Victoria grunts, she can't back out infront of the entire class.
She leans in and whispers in my ear.
'I can't tell you with everybody listening.'
I raise an eyebrow, here I was thinking all the people here were in on something I was oblivious to.
However, I trust her.
So I nod. 'Let's go for a walk then.'
'Right now?' She looks questioning to Mrs. Peterson.
'Booth of you are excused, however I expect you to work twice as hard tomorrow Victoria.'
'Yes ma'am.'
Victoria gives Mrs. Peterson a polite nod.
Then she pulls me away from all the staring eyes into the forest only a hundred meters away from the unmovable heavy stone tables that form the classroom.
When we are out of sight she puts both her hands on her head.
'What the actual fuck Mara.'
Then she starts laughing so infectious I can't help but to laugh along.
'You are unbelievable you know?'
'Well, I don't know, not unless you tell me what is going on.'
Victoria looks considering.
'Oké, so what I think is going on is that you are a half blood.'
I squeeze my eyes.
'Half what? Both my parents are Caucasian. Even if I was, I don't see how it's relevant.'
Victoria feels in charge again.
I can see it in the way she moves.
I didn't realise she had lost herself a little until now I see her becoming whom she was before I got the better cards.
'That is not the sort of halfblood I am talking about. I ment the interspecies kind.'
I blink a few times. 'W.wha.. just what do you mean?!'
'I mean I thought you might be part werewolf.'
I don't know what to say to that.
I don't know if I should start laughing or not.
She looks serieus and whatever just happens in the classroom didn't feel that normal either.
'You see, there are a lot of highly intellectual creatures out in this world, most of them humans.
However there are quite a lot of werewolf's and witches too. I am a witch in fact.'
I want to ask her something but then she picks up a beetle and whispers a few words.
The beetle turns into a salamander, she puts it down and it runs into the bushes.
She looks at me expectingly.
The only thing I can blur out is 'oké.'
She smiles kindly to me.
'A lot of humans have some witch blood.
Most of them don't realise though.
And even if they do, it is often not enough to do anything with
Unless they study and train a lot.'
She looks closely at how I react.
'I am quite certain you have some witch blood too.
Though it doesn't explain why sky spoke to you.
Nature is know to only speak to original souls.
Those who came into existence at the same time as the world.'
She looks puzzled, searching for an explanation.
Then she shakes her head.
'Its not that important right now.
You should know that wolfs are not allowed to propagate with humans.
So it is best you don't talk about having human parents with anyone.
If they ask, just tell them you are adopted.'
A million questions swirl through my head right now.
'Does this mean my sisters are also half wolfs?
Is my father a human or a wolf, what was my mother?
Or were they both halfbloods?
How did you recognise it in me?
Why is it forbidden?
What will happen if someone finds out?'
Victoria lets me rattle for a while.
'I think I should start answering the hardest question first.
I have met your sisters.
Last year I was here too, helping my father out a little.
They are definitely fully human.
It is something a witch can sense and you as a wolf should be able to smell.'
She pause, looking at me pained, not wanting to continue.
'Mara, I think they are your half sisters at most.'
'What? But.. but we all really look alike.'
Veronica shrugs.
'Lucky I guess.'
Patiently she continues.
'You should also know, that a full blood is immortal.
It is one of the reasons why it is forbidden to have children with humans.
However, even when you have human blood, you can become really old.
Depending on how much human you are, one can become hundreds to thousands of years old.
And just as with full bloods, you will stop ageing somewhere around twenty five.
Only to age very rapidly in the last years of your life.
You should also know that immortal doesn't mean unkillable.
Non of the originals are around any more.
There have been many wars and conflicts, now they are all dead.
There are some families that claim they are fullbloods.
But there really is no way to test it.
Most of us have some human blood somewhere in our family tree.
But it is often quite some generations ago, when there was no one wielding the law of nature.
Also, most people are against wolfs and witches mixing, although it is not forbidden.
You have to realise that most of us are from multiple human generation ago.
I feel like their minds can no change opinions, they are stuck in their old ways.
Sometimes I think it is way woman are still seen as the lesser sex, or why we have to love someone of the other sex.
Even if nature tells us otherwise.'
I look at her questioning, I don't think I understand the last part, she laughs, 'you really did grow up sheltered.'
She continues.
'Oh and we don't get children as easily as humans.
The general rule is that after every child that is born, it takes twice the time before the next comes.'
I take it all in, trying to process it as best I can.
'So it is forbidden to have children with humans to keep the bloodline strong?' I ask to try and understand.
'Well yes.'
She seems unsure if she should continue.
She gives me a very serious look that makes me a bit nauseous.
'Mara', she starts, 'is your mother still alive?'