as the tires passed over the bumpy road. I peered out the window as we drove on a wide cobblestone path through a monumental edifice of a gate that towered imposingly over us. Even in the dwindling daylight, I could see that every inch of the metal had been overtaken by crawling plants, thick brambles, and a variety of tiny flowers, all with their buds tightly shut. Petals and leaves lay strewn about the ground surrounding the gate. It would have been easy to assume this was an abandoned property of some sort or even a haunted one.
I craned my neck lightly as the car rolled into a vast expanse of land bordered on all sides by giant, lush green trees. We continued along the cobblestone road, passing massive water fountains and meticulously groomed hedges until the car stopped in a courtyard.
Taking a deep breath as I stepped out of the car, I inhaled the scent of damp earth and fresh-cut grass, and goosebumps tingled on my arms from the overwhelming mix of excitement and nervousness. I was finally here, ready to embark on this new, unexpected chapter of my life.
I curiously eyed a silver statue of a large winged centaur holding a scroll in one hand and an object that resembled a trumpet in the other. Tiny winged creatures hung in the surrounding air, spouting tiny streams of water all over the statue so that it glimmered in the setting daylight and the occasional rays of light that reflected off the many windows of the building that sprawled before us.
The academy resembled a grand medieval castle, looming over the landscape and built of gray stone with high walls lined with the gaps of battlements. Several turrets rose into the sky, towering over the main building. Large stained-glass windows ran along the façade, adding to its regal presence.
Professor Braddock was already walking toward the building while I stood gawking. I hurried to the trunk of the SUV to retrieve my luggage.
“Don’t worry about your things.” He waved. “I’ll have the staff bring them to your room once we get inside.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.” I hurried behind him.
He pulled on one of the metal rings of the massive steel door, and it opened with a loud scrape.
The inside of the academy very much matched the outside. I followed Professor Braddock across the gray stone floors, admiring the colorful textiles inlaid with gold that adorned the walls. Every archway and column that framed the entryways were carved with intricate patterns and elaborate designs of mythological beasts. Additional statues and fountains dotted the hallways between the various stone staircases that led to higher levels.
“Good evening, Professor,” a male voice sounded from the room ahead of us.
“Good evening, Nathaniel,” the professor replied. “I appreciate you staying late to welcome our new student. This is Evangeline.” He turned to me. “Nathaniel is a volunteer on our orientation team. Normally, he would give you a full campus tour, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, he will be escorting you to your dorm room.”
Nathaniel’s chocolate brown hair swept softly over his forehead with a few strands long enough to fall over his eyes. The chiseled planes on his face and powerful jawline held a stoic expression. The gray blazer, white button-down shirt, and gray slacks of his school uniform couldn’t hide his broad shoulders and firm muscles. A gold ring adorned with some sort of crest on his pinky finger hinted at his wealth and status. As I looked closer, bold orange fabric peeked out from underneath the top couple of buttons of his crisp white shirt, and a tiny gold hoop pierced his left ear, completing the look of a rebellious prince suitable for this imposing castle.
The smoldering gaze of his hazel eyes locked me in a captivating trance as he caught me staring. Once we got to my dorm room, I wouldn’t object if he stayed and gave me the chance to explore what was hidden beneath his uniform… just for a little while.
I smiled. His eyebrows twitched upward in a haughty gesture as if silently proclaiming me as inferior to him. I should have been offended, but a strange sensation fluttered in my chest and the back of my right shoulder itched so I quickly rubbed it, hoping to hide my nerves.
“Nice to meet you, Nathaniel,” I greeted as calmly and as friendly as I could while extending my hand to him.
“How come you’re only arriving today?” he asked curtly, completely ignoring my hand. “You a late bloomer or something?”
“Uh, I don’t know what you mean,” I stuttered, whipping my arm back as the hot flush of embarrassment rose to my face. I glanced at Professor Braddock desperately, seeking comfort or defense.
The professor smiled slightly. “He does have a point. Everyone else started classes two weeks ago, so you have some catching up to do, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time.” He began to walk away from us toward a flight of stairs. “I’ll leave you two to it then. Nathaniel, please try not to scare away our newest student, okay? Welcome to Empyrean Academy, Evangeline.”
