☼ Chapter VIII ☼

picture; Sonya Reinove

song; "Cry Little Sister" by Aiden (it really, really describes Lorelai's relationship with her brother)

author's note; This isn't a new chapter! I am shortening and editing chapters so they aren't 20-30 pages long. I didn't realize how long they were, and it gets boring reading a chapter so dragged out. The real chapter 7 will be posted at the end of August!

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I hadn't even bothered to say goodbye to Derik after I changed. What he had said before had not only really made me mad, but it hit a nerve. Rushes of memories assaulted me again and again—Lainey, Gavin, my parents, Cetilayn. I suddenly felt horrible as I remembered I never tried to contact Lainey or Gavin since coming to the Academy.

I wonder what Lainey thought when I disappeared—when Meredith disappeared. Did she think I started the Change and ran away like Cetilayn? Did she try to talk to Colton about us? What did he say to her, knowing my mom had been killed?

Sighing and shaking my head, my hand deftly shoved my dorm key into the lock and I pushed the door open wide.

All the lights were off and I guessed that Ankiel and Trent were in classes. I still didn't even know which one of them was my roommate, but honestly, they both would probably be around a lot regardless of who my roommate was.

A small part of me hoped it was Trent.

Those violet-amber eyes flicked across the forefront of my mind, and a small smile threatened to settle itself onto my mouth. The way he had pulled me behind him and the crackling ghost of sparks reminded me of someone else—someone I was still currently pretty annoyed at.

Regardless of my feelings toward Derik, both the feelings born from the Mate pull and the anger, something about Trent intrigued me to no end.

Why did I feel myself being pulled toward him in the same way I was drawn to Derik?

My mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of Trent that when I tugged my book bag up from the floor, I almost didn't notice Eloize's journal and had turned to leave the room.

Luckily I was digging through it to make sure I had everything I needed, and realized it was missing. Twisting around, I furrowed my brows together in confusion.

Last night when I woke up from my dream, her journal had still been inside my book bag--because I hadn't ever taken it out to begin with. With slow, cautious steps, I moved back over towards my desk.

Eloize's journal lay face down, opened. Shaky fingers reached out to grab the leathery-soft book, and when I flipped it over to the page it was on, the excerpt was the last I remembered reading about Eloize being Mated to an Olicidove Lycan.

It was on the exact page I had read right before I was choked.

A flash of pain arched across my temples and wintry air suddenly gusted passed me. Swirling around, I suddenly realized that one of the doors leading out to the veranda on the far side of my room was wide open.

My feet rushed in that direction and I leant out over the edge of the balcony and peered down into the rush of the dormitory halls below.

At the back of my mind, I remembered feeling cold last night when I woke up before Trent and Ankiel had come in. How had I not noticed the balcony door was open?

It was easy to note that nothing looked out of the ordinary as I peered down over the edge of the railing, and I stumbled backward as the itchy sensation of being watched curdled over my skin.

Nausea washed through me as my heart plummeted into my stomach, and I twisted around hastily, rushing back inside my room.

I slammed the door leading out to the balcony a little harder than I really needed to and booked it outta my room, the ferocious terror from the night before slithering down my spine.

It seemed to breathe down my neck and caress me like a living thing, black and putrid smelling.

Lorelai was definitely sleeping over tonight.

☼

The shrillness of the hour bell resounded around me, seemingly lapping at my heels as I rushed in to my IOS lesson. Plunking down recklessly into my seat, I dove inside my bag to retrieve a notebook and pen to write notes. People beside me cast strange glances my direction, but I ignored them all.

Most Novices didn't take notes in classes because there wouldn't be mid-terms or exams on the information given in Intricacies lessons; you were expected to just know and your knowledge was tested on your field mission as a Protector.

If you appeared incompetent, you weren't allow to partake in the Rituals leading up to graduation, which meant you wouldn't be officiated as a Protector until you proved yourself to be capable of handling real scenarios as a Protector.

But I didn't care. I grew up in the human world and because of this, things that were common knowledge to most Novices was news to me. I needed my notes to drill all the inner workings of the Unknown World into my mind.

"Chapter two, page twenty-nine. The Red War and Siekrov Nyx Academia." Sawyer's voice commanded attention as he called out the page and chapter we would be starting today.

He waited patiently at the front of the class for the page rustling to hush behind a tall stark-white podium similar to the pillars the black marble tabletops sat upon. "Third paragraph."

Sawyer held a small remote in his hand and suddenly the lights in the room dimmed and a projection of a photo of the Academy glowed to life behind him, displayed widely over the wall.

