18.

“So last night was, um, normal for someone like me? I mean someone like us? I mean um…. an Immortal?” I got confused saying the word out loud. Principal Saint had basically just relayed the impossible to me. If what he said was true, then I was not human, or like he explained I was more than human, I was a witch, or what he called an “Immortal.” The enormity of what that meant began to sink in as my blood pumped charged and furiously throughout my body.

“Yes, well kind of. The extra energy or electricity as you call it you feel in your blood and unexplainable phenomena that you seem to be responsible for are parts of what it means to be an Immortal. When you move something just by thinking about it, or create something from nothing, these are all part of your….. powers. Each Immortal is different and unique. We usually classify ourselves into four different categories, but your powers manifested a little stronger than what should be normal for someone your age, someone who did not even know what she was capable of.”

I was trying to take what Principal Saint said as truth, but it was difficult. Everything I held to be true about my life, about me, about the world in general was not true. I was something different; something I assumed only existed in comic books and action movies. My mind was having trouble wrapping itself around the enormity of Principal Saint’s story; yet at the same time my inner being seemed to believe him without any hesitation. I had a thousand questions that needed to be answered.

“How many Immortals are there? What else can I do? Does this mean I’ll never die? Does this mean I’ll never age? Why are my powers so strong? Can I fly?” he cut me off with his hand and a small chuckle.

“No, you can’t fly. Well at least I don’t think so,” his eyes twinkled, he was relieved to have gotten passed my anger. His smile had softened his face and I saw him in a different light now, almost paternal. “Let’s see, there are thousands of us, living all over the world. There used to be more, maybe millions, we equaled the humans, but over time we have begun to die out,” his expression was suddenly full of sadness. “And you can die, eventually, and you will age. ‘Immortal’ was a term given to us a long, long time ago,” his smile had completely disappeared and he suddenly seemed older… ancient. “Thousands of years ago we did live forever, or at least it seemed as if we would live forever. We outnumbered the humans, although we lived in peace with them. No one knows exactly how we came to be, we were born into this world like everyone else, but we simply did not die. Our people would reach an age of maturity and we would age no longer; and we bore children that were like us, Immortals like ourselves. But eventually we began to die like humans, although our lifespan is considerably longer and we have been able to hang on to our special attributes,” I took each word in, feeling as though my head would soon explode. “I’m sorry to go over this so quickly but we don’t have much time.”

“Oh,” is all I said, my brain was on overload.

“We of course keep ourselves a secret from humans now that so few remain; they would have a hard time accepting us,” he smiled at Aunt Syl, who didn’t seem offended.

“But obviously Aunt Syl knew. So why didn’t I?”

“Well, you’re parents were gone and I thought this would be the best way for you to…. live,” Principal Saint folded his hands together and looked at me seriously. I realized that he didn’t actually give me an answer, and I had a suspicion that he was hiding something from me, but there was so much information to take in that for the moment his answer was sufficient.

“So I am a witch? Is everyone at Kingsley a witch as well?”

“Yes and no, you are a witch,” he chuckled slightly, “But not everyone is a witch. There are four distinct types of our kind. All four display very unique qualities and have been given different names; it is much like the different ethnic races in human kind. We are different, but of the same species. At first we did not have names for each other, but over time we have adapted names from the slang that has been associated with us; the names also help us distinguish between ourselves. Recently they have meant the difference between life and death,” he smiled sadly again, “There are the Lamia, or witches in today’s terminology, the Mediums or psychics, there are the Transmogrifiers or shaper-shifters and then there are the Proeliators, they have been called anything from gods, to angels to super-heroes; usually we refer to them in English as Titans.”

“But everyone can refer to themselves as an Immortal?”

“Yes of course, just like any of the different races of humanity are still referred to as humans; what makes us stand apart, but also stand together is the magic that we have in our blood. The tingling sensation or what I think you refer to as ‘electricity,’ that is your magic. You would be unable to function without it; it is your life blood. It defines who you are, I squirmed thinking about the men I supposedly drained of their magic. I may not have killed them, but it sounded like I had given them a fate worse than death.

“How did you know I call it electricity?” I asked, realizing I had always been very careful to never share that with anyone before.

“One of the special skills of our psychics is mind reading,” he smiled, and my face flared up from embarrassment. Slowly I remembered every time I felt my question was answered without asking it, from teachers and other students to Kiran. I buried my head in my hands; this had to be a teenager’s worst nightmare come true.

“Don’t worry; we can fix that for you. I can teach you the skills you need to protect your mind against others.”

“So everyone at school has been able to read my mind…. know what I’m thinking?” I whispered the question, completely mortified.

“Well only the psychics and I suppose, only those who were interested,” he acted so nonchalant I had a hard time believing he grasped the trauma associated with a sixteen year old girl’s private thoughts.

“Kiran?” I asked in an even softer whisper. I could feel my aunt smiling beside me.

“Yes, I’m sure Kiran has been able to listen to your thoughts. Prince Kiran is very gifted; it was probably no challenge at all,” he spoke so matter-of-factly, while my stomach took the roller coaster ride of its life. I felt overwhelmingly nauseous.

“What? Prince? What?” I barely got the words out. Did he say Prince Kiran?

“Yes of course. Kiran Kendrick is our crowned prince. I told you earlier we have our own monarchy. His father Lucan rules over us; he is our king and Kiran is the crowned prince. Please remember, we are are not bound by human law,” he reminded me. Excuse me, but up until twenty minutes ago that was the only law I knew existed.

