19. Frankie

Chapter 19

Frankie

I stand outside Professor Blackwood’s office, my hand hovering over the doorknob. My stomach does its usual flip-flop before these meetings, but today there’s a weird buzz of curiosity too. After everything that happened, this routine advisement feels almost… normal.

Taking a deep breath, I push the door open. Professor Blackwood sits behind his imposing mahogany desk, his steely eyes fixed on me. Dorian stands to his right, as still and beautiful as a marble statue. His presence as Blackwood’s teaching assistant shouldn’t surprise me anymore, but it still sends a jolt through my system. Dorian’s eyes keep bouncing between me and Blackwood. There’s something off about it, but I can’t put my finger on what.

“Ah, Frankie,” Blackwood says, his voice as smooth as silk but with an undercurrent of something darker. “Right on time. Please, have a seat.”

I settle into the chair across from him, acutely aware of Dorian’s gaze on me. The room feels stuffy, like everyone’s holding their breath.

“Have you checked out where your new classes are this semester?” Blackwood asks, leaning forward. “I hope you can manage to keep up, given your… unique circumstances.”

There’s something in his tone that puts me on edge. I plaster on a fake smile, my brain scrambling for something to say that won’t give me away. “I haven’t yet walked the route, and I suspect they will be challenging, Professor, but in a good way. Last term, I learned to see things from new perspectives.” I glance at Dorian for a moment before focusing back on the professor. “And I expect much of the same.”

Blackwood’s eyebrow arches slightly, clearly not expecting such a measured response. “Is that so? And tell me, have you made any progress in accessing the shadow realm for your classes?”

My stomach drops. Here it comes—the real reason for this meeting. I swallow hard, preparing for what I know will be a difficult conversation.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, feeling the weight of both Blackwood’s and Dorian’s gazes. “Not yet, Professor,” I admit, hating the weakness in my voice. “I’m still… working on it.”

Blackwood’s lips thin into a disapproving line. “I see. You understand, of course, that your inability to access the shadow realm will severely impact your studies. We can’t make exceptions forever, Frankie.”

His words are quiet, but they still knock the wind out of me. I clench my fists in my lap, willing myself to stay calm. “I know, Professor. I’m trying?—”

“Trying isn’t enough,” he cuts me off, his tone sharpening. “You need results. Perhaps you’re not applying yourself as diligently as you should be.”

I feel a flicker of anger, and for a moment, I consider snapping back at him, but I force myself to take a deep breath, channeling the resilience that’s gotten me through so much already. “With all due respect, Professor,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel, “I am applying myself, but this isn’t exactly a skill one can master overnight.”

Before Blackwood can respond, Dorian speaks up, his voice low and smooth. “If I may, Professor,” he says, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Frankie’s circumstances are unique. Perhaps we could consider alternative methods of assessment? Her theoretical understanding of shadow mechanics is quite impressive.”

For a moment, Blackwood seems caught off guard by Dorian’s charm. I use the brief distraction to collect my thoughts, wondering about the dynamic between these two.

“Thank you, Dorian,” Blackwood says, recovering quickly, “but I believe I know what’s best for my students.” He turns back to me, his gaze intense. “Frankie, do you know what makes me proudest as an educator?”

The abrupt change in topic throws me off balance. “I… I’m not sure, Professor.”

He leans back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips that doesn’t reach his eyes. “It’s seeing my students succeed, of course. Take my daughter, for instance. She’s always pushed herself to excel and overcome any obstacle in her path. Her determination… well, it’s truly inspiring.”

Something in his tone makes my skin crawl. There’s pride there, yes, but also something darker, something that reminds me of?—

No. I push the thought away, refusing to let my mind go there.

“I don’t mean to compare,” Blackwood continues, his voice dropping to an almost hypnotic cadence, “but I wonder if you have that same… drive, Frankie. Let’s put it to the test, shall we?”

Before I can process what’s happening, Blackwood stands and moves around the desk. “Let’s see you try to access the shadow realm right here, right now.”

Panic rises in my throat, but outwardly, I force myself to remain calm. “Professor, with all due respect, I’m not sure that’s the best approach. Shouldn’t we?—”

“Nonsense,” he says, his voice deceptively gentle but with a razor’s edge. “You just need the right motivation. Dorian, would you mind dimming the lights?”

As the room darkens, I feel the shadows stirring around me, responding to my fear. Blackwood’s eyes gleam in the dim light, and I realize with a jolt that this is exactly what he wanted.

“Now, Frankie,” he says softly, “show us what you’re truly capable of.”

My heart pounds in my chest as the shadows dance at the edges of my vision. Blackwood’s expectant gaze bores into me, and I can feel Dorian’s tension from across the room. The pressure is suffocating.

“I… I don’t know how,” I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. Internally, I’m screaming at myself to stay strong and not let Blackwood see my weakness.

Blackwood clicks his tongue disapprovingly. “Come now, Frankie. We both know that’s not true. You’ve accessed your powers before. Remember the incident with the eredar beast?”

I flinch at the memory. How does he know about that? My mind races, trying to decipher the implications of his knowledge. Does he have spies among the students? Or is there some kind of magical surveillance I’m unaware of? The thought sends a chill down my spine.

“Focus,” Blackwood urges, his voice taking on a hypnotic quality. “Feel the shadows around you. They are a part of you, Frankie. Embrace them.”

Despite my reservations, I find myself closing my eyes and reaching out with senses I don’t fully understand. The darkness seems to pulse around me, alive and waiting.

“That’s it,” Blackwood murmurs. “Now, imagine stepping through. The shadow realm is just beyond your reach.”