The photo wasn't old-timey as I expected it to be, but was actually in color and looked basically the same as it did today.

"After the birth of the First Children, the Original lines of the Unknown World began to breed and continue on the lines of Lyncanthropy and Vampyrism. Around four generations of Lycans and Vampyres were born before the first Vampyre-human romantic interaction.

"During these first generations, many humans were murdered by Lycans and Vampyres alike when their true nature became evident. Because the Unknown World was still yet to be truly established, there were no precautions in place to support or protect Lycans experiencing their first Shift and Vampyres enduring the Change.

"Many of you know that these transformations are the absolute hardest of any supernatural's lifetime. Nephilim Children and Sorcerer Children are included in this, but they only Awaken. There isn't another stage that pushes these Children to feed in the same way that Lycans and Vampyres experience these urges.

"These first generations endured the same severe emotions, otherworldly impulses, inhuman changes in strength and senses, the discovery of Gifts—and for those tainted with Dark Blood, Powers. So, clearly, these Children killed people. Vampyres can't even transition without completely draining a human of their blood, correct?"

The room had gone deathly silent, and I leant back in my seat as I gazed around the room.

A piece of me was disgusted at the sullen atmosphere as most of the Novices beside me most likely remembered the first time they had killed someone.

For a small moment, I was taken aback at the irony of the fact I was sitting in a room full of murderers who were only here because they planned to spend their lives protecting humans.

It was such a strange sensation.

"But, we're not monsters are we? We feel sadness and anger; we feel guilt over our victims and we can fight our animalistic nature. No doubt that after most of you killed that first person, you haven't killed anyone since.

"That's the main difference between Rogues and those turned and us, right? Well, that's a different lecture for another day. But we do feel and have consciences; we can love too, can't we? Not sappy Edwin Colon or mindless eating machines like those demon-vampires in that movie 30 Days of Night."

Soft chuckles floated around the room at both Sawyer's comment and the thorough cringe evident on his handsome face. "Ugh, I know I'm not the only one that found that movie super creepy and not PC at all."

"Anyway," Sawyer pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing he got sidetracked. "Love. Love is the entire reason the Red War started in the first place. Specifically, the fourth-generation second-born daughter of the Seilyar bloodline fell in love, but she didn't fall in love with her own kind—or any supernatural kind. She fell in love with a human.

"Today, there are laws in place that forbid human and supernatural romantic relationships and revealing to humans one's true nature, and that is because of the Red War. There is obviously the exception of True Mates and if someone decides to live within the human world and take no part in life of the Unknown World.

"Since technically by living as a mortal you cannot be under the jurisdiction of the Empire, Crown, or Elders, if you were to reveal to a human your true nature, you could not be called into a Courte for breaking the law, because you may not even know it existed to begin with."

I remembered Lainey and Gavin again for what felt like the hundredth time today, and I remembered how they both had reacted when I'd told them about me—my family.

Lainey had laughed so hard she choked and fell into a coughing fit and Gavin had checked my forehead to see if I was feeling okay.

It took me flashing my eyes that russet-black for them to actually believe me. After that, I was the one laughing at them.

"This girl revealed herself to him in hopes that he would love her in the end regardless of what she was. Unfortunately, the human man she had fallen for had lost his sister and mother to supernatural forces.

"Lycans had torn his village apart when the men went on their annual hunting trip to bring back food. They returned to ruined homes and dead loved ones. Those memories had probably stuck with him forever."

I swallowed back a hard lump in my throat as my stomach clenched in pain when I remembered that a Lycan had taken my mother away from me as well.

Carson, who was once again sitting next to me, flinched at this point in the lesson before casting his eyes down.

"Naturally, when he discovered what she was, he freaked out. I mean, he'd fallen for a monster right? He'd kissed and cared for a predator—possibly a killer that had actually aided in destroying his home and taking two of the most important people to him away.

"He couldn't take it; this man began to recruit many other humans who had also been victimized by supernaturals.

"These humans would grow close to us, pretend to love us and be loyal to us until they managed to discover all of our weaknesses. In their eyes, we were all disgusting, savage monsters and they would be doing humankind a favor by ridding the world of us—by killing us. They kidnapped our babies, beheaded our girls and wives."

Sawyer put a wild amount of emphasis on "girls" and "wives" because the Unknown World was a matriarchal society.

Most supernaturals worshiped Nyx as our primary deity, and because our God is a female embodiment and women are the givers of life to our kind, they were highly respected, trusted, and obeyed and therefore given the responsibility of ruling over the Unknown World.

