Night Witch (Book 1) ✔️

16 - Why are all boses assh*les?

I finally make my escape an hour later after we've exhausted every hallway, all three libraries, the gardens, training field, practically every classroom, and the teleportation room.

We had ended the tour standing in front of the desk by the main doors. "Now, I understand you do not have a family affiliation on file. Some of our students prefer to keep their bloodlines secret but it would be remiss of me not to ask. While I have you here, would you like to update your history?"

Kit frowned at him. "Bloodline?"

"We prefer to keep that to ourselves." I broke in to stop Kit from saying something she might regret. I'd forgotten to warn her how much prodding about her parentage she was likely to get. Her actually not knowing about our grandmother's specific allegiance was a blessing as she wouldn't be lying when she said she didn't belong to any bloodline. Well, she wouldn't be telling the truth but if you were ignorant of the truth is that really such a crime?

The principal shrugged. "It simply helps to establish ties, so I thought I'd ask."

"I did my schooling at Starcrest. So you can see my family does not like to be tied down." I threw in that little tidbit to let him know that the great social pressure that had been applied to get Kit accepted here was no fluke. We had family, we just didn't flaunt it.

All of this went over Kit's head of course. She seemed happy to let the subject end until I turned and took a step towards the door. Kit gripped my sleeve with a surprisingly strong hold. Her pupils expanded as she realized it was time for her to take her first steps in this new world without me.

We stood like that for a moment, the principal looking on curiously.

"I don't have a backpack." Kit had finally settled on what she thought was a good reason.

The principal came to my rescue and I almost declared my love of him right then and there. "Many of our students don't carry backpacks as the curriculum tends more towards practical application. I will fetch you a notepad and pen and then we'll get you off to your first class."

As he turned to do that, Kit's hand started trembling where it gripped my sleeve. "I can't do this, Cassie. I don't know anyone. I don't know magic. I'm not like the people here."

"You should be very proud of that fact." I realize I erred when her entire body seizes up. I let out a sigh, shaking off her grip to push my hand along my ponytail. "Listen, these kids are just like the kids back where you grew up, just better dressed. Yeah, they've been trained since birth and you haven't but you have more talent and power in your right pinky than they could ever hope to. I have no doubt you'll have caught up and then some within a week given your propensity to be a perfectionist and overachiever."

I drop a kiss on her forehead.

"You don't have to be at work today, why do I have to be at school?"

She'd graduated from terror to anger, I see.

"I have to fill out paper work, so trust me you're getting the better end of this," I reply dryly. "I'll pick you up at the last bell, promise."

And then I turn and actually leave without giving her an opening. I manage to time it perfectly as the bell starts to chime as I walk through the door, leaving Kit no choice but to grab her schedule and head for her first class.

Which is how I found myself pulling up to Mystica Police HQ feeling a little guilty. Maybe I shouldn't have abandoned her like that. I had been younger when I was tossed to the wolves, and certainly armed with more knowledge, and look how that had turned out. Trying to put that unsettling thought from my mind, I parked in one of the spaces reserved for people visiting on police business and pushed open the door.