CHAPTER 13 - MEDRA

The Bloodwing Library was a large, imposing building that extended across several floors. As I entered through the towering double doors, I paused, overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.

Rows and rows of tall dark wood bookshelves lined a wide main aisle. Long wooden tables were interspersed among the rows, providing workspace for students. Crimson banners bearing the school and house mottos hung from the walls. On either side of the room, tall stained glass windows lined the walls, spilling their rainbow light onto the polished floors. The air was cooler here and tinged with the aromas of old parchment, leather bindings, dust, and melted candle wax.

I glanced upwards and gasped. An enchanted ceiling divided into four quadrants moved and swirled, like a living mural. I saw an elegant city with tall white towers, rolling hills leading into green forests, a ship at sea in the midst of a storm, and tall snow-capped mountains. Each scene must reflect somewhere in Sangratha. I imagined it was even more beautiful at night, when stars would twinkle above it all.

The central hearth on the far end of the main room crackled with a low fire. Nearby was a long wooden counter with a group of people standing behind it. Students were lined up over there. That must be the librarians' desk. I decided I'd start off by asking one of them for help.

If I couldn't find anything relevant to exorcizing ghosts from one's head, then I'd also brought one of the dragon books that Professor Rodriguez had lent me. I could always sit down and read that and try to get started on my essay.

Just as I'd begun walking down the main aisle, a figure emerged from the stacks to my right.

A woman, slender and petite, with dark eyes framed by wire-rimmed spectacles. She wore a cream-colored sweater with lace trim along the sleeves, tucked into a high-waisted skirt of dark blue, belted at the waist. Her long black hair was tied up in a messy knot at the nape of her neck, strands falling loose as if she'd been too engrossed in her reading to tuck them back. Her knot of hair was held in place with a quill that stuck out at a haphazard angle. A small ink stain smudged the cuff of one otherwise perfect cream sleeve.

She walked with her eyes glued to an open book she held in one hand, occasionally flipping a page with a frown of concentration. This was impressive, considering that she was pulling a wooden trolley behind her with her other hand–a trolley that was filled with precariously stacked books, which she must have been reshelving.

The woman seemed completely lost in whatever she was reading. Her brow furrowed as she muttered under her breath.

I cleared my throat and she jumped, blinking violently, as if shocked to find someone there.

"Oh, I didn't..." she began, looking flustered as she pushed her spectacles higher on her nose. "You're not lost, are you?" Her voice was soft. She had the air of someone who was always thinking about something else.

I smiled. Clearly this was Florence's mother, Librarian Shen.

"No, not lost. I was looking for..."

The peace of the library was shattered in an instant.

Boisterous laughter and loud footsteps came from behind me.

Florence's mother frowned and turned to see who had come in.

I turned, too, but I should have already known.

They were all wearing dark robes emblazoned with the Drakharrow house motto: Sanguine Vinciti . Bound by blood.

Visha was in the lead, with Quinn and Theo behind her.

Visha strode past me as if I wasn't even there, without a nod or acknowledgment of any kind. As she went by, she knocked against Florence's mother's trolley full of books. I couldn't tell if she'd done it by accident or on purpose, but either way, the impact sent several books tumbling to the ground with a soft thud, their covers splaying open.

Behind her, Quinn giggled. Then Visha reached her hand out lazily to purposefully smack another stack of books off the trolley. Quinn laughed as if this was hilarious, then went a step further and carelessly kicked some of the scattered books out of her path. I heard the leather bindings scrape against the stone floor and winced.

"Oh, girls..." Florence's mother exclaimed, wringing her hands together as she looked at the mess of books. "Please don't do that."

Visha and Quinn just ignored her and kept going.

Theo trailed behind them with a sheepish expression. He wouldn't meet my eye as he went past. But he must have seen the stricken look on Professor Shen's face because as his gaze fell on the scattered books, he paused, then bent down to pick a few of them up. As he handed them to Florence's mother, he glanced quickly at me and shrugged apologetically, as if trying to make amends for the rudeness of his companions.

But I wasn't about to let him off that easily. I glared at him and said nothing.

Putting his head down, Theo disappeared down the main aisle.

Florence's mother's shoulders sagged as she looked down at the remaining books on the floor. Her cheeks were flushed as she bent down and started picking up the volumes.

