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CALL OF THE SIREN

OBSIDIAN COVE SUPERNATURAL ACADEMY BOOK 1

JARICA JAMES
Copyright © 2019 by Jarica James
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical
means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission
from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover by Jodielocks designs

Formatting by Inked Imagination
Editing by Meghan Daigle
WARNING

Call of the Siren is a reverse harem, new adult romance. It is

intended for readers 18 and up, and does contain some triggering
elements (violence, torture and assault)
THANK YOU

Thanks to my author friends and author groups for always

supporting and encouraging me, this community is the best!

Thanks to AJ for keeping me on task and sending unicorns when I

have bad days.

Thanks to Katie for always giving me amazing advice and being an

amazing friend

Thanks to Ash for being an amazing reader and making me want to

write! Your encouragement is appreciated!
CONTENTS

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue

Afterword
Also by Jarica James
M y eyes scanned the courtyard of the school in the
distance. The bell chimed for class as I waited with my
eyes trained on the ground below, hoping to catch
anything weird about the students. Our target was here, that much
we knew, but it was our job to determine who and what they were.
My money was on the quiet girl, the one who stood out from the
crowd. My anger boiled every time I saw them shove her or laugh at
her expense. It's disgusting the way humans treat each other.
My comm beeped before voices crackled in my ear. "I think it's
the brunette with her head down. By the fountain."
"That was my thought too," I answered back as I landed on the
top of the bridge nearby and sat still. "I've got night watch."
The others all said their goodbyes, and the comm went silent,
leaving me to my thoughts. I kept my perch, using my ability to
control the shadows to surround myself in darkness, invisible to the
naked, untrained eye. Even though we took turns, I always preferred
to take the night shift. Darkness was my thing, and I'd catch far
more after nightfall than the rest of my team would.
It was hours before I saw any movement. One solitary person
walked out, arms wrapped around herself like she would blow away
if she let go. Her steps were hurried as she made her way towards
me, and I couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle as she greeted the
twin gargoyle statues below me. My heart stopped when she leaned
over the edge, only relaxing again when she sat down, her feet
dangling over.
Could she be our target?
February 19
Evening
Lennox

I t wasn’t easy being the most hated student at Obsidian

Cove Preparatory Academy. Sure, there were the
occasional moments that someone did something and
became the talk of the school, like who slept with who and all that,
but I was constantly the main target. It had been the theme for
almost four years now, though I had no clue why. If I smelled bad or
there was some obvious reason for it, it might have been an easier
pill to swallow, but I was pretty normal.
Everything had been fine at the beginning of freshman year. My
parents dropped me off, I got settled into my dorm room, and even
liked my roommate. It was exciting being here, feeling like we were
special and grown up because we had the freedom to live on our
own. Then one day everyone just turned on me. I went from getting
along with my classmates, to being the target of their ridicule. I had
a sinking suspicion that it was because one of the guys in our grade
started talking to me, and Clara, my main bully, liked him too. It only
takes one rumor to bring down a person, and I've heard several
ridiculous ones over the years, each one turning more and more of
my classmates against me. I would never understand how someone
like Clara could intimidate so many, she was small. She may be
small, but she’s ruthless, I reminded myself.
Thankfully, it never got physical, they just made every waking
moment a living hell. Even my room wasn't a sanctuary since my
roommate was just as bad. Though, now that it had been a few
years, she ignores me more than anything. I even got a break on
the weekends because her parents lived nearby and always had her
come home for the weekend. The school was no help; I requested
to get my own room several times, but they refused to 'bend the
rules' for me, even though they never seemed to worry about doing
that for my Clara and her lackeys.
After a particularly nasty mealtime, where bits of hamburger
were thrown at my head, I went up to my room and grabbed my
coat so I could go for a walk. I still had thirty minutes until curfew,
which was the perfect amount of time for me to clear my head. Plus,
nobody would want to stand out in the cold in the middle of
February, which meant I'd have the grounds all to myself. I shook
the last bits of food from my hair and pushed the anger aside. I
refuse to let them win, their words don’t mean anything.
The front doors of Obsidian creaked open ominously, the echo
reverberating through the empty halls. Snow was falling lightly,
blowing around in the soft breeze that swirled through the
courtyard. The grass and sidewalks were dusted lightly, the icy
sheen sparkling in the moonlight. Everything was still and peaceful
out there; the tension eased in my muscles, and I breathed in
deeply, letting the hurt and anger fall away with every exhale.
The courtyard opened up to the front gates of the academy.
Beyond that was a single lane road that parted the trees and led
over a stone bridge that had the academy's symbol carved into the
pillars. The little gargoyles glared down at me as I passed, looking
far more sinister than any school symbol should. Maybe that’s why I
like them, though. They don’t quite fit the prestige of this school,
and neither do I.
"Hello, boys," I quipped, patting the closest one on his horns
before taking a seat on the edge of the bridge, dangling my feet
