The combination of the vision followed by the trip down memory lane makes me sick to my stomach. I can barely handle all of this. The premonition, the death, the arrest, the vision…
Jaidos hadn't been working alone. That woman… Who is she? And that man Gerome… Did he really kill Peter Anderson? I know a little bit about humans, and I can recognize that name as being a very common one among humans, both Peter and Anderson. I have no idea how long ago that vision was, so it's not even as if I can narrow down a search based on that.
Maybe it’s possible that someone at Magical Hunters Academy will know about Gerome and point me in his direction. After all, I’m still on campus. If I can find Gerome and get him to confess what Jaidos ordered him to do, I could prove that the headmaster had to be taken out.
The first thing I do is flee from the empty space that had once been the headmaster's office and head back toward the front office. How can it be that there isn't increased security? Or maybe I am being secretly watched. I could see that being the case. All I know is that I desperately want to be able to gain some answers. Jaidos had to spend most of his time either here or at his house. Chances are, answers can be found either here or there. Considering I don't know where he lived, I might as well start here. A look around his office would've been ideal, and that tablet… but it must have gone up in flames. Ames couldn't have burned high enough to demolish the building so entirely that it had been reduced to ashes. There hadn't been any ash there. The building had to have been removed by hand. Why would someone go to such great lengths to do that? It doesn't make any sense.
As I approach the front office, my stomach twists into knots. Hang in there, Sophie. If I can clear both our names, we'll be able to enjoy freedom for the rest of our lives. Just be patient. That would make our lives so much better versus me breaking in and breaking us out and our having to live on the run until we eventually die.
But I grimace. Just like all of the other times when I tried to reach out to her telepathically, I know my message didn’t reach her. As much as it pains me that she might think I’ve abandoned her, that is not the case at all.
Despite everything seemingly being all right even though the headmaster has been killed, inside the front office, everything is chaotic. People are rushing about, entering or leaving, phones ringing…
Oh no. One of the people here helped me when I came earlier to seek out the headmaster. Nonchalantly, I fly out of there, hide in some bushes, and glamor my appearance so I look like a completely different fairy with red hair, blue eyes, pale white skin, and freckles everywhere.
When I return inside, things are still just as busy as before. A man notices me and holds up a finger. Thank the breeze he didn’t see me before because this is the Näck who helped me. The gills on his neck flutter. It’s interesting to see a Näck water spirit employed here considering a lot of their kind tend to drown people by hypnotizing them with their violin music, but I supposed there are all manner of beings and creatures here.
After he hangs up, he smiles and waves me toward his spot at the front desk. “Hi, I’m Trudro. How can I help you?”
“Hi. I was hoping to see the headmaster. I—”
“I’m afraid that isn’t possible right now,” he says smoothly. He doesn’t seem worried or anxious at all. On the other hand, he just seems easy-going.
“Why not? I won’t take up more than a moment of his time.”
“It’s getting to be rather late,” he says.
“Then maybe I can call his office? Do you happen to know his number?”
“You could leave the message with me,” Trudro says. His smile is starting to fade, and his lips curl downward as a phone begins to ring. He ignores it, though, his focus fixed on me.
“It’s a bit of a personal matter,” I murmur.
He eyes me. “There was another fairy who was here not that long ago who was looking for him.”
Trudro glances at the other workers, and I slap a hand on the counter to startle him.
“Fine. I’ll be back to see him.”
“You can try,” Trudro says, and I wonder if he says that because he knows his wording technically isn’t a lie. Still doesn’t help me any, though.
Beyond frustrated, I debate seeking out some of the students, but they might not even know what’s going on either. All of this secrecy and sneaking around is enough to make me incredibly anxious, but I try to look at it as practice. Chances are, this plan of mine won’t work.
I don’t fly very far when a man who aura spells power heads toward me. I’m fairly certain he’s a witch. His long white hair billows behind him as his pace is rather swift despite his age. His face is incredibly clean-shaven. His robe, shades of red and blue, has glowing jewels encrusted on it. One of his eyes glows blue so brightly that I have to squint to be able to tell that the other eye is white.
“Are you the fairy who has been asking about the headmaster?” he asks.
“That depends. Who are you?”
He does not smile. “I am Master Zion Cromwell, the Magical Combat and Defense 301 professor. And you are…”
I can’t lie, but I can pretend. It’s one of those gray areas I discovered long ago with Sophie. Sometimes, we would pretend to be each other, and we learned that was possible. After all, fairies have a reputation for being able to twist words for our purposes, and we do that rather well.
“I wish to write an article on Magical Hunters Academy,” I say smoothly, and with every word that pours out of my mouth, I realize I’m actually not pretending at all. If there is corruption within the highest ranks at the academy, then that information needs to come out to the general public. Parents must know what goes on here on campus, and the students need to learn that they’re merely pawns in a much larger game. To think that they might have been groomed to be obedient little servants. I’m sure Gerome went here.
Hmm. Maybe I’ll be able to track him down. The school has to have records. Not that I can be sure that I can get my hands on them, but I will still try. I’ll do anything to save my sister, but if humans are at risk, if the war remains a possibility, I cannot waver now. I’ve already killed to prevent the war. If that’s not enough, well, I will just have to kill again.
