as she moved to her desk – Orion’s fucking desk – and took out her Atlas.
My throat tightened as I exchanged a concerned glance with Sofia.
“Heptian Toads, Tiberian Rats, Pegasuses, Minotaurs, Sphinxes, Experian Deer Shifters-” She continued on, each Order heading off to take seats in groups at the back of the class, all muttering under their breath.
When she was finished, she smiled darkly and I wanted to punch that look off of her disgustingly beautiful face. She stroked the glimmering aquamarine necklace at her throat as her eyes scraped across the remaining students waiting to be seated. “The rest of you may take a seat at the front.” She gestured to the selection of mostly powerful, predatory Orders at the front of the class and my heart pounded out of rhythm as Harpies, Nemean Lions, Manticores, Vampires, Werewolves, Sirens and the others moved to sit down.
“What is this?” I demanded, my feet rooted to the spot as the rest my classmates swept away toward the comfy seats, some of them seeming far too pleased with themselves as they dropped into them.
Highspell arched a brow at me, seeming shocked that I’d questioned her. “It is the new way,” she said lightly. “Classes must now be split by lesser and higher Orders.”
“Lesser?” I spat. “Who are you to judge that?”
“I am a humble servant of our King,” she said icily, her eyes flashing. “And you will not question the ways of our new ruler, Miss Vega.”
My pulse hammered in my ears and I refused to take one of those seats at the front of the class.
“This is wrong,” I growled and a bunch of people murmured their agreement.
“If you don’t like it, Miss Vega, then you may take a seat at the back of the room with the rest of the lessers,” Highspell said with a smirk that said she expected me to back down for the sake of a comfier seat. “But as your grades were abysmal last term, I would suggest you take any advantages offered to you in the new world.”
“Screw your new world,” I spat, turning my back on her and walking to the rear of the class.
“Mr Corbin, be a good boy and please move a seat for Miss Vega so she is placed with the rest of her kind back there,” Highspell mocked me, knowing I had no one else but Tory who had emotionlessly taken her seat at the front already.
Tyler casually flipped Highspell the finger, drawing a laugh from a bunch of students around him. I smirked, dropping down beside him with the Pegasuses and gazed calmly back at Highspell, a challenge in my gaze.
Her eyes turned to snake-like slits, showing her Medusa Order peering out of them.
“This will not be tolerated,” Highspell hissed.
Tory got to her feet and, like a good little minion, Kylie popped up too.
“Stand up, Miss Vega!” Highspell snapped at me, raising her palms and I quickly cast an air shield around myself.
“No,” I said, my breathing coming rapidly.
Mutters broke out behind me as Tory closed in on us and I heard a few mentioning my ‘addled mind’, making my jaw clench. I’d had enough of this. Enough of the lies, of everyone believing Tory had really changed sides and that I was some lunatic who spoke to ravens in my spare time. And now that Lionel had exposed his use of the shadows, there was no need to protect Darius and the others from people knowing they had the Fifth Element too. Lionel wasn’t going to let them be punished for it now that he was in charge and claiming it was some gift from the stars.
I pushed out of my seat and raised my chin. “Lionel Acrux is controlling my sister with the shadows. He forced us to take part in a ritual that-”
“Enough!” Highspell shrieked.
“- brought a meteor down from the sky. Lionel turned it to stardust with his Dragon fire and-”
Highspell waved a hand and a storm of ice slammed against my air shield.
Tory raised her palms, taking Highspell’s place against me and I decided to just keep talking until she was able to shut me up, because screw it, what was there to lose now? “It created a portal to the shadow realm!” I cried and I realised a bunch of people were recording me on their Atlases. “He forced me, Tory, Darius and Lance Orion to kneel at the heart of the meteor crater and-”
Shadows blasted toward me and a bunch of students