Chapter 8

VALERIA For a moment, I'm in utter confusion. Did I end up in the wrong place and being tortured by someone? Or did I arrive at the right place, just to be played with by one of the supernatural kids like Stefano and myself? I don't know what the hell is happening. There are still so many holes about this Society thing and how I actually got here, but I have no time to make sense of them because yet another threat is coming my way. Auric, who has now taken the form of my mom, smiles at me and uses a distorted version of her voice to say, "Welcome home, darling." Something inside me breaks, something that I never knew was there until I see him imitating my mom, mocking me. Hate. Pure hate. It's Jeremy all over again. The familiar rush of strength and energy overcomes my body, and before I know it, I'm seizing Auric's throat even though he's successfully taken the form of my mother. As soon as my hands wrap around his neck, he freezes. He tries to speak but my grip is hard enough to stop him from making a sound. Slowly, his form flickers until he's his normal, red-haired self, but my anger is far too great to see this and all I want is revenge.... However, just then, the door opens and in comes a pretty girl in a maroon uniform similar to Stefano’s, looking horrified at the scene she just walked into. “Auric!” she gasps, and immediately she rushes over to pull him away from me. The girl turns to me abruptly, and the scared look in her brown eyes is enough to snap me back into reality. I thought that she would lunge at me and tell me off, but to my surprise, she slaps Auric’s arm instead. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demands. “Do you have any idea what this girl has been through?” “What?” Auric splutters, glancing at me and clutching his neck. “I know she’s new—” “She’s not just someone who’s new,” she says coldly before turning to me. “Come with me. My apologies for everything.” Without waiting for a response from neither Auric nor me, she takes my arm and starts to lead me out of the room. I stumble after her, trying to push her hand away. She just holds on until we’re in a wide hallway with brick walls, wide arched windows, and maroon lockers at the far side. It’s already bright out, and sunlight was slanting through the windows, making me wince and squint. “Where are you taking me?” I ask cautiously. “Who are you?” “I’m Eden Jones,” she says, glancing at me briefly. “I’m taking you to the headmaster.” My heart drops. “Because of what I did? He was mocking me, he was—” “I know.” We pause and she looks at me. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened. I shouldn’t have entrusted you to Auric. He’s a shape-shifter, and he loves to mess with new students who don’t know about his abilities. He can tap into your memories and see things. He might have seen your mother, but he probably didn’t see that she’s….” She trails off, and my stomach rolls inside my body. I still can’t believe it happened. I still can’t believe that I’m here now, that my life changed so drastically and now nothing is familiar. I’m so confused that my brain has shut down, not giving me any ability to neatly organize my thoughts. Eden watches me, her expression unreadable. I don’t know if she feels sorry or impatient. Maybe both, because she pats me on the shoulder while saying, “We’re going to the headmaster to pick up your schedule, but I will try to ask if it’s alright for you to skip the whole first week of school.” I nod, and together we head to the office. It seems like a long journey, because even after two flights of stairs and three hallways passed, we still aren’t there. I examine the place, and it feels so foreign. I feel like I’m in Europe or something, all because of the brick walls and the golden frames that contain oil paintings, all depicting strange creatures, who I assume make up the whole student body. Eden notices me observing, and she slows down her pace. “The Scarlet Moon Academy is only an extension of the Society. Outside the school, we have a whole village of supernatural creatures living away from humans and protected by our enemies, vampires.” “Why are they your enemies?” I ask in a low voice, looking at the painting of vampires being burned at the stake. “Because they refuse to follow rules, and they are after domination.” She faces me. “They are tired of hiding. They want to be seen, to be in power. But the Society is built on law and order, and it’s simple to understand. We—werewolves, mages, mermen, shape-shifters, faes, elves—all follow the law. One, we do not harm humans. Two, we do not reveal our identities and abilities to humans. Three, we do not get past the gates without authority.” I fidget in my spot. “So, what are you?” “A fae. Or fairy, if you want to call me that.” Eden turns around and continue walking. “Keep up, please.” With that, she hastens her pace until we reach a set of doors made of thick dark wood and a glass mosaic of two armored men, who both come to life as soon as we step in front of the door. They draw big swords and point it at us, and to my surprise, real sharp swords emerge from the door, pointed at our necks. I flinch, staggering back. Eden, on the other hand, looks unfazed. “What is your purpose?” says a disembodied deep voice that I assume came from the moving mosaic. “We are here to see Professor Blossom.” Instead of letting us in, the armored men just stay in their attacking position. “We sense another presence. Introduce yourself.” Eden looks at me expectantly, not minding that the tip of the sword is an inch away from her throat. “Go on.” “I….” I swallow hard and close my eyes. “I’m Valeria Marcus, a new student. I am a werewolf and human hybrid.” Silence hangs in the air. I fully expected to get decapitated here and now, but the armored men straighten up and freeze again, turning into a normal image in a mosaic before the doors swing open. Then I find myself facing the most amazing office I have ever seen. “Go ahead,” Eden urges. “I will be waiting for you outside.” The doors close again after she says that, leaving me inside. I look around in awe, momentarily forgetting my nerves. Black walls and a deep red carpet. No windows, but a skylight that sets a spotlight on the big dark desk in the middle of the room, surrounded by shelves of the biggest, most colorful books as well as the most elaborate tapestries with different coats of arms. However, there’s no one sitting behind the desk. Instead, someone familiar is sitting in front of it, covered in burn marks. Stefano. He jumps to his feet the moment he sees me, seizing me by the shoulders and saying, “I need you to do something for me, right now.”