Ex Nihilo Academy (15 page)

The very next day a package arrives for me at the house courtesy of my lawyer and my trust fund. In it is a new phone and tablet and within an hour my new car arrives. I’d requested an old beetle because I’ve always wanted one but my lawyer wanted to send a BMW, so we had to compromise
somewhere in between. I’d been working on him for the past few months to get me hooked up with technology and one phone call from Professor Winters and it all arrives overnight. Another revelation - my lawyer is a long time family friend and a
very powerful werewolf. And apparently ‘the future of the supernatural races depends on it’ is a more compelling argument for setting me up with technology than ‘I’d really like to download some Florence and the Machine.’ Typical. I’m
in my room packing my bag when Luca glides in the window. He stands on the ledge with his arms crossed watching me as I throw my clothes into a suitcase.

“I looked at the archives in the library and while it is
unprecedented there have been supernatural’s’ that have abdicated the throne in the past.”

“I’m sure that abdicating my responsibilities would really make my dead parents proud.” I say tiredly, not even glancing in his direction.

“I’m certain that your parents could not have anticipated your attempted murder when they passed the torch to you. Have you considered the possibility that you are delaying the inevitable? This is an age-old debate that goes back way before me and you.” I lean on my suitcase to force the
zipper closed and sigh heavily.

“That sounds a lot like apathy to me Luca. Even if my vote just buys us a little time it is better than standing on the sidelines doing
nothing. ‘The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.’ Martin Luther King Jr.” Luca jumps down from the ledge and crosses the room in two long strides.

“You are so frustrating.” He says huskily as he lowers his
lips to mine.

“I’m frustrating!” I huff and he quiets me with another kiss.

“I know you feel it’s something you have to do but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop trying to convince you otherwise. I don’t
care about councils or votes or politics - I care about you.” His voice is low and seductive as his nibbles at my lower lip and I almost tell him right there that I’ve changed my mind. Almost.

“Quit distracting me, Luca. I need to pack.”

“And I need you.” He grins, clearly aware of his effect on me. “Call me when you land and again when you get to the hotel.” I give him a dirty look and he widens his eyes innocently.
Pretty please?
He says in
my head and I relent.

“Fine, but why do I suddenly get the feeling that you are a master manipulator?” I add, knowing there’s no way I can say no to those beautiful dark eyes fringed with long black lashes.

“You’re learning, Lily.” He laughs and kisses me once more before leaving through the window.

* *

I’m loading my suitcase into the trunk of my brand new silver Jetta when Rowan comes out of the house to say goodbye. I haven’t told
him what happened with the boat sinking because I don’t want him to worry and I don’t know how to explain it. I’m telling myself that it’s an omission and not a lie and I almost have myself convinced.

“How long will you be gone?” The way he looks at me, a little forlorn, makes me wonder if he’ll miss me.

“It’s only until tomorrow night. It’s just some really quick business.”

“Business with your lawyer?” He says, raising an eyebrow.
Okay, so technically that one is a lie. “And you are sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport?”

“Thanks, but I’m looking forward to trying this thing out.” I pat the roof of the car and paste on my best smile. He surprises me by
lifting me off the ground and pulling me into a hug. His arms go around me and he holds me firmly, burying his nose in the top of my head. I’m touched by the gesture and also a little uncomfortable. I glance back at the peaked roof by my
window and breathe a sigh of relief that Luca isn’t still standing there.

I wave goodbye as I climb into the car and as I’m pulling out of the drive I see Rowan standing there without moving, watching me as I
go.

