Page 20 of Heir of Shadows

I hesitated before asking, “If there’s an estate, does that mean I can send money to my mom?”

Ms. Wallace’s expression softened slightly. “Yes, we can arrange that. There are accounts set aside beyond tuition.”

I smiled. The thought of still being able to help, maybe get Mom the surgery she needed—I couldn’t believe it.

“Is she safe?” I asked, half under my breath. “The vampires left her alone?”

Ms. Wallace nodded. “Yes, the Guard still has watchmen placed, but now that you aren’t there, there’s no reason they should pay attention to her.”

“They won’t go after her out of vengeance?” I asked. “Now that they can’t get to me?” Like Mr. Conrad had probably already done, pulled his contract from my mom’s company. I hoped she wouldn’t lose her job over that incident.

“Vampire clans aren’t that organized,” Wallace continued. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

I nibbled at my lip.

She lay a hand on my arm. “The Guard will take care of your mom,” Ms. Wallace assured me. “Now we just need to focus on getting you settled and ready for the Third Week Trials.”

“Trials?” My stomach dropped.

“All students must demonstrate their abilities,” she said. “But don’t worry—we’ll have you well prepared.”

After Ms. Wallace finished her explanations, I walked back to Raven and Lucas in a daze, my mind spinning. Yesterday I was cleaning houses, today I had inherited money and magic and who knew what else. And in three weeks, I’d have to prove I deserved it all.

“You’ll need all the core texts,” Lucas said, marking items in a list on his phone. “Professor Cribley’s Basic Magical Theory is notorious—we have three books just for that class.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, trying to focus on what we were doing.

“Look,” Lucas said, pointing to a room on the same side of the hall as the administrative offices. A line of students stood in front of glass doors that were propped open, and the line wrapped around the main hall.

“That’s the campus store,” Raven said. “Where we get our textbooks and supplies and stuff.” She caught the face I made—then noticed what I was staring at. The catalog spread open on the bench between them. “We’re making a list.”

Oh yeah, on top of all these life revelations, I also had school. I glanced over at the campus store again. I was sure it hadn’t been here when I’d gone through before, but with the tricks the other heirs had played on me, I couldn’t be sure.

“Don’t forget Professor Undergrove’s Necromancy requirements,” Raven said, comparing her list to Lucas’ lists. “At least the store has everything—both regular supplies and magical components. Good thing too.” She gave a half-hearted scowl at her beetle. “Boris here keeps stealing my crystals.”

“Boris?”

“My familiar,” Raven explained, scratching the skeletal beetle’s head. “Every witch bonds with one eventually. You’ll probably get yours soon, being an heir and all.”

Lucas continued, adjusting his glasses, “And you’ll need proper protective gear for Combat Training. I’ve heard that Professor Rivera doesn’t let anyone practice without full safety equipment.”

“Look at that line though.” Raven groaned. “We’ll be here forever. Maybe we should head up to the cafe first? Get some actual decent coffee while we wait for this chaos to die down.”

“Best view in the academic wing,” Lucas agreed. “And they do this amazing skull foam art in their lattes.”

“You had me at decent coffee,” I said, following them into the hallway that led toward the academic wing.

Raven and Lucas laughed like they were just normal college students. For a second, I could almost believe I was one too.

My skeletal mouse darted after Boris the beetle, their little bones clicking over the stone floor in a makeshift game of tag.

Necromancer. Heir. Scholarship kid.

For the first time since I got here, it didn’t feel like too much.

Tonight might be a disaster. But right now? I was still standing.

8

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