Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(24)

“That’s the school bell around here,” Ilia said, as students got to their feet around us. “It still sounds even when we’re on vacation, just so we know roughly what time it is.”

My skin tingled as the tune finished its light melody, and I shivered.

“There’s magic in the music,” Larissa explained, noticing me rubbing at my arms. “Not that you have to be supe to know that. Music moves everyone in different ways, and it’s a magic even humans can access.”

Truth.

We fell in behind the largest group of students, and while we walked to the assembly room, I spent my time examining them closely, trying to guess which race they were.

Vampires—even Larissa—had this preternatural way of moving. Too quickly, too gracefully, very predatory. I picked a few out in the crowd and was excited when I spotted some pointed fangs on one. Evidence that I’d actually guessed right.

Fey, again, were reasonably obvious. They looked perfect. Like … nothing had ever ruffled them and they didn’t wake up with bed hair and bad breath—supermodels with a full makeup and filter job on them.

Shifters and magic users were a little more difficult. I guessed at a few, because I felt like shifters would be more … animalistic. But, after seeing Asher, that wasn’t necessarily correct. He’d had all that feral energy in his gaze.

I’d figure it out though.

I continued to follow my friends, not paying the slightest attention to where we were going. We ended up in a huge brick building—as big as any concert stadium. It had fancy padded chairs that went on for miles; students were filling them at a rapid rate.

“How many students go here?” I asked.

Ilia blinked, her face going blank. “Uh, I have no idea.” She shot Larissa a look. “Daddy princeps ever fill you in?”

Larissa shook her head, a small smile quirking her lips. “Dad, or one of the teachers, tell us at the assembly every year. You haven’t listened once, have you?”

Ilia didn’t even look remotely contrite. “Your dad is awesome and I consider him a friend as well as an employer, but … yeah, I usually miss the first assembly.” She waved her hands around. “It’s such a clusterfuck of supes in here, and I need my space.”

Her independence was one of her coolest traits. Made her seem extra badass to me, because part of me had always been looking for my place in this world. Larissa led us down the middle aisle—there were at least four other aisles splitting the rows of chairs—and Ilia groaned when we ended up near the front. “Could you be any more of a princeps’s-daughter-cliché?”

Larissa stuck her tongue out but didn’t seem offended. “Best seats are up front, Ilia, you know that.”

Ilia shook her head like homegirl was crazy but didn’t argue again. We filed across the front and took three seats together.

The noise increased as more students arrived. “Is it normal for the races to mix together?” I whispered to Larissa, who was on my right.

She gave a little half shrug. “Yes and no. In the real world we’re pretty segregated, but Dad tries to change that up here. Yes, we are often with our own races for specialty classes, but for the most part we mix. This Academy is well known for fostering supernatural unity.”

Princeps Jones was fast becoming my favorite principal ever. The schools I’d gone to before had been a dreary existence for student and teacher. That was not the vibe here at all.

A few minutes later, the vampire himself walked out onto a raised platform in front of us. He wasn’t alone; a dozen or more other supernaturals followed him. Most of them looked a little older than the students, but also … not. There was a sense of maturity about them, but their faces remained young and unlined.

“Good morning,” Princeps Jones started, his voice naturally projecting across the huge room. “Or, good evening for some of you night dwellers.”

There were chuckles across the crowd.

“I’m happy and excited to see so many familiar faces returning,” Jones continued, “and to have many new students gracing our fine establishment for their first year at the Academy.”

Someone started to clap, but unfortunately for them, that clap didn’t catch on, dying off in an awkward silence. I tried to hide my smile. Usually it was me being awkward as fuck the few times I’d found myself in social situations.

I should find that person and make a new friend.

“Before we get into the fun stuff, I’m going to go over the rules. I know a lot of you have heard this speech multiple times, but a refresher never hurts. Some of you have selective hearing.” Princeps Jones started to stroll across the front of the stage.

“First, we have a zero tolerance policy to using our race gifts against another student. I do not care what they did to wrong you, do not retaliate. If you are suffering at the hands of a student, or struggling with something socially or academically, report it to a member of staff and it will be dealt with swiftly. Abusing race gifts to punish another often has dire results, including but not limited to dismemberment and death. It’s not worth risking. For any reason.”

His face was fierce, and those canines looked awfully sharp as he stopped center stage again.

“Zero tolerance. Don’t push me on this. You all have a lot of special gifts. This is what separates us from humans. We have to respect the gifts, or you’re not welcome here at the Supernatural Academy.”