A Faerie's Secret (Creepy Hollow Book 4) by Rachel Morgan Read Free Book Online Page A

hand to the door. Do the trainees inside this room know about me already? Not just that I’m joining them, but do they know who I am? Have they heard the stories? The rumors? Do they know about the incidents ?
    I tell myself it doesn’t matter what these trainees have or haven’t heard. I focus on my mental fortress, making sure every thought is locked firmly within its imaginary walls. Then I push the door open—and the eyes of about twenty trainees fall on me. I’m too nervous to look directly at any of them. All I’m aware of is the sea of colors—blue, purple, red, palest green, and a dozen others—and the sudden hush in the room.
    “Ah, here she is,” says the man standing at the front of the room. “This is Calla Larkenwood, everyone. Welcome, Calla.” He gives me a smile that appears to be far more genuine than the one Olive gave me. “I’m Irwin, and these are the fifth-year trainees. I’ve already mentioned to them that you’ll be joining us, and they’re excited to include you in their group.” He gives the class a pointed look, which clearly means that no one in this room is excited to include me in anything.
    “Um, thanks,” I mutter. I spot an empty desk and head straight for it, keeping my eyes down. I slip into the chair and let my hair fall forward over my shoulders, shielding my face from the stares I have no doubt are still pointed at me.
    “Anyway, as I was saying before you came in, Calla,” Irwin continues, “we’re beginning the year by taking a more detailed look at Guild history directly after the fall of Lord Draven.” I hear several groans from around the classroom. Irwin looks unimpressed. “Come now, people, this is your history. Your history.” He points a finger at a girl in the front row. “And yours. And yours.” More pointing. “You lived through it. Some of your parents helped shape it. And when you’re working for the Guild one day, you’ll need to understand exactly what went into restructuring our government and our laws, what measures were put in place to prevent another fall, what policies and regulations were changed, how the PCAIM Commission worked, why the Griffin List came into being after we discovered where all the Gifted got their abilities from, why the reptiscilla guardian petitions were unsuccessful—”
    “Haven’t we done all that already?” a guy in the second row asks, interrupting Irwin’s long list. I can’t help agreeing with him. I definitely remember a question in my exam last week about reptiscilla guardian petitions.
    “Yes, it’s all been mentioned before, but we’re going into more detail on everything. So.” He claps his hands together. “Please turn to page seventeen.”
    The sound of rustling pages fills the air. I glance around and realize for the first time that almost everyone else has a textbook in front of them. It’s a textbook I decided not to bring with today because Ryn assured me no one ever starts lessons on the first day. I guess he was just as wrong about that as he was about Councilor Bouchard.
    I’m about to swallow my embarrassment and raise my hand when a book plops onto the empty desk joined to mine and a girl slides into the chair. “I thought you might want to share,” she says, pulling her chair in and smiling at me. Her red eyes are a little scary, but her smile is friendly enough.
    Relief courses through me along with the realization that not everyone in this classroom feels the same way Olive does. “Thank you,” I whisper as Irwin begins reading from the textbook.
    “Sure. I’m Saskia, by the way.”
    She turns to the correct page, and I scan the heading. Pardon for Those Who Committed Atrocities Under the Influence of the Mark . I try to focus as Irwin drones on, but I keep getting the feeling that people are watching me. Including the person whose textbook I’m trying so hard to concentrate on. I lift my gaze. A smile flashes across Saskia’s face before she returns her gaze quickly