Secrets, p.1
Secrets, page 1
part #3 of Destine Academy Series
Destine Academy Secrets
Book 3 of the Destine Academy Series
by Sara Snow
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 Sara Snow– All rights Reserved All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Other Books By Sara Snow
Destine Academy Series
Destine Academy (Book 1)
Destine Academy: The Return (Book 2)
Destine Academy: Secrets (Book 3)
Destine Academy: Prophecy (Book 4)
Destine Academy: Changes (Book 5)
Guide to the Destine Academy Factions
Magique
Abilities: The magical students. Alchemists, occultists, herbalists—there’s many branches of magic they can—and do—specialize in.
Symbol: Green line running diagonally from left to right and a green orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Magiques.
Head Girl: Nadine Landry
Head Boy: Aldrick Vieux
Metamorphe
Abilities: Shifters with the ability to shift into anyone.
Symbol: Yellow orb with four lines diagonally surrounding, but not touching it. Labeled with the word Metamorphe.
Head Girl: Tilda Richelieu
Head Boy: Laurent Voclain
Surnatural
Abilities: Preternaturals—students possessing superhuman powers such as strength, speed, and many other talents.
Symbol: Red line running horizontally from left to right with a read orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Surnatural.
Head Girl: Lisette Proulx
Head Boy: Corbin Chevalier
Voyante
Abilities: Oracles—seers, if you will. They can see your thoughts.
Symbol: Blue line running vertically from top to bottom and a blue orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Voyante.
Head Girl: Fleur Toussaint
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Chapter One
Caroline sat at the desk next to Nadine, her head still spinning after unlocking her first key. She was a Magique. The word still sounded foreign to her and it felt surreal that only a couple of days ago, she’d never heard of Destine Academy or a faction. Now, to her surprise, she’d already unlocked her key, confirming she’d made the right choice in joining the Magiques. Before she could discuss her plans with Nadine any further, students flooded the classroom. Caroline tried to pretend like she wasn’t watching for Aldrick to walk through the door, but the minute he did, she felt a flutter in her chest. Biting her lip to try and hide her smile, she pretended to look down at the textbook in front of her while secretly watching his legs to see where he’d sit. Her heart skipped a beat when he walked over to the desk in front of them and sat in the seat in front of Nadine. Caroline looked up and was surprised to find him looking at her.
“Testing out the factions, hey?” He gave her a small smile, the first one she’d seen, and Caroline thought it made him look all the more handsome.
“Uh, not exactly.” She felt lost for words.
Nadine leaned forward, “Caroline’s found her key. She’s one of us!” she whispered loudly. He looked at her eyebrows raised, his smile fading. He turned and faced the front of the room, and Caroline looked to Nadine, who just shrugged her shoulders.
The professor entered the room, placing his bag on the edge of the desk and scanned the room. His eyes fell on Caroline, and he stared at her long enough to make her shift in her seat before he turned and activated the SMART board behind him. Caroline stared at the back of Aldrick’s head, trying to work out why he seemed to run so hot and cold with her. One minute he was happy to talk to her, and the next, it was like she had the plague.
“Are we boring you, Miss Destine?” The professor asked, and Caroline felt a hot flush run up her neck and into her face as she realized the whole class was staring at her. Everyone except Aldrick.
“Uh, no. Sorry, Professor. ” she replied, not knowing what else to say.
“All students are expected to work hard here, Miss Destine. Regardless of their relatives.” He peered sternly at her over his glasses, and Caroline stared down at her textbook as he continued with the lesson.
Once she started reading, Caroline was surprised to find she was quickly engrossed in the words before her. It was like nothing she had ever studied before; the text was riddled with strange symbols and different languages. Yet, it felt like she was reading something she’d once known by heart long ago. She knew that didn’t make any sense—there was no way she’d come across this textbook before, let alone studied it. Caroline wondered if this was a side-effect of finding her key and unlocking her powers, and she glanced over at Nadine, wondering if the experience had been the same for her.
As Caroline read further, the professor's voice faded away, and she skimmed the pages faster and faster, feeling the need to fuel a sudden hunger for as much information as she could get. It was only the sudden screech of chair legs scraping against the floor that pulled her from her studies, and Caroline looked up to find that class was over. Aldrick walked past them without saying a word, and he all but pushed his way past his classmates in his hurry to leave the room. Caroline stared after him feeling hurt.
“Are you coming? We have P.E. next.”
“You have P.E. here?” Caroline asked, shoving her things in her bag before standing up.
“Sadly, yes. Not even the students at Destine Academy are free from the torture of physical education.” The girls laughed as they exited the room and followed their classmates into the hall.
“So this period is like the daily lecture. Everyone altogether but doing different activities. Obviously, the Surnaturals love P.E. since they all excel physically. It’s annoying, but they’re also pretty amazing to watch.” Nadine explained.
As though on cue, Caroline heard someone calling out from behind. She turned around to see Corbin striding down the corridor towards them, flanked on either side by fellow Surnaturals, “Ready to see what a real faction can do?”
