From the journal of Madeline Le Torneau: “I didn’t realize when I joined the Academy that there would be so much school. Bringing a reckoning took work. Who knew?”

  Madeline woke before her roommates. She’d slept well, peaceful and without nightmares.

  The exhaustion of the previous day helped her compartmentalize this next phase of her life. She’d visualized the totality of this day for years. She’d fall asleep in a room no larger wide then she stood tall, thinking about being in this sprawling castle and after a restless sleep she’d wake up wondering what it might feel like to sleep under the same roof as the person who wielded the knife against her parents.

  Now, laying in bed, all she felt from her head to her toes was the overwhelming sensation that she still had so much more to accomplish. So, she went over the steps of her plans, one at a time, relaxing her overworked brain. If this then that. If that then this. She knew the majority of her preparations would need to be discarded and more still would be rendered useless, but she hoped she’d done enough. She hoped she was enough.

  She’d find a way to be enough for her parents. No excuses.

  Talia woke next, then Hayden then the three of them had to wake up a softly snoring Willow.

  Madeline chose a functional outfit for the day, black form-fitting trousers, a white collared shirt and a black jumper. Everything she’d been provided had either a red stitch or the glove logo. She made it work. She rolled up the sleeves of the shirt and then after deliberation and a nudge from a freshly brushed Talia, she wrapped a loose necktie underneath the collar and then adjusted it underneath the jumper. She intended to project a classic, professional image.

  Applying her makeup went well, much easier than the previous day. She drew the upside-down triangles on each cheek on her first try, accomplishing the feat with a proud smile.

  Willow led the way from their dorms, out of the sleepy common area and into the hall corridors. As they walked, she pointed out the fastest way to the mess hall, and gave advice on how to determine signposts that indicated directions from signposts that didn’t. Hayden helped in her own way, taking great care to show the group a crack in the stonework indicating they were edging closer toward the food while stopping everyone at a framed portrait of an old man with far too much white powder on his face that meant they’d gone too far.

  From what Madeline could tell, the small majority of the castle’s light came from sunlight by way of open windows. What would happen in inclement weather? Would snow and rain simply thunder through? Or could this be part of the castle’s magic?

  Unlit torches lined the walls, intermingling with portraits of famous students and artwork of even more famous locations within the realm. She passively paid attention, but saw nothing and no place she recognized.

  They arrived at the mess hall, Madeline’s stomach gurgling despite the relative feast the night before. Willow led them to an empty round table near the food where Hayden took her cloak off and rested it on the high back of a wooden chair. They wasted no time. The food sat on an awkwardly coloured tablecloth, the designer having clearly made an attempt to stuff the colour scheme from all five affinities in equal value into the design and succeeded only in creating an eyesore. The food gave off different scents and steams from the long rectangular tables at the end of the room. Periodically, serving staff replaced an empty plate with a fresh one.

  The eager Willow led the way to the plate station, auburn hair swishing behind her but Madeline veered off toward the coffee. Talia followed.

  “Do you think one day we’ll be able to heat the coffee with magic?” Talia asked. “You know, like, fire magic?”

  Madeline smirked. “I’m assuming there will be more pressing needs for our magic.” She paused. “But that would be cool.”

  Talia laughed and nudged her with an elbow. “Do you think they have fresh espresso here?”

  “I have no idea what that is.”

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  Talia’s big eyes goggled. “You’ve never had fresh espresso?”

  “Tals, I don’t think I’ve ever had fresh coffee before, period.”

  Her friend shook her head. “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting. Here. You have to try this,” she insisted, picking up a small white cup and putting it underneath the cylinder marked espresso. She poured some of the dark liquid out into the cup. Enough for a double-shot.

  “That’s it?” Madeline questioned. “That’s not enough.”

  Talia smiled. “Trust me.”

  Madeline shrugged and the girls returned their cups to their table before tackling the food. Madeline smelled the espresso before leaving the tables and firm, earthy notes filled her nose at first sniff then lighter notes of things she didn’t recognize followed. She thought she got a hint of chocolate but that couldn’t be right. Could it?

