Academy of Ancients: Academy of Ancients, #12

Chapter One

Briar

You have mail. Mrs. Brown handed me an envelope the second I walked through the door.

She’d said I could call her Mary when I first came to live with her. I couldn’t call her Mary. How do you call someone a good forty years older than you by their first name? She also once mentioned I could call her Mom. Couldn’t do that either. Being my foster mom for the past few months, that didn’t make her a mom. Not my mom anyway, no matter how sweet her intentions were meant to be. I didn’t need a mother. At eighteen, I’d made it this far without one, for the most part.

I closed the screen door behind me and entered the dim living room, darkened by the drawn heavy drapes in front of horizontal blinds. Anything to keep the fierce Texas sun from baking the front room and turning it into a convection oven. Summer in Houston, Texas. Always brutal.

I inhaled deeply. Mrs. Brown had been baking. Chocolate, by the scent of it.

She waved the envelope in front of me.

I glanced at it as if it were a rattlesnake. I wasn’t surprised that I had mail. I’d been getting tons of mail. Most of it was rejection letters to the colleges I’d applied to. Applications sent out near the end of my senior year because I tended to play catch up on every aspect of my life. I didn’t know I should have filled out the college applications earlier. I didn’t know a whole bunch about the things that I should and shouldn’t do when it came to life stuff. Things like applying for colleges before the last minute. Taking college aptitude tests early. Taxes. Jobs. Yeah. Lots I didn’t know.

I glanced at the envelope again. It looked like expensive stationery. Looked like the kind of school I couldn’t afford.

Let’s be honest—the only school I could afford would have to be offering me a ton of scholarships and grants. Otherwise, I’d be drowning in student loans and that was not a weight I needed to be added to my plate.

Thanks. I forced a smile to my lips as I took it from her.

Mrs. Brown wrapped her arm around my shoulder. It may not be like the others.

Right.

I twirled the envelope between my fingers for a few seconds before shoving it between the pages of my British lit book. Finding out I’d been rejected could wait.

No, no. Mrs. Brown plucked it out. I made chocolate chip cookies. Why don’t you open it while you have some? That way we can celebrate. She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t have to.

Celebrate—more like commiserate—the fact that I was rejected, again.

Sure, why not have some chocolate chip cookies and milk to wash down the bitterness of rejection? I hated to say it, but life had made me cynical, apparently too much for someone my age, according to Mrs. Brown.

I paused. Where’s Jake? He would usually be greeting me by now, even if it was just to shout at me from his room.

Jacob’s running an errand for me.

Jacob—Jake. My foster brother. He’d been here for a year.

All of Mrs. Brown’s birth children were grown and out of the house and she’d been too lonely without them, so she became a foster mom. Took rejects like me in. I wouldn’t say that about Jake; he was far from a reject. He also had his driver’s license, so that meant he got to borrow her white Hyundai Elantra for her errands and his own. A driver’s license. Yeah, I should have one. But I don’t. There’s a good reason for that.

There’s a good reason for a lot of what’s going on in my life. Or not going on, I suppose.

Jake. The one with good grades. Starting quarterback for Melvin Hahn High School, where we both attended. Jake, the one who got a full ride to Texas State. Texas State and every other school had been courting him hard, wanting him for their team and yadda, yadda, yadda. I liked him, I did, but at the same time, couldn’t he just have one little flaw? Just one time where he messed up, instead of my always being the one who did? Hell, I was lucky to get a high school diploma. What with my bad behavior and all that nonsense. I wouldn’t say I got away with being lazy, or acting out because of my past, but it didn’t hurt either. Everyone expected me to be the bad one.

I simply didn’t see the effort in trying to prove them wrong.

And then there was Jake. Came from a harsh background just like me and he’s the star child. Wish I could say the same for me, what with all my rejection letters, and less than stellar grades, no activities of note on my high school resume, no clubs, nothing. No school wanted to touch a crazy case like me.

Clubs. I cringed just thinking of being stuck in one of those. The only organizations I could belong to would be the I don’t know who my father is and my mother can’t kick heroin clubs. Too bad there were no formal clubs for those.

There was, of course, the other bonus of having Jake around. He was the guy who made my pulse race and my stomach fill with butterflies. Jake, who’d be leaving for Texas State in a few short weeks and I’d be alone with Mrs. Brown, working at some crappy part-time job until she got sick of me and kicked me out.

I bit back a sigh and traipsed through the living room with its threadbare carpet and sat on one of the mismatched chairs in front of the kitchen table. The distressed wood and cracked tile table had a plate full of cookies, and from the smell of them, they were still warm.

Where’s everyone else? I expected to see my other foster brothers and sisters, because who could resist freshly baked chocolate chip cookies anyway?

Missy’s at basketball practice, catching the late bus. Renee is at volleyball, also riding the late bus. Jorge and Jose are at a friend’s. They’ll be home later.

Mrs. Brown had a lot of foster kids. That would explain why she didn’t have new furniture or more money in her savings account. She should be sainted, she’s that awesome. I might be bitter about my own life, but she had nothing to do with that. I heard plenty of horror stories about crappy foster parents and she was far from one of them.

She set a cold glass of milk, condensation building on the outside, on the table at one of the seats. Next to it, she placed the envelope and a sharp letter opener. I smiled at the idea of her letter opener and thought of all the other envelopes I’d mangled while opening them.

Mrs. Brown was so precise.

I picked up the sharp-edged tool and tucked it under the seam of the envelope but paused before I tore into it. I realized I hadn’t read which school would be telling me no this time.