My eyes followed the professor with a hint of alarm. A combination of anxiety and excitement slowly crept into me at the idea of being left alone with Nathaniel.
“Thank you, Professor,” I managed to say, despite my inner hesitation.
As Professor Braddock disappeared up the stairs, I turned back to Nathaniel, whose face had warped into an exasperated scowl.
He heaved a heavy sigh. “Let’s go,” he commanded, his voice low and gruff. “I don’t have all night.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his blazer and sauntered away from me.
“Coming!” I hurried to follow his long strides into my new world.
We exited the main building onto a series of cobblestone paths that wound through the lush, green grounds of the academy toward a myriad of ancient stone buildings. By then, the sun had already set. Glowing lampposts spread their soft light out onto the walkway, illuminating a few students clustered together chatting, while others simply padded down the path in long strides as they lugged their backpacks and dashed off to their next destination.
The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, and the rustle of leaves overhead whispered secrets known only to the ancient trees that guarded the school’s grounds. Yet, despite the beauty surrounding them, Nathaniel seemed utterly immune to its charms, his stride purposeful and unyielding. He didn’t look at me or say anything, not even to point out buildings or landmarks as we passed them. It was like I wasn’t even there.
The moonlight caught the gold glint in his hazel eyes, making them flicker with an inner fire. They enchanted me with their intensity as he furrowed his brow, creating a hard shield against any attempts to break through his rough exterior. My heart pounded in my chest, and I tried to convince myself it was from the exertion of walking so quickly. But I couldn’t deny my curiosity about Nathaniel nor ignore the magnetic pull toward him at that moment.
“So, Nate,” I began as we continued shuffling along the path.
“It’s Nathaniel,” he interrupted, still not even glancing in my direction.
“Oh, sorry, Nathaniel. How long have you been going to the academy?”
“It’s my second year.”
“What’s it like here?”
“Classes, training, studying, the usual things.” He sounded more annoyed than informative.
“Are the classes hard?”
“It’s okay.” He shrugged with his eyes locked ahead.
I bit the corner of my lip with a twinge of disappointment at his dismissive words, dampening the excitement of my new surroundings. Nonetheless, I pressed on, determined to understand the mysterious prince who walked beside me.
“And what about you?” I asked. “Where are you from? What are your powers?”
“Why do you ask so many damn questions?” He scowled at me, those stormy eyes finally meeting mine for a brief moment before darting away again. “I don’t feel like telling my life story to someone I just met ten minutes ago.”
“Sorry, you’re right,” I said softly. The desire to get to know him tugged at my heart. “I’m just excited, I guess.”
“Let’s just focus on getting to your dorm,” he responded tersely, his voice brooking no argument. “Are you even paying attention to how we’re getting there?”
“Oh, not really. Sorry.”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
I tried to hide my disappointment in failing to connect with him, but the feeling lingered until the disappointment turned on me.
Why do I keep apologizing to this guy? He’s the one that is supposed to make me feel welcome!
As we continued through the academy grounds in silence, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone walls deafened me. My chest tightened as I awkwardly struggled to stifle every question or comment that I wanted to make. When you grow up in a home with a hostile sixteen-year-old sister and seven-year-old twins, silence was suspicious.
Nathaniel stalked forward with purpose. His jaw clenched as he continued to lead me down another path, seemingly unfazed by my discomfort and frustration.
I snuck another glance at him, admiring the silhouette of his chiseled jawline and the way his wide arms and shoulders moved beneath his blazer. How would it feel to trace my fingers along them? A sudden heat rose to my cheeks, but I shook it off as quickly as I could.
We finally entered a newer brick building that looked like any other college dorm. It didn’t match the grandeur of the main castle at all.
“Here we are,” he said, abruptly stopping at a sturdy wooden door marked with the number twenty-seven and decorated with two large glittery silver stars. The name Celine was printed on one of them in a cursive font, and the other one was blank.
Nathaniel knocked.
“Who is it?” a girl’s voice said from inside.
“It’s Nathaniel. Your new roommate is here,” he replied tediously.
The door opened, and the girl greeted me. “Hi, I’m Celine!”
