CHAPTER FIVE
Tomorrow Changes Everything
FLINT
I don't know how long I sulked in my new-found room, but I'm grateful when a faint knock tampers the mahogany door. Sasha peeks around the frame, and waves her hand briefly. "I don't know if you're hungry, but dinner is ready. We'd love for you to join us."
I nod, straightening myself before dusting my sweaty palms on my jeans. "I'll be out in a minute."
She smiles brightly, closing the door behind herself. I swear you need to have pristine hearing in order to understand her words. Sasha's voice is best described as light- airy even. Her words are often spoken so quietly that you'd think she was mumbling. Maybe that's the type of person she is.
I set my jacket on the bed hiding the letter from dad underneath. If I'm going to find answers regarding what a dragonling is or why my parents went to the extremities that they did; then I need to start asking those around me who aren't six feet under. I wonder if my uncle is still pacing around in his house. Maybe he'll send letters to me from Dean's address although I doubt he even has it written down.
I exit my room with the door shutting behind me quietly. Dean is a minimalistic man. I can tell that much by the fact that he has very little decor in his house. Excluding the ceramic vase filled with fake flowers in the hall. Or the taxidermy hunting prizes he has hung on his walls; elk, deer, cougars and even a handful of wolves. Classic. On the other hand though, Sasha helps herself to decorating areas of the house however she pleases.
She has pictures of her life framed throughout the house showcasing moments of recitals, sleepovers, and extensive birthday bashes. I pass the hall that connects my room to their living room, and head for the kitchen. I don't plan on venturing in their home despite its intriguing space. I can't afford to piss off Dean or Sasha. I have nowhere to go.
One picture of Sasha catches my eye, positioned front and center on an entertainment set when I notice the academy. Its stone structure is massive with statues of creatures I don't recognize stationed on top of its pillars. The academy itself was a cluster of buildings with high walls and towers spaced within its quarters. Standing in the entrance of Mythicae, Sasha is squished between two girls with her arms wrapped around their necks. The girl on the left has her plum colored lips in a thin smile winking for the camera. Her platinum hair graces her collarbone. She looks like she belongs on a magazine cover or someone who overfiltered their picture. The mini skirt for her uniform is to die for. I'll swear the gods have cursed me if the school banned them by the time I start.
To Sasha's left, this girl is a beaut. There's no way she looks like this in person. Unlike Sasha and the blonde, this girl is dressed in black slacks, a crew neck button-up shirt and academy blazer. Her long midnight blue hair is vibrant with a large pearl stereo headset covering her ears. Even her slender button nose was cute with peppered light freckles. But it's her smile that catches my liking. Her happiness is radiating. It's a beautiful look for her. She's laughing in the picture, and her eyes remind me of the sky back home. The kind of sky that's cloudless and a light blue in the mountains after a rainstorm settles in fall.
If all the girls look like these two, I'll flunk out for sure.
"Like what you see?"
I turn to see Sasha standing behind me with her arms crossed. A wide smile is on display as she joins my side. She doesn't bother waiting to see if I'll reply, "that is my favorite picture. It's been ages since we took this picture. The blonde one is Piper. You'll like her. She's kind and inviting- doesn't have a problem with anyone, particularly humans."
That's an odd thing to say. Isn't it?
"And the girl with blue hair is Verity. I call her Ve though. Gets on her nerves." She chuckles at that. "You'll have to let me introduce you to her. She's... Different."
I reckon I'm supposed to say something so I listen. That's really what most women want anyways. Myers did say that he'd still be married to his first wife if he just listened to her.
"Some bad things went down at school. Ve lost her brother, and she hasn't been the same since. I've tried to pull her out of her sadness, but she sits in it for too long sometimes. This memory," Sasha sighs, picking up the frame with her fingers tracing the image, "is my favorite. It was before everything went to hell."
"I can relate to that," I said, surprising myself, "Most people seem to vanish when you lose someone like that. Your friend is lucky to have you."
Sasha's lips quiver. I pretend that I didn't notice. She sets the picture frame back in its place. We join Dean in the kitchen, and my stomach purrs when the sweet aromas of sizzling red meat and steamed contents registers. Myers wasn't much of a cook. He prefered the simplicity of ordering a pizza from home to watching a late night show with a cold bottle of booze. I can't remember the last time a feast, such as this meal, was prepared for me to indulge. On the long dining table, trays of assortments are on display. Thick juicy steaks, steamed red potatoes with vegetables, golden buttered rolls, and pudding to name a few.
Sasha laughs to herself, assorting her plate with more greens than meat. Her portion was a sliver compared to mine or even Dean's alone. The smell was exceptional, but the taste pushed me over the edge. Pure fucking bliss.
"You not used to home cooked meals, Flint?" Dean quips. His brow is raised with curiosity laced in his question.
I shake my head busying myself with a shovel of potatoes. Dean chuckles to himself then clears his airway, "Flint, we need to go over a few things before your orientation."
I nod, jabbing my fork into a medium rare steak. I wouldn't mind if it was more rare though. "When is orientation?"
"Tomorrow. So I need to inform you of a few things."
Sasha strides to my side placing a glass of water beside me. I was so consumed by the shock of food that I forgot to even ask. I help myself to the glass and listen when Dean begins to explain a society I've read in fairy tales.
Dean began to explain Mythicae's Coven system. I tried to hold back a skeptical look when he went on about witches, vampires, wolf-shifters, gargoyles and elven fae. Can't forget about dragons and something called seepers. He spoke about a breed of elves called focariae- which is the snack size of regular elves. They're the blood cells of the school, and there's rules about your interaction with the "housekeepers'' of Mythicae. Focariae may be ordered to bid on the cleaning and cooking of the school, but they're tricksters with a nasty obsession for gold coins. Prickly asshats is what he called them.
