In a way, it really is.
“My name is Laelia Riverlite, and I accept my fate. I wish to accept the test for the throne. May the gods judge me.” The second I say it, the silver magic wraps around me like a wave of water. My feet leave the ground, and my right wrist starts to burn.
“You lieeeeee,” a voice that sounds neither female nor male screams inside of my head. I immediately react, pushing out my magic to defend myself, but it feels impossible to fight this. I fall out of the gate, smacking my back onto the grass, and look up to see the whole gate shaking harshly. Magic splutters and spits out, and the walls at the side of the gate crack harshly. Eventually, it stops, and I finally breathe now I know the gate isn’t going to fall onto me. I lift my wrist and there, cut into my skin, is a glowing rune. It’s a semicircle with two triangle corners filled in. Then a swirl starts in the middle of the semicircle, going out and flickering off. It glows gold before fading into just a gold mark, with my blood pouring down from my wrist.
A middle-aged man in a silver cloak moves to stand over me, eyeing me with caution. He has no hair, bushy white eyebrows, brown eyes, and a strange expression on his face. He offers me his hand as I look at the pin on his cloak, a stag crown with a sword within. The royal crest of the reapers, if I remember right. I’ve killed reapers in the past for work, and I’ve seen this on their clothes, learnt that the stag stands for a god they believed made this realm, and the sword is for the royal who is always meant to lead their people. My people, I guess.
“Welcome to The Royal Reaper Academy. You made quite an entrance. I haven’t seen the gate shake and break the walls in a very long time.”
I push myself to my feet, ignoring his outstretched hand. He lowers his hand, smiling softly. “I am Professor Artic, and I am one of the teachers you will meet and one of the Cherished Five. We’re waiting for the last student, so please join the others, Laelia Riverlite.”
“It’s Daesyn. It’s my middle name, and I much prefer being called it,” I tell him.
He looks watchful, but he seems to get over it quickly. “I will correct your records to reflect the name, Daesyn.”
I warily watch him walk away just before Poppy is in my face, looking concerned at what happened with the gate. I look around her to see a crowd of people, all of them just like us, all of them needing to die so they don’t kill me first. I never like killing innocents, but in my book, everyone that walked into this academy signed their own death warrant. My eyes stop when I see a familiar face in the crowd. The guy from the fields with the red eyes stands at the side in a black cloak, and he is talking to Torfinn. They stand close, suggesting they know each other well, and I wonder what game the demi-god is playing with me. They both are so deep in conversation I’m startled when they both turn my way at the same time.
I turn my eyes away, knowing that finding out who that guy is can wait until later.
I’m marked for the academy now, and surviving is everything.
Chapter 9
My first real look at the royal castle comes seconds after the last student falls through the gate. While everyone takes a look at the new girl, I choose to focus on the castle in the distance, the only thing not moving in the heavy wind that blows around us. The castle is surrounded by thick green and blue trees, making it seem like the only light in the whole of the forest. The castle itself is imposing, towering over the trees and into the skies. Of the many towers—I count at least fifteen—only one of them is painted black, and it is dead in the centre. Gold windows line the building’s many levels, and a giant set of black steel doors are closed, with at least thirty reapers standing in front of it, their scythes held tightly in their hands.
Professor Artic helps one of the new students, a beefy looking dude, to his feet before clapping his hands to gain all of our attention.
“The academy welcomes you all, and we thank you for the sacrifice you are making by attending here. My name is Professor Artic, for all those who did not catch it before.” He pauses as some chatter fills the crowd. I hear a girl behind me softly speak.
“He is the great warrior from the war. I heard he is the queen’s ear to the outside world.”
So he is more than he looks.
The professor carries on talking. “The first day at the academy is one of celebration. The true test will begin tomorrow, so sleep well.”
My brow furrows as Torfinn walks to Professor Artic’s side, and the crowd drops into silence once more. “This is Professor White, and he will be one of your teachers for the year. We have been very lucky to have him here.”