* *

I make it to Belfast airport in record time and land in London before lunch. I decide to check in first then give myself some time to find the meeting since I refused a driver and took the underground from the
airport. The Council has booked me into a super luxurious hotel in West London that’s overlooking Hyde Park. There’s a doorman in a blue suit who greets me and he’s wearing an actual top hot. Everything in the lobby of the hotel is cream and beige and looks way too expensive to touch. At the room I swipe the
key card and open the door to a huge space with a separate bedroom and living area all done in the same beige and cream tones, including the heavy silk drapes. There’s a massive bathtub in the bathroom and a chandelier suspended
from the ceiling and it’s all just too much for me. I’m afraid to even sit on the sheets because I don’t want to wrinkle them, so I quickly unpack then head downstairs. I find my way to the river and walk along the murky Thames. Being
here reminds me of my dad and his Dickens’ novels. The taverns, the rain dampened streets, the mix of modern and old, the sounds and smells of the city. I think of all the pictures I’ve seen before of Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Westminster Abbey and I wish I had more time to explore. Part of me still can’t
wrap my head around the fact that my parents own property in Britain - correction — that I own property in Britain. I guess it was their way of keeping me distanced from it all but a lot of good that did in the end. Niall
was more than a little apprehensive about letting me come on my own to the ‘Big Smoke’ as he called it. “But you’re only sixteen!” He protested the night before I left. “Almost seventeen.” I countered lamely, knowing that my birthday
was still months away. The reality is that we still don’t know what we are to each other. Niall is not my guardian, Ex Nihilo is, but I know that he feels a sense of moral obligation. I smile as I remember his caution to me. “Stay away
from lads. And beer. And lads with beer.” Truth be told now that I’m here on my own I’m more anxious than I thought I would be. Even though I thought I’ve been alone since my parents died when I look back at the last few months there’s always been someone there with me. Niall and Rowan, Nissa and Cai, Lucinda… Luca.
It’s barely been a day and I already miss him like crazy. I pass a row of second-hand boutiques and in the window of one store is a vintage Ramones concert t-shirt that immediately makes me think of Rowan. I know that he’d love
it so I take out my newly minted credit card and duck into the shop.

* *

Later on the sky reflects back a burnt umber color as the sun dips under the Eye of London Ferris wheel. I’m on my way to the Council
meeting that is taking place in a secret location near the tower bridge. I check my phone for the directions I’ve been sent as I head toward the tube station. The directions are strange - they only take me as far as the bridge
but I have no idea where to go once I’m there. I exit at London Bridge station and walk toward my destination. On the way I find shops and cafes surrounding the famous landmark that are alight with music and conversation but no meeting place. When I reach the bridge I have the option of heading up the walkway to
the tourist exhibition but my gut tells me that wouldn’t be an ideal meeting location for a covert group of supernaturals. The bridge deck is packed with cars and buses traveling back and forth. I walk in one direction then switch
and head the other way helplessly. My phone pings with a new text and I glance down at the message on the screen.

It’s a shrouding spell. Try looking harder princess.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes to calm my
frustration, flopping down on to the bench beside me. When I open my eyes again I see it - fuzzy at first then coming into focus like the viewfinder on a camera. Suspended directly under the bridge right smack in the middle is a
modern, rectangular one-story building with a slate gray facade and floor to ceiling glass windows. I walk along the pedestrian path to the middle of the bridge and look around. There has to be an entry point somewhere. I focus my eyes again and take another deep breath and when I open them an elevator made
entirely of glass appears before me. There is no button to push but the doors slide open so I step in and wait. Seconds later the doors close and the elevator drops down, taking my stomach with it. The doors re-open, revealing a
long, white marble hall. I walk down the hall, conscious that my heels are clicking noisily on the floor. I smooth out the front of my pencil skirt and try to forget that the whole outfit makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know what
possessed me but I bought a fitted charcoal suit and white camisole to wear with matching charcoal heels. I’ve pulled my hair back into a French twist that I thought looked sophisticated but now I just feel like a kid who’s raided her
mothers’ closet. I sigh, stopping at the end of the hall in front of a sleek black door that doesn’t seem to have a handle. A robotic voice comes over the loudspeaker.