I try to visualize it, to feel for that otherworldly plane. For a moment, I think I sense something, a flicker of another reality just out of grasp, but then… nothing.

Frustration and shame wash over me as I open my eyes. “I can’t do it,” I admit, deflated, but a part of me is relieved that I didn’t give Blackwood what he wanted.

Blackwood’s disappointment is palpable, tinged with a hint of anger. “Perhaps you need more… incentive,” he says, his tone sending a chill down my spine. “Your continued enrollment at this university depends on your ability to access your classes, Frankie. Surely that’s motivation enough? Or perhaps the loss of your scholarship?”

Panic claws at my throat, but I force it down. “You can’t just kick me out!” I protest, my voice rising. “That’s not fair!”

“Life rarely is,” Blackwood replies coldly. “The question is, what are you willing to do about it?”

Suddenly, the shadows in the room seem to thicken, responding to my surging emotions. I feel a familiar tingle in my fingertips, a buildup of energy I can’t control.

The shadows in the room deepen, growing from the corners and pulsing outward.

“Professor,” Dorian warns, taking a step forward, his eyes darting between Blackwood and me. “I think that’s enough for today. Pushing too hard could be counterproductive.”

Blackwood ignores him, his eyes fixed on me with a hungry expression. “Show me, Frankie. Show me what you’re truly capable of.”

The pressure builds, the shadows writhing around me. I feel like I’m about to explode, torn between fear and an overwhelming urge to prove myself.

Then, without warning, it happens.

The shadows coalesce around me in a swirling vortex. For a split second, I see another world superimposed over Blackwood’s office—a realm of shifting darkness and ethereal beauty.

As quickly as it appeared, the vision vanishes, and the shadows recede, leaving me gasping and trembling in my chair.

Blackwood’s triumphant smile sends a chill through me. “Well, well,” he says softly, his voice laden with dark satisfaction. “It seems you have potential after all, Frankie.”

As the realization of what just happened sinks in, I can’t shake the feeling that I just gave Blackwood exactly what he wanted, and somehow, that terrifies me more than anything else.

I sit in my chair, my breath coming in short gasps. The room feels too small, too confining. Blackwood’s triumphant smile hasn’t wavered, and I feel Dorian’s intense gaze on me.

“Fascinating,” Blackwood murmurs, circling me like a predator. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of your potential, Frankie. With the right guidance, who knows what you could achieve?”

His words should be encouraging, but they send a chill down my spine. There’s a hint of something dangerous in his tone. I force myself to meet his gaze, determined not to show weakness.

“I think that’s enough for today,” Dorian interjects, his voice tight with tension. He moves closer, placing himself between Blackwood and me. “Frankie needs rest after such an intense manifestation. We wouldn’t want to risk overexertion, would we, Professor?”

Blackwood’s eyes narrow slightly at Dorian’s interference, but his smile remains in place. “Of course, of course. We wouldn’t want to overtax our star pupil, would we?” He turns back to me, his gaze penetrating. “Frankie, I expect you to practice accessing the shadow realm daily. Our next meeting will be… illuminating.”

I nod numbly, not trusting myself to speak. As I stand on shaky legs, Dorian reaches out to steady me, his touch sending a jolt through my system.

“I’ll walk her out,” Dorian tells Blackwood, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As we leave the office, I feel Blackwood’s gaze burning into my back. The moment the door closes behind us, I let out a shuddering breath.

“Are you alright?” Dorian asks softly, his hand still on my arm.

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog from my mind. “I… I don’t know. What just happened in there?”

Dorian’s expression is grim, a stark contrast to his earlier charm. “It’s like you merged the realms, but that’s impossible, Frankie. Either way, it’s something Blackwood has been waiting to see.”

“But why?” I ask, frustration and fear battling inside me. “Why is he so interested in my abilities?”

Dorian glances back at the closed office door, his jaw tight. “I’m not sure,” he admits, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “But I think it’s time we found out. This goes beyond simple academic interest. Blackwood’s playing a dangerous game, and you’re at the center of it.”

As we exit Blackwood’s office, a sense of unease settles in my stomach. The darkness enveloping us whispers eerie secrets, and I feel a sudden desire to comprehend their cryptic messages.

I pause in the deserted hallway, catching my breath before speaking. “Dorian,” I begin, “I need to know the truth about my abilities, Blackwood’s motives… everything.”

He looks at me, his eyes filled with a mix of determination and something else—something that gives me hope. “We’ll find the answers, Frankie, together, but we need to be careful. Don’t trust a single person.”

I never did.

“Okay,” I say, my voice stronger now. “Where do we start?”

Dorian’s lips curl into a small, enigmatic smile. “With a book. It always begins with a book.”

His words break the tension, and a smile plays on my lips. “Speaking of…” I trail off. “Bishop was asking about the library.”

“Of course he was. He’s been itching to get in there for a while now.” He shakes his head. “I’ll text him.” He pauses on the walkway, the cold air burning my lungs.

“You really think we’ll find answers in a book?”

“Don’t doubt me, Francesca.” Dorian gives me a cocky grin that curls my toes. “You can find anything in a book.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him if we are still on for our lunches, but for some reason, I don’t.

As we head toward the library, I feel the weight of the decision I just made, but beneath the fear, there’s a spark of excitement. For the first time since coming to Shadow Locke, I feel like I’m taking control of my destiny.

The shadows around us seem to pulse with anticipation as we walk, and I can’t help but wonder if they are reacting to my determination or if something darker is at play.

Only time will tell.