Page 7 of A Taste of Torment
They’re a little extra, but I actually really appreciate the help. They’re not scary or powerful. They’re just curious and a bit over eager. So far—if I forget Jarron picking me out of the crowd in my first moments here—my experience at Shadow Hills has not been as miserable as I’d expected.
Well, until I walk into the lunchroom.
I shiver as the rush of magic settles over me like a blanket. Power is palpable here, with so many supernaturals gathered in one place. Walking past the packed tables feels like walking through water.
The ceiling is like two hundred feet high and covered in glowing stalactites and sparkling gemstones that create a pixilated image of a galaxy.
It’s easy to spot and identify most species grouped at the very mundane rectangular tables. Pixies dart here and there, there is a table of trolls—only four take up the whole section that would have room for at least eight human-sized creatures.
Then, there’s the popular kids.
There are three separate tables filled with obviously Elite students. The beautiful and powerful fae, with their designer jewelry and embellished uniforms, bright eyes, pointed ears, and immaculate hair. The hot wolf shifters—the jocks of the supernatural world, of course. And the demon royals. There are three royals, but they have an entourage of other supernaturals gathered around them.
I swallow and shift my gaze away from them immediately.
This is the only time that every student gathers into one place, aside from special events. Since I won’t have access to the top dorms where the strongest students spend most of their time, this will be my one chance daily to mingle with my actual suspects.
And it’s already making my palms sweat.
I hate, hate, hate feeling out of control. Hate feeling like if someone wanted to harm me, or make me do something, they could. And I couldn’t stop them.
That’s the feeling I’ve spent my life running from.
“You alright?” Janet whispers as we take a seat at an empty table on the far left of the massive hall. I nod quickly.
“You are a little pale,” Lola adds.
A small boy with dark green skin sits beside Janet and says nothing. He just stares at me.
He’s little but still definitely a troll.
“I’m fine. Just overwhelmed.” And damn if that ain’t the truth.
“Hey, Stevie, can you go grab an extra plate for Candice so she doesn’t have to walk all the way up there?”
The little green boy hops up without a word.
“What, magical food doesn’t just appear on the table?” I joke.
Lola snorts. “I wish.”
In the middle of every table are what I think are empty candle holders with flat tops. As Lola circles around the tallest of the three and then drops onto her butt, I realize they’re pixie perches.
Janet shrugs. “Spelled food never tastes as good as real food anyway and holds almost no nutrients.”
“Besides, they make all the students walk through the arch up front to get their food.”
“Right!” Janet says. “That helps them keep an eye out for injuries, illnesses, and spells. Tomorrow, you’ll definitely have to enter.”
“Oh,” I say stupidly. “Okay.”
“It’s no big deal. You won’t even notice the magic. It’s just a check to make sure there’s no issue with bullying.”
“Or slaves,” a girl with horns two seats down chimes in and then shivers.
“Oh hush, Romera. We’re trying not to scare her.”
“Slaves?” I repeat.
