Chapter 9

 

Oggie had given me instructions to find the first-year dormitory. Thankfully, the school had an elevator, because the dorms were apparently on the fourth floor of the school. Hauling my stuff down a few thousand steps proved challenging enough. There’s no way I could have possibly managed my suitcase up four flights of stairs.

I managed to clean myself up reasonably well by way of a good fifteen-minute visit to the ladies’ room just across the hallway from the room that was supposed to be my dorm.

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the door that, per the instructions Oggie gave me, was supposed to lead into the first-year dormitory.

First impressions…

Just be yourself, Isabelle said.

I shook my head with resolve, extending my hand to the doorknob. “You’re right, Isabelle. How bad can it be? They’re probably just as nervous as I am.”

As I gripped the knob, I felt the door swing inward, practically pulling me into a tall, lanky guy who smelled like… strawberries?

He shrieked with glee. “Oh my God, everyone! She’s here!”

Before I knew what was happening, the boy enveloped me with his arms.

“I’m Pauli! College Aida-Wedo!”

“Um, hi? And thanks, I think? Annabelle… Ogoun recruited me! And this is Letty.”

“College Oggie has arrived!” the flamboyant boy announced to the room, practically singing the word here to the rest of my classmates. The others didn’t appear quite as… exuberant… as they casually strolled in our direction and gathered around.

Pauli reached down, scratching Letty behind the ears while he looked me up and down. “Girl, who would have thought that the warrior girl would look so fabulous! I thought I was the stylish one in our class, but you’ve given me some competition!”

Pauli had a certain flair about him… his skinny jeans, in fact, were decorated with sequins.

“Nice pants,” I said, trying to return the compliment.

“Oh, do you like them? I bedazzled them myself.”

I grinned. Before I could reply, one of the other students stood out from the rest. I could tell that in the short time they’d been at the school he’d already exerted himself as the “alpha.” Aside from Pauli, in fact, he was the only guy in the room.

“I’m Nico,” the boy said. He had light brown skin, his hair trimmed nearly to his scalp. He gave off a distinct “jock” vibe.

I extended my hand, but he didn’t shake mine back. Instead, he just turned and retreated to what I assumed was his bed. I cocked my head sideways. “Nice to meet you, Nico.”

The boy just nodded and proceeded to lace his shoes. “The dog can’t stay in here, by the way.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Oggie said—”

“Oggie makes a lot of promises he can’t keep,” Nico said. “There’s a kennel on the first floor. Check her in there.”

I nodded. “Yeah, sorry. I wasn’t told…”

Nico just huffed as he resumed lacing his boots.

The two girls in the room exchanged glances, and looked to Nico, as if they were seeking his approval. He gave them a subtle nod.

The first girl, ebony skin with black, straightened hair, was a larger girl. Not fat, but broad. She was pretty, but she had a tired look about her, the kind that tells you that she’d been through a lot in life.

“Sauron,” the girl said. “College Sogbo.” She extended her hand, which I shook. She had a firm grip, but her hands were rough, as though she was accustomed to working with her hands.

“And I’m Ellie,” the second girl responded. She had red hair and a pale complexion. In truth, it was nice to see I wasn’t the only white girl here. She wore plain jeans and a T-shirt that featured a screen-print of Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. “I’m here with College Erzulie.”

“Nice to meet you all,” I said. Before I could continue, Pauli grabbed my arm. “Here, let me show you to your bed!”

I grinned. “So boys and girls, we’re all in the same dorm?” I asked. Coming from a Catholic girls’ school, I wasn’t used to coed anything, and certainly not living arrangements.

Pauli nodded. “And your bunk is right next to mine!”

“Brilliant!” I exclaimed, trying to manufacture some excitement about our arrangements. “So what’s the deal with that guy?” I whispered, nodding toward Nico, who was now heading toward the door, Sauron following him close behind.

“Don’t mind him,” Pauli said, waving his hand dismissively. “He’s a bit of a dick. He was the front-runner for College Ogoun, right up until the last minute when Oggie chose you instead. Nico ended up having to settle for College Samedi. Probably just sizing you up. Trying to figure out what you’ve got that he doesn’t.”

“Did you say College Samedi?” I asked. “As in, Baron Samedi?” My stomach churned. I hadn’t encountered Baron Samedi since that night…

“Well, obviously, it was… you know, before he disappeared.”

I grinned, my anxieties quickly assuaged.

“Now his wife runs it. Maman Brigitte.”

“From what I know of Samedi, that must be a powerful college,” I said, taking a deep breath. “Why would Nico be disappointed?”

