic High. It's good to see you guys again."
Jessica giggled, but raised her glass anyway before taking a sip. "You're always too serious, Charlotte. What have you been doing this summer? Attending conferences the whole time with your father?"
"Well," Charlotte began. "I had to. You know my folks expect a lot."
Oriane clinked her glass with Charlotte's and took a sip. "What do your parents do?"
"They work for the Bank of Illinga, it's one of the major banking associations for the Immortals," Charlotte answered. "And what about your folks?"
Oriane looked away. "I don't have parents. Great granny raised me."
Marian slapped Charlotte's arm lightly. "That question was so inappropriate!"
"It's fine, Marian." Oriane had never spoken about her living arrangements with anyone before. Most girls at her previous Catholic school tended to stick to themselves. Those who would sit with her at lunch, gossiped about everyone and anything else but her. "I've never met great granny before actually. Maybe once when I was a kid."
"Then how did you manage until now?" asked Jessica.
"I had nannies and cooks, and my cat, Toffee. I've also got a debit card."
Marian placed a concerned hand over her knee. "That's cruel, girl. Every kid should have their parents looking out for them."
"Thanks. At least I've never been in an accident and the neighbours always looked out for me."
"You're lucky, then." Marian shook her head. "Most of the kids studying here at the college are pretty knocked in the head because their parents or guardians didn't care. Some of them even killed someone accidentally before they got here."
Did I hear wrong? Did she just say... killed?
"The college is not only a research institute," explained Jessica. "Sometimes, among the mortals, some of them begin to display out of the norm abilities. The colleges bring them into our world for good so they don't self-destruct or hurt anyone or endanger our world. But a lot of them don't get picked up until it's too late. Born and bred immortals are few and far between. That's why people like Elle look down on the rest of us."
"Like the theory 'minoritarianism'," Charlotte added.
"Right," Jessica agreed. "There are plenty of crazy people around in the world without magicks. Arming them with magicks only make them dangerous. To stay safe, either make yourself unapproachable or band together."
"Speaking of which," noted Marian. "We need to talk about our planning this year. We're all separated in some of our classes."
"Planning for what?" Oriane asked.
The three girls paused and looked at each other. They were constantly communicating with a few looks, like they had known each other for a long time. They probably had, Oriane thought.
Marian continued, "Let's just say, in this college, safety is in numbers. You're lucky, Anna, that you've got us on your first day. Timetables out, girls!"
Everyone flipped out their timetables from their bags, Oriane did the same. They compared their schedules and assigned at least two people together at any given time between classes.
Oriane wished she had some sort of magickal power so to defend herself and her new friends if she needed to. The way the girls had described the college, it sounded like a battlefield.
No wonder, while she was passing through the hallways, Oriane noted that everyone walked in a large group or at least in pairs.
Once the girls had finished sorting their partnering, Marian ran to her blackboard and candles and grinned at Oriane.
"Let's hex your bag before I forget, Anna."
Nodding, Oriane took her bag with her and sat on the carpeted floor with Marian. Charlotte and Jessica leaned on their couches to observe.
"Marian is the best hex in the college," Jessica reassured. "She grew up in The Coven, graduated as The Priestess' apprentice before joining us over five years ago."
Marian snorted at the compliment but smiled smugly as she prepared a pentagram on the blackboard with the chalk. "As my mama always said to me: The devil's hex is in the detail. Anticipation is the key to a good hex. Anna, help me light the candles. Jess, I need you to chip off a piece of the wood from the staircase."
"Consider it done." Jessica shut her eyes, concentrated, and snapped her fingers once. Not long after, the door opened by itself and a wood chip landed in the middle of the room next to Marian.
There were five candles. Oriane lighted each one of them and placed them next to the blackboard, waiting for Marian as she flipped through her purple book. Marian absent mindedly placed the candles where they were supposed to be: on each of the pentagram's edges.
She placed the wood chip and her bag, that was emptied of its contents, in the centre of the board, and began to chant.
"Magna confractio aerialis. Flet, une vente! Flans saltatio pulverea. Limes aerialis." Marian closed her eyes, and her chanting became softer as she repeated the phrase over and over again.
Suddenly, the candles blew out.
When Oriane looked back at the centre of the pentagram – she didn't even realise her gaze had left it – an image of the wooden chip is embedded on her bag. The original piece disappeared.
"That should do it," proclaimed Marian. "Why don't you try it on your way up to your room?"
Oriane had no doubt Marian had completed the hex. But... "How?"
Marian rolled her eyes and bolted for the door. "I'll show you."
Oriane took her bag cautiously and headed for the door after Marian. She had no doubt in anyone else's hands, the hex would work, but she doubted in her's, anything would happen.
When the two girls reached the staircase, Marian took her bag. She held it in front of her, and slowly released it. Surely enough, the bag floated above the ground.
"See? Now you try. Grab it, and release it somewhere else."
Oriane stared, astounded at the bag. She hesitantly took it. Its familiar weight rested in her hands.
Turning the other way, towards the hallway, she held it out the way Marian had done it.
"You need to envision your energy seeping through your fingers into your bag," informed Marian. "That triggers the hex."
"Energy? But I've never 'seeped' my energy into anything before!"
"Just do it. You'll feel it."
Oriane tried to imagine something inside her bubbling. Nope. "I'm not feeling anything."
With an exhale, Marian tapped Oriane's shoulder twice.
She suddenly didn't feel like herself at all. Oriane could feel something happening with her, all over.
Not inside, not outside.
Just her.
Oriane sensed herself reaching out to the object in her hand, wanting to touch it even though she was aware she was holding it. When she – a part of her perhaps – finally caressed the bag, Oriane felt the bag become lighter, almost weightless. Carried by something else?
Next thing she knew, her bag was floating.
Oriane heard Marian squeal, "You did it!"
Then she fainted.
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