The school itself is surrounded by a barrier called Harlem's Gate. If there is danger in the academy then you can perform the barrier spell for defense. Proteqe corpora nostra. Something in that nature.
Species that have supernatural abilities are born with magic bile sacs hidden inside their organs. Technology, no matter how advanced, can't log or diagnose a condition it cannot scan. It can only be detected by the magic of a healer. Especially when one is injured; another reason why humans are in the dark. A healer will have to perform a wellness-check on me since I've never had one.
He went on to explain the complexity between the members of Mythicae's Coven and humans. Both societies shared a nasty history together full of bloodshed, grief, and unbearable losses. Some are accepting of humans. Burying the past and leaving the rotting corpse to rest. But, he emphasized, humans and those like us- still have a long way to go. Majority of mankind is unaware of the supernatural walking among them. The ones who do know about the truth of this world are labeled delusional nutcases. That's where the long history of folklore comes in handy. Some of it is true. But the majority of it is blasphemy.
There's students- as well as teachers- who won't look kindly to me because I'm not a pureblood. Sasha winces when he grazes the subject. Her gaze didn't meet mine as she poked a swollen cherry tomato. I remind myself of the photo Sasha shared with me of her friends at the academy. Her comment is starting to make sense. Piper is accepting of humans so that means that the blue raven isn't.
I scrap the remaining particles on my plate, shoveling it into my mouth.
"Any questions?" Dean probes, setting his empty plate to the side.
I have a million, but I settled on two.
"I do." I said, "my acceptance letter said I'm on the alum scholarship because of mom. Does that mean my uncle doesn't have to pay?"
Sasha glances at her dad, but Dean holds his attention to me. "No, Myers will not have to pay. I'll cover any expenses you have for now on. I know that if the tables were turned, Jean and Michael would do the same for my Sash."
He earned an irritated eye roll from his daughter. She hates the nickname. Noted.
I nod again. I'm not sure what to say. I should thank him. Maybe even ask to help around to pay my way, but something tells me he'd rather pay then deal with me. "Can you tell me about mom?"
A smile spills on my new-found uncle's face. He leans back in his chair, "I thought you'd never ask. But let's save this chat for tomorrow-"
I know it's rude of me to interrupt, but I've heard this rejection my entire life. Dad talked about how they fell in love, but he kept an entire version to himself. He took the truth to his grave, never looking back. I'm sitting across from the one person who grew up with my mom, and knew her before she ran off with a human. My uncle knew my mom when she dwelled among dragons entirely. I can tell it pains him to mention her since she's been gone for nearly two decades. I just want someone to acknowledge her existence, and speak about her.
"Please," I begged, setting my fork down. "There has to be something you can tell me about mom. I never got to meet her, and dad didn't exactly share anything truthful with me. "
Dean studies me, before sighing. "Fine. A dragon's core is connected to one of the five elements; water, air, fire, earth, and metal. Your mom's element was air." Dean ponders on his words before continuing. "To put things mildly, it's not shocking that Jean would fall in love with a human. She was a bit philosophical and a fan of the stars. She couldn't wait to be a mom someday."
"How did you feel about my parents?" I regret my question the moment it registers with Dean. His eyes darken and he heaves a sigh.
"I was pissed at first." He admits, "dragons don't take weakened lineage very well. I had to stay behind and deal with the family outrage while Jean ran off with Michael. I even went so far as to track her to bring her home."
I nodded. Dean crossed his fingers deep in concentration as if he was going down memory-lane. "This was long before you were in the picture. I returned home empty handed though when I'd seen how happy my sister was with your old man. I couldn't ask her to come home after seeing the life your father provided for Jean."
I smiled at that. My father did everything to provide for Mom in the best way possible. He was a family man and he never let either of us go without as long as he could help him. His death was the last connection I thought I had with my mom. I never knew she had a brother, least of all a family.
"I think you'll get a better idea of your mom when you see the academy yourself. Once you're there, you never truly leave." Dean said. "You two should get washed up and rest. It'll be a long day."
Sasha and I obeyed. I have three hundred sixty five days to figure out everything I can before I can go home. Even if my birthday is coming up in three months, I have to rely on complete strangers in the middle of nowhere, Montana. A fresh start. That's what Myers called it.
We leave Dean to clean the kitchen, and head to our rooms. Sasha stops abruptly in front of a door coated in painted red roses. Obviously her bedroom. I walk past her until I reach the guest bedroom they set for me.
"I call dibs on the shower," Sasha calls out. She points to a closed door down the hall.
I nod, turning my focus on my cousin. "Ladies first anyways, amiright?"
I earned a chuckle at best.
"That's more like it!" She quips, "I'll wake you up at eight o' clock sharp. Oh, Flint- for what it's worth, I'm glad you're here. Goodnight."
She doesn't wait for a reply before slipping into her room with the door nipping at her heels. I busy myself with grabbing shorts and the toothbrush packet Myers bought at the whole goods store. I'm grateful Sasha's here. It's easy to be around her. She doesn't press me for an answer. You'd never suspect there was anything suspicious about her because she's the most normal I've seen in the past twenty-four hours. It'll be nice to get to know my cousin. I imagine this is what it's like to have a sister.
When Sasha finishes her night routine, I make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower and brush my teeth. Sleep devoured me when my head hit the pillow.