Wicked Heirs (Electi Academy #1)

3. ~Alena~

3

~Alena~

I’d been assigned a Guide.

An experienced student had been selected to show me around and help me acclimate to Electi Academy.

It might have been more than that.

To get me out of my comfort zone.

Specifically, my chambers.

For the last couple of days, I hadn’t left the space.

In all fairness, it was one hell of a suite.

It was so much nicer than the rundown bachelor apartment I’d been living in for the last couple of years during my foray into the human world.

There was a reading nook to the left right when you walked in, complete with a massive bookshelf set in the corner and the comfiest oversized cream chair I’d ever sat in.

Next to it was a walk-in closet with arched doors, which seemed to be a theme here, and just beyond that adjacent to the window was a queen-sized bed with a cozy velvet headboard. I’d added my patchwork comforter to it, along with some tasseled pillows—gold, deep-blue and turquoise, along with a fake fur rug around the bed. I’d hung a tapestry on the wall just above the headboard too.

There was a desk under the stained-glass window with three drawers, the bottom one that locked was where I’d stored one of my grimoires. And I had a container of marshmallows on top for snacking when I was doing readings and assignments.

I’d also put up a sapphire-blue beaded curtain over an arched opening opposite the bed that led into a seating and entertainment area, wherein I’d changed one of the couches into a turquoise velvet two-seater instead of the plain white high-backed piece it had been beforehand. Thankfully, I’d managed that with my magic without any backfiring. I’d also put up a couple of dreamcatchers throughout the seating area space to give it some character, along with some tasseled throws over the couch and one of the chairs. Of course, I had embroidered cushions everywhere to give a more cozy feel too.

Finally, opposite the reading nook in the main bedroom area was a door leading into an ensuite bathroom. I’d set that up with my toiletries and a lot of candles, putting some macrame wall hangings up too.

I’d basically been unpacking and decorating, adding my own edge and flair to it, hence the bohemian chic elements of the surroundings.

And I’d also been going over my grimoire. It had very few filled in pages, because I’d stopped my magical training under my mom’s tutelage a few years ago. I’d lost interest after the Cataclysm. All right, I’d been overcome with a whole lot of fear and revulsion after that brutal time. But, along with that, my mom had become far too busy to continue tutoring me. It had worked out for the best at the time, given my disinterest.

But now, being thrust back into the supernatural world and amongst beings who dealt in a whole lot of magic and possessed special powers and abilities, I needed to get back down to it, to at least start to get back to a foundational level with it all.

I was actually surprised and relieved at how much I’d remembered and understood.

That was a good sign for what was coming—being thrust into a whole lot of classes.

According to my class schedule, my first class would be Fundamentals of Magic. It was a class reserved for first year students, and I had it each day, five times a week. I even had to attend another basic class called Foundations of Spellcasting. The more complicated and immersive subjects were off-limits to me until I went through those two. Or until I showed growth in my knowledge base and abilities.

Although it was a little embarrassing that I had to attend classes that were for students much younger than me, it was also for the best and what I needed, to be eased into it in order to acclimate properly.

As it was, I’d had a small victory over the last couple of days already, while I’d been waiting for classes to get underway in a few days.

When my mom and I had first started my training, she’d wanted to make it fun so it would be easier on us both, and one of the first spells she’d taught me—which I had recorded in my grimoire—had been to conjure different foods. I’d managed to conjure a few protein bars. Chocolate, of course, considering I could literally subsist on the stuff and I considered it a food group all on its own.

I’d been eating them instead of heading down to the cafeteria. More students had started filtering back into the Academy from summer vacation now, and I hadn’t wanted to face the proverbial spotlight and stares my way by heading down there.

As my phone buzzed again beside me on the bed where I was sitting cross-legged studying my grimoire, it was clear time was up on that avoidance issue.

My Guide had texted me a half hour ago wanting to take me down to breakfast, but I’d told her I was finishing up something. Now that time was up and she’d sent another text.

Isabella: Coming over in five. Be ready to go to breakfast. No more protein bars.

I smiled to myself. She was sweet, I’d give her that.

Alena: You’ve got it.

She was also super bubbly, energetic, and upbeat.

Isabella Ravenfall was a Light Fae and she came from a prominent family in the Light Fae Realm, her father, Eddicus Ravenfall being a member of Exemplar. Despite my mother’s involvement, I’d never come across him or her before. I’d been mostly kept out of that business side of things, my mother not wanting to endanger me by bringing me into the politics of it all until I’d come of age. Unfortunately, by the time I had, I hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with it. The only Exemplar member I was familiar with—apart from the professor I’d briefly met two days ago during my tour—was Elliot Sabre, renowned sorcerer and the closest member to my mom. He sat at the head of the proverbial table alongside her, although he left most of the management aspect of things to her, while he also ran Sabre Tech , a firm that created and distributed specialized supernatural technology.

He had a son my age, but I’d never met him. When Elliot had come to our home, he’d always been alone. I knew that said son was here at Electi Academy, though. He’d probably be coming in shortly with the majority of the student body who’d been home for the summer. Maybe it would mean I’d have a friend here, somebody I could make a friend easily, given our parents’ connection to one another.

A knock at the door indicated that my time was up entertaining my wandering thoughts, a lot I realized were rather maudlin.

I rolled off my bed and rose to my feet, squaring my shoulders.

Time to stop that.

Time to get my life-of-the-party persona back on.

It was like the moment I’d passed through the Academy gates, it had been stolen away.

No more.

I needed to make the best of the situation I’d been thrown into.

Truthfully, it was all anyone could hope for in life when circumstances weren’t what you desired them to be.