Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(9)

Because I was not human.

“Supernaturals have jobs? Like … after they finish school?” I asked, wondering what the point of all of this was.

He nodded. “Yes. Some work in the supernatural prison system, but there are plenty of other roles scattered through our communities. Depending on your race.”

“What do you think?” Ilia pushed, stepping closer to me, wrapping her right arm around me. “Please say you’ll stay. I need a real friend; everyone from my year has graduated now, and I’m left with catty bitches like Kate.”

The princeps’s lips twitched but he refrained from smiling. And he never reprimanded her for language, which I liked. It would be a cold day in hell before I stopped cursing.

“I’m still not totally sure,” I admitted truthfully. “It’s a lot to take in. A large part of me still believes this is a dream and I’m going to wake up.” I got more than one sympathetic smile. “It scares me that you can’t easily read my race, but I also … don’t want to walk away. You were right when you said I had no place in the human world. I’d like to find out if it’s different here.”

Ilia clapped her hands, jumping up and down a few times. Larissa offered me a shy smile.

“Fantastic. I’m very excited to have you joining our sacred school.” He smiled broadly. “We can meet in my office tomorrow before school. It’s the first day of classes here for the new school year.” He glanced at his daughter. “I’ll send Larissa to escort you.”

She swallowed hard, her throat working, but she didn’t argue with her father. “She’s the same age as you,” he continued, like she wasn’t standing right there. “This is her second year, so you won’t be in the same classes, but she’ll still be a great help to you.”

“Are you sure this really is basic stuff?” I asked, nerves getting to me. “I know Ilia told me you do junior schooling first, but … I mean, if you all grew up knowing you were supes, and in the communities and such, surely I’m going to be really far behind. Even in the first year.”

I couldn’t figure out how I could take classes with adult supes who had known about this world their entire lives.

The princeps shook his head. “We spend our childhood learning the same sort of concepts as the humans. Reading, writing, science. We have to exist in the human world, so it’s important that our children can integrate if needed. Our secondary schooling is where we focus more on the supernatural side of our world.”

Pretty much exactly what Ilia said, which made me feel a little better. I’d been worried she was spinning her story to make me stay.

“You’ll be fine,” Larissa said softly. “You’ll catch up quickly.”

I doubted that. “I don’t want to stand out in a really obvious way,” I admitted.

Larissa chuckled sweetly, and I blinked at her. I wasn’t the only one. Even her father was watching her with wide eyes. Our stares eventually got to her and the laughter died off.

“You’ll never blend,” she said softly. “I can already tell you’re unique. Your power and race are not clear, but your blood smells strong and foreign.” She gestured to my hair. “And you have freckles and the prettiest pink hair. We don’t change our hair color much here, so your pastel pink is going to stand out.”

Ilia nodded then. “Oh yeah, you’re also hot as fuck. The freckles thing … I’m jealous. You have shit-all chance of blending. Even if you tried your best.”

I snorted. “Dude, as far as I can see, all supes are hot as fuck, so I don’t think my particular look is going to stand out.” I wanted to chuckle over the freckle love too. They used to be the bane of my existence, but these days I’d learned to embrace them. Even when I wore makeup, I didn’t cover them anymore.

I waited for everyone to agree and laugh with me, but no one did. “There’s an appeal about you,” Mossie said from nearby. “I don’t usually feel a pull toward non demi-fey, but you, girlie … there is something about you.”

Great, an appeal. That wasn’t going to get me into trouble.

“How come I didn’t see other demi-fey out there?” I asked. “Everyone looked … just like me.”

And Mossie definitely didn’t look like me.

“We have our own school,” he said shortly. “Across the other side of the water. Opposite to where we entered. Demi-fey prefer to … do their own teaching.”

I nodded, because I wasn’t sure what to say.

A loud musical chime rang through the air, and Princeps Jones started moving. “I’ve got a meeting, but I’ll see you tomorrow, Maddison. Look after her,” he called to his daughter and Ilia.

Then he was gone through the door, leaving the four of us staring at one another. “I gotta get back to Demi-fey Academy too,” Mossie said. He stopped at my side and nudged me. “Nice to meet you, Maddi.”

“Uh, same,” I said, surprised that I meant it. A lot had changed for me in the short time since I’d first seen his green, foreign features and screamed. I almost couldn’t believe it had been only an hour or so.

Was it normal to adjust this quickly? Something to worry about later.

After he was gone, the three of us stood there somewhat awkwardly. Larissa had gone back to staring at the floor, and since I was naturally blunt, I stepped into her personal space. Her head jerked up.