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Celine began walking away and Maeve gestured for me to follow her as we got up and headed towards a group of Ethos who were laughing at each other as they practiced. They welcomed Maeve into the circle they had formed with warm smiles and even gently smiled my way as I sat. Still feeling uncomfortable in group settings, I sat on the outskirts, listening as they spoke and staring in awe as they silently figured out what each person was feeling. It really was amazing and I hoped that one day soon I’d be able to do something just as amazing myself.
Chapter Eleven
Halley
I was sitting in Zachariah’s office yet again, a week after Madden so politely deposited me here, but this time I had a little bit more knowledge and was currently surrounded by what I assumed was the whole staff. Zachariah was sitting behind his personalized desk while I sat in the same chair as last time, but the seven staff standing around us came as an alarming surprise. When I was alerted to my meeting with Zachariah this morning by Gunther instead of sitting through class, I had assumed it was about my Divine Sector. However, the staff surrounding us made me question that. Before I had a chance to think about what could be going on, Zachariah spoke.
“Halley, I’m sure that this welcome is most confusing. However, after speaking with Helena, I thought that having all necessary staff join us was imperative.” I glanced at Helena, the elderly woman with silvery hair down to her waist and kind brown eyes, had been the one to do my testing on my first day of classes.
So, she did find something peculiar in my testing. I assumed this wasn’t the usual attention students got when they were given their Sector news. Instead of Zachariah continuing to speak, Professor Lilliana spoke up. I had had two classes with her so far, for Divine history and when they had thrown me into the introductory course for Shifter Divines. Since my blood test hadn’t come back yet, I spent one day each this week in a different introductory course. Surprisingly, it had been a great way to learn about each Divine quickly even though I couldn’t participate due to my lack of power.
“To be honest with you Halley, we are all a little miffed on what to do about your situation. I am hoping you have been paying attention in my classes this week?” Lilliana asked with a sincere smile, trying to calm my nerves.
Not knowing if they were trying to determine how well a human grown Divine would do in their community, I answered as best as I could. “Of course. Even in just a week I think I’ve gained a lot of knowledge on our kind.” I thought it was best to throw in the fact that even though I was pretty behind, Iwasa Divine. Their own tests have proven it.
“That’s great to hear. Success at Willow Grove is what we strive for. However, I’m more curious if you have learned the history of the Enchanters?” Professor Markell, the Ethos instructor, interrupted, clearly impatient. Briefly, I wondered if he could feel everyone’s emotions in the room and wanted to continue with the conversation, so the obvious stress in the room would dissipate.
“Yes, I know the general history. The Enchanters were the fifth ability of the Divines and heir to Willow, our school’s namesake, but all heirs died off unexpectedly.”
All staff in the room shared a look and I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. “Can someone please explain to me what is going on? To be honest you’re all freaking me out a bit. Am I not actually a Divine? Was the blood test wrong?”
Zachariah’s chuckle eased my nerves a bit. Obviously, it couldn’t be too bad of news if he was laughing. So, what the hell was it?
“The reason for this meeting and all the confusion is not because you are not a Divine. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Halley, we aren’t sure what to do because as you said, according to history the last Enchanter died decades ago with no more of their bloodline passing on to new Divines. Helena couldn’t decipher your Sector immediately because it has been decades since she has come across a scent like yours. My strongest Ethos cannot get a read on your emotions because they have never had to decipher a shield like yours. Seers could not envision your past or future because of the same internal shield that is ingrained in your power. You are an anomaly, Halley.” Zachariah paused in his monologue as my mind began to decipher what he was saying. My blood was Divine, but they didn’t know what kind. The other students at the academy couldn’t figure me out because they had never encountered someone like me before. I had thought it was because of growing up surrounded by humans but as his words sunk in, I realized it was a much more entangling truth.
“Halley, we may need to rewrite our history books because obviously the last Enchanter did not die off without an heir as we were led to believe. As of right now, you are the only known heir of our ancestor Willow Savaunge. You are an Enchantress Halley.”
Holy shit.
