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I’m not sure which part she wants to know. “Like how I got here?”
She swallows. “I’m a sprite. Born here. My parents decided this was somehow better than staying in Faerie when the gates closed so here I am.”
“Oh, that background,” I say, still a little shaky on that whole thing. “They tell me my mom was an angel. I was raised human, though. So I honestly have no idea what I’m doing here,” I admit.
“Half angel. Interesting,” she says. “I can’t wait to hear what happens when you unlock your magic.”
“Is that what all this is?” I ask, feeling stupid for saying it out loud. “The controlling people and making them do things they don’t want to do.”
She frowns. “You had a few run-ins with some higher demons. They can do that. It’s scary as shit when they steal your free will like that. Technically, it’s not supposed to be done on school grounds but they get away witheverything.”
“How do you make them stop it?” I ask.
“It’s possible, I suppose, to resist with enough practice. But like everything with magic, you have to work up to it. And you’re staring at level zero.”
“That’s for damn sure,” I say.
“Grab your schedule,” she says. “I’ll see if I can give you some tips on how to survive this place.”
I shove a chunk of pancake in my mouth then run to my room to grab the piece of paper. I’m still chewing when I hand it to Sadie.
Her eyes dart back and forth over the paper for a moment, then she sets it down on her lap. “Okay. Here’s my advice. Try to sit in the back of the room for all of your classes and avoid eye contact with the teachers when they call on students. And don’t cross any of the higher demons in your classes ever. If one of them gets the answer wrong, don’t correct them. Even if the teacher calls on you. Trust me on that. And whatever you do, avoid Remember Williams.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek and stare at Sadie.
She sighs, reading my expression. “You already pissed her off, didn’t you?”
“Not on purpose,” I say. “I’m pretty sure me just existing pissed her off.”
“Try to avoid her for the next few days. Someone else is bound to do something stupid and she’ll move on.” Sadie passes back my schedule. “And FYI, dating teachers is totally against the rules.”
“Why would I want to date a teacher?” I ask. All I can think about is my college professors. None of them were a day under sixty and most of them couldn’t figure out how to match their tie to their shirts. Although there was that one TA who was pretty hot.
“You haven’t met them yet,” she says. “Just wait. Especially when you meet Professor Cardale. Two words for you: smoking hot.”
I laugh and Sadie joins in. For a moment, I think that maybe I can survive this place. Maybe it won’t be as bad as I think.
Sadie tells me a few stories about what it’s like living in the Underworld while we finish eating and I absorb every word. It’s a whole new culture and there are so many details. I’m going to have to pay attention to everything.
After I help her wash up the dishes, she explains the uniform to me and we part ways to dress for class. That’s the one nice thing about this place. None of the classes start before noon.
Apparently demons like to sleep in. So that’s one mark for them in the positive column.
* * *
I tugon the short black skirt self-consciously as I walk down the hall with Sadie. I’m already missing my jeans. The whole pleated black skirt and stiff white button up shirt must be part of the punishment of being at this school. Don’t even get me started on the tie. Sadie had to do it for me. Who even wears a tie anymore?
The hallways are nearly empty but I do catch a glimpse of a few students milling about. They all look like us, dressed in matching uniforms. Most of the people we pass look me up and down as I walk by.
“Don’t get a lot of new students here, do you?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “It’s pretty rare to get transferred in after the semester starts.”
“Any last words of wisdom?” I ask.
She stops walking and gives me what I can only guess is a sympathetic expression. “Try not to stand out. That means don’t be the best or the worst. Aim for the middle. Less chance of other students hating you for being too good and less chance of the professors punishing you for being bad.”
“Punishing?” I grin, recalling her advice on the hot teacher. “Might be a good thing in some cases, right?”