“Give it up, Corbin. She’d already found her key—she’s a Magique!” Nadine called out, and Corbin responded by clutching at his chest and staggering backward, much to the amusement of his friends. Caroline couldn’t help but giggle.
“Oh, come on, not fair. How come you get out of P.E.?” Nadine groaned.
“What are you talking about?” Caroline asked, before looking through the bustle of students to where Nadine was pointing towards Eloise.
“I think I’d prefer to go to P.E,” Caroline said dryly as she stopped walking, letting Eloise come to her.
“You say that now. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” Nadine waved as she followed the crowd of students down another corridor on their way to the athletic fields.
“Hey, C! Don’t tell me you’re standing me up?” Corbin cried as he walked backward down the same corridor. Caroline didn’t answer; she just shook her head and grinned. He winked and gave her a little salute before turning around.
“You seem to be fitting in nicely,” Eloise stated, suddenly at her side. Caroline rolled her eyes.
“I take it I’ve been summoned?”
Eloise nodded and walked off without turning back to ensure she was followed. Caroline looked longingly at the various factions as they bustled and joked. With a sigh, she followed Eloise.
As they ascended the spiral staircase and walked down the narrow hallway to her aunt’s office door, Caroline realized it was the one place she’d have no trouble finding in the enormous academy—she’d been there so many times already.
As soon as Eloise stepped up to the door, it opened before them. Instead of waiting in the foyer, Eloise led her straight into the office, where her aunt sat behind the desk, reading something on the computer screen. Eloise remained in the doorway and silently gestured for Caroline to approach the desk. Hesitantly, Caroline walked towards one of the two chairs and sat down. Her Aunt didn’t look over as she continued to read, yet Caroline was too stubborn to look over her shoulder at Eloise for further instruction. Instead, she leaned back in her chair and picked at her fingernails, conscious of the tick of the clock that hung on the wall behind the desk. It sounded absurdly loud in the quiet of the office, and Caroline found herself growing more and more agitated as each second passed.
Just as her patience was about to give way and she storm out of the office, her aunt cleared her throat and faced her.
“I hear you unlocked your key today.”
Caroline nodded, tucking her hands beneath her legs.
“I would like to hear about it.”
“I would still like to hear how it happened to you.” Her voice was stern as she clasped her hands before her on the desk.
Caroline had to work hard not to roll her eyes and tried to keep her version as brief as possible. “There isn’t much to say. I was reading through the Charms textbook and came across a symbol. As soon as I saw it, my mind interreacted with it. The symbol moved off the paper and grew large—like a portal—and swirled with purple and teal. That was pretty much it.”
Marguerite Destine stared at her niece, and Caroline could have sworn she looked worried for a fleeting moment before her expression returned to her it’s neutral, ice-queen-like normalcy. Her aunt looked down at her hands as she finally responded, “Have you told anyone else about your experience?”
Caroline opened her mouth before quickly closing it. While she hadn’t exactly told Nadine the details, she had sat right beside her, and Caroline got the distinct feeling it wouldn’t be a good thing if she told her aunt of her friends’ presence. Instead, she shook her head, and her aunt appeared to relax somewhat.
“Good. I think it’s best to keep it that way for now. You will solely follow the Magiques schedule, which has already been provided to you by Eloise. Do you have any questions?”
“Yeah, actually I do,” Caroline replied, an edge to her voice.
Her aunt sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Go on then.” She permitted.
“First, and most importantly, is there any word on my mother and Justin?”
“No. I told you as soon as we know something you will too.”
“Well, I’m sorry if I don’t take the word of an aunt I’ve known for a whole five seconds and a father who’s pretended to be dead for the past ten years,” Caroline glared at the headmistress..
“If that is all then…” her aunt went to get up from her chair, ignoring her niece’s remarks.
“Actually, it’s not.” Caroline waited for her aunt to reluctantly settle back in her chair before she continued.
“Why didn’t you and my father tell me about Tempeste Barrere and The Entiere? Why did you let me find out about everything alongside the rest of the school? Do you have any idea how awful it was, finding out the truth about my family in front of a crowd of strangers?”
“Do I need to remind you, you’re the one that stormed out of here.”
“So that makes it okay? What? Did you decide to embarrass me in front of the entire school seemed like a pretty good punishment?”
“You're paranoid and quite ridiculous, Caroline. You were presented with the opportunity to discuss it with us like an adult, and instead, you chose to leave like a child. I am not responsible for your actions. Due to the reasons mentioned in the assembly, your father and I couldn’t prolong the announcement any longer. As I’m sure you can appreciate, time is of the essence.”
“What a load of crap…”
“I beg your pardon. Need I remind you who you’re talking to…” Marguerite cut in, a dangerous edge to her voice.
Caroline stared her down, refusing to be intimidated. “You and my father made no move to tell me anything other than the fact you couldn’t tell me anything.”
“Perception is an interesting concept, Caroline. You know now, and I suggest you leave it at that.”
