Reckless Magic (19 page)

“
How many Immortals are
there? What else can I do? Does this mean I’ll never die? Does this
mean I’ll never age? Why are my powers so strong? Can I fly?” he
cut me off with his hand and a small chuckle.

“
No, you can’t fly. Well at
least I don’t think so,” his eyes twinkled, he was relieved to have
gotten passed my anger. His smile had softened his face and I saw
him in a different light now, almost paternal. “Let’s see, there
are thousands of us, living all over the world. There used to be
more, maybe millions, we equaled the humans, but over time we have
begun to die out,” his expression was suddenly full of sadness.
“And you can die, eventually, and you will age. ‘Immortal’ was a
term given to us a long, long time ago,” his smile had completely
disappeared and he suddenly seemed older… ancient. “Thousands of
years ago we did live forever, or at least it seemed as if we would
live forever. We outnumbered the humans, although we lived in peace
with them. No one knows exactly how we came to be, we were born
into this world like everyone else, but we simply did not die. Our
people would reach an age of maturity and we would age no longer;
and we bore children that were like us, Immortals like ourselves.
But eventually we began to die like humans, although our lifespan
is considerably longer and we have been able to hang on to our
special attributes,” I took each word in, feeling as though my head
would soon explode. “I’m sorry to go over this so quickly but we
don’t have much time.”

“
Oh,” is all I said, my
brain was on overload.

“
We of course keep ourselves
a secret from humans now that so few remain; they would have a hard
time accepting us,” he smiled at Aunt Syl, who didn’t seem
offended.

“
But obviously Aunt Syl
knew. So why didn’t I?”

“
Well, you’re parents were
gone and I thought this would be the best way for you to…. live,”
Principal Saint folded his hands together and looked at me
seriously. I realized that he didn’t actually give me an answer,
and I had a suspicion that he was hiding something from me, but
there was so much information to take in that for the moment his
answer was sufficient.

“
So I am a witch? Is
everyone at Kingsley a witch as well?”

“
Yes and no, you are a
witch,” he chuckled slightly, “But not everyone is a witch. There
are four distinct types of our kind. All four display very unique
qualities and have been given different names; it is much like the
different ethnic races in human kind. We are different, but of the
same species. At first we did not have names for each other, but
over time we have adapted names from the slang that has been
associated with us; the names also help us distinguish between
ourselves. Recently they have meant the difference between life and
death,” he smiled sadly again, “There are the Lamia, or witches in
today’s terminology, the Mediums or psychics, there are the
Transmogrifiers or shaper-shifters and then there are the
Proeliators, they have been called anything from gods, to angels to
super-heroes; usually we refer to them in English as
Titans.”

“
But everyone can refer to
themselves as an Immortal?”

“
Yes of course, just like
any of the different races of humanity are still referred to as
humans; what makes us stand apart, but also stand together is the
magic that we have in our blood. The tingling sensation or what I
think you refer to as ‘electricity,’ that is your magic. You would
be unable to function without it; it is your life blood. It defines
who you are, I squirmed thinking about the men I supposedly drained
of their magic. I may not have killed them, but it sounded like I
had given them a fate worse than death.

“
How did you know I call it
electricity?” I asked, realizing I had always been very careful to
never share that with anyone before.

“
One of the special skills
of our psychics is mind reading,” he smiled, and my face flared up
from embarrassment. Slowly I remembered every time I felt my
question was answered without asking it, from teachers and other
students to Kiran. I buried my head in my hands; this had to be a
teenager’s worst nightmare come true.

“
Don’t worry; we can fix
that for you. I can teach you the skills you need to protect your
mind against others.”

“
So everyone at school has
been able to read my mind…. know what I’m thinking?” I whispered
the question, completely mortified.

“
Well only the psychics and
I suppose, only those who were interested,” he acted so nonchalant
I had a hard time believing he grasped the trauma associated with a
sixteen year old girl’s private thoughts.

“
Kiran?” I asked in an even
softer whisper. I could feel my aunt smiling beside me.

“
Yes, I’m sure Kiran has
been able to listen to your thoughts. Prince Kiran is very gifted;
it was probably no challenge at all,” he spoke so matter-of-factly,
while my stomach took the roller coaster ride of its life. I felt
overwhelmingly nauseous.

“
What? Prince? What?” I
barely got the words out. Did he say Prince Kiran?

“
Yes of course. Kiran
Kendrick is our crowned prince. I told you earlier we have our own
monarchy. His father Lucan rules over us; he is our king and Kiran
is the crowned prince. Please remember, we are are not bound by
human law,” he reminded me. Excuse me, but up until twenty minutes
ago that was the only law I knew existed.

“
So the king is like my king
too? I mean I like should respect him and bow and all that?” I
laughed; it all seemed too medieval for me.

“
Well yes, you’re supposed
to, but I don’t think you’ve respected royalty as of this far, so I
wouldn’t be too concerned just yet,” Now it was Principal Saint’s
turn to laugh.

“
They won’t like execute me
or put me in prison or anything for that will they? You’ll explain
to them that I didn’t know, won’t you?” my hands flew to my throat
and I held onto it as if it were about to be chopped off. All of
the times I was sarcastic and rude to Kiran flooded my memory….
oops.

“
No, don’t be so dramatic,”
he chided. “The royal family hasn’t put anyone to death in a long
time, or at least a couple years,” his eyes looked out of my window
and slightly glazed over. I knew he was thinking about something
else, but I was too afraid to ask what it was and apparently lacked
the skill to read minds, like the rest of Immortals. “No, you’re
not in trouble, but please try to be more respectful in the future.
In fact, I think it would be best if you have no more contact with
the prince at all.”

“
Why not?” I wondered if
that was possible for me. Hadn’t I tried to stay away from him
since the beginning?

