'James you are absolutely amazing! What do I have to do to make you tutor me?'
'Hahaha,' James laughs softly, 'you are exaggerating.'
I think I see him blush.
'But if you want I will gladly teach you what I know. Though it is mostly practice and you have to feel it, that isn't something anyone can teach you.'
I nod. happily. 'Thank you!'
'Tssk you are just stroking his ego.' Victoria rolls her eyes.
'He might be good at manipulating the elements but if you want to learn real witchcraft you have to come to me.' She says it jokingly but I can hear a slightly jealous undertone.
'You know,' I think Uyen might have heard it too, 'Victoria is the oldest witch of our class.' She pauses for a second. I think she is trying not to sound as a stuck up. 'She probably has the purest blood too.'
It does sound a bit stuck up. But it lightens the mood.
I never imagined Victoria as jealous.
'Is it inappropriate to ask for your ages?'
Uyen giggles, 'no it really isn't. We supernaturals are quite proud of our age. Atleast when you have a few years to your name that is.'
James signs, 'If there is a change they will ask you or talk about all the years they walked this earth. Always talking about the people they know and who is family with whom. Sometimes people lie about it. But it is really shameful when it comes out. And it always does.'
'Well then, how old are you?' I ask looking at Uyen.
'157' she says. She kind of gleams saying so.
'WoW', somehow I can not really grasp it.
I wonder if no one told me what I am, when I would have figured out.
I almost ask how they deal with their families but then I realise their families also live a really long life.
'Then it is probably not the first time you attended university is it?'
She nods, 'no, but it is the first time I attent here, I have studied twice at Chi-mu.
But my family moved here and I decided to come along.
I though attending here would be fun.
Meeting some new people and brushing up my witchcraft.
Especially with Mrs. Peterson teaching here.'
I find it insane how casually she talks about it. As if attending here is some kind of fun trip.
Though it is, but I always looked at it as the thing that would make me something.
As something that would make my father acknowledge me.
Then it hits me.
He isn't my father.
I stand there frozen,
All the air knocked out of my lungs.
Only James seems to notice, as Victoria and Uyen are in some sort of discussion.
He grabs my hand.
His hand is softer then I expected.
I've squeezes mine a little.
'I am only twenty three.' His voice is but a whisper.
My eyes widen.
'I rather not that everybody knows, though if they do a little digging they could figure it out.'
I nod silently. 'You are not kidding me are you?'
He chuckles, 'Why would you think that?'
'Just because,' I search for the right words, 'you seemed very skilled, and as you said yourself, it takes a lot of practice.'
He smiles sweetly. I can not help but admire his features. He is truely breathing.
In that moment I think he is the most beautiful creatur I have ever witnessed.
I don't mean to say I am attracted to him, although I am not not.
I don't even mean to say he is sexy or handsome.
He is more like art. Breathtaking.
'I do have to admit that I come from a bloodline that demands perfection, I have practiced all my life. Even though it is short. But besides that, I come from a strong and fairly pure bloodline that has always been good with the elements.'
'Oh.' Is all I know to say.
'You should know there is a lot more to witchcraft then controlling and bending the elements, Victoria will show you that.'
We walk to our rooms chatting mostly about all the things I don't know and understand.
'You have to tell us Mara, how it came to be you know so little of this world and jet sky talked to you as you grew up.
It is almost as if you thought you where a human until yesterday. Under what rock did you live?' Uyen has a curious look on her face.
I try not to panic and look at Victoria. "Please answer this for me." I try to sign.
'She was adopted. I don't know how it happened and why no one intervened. But that is what happened.
I think she has wolfs blood in her as well as witch blood.'
As she says that James and Uyen raise their noses.
'I don't smell it on her', she says.
I look at James and he also shakes his head.
For a moment I think: "What if I am not, it could have been just bad luck my mother died.'
But then Victoria say: 'I smell it on her, quite clearly.'
But only when she continues she really peaks my interest.
'I put a spell on her, I didn't want to throw her for the wolfs just jet. Witches are a bit more civilised and I thought everything would be a bit less shocking this way.'
Then she gives me a look that only makes me raise my eyebrows further.
'We would appreciate it if you didn't spread the word.'
Not much later we reach the point where we have to split up.
When James and Uyen turn the corner Victoria grabs my arm.
'We need to talk.'
'Yes we do' I answer.
'So I did put a spell on you, but just one so people don't recognise you as a Hoogland.
You and your sisters look really alike, you know?'
Nobody ever tells me that, and now that someone does, it is a bad thing.
'I know.'
'However I didn't put a spell on you to hide your wolf. Though I think there is something hiding it.'
'Then,' I ask, 'how would you know that I am a wolf and not just a witch?'
'First off I have a really good nose, it is something my family is known for, and I do smell wolf on you.'
'Then there is Divar.'
My eyes lock onto hers. Is she now finally gonna tell me what his bulkshit is about?
'He acts around you like,' there is a short pause but I notice it, she is searching for the right choice of words. 'Like you are a wolf.'
I skoft.
'He doesn't treat other wolfs like he treats me.'
My tone says "Vic, you can't bullshit me."
'How many other female wolfs do you know?'
I am taken aback by that. I don't know any.
'There are some in the packs around uni.'
I say it a little insecure, because I am not even sure if they were wolfs.
'True, but they had a pack to protect them, I think Divar feels the need to protect you since you don't belong to one.'
What? If it was that simple, then why would she be so hesitant in telling me.
What did the dream have to do with it?