Page 4 of The Ever Legacy
ELLA
“Asshole,” she muttered as he walked away. The jerk laughed in the distance, damn shifter hearing. She shook her head and walked to another hidden passage. She wasn’t going to chase after him. Part of her wanted to. Her lady bits definitely wanted her to.
Game on.
If this was how he wanted to play at this school, she was at the advantage. This was her home, and she knew all of its secrets. It wasn’t a fair playing field, but she didn’t care. Words from the Dean floated in her mind as she turned the corner and followed the hidden path up to one of the watchtowers.
This one was her favorite because it was her secret hiding place. The only way to get up here was through one of the hidden paths, and the door was magically locked. She designed the spell when she was a teenager, making it so only someone like her would be able to unlock it—a hybrid. She was the only one of her kind, so it would remain only hers.
She was used to being a loner. Growing up, she didn’t have friends. Not really. Not ever. Ella had always been good at keeping people at a distance. Nobody thought otherwise because of her situation. She knew it had to be different at Sunstone. Gone were the times of getting to act like a kid and teenager, safe in her bubble.
Ella had future plans and knew this was the time to make those connections. Lifelong friendships, networking, and having people owe her one in the future. It was all part of her plan for being part of The Council. They were great at representing everyone for the greater good. But she was still the first and only one of her kind. Her wolf refused to believe she would only ever be the only one though.
She had to create a voice for those who had yet to be discovered.
As she reached the tower, she looked over the edge and into the distance. This had always been her favorite view because she could see all of Everdale. From here, she could see the things her shifter hearing picked up on. The waterfalls nearby that always looked inviting, and the river that ran along the edge of town. The motorcycles coming and going from the Asylum Clubhouse. Every part of the town square and the businesses scattered about. The glistening gates of Ethereal Prep. Kids running around the playground across from the town’s only apartment complex. Across the mountains to the only road to town, the only way out. She could see all the way to the trees where Everdale National Park guarded the opposite side of town with its shifter rangers and their families living in fancy treehouses. From here, she could see all the beautiful parts of being supernatural. From here, she didn’t feel so alone.
Laughter pulled her attention away from the town and toward the clearing at the falls. Her classmates were gathering, bottles clinking in a few boxes being carried, someone messing with an old radio for music.
It was time to connect. Time to be like the rest.
Ella took a hidden path back to her room to change. She grabbed a gold swimsuit from the top drawer, then pulled on a dark green sundress that was covered in sunflowers. She slipped into some sandals and left the safety of her room. A deep breath before she took the backway out of the castle, one that nobody knew about but she had every intention of telling her classmates about. They deserved to know one secret, it was the start of her connecting with them.
“Ella Ever, no way!” Robert raised their bottle and laughed.
“Robert.” She approached with a smile.
They clutched their chest and their eyes grew. “She knows my name too?” They fluttered their eyelashes. “Are we going to be friends now?”
“The best of.” She grabbed one of the bottles and tapped it to theirs. “Cheers.”
There was a reason she chose to seek them out first out of everyone here, and it had nothing to do with them being good looking or the only ones to greet her. Robert had always been the one who loved to make people laugh and smile. They’d always been friendly towards her, towards everyone.
Ella remembered them all right. They had this charismatic way about them that drew people in, they wanted to be friends with them. They also had plans to join The Council. It was a friendship destined to happen.
“I’m surprised to see you out and about.” Ella didn’t have to turn around to recognize the screeching voice of Cassie Lorns, resident mean girl.
“Cassie, how’s the family?” Ella turned and smiled, knowing she was hitting a sore spot.
Cassie gasped. “What’s it like to lose your family home?”
“Considering I was part of the decision to turn it into the university you’re now attending, amazing.” That was the truth. This was also probably more words than she’d ever spoken to the girl since grade seven when Cassie was upset that the boy she liked asked Ella to the dance, regardless that Ella turned him down.
Cassie rolled her eyes and pivoted on her heels, storming off to pout on a rock near the shore.
“Okay, best friend.” Robert clinked their bottles again. “I knew you had fire in you.” Robert was a fire witch, which went perfectly with their red hair.
Ella smiled, then turned her gaze to the top of the waterfall. Tyler was watching her. He smirked then jumped, diving into the cool water.
“That was a look.” Robert chuckled.
She pursed her lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She brought the bottle to her lips and let the cool liquid warm her up. The magic tingled on its way down.
Enchanted mead.
She was going to have to be careful.
“You’ll just have to tell me later,” Robert whispered.
