The Deceiver | The Magicians

Episode 9

Nine | Illusions

"You what?" Dani screeched, turning more than a few heads in their direction. Lilly flinched at the attention, giving Dani a signal to quiet down. "Sorry. You what?" She repeated this time in a hash whisper.

"I turned into this random girl. It was unbelievable disturbing." Lilly had explained the whole thing to her friend the moment she found her. She was still reeling from the new development and she had no idea what to do. "Apparently I'm not completely human." 

"Well you're still smoking hot so I don't think that's gonna turn anyone away. Unless you have a tail I don't know about."

"I don't have a tail!" Lilly rolled her eyes at the pink haired girl sitting across from her. She gripped her coffee mug tightly, letting the warmth soothe her raw nerves. "How can you be so... cavalier about this whole thing?" 

"I've seen my fair share of weirdness in my life. You don't grow up with a magician mother without seeing some messed up s**t. If it makes you feel any better, your discipline is way cooler than mine, all I do is hear people's pervy thoughts."

"You're a Psychic?" Lilly asked. She hadn't even asked where Dani had been placed. She was too caught up in her own drama to think about it.

"Yup. It's really not that great. I would much rather be an Illusionist with you."

"Have you ever..."

"Read your mind?" Dani interrupted, waving over a waitress to order another coffee. "No, your mental walls are pretty solid. Quentin on the other hand is an open book. You don't even want to know the things I've heard come through his mind. A surprising amount of Taylor Swift." Despite her state Lilly managed a small laugh though it was halfhearted. "Oh, come on! It's not like it's the end of the world. Stop moping! You've got some kick ass powers that I'm sure everyone here would kill for." Lilly knew Dani was right, she should be taking this as a gift, a challenge, instead of running in the other direction. "As much as I would love to talk more about your magical creatureness, I have to go find the Psychic's clubhouse and start moving in. Talk to you later?" Lilly nodded as Dani stood from her seat across the table, slipping the strap of her bag over her shoulder. Lilly stood as well, figuring she would do the same and find the Illusionist clubhouse and get her room sorted out before tonight. She had never seen a castle on the school grounds before and it didn't really sound like something she would miss. Her head was still spinning from her meeting with Eliza and all the information that'd been thrown at her. First of all, she was being put in a occlumency class with Penny, of all people. That was definitely going to give her a headache. Then, they told her she was some sort of 'Shifter' and poured someone's blood on her hand. This school wasn't at all what she thought it would be and she didn't quite know what to think about it, all she knew was that, no matter how bad things got, there was no turning back to her life before magic. 

When she arrived at the west side of campus she was met by an empty cliffside looking out over the ocean. She hadn't gone this far in her exploration and found the spot to be quite relaxing compared to the rest of the school. Though it might have been tranquil, there was still no sign of the Illusionist's clubhouse and there were only a few hours left before nightfall. Lilly combed the entire west side of campus which took her the better part of an hour, with no result. Something wasn't right here. Lilly knew there was something she was missing. She had the feeling it was staring her right in the face. She found herself back where she began, looking out over the ocean waves while she racked her brains for a solution. 

'Illusionists live in a castle on the west side of campus by the ocean.' Lilly replayed Professor Sunderland's words in her mind as she paced back and forth in the green grass. Here she was, on the west side of campus, by the ocean, but no castle. She was beginning to think that the professor was playing a trick on her. It wouldn't be the first time the faculty messed with the students, though that was usually Dean Fogg's area of expertise. She must be missing something, but what? 

'...there is a reason why they are called Illusionists Lilly.' That's when it hit her. It had quite literally been in front of her the whole time. She squinted at the grassy field, searching the air for anything abnormal. Sure enough, her eyes caught on a slight shimmer to her right. If she hadn't been looking for it, she would have passed over the spot completely. The patch of air was iridescent, swirling like gasoline in water and even now that she found it, she had to focus her eyes in order to make it out. Lilly brought her fingers together and began conjuring up a quick revealing spell. She created a small window between her thumb and index finger and peered through it to find a magnificent, bannerless, spiral staircase right in the middle of the previously empty field. The problem was that the staircase wound up into empty air, no door or any hint of a structure to be found. The spark of excitement from her discovery pushed her towards the staircase. Lilly reached out towards the closest step, half expecting her hand to pass right through it, but was relieved when she felt the smooth, cold, stone beneath her fingertips. She carefully ascended the spiral staircase, not wanting to fall off the side to her death. The sun had begun to set and she most likely only had a few minutes of daylight left. It was time she didn't have to spare. When she finally reached the last step, she reached her hand out tentatively to search the air for any other hints. Lilly's palm hit something solid a few inches in front of her, though even through the small window between her fingers she couldn't see a door. To passersby it would appear as if she were floating in midair rather than standing on a staircase. She fumbled with the invisible wall in front of her, dragging her fingertips across what felt like wood. She let out a squeal of excitement when her hand caught on a piece of metal, unmistakably a door handle. Lilly wasted no time in pushing open the invisible door and was immediately showered in the golden glow of candlelight. It was a shocking sight to see, a rectangle seemingly cut out of reality, like a portal. Through the door there was an expansive sitting area, illuminated by hundreds of dripping candles, some even floating. 