  After filling her plate with an appropriate amount of breakfast, eggs, sausage, orange juice and a single small waffle - with Mapelore syrup, Willow proudly pointed out - she sat back down to taste the espresso.

  Before she pressed the cup to her eager lips, she saw him.

  Tall, blue eyes, white hair, dark eyebrows, strong chin and a perfect complexion. The man from the line. Did she see a hint of dark stubble on his strong jaw? No, that didn’t seem fair. Men shouldn’t be allowed to be so … breathtaking.

  “What’s wrong?” Hayden’s question pierced her trance, alert eyes not missing anything.

  Madeline realized she’d been staring.

  Talia turned around. Then Willow. Willow covered a wide grin by putting her hand over her mouth. Madeline’s cheeks went hot.

  “Nothing,” Madeline said out loud, more for the benefit of herself rather than answering Hayden’s question.

  “That’s Florian Quinn,” Talia mentioned, speaking out loud for everyone’s benefit. “We saw him in line yesterday. His family and my family have this sometimes friends and sometimes enemies thing going on but we don’t interact too much since he lives in the northeast now, I think. He moved when I was quite young. If I’m not mistaken his family hauled him to Barrenguard or Loville. Don’t think they went as far east as Angelos and again if my memory serves, they didn’t settle in Dewdaim. I could be wrong, though. Anyway. He’s too pretty for his own good.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” Madeline grumbled. “Who’s he with?”

  “That, I’m not sure. The one on the right is cute,” Talia answered with a devious smile. “Looks like he’s a Death Dealer. Those black and white colors.”

  “And the skull on his sleeve,” Hayden added.

  Madeline followed his movements with her eyes until he noticed her scowling at him, then she deepened her scowl and looked away. She took a long pull on her espresso and drained it before she realized what she’d done.

  “Did you drink the whole thing?” Talia asked, shocked.

  “Yes? Was that wrong?”

  Talia laughed. “No, just…you may be a bit hyper in a few minutes.”

  The girls nattered as students trickled in. Once the room reached a critical mass of people, Professor Maybel Taran entered wearing a deep green tunic, her gray hair tied up in a large bun.

  Madeline elbowed Talia gently. They quieted their conversation. Professor Taran waited for people to notice her presence, unhurried. Gradually, the din of conversation faded.

  “I think this is most of you,” Taran began, raising her hands in front of her, voice carrying easily throughout the room. “Feel free to tell any late sleepers what I’m saying here this morning. My words are no secret. As you may be aware, the Academy Prime will be addressing everyone in the Atrium at dinner this evening. The majority of you are returning students, but for fifty of you - ten per affinity - this is your first time here.”

  Taran paused. Madeline quickly calculated the student body. Assuming everyone advanced through the years, fifty new students per year, that put the total enrollment at the Academy at two hundred and fifty students. To protect a realm. A daunting task.

  Taran continued. “For those new students, put your feet on the ground and try to stop your head from spinning. It will all slow down, I promise. Your first classes will explain in detail our purpose. We’ll go over the general battle strategy, as well as be more open forum, allowing you a chance to get out all those stupid questions that you’ll regret asking in two months. Don’t feel bad, it happens to everyone.”

  The girls at the table were hanging on Taran’s every word. Madeline thought that students like Talia, who had both parents graduate the Academy, would be further along in basic knowledge and likely not take as much away from the introductory classes when compared to girls like Madeline.

  “For the first two weeks of term, you’ll notice certain students wearing a five-coloured armband. These older students have kindly volunteered to be guides. Feel free to ask them any questions about the logistics of the school, where’s your next class, where’s the nearest bathroom, that sort of thing. They will assist. This service is provided for two weeks only. You are not children, you are adults. The youngest among you has reached their second decade of life. You will be treated as adults, and that means the expectation is not only that you’ll figure your way around in short order but that you’ll be punctual in all things.”

  Taran hesitated before offering one final note. “If you have not already done so, please go see Ruthann or one of her associates for your class schedule.” Then, she left.

  To Madeline’s surprise, the soft spoken Hayden broke the silence that stretched after Taran’s exit. “Did you guys get your class schedule?”

  None of them had.

  “Guess we know what we’ll be doing after breakfast,” Talia said happily.