over. The dark, inky waters of the Obsidian Sea swirled violently
below me as I peered over the edge. Our school was on the edge of
the coastline, a small sliver of the sea separating us from the rest of
Obsidian Cove.
Something about the dark water called to me... the kind of call I
had a really hard time shaking off. It pulled me in, almost literally,
with an overwhelming urge to dive into the frigid waters below.
Which would probably kill me. Which they would probably all like.
Which is why I haven’t done it.
The thing that bothers me most about it is that Clara seems to
hold all the power. Sure the others jump in and never miss a chance
at what they call ‘fun’, but she is the puppeteer, always using her
influence to make others act how she wants them to. Even her own
friends don’t seem to think on their own. Fuck, focus on something
else, Lennox! I looked back over the sea, desperately trying to numb
my feelings.
The sound of the water helped relax me even further, my
thoughts drifting again to the places I couldn't wait to go after this.
Obsidian Cove Academy had an extension program that was a fully
accredited college, so if I wanted to stay for four more years, I
could. But the very idea made me want to dive into those dark
depths for a whole new reason.
The bell tolled in the distance, signifying that I had fifteen
minutes until curfew. I wasn’t one to challenge the school staff;
detention was no place for a person like me at this school. With a
sigh, I stood up and stepped away from the edge, working my way
up the path that led back to the building. My stomach knotted with
anxiety as my hand touched the door. Please let me slip by
unnoticed, for once.
Obsidian Cove Academy loomed in front of me, the dark stone
exterior reflecting the moonlight and illuminating my own personal
Hell on Earth. Thankfully, as a senior, I'd be done with this place at
the end of this semester. I can’t fucking wait.
My footsteps echoed along the path, the only other noise was
from a coyote howling in the distance. The cold winter air kept
everyone from loitering out here, which was why I chose it in the
first place. Plus, the bridge was my happy place. Once I was inside
with the door closed, I shook off the snow and turned to walk
upstairs. A familiar voice startled me, the sound grating on my
nerves immediately.
"Oh look, it's Lennie. Talking to your imaginary friends outside?"
Clara teased, giving me an obvious once over as her mouth twisted
in disgust. I didn't bother saying anything back; instead, I just rolled
my eyes and walked directly into a wall of muscle. Cue her evil twin,
Alistair. Clearly, their parents were into super pompous names. They
were also clearly raised with no manners or morals.
"Don't touch me, I don't want your pariah germs rubbing off on
me," he said as he jumped back, letting me fall hard on my knees. I
just glared at him, picking myself up and heading for the stairs.
"Going to go cry, Lennie?" Clara called after me, her whole body
shaking in laughter as she whispered back and forth with Alistair.
They were like two dark haired, green-eyed demons, intent on
making me break.
"I don't cry over assholes anymore," I called back as I flipped her
off over my shoulder. They used to be able to break me, leaving me
sobbing and running through the halls on more than one occasion,
but not now. I'd gained a backbone since freshman year, I no longer
cry and pity myself, but I also choose not to fight back. Having
violence on my record wasn’t the way to get into a good college.
Instead, I kept my head down and my record clean, so I could
escape as soon as I had that diploma in hand. "Man, I can't wait to
leave this hell hole," I muttered the last part to myself, but the
laughter following me meant they heard. I continued up the stairs,
letting my mind wander to all of the places I'd go when I graduated.
"Move," a random girl huffed out as she hurried past me,
knocking me into the wall. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't so small,
but my five foot petite frame didn't give me much in the way of
strength. I should probably start some kind of martial arts training or
something. Maybe it would help me stay on my feet more.
The way everyone treated me... it was almost as if Alistair and
Clara went around to every student and said 'hate Lennox Malia, or
else'. It honestly wouldn't surprise me anymore. The teachers and
faculty didn't bully me themselves, but they openly ignored it, never
putting a stop to it. It was like they were just waiting for me to snap.
Cierra, my roommate, just glared at me with a huff, before
slipping her headphones over her ears and drowning me out with
her music. It was so loud I could hear the faint melody from across
the room.
My side of the room was pristine since I was too afraid to make a
mess and have her do something ridiculous to my stuff. It honestly
felt like I was walking on eggshells. The only positive part of my year
was going home for Christmas and summer break. It wasn’t that my
family was exactly inviting; in fact, my parents were older and stern,
not bothering to show much love or even basic interest in me. But
the beautiful silence and not being constantly bullied was pure bliss.
Plus the cook never failed to slip me extra dessert.
I flipped on the dim desk lamp and started on my math
homework. At least my grades were fantastic. With no time spent on
anything else, I tended to bury myself in my studies in hopes that
when I was ready for college, I could go to a good one. The idea of
being in a place where nobody recognized me, and I could have a
real fresh start, was so appealing. Do they have good colleges in
Alaska?
Eventually, the lights overhead flicked off without a word of
warning from my roommate, because why use common decency?
Sighing, I went to my closet and changed into pajamas, before I
clicked off my light and snuggled under the covers.
Only three months left until I graduate, and only one until I'm
eighteen.
It can't come fast enough.

