can be any species, but they must be bound to a master. A magician ties the two together and the assassin becomes invincible. The assassin is then forced to obey every command of his master. He becomes mindlessly enslaved. We have a few known assassins in the school. Their masters are all intelligent, level-headed individuals, but it appears that one pair has gone rogue.
“Can’t you just evaluate each pair and find out who is committing the crimes. You know that the assassin must be a magician,” I say.
“That is the problem. No known assassins are magicians, and this one is covering his tracks very well,” he says.
“What would you like me to do?” I ask, knowing that I was not brought to his office for a mere discussion.
“This problem is much larger than just you, Miss. Annesley,” he says. “I am enlisting the help of each of my Elites.”
“Do you mean the Elites from each species?” I ask, realizing what that means. I will be working alongside people I have never attempted to associate with. How does he expect us to get along? None of the species hold any form of respect toward one another. We can tolerate each other, but people from different species have never gotten along well. We habitually remain with our own cliques.
“Yes, the Elites from each species,” he says, “but before they arrive, there is an urgent matter we must discuss.” I nod for him to continue, still shocked that I will be working alongside so many different people. “When you become marked, you have the right to any of the items you were left with as a child,” he states, pulling a sealed envelope from the table beside him.
I feel an overwhelming sense of betrayal and shake my head. My parents left me at the doorstep of the school as a newborn and never came back. I don’t want the letter they had left. “Keep it,” I say. I feel nothing but spite toward my long-lost family.
“After your assignment you may change your mind,” he says with a knowing smile.
The door to his office opens with a creak and a line of students step through. I don’t recognize any of them, but I know immediately who they are.
“Hello,” the Headmaster greets each of them with a smile. “Please, take a seat,” he says, signaling to the couch. I don’t make eye contact with any of the students as they take their seats, each spaced out enough to avoid contact. In total, there are six individuals seated around me. I am the only mermaid.
“Why are we here, sir,” a loud, graveling voice asks from the end of the couch. I can’t help but veer my attention in the direction of the guy. I gasp when I take notice of his appearance. He is handsome in a rough, unkempt way. His charcoal hair falls past his ears in a mess of waves and his sharp jaw looks as if it is forged from stone. I can tell from his pale skin and thin build that he is a vampire, but his lack of muscle is deceiving. Vampires are abnormally strong creatures.
“Mr. Lancaster, you know exactly why you are here,” the Headmaster states cryptically. “As for the rest of you, I will explain.”
He explains that people have been murdered and the Elites have been framed for each of the killings. He goes on with a long explanation, blaming an assassin duo for the shenanigans. “But with you six, I have the utmost confidence we can catch this killer,” he says.
“What do we need to do?” The vampire asks, cutting straight to the point.
“I need five of you to leave the academy and gather the ingredients necessary for a tracking spell. The Elite magician,” he looks at the magician beside me, “will stay here and set up the spell.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?” A girl beside the vampire asks. Her shrill, whiny voice indicates that she is a pixie. They are very innocent creatures, but the kindest of everyone. Of all the species, fairies have the most diverse friend groups.
“It is extremely dangerous but very necessary. Do you all accept the proposition?” The
Learning to Kill: Stories