Black Magic Academy by Emily Martha Sorensen

Author:Emily Martha Sorensen [Sorensen, Emily Martha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: k'12
Publisher: Emily Martha Sorensen
Published: 2012-01-12T16:00:00+00:00

She should have felt flattered at the news. She should have been delighted. But somehow, the idea just made her feel sick.

I used to be scared I’d fail everything, she thought, chewing her lower lip as she walked past a frozen griffin. She was heading back to her dorm, instead of to Menacing Spells. Yet now I’m excelling. Shouldn’t I be happy? Shouldn’t I at least feel . . . relieved?

But she didn’t. She felt appalled. Dirty.

Mildred touched the tiny gold disc she wore underneath her dress every day.

Ashamed.

Unicorns were almost as pure white magic as tennin or phoenixes. No matter what the others would think, she had felt proud of this. And she knew — she knew — her familiar didn’t belong here. If she started to excel here . . . that would be like a betrayal.

I don’t want to do this! her mind exploded. I don’t want Aunt Oplisa proud of me! I don’t want to be some great success story for this school! I don’t want them to take credit for my learning!

Mildred reached the open door to her dorm, and froze. Rulisa sat at the back of the room.

Black hair cascaded over her tense shoulders and onto the pages she was reading. She jerked up at the noise.

“You!”

Mildred waved sheepishly.

“Why are you here?” Rulisa snarled. “Come to taunt about saving me?”

Mildred swallowed. “Wh-why aren’t you in class?”

“I didn’t feel like heading off to Merciless Spells,” Rulisa said, looking surly. “Given that someone just tried to kill me. What’s your excuse?”

Mildred gulped. Crazily, she wanted to admit the truth. Or at least, the part of it that didn’t involve High Witch Tractia.

“I — I had a fight with Trasia. I kind of . . . didn’t want to face her. I thought I was being a good friend, but . . .”

Rulisa snorted. “How nice for you.”

“Was I a bad friend?” Mildred blurted out.

Rulisa stared at her incredulously. “Why would you ask me?”

“Because . . . other than Trasia . . . you’re the closest thing I have to . . .”

“I am not! I’m your enemy!”

“Aunt Lilith told me rivalry can be closer than friendship.”

Rulisa squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her teeth. Mildred noticed she was shaking, and the bruises all around her neck looked red and swollen.

“Are you all right?” she asked quietly.

Rulisa’s eyes snapped open. “My death-enemy just saved me. What do you think?”

“You know I don’t want to be enemies.”

“Saving me was stupid enough,” Rulisa snarled. “Saying that in front of anyone else would be a dead giveaway.”

Mildred blinked. “About . . . ?”

“Karkadann, my foot. You got a buraq or unicorn.”

Mildred jerked back. “How could you —?”

“Karkadanns symbolize vengeance. You can’t even wrap your mind around a blood feud.”

“Well, what about you?” Mildred asked heatedly. “You’re no nightbat! You’re a liar, too!”

Rulisa’s ears slowly turned red. “Don’t you dare call me that.”

“Why not? Nightbats symbolize deceivers. You should think that’s a compliment.”

Rulisa’s ears darkened to crimson.

“What did you do,” Mildred asked, “show them your mother’s talisman?”

“Of .

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