I flipped over the thick buff-colored envelope and read the return address:

SILENT HEIGHTS, PENNSYLVANIA 15021

No school name, no street name, no street number.

The stationery felt fancy, but there wasn’t even an insignia for the college on it. When I flipped it back over, I noticed the small circle of wax sealing the envelope. I set the letter opener down and ran my fingers over the wax instead. Who the hell sealed letters with wax anymore? The symbol of two crossed swords with an owl in the center wasn’t familiar, but I had applied to just about every school imaginable. They all ran together after a while, but the lack of a name bothered me.

How was I supposed to know what school was rejecting me ahead of time?

Mrs. Pogue, the school counselor, had helped me these past few weeks and I assumed this was one off her list. Never heard of a college sending out letters to students unless they applied. And at last count, we had sent out at least thirty applications, maybe more.

I stopped counting, or caring, honestly.

No one wanted me, and it wasn’t anything new in my life.

The sound of a throat clearing reminded me that Mrs. Brown was watching, waiting. Next would come the toe tapping and fingernail drumming.

Alright, alright, I muttered as I broke the wax seal. I’m opening it.

Just saying, the longer you hold it, the longer you have to wait to eat a cookie. Fingers crossed, hon, this is the good one.

I wished I could have her confidence, but if life taught me anything it was that I was better off having meager expectations, if I had any at all. I picked at the wax, almost hating to break the seal, but as soon as I opened the flap, I swore a chill wind whipped around the kitchen.

Mrs. Brown hadn’t seemed to notice it.

I frowned. Must’ve imagined it. I pulled out the heavy paper and unfolded it. I read over the greeting and then the next few words. I blinked a few times, not sure I read it right. I closed my eyes, opened them again, and read the same thing.

"It says Congratulations. I think… I think I just got accepted into a school."

Really? Mrs. Brown peered over my shoulder and whooped. It does. You got in, Briar. Look at that.

I wasn’t sure about celebrating before I searched for the school name. At the bottom was a fancy, looping signature that had been hand signed. That seemed odd, but then I glanced at the top of the page and found that symbol again. Words were printed in a fancy, almost unreadable font on a banner running around the two swords. It was Latin… or some other language I couldn’t read.

And beneath that were three words: Academy of Ancients.

This is a joke, right? I stated. What is this place?

I don’t know, but it sounds fancy, Mrs. Brown said with a wink. And old, very old. Probably some prestigious college that is very far away from Texas.

I was hoping to stay in Texas.

What for? Hon, this is your chance for a fresh start, she said encouragingly. Get you out of this state and away from your past. Take this opportunity and run with it. What’s wrong with leaving Texas anyway?

I wasn’t sure how to tell her moving out of Texas would take me away from Jake, and he was the closest thing I had to a friend, to a guy I wanted as more than just a friend. That and I’d never left the state before. I grew up here, and I was just going to what, pick up and leave all that behind? For some prestigious school where I already knew I wouldn’t fit in? I was the reject, the outcast. I wouldn’t fit in anywhere. I handed over the letter, so Mrs. Brown could read it as I nibbled at a cookie, pondering my next move, if I even had one.

Are you sure it says I was accepted? I wasn’t sure what I was hoping would change, but when she shot me a narrow-eyed look, I shrugged. What? Just making sure it’s actually me they wanted.

She patted me on the arm. You don’t have enough confidence in yourself.

Bingo, but I didn’t say it aloud.

She went to grab her reading glasses after muttering about not being able to see a damned thing on the paper and slipped them onto her face.

I must say, that is a very intriguing seal for a college. Very old school.

I smirked. Old school?

Yes, isn’t that what you kids call it these days? She was grinning as she said it, and I laughed, trying not to choke on my cookie.

Her lips moved over the words as she read them, finding a chair at the table. When her brow went up, I stopped chewing, worried I had misread it after all, and that something was very wrong with this acceptance letter. She nodded, folded up the letter, and tucked it all back into the envelope, a blank look on her face.

Well? I finally asked. Come on, just tell me. It’s not for me, right?

No, no that’s not the case at all, she promised and broke into a beaming smile. You have a full ride. Everything paid for.

I stuck a finger in my ear and wiggled it. I’m sorry, could you say that again?

You have a full ride. You’re going to college.

She got up out of her chair and rushed around to hug me as I sat there, stunned. I hugged her back, unsure of what else I could do. A paid ride out of this place to somewhere new. I eyed the envelope on the table as if it might come to life and bite me.

Pennsylvania. I was going very far away from home.

That chill wind sent another shiver down my spine, and this time I didn’t imagine it.

Even Mrs. Brown shuddered and glanced around. Must be the air acting up again. Can’t figure out how cold it needs to be in this dang heat.

Yeah, the AC, I agreed numbly. I think I’m going to go upstairs and make sure I’m good for my finals this week and all.

Take some more cookies with you. She piled about five more onto a napkin, topped them with the envelope. I’ll make something special for dinner tonight.

She hugged me again, nearly crushing the cookies between us, before she let me leave the kitchen. I snagged my backpack and dashed upstairs to my tiny bedroom. Being one of the oldest meant I didn’t have to share; neither did Jake, and I was grateful for it. I tossed my bag on my bed, set the cookies down, and with the envelope in hand sat down at my itty, bitty rickety desk.

Alright, Academy of Ancients, I said to myself as I waited for my old laptop to boot up. Let’s figure out exactly what type of school you are.