“Place your hand palm down on the console to your left.” I step forward and place my hand on the smooth console. “Lily Hughes. Fairy.
Daughter of Alura and Ayfred Hughes. Deceased. Access granted.” The door glides open and I’m standing in a cavernous white marble hall. Theatre-style seating runs around the room in a circle and looks down upon a massive black granite
podium. At the podium is a man with gelled back sandy blond hair and piercing green eyes.

“Miss Hughes, it’s so good of you to finally join us.” His voice drips with sarcasm as the room falls silent and I assume that this is
Kennedy’s father. While I know that he’s been filling in for me as a Locum while I am in-training I’m not at all prepared for the open hostility I see in his eyes. And though he may be incredibly handsome there is an ugliness that
lurks behind his eyes and in the forced tilt of his smile.

“I had some trouble finding the place.” I say lightly.

“It’s not surprising. Given your… limitations.” He says with mock-sadness and I bristle. “Enough.” A deep voice shouts, startling me. When
he steps into my view I can tell immediately that he is a werewolf from his cool amber eyes that are rimmed with pale yellow. He has deliberately messy hair which is sticking up in every direction and he’s wearing a professor-style
jacket complete with the elbow pads. He smiles at me, a warm and genuine smile revealing teeth that are blindingly white against his dark skin. He looks like he’s in his mid-twenties and he’s cute in a bookish and unassuming kind of way.

“Welcome, Lily. I am so pleased to finally meet you. My name is Mohan Sarai.” He shakes my hand formally and I detect an Indian accent. He leads me over to a seat and I try and shuffle into it as gracefully as possible
which proves difficult in the tight skirt that I’m wearing. “I will make the introductions.” Mohan says with authority shooting a don’t-even-think-about-challenging-me look at Kennedy’s father. “You’ve already heard from Rossum Quinn, temporary leader of the Faye.” I notice the emphasis
he puts on temporary and so must Rossum who frowns. “To your left we have Zander, leader of the witches.” Zander sits stoically in his seat. Only the whites of his eyes are visible and he has beautiful chocolate brown skin and
closely cropped white hair. He nods his head at me ever-so-slightly. “Last name?” I whisper to Mohan who has remained by my side. “No last name. Like Cher. Or Pink.” He whispers back, his eyes lighting up proudly at his pop culture association. “And across the room we have Alan Martinez, leader of the
vampires.” “Alan.” I repeat, and even though I’ve heard his name before I have to stifle a giggle. It seems like such a boring name for a vampire leader. “Alan.” Mohan repeats, drawing out the second ‘A’ very deliberately and Alan
nods like he’s pleased. So this is the man that is supposed to be my arch nemesis. Of course he has to be a Javier Bardem lookalike with a five o-clock shadow and silky dark hair; the only imperfection marring his beautiful face a
long scar straight down his cheek.

“Encantada.” He purrs and his voice is both rough and seductive.

“And last but not least we have our troll leader, Zaros, who I believe you’ve already met.” Zaros gives me a sheepish wave but I’m too
shocked to wave back. I can’t believe that he’s here. “While you may have run into Zaros before few know that he is also leader of his race. His leadership philosophy is integration and he spends a great deal of time at Ex Nihilo and
its sister schools trying to better understand the needs of his people.” Mohan smiles widely.

“Let them eat cake I say.” Zander says dismissively, blinking his all-white eyes at me. I look around the room again thinking that
it’s like the United Nations on hallucinogenic drugs.

“We don’t have a moderator or a speaker but we do have a Council Chairperson which your mother served as, and we have yet to replace. We make decisions as a group efficiently and unilaterally and we put everything to
a vote.”

“Yes, and we have been waiting for some time for yours.” Alan says smoothly.

“Well I won’t make you wait any longer. I’m here to listen to what you have to say.” I say with as much confidence as I can muster and
Alan continues.

“The time for hiding in the shadows as mythical night creatures and freaks is no more. This Council has been shortsighted. We are powerful, intelligent and organized and there is no reason to pander to humans
any longer. The only question remaining is why we have done it for so long?”

“Do humans know about us?” I interrupt.