I crouched down quickly beside her. "Here. Let me help you with that. You're Florence's mother, aren't you?"

She looked up at me, startled. "I'm Jia Shen, yes. Who are you?"

"I'm Medra Pendragon," I said, smiling and putting out my hand. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from Florence."

"Ah, yes," Jia said, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose again, and smiling slowly. "Florence mentioned she'd made your acquaintance."

"She's been very kind and helpful. I don't know how I would have made it through these first days without her, honestly," I said.

Jia Shen's smile grew a little. "That's my Florence."

"I'm so sorry about the books," I said, gesturing to the mess. "Are they always like that?"

Her face clouded. "It's all right. I'm rather used to it."

I was shocked. "But you shouldn't be. You're a Bloodwing librarian. How can they get away with it?"

"Oh, they don't do it to all of the librarians," she assured me. "Just the blightborn ones."

She rose to her feet with a groan and wedged a stack of heavy-looking books back onto the trolley. Then she bent down to pick up one of the books Quinn had viciously kicked. "Oh, dear. This one will have to be tended to." The spine of the book had split and some pages were sticking out.

"It's vandalism," I said hotly. "Not to mention incredibly rude. Those spoiled brats."

Jia eyed me nervously. "It's clear you're new here. Please, don't bother saying anything on my account."

"But you deserve to be treated with respect. I don't understand."

She shrugged. "Every year some of the students pick a teacher to target. I guess this year it's my turn."

I felt a chill go down my spine. "Has it just been students from House Drakharrow? Or are all of the highblood students treating you this way?"

She tilted her head. "Now that you mention it, it does seem to be mostly Drakharrow students." She sighed. "I wonder what I did to aggravate them."

I thought I knew.

"I think it's because of Florence," I confessed unhappily. "Because she dared to make friends with me, I mean. I tried to warn her..."

Jia held up a hand. "No. If what you say is true..." She looked me up and down. "Florence told me you're the rider. That you didn't even want to be here."

"That's true," I said slowly. "I was forced to come here."

"And forcibly betrothed to Blake Drakharrow, from what I understand." I nodded and she shook her head. "The highblood customs... Even when I think I'm used to them, they do something that reminds me I may never be."

"So, you don't... adore them all? Like Florence seems to?" I said curiously.

Jia looked around, as if not wanting to be overheard. "Florence will learn, in time. Just as I learned. But you need to keep something in mind here, Medra. None of us have a choice. We were born blightborn. Florence tells me you're new to Sangratha." She gave me a curious look that reminded me I needed to learn more about this world's geography. Just how large was Sangratha anyhow? "Well, if that's true, try to imagine what growing up here is like." She looked at me carefully. "You don't question the people who hold all of the power. To do so could be dangerous. For you or for your friends."

It was a warning, but a gentle one.

I nodded. "I understand." I bit my lip. "But now Florence is accidentally making enemies of the Drakharrows. I warned her she should stay away from me. Maybe you can talk to her..."

"No," Jia Shen said quietly. "I draw the line there. My daughter will choose her own friends. And if there are consequences for her choices... Well, that's how we all learn. I won't tell her who to associate with." She reached out a hand and touched my hair gently. "So red."

I flushed.

"It must be hard, standing out like that all the time," Jia said thoughtfully. "You're brave to be here."

"So is your daughter," I responded.

She smiled. "I could talk about my daughter's fine qualities all day. But you didn't come to the library simply to discuss Florence. What can I help you with?"

I had thought carefully about how to phrase my request. Jia Shen seemed very kind, but I didn't want to horrify her by telling her my secret the first time we met.

Wise decision, Orcades murmured.

Oh, you're still there, are you? I replied drily. She'd been quiet all day. And here I thought my problem might have taken care of itself.

Very funny. Those children need to be taken in hand. When I behaved in such a way as a girl, my Nurse didn't hesitate to whip me.

I cringed. They're not exactly children. And that might be going too far. Or was it? But I agree. They're out of line.

Little privileged bastards each and every one, Orcades said primly. If I were back in my own body, I'd happily deal with them all for you.

I grimaced. I could only imagine what she'd do if she were back in her high fae form. I'd been told my mother had once been a powerful general in my grandfather's army.

Florence's mother was looking at me expectantly.

