Madison Keeys

Chapter One: Gifted

The first time I saw Sebastian Eastminster I was completely spell bound. I stood across from the gates to Oxford University just as Sebastian climbed out of a black sedan, dirty blonde hair combed back and the grey London sun curled around his collar. As he turned, a brown leather wallet drop from his pocket. I walked across the road, picked it up and tapped him on the shoulder.

The moment he looked up at me I froze. Eyes of grey blue, as stormy and shifting as the London sky shifted over my body. Everything about him pulled me in. The glint of British charm and polished wealth appeared like golden stone over his slender arms and neck. His eyebrows thick and dark brown, framing his pale blue eyes into a piercing stare. And as he smiled, the top corner of his lip lifted up, pinching dimples into his cheeks. 

"You opped this." I tensed and rattled my head, embarrassed. "Sorry, I meant you dropped this."

"Oh, right, thank you." The curl of his dominate, British accent tickled my ears. My cheeks warmed. He was so handsome. His blazer fitted the slope of his shoulders perfectly where his scarf, loosely wrapped around his neck, made the red badge on his shirt pocket pop out. Something sparked between our eyes as I noticed his stare tighten when looking at me.

"Sir Eastminster, shall we go to your dorm?" A man dressed in a black suit and a drivers cap rounded the car with suitcases under each arm.

"Right. Thank you."

As he turned I instinctively reached out, grabbing his elbow. "You're attending Oxford?" It was obvious that he was and a stupid question, but I couldn't just let him leave.

"You too?" He nodded to my hands where I had pressed my freshmen papers to my chest. "Congratulations on your acceptance, I'm Sebastian."

I melted into my shoes. He was princely, perfection. Before arriving here, I had my doubts about Oxford. The 20 hour flight over I was a fumbling mess, convinced this was a joke or an office error or a glitch in the system. If they tried to send me back now, I don't think I could manage the cab ride back to the airport. Before I could say anything , a woman stood out from the other side of the car. Much like Sebastian she had toasted warm skin and golden honey hair pinned up in a French braid. Her clothes were stylish in a crème matching top and pants and hung from her petite frame. She wore large sunglasses despite the cloudy weather.

"Sebastian, darling, we can't have our friends waiting."

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder. "Just a moment." He turned back to me, "Sorry, I'm sure I'll see you on campus. See you later." He nodded, his eyes hanging onto mine for longer than I was expecting. I nodded back out of my shyness and quickly stepped back. I didn't know much about him or his family. I also didn't know I was going to be spending the next four years running away from him. I would like to think, that if I did, I would've turned back and jumped on a plane right back to Australia. 

Being accepted at Oxford was an incredible honour. Even among those born into prestigious families and carried magic in their veins, acceptance wasn't always guaranteed. Since arriving in the UK the trip felt like a soup of mixing bloodlines, where the wealthiest and most powerful sent their sons and daughters to study. For someone born ungifted, someone like me, my acceptance was a damn miracle.

The narrow streets surrounding the university were crammed with cars, buses and arriving students on bikes. The excited chatter warmed the chilled breeze and dulled over the busy side streets surrounding the campus.

"Maddy?" My father's voice pulled me back. I glanced over my shoulder at him unpacking my stuff from the black taxi. "What have you packed in here? Your entire book collection?"