Five minutes later, I was finally able to open a browser window and type in the name of the school. Nothing popped up. I frowned, typing in the name of the town and zip code and still there was nothing. Leaning back in my chair, I was inclined to believe that this was a prank after all.

Downstairs, I heard the front door open, and heard Jake’s voice.

I was tapping my fingers on the desk when his steps sounded in the hall followed by a knock. Hey, I hear you have some good news?

I waved him in over my shoulder, staring with frustration at the computer. Yeah, check this out.

I handed him the envelope, and he flopped down on my bed.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the flow of thoughts about this guy, in my room, on my bed. Why did he have to think of me as just a friend? It almost killed me the other day when he said I was the sister he always wished he had growing up. Sister. Just his sister.

Maybe getting out of state would be good for me.

This looks spiffy. He examined the envelope before pulling out the letter. Holy crap. You got in.

He rushed over to hug me while I was still sitting down, and it took everything I had not to find some way to kiss him, just to see if he would ever think about changing his mind about us.

I resisted, and he let go so he could read the rest of the letter.

I’ve never heard of this school.

Yeah, neither have I and clearly the internet hasn’t either.

Really? He leaned over my shoulder, and I breathed in his cologne. Huh, that’s weird. You can’t find anything on them at all?

His grey eyes narrowed at the computer screen, and I imagined a very different scenario happening here. Why did he have to be so damned good looking? With those dimples and that short black hair he gelled every day. And why did it have to be football he played, making him all muscular under his tight T-shirts?

I don’t want to be the negative one here, but you’re sure this is real, right?

I’m going to see Mrs. Pogue tomorrow to make sure, but if it is, guess I’m going to college, too. Full ride, can you believe it?

Don’t know why you thought you’d be stuck here forever. He set the letter on my desk and squeezed my shoulder, beaming brightly. You’re damned smart, Briar. About time you realized you’re meant for more than Podunk, Texas.

Dunno, thought sticking around the same state for a while would be nice.

Nah, you should get out and see the world a bit.

I laughed sharply. Pennsylvania is far from the world, Jake.

Maybe, but it’s a start.

I shouldn’t have been questioning my good luck, but this letter, this whole situation felt off. I glanced one more time at the computer screen but gave up the search and closed it.

Want to study together tonight? We have that AP Euro final coming up.

And you suck with dates. I grinned. History was probably the only weakness Jake had, and I never missed a chance to give him crap about it. Though somehow, he still managed to get straight As while I barely held on with my fingernails.

Which brought up another point Mrs. Brown and Jake hadn’t said anything about. The full ride… there was no explanation for that. My grades were crap, and this school was willing to pay for everything? I worried they’d want me to do some sort of on-campus type work to compensate and inwardly groaned.

I was far from a people person.

Jake said he was going to grab his notes and he’d meet me downstairs in the living room to study. I told him I’d be down in a minute, and I took a few to read the entire letter a final time.

There was nothing in it to tell me exactly what I was getting into. Just a full ride, transportation, room and board, the works.

Now the question remained, what exactly did one study at an Academy of Ancients? Secret societies? Mysteries of history? Hoped it was something worthwhile. Otherwise this was going to wind up being a waste of their time and mine.

The next day at school, I made an appointment with Mrs. Pogue and watched the clock move painstakingly slow, bearing with chemistry, lit, and history, until finally, I could go see her.

Mrs. Pogue, thin, with pale skin and the blackest of straight hair, looked up at me over her computer screen. Briar.

I felt stupid for what I was going to say next, but I’d been up most the night trying to search for anything about this school again. Still nothing. I handed her the envelope. What school is this?

She took it from me, looked at the return address, then reached for her mouse. A few clicks later, she swiveled the monitor so I could see it, and pointed. On the screen was a spreadsheet—the one she created when she was helping me apply to schools.

It’s one on the list. One of the first we applied to, and I’m glad to see they sent you a letter.

Yeah, about that… I got accepted with a full ride.

For being a counselor who was meant to deal with all sorts of kids without being judgmental, she failed miserably at hiding the surprised look on her face. She couldn’t even find words and finally just opened the envelope to read the letter for herself, as if I was lying right to her face. Which to be fair, I’d done plenty of times before, but this, this was still weirding me out.

I Googled them last night. Saw nothing about this school. Nothing, Mrs. Pogue. I’m worried they’re not even real and this was all just a mistake, I mumbled the last quietly, shifting in the hard-backed chair.

They’re exclusive. They won’t have anything online for you to see.

Seriously? Please tell me they have electricity at least.

She shot me a look, but I held her gaze.

They merely adhere to a different tradition than many other schools. It’s part of the reason why I thought it would suit you so well.

Traditions, great. That’s just what I wanted to hear. Probably write with quills and ink, too.

Briar, really, I don’t see what’s wrong with this, she scolded.

I grunted, and she shot me another look.

It’s in Pennsylvania. It snows there. I’m a Texan, born and raised. Not exactly used to snow. Or cold. Or anything else that happens up there that does not happen down here.

Did you hear from the other schools? she asked sharply.

Maybe it was my embarrassment at all the rejection letters that made me lie, and damn was I getting good at lying. I was accepted to two. No full rides. No scholarships whatsoever.

So, this is the best thing you’ve got going, right?

I crossed my arms and wished that I had been accepted somewhere else that wasn’t so traditional… and secretive… and weird. Only thing I’ve got going, but what if it’s not a good fit, you know? This seems pretty fancy and all, and I’m not exactly that type of person.

You’re worried you won’t fit in, is that it? Briar, it’s college. It’s your chance to see what you’re made of and figure out what you want to do. You’ll be fine.

