Page 13 of Validus Vale Academy 1
“Are you kidding?” I mumble under my breath. OK, that’sdefinitelydesigned to humble us.
“Yep, criss-cross applesauce, Theo. Criss-cross applesauce,” Duncan replies, giving a weak grin.
Nobody makes room, so we, along with the other remedials, have to carefully pick our way through the outstretched legs and carelessly abandoned bags. As we find a spot that Duncan, Willow, and I can sit in, silence falls over the hall. The back of my neck prickles, and like everyone else in the room, I turn to watch three Elites at the auditorium entrance.
It feels like all the blood drains from my body, and my knees go weak. I duck behind Duncan, then peek around his shoulder as the first Elite steps into the room. Cosmo Drakeward. A shaft of sunlight lands on him, highlighting the chiseled cheekbones, golden skin, and almost permanent sneer on his beautiful face. My heart skips several beats, and I think I might vomit.
Behind him are two silhouetted figures—tall, male, and undoubtedly the twins. Cosmo, Wes and Donovan are all but joined at the (narrow yet muscular) hip.
“Come on, guys, we need to sit,” Duncan says, oblivious to the chaos of my mind. He gives my blazer a tug. “Theo?”—low profile/gotta sit/applesauce/hungry/when's dinner?—
“Sorry, Duncan.” I sink to the floor, my whole body trembling. Deep breath in, then let it out slowly. Don’t freak out, don’t freak out.
I somehow stop myself from fully panicking, but can’t stop my head from turning towards the entrance again. Cosmo is stepping into the assembly hall, while behind him, the twins step into the patch of sunlight.
Except.
I exhale again.
It’s notthem.
I’m relieved but also puzzled. My twins and Cosmo are, or were, inseparable. At least they had been until I came onto the scene.
Cosmo had tolerated our relationship at first, thinking it was just fucking. King Cosmo had not been pleased when Donovan and Wes had started murmuring words like ‘love,’ and “forever,” in my ear.
Oh, no, he wasn’t going to stand for his Elite brothers entwining their souls with a nobody-nothing like me. So I’d been thoroughly dumped.
Willow nudges me. “Theo, you OK?” she whispers, a question in her eyes. I wonder if I look as devastated as I feel.
“I’m OK,” I reply untruthfully. “Jet lag, you know. And all this is a lot.”
She nods sympathetically. “Yeah, you’ve had no time to acclimatize. Hopefully this won’t last long, then we have dinner and head back to Defectivum.” As she finishes speaking, Willow cranes her neck, looking around for someone.—Where’s River?—is her unspoken thought.
I wonder who River is? I follow her gaze, and an Ordinarii senior raises his hand and waves. The sandy hair and freckles make it pretty obvious that he and Willow are related. “Your brother?” I whisper.
“Yep, River. He started off in Defectivum, too, but made it into Communis by early November,” she replies in an undertone. “He wasn’t the first to be promoted, but it was still a decent transition.”
Duncan squeezes Willow’s leg. “Your brother is a savior. He’s given us loads of advice about surviving being remedial.”
I’m about to ask about River’s imparted wisdom when the assembly hall chatter suddenly quiets and Dean Crankshawe walks onto the stage.
“Welcome, welcome, witches,” she says with a smile. “Isn’t this exciting, the eve of another school year here at Validus Vale? And as of this week, I am no longer ‘Acting dean’, but I’m thrilled to announce that I’m now your permanent dean.” She beams a smile around the place, looking far too young to be the head of an academy. “So, onto the introductions.” The dean starts introducing the faculty members sitting on the stage. I want to pay attention, but just can’t—my head is fuzzy with fatigue.
I must have drifted off because a sharp nudge in my ribs startles me awake. “Theo,” Willow whispers, “you were fully asleep. Try to keep with us a little longer.”
I blink rapidly, wipe a little drool from my chin (gross), and refocus.
“The next order of business is the Gymnasium project,” Dean Crankshawe says. “Construction is scheduled to begin again later in the year, but we need you all to stay away from the site. No sneaking through the fencing to explore, and I’m serious about that. As you know, we are still dealing with the various underground faults that came to light when we broke ground last fall.”
Is that the building site behind Defectivum? The one guarded by razor wire and patrols? Dean Crankshawe is serious about keeping people out.
“And on a further note about safety, first- and second-year students are prohibited from leaving the campus, unless under special dispensation from a faculty member. Juniors and Seniors may leave academy grounds, but only by signing out through the front entrance guardhouse. And I’ll remind you that the school's perimeter is spelled with breach and tracking wards.We will know if you try to break the rules, and I can guarantee you won’t enjoy the consequences of your actions.”
Fuck around and find out? Check.
I don’t care. It’s not like I’ve piles of money or any transport, so why would I need to leave campus anyway? I’m almost back to snoozing again until Willow pokes me. I give her a sheepish grin and mouth ‘thanks’. Another professor has taken center stage and is droning on about various clubs and sports we can join, alongside the mandatory physical fitness, sports, and combat classes.
Duncan groans quietly. “I’m more of a mathlete than an athlete.”
