My heart pounds in my chest. I wasnotexpecting this on my first day. Hallie grabs my arm tightly and pulls me away. We won’t be able to get to the door, but at least we’re not the targets of the fight. I silently pray it won’t escalate, but two other panthers transform in front of my eyes and it doesn’t look good.
“Stop!” commands a magically-enhanced, crystal-clear voice. My nerves skyrocket. I would know that voice in my sleep. Students dart out of the way as Lydia enters the dining hall. She’s wearing long, dark green robes embroidered with stars and her dark red hair is tied up in a knot on the top of her head. Her eyes flash yellow. She speaks firmly, and I feel a shiver run down my spine.
“You only get one warning.”
The panthers have cornered the wolf in a corner of the hall. For a moment I think they might heed Lydia’s words, and Hallie relaxes her grip on my arm. Then a low growl comes from the largest panther. In synchrony, all three panthers leap forward toward the wolf, who prepares to meet their blows. I can’t look away, but I’m dreading the clash. Each panther has razor-sharp teeth and nails the size of my hand.
Suddenly, the panthers are hurled backwards into the air, where they hang, suspended comically. They roar ferociously and kick their legs in protest. The wolf leaps up, but meets the same fate. All four are stuck, hanging in the air helplessly.
Lydia strides in between them, arms raised, shaking her head.
“This is absolutely unacceptable behaviour,” she declares. With a twist of both wrists, she shifts them back into their human forms. I had no idea that witches could do that. I had no idea mymothercould do that! The four of them fall to the floor, naked and bruised. There are a few gasps and giggles from the crowd.
“What’s going on here?” Professor Vyas steps regally into the hall, her owl familiar gliding behind her.
“A scuffle between some shifter students,” Lydia replies, as they stumble to their feet. She keeps an eye on them to make sure they don’t try anything, but they know they’re outmatched. The four of them scowl and glare at each other, clearly disappointed that they missed out on a fight. Even the outnumbered wolf shifter tosses her short brown hair haughtily and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Extremely disappointing,” Professor Vyas directs her next comments at all the students in the hall. “Let this be a message to all of you. Fighting and aggressive behaviour isnottolerated at Elmwood Academy. Whatever happens outside these walls, while we’re here, we respect each other.
“You four are coming with us. To the rest of you, go back to your rooms or your classes. Tonight’s hunt is canceled.”
I wake up the next morning to a bright, mid-afternoon sun streaming through my window. I wonder if I should try to find my mom, although it seems like she can take care of herself. Should I be worried? I mean, I knew that the magical world has a lot of drama and politics, I just never expected it to turn up at school.
I guess there’s nothing I can really do about it. Anyway, I’m only staying here for one year, even less if I can manage it. I should really try to get in touch with Timothy. I’m sure he’s extremely anxious about where I am, especially with how we left things.
My stomach grumbles.
Hmm…maybe breakfast first. Or is it lunch by now?
The dining hall is practically empty. The vampires must still be in their coffins, and the rest of the students are probably inclass or hanging out by the lake. I eat some waffles and berries by myself, imagining Timothy and how sick with worry he must be.
As I’m lost in thought, June and her witch cronies enter the dining hall and start eating their breakfast. I watch them chat with each other casually, accompanied by their cat and bird familiars. One witch shows another how to charm a hair scrunchy to prevent frizz.
They can’t be all that bad. And I’ve got to dosomethingto get in touch with Timothy. Maybe they’ll be willing to help a fellow witch. Fighting through my embarrassment, I get out of my seat and go up to June.
“Hey,” I say. She stares at me like a popular mean girl in a movie from the nineties. I steel my nerves. “Um, I’m Maggie, you showed me to my room the other day?”
“Oh yeah,” she says. Her mouse familiar sticks his nose out of the chest pocket of her crisp, perfect white blouse.
“I know this is a weird question, but do any of you have a cellphone? Or a computer? Or do you know anyone who does?”
It is immediately clear that they think this is a ridiculous question. The witches look at me like I’ve…well, I can’t think of a good analogy, because everything that’s weird in the regular world would probably be normal to them.
“Why on earth would we have acellphone?” June smirks.
I’m in too far to back out now, even though every atom in me wants to shrink away in shame. “Well, I need to get in touch with someone.”
“Why don’t you just send your familiar? Or use a sigil?” she gives me a pitying look. “Wait, do you not knowhow?”
“Fine, never mind,” I mutter. “I’m sorry to waste your time.”
I turn and walk away, wishing I could just disappear.
“Wow, that was incredibly embarrassing for you,” Orion says, unhelpfully. The mermaid siblings, disconcertingly earnest as always, are standing nearby holding plates of kelp.
“What’s a cellphone?” asks Persephone, genuinely curious. “Is that a witch thing?”
“Or is it a thing made of paper?” Gwen asks. “We don’t have a lot of paper underwater, but it seems like there’s so much of it up here.”