February 20
Afternoon
Lennox
Something happened today, and since I wasn’t exactly in the
loop, I spent most of the day wondering what it was. All day,
everyone had been huddled together, whispering hurriedly and not
giving me a second glance. Not even Clara or Alistair bothered to
taunt me. It was a welcome change, but my ridiculous brain was
unsettled, assuming it was just a new tactic to put me on edge, or
the calm before the storm.
"Did you see them?"
"We never get new kids, now we get five?!"
"They don't look the same, but I hear they're supposed to be
brothers."
"I don't care who they are, I just know they're gorgeous."
The whispers surrounded me the entire walk down the hall, and
my interest was piqued. I couldn't help but scan the halls, hoping to
catch a glimpse of whoever the talk of the school was. Things would
go back to normal soon enough, so I figured I may as well enjoy
being able to look around in peace while it lasted.
No matter how hard I tried to focus in class, the constant passing
of notes and gossiping whispers wouldn't stop. Even the teachers
seemed to get frustrated and give up on teaching, assigning us busy
work instead. I'd never been more excited for the lunch bell to ring,
needing a break from the constant whispers. I already dislike them,
and I haven’t even met them.
I practically ran to the cafeteria and through the lunch lines,
before taking my usual seat in the back corner. I claimed that spot
so my back was against the wall, never wanting to leave myself
vulnerable or unable to see who was coming up to berate me.
Needing an escape, I pulled out my tablet and started reading my
latest book. Fantasy worlds and exciting plot twists were my favorite
form of distraction.
"Mind if we sit here?" a deep voice rang out. I didn't bother to
look up, knowing it wasn't for me.
"Do you think she's deaf?" a smooth, honeyed voice whispered
back.
"I don't want to tap her and scare her," a melodic, cheerful voice
said with a chuckle.
"This is ridiculous," another smokey voice chimed in with a huff. I
finally decided to glance up, jumping when I found five tall and very
intimidating guys looking down at me.
"Ah, there she is," the last teased, his gravelly voice full of
laughter, not malice. My cheeks flared at the attention, no words
coming out of my mouth. So, in true Lennox fashion, I simply turned
back to my book and completely ignored them.
"Did that just happen?" the deep voice asked, his words laced
with shock and amusement. I gave a small shrug as I shook my
brown hair out from over my shoulder so it cascaded around my
face, giving me a sense of privacy. With one last snort my way, they
all sat down and drifted into an easy conversation. I felt weird
listening in, so I did my best to tune them out, refusing to take in
their faces. Besides, I knew I'd get caught; after all these years of
being friendless, I wasn’t the most smooth when it came to social
situations. My chest tightened as Clara's fake, sugary tone
interrupted them. I guess it was nice not being ostracized while it
lasted.
"Hey! I'm Clara," she started, giving each of them her thousand
watt smile. A grimace flickered over her face as her gaze drifted past
me. "I'm sorry nobody invited you to sit with them, how rude of us.
Why don't you come join us at our table? We'll make room for you
guys. You don’t want to sit with Lennox."
"No worries, Clara. We are just fine with Lennox here," the guy
with the gravelly voice answered, before introducing himself to me.
"I'm Lachlan."
"Oh, come on, you really don't want to sit with Lennie," she
retorted, her sweet facade faltering for a moment. She reminded me
of those video game villains, flickering into her 'final form'.
"I find Lennie quite interesting," the melodic voiced guy said,
holding his hand out to me. "I'm Aeson, by the way," he said, giving
me a wink. When I gave a small wave instead of taking his hand, he
retracted it and looked even more amused.
"Evander," the boy with the honeyed voice said, giving me a
small smile and not bothering to look at Clara. Are these guys nuts?!
She's gorgeous and tall, they're crazy to ignore her.
"Hello, Gorgeous," mister deep voice said, as he looked right at
me, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Did he just read my fucking
mind?! At that panicked thought, his smile spread. I'm fucking losing
it, I thought, pulling my eyes away. "I'm Tristan."
"Calev," the broody boy with the smokey voice said simply, giving
me a curt nod before looking back at his food. I get it, dude, this
whole thing is uncomfortable. His eyes flickered to Clara as her face
turned a brilliant tomato red. Clearly, she was not used to being
ignored. I, however, enjoyed her discomfort immensely. I had the
overwhelming urge to stick out my tongue at her, but I knew when
these guys’ fascination with me wore off, I’d have hell to pay for it.
"Don't think this makes you any better than you were before.
You're still the same Lennie you’ve always been," she reminded me,
her voice returning to sugary sweetness, while her eyes filled with a
deeper hatred than before. Not wanting to make it worse, I simply
looked back down at my book. I went to my fail-safe, singing
ridiculous songs loudly in my head until they just go away. I glanced
up to see Tristan rubbing his head like he’d suddenly been hit with a
headache, and the others had varying looks of confusion and
judgement on their faces.
"Hey, Clara?" I said, finally having had enough. At this point, I
didn’t care what anyone thought of me. I had no real chance here.
When she turned around with laughter in her eyes, I exploded,
standing up and gripping the edge of the table while I screamed at
her. "Fuck you. You're just a shit human, and I honestly hope that
the day karma catches up with you, I get to watch you go down."
With that, I simply sat back down and picked up my book like
nothing had happened. I heard her stomp away after a few
moments, and the tension in my shoulders drained. I was sure that I
would pay for that later, but for now, I didn’t give a shit. Honestly, I
felt lighter than I had in the last four years. Not wanting to see Clara
staring daggers at me, as I’m sure she was, or the pity I knew I’d
find in the guys’ eyes, I kept my head down for the rest of the
period.
The moment the bell rang I shoved my stuff in my bag and
rushed off. Now that the school had moved on from the gossip of
the morning, things were back to normal. Which of course meant
that I had to dodge around people to avoid getting bumped into.
The rest of the student body was back to calling me names as I
rushed past them, but oddly enough, Clara's voice was silent.
History was next, so I stopped at my locker to grab my afternoon
books. The moment I reached out for it, I saw the thick letters
adorning the locker. 'Watch yourself, pariah' was scrawled across it,
the red paint still dripping down to the floor. Using a tissue I had
stuffed in my pocket, I wiped off the lock enough to open the locker
and exchanged my books. I kept my head high as I walked to
history, feeling more anger than anything else. I would never
understand the students here. Sure, there were the random few that
shot me looks of guilt and pity, but it wasn’t like they were willing to
take the risk of ostracizing themselves. But really, could I blame
them? Who would want a piece of the attention I got? Not me, so as
much as I would have liked to call them out for their cowardice, I
couldn’t. Self-preservation and all that.
The history room was still empty when I stepped inside, so I slid
behind my desk in the back of the room and pulled out my notes.
Mr. Harris never came to class until the bell rang, so this was prime
Clara targeting time. Clara walked into the room, right on cue. Her
eyes narrowed on me for a second, pure hatred in them as she
chattered behind one of the new guys- Evander, I think. He
continued to ignore Clara, coming to sit next to me instead. What
the hell is he doing? This was social suicide for him, and it was going
to make my life even worse.
"Does she have an off switch?" he muttered to me as he took his
seat. I snorted, forgetting myself for a moment, before hiding
behind my curtain of hair. This time he was the one to chuckle.
"So, where are you from?" Clara asked, her sweet and gentle
voice so unlike her, I had to force myself not to scoff.
"I'm not interested, so if you don't mind leaving me alone, I'd
appreciate it," Evander said casually, before scooting his desk closer
to me and turning his back to her completely. Clara’s mouth hung
open like a door with a broken hinge. It was funny, but my mind still
tried to convince me that it wasn’t real… that he just liked the chase.
"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed at him, unable to hold
back.
"Uh, we are in a place of learning," he said as he gestured
around. "I'd say you have a good guess at what I'm doing."
"No, smartass. Why are you snubbing her and talking to me?" His
eyebrows rose up at my question.
"And here I thought you were smart," he mused, shaking his
head in mock disappointment. Clara sat fuming behind him, looking
like she was close to exploding in anger. Her face was red, and she
huffed silently; even her eyes looked out of focus as she mumbled
under her breath. She was probably plotting my death. My stomach
burned with acid at the thought of her retaliation, all because the
new guy was giving me attention instead of her. Before I could offer
a plea to Evander to leave me alone, Mr. Harris shuffled into the
room in his usual harried state.
"Class, welcome our new student, Evander Kova. He and his
brothers started here this morning!" Mr. Harris said as he hurried
into class. His beaming smile and wispy brown hair made him
endearing. He never let anyone be rude or mean to others in his
class, and he talked to me like I was a person. Sadly, this was
something not all the teachers did, which meant he was probably
the one person at Obsidian I didn't hate. The jury was still out on
the new guys. "If you'd like to share a textbook with Miss Malia, we
will jump right in. In fact, she's probably best suited to get you all
caught up if you want to borrow notes from her. I have a feeling
she'd make the perfect study partner," he said, beaming brightly as I
slid further into my chair, feeling Clara’s death stare on the side of
my head.
"Perfect, thank you!" Evander called to the front of the room, as
he moved his desk closer still. "Now you can't hide from me,
Lennie," he said smugly. This time his voice was low and smooth in
my ear, sending a shiver down my spine that I couldn't stop.
"It's Lennox," I muttered, moving my book closer to the edge of
the desk so he could see. I hated to admit it, but I didn’t hate the
nickname when it was said in the way he did.
"Nope, it's Doll," he confirmed, without even bothering to
consider it. My annoyance was cut off by Mr. Harris jumping into
today's lecture. I took notes and tried not to notice the boy next to
me, who smelled like sandalwood and had a smile full of mischief.

