The Enchantress

1 | School vs Abduction? Let's go with Abduction

Where are you, Heir?

Ravenna Blacke felt a sharp sting across her cheek and jolted awake. Mistress Alyana glared down at her from where she was standing in front of her desk with her hand outstretched.

"Do you enjoy using class time to nap, Ravenna? Do you?" Mistress Alyana spat at her. Her golden curls bounced as she shook her head and frowned at her. She retracted her hand and smoothed over her floral dress. "I suggest you answer my next question correctly or you will be going to the principal's office."

Mistress Alyana spun to face the whiteboard at the front of the classroom as Ravenna shrunk from the glares of her classmates. Her teacher pointed at the equation written on the board.

"What is the meaning of the word evil?" Mistress Alyana asked, crossing her arms. Why, you are, sweetie. The finest of evils, darling. Ravenna's eyes darted across the room to her one friend in the class. The one person who would even speak to the mixed girl in class. Bea glanced away quickly from her stare.

She scanned the classroom, the people, and even the marble floor for an answer to the question—besides the one already given. The kids sitting in neat rows facing the front of the classroom continued staring at her, waiting for her response.

"Um, the meaning of the word evil is . . . bad?" Ravenna tried, going for an awkward shrug.

"I—you—what?" Mistress Alyana sputtered as her face heated with color. She sneered at Ravenna to go to the principal's office and for once not to cause trouble.

As she prodded Ravenna with a stick, Mistress Alyana pushed Ravenna out the door and slammed it in her face.

Ravenna awkwardly stared at the closed oak door and turned on her heels. Well, I'm in trouble. She sighed and headed toward the principal's office located on the highest floor of her palace-like school. So unlike her farmhouse two hours away.

She lived on a small prairie on the outskirts of the city. Her family owned a farming business called Blacke Farms, from which they got their money from. Of course, it would never amount to the outrageous wealth of everyone living in Ernest. Never in a million years.

She had started private school here five years ago, alternating sleeping at Ernest Prep Academy during the schooldays and going to Blacke Farms on the weekends. It was tiring—especially after a long day of learning pointless subjects.

But after the seventh time this week being sent to the principal's office, she might get kicked out of school. It wasn't that she was a bad kid, just that she was a bad student. It also didn't help that Mistress Alyana's classroom was equivalent to hell.

The teacher was awful and the students here were uptight and snotty. Even Bea.

Ravenna trudged to the principal's office and prepared for a four-hour-long lecture on "classroom appropriateness." Which she already received 46 times in counting.

. . .

"Ravenna Ezrie Blacke! Why did I get a call from your principal today?" Daeva Blacke, her adopted mother, whisper-shouted. She pinched the bridge of her nose and motioned for Ravenna to get into their rusty silver car.

"What did you get in trouble for today?" Daeva said in an exasperated tone. It really wasn't her fault. It was the seventh time that week Daeva had to drive two hours to pick her up from school because of some classroom issues.

"I didn't really do anything today. I fell asleep—but that's not why I was sent to the office. I answered the question, 'What is the meaning of the word evil?' with 'bad,'" Ravenna grumbled as she slid into the passenger seat of the car.