Laced In Shadow- Watcher Academy Book One

Entropy

*unedited*

The drive was silent and awkward, the only sound filling the space was Tab tapping her long nails together and my foot shaking against the car door. My fingers itched to grab my phone and play some music but I knew it would be pointless. Detailed in our acceptance letters were a list of rules and warnings.

Armina Serres,

  Your application to Watcher Academy has been accepted. We are glad to have another Watcher join our ranks. Before we begin our school year there are a number of expectations and warnings we inform each of our upcoming students of.

1. We are not responsible for PTSD caused by the images you may see during the Choosing Ceremony.

2. We are not responsible for minor or fatal injuries. Healers are on campus at all times. Be responsible.

3. Both Sorcerers and Warriors are prohibited from dueling.

4. Magic is to be used at all times. Practice makes perfect.

5. Phone use is prohibited and impossible at all times excluding the weekend.

6. If you hear whispers. Run.

Do not throw away your acceptance letters. You will need it to enter Watcher Academy.

Most of the rules were a given but rule number one had my curiosity spiking. Every Watcher has heard of the choosing ceremony and all who enter Watcher Academy have gone through it. Like the Shadow Trials, the contents were allowed to be talked about so I had no idea what to expect. I knew the basics. The Choosing Ceremony told you your light magic expertise and provided you with your very own weapon or amulet. Warriors like Tab and I would get "Chosen" by a certain weapon. Lillian would experience something similar but she would get her pick of amulets. Though from the stories I had heard in passing the amulet would do the choosing, not her. I had enough information that I wasn't going in completely blind but just too little to not be worried about it.

Rule number six along with number one were the only ones I had little information on. I knew there were a number of monsters created by the Fall but I wasn't sure which ones whispered. I shivered slightly. The thought itself freaked me out.

"Woah." I heard Lillian say from beside me.

I followed her gaze out the window and had to stop my mouth from dropping open. Ahead of us was a swirling golden barrier. As the car neared closer it looked more like lit embers. Pieces furled off of the barrier and floated past us.

"Hope you have your acceptance letters." The driver mumbled, speaking for the first time since we entered the vehicle.

Tab and Lil looked at me with a slight frown. I reached into my grey uniform coat pocket and pulled out the slip of paper lying in there. I looked to see Tab and Lillian doing the same. As we neared the fiery barrier I felt my skin tingle like little sparks were dancing across it. The car drove straight into the barrier and the feeling intensified. Our skin glowed as the sparks spread across our bodies like it was searching for something. When it didn't seem to find anything it fizzled out and the tingling stopped.

"What exactly would have happened if we didn't have our acceptance letters?" Lillian asked with a slightly shaky voice.

"You would've been burned to ash." The man said gruffly. When we didn't say anything he chuckled. "I'm kidding. As soon as you opened the letter its magic rubbed off on you. Like one of those stamps mortals use to get into events in the movies."

"Thank the heavens." Lillian sighed and slumped back in her seat.

I shrugged. "At least now we know the Academy isn't some crazy hellscape that kills its students for forgetting a slip of paper."