“That’s the new rector!” Zoe squealed, nearly tumbling out the window in her excitement. “Look! Right there! Eternal Power, what a hottie. I’m almost jealous you get to stay.”
Sitting on the windowsill, keeping as far as possible from the hyperactive Zoe as she packed her things, I followed her gesturing hand to confirm what I already suspected—we’d definitely met before. In the dean’s office. And I’m pretty sure I made quite the impression on him, for better or worse. I can only imagine what he thinks of me now.
I’m not sure if he kept me here for some special reason or just to teach me a lesson, but ever since that conversation, I’ve felt uneasy. And that damn smirk of Watkins’ has been haunting me everywhere I go. It’s like he deliberately provoked that argument just to make sure I’d stay. Why would a dean who dreams of seeing me kicked out of the academy want that? Hell if I know! But my witch’s intuition tells me it’s nothing good.
“Definitely a wizard,” I muttered thoughtfully, watching the focused and composed object of my friend’s swooning.
The object in question stood in the middle of the square in front of the academy’s entrance, perfectly visible from the window of our dorm room. No denying it—he’s good-looking. But life has taught me to keep my distance from guys like him.
The new rector clearly had a military background. You could tell from his posture, his bearing, and the way he gave orders—sharp and concise, yet everything around him instantly fell into order. Even the new students, streaming endlessly into our beloved academy, hushed and straightened up the moment his gaze landed on them.
Overall…
“He’s just perfection!” Zoe gushed again, completely flipping my assessment. Polar opposite, you could say.
Should I start calling her my “former roommate” now? After all, the witches at our academy were being transferred out. And almost all the female alchemists. Pretty much all the girls, actually. They kept a few healers, though. I’m guessing that’s where they’ll shove me. I’m not a fan of healing, but I made a bet, so I’ll have to deal with it. Maybe later I can switch to another department.
And now I felt lost. It’s not that I’m scared of the challenges the new program will bring. It’s just that I know I’ll be alone. And I hate being alone.
“The most powerful,” Zoe drawled dreamily, rolling her eyes so dramatically I worried she might pass out. “Or at least, he was.”
“What do you mean, ‘was’?” I asked, instantly on edge, eager to hear about even one flaw in this nauseatingly perfect wizard.
“Just rumors… probably nonsense,” she shrugged, suddenly shy as she turned back to her main task—packing. “A few years ago, there was a closed trial. All hush-hush. My dad said hardly anyone was at the hearing. The verdict was delivered behind closed doors, of course. But… word is, they stripped him of his access to the Power. And I’m inclined to believe it, considering he somehow ended up here.”
“Maybe he just decided to dedicate himself to training the next generation?” I suggested, studying the new rector closely.
“Maybe, sure,” Zoe replied with a dismissive tone. “But… do you really believe that? Guys like him don’t just step away to teach at the height of their strength and career. It’s all pretty weird, honestly. Rumors are flying, but no one knows the truth.”
That’s for sure. So, somewhere along the line, our “perfect” rector must’ve messed up big time. I’d love to know where. And why he got sent to us.
“I wonder, if by some chance… just hypothetically, of course… he gets pardoned or cleared, would we go back to the old curriculum?” I voiced my thoughts aloud.
It came out unexpectedly, even to me. Just thinking out loud. But I’d never seen such panic in Zoe’s eyes before. She couldn’t even speak at first, just shook her head frantically.
“Don’t even think about mentioning this to anyone. My dad will get in trouble if word gets out that I spilled anything about that situation.”
“But you didn’t really spill anything, not really,” I said, frowning, completely baffled by her freak-out.
“What I said is enough to get my dad thrown out on the street,” Zoe grimaced. “They might take pity on some random lady, but I’m a judge’s daughter. They’ll put two and two together and pin the blame right away. Some things are meant to stay behind closed doors forever.”
“Is that so?” I sighed, staring thoughtfully at the rector’s back.
This felt personal. Because there was one case I desperately wanted to peek into, even just a glimpse. The case of the “Northern Witches.” Vanished, forgotten, buried under a “Classified” stamp! What happened to my people back then? And why is it all so secretive that no one in the office would even hear me out?
I had a ton of other questions gnawing at me every night before bed. And I didn’t have answers to any of them. Or rather, no one wanted to give me any.
“Please…” Zoe pleaded, her face pale and frightened.
“I won’t tell a soul. I swear on my red hair,” I said, shaking my long, fiery braid—a family heirloom and my personal pride—for emphasis.
I’m not sure if she believed me, but she let out a relieved sigh and went back to packing in silence.
The room was emptying out, becoming cold and unwelcoming. Only now did I realize that the coziness and sense of home in these walls came from my roommate. The paintings on the walls, the little figurines bought at flea markets, the cute trinkets brought from home—all hers. My stuff fit on a single shelf, and even then, it was mostly books.
I glanced out the window again, lost in thought, my gaze fixed on one spot. And that gaze, as if spellbound, landed once more on the rector’s figure. I nearly fell off the windowsill when he suddenly turned and looked straight at our window. Just a moment. A fleeting second. But I was absolutely certain he was looking right at me. Right into my eyes.
Or maybe my imagination was running wild. He couldn’t have felt my stare, could he? Or could he?
Nah! I’m just making things up. But just to be safe, I climbed down from the windowsill.
“That’s it, then,” Zoe said bitterly, casting a final, sad look around the now-drab room. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“Oh, come on, let’s not get all sappy,” I smiled. “It’s already like a crypt in here with all the dead vibes. And who knows, maybe this won’t last long? The new rector might get tired of dealing with students and head off on his own missions, leaving us with cranky old Watkins. Or they’ll appoint someone else.”
“I doubt it,” Zoe smiled, giving me a quick, impulsive hug and sniffing as she grabbed her massive suitcase. “But I hope so. And don’t pay any attention to Watkins. He’s hated all women ever since Amandi Benkrouz left him at the altar. And get this,” Zoe lowered her voice to a near whisper, leaning in as if someone could overhear us in the empty room. “She ran off with one of Watkins’ own young students. It was such a scandal! You can’t even imagine the uproar it caused in high society. Rumor has it the head of the Benkrouz family paid Watkins a hefty sum to keep quiet and not make a bigger fuss. I get why the Benkrouzes did it—they’ve still got two daughters to marry off. But even though Watkins got richer, I think he’s still itching for some good old-fashioned revenge. So he takes it out on whoever’s closest. Don’t let him get to you. Ignoring him is probably the worst punishment for him.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied with a sly grin.
“Alright, then. See you later, Maeve. And don’t you dare follow me and cry over my tracks.”
“Not even in your dreams. See ya,” I said, waving as she left.
She was almost out the door when she suddenly turned back and came over to me again.
“Damn, almost forgot,” she hesitated, rummaging through the small bag slung over her shoulder before pulling out a tiny wooden figurine. A black raven with onyx eyes. “I’ll leave this with you. I never really liked it anyway,” she said with a smile, placing the gift in my hand before quickly turning and darting out.
I’m not a huge fan of ravens either. They’re kind of ominous. But I didn’t refuse. No matter how much she tried to convince me she didn’t care for the figurine, I knew full well she cherished every single one of her little statues with love and tenderness.
The door slammed shut, leaving me alone.
A wave of sadness washed over me. A heavy, aching feeling. I collapsed onto the bed, exhausted, staring at the little raven in the dim twilight of the evening, trying to figure out what comes next. What did our new rector do to end up here? And only now did I realize I hadn’t even asked Zoe his name. More importantly, what’s going to happen to me at this academy?