Impossible Magic by Boyd Abigail

Author:Boyd, Abigail [Boyd, Abigail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abigail Boyd
Published: 2014-04-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

“Well, well. Just one week and you’ve already been sent to the office.” Paige folds her hands across her chest and looks me over, her expression unreadable as she tilts her head to the side. “Follow me.”

She steps back so I can enter the door and then leads me into her private quarters, which contains a sitting area and a small kitchen with a round, two-seat table. Huge, framed posters of the Eiffel tower hang on the pale pink walls. The decorations are art deco and tasteful, a post-war time capsule compared to the Victorian castle that is the rest of Juniper Hall. Black fleur de lis candle holders offer comfortable, warm light. She gestures for me to have a seat at the table and I do. My stomach is a pit of acid, as I ponder what might happen to me.

“Have you ever been to Paris?” I ask, gazing at the posters.

“Many times,” she says, bringing over a teapot and pouring me a cup. She offers me sugar and I take one. “I’ve been all over the world, but I would say that’s my favorite place.”

I study her face discreetly and wonder again how old she is. Her skin is smooth and doesn’t show any signs of aging, and yet she exudes experience.

She sits across from me and crosses her red-lacquered nails on the table. “So, explain to me exactly what lead you to my quarters this late at night.”

I could easily implicate Melody for bailing on me, but I decide it’s better not to make enemies. I quickly craft a fib that I found the passageway myself and sneaked outside.

“And what did you do out there?” she asks. I feel like I’m being tested.

“Just looked around.” I shrug, hoping I look casual, but I know her bullshit detector is well-honed. I haven’t had to lie about sneaking out since I was fifteen. “There was a graveyard out there with an alcohol stash, I helped myself.”

“Hmm, we know all about that. Rather disrespectful to engage in revelry on hallowed grounds. I’ll have the wardens do a sweep.” She glances back at me with her striking lavender eyes, and I feel for a moment like she’s hypnotizing me. “You know those are both violations of our policies?”

“Yes. Are you going to kick me out of the school?”

“Of course not. That’s not how we operate. Would you like some tea? I’d offer you a glass of wine, but I wouldn’t want you getting blotto.”

I nod, surprised, and she stands up to put a kettle on her compact stove.

“I’m aware of the tricks of my students. They have an initiation for all the new ladies and gentlemen.”

I think about it for a moment, remembering her words the night she picked me up in Arizona, about reading minds.

“I think that…the girl who told me about the passage…knew that it was the wrong hall. I think she wanted me to take the fall for something.”

“She probably did. But you should have been smarter. You should have known you were being set up.

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