•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
The Basilisk is sometimes referred to as a Cockatrice.
They are mythical creatures often depicted as reptiles.
And are reputed to be the king of serpents.
A basilisk is said to cause death with a single glance.
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
I sat up in my seat. My nails nervously scratched the surface of my desk. It's been days since I've seen them; days since I've been home.
Vanni scanned the class -- dark pupils roaming until he spotted me. His lips tilted at the corners before making a huge wave with his hand. The entire class turned my way and I almost wished I could disappear into my seat. Even Zion was watching Vanni's interaction with a frown. I tried to avoid Zion's penetrating stare and forced a smile, waving back.
Things can't get any worse. Are they the exchange students Helena was talking about? Why them of all people?
Paint-dude followed Vanni's line of sight. Recognition slid into place and his eyes widened, surprised I was even here. The feeling is mutual.
I don't think I've ever told them the name of my school...but my stepmom might. She sees me as a distant relative and treats them like they were 'her boys.'
I still wasn't sure about Paint-dude's name, mostly because we practically got off on the wrong foot within the first few days of meeting each other. But since he's always covered in speckles of paint, I decided to call him, 'Paint-dude.'
After conversing with Helena, Mr. Metallicbutt sipped his mug and clicked his tongue, savoring the taste. He faced the rest of the class and gestured at the two newbies.
"I introduce to you, Vanillian and Killian Brookesworth. Cousins with odd..." he furrowed his eyebrows. "...but similar names. Were you both born on the same day by any chance?"
Paint-dude, apparently called Killian, arched an eyebrow. "Vanni's mother died when he was born so my mom took him in and named him."
The entire class erupted with depressed and pitiful noises. I thought I heard someone wail about life being a female dog.
Killian was obviously the older one.
"Damn. For a newcomer, he has so much confidence. It's annoying." The guy beside me murmured to no one in particular. His eyes scanned the two cousins like he was thinking up ways to make them suffer.
Helena murmured her thanks to our teacher and stalked out the door. Zion followed, not before acknowledging Dimitri and me with his gaze. The silent message was clear;
Be careful.
It was understandable. The last time we met newcomers, they all turned into greek beings with an evil agenda. And most of that agenda involved killing or abducting one of us. I tried not to imagine the horrible moments we had with Henry and Lamia. At least the good thing that came out of it was Liam.
The moment the door closed shut, Mr. Metallicbutt cleared his throat and sipped out of his mug. It stained his goatee as usual. "Now that we have newcomers, I'll have to pair these two with my best students."
Yep, things just got worse.
"Mr. Gummaro." Mr. Metallic eyed the boy beside me. "Please be kind to relocate your seat."
I saw this coming from a mile away and tried not to wince. Gummaro shrugged like he knew his fate before it even started. He packed his things, yanking gum from his mouth and dropping it right at the center of his seat.
Mr. Metallicbutt, oblivious to his actions, smiled satisfactorily as he watched the boy move to an empty desk at the front.
"That'll be for you, Killian," He gestured in my direction.
Oh, no. Not him.
Killian eyed me warily. His dark bluish irises were a bit hesitant. He shifted his glasses and adjusted his bag before stalking my way, falling into his seat without a care in the world. He slid forward so he could lean his elbows on the table and began unpacking a good number of books.
I do not wish to know the state of Gummaro's gum at the moment.
"Mrs. Cartwright please relocate your seat." Mr. Metallicbutt said airily to the girl beside Dimitri. She sat so close to him that their shoulders nearly touched.
Dimitri's jaw went slack. "What? Why pick me?"
"Because, dear boy, Pedro and Gwen aren't here anymore so we'll have to make do with garba-- I mean average."
Dimitri looked like he was about to argue when the girl beside him huffed and stood. She moved to the back where a spare seat was covered in dirt. She plopped on it with anger in her eyes as dust sprayed everywhere.
Mr. Metallicbutt gestured for Vanni to take a seat and he obeyed without hesitation. He glided toward Dimitri with an air of charisma before settling beside him. The moment he was comfortable, Vanni's pitch-black irises turned sharply to me. He managed a warm smile.
Among the two, he was the nicest but yet so freaking weird.
"Know this..." Mr. Metallicbutt scratched his goatee as he looked pointedly at the two cousins. "...Whoever I paired you with will be responsible for your wellbeing in this school. They'll show you around. And if you need anything, ask them."
