“Ow,” he complained, but he sounded slightly amused. “You can’t tell me you’re not flirting with me, Charlie.”
I gaped. “I am not— ancestors, no wonder Ava thought we were banging.”
“Ava thought—” Chancey burst into laughter. “Yourgirlfriendthought you were banging me on the side? Can you imagine?”
“Ancestors, Chancey!” I cried. “You’re imagining it. Stop!”
Chancey placed a hand on my chest to stop me. His voice turned serious. “Look, bro. You’re one of my best mates. You’re the kind of guy I can hug and shit like that, but I know you have no interest in me. I willnevermake a move on you, okay?”
My shoulders relaxed. From an outside perspective, I could kind of see where Ava got the idea that Chancey and I had a thing. He could get pretty handsy, but in a totally platonic way— often touching my shoulder to help guide me down the hall and stuff like that. But that was all it was. I wasn’t used to it yet, but I could appreciate it. Chancey just wanted to help a blind friend out.
“Thanks for that,” I told him.
He cleared his throat. “No problem, bro.”
Chancey and I arrived at class a few minutes later. We were the last ones there, and were left with two seats at the front of the class. I begrudgingly took mine, and Oberi rested his head on my knees.
Professor Allen, a warlock with psychic powers, cleared his throat at the front of the room. He was middle-aged and tough to read. Some days, I got the sense that he thought his students were nothing but low-lives, but every now and then, it seemed like he really cared and honestly felt sorry for us— like he really believed each of us had the power to reform, and were just dealt some really shitty hands in life.
“We’ve been discussing the hierarchy of power within the supernatural criminal justice system,” he began. “Today, we will discuss how supernatural bounty hunters fit into that.”
Usually, I barely paid attention in this class, but Professor Allen’s lecture intrigued me today. It was like sitting at the front of the room made his lesson come to life or something. I sat straighter in my seat. I’d learned about supernatural bounty hunters last semester, but only sparingly. Ever since, I wanted to hear more about them.
“Supernatural bounty hunters are highly skilled individuals hired by the United Supernatural Union,” Professor Allen said. “Their purpose is to capture and deliver the supernatural world’s most wanted. It’s a dangerous job that unfortunately, many do not survive.”
I leaned forward in my chair the longer he spoke. For so long, I’d been hiding from danger, running from any threat that came my way. But when Professor Allen said that supernatural bounty hunting was dangerous, I felt a surge of excitement wash through me. It was like when I stepped into the ring, charged and ready for every fist that flew in my direction.Thatkind of danger, I wanted to be a part of.
“As you can imagine, the pay is phenomenal,” he continued. “The higher profile the criminal, the bigger the paycheck. Supernatural bounty hunters are the most talented fighters and magic casters of their race—”
My hand shot into the air, and Professor Allen cut off. “Yes, Charlie?”
“How do you become a supernatural bounty hunter?” I asked. “I mean, who would you have to talk to, in order to get hired?”
He paused for a moment, then gave a light laugh. “Mr. Wahkin, you don’t mean you intend to seekemploymentafter graduation, do you?”
I didn’t understand why he sounded so confused. I was a hell of a fighter and had been told I was a talented Elementai, casting magic way beyond my training. If anyone was fit to be a supernatural bounty hunter, it was me.
“What, you think a blind guy can’t do it?” I demanded.
“It’s not that, Mr. Wahkin,” Professor Allen quickly assured me, though it sounded like a lie. “This lesson is not given as a career objective. It’s in the syllabus to…” He trailed off.
“To warn us,” Chancey finished confidently, like he knew that was exactly what Professor Allen had meant.
“Warn us?” I questioned.
“Warn us that they’re coming after us after we get out of here,” Chancey said bitterly. “That is, if we don’t shape up and change our ways.”
“That’s not what… this lesson is…” Professor Allen stammered.
He quickly changed the subject. “Please turn to page three-hundred and fifteen in your textbooks.”
I heard the shuffle of pages as students flipped through their books all throughout the room. I just sat there dumbstruck by the conversation. For just a moment, I’d forgotten I was in this place— that I was acriminal.
But I wasn’t like the other criminals— the ones on the Union’s most-wanted list. Yeah, I’d done some bad shit, but theft was nothing like Professor Allen was talking about. If all criminals stuck to petty theft, Ava never would’ve been raped. Monica and Marty would still be alive, because they wouldn’t have been murdered.
I spent my life being a criminal. Taking down murderers and rapists was my chance to do some good in the world. If I could stop just one person from dying at the hands of a murderer, or save one girl from her would-be rapist, or protect one child from a kidnapper, then it was worth it.
I mulled this over all period and barely heard Professor Allen speak another word. By the end of class, I was shaking at the thought of all those criminals— therealcriminals— still out there doing harm.
