Chapter Four

“I’m sorry about them. We should have waited in line like everyone else.” The voice sounded half-angry and half-wistful.

We? Liska turned to see a beautiful girl about her age. Her hair, in multiple shades of pastels, formed a stark contrast to her dark eyes and eyebrows and tan skin, very similar to Xyphon and the woman with him. Her clothes were trendy and cute in pinks and blacks; she looked like a model right out of a magazine. I wonder if her hair is dyed?

The girl knocked loudly on the door.

The red-haired woman opened it, “This is a closed appointment! Please wait your turn!” She slammed the door.

The girl banged on the door with the heel of her palm. “I’m the one going to school here! He’s already graduated!” she shouted through the window at them.

The woman closed the blinds on the windows.

Clearly displeased, the girl turned back to Liska and Airin. “I’m Ephy.”

“Eh-phro-ni-a?” Airin sounded out every syllable carefully, like they were repeating a spelling word.

Ephy’s look soured even more. “Yes.”

“You’re our third suitemate!” said Liska excitedly.

The girl’s face brightened, along with her hair. “Wait, you’re in

Zephyr, too?” They both nodded.

“I’m Liska.” After a pause in which Airin did not respond and did not seem to realize they should, Liska gestured and said, “This is Airin. What are you studying, Ephy?”

Ephy glanced at the office, as if uncertain whether the meeting would change her answer. “Drama, but I didn’t want to go to the

same school as my older brothers and sisters.” “Where did they go?” Airin asked quietly.

“Xyphon and my sister went to a supernatural school in Greece,” she replied quickly. “I went there until last year. My aunt lives here and told my mom I should transfer to Eclipse Arts to take drama.” “Which supernatural track will you be in?” Liska asked.

Ephy shrugged. “I suppose that’s what this meeting is about.” She gave the office door a disgusted glance.

Airin cocked their head. “You don’t know what kind of supernatural you are?”

Ephy’s shoulders quirked again. “I do, but most of my kind go to my old school, so I’m not sure where they’ll put me. There’s a camp my mom wants me to try next summer.”

“Xyphon is your brother?” Liska also cast a glance at the office door.

Ephy wrapped her arms around herself. “He’s the second oldest. I have an older sister.” She tilted her head so that pieces of light blue and pink hair fell over her shoulder, “Do you have any siblings?”

“I have three sisters and three brothers,” Liska answered, feeling like they were sharing a secret together.

ECLIPSE ARTS

Airin shook their head. “I don’t have any.”

The door opened and the red-haired woman motioned them out of the way, still talking in a syrupy voice to Xyphon about how much she loved his show.

Ephy’s mother followed them, her expression stormy. “Really, Ephronia, this meeting was about you. The least you could have done is make the effort to attend!”

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“But I wasn’t…”

“No buts. We are here to enroll you, and in our family, we show up for our commitments.” A camera flashed and Ephy’s mom turned to smile brilliantly at it before whipping back around to face Ephronia, her smile vanished.

Ephy’s mouth hung open. She slowly turned her head to Liska and Airin, her eyebrows raised so high they were covered by her curtain of yellow and pink bangs.

The red-haired woman behind Ephy’s mother paid no attention to Ephy or the other students, focusing entirely on Xyphon.

“Let’s go, Mother, before we are late for dinner with Zeus.” Xyphon ignored the woman’s continuing attempts to talk to him.

Ephy’s mother nodded. “I agree. Ephronia, you need to prove that sending you to this school was worth it. I expect you to make something of yourself here.” She flashed a smile at Liska and Airin, as if noticing them for the first time. “Regular posts on Supergram would… keep me updated.”

As if on cue, Xyphon pulled Ephy to his side and took a selfie of the three of them with his other hand. Ephy’s mother and Xyphon flashed big smiles, while Ephy teetered on her heels, her shoulders stiff as a board.

Ephy’s mother tsked. “No time for a retake. Your assistant can touch it up, right?” she asked Xyphon.

“Sure!” He strode off, peering at his phone, and his mother followed.

Ephy slumped, letting out a long breath.

The red-haired woman told Airin, “You can come in now.”

Airin followed the woman into the office.

Ephy peered owlishly after them. “Is Airin a banshee?” Liska nodded again.

“And you’re a shifter of some sort. Dancer?”

“I’m a fox shifter.” Liska didn’t answer the second question.

“Ah, I’m sorry if that was rude.” Ephy suddenly rubbed one arm with the other hand. “I’m a light bender.”

“A light bender? What’s that?” Liska didn’t remember that from supernatural studies.

“I can mostly do tricks with light. Sometimes I can make a weak shield. I suppose I’ll have to practice that in supernatural studies here.”

Liska nodded. “Is everyone in your family a light bender? Is that a type of witch?”

“No, but that’s probably where they’ll put me. And everyone has a different talent. Xyphon is super strong. My mom can move things with her mind.” Now Ephy tried to peer through the blinds into the office.

Liska noticed that Ephy hadn’t mentioned her dad. “Were they really going out to dinner with Zeus?”

“Oh, that. Yeah. But all he does is talk about himself. Though it’s pretty funny because that’s all Xyphon does, too. They just talk over each other the whole time.”

Liska laughed because Ephy did.

Airin came back out of the office, scowling, and handed each of them a piece of paper. “Here are your schedules.”

Liska held hers up. “Dance Track” was printed in large, bold text at the top. This isn’t happening!

“What’s wrong, Liska?” asked Ephy.

“They got my track wrong!” Liska held her schedule up and both Ephy and Airin peered at it, then compared it to their own. The only class they all had together was chorus.

Liska marched into the office.

“Can I help you, dear?” The red-haired woman sounded like she’d rather do anything than help her.

“I’m studying music, not dance.” Liska thrust her schedule at the woman.

She peered at it. “But you’re a Renard? I spoke with your mother personally, and she said you were going to follow in your sister’s footsteps.”

“I wrote music major in the forms!” Liska felt herself getting too warm.

“I thought that was a mistake. Every Renard that has come through here has studied dance.”

Liska pushed the paper toward the woman, feeling her ears burn. Airin and Ephy appeared on either side of Liska.

Ephy wrapped her arm around Liska’s. “My mother spoke with Liska’s mom and said Liska was studying music. Is there a problem with that?”

The red-haired woman’s perfectly manicured eyebrows shot up. She finally took the paper from Liska’s hands. “Oh?”

She pulled out Liska’s folder and scanned it. “You did sign up for music, and your parents signed it. However, I guess you can minor in dance with your experience. Your ballet class is scheduled at the same time as music theory, but I will move you to your sister’s class since it’s an overview and at the same time as jazz.” She made some notes on the schedule. “I will have a corrected schedule sent to you.” She handed the paper back to Liska and waved them out of the office. “Next!”

On Liska’s schedule, some room numbers were crossed out in green pen and new numbers were written next to them. Liska felt confused by the woman’s directions but determined to make sure she was in the right classes.

A minor track in dance would keep Papa off my case. I guess it would be okay to be in Hunter’s class. I’ll recheck the classes on the website when we get back to the room.

Ephy put her hand on Liska’s shoulder. “Sorry if I butted in. My mom will never remember if she did talk to yours, even if that woman brings it up to her.”

Liska gave Ephy a relieved smile. “Thank you for helping me,” she said, but Ephy didn’t appear to hear. Her longing gaze was fixed on something outside the front doors, where a crowd obscured the view.

What kind of family acts the way Ephy’s does?