Page 118 of Mistaken Magic

ThenJackswooped back down, aiming right for me. "Jack!"

Thebird landed on the ground before me, bobbed his head atTorian, then cawed a few more times.Eachone was different, like he was trying to do something.Ijust bent before him and offered my hand as a perch.Surprisingly, he took it.WhenIstood back up, he only flared his wings for balance.Hedidn't try to take off.

Caw!he bellowed in my face. "Jack!"Thenhe ruffled his feathers, looking at me with some kind of inhuman intelligence. "Hunt!"Caw!

Withthat,Jackpushed off, flying through the halls around the atrium. "Hunt!" the bird screamed. "Hunt!Hunt!Hunt!"

"Oh, fuck,"Torianbreathed, just as the cold front hit.

Thebirds on the roof all scattered at the intensity of the wind, and yet they tried hard to come back.Likea sheet being fluffed over the building, the crows were covering the glass roof, almost as if they were protecting it.Besideme,Torianwas whipping his head around frantically like he was looking for something.

"It'sthe fuckingWildHunt,Rain!" he snapped even as his eyes found his target.

Confused,Istood there as he ran toward the wall beside the office, pulling a green box that looked a lot like a fire alarm.Immediately, a screeching noise filled the entire school.Amoment later, my tablet and phone both went off.Swipingat the screen of my tablet,Ifound an emergency student notice plastered at the top.

EmergencyLockdownProcedures.Returnto your rooms.Shelterin place if you cannot.

Studentswere pouring from the dining hall, heading to the stairs like a tidal wave.Teacherswere streaming from the office, andIvyRhodeswas at the front.Thewoman was amazingly beautiful, but right now she looked like some kind of warrior in office attire.Herhead snapped over to the alarm, findingTorianright beside it.

"Whatare you doing?" she yelled, her voice barely audible over the sound.

Torianjust pointed to the top of the atrium. "Theysay theHuntis coming.Ineed my court."

"Go," she ordered before turning to me. "Rain,Ineed your help."

Ijiggled my head, and she pointed at the back doors, the ones beside the boys' elevator. "Closeeverything that leads to outside.Makesure it's locked."

"Igot this,"Liamsaid, pushing in beside her. "Getto cover,Ivy."

"Dowe even know it's theHunt?"Ivyasked.

"Bettersafe than sorry,"Liamsaid. "I'mjust glad it's now, when we're all in the building."

Whichwas whenJackcame back, swooping in to land on my shoulder. "Hunt!" he screamed. "Hunt,Hunt,Jack,Hunt!"

"Whatthe..."Liamjust shook his head. "Doors,Rain.Checkeverything that leads outside.Lockthem.Ifthere's someone out there, let them in, but make sure they're one of us, ok?"

"HowwillIknow?"Iasked.

Heturned me toward the hall and pushed. "You'llknow!"

Iran, myMaryJanesslick on the tile floor, but this sounded important.I'dknow if they weren't us?Whatthe hell was this?Moreimportantly, why was everyone freaking out?I'dheard stories about theWildHunt, but they only chased bad people, didn't they?Fuck!Ishould've studied more!

Halfwaythere, the alarms suddenly went quiet.Thestudents had moved faster thanI'dever seen before, and the halls were eerily silent.Imade it to the back side to find the door flapping in the intensity of the wind.Pullingat the part which served as a handle,Iyanked it in and turned the deadbolt.Itclicked, but didn't feel right, soIturned a little more, finally feeling the thing secure itself.

"Hunt!"Jackscreeched again, sounding even more frantic.

Well, fuck going all the way around the atrium.Iran through, ducking between the flowers and bushes meant to make the space feel meandering.Jackflew, keeping pace with me much too easily.WhenIreached the other side, he had to make a circle whileIopened the door, and then he streaked through it, turning for exactly whereIneeded to go.

"Igot the library!"Liamyelled. "Dininghall's secure."

Thewhole building creaked with the force of the cold front slamming directly into it.Normally, it wouldn't have worried me, but this?Everythingabout this felt like panic.Theteachers were gone.Theschool wasn't even this quiet in the middle of the night, and the light coming down from above was an eerie sort of shadow.Thatwas from the crows, and there were so manyIcouldn't even see the sky through the glass roof.Justbirds.Somany birds.

"Hunt!"Jackyelled again.

Igrabbed the door and pulled, scanning the yard between here, the gym, and theForge.Itwas desolate, only a few broken branches, long fallen leaves, and swirls of dust moving out there.Nostudents.Noteachers.Butthe clouds rushing in over the line of trees looked dark and much too ominous.

Ipulled at the door, spinning the deadbolt.Thatfirst click happened, but the wind made the door rattle open.Anothergust hit, yanking it out of my grasp and it opened about a handspan.Cursingunder my breath,Icaught the bar and pulled, fightingthe weather to make it happen - and that was whenIsaw the first one.

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