“
Well, he’s really here for
only one purpose, and I’m afraid you have been a bit of a
distraction. There are other reasons why you should avoid him of
course. For one, your friend Lilly is a Transmogrifier attending
Kingsley against the law. You see, shape-shifters were banished a
long time ago. They are the…. lepers of Immortal society, so to
speak. Lilly was attending school illegally and hiding her true
identity. After last night they have taken her away to await trial.
If you were implicated as having known of her true identity, you
too would be sent away,” his voice was melancholy and he continued
to stare out of the window.

“
Lilly is what? What do you
mean banished? How can they just take her away? Who took her away?
She was trying to protect us! Where is the trial, I’ll go and tell
them the truth!” I half stood up, ready to leave at that moment; I
couldn’t believe that my one and only friend was gone, for reasons
I couldn’t even comprehend. How could someone really be banished?
Where did they go? What happened to them if they were caught? My
throat tightened with anticipation and I mentally willed my nerves
to steady.

“
Please, Eden, calm down.
Lilly is a shape-shifter; the monarchy banished her kind a long
time ago. They are the outcasts of our society. They are to have no
contact with the Immortal world,” I watched the pain flicker in his
eyes and instantly realized that he did not agree with the edict.
“And no, you will do no such thing; the trial will be held in
Romania as well, in front of the royal family. If you were to
testify on her behalf and she was found guilty you would receive
the same punishment as her. We cannot afford that
mistake.”

“
So those men that attacked
us, who were they really after?” I changed the subject, knowing it
was a battle that I would not win, at least not then. I decided to
think about it later, when I was alone. But the thought that Lilly
would be tried the same as those disgusting men who tried to kill
her made me physically sick.

“
It appears they were after
the crowned prince. They were apparently making an attempt on his
life and had assumed he would be alone, with only his body guard.
I’m afraid you girls took them quite by surprise.”

“
His body guard?”

“
Yes, of course. Talbott
Angelo is Kiran’s personal body guard. He is a Titan; they are the
royal family’s personal guard and personal advisors.”

“
Of course he is,” A light
bulb went on in my head, and I finally understood Kiran and
Talbott’s weird friendship…. or relationship…. or
whatever.

“
Talbott and a handful of
others are the only Titans that have been allowed to leave the king
in a very long time. They had hoped it would be enough to protect
the prince; I think they were quite surprised when it was you who
saved them all,” Principal Saint chuckled softly. “Talbott is the
only one young enough to go to school with you. The rest of Kiran’s
guard try to remain undetected, and unfortunately were completely
absent during yesterday’s attack. Luckily for them it was by the
prince’s orders.”

“
Stop calling him that. He’s
not like real royalty is he? It’s like I don’t know….” I tried to
search for the right word…. pretend, make-believe, fairytale? Kiran
was the crowned prince of what was now the world that I lived in.
How was that even possible?

“
I’m afraid my dear, that
the Immortal Monarchy is as real as it gets. They have been a
ruling monarchy longer than any institution in history. And as
immature as Prince Kiran is, he has the power over your life and
death,” Principal Saint’s expression had turned grave, and I knew
that he was serious. But I couldn’t be. Prince Kiran…. what a
joke.

“
So what, I have to bow, and
curtsy…. call him your majesty?” I couldn’t hold back my
sarcasm.

“
I’m afraid the best course
of action is for you to avoid him completely. He is here, like I
said before, for a very specific purpose and you are only getting
in the way. If you don’t leave him alone soon, his father is going
to have something to say about it,” I blushed defensively. Wasn’t
he the one always bothering me? Besides I didn’t see how I was
getting in the way of anything. Moreover, I wasn’t sure if I wanted
him to stop bothering me....

“
Principal Saint, did you
know my parents?” I nearly whispered, trying to change the subject,
but almost afraid to hear the answer.

“
Hmmm….” he smiled softly,
“Please call me Amory outside of school grounds. Yes, yes I did
know your parents. A long time ago, I knew them.” He looked up at
me and an expression I couldn’t define settled on his face. “You
look so much like your mother, Eden,” he continued to stare at me
for several moments longer and I began to feel a little
uncomfortable. “Now, let’s work a little on your powers alright?
Let’s make sure no one can read your mind again.”

I nodded my reply. I had no idea what
it meant to “work on my powers,” and I was not completely sure I
wanted to know. I felt completely overwhelmed by everything and I
wasn’t sure if I could take anymore. The electricity pulsating
through my veins would suggest otherwise however and I felt almost
itchy to exercise the supernatural force that was, as Principal
Saint said before, my Life Blood.

19.

“
Try it again,” Principal
Saint…. Amory commanded me.

I closed my eyes, letting in every
sound, every movement, and every breath. The magic flowed through
me, putting every nerve on edge. My senses were sharpened like I
didn’t think was possible and my breathing even.

My blood felt hot under my skin, as if
it was boiling my insides, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. I
welcomed the sensation, understanding it was the magic finally
unleashed. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight and I
could feel the magic wanting to escape, wanting to be set
free.

Now that my senses were heightened, I
felt the extra sense that came with being an Immortal. My sixth
sense was the perception of nearby magic. What felt like
electricity rushing through me whenever I was around another
Immortal, was my perception of someone else's magic. When I was
near another Immortal’s magic my blood began to tingle and pulsate.
The magic that consumed me now alerted me to not only Amory’s
presence but that he was at this moment trying to read my
thoughts.

I closed my eyes tighter and
concentrated. I could not clear my mind, because then I would lose
focus. I allowed it to be full of everything I could think of in
order to practice for day to day activities. Closing my mind to
outside forces must be natural to me or I would never survive
another day at Kingsley. A small blush rushed to my cheeks as I
thought about all of the days before and how open my mind had been
to everyone else.