“So the king is like my king too? I mean I like should respect him and bow and all that?” I laughed; it all seemed too medieval for me.

“Well yes, you’re supposed to, but I don’t think you’ve respected royalty as of this far, so I wouldn’t be too concerned just yet,” Now it was Principal Saint’s turn to laugh.

“They won’t like execute me or put me in prison or anything for that will they? You’ll explain to them that I didn’t know, won’t you?” my hands flew to my throat and I held onto it as if it were about to be chopped off. All of the times I was sarcastic and rude to Kiran flooded my memory…. oops.

“No, don’t be so dramatic,” he chided. “The royal family hasn’t put anyone to death in a long time, or at least a couple years,” his eyes looked out of my window and slightly glazed over. I knew he was thinking about something else, but I was too afraid to ask what it was and apparently lacked the skill to read minds, like the rest of Immortals. “No, you’re not in trouble, but please try to be more respectful in the future. In fact, I think it would be best if you have no more contact with the prince at all.”

“Why not?” I wondered if that was possible for me. Hadn’t I tried to stay away from him since the beginning?

“Well, he’s really here for only one purpose, and I’m afraid you have been a bit of a distraction. There are other reasons why you should avoid him of course. For one, your friend Lilly is a Transmogrifier attending Kingsley against the law. You see, shape-shifters were banished a long time ago. They are the…. lepers of Immortal society, so to speak. Lilly was attending school illegally and hiding her true identity. After last night they have taken her away to await trial. If you were implicated as having known of her true identity, you too would be sent away,” his voice was melancholy and he continued to stare out of the window.

“Lilly is what? What do you mean banished? How can they just take her away? Who took her away? She was trying to protect us! Where is the trial, I’ll go and tell them the truth!” I half stood up, ready to leave at that moment; I couldn’t believe that my one and only friend was gone, for reasons I couldn’t even comprehend. How could someone really be banished? Where did they go? What happened to them if they were caught? My throat tightened with anticipation and I mentally willed my nerves to steady.

“Please, Eden, calm down. Lilly is a shape-shifter; the monarchy banished her kind a long time ago. They are the outcasts of our society. They are to have no contact with the Immortal world,” I watched the pain flicker in his eyes and instantly realized that he did not agree with the edict. “And no, you will do no such thing; the trial will be held in Romania as well, in front of the royal family. If you were to testify on her behalf and she was found guilty you would receive the same punishment as her. We cannot afford that mistake.”

“So those men that attacked us, who were they really after?” I changed the subject, knowing it was a battle that I would not win, at least not then. I decided to think about it later, when I was alone. But the thought that Lilly would be tried the same as those disgusting men who tried to kill her made me physically sick.

“It appears they were after the crowned prince. They were apparently making an attempt on his life and had assumed he would be alone, with only his body guard. I’m afraid you girls took them quite by surprise.”

“His body guard?”

“Yes, of course. Talbott Angelo is Kiran’s personal body guard. He is a Titan; they are the royal family’s personal guard and personal advisors.”

“Of course he is,” A light bulb went on in my head, and I finally understood Kiran and Talbott’s weird friendship…. or relationship…. or whatever.

“Talbott and a handful of others are the only Titans that have been allowed to leave the king in a very long time. They had hoped it would be enough to protect the prince; I think they were quite surprised when it was you who saved them all,” Principal Saint chuckled softly. “Talbott is the only one young enough to go to school with you. The rest of Kiran’s guard try to remain undetected, and unfortunately were completely absent during yesterday’s attack. Luckily for them it was by the prince’s orders.”

“Stop calling him that. He’s not like real royalty is he? It’s like I don’t know….” I tried to search for the right word…. pretend, make-believe, fairytale? Kiran was the crowned prince of what was now the world that I lived in. How was that even possible?

“I’m afraid my dear, that the Immortal Monarchy is as real as it gets. They have been a ruling monarchy longer than any institution in history. And as immature as Prince Kiran is, he has the power over your life and death,” Principal Saint’s expression had turned grave, and I knew that he was serious. But I couldn’t be. Prince Kiran…. what a joke.

“So what, I have to bow, and curtsy…. call him your majesty?” I couldn’t hold back my sarcasm.

“I’m afraid the best course of action is for you to avoid him completely. He is here, like I said before, for a very specific purpose and you are only getting in the way. If you don’t leave him alone soon, his father is going to have something to say about it,” I blushed defensively. Wasn’t he the one always bothering me? Besides I didn’t see how I was getting in the way of anything. Moreover, I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to stop bothering me....

“Principal Saint, did you know my parents?” I nearly whispered, trying to change the subject, but almost afraid to hear the answer.

“Hmmm….” he smiled softly, “Please call me Amory outside of school grounds. Yes, yes I did know your parents. A long time ago, I knew them.” He looked up at me and an expression I couldn’t define settled on his face. “You look so much like your mother, Eden,” he continued to stare at me for several moments longer and I began to feel a little uncomfortable. “Now, let’s work a little on your powers alright? Let’s make sure no one can read your mind again.”

I nodded my reply. I had no idea what it meant to “work on my powers,” and I was not completely sure I wanted to know. I felt completely overwhelmed by everything and I wasn’t sure if I could take anymore. The electricity pulsating through my veins would suggest otherwise however and I felt almost itchy to exercise the supernatural force that was, as Principal Saint said before, my Life Blood.