2. Kieran

2

KIERAN

I sit at my ornate desk in the highest tower of Ravencrest, absently leafing through reports from the various departments. The monotony of administrative duties weighs heavily, a far cry from the intricate research I'd rather be conducting. I suppress a sigh, reminding myself that my position as headmaster of dark magick within the court affords me unparalleled resources and influence.

Suddenly, a tremor ripples through the magical wards surrounding the academy grounds. My head snaps up, senses instantly alert. There – a disturbance in the outer reaches of the forest. A presence both familiar and utterly foreign.

With a wave of my hand, I summon a scrying mirror. The piles of parchment on my desk scatter, forgotten, as the shimmering surface coalesces, revealing a young woman stumbling through the dark woods. Her fear is palpable, even through the magical link. But beneath that fear... ah, there it is.

Power. Raw, untapped, and positively intoxicating.

I lean forward, studying the girl in the mirror. She's unremarkable at first glance – plain features, disheveled from her panicked flight through the forest.

But her eyes... There's a spark there, a hint of the potential that drew her to our realm.

A smile curves my lips as I watch her struggle through the snow, heading unerringly towards Ravencrest. The compulsion spell worked perfectly. She thinks she's choosing the academy as sanctuary, unaware that every step brings her closer to the destiny I've woven for her.

This one has spirit. I summon a phantasmal beast behind her to really taste her deliriously delicious fear.

I put on my jacket and arrive before she does, watching from the shadows as she pounds desperately against the iron bars. The fear rolling off her in waves is exquisite, but it's the undercurrent of defiance that truly whets my appetite.

Only when I've had my fill do I release her, opening the gates and allowing her to tumble in. The moment our skin touches, I feel it – the unmistakable thrum of hexeblood magic.

My smile widens.

Oh, she's perfect.

"Welcome to Ravencrest, little hexeblood. You're late."

She tries to pull away, but I maintain my grip. With my free hand, I conjure a small orb of shadowfire, letting it dance between my fingers. Her eyes go impossibly wider, fear warring with fascination.

"What... what are you?" she whispers, voice trembling.

I chuckle, allowing the shadowfire to dissipate. "I am Kieran, Headmaster of Ravencrest and master of education. And you, my dear, are a most intriguing puzzle."

Her brow furrows in confusion. "Headmaster? I don't understand. I was just trying to get to my exam and–"

"Your mortal concerns are irrelevant now," I interrupt, waving a dismissive hand. "You've crossed into the realm of the Winter Court, drawn by the power in your blood."

"Power? What are you talking about?" Her voice rises, panic edging in.

I tilt my head, studying her. "You truly don't know, do you? Fascinating. You, my dear, are a hexeblood – a mortal with the potential for great magical power. Power that has been lying dormant, waiting to be awakened."

She shakes her head vehemently. "No, that's impossible. I'm just a normal college student. There's been some kind of mistake–"

"There is no mistake," I say firmly, allowing a hint of my true power to leak into my voice. She flinches, instinctively recognizing the threat. Good. "You are exactly where you are meant to be. The magic in your blood called out, and Ravencrest answered."

I can see the struggle in her eyes – disbelief warring with the undeniable reality of her situation. It's delightful to watch. "What... What do you want from me?" she asks, her voice small but with a thread of steel beneath it.

"Only everything you are." My smile widens. Oh yes, this one will be fun to mold. "You'll be enrolled in Ravencrest, where you'll learn to harness the power within you."

"And if I refuse?"

I laugh, the sound echoing ominously in the night air. "My dear, you misunderstand. This isn't an offer. It's your destiny."

With a snap of my fingers, two shadowy figures materialize beside us. "Take our new student to her quarters," I command. "Her education begins at dawn, see to it she has everything she needs."

"What? You can't do this. They will come looking for me."

"Of course they won't, we are professionals. Now go, you have much to attend to."