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Before I can get out a protest, the room shifts around us. The tapestry covered walls disappear before my eyes in a cascade of gold. A barren, snow-covered mountain takes its place. My brows furrow in confusion, and my heart beats an erratic rhythm.
I spin frantically, searching for any sign of the room my eyes had become accustomed to. Finding no ripple of fabric, I’m buffeted by the wind now assaulting my bare skin. My dark brown curls lift around me, slapping against my face and my almost bare shoulders. This dress is not nearly enough to shield me from the elements. The frigid air pebbles my skin into goosebumps. I rub my upper arms, hoping to gain some warmth from the friction. That is before I realize my still bare feet are sinking into the powdery, untouched snow, causing my body heat to melt it beneath me.
The sensations are far too life-like to be some sort of production. The wind and snow, the chill seeping into my bones. I register Adrian staring at me expectantly, as though he knows I can’t refute the power that lies within him, and me apparently.
I stoop down, my hand brushing against the frozen flakes. Scooping some into my hand, I feel the cold water seep into my skin, the snow melting around my fingers.
Numbness sweeps over my body, not from the cold, but from the fear flooding my veins. If magic is real, then that means—before I can finish that thought, the scene shifts around us once more. The walls of the small room form back around us. Cutting off the chill of the arctic wind. The room remains just as it had, as though nothing happened. My hair settles back around me. The silence is deafening now, having become accustomed to the whistling air piercing my ears.
I look down at my arm, at the braided gold chain hanging there, and the cool metal brushing delicately across my skin. Only now I remember that Adrian placed something there.
“It’s a power blocker,” he explains, noticing the shift in my attention. “All new students have them until they can control their powers.”
I nod, still entranced by the weave of gold against my skin. It looks so familiar, but I’m not able to place where from. “I get it now. I get why you brought me here,” I say slowly, looking down at my hands, lost in thought as my mind tries to process everything that just happened.
He takes my hands once again in an attempt to comfort me. My eyes snap up to his, wide in shock, I try to pry my hands from his, but they only grip mine even tighter. He meets my gaze unflinchingly, despite the blow my powers had just dealt him. I look down at my hands, fear tightening my stomach.
“Please don’t be scared.” His hand tilts my chin up, forcing my eyes to meet his. “Our powers can be a beautiful thing. They are a part of your essence, your soul. You just need to learn control, which is exactly why you’re here.”
I nod slowly, taking in his words as I steady my breathing. Steeling myself, I strengthen my resolve and step out of his hold. I take a deep breath, still not quite believing the sudden massive shift in my reality.
“I am not adjusting that quickly.” My hand comes up to him to keep him from stepping forward again. The sense of familiarity and comfort his touch provokes is unnerving. I need to keep my distance from him. My head needs to remain clear and free from his influence. He winces as though I’ve just struck him, but he quickly schools his features, nodding in understanding.
“There’s a lot more to explain,” he offers sheepishly, looking down, not wanting to meet my eyes.
“I’m high-key freaking the fuck out right now. Anything else you say is going to go straight over my head.” My voice comes out a little shaky, and I bend to slip my shoes back on. Giving my body something to do to work off the frenetic energy rushing inside.
“Fair enough.” He reaches out a hand to help me up before thinking better of it. He subtly pulls his hand back, not meeting my eyes as I stand. “Let’s get you settled in. I’ll answer any questions you have.” He gives me a small smile before waving his hand around the room.
At his motion, the walls melt away in a shimmering gold ripple. The room disappears out of sight as though it had never existed at all. I let out a yelp as my heels sink into the lush green lawn beneath me. Blades of grass sway in the warm breeze around us, and gardens teeming with an array of blooming flowers lie further ahead.
A group of students amble along the cobblestone path, heading up a slight hill. My eyes follow the pathway and I look up, finally seeing the large structure ahead of me. As I take in the imposing marble building, I gasp. Columns line the front entryway of the magnificent structure. Gold statues stand tall, their polished surfaces glinting in the sunlight. A pool lies before the entry, eerily still as it reflects a perfect image of the breathtaking architecture.
Remembering where I am, I look for Adrian, whose eyes are already on me. He gestures towards the pathway, allowing me to go ahead of him. I go to take a step, only I don’t move anywhere. I scowl down at my shoe as though it’s the source of all of my misfortunes. What I once clung to like my last line of defense is now my arch-nemesis.
“I really should have worn different shoes.” I pout, ripping my heel from the grass, just for it to sink back in on my next step. Could this day get any worse?