The chatter around the group gets much louder, the constant word demi-god spluttered around. So he is famous. Great. Finn’s eyes find mine in the crowd, and a cocky smirk fills his lips. He murmurs something to Professor Artic before walking away.
And damn, am I not the only girl who watches his firm ass the entire time.
“I didn’t know he was teaching here,” Poppy mutters. “He must think I’m a coward.”
I shrug. “Better he think that than hate you like he does me.”
“I don’t think he hates you,” Poppy replies with a coy smile. “He looks your way a lot.”
“Likely to make sure I don’t stab him,” I snort. “And I have thought about it a few times, so he would be right.”
“You’re a very strange person, Daesyn,” Poppy replies with a small laugh. A bit of an understatement.
“Everyone step into one of the many shadows, and it will take you to your room,” Professor Artic interrupts, and I turn to see four spinning shadows hovering just above the ground in front of him. One by one, the students step into the shadows and sink into them. Poppy and I join the queues until we get to the front. I glance at Poppy, seeing how nervous she is, but she steps into the shadow all the same and sinks right down. Keeping my eyes down, I step in next, and like someone has grabbed my ankles, I’m pulled into dark shadows.
Seconds later I crash onto a bed, bouncing a few times as I stare at the white ceiling above me. I sit up and glance around, digging my fingers into the white bedsheets. The room is small with white painted stone walls and real wood floors in a chestnut colour. There are three doors in the room and one big window opposite my bed, which looks over the trees. Branches wind around the window on the outside, and I quickly realise we are in treehouses. Leaving my bag on my bed, I walk to the window and look down to see a bunch of students, all girls, following a guy with dark blond hair. The guy never looks back at the girls, who are wearing little more than short dresses and knee-high boots. The guy is muscular and built in a sexy “I work out hard” sort of way that can make girls’ panties drop like sweets at a fair.
“Hey! I’m so glad we are roommates,” Poppy says behind me, coming through one of the doors behind me. She walks to my side, following my line of sight.
“Oh, it’s the prince,” Poppy comments with a little sigh. I eye her with confusion, and she snaps out of it, remembering I know shit about this world.
“That’s Prince Sebastian Husk, and he is the only heir. Last time the academy happened, there were seven heirs in here. Usually, they are the ones that win, and I don’t doubt it will be different this time,” she admits, biting on her lip and looking away. “He is nicknamed The Dark Prince, and he is a big ladies’ man.”
“Aren’t most princes?” I suggest. “Or at least from what I’ve heard. The wolf prince back on Earth is a big player.”
“Yup,” she nods in agreement. “Wanna look around?”
I grin at her, actually curious about our new digs. I find out the double doors in the room are a big ass closet with several pieces of plain blue activewear and black leather boots in my size, plus a bunch of other clothes. Poppy doesn’t let me look long, dragging me out into the main sitting area. In the centre of the room is the kitchen island in a circle shape with a tree literally in the middle of it. The tree goes up through the roof and is just bark in here, no branches. Two dark blue sofas are facing the only window in the room, which is long and big, with crazy amazing views over the forest and castle in the distance. Poppy shows me her room, which is exactly the same as mine, and then the shared bathroom we have. It’s a simple bathroom with a big shower and corner bathtub, along with a toilet, sink and washing machine and tumble dryer. I come to a halt when I see a Bwbachod sitting on top of the tumble dryer.
Poppy comes to a halt at my side, both of us looking between each other.
“Are fae creatures usually allowed to just be here?” I question. “I know the reapers hunt Unseelie fae, but how do they feel about creatures from the Otherworld?”
“They are banned and hunted. We hide the ones around our house because my mother has a kind heart, and my father could never tell her no. I’m just as shocked as you to see a creature here other than your monkey,” she admits, biting on her lip. “The queen would have our heads for hiding a fae creature.”
I almost laugh at the irony of that, considering who I am. The Bwbachod, who looks a little like a troll and is the size of an apple, just stares blankly at us.
“I care for you,” the Bwbachod tells us. “I was sent, and I honour my task. Do you wish for food?”
