“What do you
mean?”
“So far, you, Lorna, and I have been her only contact with the supernatural world. The only proof that it’s all real.”
Corri scratched her chin. “I’m pretty sure her own dreams and experiences are also proof…”
“I want to bring her here this weekend.”
“Here where?”
“At Grim Reaper Academy.”
The pixie’s eyes grew twice as wide. “Sneak her in?”
“In and around. Why not? With your help, no one will know.”
* * *
It was trickier than I thought. I’d made Sariel promise he’d never drop by uninvited again, and I’d had countless talks with my other three exes about how it wasn’t okay for them to follow me. Lorna and Corri were in charge of keeping them away. A mage and a pixie could always make a powerful team. If they were on the same page, that was. To my annoyance, the page they were on today was along the lines of “Mila’s plan is shit, but we’re gonna help because we’re loyal like that”. Not very flattering, but at least I could count on them.
I teleported with Yolanda straight to my room. The maids had just cleaned it, so it looked rather nice and cozy. Spring had come at the Academy, and all the windows were wide open to let the sun and the bird trills in. When she saw the large living room, the open-space kitchen, the attached bedroom and bathroom, Yoli’s eyes filled with wonder.
“You live like a princess!”
“Not a princess anymore, since my father disowned me, but they let me keep the room. To be honest, I’m not sure why.”
“Can I see your old room?”
“It’s not as impressive, trust me.”
I took her to the Holy Chapel next, which was empty, as usual, and we checked the scoreboard, then stepped outside into the warm afternoon air. From up here, we could see the ocean crashing against the rocks, throwing white foam up the side of the cliff.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I have a theory,” I said. “The Holy Chapel leads here, and the Unholy Chapel leads deep in the forest. I think the chapels were built to serve any supernaturals who want to come and pray. Not that many pray these days. In my four years at the Academy, I haven’t seen anyone that’s not a student or a professor here. But I’m thinking… maybe the twenty-two Grim Reapers still come here from time to time. To meditate. I know that if I become a Grim Reaper, I’ll miss this place. Even if I’m not exactly allowed on Academy grounds, I’d come to the Holy Chapel to spend a few minutes. Maybe check out the scoreboard and see who I’d like to mentor later.”
“What happens when you graduate? I mean… your generation. You’ll reap for two hundred years.”
“Yeah. Grim Reaper Academy will be closed. The professors will go back to their usual lives and return to teach the next generation.”
“I won’t be around then…”
There was so much sadness in her voice that it broke my heart.
“Hey. I’m human, too. It’s not so bad. Sure, I’ll have immunity from Death for the next two hundred years, but when it’s done, it’s done.”
She smiled bitterly. For a moment, our eyes met. She was shorter than me, but not by much. For her years, she was mature, and not just in behavior. One could tell she’d grow into a beautiful young woman. The signs were there.
“I want to go,” she said.
Her attitude had suddenly changed. I wondered what was wrong.
“So soon?”
“Let’s go to your room. I’ll show you something first.”
My heart started beating faster. She found her! Oh my God, she found my mother! I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, focused as hard as I could, visualized where we were and where I wanted us to be, and teleported both of us with a strained grunt. It was hard. I was practicing my butt off, and sometimes I was still worried I wasn’t going to get it right.