"Um, I'm doing some research into a rather unusual topic," I blurted out. If only she knew just how unusual. "I'm hoping you can help me find some relevant information. Anything to do with curses, spells... Or, um, magic to do with souls."

"With souls?" Jia Shen looked thoughtful. "Soul magic? You must mean blood magic. We have a great many texts on blood magic here, of course."

"Does blood magic involve using souls...?"

"Necromancy does, of course. Blood magic can at times. And necromancy and blood magic are very interwoven. Although, bloodmancy is a House Drakharrow specialty, just as necromancy is often considered the purview of House Mortis." Jia looked at me expectantly. "You might consider consulting Blake Drakharrow on this topic..."

"No," I said firmly. "Absolutely not." I shook my head. "Sorry, Librarian Shen. I don't mean to be rude."

She seemed amused. "Oh, you're not being rude. And you may call me Jia. No, I understand. I suppose I just hoped that Mr. Drakharrow was kinder to you than to the average... Well, it doesn't matter." She looked at a nearby row. "I can find some materials for you. Enough to get you started. If you don't find what you're looking for, the library is sure to have more. You can always come back and find me another day."

"Wonderful," I said, feeling relieved. "Thank you so much for your help, Jia."

"Of course," she said, pausing as she began to pull the trolley towards the stack. "Though it would help if you gave me a little more detail on what you're looking for exactly. You mentioned curses. Has someone you know been cursed?"

"Well," I hedged. "Not cursed exactly."

Decidedly not, Orcades harrumphed. I am not a curse. My presence is a gift.

An unwanted gift, I said, through clenched teeth. I'd have preferred a more typical mother-daughter chat.

No one asked us what we wanted , my mother replied placidly. That's life. I would have preferred not to die giving birth to you.

I pressed my lips together. Fair point.

I knew it was a mother's prerogative to mention the pain she'd endured bringing a child into the world. And considering my mother had lost her life doing so, I decided she could complain all she wanted about the experience.

"Does necromancy involve harnessing the soul of someone who has died?" I asked Jia carefully.

"It can, absolutely. Necromancy is usually associated with raising the dead. House Mortis's armies were powerful because of the necromancers that traveled with them."

I cringed at the implication.

"But a soul can be even more powerful than a body," Jia continued.

"Did necromancers ever use souls in... bodies that weren't their own? The soul's, I mean?"

"I'm sure it's been done before, though I can't think of an example off the top of my head. My! What an interesting paper you must be writing," she said brightly, reminding me of Florence. "Is this for Restoration?"

"Yes, for Professor Rodriguez's class," I lied. "He has me doing some extra work for him."

That was entirely true. Just not the subject matter it concerned.

"Fascinating. There is always so much to learn, isn't there?"

I could think of topics I'd much rather read up on than necromancy, but I wasn't about to say that. I smiled in agreement as I followed her down the stack, careful not to knock the trolley where she had parked it at the end of the aisle.

A little while later, I sat alone at a table near the main aisle, armed with a stack of books with titles like Blood Magic Unveiled , The Necromancer's Codex , Arcane Revenants , Bloodmancy for Beginners , and, my personal favorite, Soulbound Secrets: The Art of Making Friends and Influencing Spirits .

That last one sounds promising, Orcades said, as I flipped through the books. I like the sound of that.

Aren't we already friends? I teased. Or should I be worried?

Oh, darling, Orcades replied. You're my daughter and I love you, but you're sadly lacking in finesse when it comes to dealing with souls. That's all I'm saying.

I bit my tongue and flipped the book open, trying to settle back into the hushed ambiance of the library.

But the silence was abruptly disturbed by a burst of laughter.

I glanced up from the book, my attention distracted by insistent, high-pitched giggles.

My heart sank as the source soon became clear.

Blake Drakharrow was walking up the center aisle. He was flanked by a girl who clung to his side, her arm draped possessively around his narrow waist.

Regan.

She giggled loudly again and I flinched as the grating sound echoed off the walls. Regan tossed her glossy silver hair around her shoulders. Her face was lit up with a smile that looked too practiced to me, as if she were putting on a show for anyone watching.

Blake's eyes met mine and he smirked, as if he were enjoying the spectacle he and Regan were making.

As they passed by my table, Regan turned her head slightly and shot me a glance that was icy and dismissive.