Majority of the Elder's Courte was composed of prestigious ranked matriarchs and Royals—usually the eldest Head of the Royal bloodline.

"Regardless of this blatant contempt, we didn't want a war. Because of our good conscience, the First Royals never decreed we officially fight back, and it wasn't until the murder of Siern Reinove and Priscilla Ylisove that we finally understood that they would not stop until our kind was completely eradicated. As Siern's daughter Eloize was the only Child with the Reinove gene, she became the heir to the throne for all of Vampyre kind.

"Back then before the Unknown World was ever created, the eldest of all Vampyres was the heir to the throne—King or Queen.

"In present day, we no longer have a Crown, but with the establishment of the Elder's Courte, it isn't necessary to appoint a new matriarch. But," Sawyer paused again, flashing a devilishly handsome smile. His ever-present Nephilim fangs were suddenly easy to notice. "that is also a lecture for another day.

"Priscilla's two sons Xandre and Isaac Ylisove joined with Eloize to fight against the humans that supernaturals soon began to call Hunters. Now, this Academy had been established as a place of protection thirty-eight years after the Red War had begun.

"By 775 C.O., the latest generation of supernaturals began training to become the very first Protectors. Initially, they were only taught to fight and to control their Gifts and Powers. Lessons like Intricacies, languages, Magick & Rituals, Interrogation & Investigation, and others like these weren't created yet, since the Unknown World hadn't been fully founded.

"Of course, as you all know, as the years passed, Protectors eventually became a line of Authority in the Unknown World that enforced laws to preserve the Veil between our world and the human world. During the War, both Hunters and Children fell at the other's hand for four hundred years before Eloize, Xandre, and Isaac finally devised a plan to stop the fighting for good and enact a peaceful covenant."

Sawyer sauntered over to me and held out his hand. For a moment, I faltered before realization slammed into me and my hand was abruptly fishing into my bag for Eloize's journal and then turning it over to him. "This is Eloize Reinove's journal." He said curtly, turning back to the Novices.

"How old are you, Sawyer?" A man with fiery red hair and deep emerald eyes was leant back in his chair, his arms behind his head and his foot hiked up on the marble tabletop before him. The smirk on his face told me he was teasing him, but Sawyer scowled unappreciatively at him nonetheless.

"Haha, Jace. You could be a comedian." Sawyer dryly remarked as he flicked through the pages of Eloize's journal. "Actually, she gave it to me when I told her that I'd be teaching this class this year."

"You know her?" A brunette girl a row behind me perked up, surprise evident in her tone.

"Yes," Sawyer's voice was incredibly easy-going as he paused the turning of the pages for a moment. "She's my Mate."

Whispers skirted around the room after Sawyer's admission.

A few people cast me curious glances, while others—most likely childish, jealous girls—looked at me with soft daggers.

I ignored them all and kept my eyes glued on Sawyer. I didn't care what anyone thought to be quite honest.

"Alright, guys. Quiet down. I found what I was looking for." He cleared his throat as the hushed voices evolved into silence. "September 14th, 1107 C.O. Lives will be salvaged as today is the day following four centuries that the Red War will cease. My brothers Xandre and Isaac hold a secret to a new world we will birth ere long. It will come with the penance and blood of the last Hunters, but it shall be done to protect and save my own. As dawn rises upon us in 'morrow morning, there will be no more bloodshed or fear.

"This pain and sorrow will become a memory long since passed once we capture the leader and form a concordat of peace that cannot be broken—unless through the bearing of the Foribus Oraculi surrounding the Leige of Darkness. Shall the Foribus Oraculi commence to manifest, the Child of the Lead Hunter must be sacrificed at all costs. Now, Ephraim Gregory has come to complete the pact."

A rush of heat flooded me before it rapidly melted away, leaving me feel insanely cold. My fists clenched so tightly that I think my nails cut into my skin.

Straightening in my seat, I slowly breathed in and out, counting my inhales and exhales as I did so. A part of me thought I was overreacting, but then, another part—something deeper and more intuitive—pushed me to believe that I most definitely wasn't.

Gregory was my father's last name.

Now, it was a common last name. Yes, but what are the chances of Eloize writing about a Gregory and then my mother—a Vampyre—picking a Gregory as a Chosen Mate?

Was my father a Hunter, or at least descended from Hunters? Curiosity sloshed to the brim inside my mind, and the shrill sound of the bell cut into my paranoid thoughts.