February 21
Afternoon
Lennox

It seemed that at least one of the five new kids were in each of
my classes. Every single one of them seemed to get there early
enough to snag a seat by me, effectively making me a mentor for all
of them. For once, school was passing just a little bit smoother, but
still I kept most of myself guarded. It wouldn't be the first time
someone had shown me attention just to turn into a complete jerk...
it's only day one.
My attention was too torn today to focus on a book or
homework. Instead, I actually dug into my food and studied the
lunch room around me. I wondered if the guys would be coming to
sit with me, before I pushed that thought down too. I didn’t need to
think like that since just two days ago I was the girl who couldn't
walk three feet in the hallway before getting bumped into. They
would join in soon enough.
"There she is. Who knew she actually had a face, she's always
hiding behind that hair," Tristan joked, taking a seat beside me. His
grin was infectious, and I couldn’t help but quirk up the side of my
mouth in a small half smile. His white hair was cut short and slightly
tousled. He had vibrant blue eyes that drew me in, but the smile
that spread out across the chiseled angles of his face had my heart
skipping a beat. He was tall, somewhere around 6'2, and dwarfed
my petite frame.
"Hey look, you almost got her to crack a smile," Lachlan said,
sitting on my other side. The other three joined a few minutes later,
all of their trays stacked high with food. Lachlan had coppery red
hair and pale green eyes. He seemed shyer than Tristan, his smile
muted but just as adorable. The way his freckles peppered his nose
and his slightly dimpled half grin had a blush rising in my cheeks.
"This food is so much better than our old school’s. I swear they
served everything microwaved or something. Nobody wants soggy
pizza," Calev said, giving the pizza an appreciative look. The way he
studied it had me longing for that kind of attention. Loneliness was
something I was used to, had grown familiar with, and somehow it
was only amplified when I saw what I could have.
Real friends… or even more.
Calm down, killer. You’ve known them barely two damn days.
Calev was a mystery to me. On one hand he seemed to lead his
brothers around, on the other, he seemed to hate the fact they
moved here. Of all of them, he seemed like he wanted to be here
the least. It was a feeling I knew well, so it pulled me to him in a
weird way. He was intense, his perfect features pulled down in a
frown, and his dark black curly hair flopping precariously around his
face. When he glanced at me, his stone gray eyes held a note of
curiosity and suspicion.
"Now she looks sad again," Aeson said, his head tilting to the
side as he studied me. Aeson had that 'boy next door' vibe to him.
His blonde hair was short, and his face wasn't as chiseled, giving him
a more youthful look. He seemed athletic and lean, his height close
to Tristan's, whereas the others were all a few inches shorter.
"What did they do to you here?" Evander asked, his voice holding
a slight command to it that had my eyes snapping up to meet his. I
couldn't seem to look away from the deep blue depths of his gaze.
With some effort, I studied him, not really bothered that it was
obvious. His hair was dark and straight, falling lightly in his eyes. He
was thin and lithe, more of a swimmer's build than the others.
Everything that exuded from him screamed smartass, which I had
already pegged in history class. Remembering his question, I gave a
slight shake of my head before I hid behind the familiar curtain of
my hair.
“Is that all you’re planning to eat?” Lachlan asked, his eyes
flicking from my tray to my face. My cheeks burned at being called
out. And here I was proud of myself for eating.
“Food isn't really my thing,” I mumbled, pushing the leftovers
away, no longer hungry. “I’m gonna go,” I mumbled, not caring if I
looked crazy. Now I just felt uncomfortable and didn’t want to be
here.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude,” Lachlan pleaded. He
reached out and locked his fingers around my wrist, giving me a
gentle tug to sit back down. His touch felt oddly warm, shocking me
enough to give pause. With a sigh, I took my seat again, wanting to
crumple under their stares. But that’s not who I was anymore, so I
sat there with my head held high. Tristan gently pushed my tray
back to me, begging me with his eyes to eat.
“Happy?” I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich. His grin
returned, and he nodded, diving back into his own food.
“Why do I feel like you’re a mythical unicorn? The closer we get,
the more likely you are to run away into the night, never to be seen
again,” Tristan mused, studying me with a weird intensity that had
me squirming.
“Because that’s something I’d do,” I confirmed, meaning every
word.
“I like your honesty,” Calev added as he finished his slice of pizza.
He looked over at me, his eyes studying me as they roamed over my
face. Something about the way he looked at me made me think he
was looking for something specific, though I wasn’t sure what he
expected to find in a high school loser.
"So, tomorrow is Friday, what is there to do around here on the
weekends?" Evander rubbed his hands together as he spoke,
searching around the room as if exciting things would pop up at any
moment.
When his eyes fell on me, I tried not to laugh."I'm not the girl for
that question," I said, shoving a piece of food in my mouth to avoid
having to answer further. He snorted and shook his head before
muttering to the others, though it wasn't low enough for me not to
overhear.
"This one is going to be a challenge, isn't she?" The others all
nodded slightly, glancing at me like I was the most interesting
challenge they'd ever faced.
My eyes narrowed as I stood up, picking up my bag and leaving
the tray where it rested on the table. "I'm not a challenge, and I'm
hardly yours to worry about," I said, dodging Lachlan's arm and
heading out of the lunchroom. I rolled my eyes as Evander joined
me, holding the door and letting me step through first. How did he
get here so fast?
He kept peeking at me but didn't say anything for several
moments, until he couldn't seem to take it anymore. "What did they
do to you here? Seriously." His words were quieter this time, his
hand reaching for mine before retreating again. I hated how much I
wanted him to go through with it, to take my hand. What the fuck is
wrong with me? A group of guys show interest, and I can't seem to
control myself. They just seemed to draw me in at every turn.
"Nothing I can't hand-" My words were cut off as Alistair and
Clara stepped into our path. Of course they waited until we were in
a blind spot to approach us, always knowing the best spots to
commit their abuse without the teachers’ attention being drawn to
them.
Alistair puffed his chest out and sized Evander up. "So, this is the
guy who was rude to you? The guy I'm going to beat to the
ground?" Evander let out a low chuckle at the comical show of
dominance. When I glanced up at him, I noticed the tick in his jaw
and slight flash of… was that black in his eyes? What the hell is he?
Stop… he’s not a character in one of your books.
Clara looked smug as she stepped forward to get in my face.
"Yeah, and she was too." Her voice was laced with venom, but her
smile faltered at the look of pure fury on my face. There was no way
I would let them hit Evander because of me.
I looked at Evander and tapped him with my closed fist. "On
three?" I asked, my voice hard. Evander's answering smile was a bit
sinister and overly excited, making him look more lethal than I
imagined.
"On three," he confirmed, before counting and cocking back his
fist. "One. Two. Three," he finished, and we both let our fists fly.
Both Alistair and Clara ended up on the ground, that one punch
letting out four years of frustration. A small giggle bubbled out of me
as I glared down at them.
"If either one of you feels the need to go report this, I promise
that won't be the last you hear from me. I’m not someone to push
around anymore," I hissed, making my voice cold and deadly. Tears
sprung from Clara's eyes as she glared at me, grabbing her brother
and running away. She likely wouldn’t listen, she would just wait
until we were in front of faculty, and I couldn’t punch her. Neither
one of us would want to get suspended. That would definitely look
awful on college applications. Panic welled a bit at that thought, but
I reassured myself she’d be too big of a coward.
Evander's chuckle brought me out of my head, and I glanced
over to see him leaning against the side of the building, arms folded
over his chest as he smirked down at me. "There's the fire I was
waiting for."
Little does he know, he's the reason for the fire. I never would
have lashed out if they had cornered just me, but something about
him makes me want to protect him. Even if that means harming
myself, and that thought scares me. I was fine with not needing
anyone, now I’m not so sure.
February 22
Evening
Calev

