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Cooper sighs. “You die, Kira.”
The blood drains from my face. I’m eighteen years old. Hours ago, I thought I had the world at my feet. “Wow. No one my age should ever hear those words.”
“I agree,” he says. “But it doesn’t make them any less true. Auras need to connect with each other in order to transition. And once you’ve done that, you’re required to keep the world safe—”
“From demons.” Then I remember his term. “Reavers.”
He nods.
I sip my mocha. To some extent, we all know about the Guardians maintaining balance with evil forces. They are stronger, they have magical powers, and they live a hell of a lot longer than humans, but their entire existence is a sacrifice for the cause. They don’t live like humans. They don’t havefreedom.
“And then what happens?” I ask. “Can I marry? Or have kids? Can I retire?”
“Some Guardians marry, yes. We can only marry our own kind, but anyone who does can start a family. Retirement is more complicated. It’s granted on a case-by-case basis.”
I stare at him. “How old are you? Are you like a hundred years old but look eighteen?”
He laughs. “No, I’m actually eighteen. I’ve been at the academy for a few weeks.”
“Then why did they send you and not a teacher?”
“Maybe I’m a friendlier face.” He shrugs. “I’m lucky. Both my parents are Guardians, so I get the system. I’ve lived it my whole life. I guess I’m good at explaining it.”
While I digest this, he takes a drink and studies me then says, “I can see why it’s hard to come around. Your parents hid your background from you, and now everything is a shock.”
I think about my dad and mum. If they had any clue this was my possible future, then they messed up big time. They should have warned me. I at least deserved a heads-up.
None of this is fair.
“So,” Cooper says, his voice more gentle. “Are you going to come to the academy with me?”
My voice cracks when I say, “It looks like I don’t have much of a choice. I don’t want to die.” I pull in a deep breath, trying to quell the panic building up inside. “Do I get an opportunity to talk to my dad again? And pack? I get to bring my stuff, right?”
“Yes, you can do all of those things. You can go home, and I’ll wait for you in my car.”
“Today?”Wow, okay. This is really happening.
Cooper nods. “I need to get you around other auras quickly, or you’re going to start feeling sick.”
That sounds bad. “How does it… How does it happen?”
“Basically, your organs cook inside your body, and you kinda… combust.”
“What the…”
He screws up his face. “Gross, I know.”
“Horrifying, more like.” I stare down at my mocha, which I no longer want.
“But that’s not going to happen to you, because you’re coming to the academy.” He smiles. “Look, it’s not all doom and gloom. You have magical powers, and you’ll get to use them.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Necromancy. Isn’t that like raising the dead?”
“Not necessarily. Your family hasn’t had an aura called to Gealach for a few generations now.” He shrugs. “You could be anything.”
“So not all auras are ‘called’?”
“No. Some live among humans. It’s only those called to train who need to be closer to other auras. But the ones in the human world barely have any powers, so it can skip a generation or two.”
