Page 27 of Fortune Academy: Year One
When he’d stalked off I sank into my chair. I wasn’t hungry anymore and my pizza was cold, but Hendrik was right about one thing. I’d need energy to survive whatever came next.
Olivia sank into her own chair opposite from me and the pulsing gleam in her dark eyes seemed weak. “Well, that sucked,” she admitted.
I hummed my agreement as I numbly chewed my cold pizza. “Look, Olivia. I’m sorry. Maybe we shouldn’t hang out, at least until I figure out how to deal with Hendrik.”
She gripped my wrist hard, that wicked determination back in her eyes. “I’m not abandoning you, okay? I know what it’s like to be a dud and feel powerless. I just need to learn my powers and then we’ll have a better chance against him,together, okay?”
I didn’t want to count on Olivia to find Hendrik’s weak spot, but my heart warmed at the sentiment. “Thanks,” I whispered.
No matter what happened, at least I’d found a true ally, and perhaps a real friend.
Olivia offeredto go with me to my counselor meeting, but I could see how tired she was.
“Relax,” I said with a laugh. “You’ve actually died today. I think you deserve a break.”
She pouted. “I don’t really know where to go. My packet says I can choose to room with an ally in the Freshman dorms or I can relocate to the dark mage dormitories.” She shuddered. “I really don’t want to be anywhere near Hendrik right now... so would you mind... if we were roomies?”
I jerked to a halt and stared at her. I’d just resolved in my mind that Olivia and I were going to stay far away from each other, for her own safety, but the glimmer of hope that this was my excuse to hold onto my friend tugged at me. “Are you sure?” I asked. “I mean, sticking around me might be more dangerous than trying to build alliances with the dark mages. You only have a bad rap because of me.”
She grinned. “Are you kidding? Once we kick Hendrik’s ass we’re going toownthe dark mages. No way in hell am I going anywhere.”
While her confidence in me was warming, I felt it was a bit misguided. “If you say so,” I said with a chuckle. “My room is on the third floor at the end of the hall. If we hurry I can drop you off on my way to talk to my counselor.”I gave her a nudge. “I’ll ask about this bullshit with Hendrik saying you owe some blood debt just because you’re a dark mage. Surely there are rules at the Academy about stuff like that.”
“That’s sweet of you,” she said, the sheepish girl I’d met at first coming out as she tucked her head, then she smiled. “You don’t have to drop me off, actually. We can blood swap and that’ll let me into your room and I can get settled in, if that’s okay.”
I froze. Blood? No, that definitely wasn’t a good idea. “I don’t know,” I said, grimacing. “I mean, not sure what a blood swap is. You’re fine to settle in.”
She grabbed my hand. “I don’t mean actual blood. Chill. Just give me permission to enter your room while we’re holding hands and your imprint will go into my blood.”
“Oh,” I said, looking down at her fingers. “Uh, you have permission to enter my room.”
A faint glow lit up our hands and then it faded.
“Great!” she said. “Now it’s official. We’re roomies!” She surprised me by launching into a full hug.
Olivia had really come a long way. When I’d first met her earlier today she was lost and broken, but the promise of awakening her supernatural nature gave her the courage to die in the Awakening Arena. Then discovering her true identity gave her back her spirit for life. I wanted to stay up all night with her and ask her what it felt like to be given back something that was taken, because no telling how or when that would ever happen for me.
Olivia and I walked hand-in-hand towards the dormitories and I decided then and there that I was going to do everything in my power to make sure I wouldn’t let Olivia down.
A Prophecy is Told
Standing outside of Kaito’s office, I took a moment to review my day. So much had happened already and I still didn’t know who I could trust or why I’d been brought here. Hendrik might not recognize me from his vision, but I was definitely on his radar now. When would he put the pieces together? Maybe on some level that’s exactly what he was trying to do. Picking on me was his way of figuring me out… and when he did, shit would hit the fan. It was excuse enough to talk to Kaito and get him to do something.
I rapped my knuckles against the wood and waited. Nothing. I tried again. “Kaito?” I ventured, then felt weird wondering if I should call him Mr. Nakamura. I glanced at his nameplate above the door. He wassupernatural, so maybe he wasn’t as young as he looked.
After a moment the door opened and I swallowed hard. I’d forgotten how gorgeous he was. A long tattoo ran up his left cheek and a streak of silver followed through his hair, making me forget the urge to call him Mr. Nakamura. I wondered if he dyed the silver strands that gave him a dangerous edge or if it grew naturally that way. I didn’t even know what kind of supernatural he was. “Now isn’t a good time,” he said. I couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under his eyes and the sluggish way he leaned against the door.
I peered around him at the haphazard clutter of papers and empty coffee mugs, as well as some rolled-up wrappers on the floor that hadn’t made it into the trash. “What’s going on?” I raised an eyebrow. “Have you left this office at all since I last saw you?”
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Just come inside. I can’t stop working. If you’re going to loiter then don’t draw attention to yourself.”
He took his seat at his desk and began scribbling on some paperwork.
I debated if I should just leave, but decided against it and ventured inside, closing the door behind me. “So, they have me on the roster for the Awakening Arena every day,” I told him. If I’d expected a reaction, I didn’t get much.
“Hmm,” he offered without looking up at me.
Okay, well, if he was going to pretend I didn’t exist I’d just lay it all out there.