"A re we sure it's her?" I questioned for what felt like the seven
hundredth time. Our team was sent here to retrieve a supernatural,
but so far nobody had shown the usual signs. Sure, Lennox seemed
different, but I was afraid that the wounded puppy vibe was
clouding their judgement. Though, according to Van, she showed
some of her bullies what she could do. A chuckle almost escaped at
that thought, I hated the kids at this school for breaking such an
interesting girl. Well, maybe a bit bent, not quite broken.
"I'm almost positive it's her," Lachlan said as he sat against the
headboard of my bed and flipped through his phone. He didn't even
bother looking up, which only made me more angry. They should be
taking this seriously, it’s our first assignment and we need to do well!
"Stop shouting, we are taking this seriously. We can use
tomorrow and Sunday to get a feel for everything. If it's that nasty
Clara girl, I'm out. She can stay here," he said, his voice full of
disgust. I couldn't blame him, even I wanted to see her knocked
down a peg or two, and I’m usually the calm and collected one.
Evander turned from his spot to face us. "What do you think she
is?" He looked excited and far too invested in this. It’s unlike him,
and I can’t seem to wrap my head around why they all seem so
convinced. It’s more than that though, he’s acting like he found his
soul mate. If she's not our target, this isn't going to end well.
Tristan met my eyes when I sent that thought to him and
grimaced, nodding so subtly that I doubt anyone else saw. The
thought of leaving Lennox behind made me uneasy, though. I was
shocked she made it this long. We had watched this school for
weeks before we finally gave up and enrolled. Thankfully, being
friends with a vampire had its perks. It was easy to get the school to
accept five new students with no notice and minimal paper history, if
you use a bit of compulsion on them.
We go to the Obsidian Cove Supernatural Academy… that one will
be fun to explain to Lennox. Close in name but worlds apart. A large
chunk of the curriculum at the Academy was doing missions for our
territory, starting small and moving up. The Regency, our
government, had a radar set up to detect fluctuations of magic in
the human side of the world. It was an interesting bit of magical
tech, but also quite effective. When the radar indicated someone
was here at the Prep school, we figured it would be an awful, boring
mission full of rich kids and snobby teachers. None of us wanted to
enroll, but it could be months before our target showed any signs
and we didn't have time for that. So here we are with a joint room
and one of us in each of her classes listening to boring human
Professors blather on about things none of us care about in the
slightest. But if Lennox is in fact our supernatural it will all have been
worth it and maybe even gain us a little clout back at the Academy.
Aeson, the king of subtlety, walked into the room, banging the
door against the wall before slamming it behind him. "Guys, I didn't
find her anywhere," he announced, clearly failing his mission to trail
her when she didn't show up at dinner.
"That doesn't mean anything, chill," Lachlan said, tossing his
phone aside and finally focusing on us. Apparently she’s interesting
enough for him to focus.
Aeson paced anyway, clearly not wanting to calm down. "I think I
have a way to see what she is," he announced, stopping and facing
us, his face determined. "As a healer, I learned to read a person's
magical essence; otherwise, it's a shot in the dark when healing or
cleansing someone. If I can at least touch her, I can narrow down
her specific magical signature. But she'd need a hell of a distraction
to not notice the magic."
"At least that would end this eternal debate," Van deadpanned,
looking at me.
I held my hands up in defense, not wanting another argument.
"If she is, then I'll drop it, and we can move forward," I conceded.
They all nodded, renewed looks of determination.
"Yeah, well... we need to find her first," Aeson reminded us,
finally sinking onto his bed.
"Tristan, what are her thoughts like?" I asked, unable to hold
back the curiosity. He shrugged for a moment, looking
uncomfortable. He hated betraying people like that, especially
people like Lennox who were obviously very private, but now was
not the time for that.
"It's dark. She hates this place, and she's lonely. But she also
gets angry and protective when they tease her around us, like she's
trying to protect us. She also finds us annoying when we interrupt
her, but she likes having us around," he explained, his face
scrunching up as he sorted through what he’d picked up over the
past few days. "Women are confusing," he concluded with a shake
of his head.
"Well, we need to work on being friends for her then. Try and get
to know her, so she's more comfortable with us. Because if she is
the one setting off the supernatural radar, then we need to coax out
her powers," I ordered, letting out a long sigh.
This isn't going to be easy.

