Magic Secret (Half-Blood Academy #2) - Meg Xuemei X Page 0,24

thumb traced the line of my stubborn jaw in fondness, and pleasure sizzled across my skin. “There never is.”

Damn, I should have bargained for cutting the classes about demons. I wanted nothing to do with those creatures or their linguistics. And I had a bad feeling that those classes were new and tailored for me.

“That’s all for now,” Esme said. “I have a conference call with Ares in five minutes.”

I jumped up and strode toward the door.

“And Marigold,” Esme called before I exited. “Welcome to the Half-Blood Academy.” She smiled at me like a feline to a squirrel. “We’re all so excited to start this new journey with you.”

CHAPTER 7

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I wasn’t that excited to start this new journey Esme had promised. I treaded down the path to a pond half-concealed by ancient trees.

I now had forty-three minutes before my next class, and according to Esme, all four demigods would be there. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see them so soon, but I was still feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I just needed to catch a breath before they whisked me to gods-knew-where.

The other students were in classes now, so I had all the quiet beauty of the campus to myself for a change.

There was something odd about this pond, though. Despite its clear, blue water, dotted by white lilies, the only residents were a family of black swans.

But this place drew me in, calming my nerves.

I strolled off the path and toward the water’s edge as conflicting thoughts and emotions whirled through my head.

Then, I felt a tug, both strange and familiar.

I followed the beacon.

The wind and soft leaves of the willow trees along the narrow trail brushed against my face until I stopped before a gigantic, ancient, and beautiful tree.

The tree trunk opened from the center as if someone was inviting me into another world through it. The tug came from inside the tree, magical and enticing, and an echo of longing throbbed within me.

I didn’t feel danger or menace coming from the place but an odd kinship. It was the opposite of how I’d felt in the presence of the demons. So despite logic insisting I not do anything rash and foolish, I couldn’t help but step through the open tree.

However, I wasn’t completely naïve. A trace of flames rose to my fingertips, ready for any monster. And even if my magic failed me, I could always use the dagger hidden in my boot.

As long as I had a weapon with me, I was golden.

In front of my eyes was a fairy world, featuring a starry night that reminded me of the painting made by Van Gogh. Only this plane was lovelier, more surreal. I was almost sure that I could reach the sky, even though the space stretched to infinity.

Little fairies with transparent wings flew around the silver trees, spreading fairy dust with giddy giggles.

There was a hidden world in the Academy, and the tree was the portal.

Or was it a dream? Should I slap my face to make sure—?

“This is no dream, Marigold,” a voice like a melody sounded in my ear.

I wheeled around, my flames hissing on my palms, but I didn’t spot anyone other than the harmless little fairies flying around.

They were harmless, right?

“Show yourself!” I said.

“I bear no shape or form, and I don’t need one,” the musical voice said. “Your mind is conditioned by human teachings. To reach your greatness, you’ll have to learn to free your mind.”

“I have no greatness in me,” I said. “And the last thing I want is to reach greatness. It won’t do me any good.”

I didn’t want to become the ultimate war machine this Academy was trying to forge me into. Esme’s speech, no matter how noble it’d sounded, was all about making me a killer, a weapon.

I had fear in me, and my mind was conflicted—I wanted to be at the top of the class, yet I was also afraid to draw any more attention to myself.

The voice laughed as if I amused it.

It? Or she or he?

“Neither,” the voice answered my thought.

I sniffed. My ability to detect magic and power sharpened, and I honed my senses to focus on the being.

Primordial power crashed into me.

“You’re older than the Academy, than this land,” I said, inhaling the finest magic. “Your existence is as ancient as Earth. But you’re no longer as powerful as you used to be, because your magic didn’t originate from this planet. You’re starved because Earth’s magic can’t feed you anymore, since