As he continued his long speech, my phone pinged with a notification and I glanced at the new message. My heart stilled almost instantly.
Chase: Newcomers. Not a good sign. Stay away from them, Love. I wouldn't want them touching my things.
Chase: I get moody when you are tainted with their filth.
My face flared with anger, knowing what he was implying. I typed back, completely aware that it was his way of goading me -- mainly because I had ignored a good amount of his spamming messages. Chase is a monster who kidnapped Pedro while using Henry to wreck my life.
Penny: Stay the hell away from me, asshole!
Three dots indicated he was typing back.
Chase: I can't wait to meet you, Love. Be prepared for it.
I wanted to hurl the phone at the nearest wall-- anything with a hard surface.
"Are you always this distracted in class?"
I turned to Killian's still form as he watched me with an apathetic look. A hint of worry broke through -- or maybe I'm just imagining it. And now that he was close, I took in the gold-rimmed designer glasses that hid his navy irises.
The red and grey collared shirt emphasized his broad shoulders. His athletic and sturdy form managed to trickle through, despite his cargo pants. Killian resumed a weird sketch on his notebook and I noticed a few speckles of paint beneath his nails.
He was drawing a serpentine creature with numerous sharp teeth. A basilisk.
Mr. Metallicbutt continued his lecture for almost 3 hours when the bell rang for break time. People rushed out of the class, not bothering to listen as our lecturer informed us about the upcoming examination week. Seeing he was relentlessly ignored, he sighed, grabbed his bag, and shuffled his way out the door.
Everyone gravitated into groups, conversing about anything and everything. Although, there were a few loners. I was glad to be one of them. Nothing better than peace, quiet, and solitude. I mentally counted 20 seconds before Hunter trudged in.
Right on time.
Every lunch break, the triplet seeks out Dimitri so they could eat. It took him half a second to spot me. He pursed his lips like I was the last person he wanted to meet. Yet his anger from before had simmered down completely.
Dimitri has really gotten through to him.
I smirked and he ignored my taunts before zeroing in on his friend. The extrovert was busy conversing with the girl from before, completely oblivious. Hunter made a beeline for them. But before he could get any closer, Vanni blocked his path. His humane movement was silent yet quick. Something only hunters possessed.
Hunter shuffled back, eyeing the weirdo. He tried to sidestep but he was blocked yet again."Back off buddy, I'm in a pissed-off mood."
Vanni closed the distance. "You smell funny." His eyes latched onto Hunter's neck. A small peek of Dimitri's tattoo poked above his dark sweater. Vanni grinned like he won a lottery and grabbed Hunter's collar, dragging him close. Hunter released a surprised grunt as Vanni sniffed his neck, right above the mark. "You definitely smell funny."
The mark glowed which I'm betting could only be seen by mythological beings. Yet it didn't go unnoticed.
Vanni's eyes widened at the tattoo, but before he could say more, hands grabbed his shirt and twirled him around, coming face to face with a raging Dimitri. "What do you think you're doing?"
Well, that escalated quickly.
I don't think I've ever seen Vanni so distraught. He stuttered. "I--"
"Don't you know there are rules newbies should abide by?" The girl from before sashayed closer. She leaned an arm on Dimitri's shoulder -- which was awkward considering he was very tall. "All newcomers are forbidden to talk or interact with the Petersons and anyone close to them unless advised by the school. Like Penny, for example." She jerked in my direction. "The only Peterson willing to talk to you is Pedro but unfortunately, he isn't here."
I felt a pang of pain at the name but tried to shake it off. The only reason Pedro talks to newbies is to introduce them to The Newbies Rite of Passage. A humiliating experience that lasted for a week. He nearly inducted Liam, but it was halted when Henry stomped into our mundane lives.
Vanni raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry. Just trying to make friends."
Hunter's eyebrow arched at his words. His expression seemed to scream; you call that making friends?
I couldn't blame him. Meeting Vanni for the first time is equivalent to seeing new food from a completely different culture. It looks weird at first but once you get a taste, it becomes familiar. Like your tastebuds have been exposed to an unexplored territory.
Dimitri's lips turned grim before releasing his hold. He sighed, anger siphoning away from his tensed features. "Fine, whatever."
He grabbed Hunter's wrist and tugged him out of the class -- probably towards the cafeteria. The girl moved after them like she was part of their circle. I snorted at her desperate attempt to fit in.
"Well, there goes my guide for today." Vanni stared after Dimitri before honing his focus on me.