My cheeks flushed with irritation.

I tried to redirect my focus back to the books in front of me, but the disruption had left a sourness in the air.

For the next few minutes, I flipped angrily through book after book, trying to find something that didn't involve simply summoning a spirit or putting a soul into a cat or dog or another person but instead would get a soul out of someone. Preferably without killing them in the process. Or losing the soul.

But from everything I read, summoning a soul and even imbuing a soul into another living creature was one thing. But giving such a spell permanence was another. Usually the soul summoning only lasted a short time and when the soul faded away back out past the veil into wherever souls went, the creature it had inhabited usually didn't survive.

Well, that's disheartening, Orcades observed.

You can say that again. I closed the book glumly. Did you ever stop and think that entering me might kill me in the process?

I was trying to keep you alive. I had absolutely no idea what the outcome would be. You know that, she chided. But her voice was gentle.

I know, I admitted. It's just... disturbing. To think this new life might not even last.

I don't feel my soul slipping away, if that helps, she assured me. Perhaps none of these books are quite relevant to our situation. Whatever magic bound us together in the first place was something beyond necromancy. Especially as we were bound by love, not simply a necromancer's selfish desire for power.

Were we? I asked, feeling oddly embarrassed by her mention of the word.

Why, of course we were, she said stolidly. A mother's love is the most powerful thing in the universe. Why, to think there was a time when I didn't even think I could love you.

You didn't...?

I was interrupted by Theo Drakharrow slinking up beside my table.

His cloak was pushed back around his shoulders and his hands were shoved deep in his pockets.

He looked uncomfortable. Anxious.

Good. That was how he should feel.

I stared up at him. "What do you want?"

"Medra." He chuckled nervously. "Looks like you found the library. Got enough books there?"

"Is this where you distract me so Regan can pull some nasty prank behind my back?" I said coldly. "I'm not interested in another chat, Theo."

"Look, about all of that..." He paused and glanced over his shoulder. "I was doing Regan a favor, but I don't like how that all turned out. I just wanted you to know that."

"Yet you played along quite well. Helped Regan ensure I'd be late for Professor Hassan's class and get reamed out," I pointed out.

"Well, yes," he said lamely. "But..."

"And you sure didn't seem to have any interest in stopping her when she made me climb that fucking dragon and almost kill myself," I continued.

"I've always wanted to climb one of those things, you know," Theo said. "You looked amazing up there. For a moment, anyhow."

"You mean before or after I roared like a lion and then plummeted off?" I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you were roaring like a dragon." He tried to hide a grin but not before I saw it. "Well, before that, obviously." He scratched his head. "Look, I just wanted to say that I know we got off on the wrong foot, but we're going to be in the same house eventually. The same family."

"No. Hell no," I said firmly. "I'm opting out. But what a fucked up little family it is."

He grinned lopsidedly. "I won't deny that. Anyhow, I like you, Medra. I mean, you can try to opt out but you might find that more of a challenge then you think. And if you are stuck with us, then I think we could get along."

I didn't say anything. Because the truth was, I liked Theo, too. At least, a little bit. In another world, maybe we could have been friends.

"You keep terrible company, Theo," I said at last. "Your friends are bullies."

"They can be," he admitted. "But they're fun, too. Sometimes. You don't know them like I do. We grew up together, and each of them..."

"Let me guess. Each of them has a different sob story that explains why they turned out so mean and nasty?"

He snorted. "Well, basically... yes."

"No excuse," I said bluntly. "We all have a sob story. It doesn't mean we should treat other people like shit."

"You're right," he said, a little sadly. "But... it can be hard to stop them once they get going."

I shook my head. "What did you come over here for? Are we through?"

"I wanted to apologize. I mean, I do apologize."

I leaned back and crossed my arms. "Does that mean you won't go along with any of their future nasty little plans for me? Or is this just the first of many ‘apologies'?"

Theo winced. "The first and the only, I hope." He looked at me expectantly. "I also wanted to invite you to a party."

I stared. "A party?"

"Right. Almost every night, we party on the beach down below the castle. We have a big bonfire, drink some wine. It's a good time all around. You should come one night. We can talk more. I'd really like that." He smiled encouragingly.

"I...don't think so, Theo," I said slowly, shocked that he was inviting me in the first place. "Does Regan know you're over here inviting me?"

