“It’s the best option we’ve found,” Tessa said quietly.
“I’m surprised they would allow our members,” a broad man with an almost too-white smile said.
“It took some convincing,” Bruce admitted. “But we are the Sorcerer's Society. We have as much right to be there as any of their other students.”
I peeked at Noah out of the corner of my eye, but he didn’t react. What was he talking about?
“How many kids can they take?” the broad man asked.
“Twelve, John,” Mandy answered. Her eyes flickered to us. “Our six, plus your daughter, CeeCee, Tyson, Aaron, and Sean leave one more spot if we need it.”
Bruce ran his hand through his hair, a movement so similar to his son I couldn't help but stare. “That only covers one branch. We have hundreds that need safe placement.”
Mandy nodded. “I’m aware, but I can’t control that. Tessa and I are responsible for Illinois, and we found a solution. Short of opening our own school, I’m not sure how to help everyone.”
Bruce rubbed his jaw. “Our own school is a good long-term solution, but you’re right. For now, we have to do what we can with the resources we have. We know our children are in immediate danger, so we have to act. Until there’s proof other high schools are in the same situation, it’s a lower priority.”
“When do they start?” Robert, Sky’s dad, asked.
“Three weeks,” Mandy answered.
I gasped. We had one more week of school here. We were only going to have two weeks off before they sent us to Montana?
“I know it’s soon, but it’s for the best,” Mandy assured.
“What kind of school is it?” Luca asked.
The adults seemed to all suddenly grow uncomfortable.
“It’s a school for the supernatural,” Tessa answered.
“What?” Gavin gasped.
“You’re sending us to the literal wolves?” Luca’s eyes were wide.
I looked to Sky and Noah. They were both silent, staring straight ahead. I was clearly missing something.
“Supernatural like us?” I asked quietly. “I thought you just said there isn’t a school like that.”
Daniel crossed the room and knelt in front of me. I felt like a small child he was trying to soothe. “Remember back when we first explained the Society to you? Bruce explained that we aren’t witches or wizards because we only have one ability?”
I vaguely remembered that detail. I was all kinds of overwhelmed that day and was trying to convince myself they weren’t insane at the time. “You said witches were real.”
He nodded. “Then, I told you there were other beings.”
Right, and that was the moment I decided they were all a part of some crazy cult.
“To be specific, there are shifters and–”
I held up a hand. “If you say werewolves or vampires, I might pass out.”
“Well, werewolves are a type of shifter,” Noah clarified next to me.
I slowly turned my head toward him. “What?”
“There are all types of shifters. Bears, wolves, mountain lions, even some birds like eagles and falcons.” He kept a straight face, even as I stared at him and waited for him to say he was kidding.
I thought I was past the shock of the Society. I guess I forgot the full name months ago. We were descendants of sorcerers. There was a reason I had the ability to shield myself and those around me. I wasn’t normal. Even though I didn’t think about it on a daily basis, we were all supernatural. Just more human than I expected witches and shifters to be.