Phoenix Academy: Forged (Phoenix Academy Beginnings Book 3) by Lucy Auburn

Author:Lucy Auburn [Auburn, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Wednesday, 11:00 AM: Phoenix History with Ocean Johnson

Yet another depressing hour listening to all the ways in which phoenix like me have been strung up, eviscerated, and murdered, ribs cracked open and hearts stolen more often than not. They’ve hunted us for sport, kidnapped and tortured us to make our hearts more “tender” because they thought that would increase their power, and cut us open to study us.

Today we’re concentrating on the Salem Witch Trials, which some in the supernatural world think might be somehow connected to real life supernaturals—including a phoenix whose touch could drive men mad, yet another elusive type called the Blue Phoenix. Some historians have found signs of them, while others claim they’re all a myth.

Ocean seems particularly worked up about this bit of history, which is unusual for him. Most of the time he’s sure and steady.

Personally, I’m just glad we’re not talking about the late era of the Phoenix Wars. Even just hearing the words from the book Lynx had me read while he touched me would be enough to make me squirm.

“This calls into question, though, what were Blue Phoenix before they died and came back to life? Some say mages, but Red Phoenix are already proof that mages, once turned into phoenix, have their power increased. So they would be able to cast magic, not drive men made with their touch.” He pauses, as if drawing out a mystery. “Others still say that hedge witches, who forcefully draw their arcane magic from the world around them, might turn into phoenix. That’s where this particular theory comes from: it’s theorized that some of the witches hung in Salem returned to life and enacted revenge on those who killed them for witchcraft, driving them mad with their touch. Which would certainly be a fitting revenge.”

It’s a relief when the bell signaling the end of classes rings, letting all the students out. But just as I’m grabbing my books and notes to rush out the door, I hear, “Dani. Stay back for a bit to talk to me.”

My stomach feels like it’s yawning wide in hunger. This delay will mean I get stuck with a spot in the back of the line at lunch, shaving at least five to even ten minutes off the hour and costing me the best mashed potatoes, a Wednesday staple. I rock on my toes and glance up at the clock as Ocean closes the door behind the rest of the students and paces back to his desk.

“This’ll only take a minute.” Ocean motions me forward, and I reluctantly join him at his desk. “I found something in one of my trips out of town that might be of interest to you. It’s an old book, poorly shelved at a branch of the New York Public Library—they thought they had a piece of fiction on their hands. In reality it’s a bit of a memoir.”

I stare at him as he pulls the book out of his desk, looking as pleased and excited as Lynx buried in a pile of books.

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