Realm of Wolves

Today is a good day. The birds are singing, the sun is warm, the wind is cool. It is the beginning of the school year and I am about to start my advance studies at Silver Castle. In a few moments the gates to the great castle will open and I will walk the halls where my mother and grand mother were once students. Today is on track to being a great day. So why do I feel like something is about to go wrong? “Talia! Are you listening to me?” I shake my head attempting to put the eerie feeling behind me.  “I’m sorry what where you saying?” Clarity sighs and shakes her head. Her copper red curls bouncing from side to side from the movement. “Do you want to meet up at the lunch hall 1:30pm?” I open my welcome folder and scan my class schedule. My classes are focused on healing and earth manipulation. I come from a long line of healers, but no one had the talent for growing things like I do. After a quick look at my schedule I shake my head at Clarity. “My schedule is booked until 5pm. I only have a 15 minuet break between each class.” Clarity’s eyes widen. “I hope for your sanity your schedule doesn’t remain like that.” I shake my head “No. No. It’s just for today. I am a first year student representative we have our first general meeting today after classes. My club meeting is during lunch period.” Clarity hummed in understanding “I see. What about diner then? We can meet at Brick Tavern, 6:30pm? Have a bite to eat and some drinks?” I nod my head “Yes. Sounds like a great plan.” The bell at the top of the tallest tower in Silver Castle began to ring. Its song echoed throughout the court yard bringing all chatter to a halt. The bell only rings four times a year once at the beginning of each season; spring, summer, fall, and winter. The winter months are over spring have finally come. “Well this is it!” Clarity exclaims as the song of the bell faded.  She takes my hand and pulls me into the crowd of students entering the Castle.  “Well this is me” Clarity says pointing down a path that leads to the West tower.  We entered the castle grounds from the West gate, but majority of my classes are in the South tower.  “I still have a ways to go” I told Clarity “My earth classes are in the South Tower.” “Be careful” She warned “The shifters have classes in that tower as well.” Fighting the urge to roll my eyes I nod my head. Not everyone knows of my parentage. They know I am the daughter of Coven Queen Quinntessa Of Sky Tower. They don’t know that my father was the Alpha Soren White Wolf of Arcadia.  “I’ll Be careful. I promise” I assured her when she gave me a look of concern.  Satisfied Clarity nods her head and waved at me enthusiastically “Have a great first day see you at 6:30pm.”  With Clarity gone the eerie feeling of something about to go wrong came back. I tried to shrug it off but it won’t go away. Eventually it covered me like an old mildewy cape. I was on edge everything that moved made me suspicious. Whispers floated to my ears. Some where in Latin some in English others where a mix of other earthly languages, but there is one whisper that didn’t belong. The language was lyrical yet rough. The voice belonged to a woman. The wind began to stir dancing to the chanting rhythm of the woman’s song. My vision started to fade and my body began to feel stretched, like I am being pulled. Unable to hold my body up any longer I grabbed onto the nearest thing as my knees buckled. Is...is someone trying to summon me? “Whoa!” Someone exclaimed.  Arms hard as stone circled my waist and helped keep me upright. My stomach lurched in embarrassment but I am great full someone was kind enough to stop and help me. With the presence of another person the chanting faded and the pulling of my body stoped. I shake off the last bit dizziness from my head while testing my balance. “Thank You.” I said facing the kind stranger, eyes widening as I recognize his face.  “Blaine?” “Hello, princess” Blain smiled Tanned, tall, and strong. The Blaine I remember was small, scraggly, and sickly. The three S’s that many wolf shifters fear. Blaine was fated to not survive to adulthood, a simple cold would be cause for him to be bedridden. Unable to shift into his Wolf form and smaller than the average wolf he was unable to train in combat. He trained his mind instead and boasted an incredibly high IQ. That was almost 7 years ago. Blain is unrecognizable save for his icy blue eyes.  “What happened?” I asked in surprise then cringed. He chuckled “Apparently I was cursed by a vengeful witch.” He said “three years later I am what you see” “Wow!” Was all I could think to say. The boy has become so very handsome it’s left me speechless.  “Are you headed to the south tower” He asked “Yes” I nodded “Great I am as well let’s walk together” he suggested  “Sure” I said continuing the trend of one word answers.  Embarrassed I looked down at my feet and noticed I’m standing in a shallow puddle of water. I looked around awkwardly. This is the only water puddle on the path... how odd.  “Are you coming?” Blaine asked someways up the path “Coming!” I yelled jogging to catch up with him.