Caroline stared at her aunt; her mouth open. Her dismissiveness was infuriating. “Where is Tempeste now?” Caroline finally asked.
“We don’t know.”
“Would you tell me if you did?” Caroline asked, and her aunt met her gaze. The two of them stared at each other, and for the first time, Caroline could see the family resemblance between the two of them. She took her aunt’s silence as her answer.
“That is all.” Her aunt replied with a dismissive wave. “You can join your classmates for what remains of P.E, or you can return to your room to study.”
Caroline stared at her aunt for a moment longer, but the woman turned back to her computer screen as though her niece had already left. Getting to her feet, Caroline tasted a trace of bitterness in her mouth as she tried to swallow her anger. Eloise still waited obediently at the door , staring down at the carpet as though it somehow made her invisible. As Caroline stormed past, Eloise looked up briefly with what appeared to be sympathy, only infuriating Caroline further.
“I can make my own way, thanks,” she stated, stepping past the woman on her way out into the hallway. Caroline didn’t slow her pace as she hurried towards the stairs, not wanting to turn back in case she found Eloise shadowing her. With each angry step she took, a plan unfolded. Striding straight past the turnoff to her room, she followed the corridor she’d watched Nadine walk down earlier. The sound of her hurried footsteps echoed off the walls, and for a moment, Caroline thought she could hear a second set of footsteps but refused to look back. Instead, she followed the raucous of her classmates, using the noise as a guide in the right direction. Pushing through a set of double doors, Caroline stepped outside onto a narrow stone patio.
There was a short set of stairs leading to an immaculately manicured lawn bordered by shrubs and flowers. It stretched for a few feet before sharply declining down a slope. Stone stairs cut a steep path downwards, and Caroline stood atop them, looking down. It still amazed her to see just how many students attended Destine Academy. The hill met the top of a stretch of bleachers that bordered an athletics field. Even from this distance, it was easy to make out the four different factions as they participated in various activities. Caroline took the stairs two at a time, eager to find Nadine and divulge her plan. When she reached the top of the bleachers, she stopped and placed a hand across her forehead, shielding her eyes as she tried to find Nadine among the groups of students. Closest to the bleachers were the Voyantes performing what looked to be a form of yoga. Fleur stood out from her faction with her flowing silver locks and grace, her beauty enviable even from such a distance.
To the left of them were the Magiques. As Caroline watched, she was grateful not to be among them. They stood in rows, equal distances apart, their legs at shoulder width and their arms outstretched before them holding kettlebells of various sizes. Together, they stood perfectly, still staring straight ahead. Caroline shuddered, thinking it looked torturous and moved her gaze along to the Metamorphes behind them. They appeared to be doing some kind of dance—like an interpretative ballet reminiscent of a fan dance, but instead of fans, they used their hands. With each pass over their heads, their hair changed color. The most impressive, however, were the Surnaturals. They took up more space than the other factions put together. At first, she thought they were playing football the way they ran up and down the field, covering ridiculous lengths with each powerful stride; however, there was no ball. As Caroline watched, she thought perhaps they were playing tag. Every so often, two of them would leap high above the heads of their classmates in a brief mid-air tackle before separating and landing gracefully on their feet. Spotting Corbin, she smiled, watching him effortlessly guide and command his teammates. As he leaped into the air, Caroline spotted the colored ribbon tucked into the pocket of his shorts. With a smooth landing, he dove into a somersault like he was dodging an imaginary missile. He bounced back up onto his feet just as the opponent miraculously appeared where Corbin had just stood. Caroline’s mouth fell open as she tried to work out whether the opponent had been invisible or had moved so fast she hadn’t seen him. Mesmerized, she watched as Corbin laughed and patted his opponent playfully on the shoulder before they appeared to start all over again.
Caroline leaned forward as she watched the Surnaturals run at each other again, this time half a dozen of them launching themselves in the air as they tried to separate Corbin from his ribbon. While she watched, time appeared to slow, and the rapid movements of the Surnaturals became a series of slower movements that suddenly made it easier to determine which way they planned to go. Corbin’s ribbon flapped in the wind as though beckoning her, and before she knew what she was doing, Caroline ran down the bleachers and leaped up onto athletic fields fence. Flipping off it, she landed on her feet and sprinted towards the Surnaturals, her strides fast and effortless. As she neared, she leaped into the air with her arms outstretched as she increased in altitude. Knocking two of Corbin’s opponents aside, she found herself level with Corbin. He turned and saw her, his mouth falling open in surprise as she yanked the ribbon from his pocket. Landing on her feet, she raised the ribbon high in the air and let out a whoop. She let go of the ribbon. It floated above her waving in a wind no one could feel. She saw the circle of light around it, teal and purple. Caroline frowned slightly, confused. The action seemed to break the spell, and the ribbon floated down to the ground. A hand reached down and picked it up, and she found herself face to face with Corbin, the other Surnaturals standing behind him looking at her with varying expressions of excitement and confusion.
