Page 1 of Monster's Mistake

CHAPTER 1

Nati

The clashing chatterof hundreds of students fills the dining hall and the snakes that make up my hair hiss in response, the sound almost deafening within my head.

“Shh,” I say in what I hope is a soothing tone. I reach out and pat a particularly restless snake. “This is normal.”

The hissing sounds continue, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. They can be so restless sometimes, and nothing I can say will convince them that everything is fine, and they can settle down like they need to. I wish myFamiliar Trainingclasses were going better so I could actually properly communicate with my snakes and make them see that something as simple as entering the dining room isn’t something to get so upset about.

Another loud hiss enters my mind in protest to my thoughts. Or maybe I’m just projecting, and they’re still upset over the amount of noise in the room. Well, they aren’t the only ones, I’d much rather have peace and quiet too, but living in an academy with hundreds of other students doesn’t leave much room forquiet.

I scan the tables, relief filling me as I spot Anja sitting on her own. Her long silver-white hair is braided down her back, the colour shimmering and shining with the light. I wish I had hair like that.

Hisssssss.

“Oh, shut it,” I mutter to my snakes. “As if you wouldn’t prefer not to be attached to me either.”

That seems to settle them. In a way, the truth always does.

I weave through the tables, being careful not to get my eye poked out by a stray wing, or brush against anything else. Not only is it better for me to be able to avoid getting injured, but it’s only fair when I don’t want people to touch me either.

I manage to make it across the dining hall without incident and flop onto the bench beside my roommate.

“Hey, Nati,” she says with a bright smile.

“Hi.”

“Not having a good day?” She picks up the plate of gluten-free sandwiches and holds it out to me.

I smile gratefully at her and load up my plate. None of them are going to be as good as the proper gluten counterparts but considering I can’t eat them without giving myself a stomach ache, I know this is the better option.

“It’s the snakes,” I admit. “They’re getting restless.”

“Do they need to shed or something?” she asks. “Maybe that would help?”

I shrug. “No idea.” But it might be a good idea to try that. A tug on the side of my head lets me know that Frank is making himself known. He’s much more restless than the others.

“Hey, Frank,” Anja says.

He lets out a hiss that I think is supposed to be a friendly greeting.

“I think he wants your beef sandwich,” I say.

“He can have it if he wants.” She holds it out.

“He doesn’t need to eat at all,” I say, but I still take the sandwich from her and pull a little bit of beef to feed to Frank, being careful not to give him any of the bread. I’m not sure if the gluten will affect me if he eats it, but it’s best not to find out.

“Where does the food go?”

“No idea,” I admit. “It’s one of the many mysteries of being a gorgon.” I wish I understood gorgon physiology, but it seems as if no one really does.Magicis an annoying answer, but it seems to be the true one.

“Like how you turn people into stone.”

I snort. “That’s not a mystery, I know exactly how to do that, I just don’t tell people.”

“How can I avoid it if you don’t tell me?”

I shrug. “It’s better if you don’t know.” Mostly because I know finding out runs the risk of her becoming afraid of me, and I don’t think I’d be able to cope with that, even if her newfound banshee powers are a lot more ominous than mine.

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