I slumped back in my chair as Zachariah’s words sunk in. As if being thrown into this new world wasn’t jarring enough, now I was a long-lost heir and the only Enchanter in the world. I knew I should be thinking about what this meant for me, how I would train my ability with no one to help, but the only thought racing through my mind was:is being an Enchantress what kept Mom hiding us for so long?
Chapter Twelve
Knox
As hard as I was trying to focus on the visions racing past my eyelids, the incessant chatter of the cafeteria was too much of a distraction. Eli’s voice directly next to me wasn’t helping the matter. Opening my eyes with a sigh, I gave up on my concentration. I tried practicing my visions as often as I could. Even though I still had three more years before I was to take on a job, the Council was constantly on my ass to perfect my visions. I was the only Seer to ever be born with the ability to not only see the futures of others, but also their pasts. This made me an ideal piece to the Council. It was already determined that after graduation from Willow Grove I would move to the Divine capital and join the Council. I didn’t mind that the choice had been taken from me, I always thought I had a great head on my shoulders for leadership, but it was a hell of a lot of pressure to put on a 21-year-old. Constantly, I was being sent requests from the Council on who’s pasts they wanted me to look into. Without directly knowing the source, it required a load of concentration, and that wasn’t easily found in a school full of gossipers.
Tuning into Eli’s conversation, I caught on to what the students were currently blowing up about.
“I heard she’s not even a Divine.”
“No that’s not true, she’s a Shifter, but her creatures have never been seen before.”
“Blake told me that she heard from Dante that she’s a Hunter,” the last speaker whispered and yet all heads turned her way. Hunters were feared by our kind and for good reason. They were the cause of our demise and the reason we were now hidden away. But it wasn’t something we often talked about outside of class. To have the audacity to bring it up in our full cafeteria and saying one infiltrated our sacred school was absurd.
I turned towards the girl and rolled my eyes when I saw it was Jane. She was a pretentious rich girl from the capital, and I wouldn’t believe a word that came out of her mouth. She loved to gossip and most of the time made up lies for attention.
“Whatever, who cares what she is. Another new girl started today. That’s two in a week, we haven’t had that in months!” Another girl squealed and I realized the conversation was of no importance to me.
I had already Seen the new girl, Kalani, and she seemed like a normal Divine to me. She was of average power, a Shifter with two animals, and came from a large family in Northern Michigan. Madden had arrived with her a few days ago and she had started classes today. I still couldn’t See anything about the other new girl, Halley, unless she was with someone else, but it didn’t bother me that much. Some higher-powered Divines were harder for me to get visions on, especially without knowing them personally. And after a conversation I had seen of Zachariah and several of the professors, I knew she was one of the highest-powered Divines at school.
Abruptly, all the talking at our table stopped and heads turned towards the cafeteria entrance. My gaze followed as well; I couldn’t ignore the curiosity. I blamed these types of moments on Eli, that kid was more curious than anyone I had ever met, and it rubbed off on me more often than I’d like to admit. The double doors were held open for students to wander through during the lunch hour and currently two girls stood in the entryway, looking around nervously. At this moment I realized Halley hadn’t been inside the cafeteria yet this week. I briefly wondered how she had been getting food but then my focus once again turned towards the girls as whispers started up.
Some were just students curiously pointing out the new girls, others were absurd rumors about what Halley’s Sector was, and the most annoying were of the males clearly objectifying the unknowing newcomers. Of course, I couldn’t deny their words. Halley and Kalani alike were absolute knockouts. However, Shifters weren’t my type. They were far too tactile for me personally. I didn’t know what Halley was, but I still wasn’t going to loudly gawk at her when she was simply trying to get something to eat.
Suddenly, Eli was right in my ear, doing his best to whisper so other students wouldn’t hear. Unfortunately, Eli’s version of a whisper was closer to other’s ideas of a shout.
“Markell asked me to meet him earlier today and I said sure why not, any chance to learn more about my ability is a win in my book. But then I wondered, why does he want to talk to me? And then I thought, maybe because of how strong my power is, I’d get to have personal training. Of course, that wouldn’t make sense though considering we don’t have personal training, so then –“
