Page 5 of Forbidden Magic
“You got the attic.”
“It’s cool, isn’t it? I get to be alone,” she says with a satisfied sigh.
The small alcove’s round window gives a great view of the forest, tall pines bristling in the wind.
“I wonder where I’ll be.”
“Not here, I’m afraid. All the rooms are taken.”
I draw in a heavy breath and nod. Things can’t be as they were back home. I get that. But why doesn’t she seem at all disappointed? How can my sister, the one who complains when she’s alone for five minutes, relish the weird out-of-the way bedroom?
I always imagined her surrounded by fellow students, but she curls down on her pink bean chair, and she doesn’t look at all inclined to go out again.
Her paper birds hang in mid-air over our heads. Since we were little, Allie has been adding to her intricate origami collection year after year. Most of the shapes are familiar. Others are new. A fiery phoenix towers in the middle of the room, flanked by a pristine white unicorn. A small, blue-winged butterfly sparkles with glitters. A black wolf prowls from the side. One shaped like a dragon hangs above her bed while the slim angel with black wings sways from side to side. When we were young, she would hang them up with transparent threads. Now, she uses her magic. They are arranged to catch the sun rays streaming through the window, and their bright colors warm up the whole attic.
“When do I get to meet this hot werewolf of yours?” I ask, my gaze lingering on the black paper wolf.
She wets her lips, her sight riveted on a textbook. “Um… I broke up with Jeremy.”
My jaw falls to the floor. “What? When?”
“A few weeks ago.” She casts the volume on her knees aside in favor of another.
“Why? I thought you were head over heels for him.”
She waves dismissively. “We’re young. We shouldn’t tie ourselves down to the first boy who’s interested.”
“I guess.”
The silence stretches into awkwardness. Something is off, and it has nothing to do with boys.
“I’m sorry to blow you off, but I have to prepare for my Mastery of Air final. The teacher got sick and extended the class to tomorrow, and I have to study,” she says casually.
My mouth opens in barely-contained outrage. “Are you for real? You’re not going to show me around?”
Her blue eyes narrow. “You should go to your dorm and prepare for tomorrow. Teachers are harder on us mortals, and we can’t give them a reason to throw us out.”
My sister is many things, but the perfect straight-A student, she aint. In fact,party girlwould be on her list of flaws. I’m the responsible one, and I went skinny dipping after prom, so I bet she did worse. “What’s wrong with you?” I’m trying to be understanding, but she’s blowing me off. Like I can’t possibly understand her predicament because I’m light years behind her. Like those last three months forged a crack between us where sibling pettiness and secrets took root.
She throws her head back against the bean chair and grips her hair. “I’m stressed out, Jules. We’re outnumbered and underpowered, but somehow we have to do better than them to earn our place.” She zips up her large hoodie. I notice the school’s crest on the front. It must be part of the boy’s uniform, and I wonder who it belongs to.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and take a deep breath. “I’ll leave you to it then, but we’ll have dinner later?”
“Sure. Let’s meet in the dining room at five.” She doesn’t look up from her notes, and a sour taste fills my tongue.
Julia Winslow’s Schedule. Dark Falls Saturnalia Quarter ***Mortal student***
Monday
5:00am-8:00am Spells and Sorcery
Main Building A-1
3:00pm-5:00 pm History of Magic
Main Building B-3
Tuesday
