The Hunter Academy

~Çhapter Førty-Føur~

I clenched my eyes as I felt something sting my nostrils. I crinkled my nose and peeled an eye open.

I instantly regretted it.

I was immediately blinded by the raging fire that rose from the floor.

My hands shot out on instinct as I clenched my eyes shut. I gripped around, trying to find anything to grab onto to help me out the room.

I wouldn't have been able to see even if my eyes had been open since the smoke made my eyes water and was so thick that it would be impossible to see through.

My hands grappled around until I grabbed onto something, the bed post!

Okay, okay, I knew where to go from here.

I took a cautious step forward and another and another.

I was about to sprint for the door when I felt heat emanating from in front of me. I froze and tried to back away but my foot collided with something that shouldn't have been there.

I fell backwards onto my ass.

I could feel the flames coming closer to me, licking my skin and causing me to sweat.

I opened my mouth to try and scream but smoke filled my lungs.

Except it wasn't smoke.

It was too think to be smoke, it didn't even feel like a gas but a liquid as it clogged my throat.

I couldn't breath anymore. I clawed at my chest as it began to burn. I opened my eyes to see the fire literal inches away from my face.

I could hear people screaming for me on the other side of the fire but I couldn't see them and I could barely even hear them over the roaring in my ears.

I grabbed onto something behind me and stood on shaky legs.

My vision was beginning to dim and I was going to pass out any minute now.

I squinted at the raging red flames before running straight into them and-

My eyes jolted open and the entire world tilted as my eyes readjusted.

I groaned and rolled onto my front. Too tired for school. I wish I could bunk but I was already in trouble and if I didn't go today Mrs.Vixen might just rethink her decision to not punish me or my friends.

I rolled out of bed - literally - before going to the bathroom for a shower.

The cold shower helped wake me up fully. After that nightmare I was mentally exhausted even after a nights sleep. I always had the weirdest dreams that left me feeling physically drained the morning after.

I trudged down the stairs and briefly contemplated staying in the house to have breakfast but my friends would want to see me, especially after yesterday.

The wind whipped my hair forward and I sighed, tugging my jacket closer to me, before tying my hair back in a messy ponytail.

The hall was already full by the time I arrived and everyone was practically shouting just to be heard by the person next to them.

I didn't even have time to start walking to my usual table before I was engulfed in a hug.

"Oh god Archer," Zac whispered in my ear. "Stop doing this to me, I swear I'm going to die of a heart attack if you keep doing things like this."

I laughed. "I'm fine Zac don't worry about it."

Amara had to pry Zac off of me - she was laughing the whole time - just so I could sit down and once Zac realised what he did he turned red.

"What happened?" Lucas asked in a hushed voice.

Julian looked around for anybody listening in before nodding his head, it was safe.

"There were cameras down there," I whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I'll find a way to jam them," Amara replied and immediately grabbed her sketchbook filled with different machines she planned to build.

"What happened in Mrs.Vixen's office?" Julian asked.

I shrugged and peered past Amara's shoulder to watch Mrs.Vixen but she was already looking at me intently.

"I got off scot free," I replied as I had a staring competition with Mrs.Vixen.

"What?" Zac shouted. "I've never gotten out of anything scot free."

"She said she didn't have a punishment for me."

"I don't believe that," Lucas shook his head.

"Me neither," Amara said.

I shrugged. "It's just what happened."

Mrs.Vixen cleared her throat before standing, waiting patiently as nobody seemed to notice she wanted to make an announcement.

I thought she would've been used to it by now but from her clenched jaw I could tell it still irked her that people weren't as observant or discipled as she would have liked.

Eventually the chatter simmered down to a reasonable volume and Mrs.Vixen smiled.

"Morning Hunters. Now, as I'm sure you are all aware, your exams are in two weeks."

She looked over to me and I saw her eyes glint. "However, security breach in a the school has made us rethink our security. The exams are all going to be shifted so they are one week earlier then planned and you will be allowed to leave the school grounds as soon as you have completed them all."

She sat down and a collective groan went up but my mind was still spinning. All the exams are one week earlier.

I would have to start revising tonight if I want to pass. Everyone would have to be revising 24\7 to be prepared enough to pass. We wouldn't have time for anything else...we wouldn't have any time to do anything else - like snooping around.

Clever.

I smirked weakly at everyone at the table as they panicked. "I guess I didn't get off across free after all."

"I guess we all didn't get off scot free," Zac corrected.

"Change of plans," I stated. "Amara forget about blocking the cameras just focus on studying for now and we'll start snooping after we - after you guys - get back from Christmas break."

I didn't even get to leave the school grounds, I had to stay here, while everyone else got to go home but I guess it was for the better - I would have to be dragged back here if I got to see my adoptive family again, I would never come back willingly.

"Come on," Julian said as he got up.

"Where we going?" Amara asked.

"Library, revision - actual revision this time," Lucas answered, we all shared a little smile at the last time we used that excuse.

I rolled my shoulders as I stood up, I was tense, I could feel my chest tightening as a thought passed through my mind.

I was going to get everyone here expelled somehow but I knew them well enough by now. They wouldn't give up until we got to the bottom of this. And that's what scares me, that they'll get expelled or redirected and it will be all my fault.