Page 8 of Spellcaster (Weatherstone College #1)
“Welcome,” he said, voice clear and echoing, his magic amplifying the sound so we all could hear.
“Welcome to the new year of Weatherstone. I’m pleased to see so many strong magical families returning, and an exemplary influx of freshman.
” He straightened his orange tweed jacket, and if I hadn’t known he was a powerful necromancer, I’d think he was a librarian with how bookish he presented.
“Weatherstone will be the home where you find your affinity and coven. Don’t waste your time here, use these years to build on your natural gifts and form magical alliances. For you’ll need these in the future.”
Alliances were everything in our world. Weatherstone gave you the connections you needed to have a future. I knew my dad would
never have made it as a professor here without having attended first. Every single professor here was once a student.
“Students need to familiarize themselves with our rules,” Headmaster Gregor continued. “They’re in your welcome pack, and
posted in the office. More importantly, we must reiterate that the safety of our students is our priority. If you have an
issue, see one of your professors. Do not take magic into your own hands. The energy we are blessed with is volatile, and
in your young ages I know it can be hard to resist fighting back, but there’s always a diplomatic solution. We have zero tolerance
for using attack spells on classmates. Keep that in mind.”
“Logan better keep that in fucking mind,” Trevor grumbled under his breath.
I forced my lips together to prevent the snort of laughter emerging. My brother was the epitome of volatile energy, and I
really hoped he didn’t get himself kicked out this year.
Or killed.
Headmaster Gregor continued with a few more welcoming notes, and then waved his hands to dismiss us with tingles of his dark energy.
I shivered at the touch of necromancy, even though he’d done nothing except project his natural power.
“We’ve prepared a feast for you all, as a welcome. Here’s to the best magical year.”
Noise erupted once more, and the students were on their feet to file out of the room in a rush. Jenna, of course, wanted to
be the first to leave, and I was relieved when Trevor said, “You know, you’d get out first if you sat at the back of the room.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You just have to move faster. Getting a little sloppy in your old age?”
Trevor lifted his shirt and slammed his hand against his visible abs. “I’ll have you know there’s not a sloppy bone in my
body, including—”
The rest of his argument was lost in the waves of students pushing us forward, and I held on to how normal we were acting.
The Kingstons might be trying to kill us all, who the Hel knew, but they couldn’t take this away from us. If they ever did,
then they’d really have won.
When we reached the dining hall, it was to find a room as large as the one we’d just left, filled with long rows of tables.
Students rushed in to grab spots, and I realized how hungry I was. It had been many hours since I’d had breakfast with my
parents.
“It’s normally a buffet,” Alice explained, as she sat on one side of me, Jensen on the other, with Jenna and Trevor across
from us. “But tonight they’ll feed us family style.”
A shiver ran down my spine as magical energy filled the air and huge trays drifted in on currents of air. Air elementals worked
in the kitchens to whisk food our way. The trays landed in sync across the room, and when ours landed, it held ceramic blue
plates, crystal glasses, silver utensils, and mountains of food. Enough food to fill my brothers and then some.
My stomach rumbled appreciatively, and I snatched up a plate so fast that I knocked Trevor’s hand out of the way. “Too slow,”
I said with a smirk as I heaped food onto my plate.
He shook his head, eyes narrowed. “I still don’t understand where you put it all. You outeat me, and you’re a skinny little thing.”
Excuse the fuck out of me. “Did you not notice the boobs? I am not skinny.”
Trevor paled and flinched, as if I’d punched him in the junk. “What is wrong with you?” he rasped. “You don’t have boobs.
Brothers don’t notice boobs on their sisters. You need help.”
He turned frantic eyes on the others, and they ignored us both to pile their plates with roasted meats, mashed potato, green
beans, and whole corncobs.
“Mind your business,” I said, waving a spoon at him. “Trust me, the food is going to all the right places.”
Jensen snorted. “He looks a little green, sis. I think you finally broke him.”
Trevor was a touch green, and for a moment I thought he wasn’t going to eat until he shook his head and reached for what was
left on the tray. The rest of dinner went down the same way, with delicious food, lots of jokes, and the sense that if the
whole year went this way, I’d never want to leave Weatherstone.
When we were finished, it was still far too early for bed, but I found myself sleepy and content, a huge yawn overtaking half
my face. “Come on, little sis,” Jensen said, all but hauling me up from the table. “Let’s get you to your dorm. You’ve had
a big day today, and tomorrow you have classes.”
Monday, my first legit day of college. Providing Dad didn’t haul my ass out of here in the morning. Tomorrow I’d learn my
final fate, and whether my dreams of attending Weatherstone College were about to come to an end.