Oh, no.
He sashayed closer, mimicking the girl from before. I held back a laugh and slammed up a stony face. Vanni grabbed a nearby desk with calloused fingers and pulled it to my free side. I was now sandwiched between the two cousins. Except Killian was busily perfecting his sketch, completely ignoring me.
"Hello, neighbor." Vanni slurred in a seductive tone. His dark curly hair fell over his forehead, nearly reaching his shoulders. The top half had been tied into a man bun. I took in the piercing on his nose and lips. A dark banded tattoo was etched around his neck and I almost mistook it for a huge choker. His physique wasn't too bad, even though he wore baggy clothes and was a few centimeters taller than Hunter.
"It's a been a while since we last talked. You promised to explore paranormal stuffs with me." He leaned his head on my shoulder like we were buddies.
I groaned and pushed him away with a finger.
"Your name is Penelope, right?" Killian said. His pencil sketched out the scales of his beast-like basilisk. "I think I prefer Penny."
I gritted my teeth. "Only friends call me Penny. We're not friends."
They both scoffed at the same time. "I think it's time you show us around, don't you think?" Vanni waved his fingers in the general direction of the door.
A million insults erupted in my head but before I could bring them to life Killian mumbled. "Does this school even have a library? Specifically one with art books."
That does it! I got up from my seat, dragging my chair back. "I'll show you the library. After that, just leave me alone."
I tore out of the classroom, not bothering to see if they followed. After three turns and two flights of steps, we reached a mahogany door. I grabbed the doorknob and pulled it open. The door creaked.
"Sshhh!" The librarian hissed from inside as we trudged passed her desk, mumbling a few greetings. I hurriedly walked through the aisle, carefully explaining the different sections of the library.
We moved to the art column and Killian instantly dug in, sorting and flipping through a row of books. He hugged a binder to his chest like it was his most prized possession. It had a classic inscription; The History of Art.
Vanni and I stared dumbfoundedly at the aggressive display of emotions.
"Damn, he's weird," He whispered to me with a hand cupped over his mouth. Yet the whisper was loud enough to catch his cousin's attention. Killian glared at us.
I folded my arms, growing impatient while waiting for him to get whatever book he needs before skedaddling out of here.
Patience, Penny.
There was a clucking sound of heels walking away before the main door closed shut. The place instantly fell silent. Too silent.
Did the librarian just leave?
Of course, the library gets abandoned during lunch break, but being alone with these two left me unsettled. Apparently, the cousins noticed it too. They glanced at each other as some sort of message passed between them.
"We should go" I choked out then turned on my feet, heading back the way we came.
"Hold up," Killian grabbed my arm and tugged me close.
I ripped his hand off with my nails and snarled. My feet backed away only for me to stumble into a warm chest. Arms wound around my waist seconds before Vanni placed his chin on my shoulder and whispered. "Relax. We know who you are and what you can do. The last thing we want is to cause trouble. And from the looks of it, any harm towards you means we'll have to answer to the Petersons."
"Especially this guy...Zion is it? He looks like someone who could even make the principal fall to his knees." Killian muttered with a smudge of irritation.
That still didn't make it comforting. It was obvious they didn't know anything about Liam.
I swallowed, knowing I could kill them-- use my chaotic abilities to get an advantage. But it's the last resort. "What do you want?"
Killian went back to sifting through his books when Vanni leaned closer to my ear. "We just want to ask you a few questions. Strange things keep lurking around the school. And you seem like the person who could get us answers."
Confusion slammed into me from different sides. "What are you talking about?"
"There are creatures disguised as humans. And I know you see them too."
My breath hitched along with a wave of relief. They weren't Sins disguised as students but something more relatable. It reminded me of the first time I was introduced to the greek world.
And did he just say there were creatures in the school?
The two could be hosting greek gods. Either that or they belonged to a broad spectrum of greek creatures. One thing was certain, they were unaware of their current position. And from experience, seeing through the phantom ability meant you are one of us. And that can only be achieved when your abilities have awakened.
Even at the thought. Something in me kept screaming that it was all a facade -- a pretense.
And as it stands now, I didn't know what to believe.
I know asked this before in book one, but I want to know if you have any thoughts about Vanni and Killian.
And if you were in the same room with one of the two cousins, who will you pick?
Don't forget to vote, comment and share.💜💜💜
Instagram and TikTok handle: @wpbelinda