The deep thrumming of music met her ears and she could see other students milling about the space. Lilly moved so that she could look behind the door, seeing nothing but empty air. She shouldn't have been surprised by the scene, stranger things had happened, especially when there was magic involved. Her foot tentatively crossed the threshold, greeted by the expansive stone interior of the Illusionist's Castle. A grand staircase wound its way up into what Lilly assumed was one of the castle's towers, allowing access to each floor, and there must have been at least eight. A large sitting area was set up to her left with scattered couches and armchairs in front of a giant, roaring fireplace. An old-fashioned record player blasted a Drake song, which seemed a bit out of place in the medieval setting. To her right, through a luxurious archway, was a set of long dining tables, presenting a feast with enough food to feed an army. Lilly recognized a few of the students lounged in the chairs from her classes but many were unknown to her. A brilliant smile crossed her lips when she caught sight of a mess of red hair. Alex was across the room from her, leaning against the wall and chatting with a dark-haired girl. He looked up and met her stare, waving her over to join him. 

"So, you're an Illusionist too." He stated, pulling Lilly in for a quick, excited hug and handing her a drink. "Glad I'm not the only one."

"Me too. This is quite the clubhouse." She continued to examine the castle in awe that she would be staying here.

"I know right! It's a big step up from those horrible dorms and we don't have roommates anymore." Lilly raised her glass towards the vaulted ceilings.

"I'll drink to that." 

"Where did Dani end up? I haven't seen her since this morning." Alex asked, pulling her over to an empty window seat, looking over the crashing waves below. 

"Psychic. She wasn't too excited about it though, she wished she were in a cooler discipline. Reading people's minds is pretty damn cool though." Alex nodded in agreement, sipping his drink. "I wish I knew where Quentin and Alice ended up. I knew he wouldn't be an Illusionist. He can't lie to save his life." The two friends mingled for a bit, meeting the other Illusionists and getting comfortable in their new home. The girl Alex had been speaking to when Lilly arrived was named Shawna. Through conversation Lilly learned that she was from Maryland and had a father that was a magician. She had a voice that wasn't unlike a field mouse and her doe eyes made her seem all the more innocent. They met a few other first years and were greeted by the upperclassmen. 

A couple of the seniors seemed to be the heads of the house. A blonde haired, muscular guy named Nick Folmer and a brunette girl, who could definitely be a model, named Kenna Dorsey. They were the ones to make an announcement that dinner was served. There were about fifty Illusionists in total, all spread out amongst the long tables in the dining area. Lilly and Alex chatted with their surrounding peers as they ate the decadent meal. The whole scenario reminded her of Harry Potter, now that she was in a castle enjoying a feast. A few guys at the end of the table had begun a drinking contest which made more than a little bit of noise. They all shouted and cheered loudly when someone crashed their empty glass down on the table. Once everyone had relaxed and chatted for a while, they were interrupted by the clinking of metal on glass. Nick and Kenna had stood from their spots at the end of the table, obviously wanting to make a speech. The dining hall quieted to a dull murmur as Kenna began to speak.

"Welcome everyone!" The tables cheered for her and she smiled like a queen at her subjects. "I would like to make a toast to the newbies we have joining us tonight." Looking around it wasn't hard to pick them out. They all had a sort of look to them, they stuck out like a sore thumb. Lilly was sure she did as well which made her shrink in on herself a bit. "Being an Illusionist is about more than just f*****g with people's perception, it's about allowing yourself to become the illusion." Nick cut in to continue the speech, placing a hand on Kenna's shoulder. It was pretty obvious that they were a couple and if they weren't, it wouldn't be long.

"Illusionists don't just create illusions, we are the illusions. The Illusions discipline is probably the best discipline...Who am I kidding it is the best." The room erupted in cheers and the newbies all smiled at their enthusiasm. "Your discipline group is pretty much like your family and family sticks together. We will be there to help you reach new heights and achieve your goals and show the other disciplines who's boss!" Another round of cheers and Kenna picked up the speech again. 

"Now that we have all the inspirational s**t out of the way, Nick and I are the heads of house. If you need guidance or have a question, come to one of us. Outsiders are allowed to visit but must be accompanied by one of us or they won't be able to find the entrance. It is pretty funny to watch them struggle though." Kenna smiled brightly, obviously done with her 'speech' and raised her glass and the rest of the room followed suit. "To the newbies!" Nick and Kenna sat back down and the room was filled with life once more. Lilly hadn't had that much fun in a really long time. They were up until the early hours of the morning, drinking, dancing, and casting random party tricks that would cause everyone to laugh like crazy no matter how funny or not funny it was. 

It wasn't until about four in the morning that Lilly and Alex stumbled their way up the winding staircase to their rooms. Lilly dropped him off first on the third floor before traveling the rest of the way up the stairs to her tower room. Apparently, it was one of the best rooms in the castle and Lilly knew why as soon as she pushed open the heavy door. The stone walls were rounded in the corner and the ceilings were high with a large candle chandelier hanging down over the furniture. A rich, blue couch was positioned in front of a small fireplace, with a golden tray of even more candles placed on a dark wood chest used as a coffee table. The four poster, queen sized bed was front and center when she opened the door, made up with a pleasant blue bed set which matched the couch. The cream curtains around the bed had been ties up to the posts, allowing Lilly a clear view of the decorative pillows. Her favorite part was the small window seat to the left which had a magnificent view of the sea and even part of the Brakebills campus. The furniture in her room was from her now empty New York apartment, but it seemed to fit perfectly in the space, as if it had been made for it. Lilly managed to pull her exhausted body into bed, savoring the soft blankets surrounding her. She breathed deeply and let the calming sound of the ocean lull her to sleep.