I probably would be, but that wasn’t the point. Jake got into Texas State and was staying here, and I was going far, far away. Another problem was, Jake was asking Heather to be his girl—he told me last night while we were studying—and where is she going to college? Oh, that’s right, Texas State. Go figure.

Not only was the guy I liked asking someone out instead of me, but half of me also said I couldn’t exactly blame him. Why would he ask out a tomboy with curves she tried to hide, and no makeup on her face? Who was more comfortable acting the part of the loner reject than being sociable? Heather was pretty, and I was me. Hiding my body in baggy clothes, face stripped of makeup, hair pulled back into a ponytail, messy and falling out of it half the time. The chances of my seeing him again were slim to none. I wasn’t sure I’d even come home for the holidays. Mrs. Brown might wind up with more foster kids soon, and once we were out of high school, we were no longer her problem.

I might as well kiss any chance with Jake goodbye and hope for the best at this new place.

The Academy of Ancients. I sighed. What kind of name is that for a school?

I hate to say it, but I think you’re scared to take this chance.

So what if I am?

She handed the envelope back, and smiled, actually smiled. Not to be too blunt about it, but life hasn’t exactly been easy for you. You’ve fought hard and despite how you act, I know deep down you’re smart, and you want to make something of yourself. She grinned wider, the look weird on a face I was used to seeing so serious. Take this gift and go live your life.

Yeah, yeah you’re right. Guess I’ll be heading to Pennsylvania. Where it snows, I mumbled. Thanks, Mrs. Pogue.

I had the whole summer to think about where my new path was about to take me. And a whole summer to dream up just how royally I was going to mess this up.

Chapter Two

Briar

Two Months Later

Cheer up. Jake chucked my chin, which made me feel like a little kid, then hugged me, which made me feel nothing like a little kid. It kicked up emotions in me that I wished I didn’t feel.

I stood in the hallway outside his room, waiting for my taxi to arrive to take me to the airport.

All summer, I tried to convince myself there was no point in pining over him, not when he was staying here, and I was going far, far away. And he was still with Heather, of course. I’d endured several of their date nights at the house, putting on a fake smile until I managed to leave the living room and disappear into my bedroom.

When I wasn’t busy finding ways to get over him, I spent my time researching the college I was attending. I searched for newspaper articles, college catalogs, anything I could think of.

The only thing that did turn up was an article about an incident at the college around thirty years ago. Something about several students going missing, but there was never any conclusion to what happened, or if they ever found the students again.

Nice to know the school I was about to attend had unsolved disappearances.

Academy of Ancients, that seemed very fitting now.

At least you got into one. Be happy about it. Full ride and all, you should be jumping up and down with excitement, ready to take on the world right now.

Guess the excitement will hit me later after I’ve landed.

My bags were packed. Correction, my bag, because I didn’t have enough stuff to fit into more than one bag. I wondered how much of an allowance I’d be given to get by on. That bit of information wasn’t outlined in the letters. They sent another one with my plane ticket, but that was it. Just a date and time to get to the airport.

Jake didn’t know that this was goodbye. I’d tell him in a few moments. Maybe see if he could take us out for some ice cream. Fresh made ice cream, the best I’d ever had. Jake had his license. I didn’t. It was stupid really, that I didn’t have one. I could have taken driver’s ed. Mrs. Brown even offered to pay for it. I didn’t take her up on her offer. She didn’t have the money to spare, and I didn’t see myself owning a car anytime in my near future. What was the point when I never stayed in one place long enough?

Story of my life. A few months here, then a few months there, then my mother decides she wants to play parent again, and I’m back with her. That usually lasts a maximum of six months, then I’m back into the system and waiting for another home.

So yeah, I didn’t feel that I could let Mrs. Brown pay for my driver’s ed class.

Jake tried to teach me. Good luck. I froze every time I got behind the wheel and started to shake so bad he figured I’d had some unpleasant experience that I’ve blocked out from my youth.

Ya think? I grew up with a mother who couldn’t decide if she liked booze or drugs more. Me? I was always tied for second with one of her boyfriends. She had more boyfriends than I had foster homes. And that’s saying a lot. So yeah, I could have had a bad experience or two in my life that I’d put away, pushed into a place where it would never come out and see the light of day again. Nights when I’d wake up to Mom fighting and kicking another guy out of the apartment. Of dragging me out with her at random times to get more booze, or worse, score some drugs. The days she’d forget to feed me or get me to school. Or the times her boyfriends gave me that weird look that would leave me with nightmares.

I hated to say it, but Mrs. Pogue was right. Getting out of Texas and away from Mom, maybe forever, was a good thing.

Jake’s phone vibrated on his dresser. He leapt toward it as if it was a sporting event and winning depended on his catching his phone on time. He glanced at it, and his face lit up as my heart plummeted. I knew what he was going to say next.

It’s Heather. She’s waiting for me to get her for the weekend. Going to Padre before the semester starts and it’s back to the grind for all of us.

Yeah, sure. Have fun. I didn’t mean it. But I said it. I might hate her guts for simply being with him, but I wasn’t going to take it out on him. I could be civil… sort of.

You, too. His hug was quick, and then he was down the hall, and a few seconds later, I heard him call out to Mrs. Brown that he was leaving, and that was it.

Jake was gone.

I fought the sadness, knowing I wouldn’t be seeing Jake again, at least not for a long time. If ever. Picking up my bag, I trudged downstairs, not bothering to look into my bedroom one more time. Just another stop on the ever-moving train that was my life. I told Mrs. Brown I’d be out on the porch, waiting for my ride. This was it, the start of the rest of my life.

