Elyza

Nine.

"Morning!!"

I fell out of bed.

Landing with a thump my vision was blurry, the Sun light snarled at me, acting like a bully. My head pounded like I'd hit it against the wall a couple times, the only thing that actually brought me comfort was Phoenix's wing brushing against my cheek slowly as if comforting me.

"Oh my god" I heard a gasp. That voice, so familiar; it was Zoe.

Shaking my head and steadily heaving myself off the floor and supporting myself on the bed "Sorry, i was in deep sleep"

When I looked up Zoe looked pale, too pale. Her lips were parted, breathing at a steady pace but her eyes were fixed on the bird on my shoulder. So it wasn't normal for birds to casually sleep in a cross breeds room? I smiled and stroked Phoenix's feather, admitting it's beauty which was as radiant as the sun "he's so beautiful"

"You have the Phoenix" she mumbled.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed wearily at the bird on my shoulder "You have the Phoenix. No one in this institute has ever seen the Phoenix, all we hear in the morning is its song of protection"

So that's what that noise was at 2am.

"No one has even seen it burn its self to the ground and resurrect from the ashes" she breathed "All except Coven"

I stopped stroking its wing and stared at Zoe, her words were true. She looked so stunned that she'd seen the Phoenix and even more shocked that it was in my room.

"Um...it kind of followed me last night. So coven said it could stay the night, I'm um-giving it back today though" I whispered.

she forced a smile "Okay, well I'll wait outside for you to get dressed! Breakfast is at 8am sharp" she winked.

I laughed slightly and stood awkwardly in the room. The Phoenix flapped its wings hitting me in the face in the process, how can one bird cause so much aw and surprise?

After having a quick shower, It took a good ten minutes to actually pick what to wear, who ever picked out this wardrobe wanted me to suffer every morning deciding what to wear. Finally I settled for black high waist jeans, a big grey oversized jumper since it was s bit chilly and white converse. Didn't want to out do myself too much, throwing my hair in a pony tail I retreated for the door with Phoenix on my shoulder.

"Go back to Coven please" I told it politely, it hesitated at first. Just staring skeptically at me but soon squawked and retreated down the hall the opposite way Zoe and I were going.

She laughed "Looks like it didn't wanna leave"

"I guess not" I giggled with her. We walked down halls, passed doors which were sealed shut making me wonder what was on the other side. Everything had carvings, everything had symbols, everything had secrets.

Soon we reached a double door, I finally felt fear in my stomach the moment Zoe pushed the door. I would meet other cross breeds and what if they didn't like me. There was a table in the middle, long enough that it reached both ends of the hall; three gold chandeliers hung on the ceiling.

I actually wanted to throw up the breakfast, lunch and dinner I had last night. People were staring, it wasn't just a simple subtle stare no they turned their heads as we passed. Not to mention some of these cross breeds looked utterly terrifying, some with horns; some with scales crawling up their skin.

Some looked normal. As normal as normal can get, but what I wanted was for them to stop staring.

I leaned in close to Zoe's ear "Why are they staring"