Awakened (Unbound, Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Walking down the hallway, I had every intention to go to fourth period with Mr. Jenzen. When I reached his door, I stretched out to pull it open and stopped myself, clenching my fingers into a fist before I could turn the knob. The thought of having to talk to him made me want to scream. What would I say? The school was a crock? Devland was a joke? The only thing I could think of was how Duvessa was supposed to pay for what she'd done and wouldn't. So, instead of doing as I was supposed to, I kept walking, promising myself that I would make it to fifth.

To ensure that I didn't miss it, I walked over to the corner of the hallway and went through the security process to get into the towers, no longer phased by the prick in my thumb. It was at least forty-five minutes before class was to begin, but I didn't care. I just wanted to walk around and feel magic. It was the best place for it, so full of users that I didn't even have to drop my shield in order to feel the effects. It wasn't addictive like I'd thought while I was bound; rather, it was soothing. Like being connected to something bigger than myself. At least, when the people using it had the right intentions, it felt... like home.

I jogged up the winding stairs and let myself through the second part of the security system, poking my head through the doorway to see if anyone was in the hallway. When nobody shouted at me, I went in, allowing the door to close behind me. Did they even give students heck for wandering up here? Detention? I didn't know, but I was going to try to be quiet as I looked around.

All the doors were closed, the windows covered.

I walked around, sensing the different levels of magic and somehow felt calmer even though I couldn't see what was being done. I could feel the difference between beginner and experienced. The closer I got to the corners, the stronger it seemed to get, as though the school segregated the students by levels. It made sense, I guessed. It would be redundant to put a WC-1 class beside a WC-5 class, then a WC-3 or something after that. What if the students talked? Or figured out what the class beside them was trying to do, and tried it for themselves? Then again, what if the more experienced students were able to help the beginners?

For as much as Grimas spouted growth and accomplishment, the school could be very short-sighted.

Thinking about the structure of the tower classes kept my mind from wandering to the issues that I had wanted to set aside until I could talk to Devland, and I walked the corridors for over a half hour, stopping at a few doors when I overheard teachers giving lectures. That only lasted while they were talking. Then I had to move on because they lowered their voice or assigned the students a task and stopped speaking altogether. With only ten minutes left, I stopped in the bathroom and then went to my assigned fifth period to wait for the bell to ring, leaning against the wall opposite the door.

Once the students left, I sighed and went inside, taking my place in the front row. I didn't say a word to Mrs. Hendrey, nor did she offer a hello. Only two months. Then I could move on, hopefully out of the tower classes, though I was interested to see what was taught in WC-10. What happened when students moved past that level? Were there specialties? Or was there a university that I didn't know about? One-on-one tutoring for those interested in learning more?

Maybe that's what Devland's pressing Council business had been?

"Okay, class!" Mrs. Hendrey called, and I looked up to find that she was already watching me as though she'd tried to get my attention more than once. Her eyebrow raised. "Are you ready to begin?"

I nodded, pressing my lips into a thin line.

"Alright then, today we are going to start a new part of the syllabus. It's why I altered the order," she said, smiling as she finally looked around the room. "I wanted to discuss figureheads in the community closer to the full moon as that is the time that members of the community who pass on are ferried into their next life."