Chapter 6: Cassandra

"If the five of you are done playing, we can begin the tour. My name is Ruby Thompson. Like you, I'm a witch at the academy."

I first noticed the glow of her hands and then her beautiful features: wavy, flowing black hair, eyes so blue they could be made of artic ice, perfectly aligned facial features, and though tall, a body to die for. She also had an air of confidence I wished I had. And though she looked to be our age, I sensed and older soul, something different from the rest of us.

She followed my eyes to her hands. "Ice and darkness," she said, and raised her hands. "A welcome combination."

"Fire, of course," Dash interrupted and showed his red hands. He created a small fireball and then swiped a finger through the center. Using that same finger, he drew the word welcome in mid-air, tiny flames flapping from each letter.

Kyler chuckled, and right before my eyes he became a black wolf. He howled and padded around the room, his black fur shiny and long. He moved next to me and licked my hand. His black eyes shimmered from the lights above. He howled again and changed back when my jaw dropped. "Earth is my element," he said. "I'm also a shapeshifter, obviously."

I looked him over and smiled.

"Clothes," Dash said.

"Oops." Braeden snapped his fingers, and he was no longer naked. "Always forget that part."

Oliver sighed loudly. He raised his hands over his head and moved them back and forth, water appearing in the air. He brought his hands down, and water hovered above each palm. "Water," he said.

Dash swatted the water droplets, and they splashed against a painting on the wall. The colors began to run, and as they did Kyler darted past us. He waved his hand across the painting, and the colors reversed course, returning to their proper place. He ran his hands through his black hair and shook his body as if to rid himself of a chill. He was tall but not as tall as Dash. But unlike Dash, Kyler was of solid build, his muscles pressing against his shirt. For such a young man, he wore a thick beard that made him appear years older. His eyes were distant, as if he were looking at you but thinking of something worldly. I wondered if he were the loner of their little group.

"Show off," Dash said. With his arm still around my shoulders, he walked us forward as if he were the baddest man on campus.

I was a bit taken aback by all the attention, some I wanted, some that made me worry. They apparently had not heard the stories of my witchery, or the lack thereof. When they did, the friendliness would wear off. They would return to their group of three and treat me like a disease.

"As I'm sure you're aware, we're currently in the admin building, a place you want to stay out of," Ruby said quietly. Even mentioning the building gave her shivers. We walked outside, and she pointed at the instructors' housing. "Stay out of that building." She stopped and stared at me. "Be watchful of the male instructors. If they ask you back to their apartment, you say no. Some of the female students have inadvertently found themselves inside those walls."

"Notice she didn't tell us to stay out," Dash said.

Braeden glanced back at me and then glanced at Dash's arm around mine. I slipped my arm away, and that was when Dash noticed Braeden's glare.

"Calm down," Dash said to Braeden. "There's enough of her to go around."

"Shush," Ruby said and continued leading us to the next building. She took her job seriously which meant she probably took her studies seriously. I needed her as a friend. "These buildings contain the classrooms and auditoriums used for your training. Except for field training, this is where you'll spend most of your time."

I thought about what Dash had said. "There's enough of me to go around." I glanced at each of the four young men, and an idea began to take shape in my mind; an idea I would never have considered before entering the academy.

"Earth to Cassandra," Dash said.

I looked up at the crystal buildings and raised my hand. "Why the crystal?" I asked Ruby.

"I got this one," Oliver said. He sidled up next to me and pointed at the crystal buildings. "Crystal is the only substance capable of repelling a spell or an element. It keeps inexperienced students from destroying the campus." He then stopped us from continuing. "Like the witch who destroyed half of Wayfair City a month ago." They all laughed, and that was when I knew I was in trouble.

Kyler stopped and turned to look at me. "I thought you looked familiar," he said. He turned to Dash, "It's her."

"Her who?" Dash asked.

"The witch who destroyed Wayfair City. The one who lobbed fireballs, hitting everything but her target."

Dash released my arm and began laughing. "The fae city witch," he said. "Wiped out the entire town." He laughed again.

"There were over a dozen Sarchi ravaging the city," Braeden said, Ruby by his side. "You should know by now the Sarchi are the fastest moving creatures we have to deal with. Any one of us could have made the same mistake." He went at Dash, and Oliver and Kyler separated the two.

"No," Oliver said. He pulled a glass device from his pocket similar to what the old man at the entrance had used to check us in. "Wayfair City is just the most recent. Of course, there was the fae city, the field of cows she turned into steaks. The river she turned to alcohol and killed all the fish. The list goes on."

I shook my head at Braeden for him not to do what he was thinking about. He would fight to the death to protect my honor. Everything Oliver, the little shit, said was true. I'd screwed up more times than I could count. And for the second time since my arrival, I doubted my ability to be successful at the academy. My past was following me around like a lost puppy. I couldn't spend the next four years listening to all the trash talking.

"We need to finish the tour," Ruby said, her fear of me obvious. I gave her a gentle shrug, hoping she wouldn't hold all those things against me. With all the testosterone around me it would have been nice to have a female friend, especially one who took schooling so seriously.

I waited for everyone to follow Ruby, and then I fell several paces back, feeling as though a shadow had been cast over me and my abilities. It was not how I wanted my first day at the academy to start.

As we continued the tour, Braeden stole a look at me, and I shook my head. Defending me again in front of the others would make him look bad. He needed to be his own man, although I wondered about him being mine. I pushed away the thought and tried to concentrate on the reason I was at the academy. To become the best witch in the world and to prove other people wrong. The three guys had set the bar a few notches higher. I decided to be better than them and not cause a scene.

Kyler dropped back from the pack and joined me, his face consolatory. "Sorry about the way Dash treated you. He's always messing with people. We've known each other since high school. He's got a lot he's dealing with inside. Don't hold it against him."

"That's what I figured. I'm not here to make enemies," I said. "And I knew my past would come back to bite me in the ass anyway."

"Yeah, I get it. I'm kinda an outcast as well. You'll get used to it."

I nodded but felt my insides crumble at his remark. Again, I felt like crying refused to show weakness. "You never said where you're from," I said.

"Up north, where the woods are thick and dark," he said. "It's where I learned to hone my Earth element, and where I roamed free as a wolf cub." He held my hand as we followed the others. "Maybe during break, you can return with me. I think you'd enjoy it."

I nodded and looked down at his hand, the glow melding with the glow of my hand. An odd sensation filled my body.