February 24
Afternoon
Lennox
A loud knock on our door broke the silence. Since it was just me
inside, I had no choice but to answer, though I wasn't stupid enough
to not be prepared. I spread my feet in a defensive stance before
reaching for the door. Evander's smirk greeted me as I peeked out,
his friends standing behind him.
"Where have you been, Lennie?" Tristan asked as they came
barreling in, settling into different spots and making themselves at
home.
"Here," I said slowly, drawing out the word. "How did you find
my room?"
"We stalked you," Aeson teased, giving me a fake evil laugh.
"I asked someone," Calev said from my desk chair, his legs
crossed as he leaned back and studied me. His intensity still freaked
me out, even after a few days of dealing with it.
"We were worried about our girl. You haven't been to a single
meal since lunch on Friday," Evander said, walking forward and
stopping right in front of me. For the first time his cocky smile was
replaced by a glare. I started to shrink under its intensity before
squaring my shoulders and meeting his glare with one of my own.
"And?" I challenged, putting my hands on my hips. Who the hell
are they to demand answers? They’re not my boyfriends! Hell, I’m
not even calling us friends at this point.
"Your trashcan here has no food wrappers, plus you have dark
circles under your eyes," Calev added unhelpfully.
"I don't eat on the weekends. I prefer to hibernate here when my
roommate goes home," I explained, moving over to my bed and
taking a seat. "Seriously, why do you guys keep talking to me? Just
fucking tell me and get it over with." My eyes narrowed as I waited,
wanting to get the news over now, instead of endlessly waiting for
the other shoe to drop. Did I want friends? Yes. But it's no
coincidence they all chose me, and I doubted their reasoning was
good.
"We have to have some ulterior motive to speak to a pretty girl?"
Tristan asked, letting out a surprised laugh, sounding a bit
exasperated. The others all look confused at my question. They're
good.
"Okay, enough. What did the humans do to you here?" Evander
asked, fangs suddenly poking out of his mouth as his eyes turned to
a solid black. Fangs?! What the fuck?!
"Van!" Calev yelled, his tone sharp as he moved faster than
humanly possible to put himself in between me and A FUCKING
VAMPIRE! I finally let out the scream I was holding as I scrambled
backward on the bed. Suddenly, Aeson was on my other side while
Calev tried to calm Evander down. Weirdly enough, even though this
is fucking terrifying, I don’t think he’d really hurt me. That thought
calmed me some, the scream dying in my throat as I scooted away
from the others. Aeson's hand rested on my arm as he leaned closer.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice soothing as it swept over
me, sleepiness crashing into me until I felt my eyelids flutter. "I'm
sorry," he whispered as darkness overtook me.

February 24
Afternoon
Aeson

"Seriously?!" I hissed at Van as I lowered her back down onto the

bed. Van hurried over, giving me an apologetic shrug.
"You needed a distraction. Is it her?" he asked quickly, the regret
easy to read on his face.
"She's definitely one of us. I'm getting a hint of water magic. I
don't think she's a shifter... maybe a water fae, or an elemental?" I
reasoned out. Her magical signature was clear, but something about
it was different. "She's unique," I said finally, moving my hand away
and retracting my magic. The blue essence moved back into my
hand, absorbing into the surface as it went dormant until I needed it
again.
"What do you mean by ‘unique’?" Calev asked, his voice hard.
Like I was purposefully being difficult.
"She's unique. That's the best word I can use to describe it. I can
feel the water magic, but it's not like any of the ones I'm used to.
She could just be more powerful or something. Either way, at least
we have our girl," I defended, hoping he'd chill out.
"If she's not too freaked out to talk to us now!" Tristan yelled at
Van, for once the psychic's cheerfulness was replaced with fury. "We
could have just turned on a movie and sat close or something!"
"Oh yeah, a movie would have definitely hidden his blue magic,"
Van deadpanned with an eye roll. "Look, I really didn't want to scare
her, but the opportunity presented itself. Plus, I really meant what I
asked. It just kind of happened."
"I want to know the same fucking thing," Tristan said with a
shudder. "You know I don't like to delve into people’s memories, but
this girl's mind is dark. She has literally never known what it's like to
have love, or even a friend."
"That's disgusting," I muttered, looking down at the small girl
next to me. I have a feeling this isn't going to go well until she gets
her powers. "Do you think she'll even talk to us?"
"No, I don't. She's been waiting for us to just stop talking to her,
or say why we are even bothering to talk to her. She won't take this
well," Tristan summed up, leaving a solemn mood over all of us.
"I'm sorry," Van said quietly, sinking to the ground. I'd never
seen him look so upset over someone before.
"You really couldn't control it, could you?" Calev asked quietly, his
usual bossy tone replaced by a soothing one. Van shook his head
miserably for a second, before giving an audible sigh.
"No, I've seen how they treat her, and this time I just let the
anger get to me," he explained, standing up and walking to her. I
moved out of the way as he adjusted her properly on the bed and
covered her up. "I'm sorry, Doll."
"Let's go, she may just think it was all a dream," Lachlan finally
said, having kept quiet throughout the entire incident. He was never
one for talking unless there was a good reason. “But part of me
hopes not.”
"Maybe," Tristan said as we all glanced at her one last time.
‘Here's hoping she does think it's a dream, or this whole mission
just got a whole lot more complicated,’ I projected to Tristan.
‘I hope she remembers and takes it well. I’m ready to go back,’
Calev adds, though he can't hide his worry form us, his gargoyle
already chose her, it was clear in every grumble and glance.
‘I just hope she’s okay,” Evander worried, which was unlike him.
‘I’ve never had my heart crack like it did tonight. Fuck the humans.’
‘This isn’t like you,’ I teased him. I couldn’t blame him though.
When words seemed to leave us or the conversation was emotional,
we tended to use mindspeak instead. It was easier to deal with.
‘She’ll see in time, she’s ours,’ Lachlan added, his tone worried
like the others. The truth resonated in his words, we all felt it.
Everything I could read from them as Tristan held the link open was
worry, hope and possessiveness.
She’s definitely going to change everything.

