“But you’re in my year? You’re seventeen?”
“Yeah?” I hated sounding so unsure, but we clearly misunderstood each other.
She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “Sorry, let’s start over. Who are you, and where did you come from?”
I was almost offended until she started laughing.
I chuckled lightly. “I’m pretty new to this world. I didn’t know I was coming here until yesterday morning.”
Her brows shot to the sky, and her big blue eyes widened. “What? How?”
So the “surprise, you’re a witch” thing was unique to me? I wasn’t sure how much I should share with her, but I had a feeling I’d be getting reactions like this a lot in the next few days. Maybe she could help me come up with a better explanation, so I didn’t have to repeat myself quite as often.
“I didn’t know I was a witch. My . . . powers”––I wasn’t sure I even wanted to accept that label yet; I was perfectly fine ignoring the freak accidents––“didn’t really show up until recently. My family thought I didn’t have abilities, so I was raised in human society.”
I used phrasing I picked up from Masie and hoped that explained things.
Her surprise faded some. “Interesting. You have some catching up to do, but I can help you, and we can get a study group together so we can bring you up to speed.”
“Really? Why would you do that?”
She just smiled. “Because I remember how overwhelmed and confused I was when I got here, and I knew my whole life that I was a witch. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Plus, you’re one of us now, and we watch out for each other.”
She spun back around and started walking again. Was it that simple? She made it seem like it was, but what did she mean by “us” and “we”? The students of Drexel or witches? I wasn’t sure I wanted to join in on the segregation, but maybe it was another area where I didn’t have a choice.
She led us through a back entrance connected to a wide brick pathway. She waited for me to fall into step with her and told me about each grand building we passed. Pentacles were etched over the entrance to each of them and even in random spots like the side of a bench and some of the pavers.
“Over there,” she began, pointing behind us, “is the assembly hall. If there is ever a school or grade-wide meeting, that’s where we go. If there are performances or anything like that, they use the stage in there. Since tomorrow’s the first day of the new term, we’ll have a school assembly, so you’ll see it.”
I hurried forward to keep pace with her as she pointed to the next building on our right. There weren’t very many other people out, but I noted that none of them wore what could be considered uniforms. It was yet another thing I wasn’t sure about. Since no one had brought it up yet, I hoped there wasn’t a pleated skirt or blazer waiting for me in my room.
“That’s the greenhouse. Witches with an Earth affinity are usually the only ones who use it, but anyone that’s interested in growing plants is welcome to use it.”
I wanted to ask her what her affinity was, but I wasn’t sure if that was taboo or not. What about shifters? How could I tell the difference between a vampire or a witch? Would I know instinctively?
“And that’s the health center.” She pointed to a smaller version of the administration building. It had fewer turrets and no parapets but was still a similar style. “That’s pretty self-explanatory. If you’re sick or injured, head there. Some of the witches and vampires with healing abilities intern there, but those are only the older students.”
Healing abilities? That was an option? I wanted those. How cool would it be to wave my hands and fix a broken bone or cure an illness?
There was a curve in the path, then a split. She paused, and I stopped next to her. “That is the lab building where most of the science-related classes are.”
The path to the right led to where I needed to go in the morning for the assessment, so I made a mental note of where to turn.
“And that’s the library.” The building on the opposite side of the path from the lab building was massive and far grander than any library I’d ever seen. I couldn’t wait to explore it.
She started down the path to the left. “This way leads to the dorms, dining hall, and the tower.”
“The tower?” That sounded ominous.
She grinned. “Its real name is Bradbury Tower, but that’s a mouthful. It’s the only tower on campus, so it’s not like you’ll get confused. It’s where most of the witches’ classes are, so you’ll be spending a lot of time there.”
I saw the tall building in the distance and hoped my classes weren’t at the top since I doubted it had an elevator. Thoughts of the imposing tower and all the work ahead distracted me. One second I was upright, and the next, the ground was speeding toward my face.
Chapter 7
Itried to catch myself before I hit the ground, but my hands were full. Just as I was about to faceplant, I stopped.
I sucked in a breath, inches from the bricks, then looked around for what had caught me. Hands wrapped around my biceps, lifting me back up like I weighed nothing. Panic washed over me. What was happening?