Madison Keeys

Chapter Two: Oxford Academy

Was it too much to ask for this to be a nightmare? Can I just wake up, rewind to the moment I picked up Sebastian's wallet and then leave Europe forever?

"Maddy? Madison?" I felt a palm on my forehead as dad's healing warmth eased me out of my sleep. I fluttered my eyes, opening them to my father's face. "Hey, kiddo. You okay?" To hear his voice kicked out the final pillar keeping myself together. I cupped my hand to my face, shielding my eyes.

"No, I'm not. This is such a nightmare. What happened?"

"You fainted during the ceremony. We're in the medical wing." Dad was silent for a moment, "They told me you have magic."

I quickly pulled my hands away. The frown on dad's face felt like a punch to my already sensitive stomach. Was he disappointment in me? Ashamed?

"I'm sorry..." I barely managed, my teeth gritting together to stop the on flood of sobs and tears. "I didn't know-"

"What are you apologising over?" He reached forward and smoothed his thumb over my hand. He seemed to ask me genuinely, causing me to scoff.

"Do you know what they called me?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe it?"

He hesitated, "I'm sure there's a reason-"

"Tell them it was a mistake. Tell them there's no way I could be a Si...one of those" I shook my head, recalling the moment the Overseer whispered the words into my ear. He was so vague. He could've meant anything. He never said the words you are a Siphoner. He never said it.

"Hey, it's going to be alright."

"Don't tell me it's going to be alright!" I pulled my hand out from his. "This is the worst day of my life. I just want to go home."

"You can't leave."

"What? Why not? There's no way I'm going to stay here and actually study to become one of those things." Dad didn't flinch even when I felt my voice crack at the top of my throat. Quickly, I kicked back the bed sheets and detangled my legs. "This was such a mistake coming here. Let's just go back to the way things were. Pretend it never happened."

Dad eased his hand against my shoulder to stop me from climbing out of bed. He couldn't keep eye contact with me, hell, I was surprised he dared to touch me after learning what I really was.

I could see it in the way his eyes tightened, grief layered tears across his stare as his mouth twitched. The unease was contagious. I hadn't felt such intense energy off him since my mother had died seven years ago. Back then, the warmth that followed him like his own cologne vanished into an icy draft. It was a year later after her death before walking into the room with him stopped feeling like a freezer.

"You can't leave. I'm sorry sweetie, but unlike the other classes, you need to learn how to control your powers. It could come out at any moment. Affect anyone. You need to learn to control it-"

"No I don't. I don't have to learn anything. Just get that other Siphoner to take my magic away."

"Siphoners can't take away other Siphoner abilities sweetie."

Tears clouded my eyes, overpowering my self-control to will them back into my tear ducts. The words I wanted to hear, he wasn't saying them. All I could think of was how I first felt towards the Siphoner. It was fear. I feared him. Everyone looked at him like he was a real life monster.

"People will fear me." I trembled. The words felt too real. I almost couldn't say it. "I'll be hated."

"Once they get to know you, the real you, they'll love you as much as I do. I'm sorry Maddy. I'm so sorry I can't fix this for you. But trust me, you will be okay. Nothing bad will happen to you."