This Borrowed Soul

Hunger

The first thing I notice about my dorm room is that it is too small.

The second thing I notice is that I have a roommate.

The third thing I notice is that my roommate is staring at me like I might explode.

I raise an eyebrow.

She quickly looks away.

Interesting.

The room itself isn’t terrible.

Two beds sit on opposite sides, each with a small nightstand beside it. Two desks are tucked against the windows, and a large wardrobe sits between them.

There isn’t much decoration.

My side is completely bare.

Her side, however, looks like a small animal sanctuary.

Stuffed wolves.

Pictures.

Plants.

Little charms hanging from the bedpost.

I look at one of the stuffed animals.

Then at her.

She catches me staring.

“Oh.”

She smiles nervously.

“Sorry. I know it’s a lot.”

“It is.”

Her smile falters.

I almost feel bad.

Almost.

She quickly starts moving things around.

“I can put some of this away.”

“You don’t have to.”

She stops.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

She smiles again.

It’s an annoyingly genuine smile.

“My name is Mira.”

“I know.”

She blinks.

“You do?”

Memory.

Blue knew her.

Mira was apparently one of the students assigned to live with her.

I smile.

“Blue.”

She laughs softly.

“I know.”

Right.

That was stupid.

Mira looks at me for a moment.

“You’re different.”

My heart stops.

Then she adds,

“Your eyes are brighter.”

I relax.

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“They’re really pretty.”

“Thank you.”

She nods.

Then she looks at the clock.

“Oh! Dinner!”

She jumps to her feet.

“Come on.”

“I can find the cafeteria myself.”

She looks horrified.

“You’ll get lost.”

“I won’t.”

“You absolutely will.”

I stare at her.

She stares back.

Then, surprisingly, she grabs my wrist.

“Come on.”

I look down at her hand.

She notices.

Immediately lets go.

“Sorry.”

“You apologize a lot.”

Her cheeks turn pink.

“I do?”

“Yes.”

“Sorry.”

I stare at her.

She covers her face.

“Oh my God.”

I laugh.

She laughs too.

And just like that, we’re walking down the corridor.

The academy is even more impressive inside.

Everything is enormous.

The walls are made of dark stone, covered in strange carvings that seem to move whenever I look at them for too long.

Students pass us in groups.

Some have visible traits.

Ears.

Tails.

Glowing eyes.

Claws.

Others look completely human.

I wonder how many of them are hiding what they really are.

Mira walks beside me, pointing things out.

“That’s the east wing.”

“Those stairs lead to the library.”

“Don’t go through that door.”

I look at her.

“Why?”

“Because that’s where the seniors train.”

“And?”

“They’re scary.”

I almost smile.

“Scary?”

“Yes.”

She lowers her voice.

“They can shift partially.”

“So?”

“So they can rip your arm off without fully transforming.”

I stop walking.

Mira keeps going before realizing I’m no longer beside her.

She turns.

“You’re coming?”

I stare at her.

She gives me an apologetic smile.

“Sorry.”

Of course.

I follow.

The cafeteria is enormous.

The moment we enter, noise crashes over me.

Hundreds of voices.

Laughter.

Music.

Trays clattering.

The scent of food fills the air.

My stomach growls.

Mira looks at me.

“Hungry?”

“Very.”

We join the line.

I watch the students around me.

The academy is divided into groups.

Not officially.

But it’s obvious.

There are tables filled with shifters from different packs.

Witches sitting together.

Fae.

A few humans scattered around the edges.

And then there is the table everyone seems to notice.

Right in the center.

A group of girls sit there.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

Untouchable.

Mira follows my gaze.

“Oh.”

I glance at her.

“Who?”

She immediately shakes her head.

“No one.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

She sighs.

“That’s Seraphina.”

“Who?”

“The queen.”

I look at her.

“The queen of what?”

She gives me a look.

“Everything.”

I almost laugh.

Apparently, every school has one.

Seraphina is beautiful.

Long blonde hair.

Perfect makeup.

Expensive-looking clothes.

And the kind of confidence that comes from knowing everyone in the room knows your name.

She looks directly at me.

Her eyes narrow.

Then she smiles.

Not kindly.

