New School New Identity New Trouble
1038 Words
Jace swore loudly, yanking the steering wheel to avoid the large deer that darted onto the road. The tires screeched as the car swerved, narrowly missing the animal. Isa’s head slammed into the window, jolting her awake from the brief nap she'd managed to steal.
“What happened?” she asked groggily.
“Deer,” Jace replied curtly.
Isa sighed, rubbing her temple. “Are we there yet?”
Jace gestured ahead. “By the looks of those iron gates, we’ve finally arrived.”
The gates creaked open, revealing the sprawling estate beyond. The towering mansion that served as Saint Patrick’s Academy loomed like a shadowy sentinel, its gothic architecture framed against the dusky sky. Isa sucked in a deep breath, her stomach twisting with unease. She had always wondered what became of her family's ancestral home, the place her mother had once lived. Charles, her father, had erased all traces of it from their lives, burying it with the memories he feared would resurface.
The car came to a stop before the grand entrance. Standing on the cobblestone path was a woman with an air of authority. Ellie, the headmistress, exuded an elegance that felt strangely familiar to Isa. She couldn’t place why.
“Good evening, Miss Owens, and welcome to Saint Patrick’s,” Ellie said smoothly. “I am Ellie, headmistress and local governess. Queen Phia Ling’s request to enroll you mid-term came as quite the surprise.”
“Ah, yes, my dear cousin,” Isa replied dryly. “She only sent me here because she enjoys watching me suffer.”
Jace snorted, earning a sharp glance from Ellie. She offered him a tight smile before continuing.
“We’ve arranged separate accommodations for you and your guard. Normally, students share rooms by gender, but we’ve made an exception.” There was a subtle edge to her tone that Isa didn’t miss.
Ellie led them inside, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor as she delivered a quick briefing on the academy’s rules. Afterward, she left them to unpack. Jace chose a room, muttering under his breath as he unpacked. Isa rolled her eyes and hauled half her bags into the adjacent room.
Groaning, she collapsed onto the unmade bed. The aftermath of memory wipes always left her exhausted, and as the years went by, the process grew less effective. Fragments of forgotten memories haunted her sleepless nights. Just as Isa began to drift off, the faint creak of a window opening snapped her awake. Her senses sharpened as she slipped a small dagger from her boot. Moving quietly, she yanked the window open and dragged a body into the room, pressing the blade to their throat.
“Who are you?” she hissed.
The boy smirked. “My file said the new girl was a vampire, not a wolf.”
Isa’s eyes glowed briefly, shifting from orange to crimson as she released a pulse of fear. The boy stiffened.
“You must be Jack Baker,” she said. “I read some interesting things about you.”
Charles had left her a box of files on the students. She’d skimmed them during the drive.
Jack’s smirk didn’t falter. “And you’re Rachael Owens, Ling’s cousin. You’re supposed to be a vampire, not a wolf.”
Isa snorted. “Your file didn’t mention what a colossal jerk you are, but it did say ‘asshole’ in bold letters. Still, sneaking through my window really emphasizes it.”
Jack growled before retreating, sliding down the roof and vanishing into the night. Isa locked the window firmly behind him.
“Who were you talking to?” Jace’s voice made her jump. She spun to find him leaning in the doorway.
“No one,” she lied.
Jace’s eyes narrowed. “Right. Get changed; they’ve called for dinner.”
He scanned the room before leaving. Isa sighed and changed into the school’s uniform, her movements sluggish. She had hoped Charles would assign an actual guard, not Jace. Together, they headed to the cafeteria, which buzzed with the chatter of students. They found an empty table, and Jace immediately pulled a book from his jacket, burying himself in it. Isa rolled her eyes, craving peace and quiet—something she rarely got.
Her luck ran out when three blondes approached the table.
“You must be Rachael Owens,” one of them said.
“Unfortunately,” Isa replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “And you three are?”
“I’m Buffy. This is Jordan, and that’s Riley. We all have family on the council. How come we’ve never heard of Phia Ling having a cousin?”
Isa feigned a sweet smile. “I’m an embarrassment to the family. They kept me hidden so I wouldn’t tarnish their pristine reputation.”
“Then why transfer mid-year?” Buffy pressed.
“My father hates me and enjoys watching me suffer. Isn’t that why we’re all here?”
The blondes glared, but Isa’s attention shifted to Jace, who kicked her under the table. She shot him a glare, but he motioned for her to behave.
“You should sit with us,” Buffy said unexpectedly.
Isa blinked, caught off guard. She had hoped to offend them enough to be left alone.
“Beats sitting with this lump of coal,” she muttered, standing up. “Lead the way.”
Jace watched her go, dropping his book onto the table. Charles had ordered him to monitor Isa, but that didn’t mean he had to do it from her side. He returned to his reading as Isa joined the blondes at the center of the cafeteria.
“Everyone, this is our new girl, Rachael Owens, Queen Phia Ling’s cousin,” Buffy announced. “Please make her feel welcomed.”
Half the table rolled their eyes and resumed their conversations. The other half leaned in with curiosity, their interest making Isa’s skin crawl. Buffy, the daughter of a high king, thrived on tormenting others, and Isa knew she was about to become the new target. Buffy, however, had no idea what she was getting herself into.
“Well, well, well,” a voice drawled from across the table. “Look who’s joined the party.”
- Writer