Scraping my chair back, I slowly gathered my things before making my way over to Sawyer, wondering if he could answer my questions.

He did personally know Eloize, and she was an ancestor of mine. Maybe he would know something?

"Hey, Sawyer, I had a few questions about the lecture." My Mentor's eyes flashed up to me as I shimmied my notebook in his direction. Suddenly, I became aware that I was raking my fingers through my dark curls nervously and I blew out a sigh.

"Sure, Sonya. Is everything alright?" His violet-blue eyes regarded warily as he seemed to pick up on my anxiousness. With a scoff and a shrug, I pushed forth an easy smile.

"Yeah, um, I was just wondering about something you mentioned in your lecture. You said that the Academy started to train the first class of Protectors by 775 C.O. What does the C.O stand for? I noticed that that is how Eloize referenced all her years in her journal. In the human world, everything is based off Christianity so there's only B.C and A.D in reference to years."

"Ah, yes." Sawyer's face lit up, a nerdy giddiness pulsating from him. Part of me was amused by his expression while another piece admired it. It was clear that he really loved teaching Novices about our world. "C.O. is an abbreviation for Creation Of, which is obviously in reference to the creation of the First Vampyres and Lycans.

"Now, the actual First Children didn't live very long due to being tainted by Darkness, and so there isn't much documentation in history about the true First Children. Our texts count Siern Reinove as the First Vampyre and Priscilla Ylisove as the First Lycan since these two supernaturals were the first to survive the Change and the Shift.

"Siern Reinove was born in the year 362 C.O, while Priscilla Ylisove was born in the year 365 C.O. The true First Children mark the beginning of our time, so we still count from 2 C.O. The true First Children were estimated to be born in 57 B.C. or B.C.E.

"Our text counts traces of our kind almost sixty years before the birth of Jesus Christ, so we are currently in the year 2077 C.O. Eloize was born in the year 389 C.O, so almost four-hundred years after the true First Children Nyx created were born and after Jesus Christ was born.

"There is a short excerpt in our text about the beginnings of Christianity and how it affected human and supernatural interaction even before The Red War. Many humans began to believe Vampyres to be blood-sucking demons and obviously followers or by-products of Lucifer."

"Oh okay, thanks. This makes a lot more sense." I offered a small smile as I jotted down a few quick notes for clarification then slapped my notebook closed and tucked it under my arm.

I uncapped and recapped my pen with my teeth.

"One more thing," Shifting my weight, I straightened my shoulders and levelled my eyes directly at Sawyer. "You mentioned an Ephraim Gregory."

Now it was Sawyer's turn to appear nervous, and he cut his eyes away thoughtfully. My Mentor clicked his tongue and clasped his hands together in a manner typical to someone about to pray, then he tilted his fingers in my direction.

"I think this is something you should ask Eloize about." I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "Listen, the only thing we have factual evidence about Ephraim Gregory is that he was one of the leaders of the Hunters."

"One of?" My voice was a shaky squeak as I echoed my Mentor's words.

"Yes, of course. The Hunters became increasingly more sophisticated as time went on and appointed more leaders to help with organization and battle plans. Even today, Hunters still pose quite a threat to our kind." Sawyer's tone was only thoughtful and appeared to be anything but concerned about the so-called threat of Hunters.

"The Elders had several reasons to make you move here to the Academy to be placed under the protection of both the magick seals and our personal Protectors. Not just because of Rene Olicidove. There is a terrorist Foribus Oraculi that has been growing more and more popular over the years and, well, Hunters."

"What's a Foribus Oraculi?" Sawyer looked at me strangely before something seemed to cross his mind and he masked the expression with a still-clearly-confused smile.

"Um, Foribus Oraculi are prophecies basically. And usually Seers and almost any Sorcerer can see them. It translates from Latin to 'oracle'." I nodded slowly, my head beginning to hurt from all the information.

Frustration began to bubble in my chest as I took a step back from Sawyer.

This is clearly something else that is common knowledge within the Unknown World that I knew nothing about. Sighing, I shoved my notebook into my bag.

"Thank you for all your info, Sawyer." Twisting on my heel, I started to move toward the door when something made me stop. "Hey, Mentor?" Again, Sawyer turned his eyes up to meet mine with an expectant expression drifting through his violet-blue orbs. "Just thought I'd let you know that Trenton has returned to the Academy."

Relief flickered across his handsome face, before it was morphed into worry... or was it pain?

A ghost of an empathetic smile pressed over my lips before I turned once again and exited the empty classroom just as the bell screeched overhead.

☼