I don’t like her already.

Mira gently pulls me toward an empty table.

“Don’t look at her.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t like humans.”

“She doesn’t like me.”

“She doesn’t like anyone who isn’t her.”

Interesting.

I sit.

Food is placed in front of me.

I stare at it.

Then I eat.

The hunger disappears quickly.

Too quickly.

I look down at my empty plate.

Mira is still eating.

I watch her.

She seems so normal.

So harmless.

I wonder what she would think if she knew what was sitting across from her.

“Blue?”

I look up.

A shadow falls over the table.

Seraphina.

She stands there with two girls beside her.

Mira immediately stiffens.

“Seraphina.”

“Human.”

Her gaze moves to me.

I smile.

“Queen.”

Her smile disappears.

Mira looks horrified.

I almost laugh.

Seraphina places something on the table.

A small wrapped parcel.

“What is this?”

“A welcome gift.”

Mira looks at it.

Then at Seraphina.

“You don’t have to—”

“Oh, I insist.”

I unwrap it.

Inside is a small pastry.

It smells sweet.

Normal.

Mira’s face changes.

“Blue, don’t.”

I look at her.

“Why?”

She doesn’t answer.

Seraphina smiles.

“It’s tradition.”

“What kind?”

“An initiation.”

Mira shakes her head.

“It’s just a prank.”

I look at the pastry.

Then back at Seraphina.

“What happens if I eat it?”

She shrugs.

“Nothing serious.”

Her friends giggle.

Mira whispers,

“Please don’t.”

I stare at her.

She looks genuinely worried.

And yet she doesn’t stop me.

Interesting.

I pick up the pastry.

Mira reaches for my hand.

“Blue—”

I take a bite.

Silence.

Then laughter erupts around us.

I chew slowly.

Something tastes bitter.

Not poisonous.

Just disgusting.

My eyes move toward Seraphina.

She looks delighted.

I swallow.

“That’s it?”

Her smile falters.

“That’s it.”

I put the rest of the pastry down.

Mira looks at me like I’m insane.

“You’re okay?”

“Fine.”

“But—”

“It’s just food.”

She looks at Seraphina.

Then back at me.

“I’m sorry.”

I stare at her.

“You didn’t do anything.”

“I should’ve stopped you.”

“But you didn’t.”

Her shoulders fall.

“I was scared.”

There it is.

I understand.

Mira isn’t weak.

She’s afraid of confrontation.

There’s a difference.

Seraphina turns away, clearly disappointed that her little prank didn’t work.

“Come on.”

Her friends follow.

Mira watches them leave.

Then she looks at me.

“You shouldn’t mess with her.”

“Why?”

“She can make your life miserable.”

I lean back.

“Can she?”

Mira nods.

“She has friends everywhere.”

I smile.

“Good for her.”

Mira looks confused.

“Blue, I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

I glance toward Seraphina’s table.

She is laughing with her friends.

But her eyes are still on me.

She doesn’t like me.

Good.

At least something interesting has happened.

Mira gathers our trays.

“We should go.”

I follow her out.

But halfway down the corridor, I stop.

Something is wrong.

I can feel it.

Not with the academy.

With me.

My skin feels too tight.

My senses are sharper.

The lights seem brighter.

Every heartbeat around me suddenly sounds loud.

Too loud.

I close my eyes.

There are dozens of students around us.

Hundreds.

And suddenly, I can smell them.

Their blood.

Warm.

Alive.

I open my eyes.

Mira is talking.

I don’t hear a word.

My gaze moves through the corridor.

A boy walks past.

His pulse beats beneath his neck.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

My mouth waters.

I swallow.

No.

Not here.

Not now.

I look at my hands.

They tremble slightly.

I haven’t noticed the hunger before.

Not properly.

But now that it has awakened…

It is impossible to ignore.

I glance back toward the cafeteria.

Toward the students.

Toward all that delicious life moving beneath their skin.

My reflection catches in one of the windows.

Crystal-blue eyes stare back at me.

But something else is there now.

Something darker.

Something hungry.

I smile slowly.

I hadn’t fed in a while.

And judging by the way my body is reacting…

I was going to need to feed soon.