March 17
Evening
Lennox

I'd managed to avoid the guys for nearly a month. It wasn’t like
they hadn’t tried talking to me, I just didn’t give them the
opportunity. During class I mentored them, strictly speaking about
the subject and nothing else. I wasn’t usually one for avoidance, but
the memories from my room were too vivid to be a dream. I knew
that it was real... that Evander had fangs.
"Please, Lennie," Van whispered next to me as he approached
me in the dinner line, the hurt in his words pulling at my
heartstrings. I don't know why I'm letting them get to me. I'm
stronger than this.
"Do you need help with math?" I asked, using the only thing I
could think of. When I glanced up at him, I instantly regretted it.
The hurt in his blue eyes had me feeling things I had no business
feeling, things that I’d never really experienced before.
"No, you know I don't," he answered back. "Please ju-" His words
were cut off by Clara coming forward, the gleeful expression on her
face meaning one thing. She had found the perfect revenge... but
what could it be? It's not like I do anything sketchy for her to dig up.
"The headmaster asked me to drop this off for you because we
are so close. I took the liberty of opening it, and man, I'm glad I did.
It's a letter from dear old mom and dad.” She held the letter up in
front of her, leaving her eyes uncovered so I could see the glee that
only my pain seemed to give her. With the letter just out of reach,
and the numbness sweeping through my body, there was nothing I
could do before she began reciting what was clearly meant for just
me.

Dear Lennox,

Now that you are turning eighteen, it's time your father and I
move on. We are moving away, and you'll be on your own, but we
sent you to boarding school to prepare you for this. We tried to give
you a good childhood, a better one than your biological father would
have given you. We opened a trust in your name many years ago, so
you'll be okay without us. I'm sorry to tell you this, in this way, but
with you off to school, it is easier. We adopted you later in life,
mainly out of familial obligation, and now that you're a grown
woman, I'm confident you'll continue to be a smart and rational
woman.

Regards,
Edna and Victor Malia

“Ouch, it must suck to find out that even your parents don't like
you," Clara cackled at her own malicious words. My vision tunneled
at the overload of emotions that flooded me. Dropping my bags all
at once, I took off at a sprint, not caring who I was running into. My
name was called out by the guys as I passed them, but I didn't stop
until I reached my familiar spot above the Obsidian Sea. The
moment I looked down into the water, I decided that it was all too
much, the pull was too strong. I'd rather let the sea take me than to
keep going like this.

March 17
Evening
Evander

My gums ached as my fangs threatened to poke through. Seeing

this human treat Lennox this way had me wanting to lash out at her.
It took every bit of my self-control not to reach over and body slam
her to the ground. I tried to reach for Lennox, but she was already
throwing her stuff down and running off. My heart shattered at the
words in the letter and her reaction to them. Who the fuck does
that?
Once she was out of sight, I turned my eyes to Clara, stalking
forward and letting my fury show. Her smile faltered, and she looked
close to peeing herself. I didn’t stop moving forward until she had
backed into a wall and couldn't run away. Locking my hands behind
my back, I leaned forward, stopping mere inches from her face. "If
you so much as think about ever doing something like this again, I
will go after both you and your brother. I know enough shady people
that I can make it look like an accident, and nobody will ever find
out the truth. I suggest you find something new to focus on, like
being a better fucking person, you heinous bitch," I said evenly, my
words quiet but dripping with venom.
"You can't talk to me like that," she sputtered, her eyes glassy
with unshed tears. I let out a low, icy chuckle.
"Try me," I threatened, my eyes narrowing further. "Tell me why.
Why did you do this to her for so long?" I put a bit of magic in my
words, wanting the compulsion to make her confess. I shouldn’t
have risked it here, but fuck, I wanted to understand this ridiculous
bullying. Jealousy, greed, just plain hate?
"I didn't want her to be more popular than I was. She was trying
to steal my boyfriend, and everyone liked her. I wanted that, so I
made it happen," she bit out, the true nature of her personality
showing, and it wasn't pretty. With nothing left to say to her, I
turned on my heel and ran after Lennox.
Remembering something about her favorite spot being the
bridge, I went there first. The whispers and pointing from her
classmates told me I was heading in the right direction. I made it to
the bridge in time to see her walk off the edge, her black dress and
dark curls swirling in the wind as she plunged into the dark waters of
the Obsidian Sea.

March 17
Evening
Lennox

The icy water of the Obsidian Sea enveloped me, the vast
opaqueness expanding on all sides as I sunk lower into the abyss.
My lungs slowly started to burn as my body fought against the lack
of oxygen, my vision tunneling as my body started to give up.
Unable to stop myself, I took in a deep breath of water, choking and
sputtering as the water suffocated me slowly.
My eyes finally closed, my mind going over my miserable life and
the loneliness that left a deep ache in my chest. You're dying like
you lived, completely and utterly alone. Fitting. I couldn't stop my
thoughts from spiraling, no happy memories popped up to
counteract it.
The depression was so all-consuming, that it took me a few
minutes to realize that my lungs no longer burned. Cool water
flowed through me, an odd sensation tickling the sides of my neck.
My fingers brushed against the once perfect skin, revealing odd slits.
I could feel the water flowing in and out of them, small bubbles
rising around me. The change had me so startled that I started
screaming, the sound garbled this far into the water.
Unable to stand the oppressive darkness, I started swimming to
the surface, the movement much quicker than should have been
possible. As the moonlight wove through the water, a shifting glint
caught my eye. Iridescent black and purple scales lined my arms,
gently reflecting the beams of light that sifted through the water. My
eyes flew open wide as I took it in, stopping my ascent so I could
check them out. I moved my arm from side to side, watching the
way the moonlight played across the freaky scales. Despite the
emotions rushing through me, they were oddly beautiful.
The panic rose higher and higher, mixing with my depression and
causing my vision to blur again. Fighting it with everything I had, I
finally broke the surface. I tried to instinctively take in a breath of
air, but the moment I did, my body started to reject the water, huge
coughs shaking my petite frame as water ejected from my lungs.
A pair of hands wrapped around me, pulling me closer and
dragging me to shore. My eyes couldn't focus, the water spilling out
of my lungs painfully as my body tried to hyperventilate at the same
time. A soothing hand rubbed my back as tears streamed down my
face, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to not think about
what happened… what I am. When the water finished gushing from
my lungs, I finally took in my first real breath of air since going
under. The salty sea air was familiar and calming, despite the steady
burn. My chest still ached, hating that even the peacefulness of
death had been taken from me. Tears finally broke free, no longer
from choking, but because of my broken spirit. Finally gaining the
courage to look up, I peeked up to see Evander's terrified
expression. I broke further, knowing I had hurt one of the only
people who were ever kind to me. Instead of pushing me away, he
pulled me closer, holding me together as I shattered in his arms,
whispering the only thing I could.
“I’m sorry.”
March 17
Evening
Lachlan