Here’s to hoping losing my sanity and turning to drugs does not run in the family.

Mom had been normal until she hit college and then everything changed. At least that was what she told me. College messed her up, but she’d never told me where she went. Not ever.

Not that it mattered. Mom was part of the past and Academy of Ancients was my future.

I slept most of the flight, couched between a businesswoman in a suit and an older man whose story I couldn’t figure out. Someone’s grandfather from all the babbling talk about kids and so on and so forth until I tuned him out long enough to doze, eyes open and everything.

The businesswoman was busy doing some sort of presentation on her laptop. I tried not to peek, tried to mind my own business. It wasn’t hard to do, because whatever she was working on looked boring. Marketing or something. That and her face was pinched the whole time, as if she really hated her job.

Before we even took off, though, the older guy gave me a smile, patted my hand, and said not to worry, it would be fine.

Freaked out, I wondered if my apprehension for the school, for the trip, for my life in general, showed on my face. It was my first time on an airplane, and I didn’t think I’d sleep. But I did. Probably because of the sleepless nights leading up to today.

The whole disappearance story about Academy nagged at me, and I swore I dreamt about people trying to kidnap me in my sleep. I’d woken up several different times, panicking until I convinced myself I was alone and safe. At least, until I went to this place of course that was content to keep itself to, well, itself.

That and the day before, I’d reached out to tell my mom about my scholarship. The woman who answered her phone said Mom was away, some woman I didn’t recognize from her voice.

How long? I’d said.

Two to five, the woman responded and promptly hung up before I could even ask where she was, or what she did this time around.

If only she would take two seconds, just one time, to call me herself and let me know.

I may not want to live with her, but it’d be nice to know if she was in jail or out. Or alive. If I never tried to check in once and a while, I’d never know anything about her current affairs. Not that she was ever truthful with me, not really. Told me she was protecting me. That was bull, but whatever.

Did I look out the plane’s window the couple times that I woke up? Not once. Not interested in seeing how far the plane would fall if there were a catastrophe.

Not that one happened. The plane landed with a thud that made my heart leap into my throat. I gripped the armrests with enough force to hear the squeak of protest. And I’m not that strong.

I had no checked baggage. One small bag that I gathered from the overhead and followed everyone else off the plane, not sure where to go or what to do. The letter with the ticket said I’d be met at the airport by another student to bring me back to campus.

The older guy was in front of me, the businesswoman behind me with her rolling carry-on behind her. We walked down the narrow path between the plane and the walkway, and I hoped it wouldn’t give. Then I chastised myself for imagining any scenario that would get me out of going to this school.

Once they’d all headed out, I found myself in the same big room in a big airport like the one that I’d left behind in Houston. There were podiums for each gate, attended by airline employees. I slung my bag over my shoulder, puffed out my cheeks, and mentally cursed.

Where the hell do I go now? I muttered aloud.

The old man looked back at me suddenly, and I realized I must’ve said that louder than I meant. His white brows drew into a frown as he sidled back and asked, You have checked baggage?

I shook my head. Just this.

Someone’s meeting you then, right? You have a ride?

I hesitated in telling this guy too much. Was he a creeper? I studied him without trying to look like I was doing it. The look in his eyes told me I didn’t need to worry. He was someone’s grandpa after all, and what he was showing was genuine concern.

Someone’s meeting me, I finally told him, and he smiled.

Then go that way. He pointed. Follow the exit signs.

I nodded. Thanks. And hoped he’d head out. I didn’t want company. I wanted to absorb this new turn my life was taking on my own.

Sure thing. He started walking down the same path I’d have to take.

Figures.

I caught the signs for a restroom and went inside, needing a few minutes to gather my thoughts before I left the safety of the airport. Not that it was safe, but now that I was here, my hands shook, and my heart hadn’t stopped pounding, my pulse drowning out the din outside the bathroom. Out of all the crazy stuff I dealt with in my life, starting college scared me.

Get a grip, I told myself angrily and glared at my reflection. You’re a big girl, you can handle this. Just be who you are. The quiet outcast. Keep your head down, and you’ll be fine, just fine.

One of these times it’d be nice if I believed my own pep talks.

My phone buzzed a text message. I pulled it out, hiding in the corner of the restroom. The second I opened it, I wished I hadn’t.

It was a text from Jake. A picture of him and Heather at the beach. Her in her perfect bikini body and bleached hair, him all muscular and making me want to hug and throttle him at the same time. Did he seriously not have any clue how annoying this was?

My heart felt like it was in a vise. I deleted the text immediately, shoved the phone into my back pocket, and left the restroom, following the exit signs. Some stern warning signs informed me that I was leaving the secured area. I paused. Would I need to go back? Why would I?

My bag was in hand, phone in back pocket. I had nothing else in the world, certainly nothing in this airport.

I stepped through the gate manned by a guy who looked like he was bored to pieces. No one came in this door, clearly. He knew it and wasn’t expecting to be called to action. He glanced at me lethargically as I walked by.

Now what? I kept on moving, following the exit signs. The letter said someone would meet me here. What did here mean? One foot in front of the other, full of trepidation, maybe even excitement, I made my way past all the exit signs.

I was nervous. I shouldn’t be nervous, not with all the things I’d seen in my eighteen years. Dealers, hookers, anyone that my mom kept company with at the time, but yet, the prospect of big-kid classes, of expectations, of keeping the right to have this scholarship that would not only give me a place to live, but also give me an education, knowing how much this rode on my behavior and performance gave me the jitters more than anything I’d experienced in or out of my mother’s home or any of the foster homes. I couldn’t blow this. Just couldn’t.

