Voiceless Bird

Chapter 6

Part of Something 

The rest of my week was 'First Year's Introduction'. Which was just a fancy way of saying that we had to spend the rest of our week reading our new books. 

I passed most of my time by hanging around in Meraella's room reading or listening to her chatter and, quite often, complaints of Amie. She never once mentioned Remi and although Meraella ignored him, it didn't really work out as he didn't even talk to her in the first place.

Which only added fuel to her fire.

The weekend came all too quickly and I was dreading it. When I had first received the visitor passes I had immediately sent one to Misty. Now, I had to bear the consequences of having sent a pass to someone who probably hated me for taking her place in the Academy

Maybe she wouldn't come—after all she would be mad at me for getting into the Academy... Or she might because she was mad at me and wanted revenge.

Knowing her, I had a feeling she would take the second option and it was only a matter of time before she turned up.

I heard murmurs of chatter outside my door. I frowned, who was hanging outside my door? Was it Meraella coming to visit me?

I eased it open softly and was met with a sight out of my worst nightmare.

Outside, were Robin and Misty.

Crap.

"Omigosh! You're Robin Rochards!" Misty gushed, "You know, my friend Nightingale? She's in the Academy, but she was just a mistake- I'm sure I was meant to go."

"I would think that the Academy is free of mistakes." Robin replied, a bored look on his face.

My jaw nearly dropped—Robin half defending me was very surprising.

Misty lowered her voice conspiratorially, "How can Night get in? She knows next to nothing about anything and she doesn't even have any powers!"

Robin raised an eyebrow, "And you do?"

Misty smiled, "Well, I can make force-fields so..."

What? She had the power to make force-fields? I wondered how she had hidden that from me for so long. It was surprising and very unwelcome news to my ears.

Robin paused and raised his eyebrows; obviously deep in thought.

"Let's say I believe you. I would help you, but it isn't very easy to prove that the Selectors' decision is wrong. In fact I think it's impossible." Robin seemed slightly different, a bit more smiley and a bit less suspicious.

Oh no.

"Well," Misty smiled flirtatiously, "If we go straight to the Headmistress, I think it would be easy. What's more, if I get Night to admit she hates the Academy and wants to go back home, it'll be even easier."

Robin grinned roguishly at her and I forced myself to look past it and into his inner ugliness, "I'll help. After all, my parents are the Ruling Royals—they're pretty convincing." 

But as he turned away from Misty and he came past my door, his smile dropped and I heard him murmur, "Anything to get rid of Willow."

What did I do to invoke such deep hatred?

**

Misty held my casual Academy uniform to herself and looked into the mirror. After shamefully plotting against me, she shamelessly sashayed into my room, dumped a suitcase on my floor and smiled at the room like it was her own. Then she proceeded to look at my clothes in my wardrobe.