Between Shadows (Shadows Saga bk2)

Chapter 15- Enmity

Mara's tours had gone similarly to the first. They had started out with apprehension at this young person sitting as their representative, some even feared the idea of such a young person. However, by the end, she had convinced most of them. She had yet to leave a school without any signatures. There had been at least five names at each place. 

She was four days into it and she was about to get off the train where she would be met by yet another limo. Mara caught a glance at herself in the mirror and was afraid at what she saw. Her eyes were bloodshot and the dark circles she had seen before were even darker now. If she hadn't known better, she would think she was ill. 

Mara hadn't slept much on her train rides, and what little sleep she had gotten had either been invaded by her reoccurring nightmare, or Zander. She was getting tired of his games, each time he would say something similar, and yet, each time he would find a new way to torture her until he freed her from the dream or she was woken up violently. 

She nodded a welcome to her driver who held the door open and slid into the large back seat. As soon as she was in, Mara pulled eye drops out of her bag in an attempt to get rid of some of the redness. She then pulled out a mirror and dabbed concealer around her eyes, nearly eliminating the dark circles that were building up. 

She sighed as she saw the large school looming over them at the top of a hill. The look reminded her of Shadow's Edge, which reminded her of her cat, her best friend and roommate, of her own bed, and of Marx. What she wouldn't give to be able to sleep in her own bed again, what she wouldn't give to be held by Marx. 

Mara quickly shook the thought from her mind. If she gave herself over to those thoughts there would be no way she would be able to get through the next seven days. 

Mara's eyes stayed fixed on the building as they made their way, getting closer and closer each second. By this time, she was no longer nervous about talking in front of the people, she had already been to six different schools, and everything had gone fairly smoothly. 

She looked down to the folder in her hand that had the list of schools she was visiting, Moonlight. The paper said it was another all witch school, and there were three different prestigious covens. 

When the car pulled up at the front of the school, the driver went around and opened the door for her. Mara stepped out and straightened her blouse and dress pants before making her way up the large steps and going through the large, wooden double doors. 

As Mara walked down the large hallway, she could tell that her earlier thought about it being similar to Shadow's Edge was inaccurate. Sure the exterior reminded her of the school, but the moment she set foot inside, she could tell this place had higher standards. It even put Barkall Prep to shame. 

Mara strolled into a large, stark white office with a desk at the front. There was a small bar on the desk that read Secretary. The woman who had been staring at the computer with a phone attached to her ear looked up holding a finger up to Mara. 

Smiling in response, Mara stepped back letting the woman finish her conversation with the person on the other end. After a few minutes, the woman's soft voice carried over the desk. 

"You are Mrs. Crowland correct?"

"Um, Miss Crowland, Mara, yeah."

The woman managed a tight smile and led her into the room of the Headmistress. If Mara had thought the woman at Barkall had appeared strict, it was nothing compared to whom she was standing in front of now. 

The woman was dressed in all black, her brown hair pulled into a tight bun, and her eyes lined with dark eyeliner. Her lips were pressed together looking like a permanent scowl and the way she stared at Mara made her feel like a small misbehaving child.