Chapter 1
Booming thunder rumbled through the air, shaking the massive stone tower and all the inhabitants inside. Lightning cracked through the sky, providing a brief moment of welcome light before plunging the room back into near darkness. The clouds were so dark and thick, the outside looked like midnight though it was barely midday.
Eva St. Eden sighed in annoyance but forced herself to smile. This weather always left her with a sense of foreboding. Maybe it was years of seeing the dreadful effect the humidity had on her tight blonde curls. No matter. Nothing would get her down today.
She clipped her curls back from her face. With a gentle wave of her wand, she set four additional candles alight. Now she could see more fully, and she took in her surroundings with appreciation.
She was alone in her dormitory room. The bed to her right was perfectly made. The desk assembled, stocked, and ready to be used. Her best friend, Salem St. Sinclaire, had clearly arrived early and unpacked.
The bed to Eva's left was untouched and barren. Her other best friend, Olyve Olyander, was late as usual.
Eva was in between the two, literally and figuratively. She wasn't as neat or structured as Salem, but she wasn't as carefree or wild as Olyve. They called her the charm that held them together.
A sound came from the door to their room. Eva turned to see the cause. Her smile grew fond as she immediately noticed Olyve's bright orange bob. Even the dark storm couldn't diminish that fiery glow.
Olyve's eyes were closed as she hugged herself with a serene smile on her lips. She sighed happily, "Can you believe what a beautiful, bright, sun-shiny day we're having to welcome us back? This must be a good omen."
As if huffing in indignation, the thunder released the loudest and meanest growl of the morning.
Eva laughed and ran to her friend. "Give me a hug. I missed you, even though you think a thunderstorm is cheerful news."
Olyve dropped her small backpack and wrapped Eva in a firm hug. "It is cheerful. Dreariness feeds my soul while the sun would burn it away to a crisp. Storms are my happy place."
Eva took the dropped bag and carried it to Olyve's side of their shared room. Was this small bag really all her friend bought? Eva rolled her eyes affectionately and a little bit jealously. "You want a happy place? Look at our room. Being an 8th year is going to be incredible."
Olyve sat on her bed as her eyes wandered around the room. The mattress felt cozier. She laid on her back and spread her arms wide. The size was bigger too. No more small, cramped living spaces. No more bunking on top of other students.
"The only thing that could make this better is if we had a private washroom just for us."
Eva laid down next to her friend. Their smiles were as wide as the bed. They could both fit comfortably on a single mattress. "That would be great. Maybe if we make it back for a 10th year."
Olyve scoffed. "The last time someone made it back as a 10th year was 20 years ago. As talented as we are, I doubt we will. I don't think I would even want to. Let's see if I can handle the responsibility of being an 8th year first."
Eva patted her friend's hand. "Fair enough. If anything motivates you, I'm sure the room will. Did you see how high our ceiling is?"
The light from the candles illuminated the shelves built into the stone walls. They had places for their books, for their potions, for their nick-nacks and whatever else they could dream of. The ceiling was high over their head, adding to the sense of freedom and possibility. No longer would they feel suffocated by walls and fellow students.
Olyve turned her gaze to the numerous glass windows. Their room was on the tower's 20th floor, but the current view was limited to rain sliding down the panes with the occasional lightning strike in the distance.
Olyve rushed to the largest window and placed her hand against the cool glass. "Did you notice how big these windows are? I wish we had a balcony. I'd hang off it right now if I could. Our room is high enough to feel in the middle of the storm."
Olyve relaxed at the thought, and Eva shivered with apprehension.
Eva got up and resumed unpacking her belongings. "You know how I feel about storms. Omen or not, I refuse to cower. This is the first year I don't have to watch my back. I haven't felt this excited about a new school year since I came here as a recruit."
Olyve winced, knowing the reason Eva's joy had turned to resentment for the past seven years. It was time to leave the ghost in the past, and she wasn't going to bring it up. He was gone. That was that.
Olyve continued looking out the window, drawing designs in the condensation with her finger. "Where's Salem? I see her stuff."
"She was gone before I came in. I'm guessing she went to find Solomon. They haven't been able to kiss since last year ended, you know."
Olyve leaned her head back and laughed. "I should have known. I wonder if he's finally going to ask her to put her name in the cauldron this year."
"He better. I'm surprised she hasn't asked him. You know how she loves to go after what she wants."
Olyve nodded and returned to her bed, picking at her nails. "I do. The whole reason I came back this year was because she pressured me. I know she thinks it will help me, and yeah, I'm sure it will . . . but I'm not her, you know? Why do I have to learn from her all the time? Why can't she recognize that she could learn something from me too?"
Eva nodded thoughtfully. She'd listened to this question in various rants over the past few years. "Maybe this year she will. Maybe----"
Eva's voice dropped off as a body slammed into their dormitory door. Draped in soaking wet robes and breathing heavily was the third member of their clique, Salem.
Her long black hair was tied back in a braid and water dripped off her into little puddles on the stone floor. Her eyes found Eva's, and her expression went from shocked to pitying.
"I came as fast as I could," she panted between deep breaths. "I sprinted from the Father's office. He was there."
Olyve and Eva shared a worried expression and stood.
Salem walked toward them, her hands extended but her gaze fixed on Eva. They joined hands in the middle of the room. Salem's gaze was fearful and apologetic. "He's back. Leandros is back."
