Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 11

My first two classes go by in a blur and, before I know it, I'm in the middle of my conjuring class and am standing in the gymnasium complex that is situated on the far side of the campus. I feel giddy and eager at the prospect of getting to show my powers again as several of the students are eyeing me warily as they recognize me.

I stand along the far wall with my back against the cold cinderblock as the others watch me in anticipation as the person before me finishes with conjuring their familiar.

"Kara Zen?" Mrs. Litt calls and I push away from the wall.

I take a deep breath, the musty odor of the gymnasium washing over me as my heart beats faster. I step forward across the basketball court and stop at the three point line, my heels tapping hollowly on the lacquered, wooden floor.

I don't have to chant this time, all I have to do is think it as I imagine the power I held when I was on the field. I can see glowing lines twining through the air, connecting the people to their familiars as I reach for them.

Mrs. Litt turns her attention back to me suddenly, she herself being an older woman with sable colored skin and bright, blue eyes, an unusual and beautiful combination that makes her look all the more like a witch.

"Kara, go ahead and try to hit the target," she says as she eyes the empty basketball court warily.

I feel a rush of nerves as I doubt myself and hesitate, am I really an Unfamiliar?

I think up a command for my familiar to step forward and I can feel the attention focus on me as students pause in the middle of speaking to each other in order to watch me. Every familiar in the room has moved and their eyes are focused on me as I can't help but smile.

Next to me, Mrs. Litt's eyes have widened as her lips quiver with disbelief and shock.

I command my familiar to attack the target and the gymnasium erupts into roars and howls that remind me of a summer thunderstorm that has finally broken loose. The ethereal creatures move forward as a wave, a vicious riptide to tear the target apart with a feverish frenzy as they move like a single unit. Deadly and wholly terrifying, even Mrs. Litt's familiar, a silver wolf leaps for the target to join the fray.

I am an Unfamiliar, I realize as I watch the carnage unfold, and I am to be feared.

****

Unfamiliar, scary, myth, legend.

These are the words I can hear being thrown around as I enter the dining hall. I can feel rather than see the heads turning in my direction, cupped hands flying to people's mouths as they talk to one another, their eyes darting and their words jittery.

They can't believe it, and neither can I.

I didn't mess up, I am an Unfamiliar.

I'm still in shock as I grab a granola bar, the only thing that is appealing to me right now, and walk over to sit with Astrid and Tessa, who eye me warily as I sit down. Luke is nowhere to be seen and I can only guess that he may still have a class.

"You okay? You look sick," Tessa comments as I get situated.

I open my mouth to say something, but her jaw drops and her eyes widen to focus on something over my shoulder. I turn around slowly in my seat to see that a girl with white-blonde hair is approaching our table from across the dining hall. I have to glance back at Astrid to make sure that she's still there because the resemblance is uncanny, though Astrid's hair is pulled up in a messy ponytail while the other girl has her hair down.

They could be sisters.

...Or cousins.

Three students flank the girl as they walk over to our table and stop a few feet away. There is a white tiger familiar that is following the lead girl, though the other students familiars are nowhere to be seen.

"Kara Zen," the girl says and a hush settles over the cafeteria as every eye turns to me.

The girl pauses, like she's enjoying the attention as the corner of her lip twitches with the beginnings of a smile, but other than that, she keeps her composure. It takes less than a few moments for the last of the conversations to dwindle before she continues to speak.

"I would like to formally introduce myself, I am Eleanora Hallewell," the girl states as she extends a hand that is tipped in glimmering, silver nail polish.

A warm smile pulls at her lips as I stand and take her hand and shake it, though I'm surprised to feel something cold and metal press into my palm. I don't get a chance to look at it though because Eleanora is suddenly speaking.

"I'd like to invite you to join the Coven of Midnight," she says.

I feel like I've been punched in the throat as I can only stare at her in shock. Eleanora seems to pick up on this because she smirks and lets go of my hand.

"Think about it," she replies before she saunters off with her entourage of friends following her.

There's a brief moment where every eye in the cafeteria is still on me as the whispering increases in volume before it dies slightly as I sit down, my legs feeling abruptly weak. Tessa and Astrid are openly staring at me now, the both of them wearing twin expressions of disbelief.

"What was that for?" Tessa rasps as her eyes continue to dart past me, like she's still watching Eleanora leave.

"She must really be an Unfamiliar," Astrid murmurs, seeming to have recovered from her initial shock as she glares in the direction of Eleanora, "since I haven't been inducted to the coven."

I can hear bitterness in her voice and for a moment, I feel guilty but she gives me a reassuring smile.

"So it's true?" she prods as she cracks open an energy drink and takes a healthy swig.

I lower my voice as I see a couple of students look in our direction like they can hear us.

"Yes, it's true."

"What do you mean?" Tessa squawks, like she can't believe it.

"Keep your voice down," I hiss as I see a few heads turn in our direction.

"Sorry," she mouths as she looks down at the table.

"I'm an Unfamiliar," I say, and the words feel right as I say them.

"Kara, they don't exist," Tessa argues, "you must have done it wrong or something," she says, but she doesn't get to finish because I begin to picture her dove.

It doesn't take much to find the same power to conjure her familiar, and before I know it, Peace is sitting in the center of the table.

Tessa blinks incomprehensively at her familiar for a moment before she looks up at me with wide eyes.

"You weren't joking," she whispers.

"Of course she wasn't," Astrid mutters as she rolls her mascara lined eyes and focuses on me, "what did my cousin give you? I saw her put something in your hand."

I'm reminded then of the cold item in my grasp and I look down and open my clenched hand.

In my palm there is a brushed nickel locket that is slightly larger than a quarter coin and it's attached to a long, silver chain. On the face of the pendent there is a small, round moonstone that is encompassed by a black band that has the phases of the moon printed on it in silver.

I open the locket to see that a tiny piece of paper is folded inside.

Meet us at Midnight tomorrow night in the gymnasium, don't be late.

I can't help but smile as I read the note before I look up as I feel like someone is staring at me. Tessa and Astrid are looking at me, but I don't really notice as I see past them, catching eyes with Ava who is sitting a few tables away. She's scowling at me and I feel a rush of power.

She was jealous of me.