“Yeah, we should probably get going,” I said. “I’ll catch up with you guys at dinner.”
I left Oberi with Ava, since I knew my way to class, and I had Ez to help. He’d been placed in my Ancient Magical History class, and although he missed the first few weeks, he seemed to be catching up quickly.
“What was all that about?” Ez asked as we started down the hall.
“Kallie and Marcus?” I questioned, shaking my head. “No idea. Those two can be… strange sometimes. You learn to brush it off.”
“Hm,” Ez said thoughtfully. “Marcus seems nice, but Kallie actually scares me a bit.”
I chuckled. “She has that effect, but you don’t have to worry about her… actually, on second thought, don’t agree to anything she offers unless you know the terms.”
Ez sounded wary. “I take it you have some experience with that?”
I’d told him the story about our Darke Games training session last semester, when Kallie had roped Marcus into volunteering to be a guinea pig for a possession by a demon. A horny sex demon, as a matter of fact. By the time we reached the classroom, Ez couldn’t stop laughing.
“Nowthatpart of the Games should’ve been televised,” he teased, before getting really quiet.
We took our seats in the back of the class before he continued. “It wasn’t easy watching my sister fight in the Games, you know. To be honest, I couldn’t watch most of it. I thought I might lose her.”
“They broadcast the Darke Games all the way back to Kinpago?” I asked. I’d thought it’d only been for Shade Hills residents only.
“Mom and Dad streamed it for me, since I asked,” he explained. “The picture was really poor, considering the crappy reception here on Darke Island.”
I nearly snorted. “Tell me about it.”
The library computers helpedsomein getting me through my classes, but it was a minor accommodation at best.
“I’m just glad you were there,” Ez added. “It looked like you guys really worked well together. I don’t know if she would’ve made it out without you and Oberi.”
The thought sent a shiver down my spine. Ava could handle her own, but our team had only pulled through by working together during the Games.
Voices filled the room as more and more students filtered in. Ez and I went quiet, and I heard him scratching away at his notebook while we waited for our professor to arrive.
It wasn’t long before Professor Warbright entered the room. He was a warlock who taught most of Marcus’ classes. I’d heard from Marcus he was an easy teacher, and so far I had to agree with him. Warbright had no issues with me recording his lectures or receiving any extra accommodations when I needed them. He’d quickly become my favorite professor. Marcus claimed Warbright’s necromancy magic was terrible, but the guy sure knew his magical history.
“Today, we’ll be moving on to Elven history,” Warbright announced.
I immediately perked up and leaned forward. Ava had asked me to learn what I could about the Elves, in order to better interpret the prophecy. I was still wary about helping her out, because I didn’t want her to get hurt. Even so, I couldn’t miss a second of this lecture. Maybe I’d learn something that would help me to protect her. I pressedrecordon my device and set it on the desk in front of me.
Someone toward the front of the room piped up. “I thought the Elves died out.”
“Yes,” Warbright confirmed. “But why should that mean their history is unimportant? Elven magic has many influences on our own magic— no matter your magical race. If we hope to understand our own magic, we must understand where it all began… with the Elves.”
Ez slumped in his chair, like he didn’t care about the lecture. I, on the other hand, was on high alert, my spine straight as I drank in every word Warbright spoke. I don’t know why, but the subject of Elves had always been… intriguing to me. Even before I’d found out about Ava’s prophecy, from the moment I’d learned about the Elven Union, I wanted to know more about them. Something about their former existence called to me, and drew me in.
“The Elves are considered the original supernaturals— the first magical race to evolve outside of the gods’ realm,” Warbright began. “They are older than any other supernatural race alive, even the fae. Before they were killed off, they were considered to be the most powerful supernaturals of all time.”
“If they were so powerful, why would anyone bother trying to go up against them?” a guy asked.
“Ah, a good question,” Warbright said. “The Elves were targeted during the Great Supernatural War because they were the most feared. They were known as the crime lords of the supernatural world, but it was their power that ignited fear the most.”
“What kind of power?” the same guy questioned.
“Among their powers, they could cast illusions and battle magic, much like the Arcanean fae,” Warbright answered. “Each Elf was also said to have their own specialty, one power that set them apart from other Elves, such as mind reading— though such a powerful gift was reserved for the strongest of the Elves.”
“That doesn’t sound so scary,” a girl said, her insect-like wings fluttering slightly. “They don’t sound much different from the fae. The fae can shift into animals that could tear the Elves apart.”
“Yes, of course,” Warbright agreed. “But there was so much more to the Elves. One thing to note is that the Elves were born with their powers. Unlike other supernatural races, they had no coming-of-age ceremonies, and so their children were stronger than the other races. But there was a power much more terrifying and unique to the Elves.”