Celine was petite and lithe with medium-length, black hair that fell around a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones. Her amber-colored eyes sparkled with warmth and confidence, and, unlike Nathaniel’s testy demeanor, her reassuring smile put me at ease.
“I’m Evangeline.” I smiled back, excited to meet a friendly face.
“Alright, I’m out,” Nathaniel said as if he had more important places to be. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Given his off-putting aloofness, I wondered if he really meant that. Instead, I politely replied, “Thanks for escorting me.”
His eyes snapped to mine, and I could see their color more clearly in the light of the room—gray with a burst of green and flecks of gold. They sent a shiver down my spine with such an intensity that I quickly looked away. What would it feel like to have those piercing eyes focused on me with a different kind of intensity? A blush crept up my cheeks again.
“Yeah, whatever.” Nathaniel gave me one more glance and left.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Celine snickered and flashed a wide smile. “What do you think of Nathaniel?”
I chuckled back. “How did that guy get to be on the orientation team?”
“He normally does more background stuff. I guess he was the only one available tonight.” She giggled. “Don’t take it personally. That’s just how he is.”
“Are you friends with him?”
“Yeah, we hang out with the same groups of friends. I’m meeting them for dinner soon. Want to come? I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“That would be great.”
I finally took a good look around at what would become my home for the near future. The room itself was spacious, with two twin-sized beds on opposite sides, each covered in gray bedding. A small window sat on the far wall, surrounded by two closets. As Professor Braddock promised, my suitcases sat in front of one of the closets. Half of the extra-long desk with two chairs was already littered with books, a laptop, and small trinkets. The walls were a crisp white, decorated with colorful posters. The night sky outside seemed to darken as the first stars of the night started to glimmer, competing for attention with the twinkle lights that hung around the room.
“Professor Braddock showed me his ice powers. Does everyone have elemental powers? Fire, water, that kind of thing?” I asked as I unzipped my suitcase and began hanging my clothes in the closet.
“No, not at all!” Celine answered. “Everyone has all sorts of different powers. There are Ems who can fly, shapeshift, even teleport.”
“Wow. What’s your power?”
“Electricity.” She pointed two fingers in the air and twirled them in a circle twice.
I watched in amazement as the lights in our room flashed off and on.
“What about you?” Celine asked.
“Fire and ice. I think.”
“Oh, two powers! That’s cool!”
I thought back to a brief conversation earlier. “Nathaniel called me a late bloomer. When do people usually discover their powers?”
“Well, most of us knew we would have powers eventually because at least one of our parents did, so we were prepared for it. For most people, I think our powers appear when we’re around fifteen or sixteen, usually in high school. Your parents don’t have powers?”
I shook my head. “My mom doesn’t for sure, but I don’t really know my biological father, though.”
Celine nodded and then smiled softly. “At least you know now, and your kids will know.”
Mattie and I had the same biological father. Did that mean she would eventually have powers too? I made a mental note to let her know when I called her.
“What happens after we graduate? Is there some secret community where adult Ems live together?” I asked her.
She laughed out loud. “Of course not! We should know how to control our powers by the time we graduate, so we go back into the real world with regular humans, living among them in secret.” Her eyes widened, and she flashed a huge grin like she was saying something scary.
I chuckled. “Well, everyone has been really good about keeping it secret. I had no idea about any of this until yesterday.” I paused what I was doing to look at Celine. “Thanks for letting me grill you. Everything is so new to me.”
“No problem. Anytime.”
As I continued to unpack my things, my mind wandered back to the elusive Nathaniel.
Why did he have to be so… difficult? And why was I even thinking about him? I’d only just met him, after all. Sure, I found him attractive—those stormy hazel eyes, that strong jawline, the way his biceps strained against his sleeves—but there was more to it than that.
There was more to him than that grumpy façade. Though it was a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of something just now before he left the room. A spark of vulnerability, perhaps? What hid beneath that hostile exterior of his?
“Evangeline?” Celine’s voice broke me out of my thoughts. She rose from her chair, and her eyes lit up as she smiled. “Ready to go to dinner?”
“Sure,” I replied excitedly.
Get a grip, Eva. This is just the beginning. You’re here to learn about your powers, not to obsess over some brooding stranger.
