Rosemary Johns - Rebel Academy - Curse

Yet I had forgotten the way that my sister’s hair would mingle with my own like we’d been twins, as we’d bent over the flowers to make daisy chains, and then how she’d balance the daisy crowns on both our heads, promising that we’d rule together.

BM— before magic — Hartley had treated me like I deserved equality.

AM— after magic — Hartley had treated me like I deserved solitary confinement.

I swallowed, pressing my nails into my palms.

Do not poop, do not poop, do not…

Perhaps, Damelza could turn that into one of her motivational sayings?

Face your fears without pissing or pooping.

It was good to have high expectations of your achievement levels.

I wrinkled my nose at the scent of burning sage. The black and pink tiered seats were lost in shadows, and the stage was blinded with light. My magic prickled at the room’s oppressive and ancient magic. It suffocated my already struggling lungs.

I was here, safe, and with Magenta.

I was loved.

A cold breeze gusted behind me, and warmth curled through me. Magenta was invisible but she was here with me. From the moment that I’d stepped into this coven-run academy, I’d been in danger, but I hadn’t been alone. Magenta had been with me, watching over and loving me.

Great Pan, I loved her.

I shivered with unease, unable to look at the stage yet. Instead, I tipped back my head and squinted up at the words that swirled in and out of focus on the ceiling:

Share our pasts in order to move forward as one together.

My expression hardened. This theater stole our pasts, so that the witches could feed on them and control us Rebels.

Yet could I move forward if my furry ass didn’t face Hartley? Perhaps, more than my ass had better face her, but it was tempting to wave my crooked tail at her with a twerk of my ass, before walking out with my dignity intact.

I grimaced. Okay, I could’ve lost my dignity back when I allowed Aquilo to put a tutu on me and use me as his magician’s assistant in a show to amuse dad.

You had to be there. I did draw the line at Aquilo’s planned hedgehog Swan Lake .

I bit my lip, by slow degrees forcing myself to look at the stage but avoiding Hartley.

I could hear her though, chatting to Juni. Were they mates?

Hartley’s voice was gentle, but there was a steel underneath it that hadn’t been there as a kid. Except, possibly it had , and I’d just been blinded to it because Hartley had been the older sister who I’d adored.

I pressed my nails harder into my palms. Snow shot a final concerned glance at me, before striding to Juni and dropping to his knees. He clasped his hands behind his back.

Three feathered thrones were arranged under the spotlight for Damelza, Juni, and Hartley. In the center was a crow skulls table with a porcelain tea set balanced precariously on top. The witches politely sipped their tea, as they waited for Emerick to be presented to them like breeding stock.

Would my matching to Mesilande, who’d cruelly rejected me once I’d become a mage, have been like this?

Magenta trailed icy kisses down my neck. Her magic entwined with mine, and I knew: I could do this.

AMand BMno longer mattered. There was only MAGENTA.

I straightened my shoulders, before lowering my gaze to the achingly beautiful face of the sister who’d rejected me. She glittered, loaded down with diamonds, just like mum always had been. Then I gasped, because she was staring at me like I was a ghost.

Ashen, Hartley dropped her teacup, and it smashed. The tea spilled over the train of Damelza’s dress.

Hartley and my gazes locked.

“I wasn’t supposed to see him,” Hartley muttered. “Mum promised that I wouldn’t…”

In a sudden rush of shockconfusionanguish , which I couldn’t untangle, I transformed in a spray of glitter into my cat form, dashing towards Snow, who scooped me into his arms. Yet unable to control my emotions, I immediately changed into a fox, gekkering and slipping out of his hold. Then I transformed with a pop into a hedgehog, squeaking and madly running towards the safety of sapphire material studded with blue diamonds that was weirdly familiar, curling in distress into a ball.

“Well, don’t say we didn’t offer you entertainment.” Juni nudged Hartley with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Why did I hate that Juni was acting so buddy with my sister?

In an explosion of glitter, I changed back into a man, who was now curled at Hartley’s feet with my face pressed to her silky dress.

Well, that’d happened.

Awkward.

Did I imagine that Hartley’s lips quirked?

I pushed myself up onto my ass suavely (yeah, I pulled it off) like I’d intended to make the dramatic entrance. “ Ehm , hi. That was called the triple transformation move. I’m still working on it, obviously. What mark do you award me?”

When Hartley’s hand twitched, I flinched. Was she going to stroke or slap me?

Hartley’s face became a haughty mask, and she stilled her hand.

“It’s called the black mark or the mark of shame . Aren’t you lucky to be awarded both?” Damelza shook out her dress, and her expression soured, as it fell on me. “I apologize, Hartley, I’d hoped to be granted a night off from your criminally minded brother, but the life of a Principal is a demanding one. There’s no rest for the wicked. Why did you bring him here?” Her eyes narrowed at Snow, whose shoulders hunched. “Did your tiny beast brain become confused? You were sent to fetch my son . I’ll have lost my mind as much as that Rebel witch, before I willingly socialize with a mage.”

Hartley’s lips thinned. For a moment, her eyes flashed with guilt but then, it was hidden.

I cringed. What had I done? It was just like with Glow; Snow would take the punishment for me.

Hartley was studying Snow in fascination. After all, he was identical to Glow.

“Is Glow okay?” I tentatively rested my hand on the hem of Hartley’s dress; the diamonds were hard beneath my palm. “He’ll be lonely without dad and me, and I didn’t get to say goodbye—”

“An Omega doesn’t have a name.” Hartley wrenched her dress away from me, and the diamond cut into my palm.

I curled my hand against my chest.

When Snow rested his hand on my shoulder, I understood the truth of that gesture. It warmed through me in howling of packs long torn apart and images of ancient forests:

Cheers for asking after my twin, when an Omega can’t.

The growling bitterness at the Omega was there, but at least Glow was still alive

Damelza patted Hartley’s knee. “It’s delightful to meet another witch from a traditional House who knows how to keep both mages and wolves in line.”

Hartley’s eyes glittered with mischief, before she patted Damelza’s knee in return. “Your wolf would look pretty with bows in his hair. Mine does. Why don’t you try it?”

I knew Hartley would be dressing up Glow like one of her dolls.

Damelza gaped at her. “In this House we don’t discipline with ribbons; we prefer whippings.”

Juni gripped Snow by the back of the neck, yanking him closer to her. “He’s my Omega, mother. He can be caged for the next week, but you won’t touch him. Are you surprised that the whipping boy tricked him? He is the prince of liars.”

I grinned. “I’ll take that recommendation for my resume, but my actual title is Grand Vizier of Untruths. I mean, I’d accept the Emperor of Inaccuracies or at a pinch, the Lawyer of Misrepresentations.”