The next week, I kept my head down. I finished my homework. I studied for my exams. I made sure to have lunch with Priscilla every day. Nobody else had offered to have lunch with me, anyways.
In my backpack, I have all of my books and notebooks prepped for class. And I have something else…
The cook in the kitchen has taken a liking to me. Maybe thanks to my actual notes of thanks and repeated conversations. He goes by the name Moony. He gifted me something on Monday.
“It’s a magic journal,” he explained. When he smiled, there’s a gap where a tooth used to be. His arms are covered in tattoos beneath his chef’s shirt. Something I’m sure Dracus’ haughty self wouldn’t approve of. I’m over those Core Council boys.
My hand rested on the journal inside my backpack. It was shifter magic. Utterly unbreakable.
“I know it must be hard with all these boys. I have a daughter at home. It’s a place for all your thoughts. No matter how many curses,” Moony had said. He was easily my favorite person in the manor.
Indeed, it was a perfect place for my dark thoughts. In the bathroom stall, which blissfully went from the floor to the ceiling at the Academy, I took out the notebook in my lap. There was a running list on the first page. I’ve looked up all of their official positions in the school ledger. It was in the library that Theo conveniently forgot to show me, but Priscilla made sure to.
The Sketchy Boys:
Ren Firefall (Wolf) – His wolf clan was murdered by a mysterious group, potentially other shifters. Not nice. Unfortunately, hot. Caught me at the wall. Took my grappling hook. Member of the Council.
Theodore “Theo” Redroot (Bear) – Handsome. Who am I kidding? They’re all handsome. Theo is the friendliest, but I’m disappointed in him right now. He’s OBVIOUSLY hiding something. They all are. Ambassador of the Council.
Enrique Beaumont (Lion) – A total flirt, stupidly cute. He has a new girl running off through the manor’s gardens every night. Shameless, but not unfriendly. Stupidly attractive and wealthy, but the wealth may be from organized crime? Priscilla mentioned a rumor about his family being in with the mafia. Assistant to the Head of the Council
Jasper Wickes (Fox) – Angel/devil. An admitted two-face. Both faces are sexy. There are rumors that he escaped a prison sentence by coming to the Academy. Foxes are notorious for being involved in theft. Possible suspect for room break-in? Ambassador of the Council.
Dracus St. Clair (Dragon) – Proud with a strict moral compass that doesn’t involve forgiving girls who try to haul themselves over creepy walls. An actual handsome prince. Head of the Council.
I glared down at my list. No matter how many times I looked at it, it seemed
woefully short. I turned the page and listened to make sure there was nobody else in the bathroom. Technically, I was supposed to be in class, but missing one general science class wasn’t going to hurt me. Shifters were behind on reviewing normal human sciences.
The next page had a much more hopeful list: check the library for more info about the Core Council and Beast Academy. That was my task for the day, I decided. I shut the notebook and waited a few more minutes in the bathroom. Nobody came.
The trek to the library was the shortest from my science class, which is why I chose it. It was also the only class where every Council boy had a class at the same time. When I rounded the corner to the library, the place was virtually deserted. Only a few students with different schedules and free study period were inside.
Unfortunately, shifters weren’t keen on modern human technology. This meant I had to casually walk to the archive room and manually sort through the file cabinets for what I was looking for. I could’ve asked the pleasant-faced librarian, but I didn’t want to be caught researching the actual group that I’d been assigned to when coming to Beast Academy. What would people say if they saw the girl from Core Council researching Core Council?
There were no files for Core Council, but it was easy enough to find the card for Beast Academy. Tucking it back into place, I left the archive room and descended into the basement level of the library. It was distinctively creepier without the windows, but there were plenty of lamps lit overhead with the same mysterious magic as the manor.
I made my way along the shelf, which was the third from the last in a long row. Another student was at the other end, but he had his head shoved in a book. It was one of Priscilla’s nerdier friends. I doubted that he would bother me.
The Academy’s section was easy enough to find. It was separated from the other books with a few empty shelves. I reached up and grabbed the thickest book I could find. It was covered in dust, but I was hopeful. I grabbed two more nearby it, virtually clearing out the shelf.
As I turned to head back upstairs to get the librarian to check the books out, I ran smack into something solid.
A column in the middle of the book stacks? I looked up.
“Skipping class?” Jasper asked with a sharp grin. I nearly screamed, but he slapped a hand over my mouth. “Please don’t make them think I’m murdering you.” His eyes flicked down to my stack of books. “Ah. You’re doing some research.” His wicked gaze found me. I shivered beneath it.
“Are you going to tell on me?” I asked him, narrowing my eyes.
“Should I?” he asked, leaning in closer. With a quick movement, he seized the top book and regarded it in the low light. He grimaced. “If I did, I’d be taking you out of your misery.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but my foot landed on his shoe. I tripped, and the books went everywhere. I groaned. He stooped down to help me. I lifted my face as my head began to pound.
And for a moment, there is another voice. A voice from the man in my strange vision with Dracus. A voice saying, “Guard your power, Fiona.” My skin broke out into goosebumps.
He cleared his mouth.
“Um, your—”
My cheeks grow bright red even in the low light. My uniform shirt has become untucked and thrown itself halfway up my body, giving him a peek of my lavender lace bra. If someone caught us by accident, it would be an awkward position…You can see my entire lower back. His eyes flashed to my birthmark, but I ripped my shirt back down. Thankfully, my skirt has stayed put. He helped me up without another word. I snatched the book back from him.
“I’m taking all of these,” I said with a sniff.
But when I go to check out, I realize that I don’t have all three books. The one that he was holding is gone. I cursed under my breath.
Damn that fox. Perhaps the rumors were true.
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