Chapter 1: Brianna
They found me.
My heart backflipped, and my stomach scuba dived further down my abdomen.
How could this have happened?
I ensured all my tracks were covered while I wandered the globe. Treviso was chosen to be a part of my voyage because of its privacy. Though it was located between Venice and the Dolomites, it was a safe town. None of their allies were here to report my whereabouts. Or so I thought: my location was still tracked.
Drudges lined the streets of Via Roma, pretending to blend in. To regular tourists, they looked like Italians going about their day-to-day activities. However, I knew better. Their scents were too distinctive to be mistaken. Nonetheless, normal Italians roamed the street, oblivious of the creatures on guard in front of Hotel Continental.
I blinked longingly in the direction of the bus station. Maybe I could continue running, leave everything here behind. My feet stepped forward. Some part of me needed the sovereignty, but the wise part, the nagging voice I hated, knew better. They would never stop hunting me down, not until I was caught.
I balled my fist at my sides, mustered all the courage I had, and stepped from behind the column I hid. The moment I did the act, all seven drudges were alerted. I froze. My heart went on haywire.
This was a bad idea. I could run. I was faster than any of these men.
Before a lecturing thought crossed my mind, I pivoted on my heel and headed in the direction of the bus station.
"Hey!" came after me.
I never acknowledged the cry. I raced down the street and threw a glance over my shoulder. The smooth swift movements of the men were almost unseen by human eyes.
Flicking back my gaze in front of me, I dodged an upcoming post in time before a collision. But, crashed into a parked vehicle nearby.
A sharp pain rippled through my arm. Yet, I wheeled, scanning for a way out. An opening between two buildings came into view.
Maybe it was a dead end.
My pulse hammered in my temples. Drudges came closer, both from left and right.
Darn it! How the hell did they get before me?
There was nowhere to run. Except for the opening space. My feet geared and I dashed into the alley. Spotting a garbage bin, a collapsing spell fell through my lips. The bin along with empty crates fell in the way, slowing down the men.
Another glance was cast over my shoulder. The men skipped through the obstacles; some even tripped on the garbage. A smile curled my lips to know their pristine shoes and suits were getting dirty. However, my happiness was short-lived when I smashed into something hard.
I staggered back before steading myself.
"Hello, Brianna. Going somewhere?" Mr. Griffiths, 'their' Advisor asked with a thick eyebrow arched.
I glanced behind me and released an exasperating sigh when the other drudges caught up to us.
"Shit!"
"Uh-uh," Mr. Griffiths made a tsking sound, "It's not ladylike to curse."
Boy, did I want to show you what was not ladylike.
An arm stretched out before me. "Do you want to walk or do I have to carry you?"
My eyes scanned the area for an escape route. This could not be it.
A loud sigh filled the alley. "I wouldn't think of running if I were you. You know how much of a low tolerance the mistress has for these things."
I swallowed at his words.
Oh, my gosh, I was dead for sure. I had to stop running. Now was time to face my fears.
I swiveled around to face the other drudges, straightened my spine, and plodded back to the Hotel.
Two more drudges were positioned outside my room door, awaiting our presence. Muted, one of the men opened the door with a wave of his hand. No key, no fingerprints, nothing. A glance was cast around my surroundings, wondering if any human saw his miracle. A breath of relief parted my lips at the realization of the vacant passage.
But, it was short-lived when a string of magical protection tugged at my mind. What if the cameras were on? Was breaking into someone's room even legal?
Mr. Griffiths cleared his throat, and my heart hammered against my ribcage.
Okay, I could do this, one step after the other.
I treaded into the room. Perspiration soaked my clothes; my palms were clammy.
Now was time to face the consequences. I was at the end of the road, nowhere else to turn.
I paused, contemplating if I should continue or turn and run. Lord knew I was not ready to face my doom. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
The drudge behind me must have sensed my thoughts and closed the door before I made a decision.
Darn him!
I gulped down the cowardice who threatened to overthrow the courage and continued forward. It was now or never.
In the room a couple stood beside the bed, engrossed in a hushed conversation. The male towered over the short curvaceous goddess. Her dark blue waves cascaded down the back of her red pants suit, ending midway down her back. Casual black pants and a red shirt clothed the male. His black hair complemented her blue. Out of the two, the female appeared scarier than the male.
After another inhalation of courage, I greeted in the sweetest voice I owned. "Mom, Dad."
The couple eyed me, disapproval prominent on their faces.
My feet took me closer to the mattress. "How are you, guys? I heard the weather in Redwood is great. Is it not?"
Their faces went passive. Father threw down a cream, silky paper on the bed.
I knew what the letter contained without having to read it. Hell, it was the same reason I was on the run.
I sank beside it.
The paper lifted itself off the mattress and unfolded in mid-air.
The swiveled signature on the dotted line at the bottom of the paper was the first to catch my attention. The distasteful signature which had caused this mess. My gaze passed over the packed body of words, past the subtopic, the address, and landed on the crest. The symbol of a wand with swirled cords was the image I could never forget. Grand Magical Institution of East mere written in bold italics beneath it. A University where the best witches and warlocks from all over the world attended. A school where goals were pummeled in students' brains. A school where only the strongest survived.
My stare slid back down the page and settled on the subtopic: Letter of Expulsion.
"Tell me," mother started. Her tone soft and calm, a quality that provoked fear in its victims. The calm before the storm. "How could it even be possible for you to get expelled?"
Well, there were a lot of reasons. She should have tried attending a school where a close relative had excelled in. Every second of the day I was attacked with scrutiny. Professors' beliefs and thoughts were thrown at me. Oh, your mother was the best student we ever had. Your mother got the hand of that spell on the first try. Why couldn't you be more like her? Your mother was a very active and alert student. You should have tried her way. Your mother… Your mother… Your mother…
A constant burden I bore, knowing I would never reach her level of power. She was and would always be one of the greatest of her kind. Her story was already written in the textbooks.
"Why did you run?" Father asked.
