Page 41 of The Stone Initiation
I shot her a smile which she returned before ducking her head so her dark wavy hair fell forward.
Golden-eyes placed himself in the center of the room and looked us all over. “Welcome to Induction 101. I’m Mr. Yarrow, and my sister and I are here to induct you into Stonehaven.” Mutters rose behind us, but Yarrow ignored them and continued. “Some of you have been here for a couple of weeks already, and I apologize for the delay in setting up this class. But my sister and I had important business in the north. I’m told Mistress Travani filled you in on the basics. However, I’d like to take this opportunity to elaborate and answer any of your burning questions, which” —he held up a finger— “I’ll take at the end of the class. You’ll also get your timetables for the next few weeks then. The weeks leading up to the initiate exams.” Everyone broke out in murmurs, and he allowed it for a moment before intervening. “It may seem unfair that some of you get less time to prepare for the initiate tests, but that assumption is incorrect. Training officially begins tomorrow, for all. Those of you who arrived in the first wave will have had more time to become accustomed to the grounds, and yes, you’ll have completed the academia side of your training, but the arcana and physical training begins tomorrow for everyone.”
“Arcana?” someone asked. “Magic? Gargoyles don’t do magic. Wearemagic.”
Yarrow smiled. “No.”
“No?” The gargoyle asking the question looked confused.
Yarrow smirked. “Gargoyles arenotmagic. They are creatures ofarcanaand in arcana class you will be taught how to harness that power and not just exist within its grasp.”
“But—”
“You’ll wait till arcana class,” Yarrow said firmly. “Miss Yarrow and I will explain it all to you then. For now, we’ll go over the Academy basics and…hold your questions until the end.” His expression was stern.
The lights dimmed, and a map of the academy bloomed on the wall behind him.
“I’m sure you’ve all made it a point to take a wander with your maps, so you’ll recognize the schematic behind me. However, there are a few rules that must be followed. The omega den is off limits to everyone but the staff that reside there and the omegas themselves. You will steer clear unless you have an invitation to enter. Greenwood Forest is open to all for jogging or whatever other exercises you wish to participate in, except on an omega moon.”
I wanted to ask what an omega moon was, but he’d said to leave questions until the end of the class, so I filed that one away.
“You are not to, in any circumstance, attempt to leave the Stonehaven grounds. There are wards in place for a reason. You will be transported outside the walls by warping for certain classes and for set periods which you will adhere to. If you fail to return to a warp point by the assigned time, you will be left outside the walls and your fate…Well, it won’t be pleasant.”
His sister leaned forward in her seat and whispered. “The observatory.”
“Ah, yes,” Yarrow said. “The observatory is out of bounds also.” He pointed at the towering structure on the map. “This is the elite residence, accessible only to the elite and their guests. You’ll see the elites from time to time as they monitor first year cadet training. If you show promise and get into initiate training, then you’ll be fast tracked with one year of intensive combat and strategy training. The tests are dangerous, and the survival rate is low. If you make it into general forces then the training lasts two years, but you will be called to active duty after the first year is up, patrolling the eastern settlements and cleansing them of localized tulpa and supernatural threat.”
So, like the human police and hunters then.
“As general guard, you’ll liaise with local human enforcement.”
That made sense.
“Classes,” his sister prompted in a whisper.
“Classes,” Yarrow echoed. “There will be four kinds. Arcana. Combat, history, and once you’ve taken the initiation exam, dance will be added to your timetable.”
Dance? What the heck?
“Questions?” His eyebrows flicked up as several hands shot up, mine included. “Hmmm, I didn’t expect so many. You.” He pointed at someone at the back.
“Why do we need dance classes?”
He shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Madame Pontiere.” He pointed at another gargoyle. “Yes?”
“When does the testing start for the omega moon,” another goyle asked.
Laughter skittered across the room.
“You’ll be informed,” Yarrow said with a shake of his head.
Like, what? What did that mean?
My hand went back up again but he picked someone across the room.
“Why do you smell wrong?” I stiffened at the sound of Curi’s voice. Gruff and almost accusatory. “I met a mageri once, and you don’t smell like one.”
“Wow, well…” Yarrow steepled his fingers. “My scent, as you so indelicately put it, is not mageri because I amnotmageri. I’m a witch.”
