Page 4 of The Sea Witch’s Son (The Villains of Wolf Hollow #1)

Chapter 3

MELODY

The car glides to a stop at the front of the school.

I study the building silently, taking in the stone towers soaring high into the sky. It looks more like a cathedral than a college with the sharp arches and a bell tower looming in the distance. The sky is overcast and gloomy, adding to the gothic backdrop of the setting.

“Thanks for the ride.” I unbuckle my seatbelt, but before I can reach for the door handle, Erik grabs my arm.

“Be careful.” His eyes flick towards the mass of students lingering nearby, “Remember what we talked about. Don’t trust anyone.”

“I’m going to school with the next generation of criminals.” Removing my arm from his grip, I give him a tight smile, “I have no plans on making friends. ”

He hesitates before giving me a nod. I climb out of the car, hitching my backpack over my shoulder as I follow the flood of bodies moving towards the doors.

Low murmurs echo around me as the crowd files through the main entrance, it’s vaulted ceilings and stone walls reaching new heights as we funnel into the foyer.

Once the crowd is thin enough, I break off and loop back around to one of the first classrooms. The pocketknife I borrowed from Erik stays tucked in my waistband, the cool slide of metal offering me a slight bit of reassurance.

By the time I find the appropriate classroom, the lecture has already begun. I slip in through one of the side doors and begin quietly making my way towards the back row.

“Ms. St. James.”

The voice halts my tracks. I lift my head and meet the professor’s cool gaze.

“Please make your way to the front of the room.”

Swallowing thickly, I turn and descend the steps to the front of the classroom. The name Florian marks the front of the professor’s desk while the man himself stands off to the side, his long grey beard brushing the arms crossed over his wool cardigan.

“You are the new transfer, correct?”

The question comes off as a statement.

I nod, keeping my eyes trained on a spot over his shoulder.

“In that case, I would like to formerly introduce you to the class.” The creases around his eyes deepen as he addresses the rest of the room, “Everyone, meet Melody St. James. She will be joining us for the rest of the semester.”

Turning around slowly, I face the seated students, feeling the heavy weight of their stares. Big, masculine bodies fill the room, their scarred faces and leering grins making me painfully aware of my decision to wear a skirt today.

Flaming orange catches my eye and I turn to see a girl twirling a lock of ginger hair around her finger. Quickly noting the empty seat next to her, I keep my face neutral as I scan the rest of the crowd.

“A saint in Wolf Hollow? This will be an exciting semester.”

The female voice rings through the room and my eyes snap to the back row. A blonde shoots me a sly grin while the guy sitting beside her raises his hand.

Florian nods, “Yes, Gus?”

“I have a question for Melody.” Dark skin peels back to reveal perfect teeth, “Do you have a time set up for confessions? My sins have been unbearably heavy lately.”

Snickers echo among the students. I clench my teeth and stay silent, keeping my eyes trained on the empty seat next to the ginger.

Florian chuckles, “I’m sure many of us could use some holy water. You may find a seat now, Ms. James.”

I walk stiffly over to the empty chair, resisting the urge to glare at the couple laughing in the back row. Sliding into my seat, I wait until Florian resumes his lecture before turning to the girl beside me .

“Does he always put the newbies on trial or am I special?”

She smirks, “You’re nothing special. Introducing new students is the only time Florian stands in the limelight. He tries to make it last as long as possible.”

“As one does.”

She snickers and flicks an assessing glance over me, “It’s been a while since someone of interest showed up here. Especially a female someone.”

I nod, taking another glance around the room, “This place gives male-dominated a whole new meaning. Is there a reason it’s mostly testosterone in here?”

“You’re probably smelling Gus’ cologne. He lays it on pretty thick in the mornings.”

I snort, “The prom king and queen seem to be quite the pair.”

“Gus and Calista? Oh, no. Those two aren’t a couple.” She leans over, lowering her voice, “Gus is looking for a beard to introduce to his misogynistic father. He’s fucked the entire football team and half the rugby team.”

“Really?” Resting a cautious hand on my waistband, I lean in closer, “He doesn’t strike me as the type to worry about parental consent.”

Amusement dances through her pale blue eyes, “If you met his father, you would understand. He’s not the type to let something as silly as sexuality get in the way.”

“I see.” My knife shifts under my hand, “Is that the common theme here? For parents to dictate their children’s lives? ”

“Depends on the parent.” She shrugs, “My dad is the town mayor, so he’s too busy to interfere with my life.”

“The town mayor.” I echo the words.

“Anton Clementon. Got voted in twelve years ago and continues to make Wolf Hollow a place where ambition can grow.” She says the last part with quotation marks, “It’s been his schtick forever.”

“And you are?”

“Freya Clementon. Born and raised here.”

I smile, releasing my knife to offer a handshake, “Nice to meet you, Freya. I would introduce myself but I’m afraid Florian beat me to the punch.”

Freya takes my hand, “One of the many bastards you will meet here.”

Her phone pings with a notification and I turn my attention to the front of the classroom. I watch from the corner of my eye as she types back a response and closes her phone.

“Are there any bastards in particular I should look out for?” I cast another glance over my shoulder, “Besides the muscle daddy, of course.”

Freya snickers, “You don’t need to look out for Gus, he’s an idiot. All bite with no brain to produce the bark. The one who brings the intelligence is Marlin while Calista is the enforcer.” Bitterness seeps through her voice at the mention of the blonde.

“Which one is Marlin?” Craning my neck, I look across the mass of students, “Is he the one beside Gus? ”

“That’s Leon. Marlin is in senior classes. He’s graduating this semester.” She rolls her eyes, “You’ll know him when you see him.”