I let out a deep breath and begged my nerves not to get the better of me. The last thing I wanted to do was puke on anyone’s shoes.

I stared down at my feet suddenly when they felt like they were burning, but there was nothing there, and I frowned. Just my nerves getting the best of me. I looked back up and around, finally sighing in relief.

The sign that the guy leaning against the post was holding read Briar Shroud.

Me. I gulped.

He wasn’t exactly waving it. He wasn’t waving it at all. He stood there, leaning against that post, looking almost as bored as that security guy, but about a million times more detached, as if he had to be bribed to come and get the new girl.

I frowned, wondering why there weren’t more people needing to be picked up. I came from Texas, but surely other students had flown in from somewhere. Anywhere. Why weren’t there more people here to greet them?

I hung back, the unease I had about this place all summer growing tenfold.

There was no going home. I couldn’t do that, not now when I was technically no longer Mrs. Brown’s foster kid. I was just Briar Shroud, alone in the world.

I still couldn’t get my feet to move, so I stared at the guy instead. He hadn’t seen me yet, or at least I don’t think he had. Not that he appeared to be paying much attention to anything at all. This was my ride. He wasn’t that much older than me. Maybe a year or two. He was dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt. His hair was long, but not the model kind of long, more like the skater kind of long. Dark blue eyes that reminded me of a predator surveyed the airport lobby, narrowed, as if expecting an attack to come at any time. Or his prey to make an appearance.

I swallowed hard again and mentally kicked myself for letting my imagination get the better of me. He was just a normal guy, and I was going to a normal college.

With reports of student disappearances.

I shoved that thought aside.

Walking forward a bit farther, I half-heartedly waved in his direction, but there was no reaction. Instead, his eyes followed another girl about my age, cute clothes, makeup, and curly hair.

He straightened and watched her closely, but then she was gone, and he pursed his lips.

I ran my fingers through my messy hair and regretted not putting makeup on that morning. I lifted my arm higher and waved again, but still no reaction. How was it he hadn’t seen me yet?

But then his body shifted, and his eyes grazed over me, and moved on instantly, dismissing me.

I was used to being disregarded, but for some reason, this one time bothered me more than any other had. Who was he to dismiss me? Who did he think he was? I might’ve spent the first eighteen years of my life as a reject, but this school accepted me, and I was not going to be shoved to the side like I was nothing. Not anymore.

In that split second, with that brief glance, I’d decided I didn’t like him. Might even hate him. If only I didn’t need him to give me a ride, I’d find something to chuck at his head before running off, but I was pretty sure it would be rude of me not to accept the ride provided.

I ground my teeth and approached him.

His eyes remained averted until I loudly cleared my throat.

I’m Briar.

He looked me up and down, as if not believing. You?

His voice was smoother than I expected, but underlaid with more of that boredom so clearly reflected on his face.

Yeah, me. Need to see my ID? I snapped. I had a state ID even though I didn’t have a driver’s license.

He hesitated as if about to argue with me but shrugged and folded up the small sign with my name on it. So much for assuming, I heard him mumble before he said louder, Follow me.

He ignored my smartass question, turned abruptly, and headed toward a set of glass double doors. They opened automatically. He slipped through them, and I followed, still lugging along my bag.

He walked as if he were the ruler of the Earth, as if he were the heir apparent. For all I knew, he came from some fancy family name. Mrs. Pogue—or was it Mrs. Brown?—had said this school was prestigious, traditional. I’d hoped I wouldn’t be dealing with spoiled, rich brats, but after meeting the welcoming committee, it appeared I was walking right into a world I so did not belong in.

When we reached a black Lexus, he paused at the rear door, opened it, and held out his hand. I frowned at him until he rolled his eyes. Your bag?

Oh, right. I handed it over and watched him glance around behind me, appearing confused. Something wrong?

Is this all you have?

I squared my shoulders and nodded. Problem with that?

He smiled, but it was far from friendly. No, not at all. Get in.

He tossed my bag unceremoniously on the back seat and slammed the door, leaving me standing there, fists clenched, fighting the urge to strangle him. Murder would probably not look so good either on my first day.

You coming, or what, Shroud?

I ground my teeth hard and climbed into the passenger seat just as he got in behind the wheel and started the engine. Do I get to know your name or is that some secret like everything else about this place?

He pulled out into the lane, and we were off, him not saying a word.

Or you can be a d-bag and not say anything to me. That’s cool, too.

His lips twitched, but he never looked over at me. Zachary. Happy now, Shroud?

Outwardly, I kept a blank face, but inside I was grinning. His voice… I might not like him, but I liked his voice. No Texas drawl there, no accent at all really. I tried to get comfortable in my seat, suddenly wishing I had no accent either. But I was stuck with a bit of that Texas twang; it mostly came out when I was pissed, which lately had been all the time. I tapped my fingers on the door handle, staring out the window, and doing my best not to check him out.

Who the hell was I kidding? I had nothing else to do on this car ride. Subtly, I turned my head and watched his eyes flicker as he wove us in and out of traffic without any effort at all.

His gaze shot to me and I quickly looked away, but not before getting another look at those deep, cerulean blue eyes. They were gorgeous, too gorgeous for a guy with his crappy attitude.

I waited a few seconds then glanced over again to catch his smirk.

See something you like? he muttered.

