Contest: Cralti Academy Fairytale Creature Writing Contest

Host: soul_writer_17

Cralti Academy; the equivalent of prison. After four hundred forty-three years of immortality I'd think life would stop attempting to torment me. Apparently, that's not the case.

I press the elevator button and wait patiently, trying despairingly to block out the jabbering of an old woman singing opera. Several moments pass before an obnoxious ding echoes throughout the tiny room and the doors open. I step out onto floor three and glance around the hall, looking for room 306.

A loud commotion distracts me from my search and I find myself drawn to the sudden noise, curious to discover the reasoning behind it. In a dead end corridor a cluster of kids were playing a rather suggestive game of spin the bottle and drinking bottles of unidentifiable liquid; probably a magical concoction. Deciding to leave it alone, I quietly creep back around the corner, coincidentally finding myself standing before room 306. Knocking, I shove my hands through my hair and tuck them into my jeans pockets.

"One minute!" A shrill voice calls through the door moments before it flies open to expose a young girl with long brown curls and bright blue eyes. She smiles, a squeal of glee erupting from her as she throws her arms around my neck.

"Kade!"

"Catalyn." I respond, tensely returning the embrace. Cat pulls away and presses her soft lips against my cheek before reaching down to grasp and pull me into her dorm room.

"When'd you get here?" She wonders as she continues to pull clothing from a suitcase. I flop down on her bed and smirk, tucking my hands behind my head.

"Last night, I didn't want to disturb you so late though." I reply, thinking back to the portal I took to get from Dai's mansion to the academy.

"Cool, how's my cousin?" Catalyn questions, glancing up with a slightly more curious expression. I shrug, staring up at the ceiling as my last few moments with the Faerie Princess fills my mind.

"Kade, don't go." Dai pleads, grasping my arm with her pale fingers. I sigh, placing my bag on the ground and turning to face her.

"I have to, it's my job."

"My father can pay you so much more." She tempts, resting her palm on my chest. I roll my eyes, taking her two hands between mine.

"Yes, but to do what? You are in no danger Dai, you have the royal guard looking out for you and two of the best Guardians in existence. Catalyn does not." Dai snorts, prying her fingers from my hold to brush her hair back from her face.

"So what? He can still pay you more and you wouldn't have to do anything." She reasons, a cheeky smile playing along her lips. I bite my lower lip, shaking my head in frustration.

"You don't understand, I am a Guardian Angel. Not another one of your Ken dolls, I have a job to do."

"What about your sister then? You've barely spent any time with her." Dai snaps, despair clouding her voice. "You could use this as an opportunity to see her and get paid for it as a bonus."

"And then what of Catalyn?" I retort, running my fingers through my hair. "Your cousin, Catalyn Sparrow. She's in hiding because of you Dai and seem to care very little for her safety. I am going." Dai raises her chin up, setting her jaw and crossing her arms.

"Fine then, so be it."

"Fine." I mimic, sighing heavily. "And, to be clear, my sister and I have not talked because she does not wish to see me." Dai shrugs.

"Maybe you could've changed that."

"No, I can never fix that." I respond, gathering my bags once again. Dai sighs and brushes her hair over one shoulder.

"Okay wait, I want to know something." She urges, I halt and swivel my head to look at her.

"What?"

"That night, when I lit the hunter training center on fire and blamed Catalyn for it... you saved me and managed to hide your wings from the humans. How'd you do it? I can't seem to figure it out." She inquires, twirling black curls around her fingers.

"I used glamour to hide them from view, anyone without sight can't see through the façade. You, however, are unable to use glamour. Your magic differs from mine, I'm sure Reyn and Brendan will step in for me as your teacher."  I explain, Dai gives a nod of understanding and steps back into the shadows of the late spring night.

"See you then Kade, come back when the job is done." She says, offering me a smile from the darkness.

"I will." And with that, I step through the portal and find myself on the Cralti Academy campus.

"Kade?" Catalyn says, snapping her fingers in front of my face. I blink, my vision blurry for a moment before it clears and I find myself staring into her oceanic gaze once again.

"Yeah?"

"Did you zone out?" I nod, rubbing my palm against my eyes.

"Yep, sorry. Need help unpacking?" I question, Catalyn shrugs and climbs off the bed.

"Yeah sure." She responds and sets a box of items before me. "Ask me where they go, don't just throw them somewhere." I roll my eyes and position myself before the box.

"Okay then." Catalyn smiles at me from across the room, totally oblivious to my true reason for being here. As far as she was concerned, we were having an innocent relationship. But for me, she was my new Charge and I would do everything to keep her safe from the hunters that wanted her dead.