I chew on that information for a while, letting my eyes drift over the students sitting around me. Most of them are playing on their phones, a few of them scribbling in their notebooks. The hair on the back of my neck starts to rise and I shift to find a pair of green eyes studying me.

Blood red lips split into a smile when I meet Calista’s gaze. Her mouth parts ever-so-slowly, the pink tip of her tongue sneaking out to trace the sharp edge of her teeth.

Unsettled, I refocus on the lecture and do my best to ignore the weight of Calista’s stare. The rest of the class passes quickly and by the end of it Freya has given me a basic rundown of the social hierarchy, along with a few names to avoid at all costs.

Marlin Seaborn being at the top.

“Chances are he’ll hunt you down but do your best to stay away.” Freya grins, throwing a bag over her shoulder, “If you make it through today, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good luck, New Girl.”

“Thanks.”

I watch her go, feeling a little bit more grounded than when I first arrived. Following the rest of the students out of the classroom, I’m about to slip away when a strong grip yanks me off to the side .

“Melody St. James.” Dark eyes meet mine as the stranger sweeps off his top hat and bends into a low bow, “I’ve been looking for you.”

I stare back at him, noting the warm brown skin and the gap between his two front teeth. Rows of animal teeth bounce against his chest as he stands back up, the crude necklace resembling something you would find in a voodoo shop.

“I don’t think we’ve met.”

“Oh, but we have!” Slender fingers snap in front of my face, “Our souls met many years ago, but only now have we finally been acquainted.”

“Right.”

Swerving past his waving hands, I turn and start walking the other way. Hasty footsteps echo behind me, and I quicken my pace, trying to lose him. The hallway ahead splits into three sections, so at the last second I pivot and go racing around the corner.

A scream hits my throat when I see him standing on the other side.

“Did you think our conversation was finished?” He flashes that gap-toothed smile again, “The fates have been kind, my dear. Leading me to you twice in one lifetime.”

I rear back, “Sorry, not interested.”

“Push your skepticism aside and let me show you our destiny. ”

He reaches into the pocket of his trench coat and extracts a deck of cards. My hand inches towards my knife as I scan the hallway for another exit.

“Past, present and future. All held between my humble hands.”

Colourful cartoon images start to flash in front of my face, the sound of snapping cards drawing my attention to the hands in front of me. Those slender fingers snap again, flipping the first card towards me.

“It would seem you’ve led a troublesome life, my dear. One with much pain and suffering.”

I blink as the cards start to shift. The purple edges smear together with each new card, the depicted scenes becoming more vibrant than the last.

A mother, cradling her bloody child.

A fist-shaped hole, splintering the drywall.

A daughter, cradling her bloody mother.

Unable to look away, I watch as the cards change faster and faster, transforming into a kaleidoscope of colour showcasing the devastating moments of my life. Nausea creeps up my throat as I watch the death of my mother replay before me, the simple image of a hospital bed springing tears to my eyes.

“An excruciating journey indeed. But do not fear, for it was not all tragic.”

Another snap of his fingers and suddenly the cards are spinning, turning upside down until the colours become a single shade of purple .

A music sheet full of scribbled out notes.

A wedding reception, where the cake topper includes a little girl.

A grand piano, waiting to be played.

The last image is so jarring that I stumble back, snapping out of the trance.

“Love is where our story begins.” The magician continues flipping cards, his dark eyes glowing with delight, “Take a look at our future, my dear. A long, happy future that we will have together. Forever. ”

His eyes flutter close and I bolt.

Sprinting down the hall, I go racing for the closest classroom, a cry of protest echoing behind me.

Ducking into the empty auditorium, I run as fast as I can towards the side door. Adrenalin kicks my heart into overdrive when I find myself in a long narrow hallway with no quick escape.

Shit.

“Melody, oh Melody! Where can I find my Melody?”

The singsong reverberates off the stone walls and I lunge for the closest hiding spot.

“My dear, there’s no need to fear. Come on out so we can play.”

I crawl further into the shadows, tucking myself behind a wooden flowerbed as a familiar silhouette glides through the door. His shadow lengthens as he draws near, the clicking of animal teeth the only sound in the room .

He comes to a stop in front of me, his head swivelling in every direction. Pressing a hand over my mouth, I smother the sound of my breathing, watching his eyes dance around the empty corridor.

“If you won’t tell me where you are, I’ll ask the fates. But I have to warn you, that can get very messy.”

He chuckles, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a deck of cards, “Do you want to get messy, Melody?”

His head turns in my direction and I stop breathing altogether.

“Are you talking to your imaginary girlfriend again, Xavier?”

The sound of dress shoes tapping the marble floor fills the room. I duck my head lower, trying not to be seen by the newcomer.

Xavier scowls, “No. I was trying to find Melody.”

“You should keep those melodies in your head. Might end up in the cell next to your father if you keep this up.”

The scowl deepens before my stalker turns and storms away. I blow out a quiet breath, watching the top hat disappear down the hall.

“You can come out now. Xavier tends to get a little desperate whenever there’s a new girl in town.”

When I don’t move he sighs, tucking his hands into black dress pants.

“The flowers are quite lovely, but it’s hard to appreciate them when you’re lying down.”

Busted .

Slowly crawling out from behind the flowerbed, I carefully brush the dirt off my skirt and study the newcomer. Dim sunlight sneaks in through the skylight above, illuminating the sandy colour of the guy’s hair.

I take a tentative step forward and the stranger finally turns to look at me.

A smile breaks out over his face and a single dimple pops out on his left cheek. My steps falter as I register the handsome face, remembering what Freya told me last class.

You’ll know him when you see him.