Cheeks burning, I glared at him pointedly, ready to say no, but, how could I? His face was all chiseled jawline and high cheekbones, even a bit of scruff on his cheeks and chin. He was muscular, too, well-toned, and his T-shirt clung to him a bit tighter than I realized before. I lifted my gaze and froze when his eyes locked on mine for a solid three seconds before he smirked again and turned back to the road.

No, I said, hating how shaky that word came out. Nothing at all.

Hmm, right then.

What’s that supposed to mean?

Nothing at all, he repeated my words and winked.

I glowered, staring straight ahead and wondered how much longer I’d have to endure being stuck with him in this car.

Chapter Three

Zach

My fingers curled tighter around the steering wheel, sensing her eyes on me again. It was hard for me to do the same when I had to watch the road, so we didn’t crash.

I was told yesterday who my assignment was. All upperclassmen were stuck as mentor to a newcomer. All I was told was her name, nothing else.

Oh wait, there was one more thing. They told me she probably had no clue what she was. Because my life wasn’t difficult enough already, I knew had to find a way to break the news to this girl that she wasn’t just a girl from Texas. Oh no, she was far from that. She was a damned witch who didn’t even know she was a damned witch. That was how it was these days. So many of the newbies coming in were clueless. Always made the first week of orientation exciting, to say the least.

I’d been lucky last year and landed a warlock who came from a long line of them. He’d been a bit full of himself, but at least he knew he could do magic. She probably had no idea what element would guide her either.

I grumbled to myself about spending the next month dealing with a clueless girl from Texas when I should be focused on my classes.

I felt her eyes on me again, but when I glanced over, she turned back to the window.

I didn’t want to admit it, but that Texas drawl, when she was a bit riled up, made me smirk. I knew the second I saw her she’d have attitude, and she was going to be trouble.

As people had filed off the escalator, I’d watched all the girls that could’ve been her, checking their auras. That blonde would’ve been perfect. Her aura was yellow, vibrant. She would’ve been a breeze to deal with. But no, I got stuck with someone bearing a red aura, which spelled bad news for me.

Don’t think too hard over there, you might pop a blood vessel, she mumbled.

I wasn’t sure if she’d wanted me to hear her or not so didn’t say anything back. I did take a few seconds to look at her again, that ebony hair hanging over her shoulders and those damned eyes. They were so dark, they were nearly black, but it was the flecks of gold within them I was fascinated by. Never had I seen eyes quite like hers. Nor had I met someone who appeared to be a walking contradiction. Her words and posture said she was sure of herself, sure of everything in her life.

But those eyes gave everything away.

They made her seem so timid, and almost reluctant to be here. Not that I could blame her. She wasn’t exactly going to a normal college, and if no one had informed her of that yet, it was going to be a rude awakening as soon as we arrived.

I guessed I could’ve been nice and given her a heads-up, but I had a feeling I’d be dealing with enough of her backlash in the coming weeks. Unless of course, she hated me enough to just leave me alone. That was ideal. Somehow, I had a feeling she’d stick with me just for the sheer joy of driving me crazy.

That red aura bothered me. Red always meant anger and danger. A treacherous combination.

Where’s the campus? she asked.

I shrugged, weaving into the left lane again to get around some more traffic before swerving back to the right and taking an exit, leading us away from the city. Not exactly.

Are we near any sort of civilization?

There’s a small town we pass through, but really you won’t need to leave campus for anything. Academy supplies everything you need.

She scratched her head, and I watched her aura fluctuate with her nerves. And uh, how do we pay for things that we need? Supplies and what not? They weren’t really specific in the letter, and I’m… I’m on a bit of a budget… or no budget.

The single bag told me that much without her saying it. A twinge of guilt made me regret some of my attitude—some, not all of it. They’ll explain it all at the orientation.

Oh, sure. Of course, because there’s nothing weird at all about any of this.

I laughed until she glared at me. What?

You’re laughing, and I’m not exactly sure what’s so funny.

Trust me, you’re not the only one thinking the same exact thing, I said, trying to lighten the sudden tense car, but all it did was make her scowl. You’re worrying for nothing, Shroud.

And what reason have you given me that I should trust you?

The bitterness came across loud and clear in those few words, but she wasn’t looking at me when she said them. Her eyes darkened even more, but those gold flecks glowed all the brighter.

None, but Academy is a good place. You’ll like it there. Yeah, because she was going to listen to me after I’d been oh so nice so far.

And the disappearances?

I nearly missed my next turn at her words. Wait, what?

You know, the students that went missing like thirty years ago? It was the only thing I could find about Academy when I was looking for it online, she explained quietly. One tiny article about some students vanishing and then there was nothing else. Ever. About anything.

Not sure you looked up the right academy, I muttered.

Disappearances? I racked my brain, thinking back over the history of the school I went to, that my brothers went to, and our parents before us and so on. No one in all their years had ever mentioned students vanishing. How had she managed to find something like that?

Right, sure, whatever.

If it had been tense in the car before, now it was even worse. As soon as the orientation was over, I was going to stop by the headmaster’s office and ask him about these vanishings. It wasn’t a large place, I knew every face at least, if not every name. I was pretty sure we’d all notice if people were going poof right out of Academy.

We still had a good half-hour drive to campus, but I was no longer in the mood to try to make polite conversation. Or any conversation. Damned if I wasn’t right about her being trouble and screwing my life up. Barely twenty minutes together and she had me on edge, reluctant to hear what other little tidbits she’d throw at me once she realized I was her mentor for her entire first year.

Joy to me.

