A Drop Of Rain

Chapter Three

Tarissa's POV

It's almost midnight by the time Court and Cami get back to the school. I was asleep, but they weren't exactly quiet. One of them even sat at the foot of my bed and yanked the blankets off. I groaned and reached aimlessly for the lost warmth, causing a giggle that I knew could only be Courtney's. I sit up and roll my eyes.

"Okay," I announce, "I'm awake. Are you proud of yourselves?" Someone, I assume Cami, as Court hadn't moved off my bed, flicks on the light. I'm temporarily blinded by the instant brightness, and shut my eyes again. This time they both giggle. I sit up and slowly open my eyes again, allowing them to adjust to the light. Once I'm fully awake, I stand up and hug my two best friends. We all part and I step back from them.

"So how was your-" I begin, but stop when their eyes widen and mouths drop simultaneously. I glance around behind me, trying to figure out what they were staring. Then it hits me. They were staring at me.

"Tara..." Court began, her grey eyes widening even more.

"You know how you were afraid you weren't going to get claimed?" Cami continues. I nod my head slowly, not following.

"Well... I don't think you have to worry about that anymore..." Court finished. My heart skips a beat. Did I... could've I... I walk slowly over to my dresser in front of my bed and shut my eyes, wanting to be surprised. I take a deep breath and open my eyes, and surprised I was. Staring back at me were two bright blue eyes. Not grey, not green, not in between. Blue.

"No," I whisper harshly, "that's not possible..." I turn back to my friends and almost scream.

"That's not possible!" I say again. They both just gape at me. Finally, Cami, the always level-headed one, takes my arm and drags me to the door.

"Wait, where are-" I begin. But Court, who was only a few steps behind me, answered before I could finish.

"Pratt." She says it so firmly, I'm almost afraid. On the long way through the corridors to Pratt's office, ten thousand theories run through my head. At some point, Cami's death grip is released, but I'm to confused to notice. Finally, after what seems like forever, we're at the Pratt's office. Pratt was the equivalent of a principle, and surprisingly a nice lady. Unless you were waking her up in the middle of the night.

Once she was awake and dressed, we all sat down in the chairs of her office, backs to a crackling fire.

"So, you believe you were claimed as water?" Her eyes burned through me, as heated as the fire that felt inches away from me. I nod my head twice quickly, and she laughs.

"What kind of prank is this? Take those contacts out now Chamberlin." She addresses me by my last name, but that wasn't of importance at that moment.

"They aren't contacts ma'am..." I say, barely a whisper.

"Cami and I saw her eyes change," Court chirps in happily.

"And when did this supposed change occur?" Pratt questions, suspicion crawling into her eyes. We all exchange worried glances, but Cami is the first to speak.

"We... we didn't exactly look at a clock. But as soon as we noticed we came straight here." I glance at Court, who's humming and tapping her fingers on her legs as if she was bored. Her best friend was just claimed as a race of spirits that died a century ago. No biggie. I choke back laughter until she decides to participate in the conversation again.

"Does this mean that more hunters will be trying to find the school? Because I read in my history textbook that-" Court begins.

"That's enough. Courtney, Camille, I can handle it from here. Go back to your dorms and get some sleep." I feel a pinch of fear at the thought of being alone with Pratt in the middle of the night, being one of the most dangerous people in the school. Court was right. Water spirits have more magic, and more magic means more hunters. Just me breathing was putting everyone a risk right now. My friends reluctantly leave, and I'm left alone with Pratt and the almost too hot fire.

"It's not a prank, I swear." But by the look in her eyes, she already knew that.

"I know," she says quickly, "your hair has lightened at least three shades since you've gotten here."

"Then why did you send my friends away?"

"You're concerned about hunters," she avoids my question ominously, "but you don't need to be. I've been waiting for you for a while. The prophet warned me you'd be coming but I never imagined it would be this soon." Her tone is almost cheery. She then stands up and goes behind the chair she's sitting in. She opened the cabinet that was behind her and started pillaging through it. She came out with a contact case, and hands it to me.

"Wear these. From here on out, you are still unclaimed. You will attend basic classes, and tell no one your secret. Go back to bed. You will meet me in my office tomorrow night during lunch. Understand?" My mind was buzzing but I somehow nod. We say goodbye and I walk hazily back to my dorm room. Court and Cami were still awake, chattering excitedly about what was to become of me. Cami had the courtesy to be quiet when I walked in, but Court still chattered on until Cami shot her a death glance.

"Okay so... basically Pratt said to pretend it didn't happen so... just go back to bed and forget it okay?" There must have been a confusion in my voice, maybe even a little bit of anger, because both of my friends obeyed immediately. I went to bed myself and slept dreamlessly.

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3rd person POV

Tate sat in the cheap, hard chair in front of the desk, awaiting his father. He couldn't stop thinking about his dream last night. The beautiful blonde girl, with the blue eyes and perfect smile... She was smiling at him, no one had done that in a long time...

"Tate!" His fathers rough voice boomed, bringing him out of his daze.

"Stop daydreaming like a little girl and pay attention." The son nodded twice to prove his father had his attention.

"I've gotten an assignment for you."

"Getting coffee or copying papers?" Tate asked snarkly.

"Not that kind of assignment," his father hinted. Tate's eyes snapped up. He couldn't mean at Grenwald... His father smirked at the sudden movement and began to explain.

"We have reason to believe there is currently a water spirit residing in the school." Tate's mouth dropped.

"But... Our kind killed off the waters a century ago..." Instead of explaining further his father stood up.

"You will enter the school, find the water spirit, and kill it. Then, and only then, are you to return to The Institution." The boy, only sixteen years, stood up, nodded twice, and went back to his room.

Getting into the school wouldn't be a problem, he could say that The Institution had sent him for surveying. This will be easy, he told himself, in and out and back home. He packed his things and went to sleep. Tomorrow he was going to kill a water spirit.