He looked obstinate. "She doesn't need to know."

"What about Blake?" I prodded.

He said nothing.

"I see," I said slowly. "Well, I'm not sure how fun it would be for me to come and hang out where I'm not wanted. But thanks for the invitation. I'm sure we'll see each other around."

"Lots of people come. It's not just House Drakharrow," Theo said stubbornly. "Well... I'll keep an eye out for you." He leaned down and dropped his voice. "There's a staircase by the Advanced Weaponry courtyard. You take that all the way to the bottom. Then exit out onto the beach. From there you should be able to find us. Feel free to come by one night."

I nodded. "Sure. We'll see." But I knew I wouldn't be joining him.

As Theo walked away, I plonked my head down onto my pile of books with a groan.

I'd found nothing useful and it was past six o'clock. My stomach was growling. But I hadn't even opened Professor Rodriguez's book on dragons since that first day.

I told myself I'd at least get through a few chapters. And then dinner.

I wondered if snacks were allowed in the library. If so, I'd be able to get a lot more done next time. I could stay until midnight. But as I glanced around, I spotted a large sign in bold letters that read "Absolutely No Food or Drink!" Below it, in smaller letters, someone had scrawled, "Yes, That Means Even Highbloods. You Will Be Banned."

Somehow I doubted the sign would be enough to stop Blake and Regan's crew. I suddenly pitied the poor Bloodwing librarians, having to deal with all of the rich and privileged highblood students.

Hands slammed down on the table and I jumped.

"What the hell, Blake?" I said angrily as I glared up at him.

A grin slowly formed on his face in a way that made goosebumps form on my arms. "Just trying to keep you on your toes, Pendragon. Just checking if those rider reflexes are any good."

"You know they are." I tried to look more cocky than I felt. "Just go and ask Visha."

He laughed.

I glanced around. "Aren't you forgetting something? Like your accessory?"

"Accessory?" He looked at me blankly.

"Regan," I said pointedly. "Aren't you two attached at the hip?"

"Oh, you saw that, did you? She can't seem to get enough of me." He leaned down until his face was close to mine. "Jealous?"

I pushed my chair back so we were further apart and crossed my arms over my chest. "You wish. The sight of you makes me want to vomit. With or without your arm candy."

He leaned back against the table, then gestured to all of the books in front of me. "What are you reading about, anyhow?"

"Just researching ways to kill you," I said sweetly. "Vampire Murder Methodology 101."

He scowled. "You shouldn't joke about that."

"Why not?" I demanded. "Because only highbloods are allowed to murder blightborn?"

"No one's murdering anyone," he protested. "You need to lighten up."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. Because you'd have actually cared if Visha had stabbed me to death right in front of you. Or if Regan had killed me when I jumped off that stone dragon."

He narrowed his eyes. "You're exaggerating. You were fine. Besides, Professor Sankara showed up in time. As for Regan, the headmaster stopped her. She knew that would happen. It's not as if she..." He trailed off awkwardly.

I smiled. "Exactly. Don't bother denying that she would have loved to see me die yesterday."

He grabbed the book closest to me before I could stop him.

"Serpents of the Sky: A History of Dragons," he read aloud, before I could grab the book back. He sniggered. "What is this? Homework?"

"Professor Rodriguez gave it to me," I said coolly. "Now give it back."

He dropped the book onto the desk with a thud and stood up. "The only thing left of the dragons are those stone statues. So what's the point? They're ancient history."

"Then why am I here?" I said, meeting his gaze.

And in that moment, I realized I really did want an answer.

"Why am I here?" I repeated. "Why was I brought here?"

"To Bloodwing Academy?" He frowned, looking confused.

"To this world," I hissed. "To you." I shook my head. "Never mind. Never fucking mind. You know nothing. Just like everyone else."

He took a step away from the table, then paused. "You should be glad the dragons are gone," he said quietly. "You think we're bad? The highbloods? They were even more brutal."

I met his eyes steadily. "Maybe that's exactly what this place needed. Balance. Something to keep you in check."

He said nothing. Simply turned and walked away.

I went back to my book, Serpents of the Sky , this time more eagerly than before.

Brutal were they?

Suddenly I wanted to learn everything I could about the creatures Blake Drakharrow deemed worse than vampires.