“I wanted to talk to the very top,” I add, wishing the master would say something. I don’t like the way his strange eyes are focused on me. It’s rather frightening that the master who approached me is the one for Magical Combat and Defense. I might have been able to best Jaidos, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to best Master Zion Cromwell too.
“The nature of this article?” he asks, his tone neutral, but that does not fool me. He is suspicious.
I’m frightened, and I reinforce my glamor. Sometimes, fear and other strong emotions can affect a spell, and I will not risk his seeing anything suspicious about me. His skepticism is worrisome enough without my giving him a reason to detain me.
Or worse.
“Not a lot of fairies attend here, do they? I’ve always wondered at that, and I’ve been thinking about attending. I thought that maybe I could see if it’s what I want to do, and if it is, I can tell my friends about it.” I smile brightly. “I hope that’s not overstepping at all—”
“The very top,” he says dryly. “You can’t get much higher than a professor who teaches a 300-level course. Do you know there are three years for the school?”
“Yes, and I would appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I really do.” I pause. “Do you think that after, maybe I could talk to the headmaster? I think I heard he’s a shifter. Do you know what kind?”
“The headmaster is unavailable at this time,” he says, his tone slightly stiff. Most would’ve missed that subtle shift but not me.
“Oh, I’m certain he’s a very busy man, but if I could get onto his schedule maybe—”
“He doesn’t have time for the likes of a little article, and I’ve changed my mind. I don’t either. I suggest you leave. Fairies don’t attend here often, and maybe that is for the best. You aren’t welcome here.”
He starts to march away, and I know I should keep my mouth shut, but I just can’t.
“I’m not welcome here? Or is it that my questions aren’t?”
The professor stills, hesitates, and pivots about. He marches right back up to me, towering over me. It’s more comical than it should be. I should be terrified, but I’m not. I’m so close to the breaking point. I’ve lost Sophie. What more can I stand to lose?
"What is going on here?" a strong, female voice asks. Hers isn't like the woman who spoke to Jaidos, unfortunately.
"Master Vanhylde," Master Zion Cromwell says with a high level of respect. In short, his tone couldn't be more opposite than when he had been addressing me.
“Master Zion, you can answer a simple question, can’t you?” Master Vanhylde asks as she lands beside us.
She’s a valkyrie, the first I’ve seen up close. Her black and gold armor glitters in the sun, and there’s a spear attached to her back somehow despite her wings. Her armored boots are heels, the ends looking like short swords. Even her footwear is a weapon. If she ever has to battle in a swampland, she better not touch down, but then with those wings, she could probably fly every day without fail for the rest of her life. Even now, her feet might not be touching the ground. Her long blond hair is half in braids, all around her face, revealing her sharp features. Her eyes seem to stare through me.
“I would like to interview the headmaster for an article to see about convincing fairies to attend here,” I say, “but apparently the headmaster is busy and won’t be able to accommodate me. Also, it seems I’m not welcome here.”
“Questions are generally a good thing to have,” the valkyrie says, “but only if you are asking the right ones.”
“Can I talk to you then? What do you teach?”
“Weapons Training.”
“Which level?” I glance from the valkyrie to the witch.
The male professor snorts. “She teaches all levels—101, 201, 301.”
“That’s amazing,” I gush. “I would love to interview you.”
“You would love to interview me if that means you can try to get to the headmaster,” the valkyrie says dryly.
I just smile. It’s the truth, and we all know it.
“If I could maybe just go to his office and wait until he has a moment. I swear I won’t take up much of his time—”
“I think you had best be leaving,” Master Zion Cromwell says. “Do you need to be escorted off the premises?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” I say firmly. “I can fly my way out.”
“After first trying to find his office?” The valkyrie’s smile is a bit chilling. She’s intimidating through and through. “You have been told he’s busy, but you cannot respect his time. Why should he care to give you one second?”
I eye her and lift my chin. “He’s more protected than the king and queen of the fairies. If any fairy wishes to see them, they must be granted an audience. I didn’t know a shifter could demand so much respect. Do the students ever see him? Is that what I would have to do? Attend here so that I can be deemed worthy of his time?”
They say nothing.
“I can’t even see his office?” I demand. “Why not?”
“So you can try to come back later and harass him then?” Master Vanhylde clucks her tongue. “My, my, you must think we’re ignorant or stupid. Which is it?”
“Neither. I merely want—”
“What you want doesn’t matter,” Master Zion Cromwell states.
“What do you have to fear?” I blurt out.
“Nothing at all.” And the valkyrie grips my elbow and forces me to fly with her to the front of the academy grounds. “Your welcome is at an end, and do not think that you can return. Because of your overreach, no fairies will be able to come here.”
Her gaze is sharp as she studies the face that isn’t mine.
“And the guards will be instructed to see if any come here who are using glamor,” she hisses in my ear, her grip tightening on my elbow.
“I—”
Her glower cuts me off. “You’re a fairy with a different face, that much is clear. You can’t lie, but you can deceive.”
“I am—”
“You will not return.”
“Why are you so afraid?”
She appraises me for a moment. “Things are not always what they appear, but then I suspect you know that very well.”
For a moment, I want to trust her, this stranger who distrusts me completely and for a good reason. A part of me wants to tell her about Jaidos and the vision I had, but I can't. If I trust the wrong person now, I might end up locked up beside Sophie, or worse, I could end up executed.