“His father was College Ogoun,” Pauli said. “That might have something to do with it. If you want to know my opinion, he’s just being a bitch about it. Thinks the warrior class should be for manly men.”

“Not a girl, like me,” I said.

“Not for a bitch like me, either,” Pauli said. “I’m right where I belong. Aida-Wedo, Loa of snakes and rainbows.”

“Ew,” I said. “Snakes, really? Who likes snakes?”

“I don’t know! Snakes, ew! I mean, unless you’re talking about trouser snakes. I’m all about those… not so much the slithery kind. But my aspect also comes with rainbows, which I have to say is fabulous. Kind of counterbalances the snake thing. Totally my style.”

“You’re gay, I’m assuming?”

Pauli cupped one hand around his mouth, whispering, “What gave me away?”

“I don’t know. I mean, who would have thought?”

“I think Nico figured me out, too. That’s why he hardly talks to me.”

“So he’s both a dick and a homophobe?” I asked.

“Like a lot of straight guys,” Pauli said. “Just assumes that because I’m gay I’d like to get him in the sack.”

“Well, would you? I mean, he isn’t bad-looking.”

“Girl, please. He looks good in jeans, I’ll give him that. But I’ve seen him at the urinal. I’ll just say he’s a little short of my usual standards.”

I backhanded Pauli in the shoulder. “You creeped on him at the pisser?”

“Not like I was obvious about it,” Pauli said dismissively. “I have great peripheral vision.”

“You’re horrible.” I chuckled, heaving my suitcase on top of my bed. “Are these little lockers all we have for our stuff?” I asked.

“Girl, I’ve been bitching about these lockers since I arrived. It’s just a matter of time before they replace them with full-size wardrobes.”

“How long have you been here? I mean, am I late or something?”

“I just got here yesterday.”

“And you’ve been bitching about the lockers for a whole day, and you think they’re about to give in?”

“Honey, no one bitches like Pauli. They’ll give in just to shut me up.”

“What a way to win friends and influence people,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Bitch, what good is having friends if I don’t have a full-size wardrobe? The only thing straight about me are my priorities.”

“A girl after my own heart,” I replied.

“You know it! When you’ve got a body like this, it would be a waste not to flaunt it. I need my full and ever-expanding wardrobe for that!”

“What about Ellie?” I asked, gesturing toward our redheaded classmate, who was curled up in her bunk with a Fifty Shades of whatever novel. “What’s her story?”

“Hell if I know,” Pauli said. “Kind of a bookworm. Not the sort you’d expect for College Erzulie.”

“What’s the focus of that college?” I asked.

“Girl, you really are out of the loop! Not from a Voodoo family, I assume?”

“Nope,” I said, shaking my head.

“Erzulie is the Loa of love,” Pauli said. “Don’t get me wrong, Erzulie is fabulous. But get this… she’s married to three Loa, and rumor has it she has a whole harem of men at her disposal.”

“A harem? Are you serious?”

“Don’t color me jealous!” Pauli said. “I mean, sounds like a lot of fun, for her. But I’ve never been able to handle more than three men at once.”

I scrunched my brow, spotting Ellie across the room. She’d curled up in bed with a spool of yarn and what looked to be a stocking cap in progress. “Not like I know her at all, but Ellie doesn’t strike me as that type.”

“The quiet ones are always the freakiest,” Pauli said. “But not everyone in College Erzulie is inclined to their Loa’s excesses. Love magic is as diverse as love itself.”

“And Sauron, is she Nico’s bodyguard or something?”

“Or something… College Sogbo is all about storm magic. Lightning, wind, and scary shit like that. Haven’t seen the girl smile once. Storms and a bad attitude… not exactly a jolly combination.”

“No kidding,” I said. “Why’s she follow Nico around like a puppy?”

Pauli shrugged. “They both come from original families. They grew up down here in Vilokan. Originals tend to stick together. Not to mention, Loa Sogbo is apparently on some kind of mission, or a sabbatical, or some shit. She’s basically tagging along with Nico and College Samedi until her Loa returns.”

I nodded. “Must suck to start school and not really be able to start at all.”

Pauli blew a raspberry. “At least she can knock out those gen-eds without the distraction of training to her aspect.”

I groaned as I tried to find a place for my third pair of shoes. “There’s no way I’m going to get all my shit in this locker…”

“Girl, all you have in there are shoes!”

I sighed. “I need like five of these.”

“Preach it, girl. Want to go bitch at the RA with me?”

“Hell yeah,” I said. “Bitches unite.”