Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(36)

Morgan set her pitiful project in the basket with the others. She’d been put in Advanced Magick, because she had a good handle on her fire. The only thing she really lacked was the ability to control it. It responded to her emotions, which were usually all over the place, instead of her commands.

“Everyone up, grab your jackets. We’re headed to the other campus,” Amber said cheerfully.

Morgan rose with the others. She hadn’t paid attention last week, when Amber originally explained the reason for the visit. Something about touring the new campus. At least she couldn’t fail any more projects, if she was there. She went into the hallway, tugging on her coat, and joined the rest of the girls milling in the living area. A sixteen-passenger van was running in front of the schoolhouse.

“Hey, Morgan, wait up.”

She turned. Summer smiled brightly, dressed in a fluffy pink jacket that matched the pink tint in her cheeks. Her eyes glowed; they always did, and Morgan envied her. If she had to guess, Summer glowed because someone loved her. Beside her was another girl Morgan vaguely recognized from class.

“This is Biji,” Summer said. “She’s an air witchling like me.”

Biji grinned. The small girl was beautiful, with long, dark hair that reached her waist and a darker complexion that marked her Indian heritage. She wore bright teal, and her dark eyes danced. Her features were delicate and small, her petite frame wearing clothing nice enough to be in a magazine spread.

“Morgan,” Morgan said.

“I like your fire project,” Biji said. “Mine is so boring!”

Morgan smiled at her overdramatic sigh. Biji smiled again.

“We’re going to see Decker!” she said cheerfully.

“I know!” Summer flushed.

“Is your brother coming?” Biji asked Morgan.

“Connor?” she asked blankly. “I don’t think so. I have no idea.”

“He should come, just so I can stare at him,” Biji said.

Morgan laughed.

“Summer got Decker, but I still got a chance with Connor, right?”

“Uh, sure.” Morgan exchanged a look with Summer.

“She’s always like this,” Summer said. “She talks big but she won’t actually go talk to any guy.”

“I haven’t found the right one,” Biji said defensively.

Summer rolled her eyes. Their air magick was as playful as the two girls, and it danced around Morgan, lifting her hair. Her fire magick was curious, shy. Her family consisted of fire and water witchlings.

“On the van!” Amber called from near the door. She opened it and counted each student as they went out. “Twelve. Perfect.”

Biji claimed a row for the three of them. Sonya climbed in last, and Morgan felt the cold shoulder the others gave her. She waved Sonya to their bench at the back of the van.

Summer and Biji glanced at her, a little uncertain, while Morgan patted the spot beside her. One day, she would ask why people treated the soft-spoken girl the way they normally did her.

The girls on either side of her were quiet during the trip to Priest River. By Summer’s smile, she was texting her boyfriend, while Biji was playing Angry Birds. Morgan watched the scenery go by, thoughts on Beck. She was almost glad for the trip. Campus seemed too small for the both of them. At least at the Dark Campus, he wouldn’t be there.

Less than an hour later, the van pulled up in front of a modern building on a small campus and stopped.

“Everyone remember why we’re here?” Amber asked.

“Remember that Dark does not mean bad,” a few students replied.

“Right. Witchlings live at peace with one another. Dark or Light is one of many personal choices. We don’t want the separate campuses to upset the relationship between us all,” she said cheerfully.

They piled out of the van and gathered on the sidewalk. Morgan wasn’t surprised to see Decker waiting.

“You our tour guide?” Amber asked him with a smile.

“Yep,” he replied. His eyes found Summer.

Morgan smiled, a familiar yearning filling her. The way they looked at each other, how comfortable they were together…she wondered what it was like.

“Omigod,” Biji said from beside her, rolling her eyes. “I’ll hang out with you for this tour, Morgan. And Sonya. If she wants.”

Morgan glanced at the other girl then back. Sonya appeared surprised by the inclusion. She joined them, though, and Morgan was pleased to see her hesitant smile.

The students walked into the lobby of the schoolhouse for the Dark Arts. It was cheerful and pristine, the condition of the building confirming Amber’s explanation about the campus being completely new.

Amber led them through the building, talking about Dark magick, while the others trailed her. She took them to the magick lab, and even Morgan stopped in place to stare around her. The modern lab was nothing like she’d seen at the Light Campus. It looked like a cross between a kitchen with stainless steel counters and a science lab with containers of students’ projects. Each wall of the lab was painted a color representing an element: red for fire, brown for earth, blue for water, and green for air. The ceiling was grey, the color of spirit.

Each of the elements had its own section of the lab. The students gravitated towards their elements. Fire burned in a glass container that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. A small waterfall flowed in the corner near it. Morgan went to her fire. It sensed her and pressed itself against the glass.