My hands warmed, and I bit my lip to stop from summoning my power by accident. I hadn’t done that since I was a freshman, but something about this Briar made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

No matter.

I’d get her to orientation and pray I was too busy the entire year to deal with her crazy accusations and the endless questions I saw on her face.

Chapter Four

Briar

I picked at my nails, a habit I dropped the last few months while living with Mrs. Brown, Jake, and the rest. But now I had neither one here to tell me I was overreacting, and everything was going to turn out just fine, I’d see.

But no, no I wouldn’t see because this guy didn’t even know the dark history of his own academy. And we were leaving civilization farther behind with every passing second. And, the car was quiet, quieter than dead quiet. If he knew anything about the disappearances, he kept his mouth shut. They were probably told to. And now, there was no more fun conversation with Zachary. Or Zach, which probably was what everyone called him. No conversation at all. Just obnoxiously loud quiet, interrupted by the picking of my nails.

So, here we were in a Lexus, not exactly the newest model, but it didn’t seem that old. It was black, with dark tinted windows. So dark they were almost black. I knew from Jake that Texas had laws about how dark a window tint could be. I bet these would be illegal in Texas. My mind rambled on with useless thoughts, but at least it stopped me from imagining the insanity I was about to walk into. If we ever got there.

Zach, with those sharp blue eyes, wasn’t even grumbling under his breath anymore. If we ever were back on talking terms, I’d have to ask how he managed to keep himself so quiet. Not saying a word. He stared straight ahead, driving without caution. If I hadn’t been used to Mrs. Brown’s erratic driving, or Mom’s for that matter, his weaving in and out of traffic so fast would’ve had me gripping the door handle and shutting my eyes.

Eventually, the road was down to a two-lane blacktop and there were no other cars behind us or coming down out of the hills, quickly taking us higher and higher.

No buildings except for the few farms we passed on the flat areas before we wound back up again and again. I hadn’t realized how late in the day it was until we disappeared around a turn and it was as if night had fallen already.

I shivered with a strange cold that wasn’t outside, but inside.

A laugh threatened to slip free, but I swallowed it back, not wanting to have Zach think I was any weirder than he probably already thought I was. The road grew narrower, but Zach took it in stride, shifting and steering as if he’d done this hundreds of times before, which he probably had. With each turn, I pictured us arriving at some dank, dark castle and being told I was never going to leave again. That Academy was run by some creepy old man who kidnapped college-age students for his mad experiments. And when they died, he’d bury them in the mountains. No one would ever know. That was why I got the letter. No one would miss Briar Shroud, the reject.

I smirked at how ridiculous that sounded. But at the same time… my instincts were telling me I should hightail it in the other direction.

When we turned another bend, and there was still no sign for the school, or signs for anything, I broke the silence. How much longer?

Not long.

I rolled my eyes, still picking at my nails until I broke the one on my pinkie with a curse. His brow furrowed as he shot a glance at it before his gaze returned to the road.

You shouldn’t do that.

I paused long enough to stare at him intently and broke off another one. Habit when I’m in a strange situation. If you tell me how much time until we reach this mysterious school, I might manage to stop myself.

That was far from the truth; I’d be picking my nails the rest of the day until I figured out what the hell was going on here.

Fifteen minutes.

His sudden concern about my picking at my nails threw me off. One second, he smirked at me, the next he was rude, and then he just fell quiet as if giving me the cold shoulder would stop me from pestering him.

Zach was certainly not the typical guy I was used to dealing with. He wound the car upward, ascending the curve, and around, then up, deeper and deeper into a mountainous region that was remote and uninhabited.

What kind of school put their location so far from humanity?

Before I could fully process it, he’d turned off the main road and was going down a side road, paved, but only wide enough for one vehicle. We drove over a wooden bridge—yes, wood—with a gushing stream running beneath it, crashing down the mountainside. I glanced at it for a second, then whipped my head back around to see it better.

Something wrong? he asked, and I didn’t have to look to know that smirk was back on his face.

Uh… no, just wondering why the water’s glowing.

At first, I thought it had to be some effect of the dim light and the sun setting, but on second glance, the water was clearly giving off a blue, translucent glow, almost like it was radioactive, which was crazy, right? Then we were past it, and Zach hadn’t answered me.

He looked straight ahead, and I wondered if I’d have any nails left by the time we got to the actual school.

Thankfully, less than a minute later, a large gate blocked our path. A hedge composed of trees and vines forming a solid wall flanked the gate. There was no getting through that, and as the car came to a stop at the iron bars, stretching at least twenty or maybe thirty feet into the air, I watched the trees as if waiting for them to start glowing, too. This wasn’t just a college campus. This was like a fortress. In the mountains, surrounded by rushing streams and walls? How old was this place?

The longer I stared into those dark trees, the more the sense of foreboding grew within me. Even with the car headlights, there was no penetrating the wall of absolute darkness. Just another weird thing to add to the list.

I searched the gate for some sort of camera or intercom, but Zach kept his window rolled up and merely waited. There had to be some sort of sensor, maybe in the ground? I was about to ask him what we were waiting for when a bright blue flash lit up the night, and the gate groaned on its hinges as it swung inward.

I blinked, seeing spots as I searched around for the source of the light. No electrical poles or security hut for guards. Nothing to explain the light.

The tic in Zach’s jaw I noticed earlier when I started asking questions appeared again, barely visible in the dim lighting of the interior. He nudged the car forward a bit, then faster when the gate was fully open, allowing us to enter the grounds.

I turned around to watch it close behind us,