"S he just jumped off the fucking bridge!" Tristan yelled, pulling
me with him as he bolted through the corridors. My heart thudded in
my chest, the image Tristan projected to us made me want to vomit.
These fucking humans. All of them are so afraid of differences, of
losing their place on the top, that they try to crush anyone who
doesn’t fit their mold. This was exactly why the supes stayed away
from them. They were vile creatures by nature, and they had yet to
prove me wrong.
The sea of students seemed to get thicker the closer we got to
the doors. They were shoved out of the way by Calev while he took
the lead, not bothering to apologize or care. They were the reason
we needed to go save her in the first place.
Once we made it outside, the night was still. No noise could be
heard, save the churning of the dark water of the Obsidian Sea. Our
feet slid across the thin dusting of ice as we worked our way down
the path to the shore, where Evander was already diving in after her.
Her head bobbed above the surface, strangled coughs breaking the
frantic silence around us.
"There!" Calev yelled, spotting her at the same time as me.
Evander quickly swam over and grabbed her, his vampire speed
coming in handy.
"Holy shit," Aeson whispered as Calev and Evander dragged a
sobbing Lennox to shore. Her skin had a dusting of iridescent purple
and black scales that gleamed beautifully in the dying light. I guess
that narrowed our suspicions down to very few options, like a mer or
siren, but she couldn’t be fully either of those. Her legs were still
legs, even if they were covered in scales at the moment.
She coughed and vomited water, spurring Aeson into action. He
knelt down next to her, holding out his hand until a soft white glow
surrounded Lennox and Evander, the coughs finally quieting and
color returning to her cheeks. Evander looked over at him and gave
a nod of acknowledgement, their shivering gone thanks to him.
Once she was able to take in a normal breath, although shaky and
I'm sure painful, she glanced up at Evander before clutching him
tightly and sobbing harder. Her whispered “I’m sorry” broke my
heart into pieces, as we all stood in a quiet vigil around them, not
wanting to freak her out more. She hadn’t exactly been our biggest
fan the last few weeks. I'd honestly thought we’d ruined our chances
of ever figuring this out.
Her breathing slowly quieted until her eyes slipped closed.
Evander finally looked up at us, his eyes showing his pain at having
to see her like this. It seemed he'd become a bit more attached than
we’d realized, his vampire’s protectiveness over her like nothing I’d
ever seen from him before. Though, come to think of it, I didn’t
think I had seen any of them have a girl around for longer than a
night or two. Sex was pretty casual in the supernatural community,
so that wasn’t surprising, but it did mean that relationships were
rare and coveted when a supernatural found someone he or she felt
truly connected to. I knew something about her was different, that
warmth I felt around her wasn’t normal.
"You're both going to freeze. Let's go inside. I can't regulate your
temperatures much longer," Aeson said sleepily, wavering on his feet
for a moment, before Tristan propped him up. Van stood up easily,
Lennox tucked safely in his arms. She didn't even stir as he carried
her inside. Instead of heading for her room, we went to ours. Since
we’d enrolled later in the year, we were given a room on the staff
side, which meant a lot more privacy than a regular dorm room.
Which was definitely something we could use right now. It’s not
everyday someone goes from thinking they’re human, to then
finding out they’re a supernatural.
"Her scales are gone," Calev pointed out. Weird, a siren usually
needs to be completely dry to transform back to human in
appearance.
"I don't think she's full siren. And she's not a mer. Maybe
something else in her bloodline mixed with siren, though she hasn't
shown other signs, either," Aeson said, perking up slightly now that
he wasn’t using his entire magic store at once.
My bear was bristling under my skin, wanting to be free so he
could tear this school down. He wasn’t easy to anger, but seeing her
like this had us fired up. Once we got to the room, I waited at the
door until they got her settled. I have to know she’s safe before I
walk out. As soon as I saw she was content, I had to get out of
here.
"I'll be back in a moment," I said, looking specifically at Calev. He
nodded, able to see that my bear and I were on the edge and
needed to find a way to let some of it out.
My focus was on holding my bear back as I stalked through the
halls of this wretched academy. I had no purpose, but clearly he did,
as we ended up in front of the main office. It may have been
Sunday, but I knew he would be here. He rarely left.
My fist pounded so hard against the door that the walls shook. I
had no intentions of being subtle in this conversation. At this point, I
was feeling more hate than I ever had toward humans, and I didn't
care who knew.
The door flew open, and the headmaster looked appalled before
his face contorted in anger at the sight of me. "How dare you come
banging on my door in this manner?" he blustered, pointing at me
with his meaty finger. My eyes flashed as my bear lunged forward,
almost escaping my hold. He looked startled as he took a slight step
back. I stalked forward, my tall frame towering over him. He
retreated quickly this time, trying to close the door in my face as he
muttered about insolence. I brought my bear to the surface, my
strength overpowering his easily as I eased the door open and
slipped through, locking it behind me.
"Listen, you useless fuck. I just witnessed one of your students
try to throw herself off of a bridge because you allowed her to get
bullied to the point of hating herself. You gave her main bully even
more fodder by handing over that letter, and letting her read it in
front of the entire school. You, sir, are an accessory to attempted
suicide, and in this day and age, you can go to prison for that," I
said, my powerful voice sounding more like a growl than usual. His
face paled as I dropped that bomb of reality on him.
He squared his shoulders and straightened up, stupidly thinking
he could take the power back from us. "How dare you come into my
school and think you can intimidate me," he thundered, his face
turning a deep red as spittle flew from his mouth. I let out a low
laugh, the sinister smile on my face making him even more uneasy.
"You need to start being the headmaster this school needs. That
girl deserved none of this, yet you had a hand in her misery. So now,
you are going to punish Clara accordingly, you are going to allow
Lennox to have a room directly next to ours so we can keep her
safe, and you are going to make damn sure that some kind of anti-
bullying program is started. Are we clear?" I growled, letting the
bear harden my features and bare my teeth. A wet spot formed on
the headmaster’s pants as he collapsed into the seat behind him.
"Very well," he said quietly, his voice shaking slightly. "I'll grab
her a new key and send for Clara." He walked awkwardly to his desk
and shuffled in a drawer for the right key. Once he handed it over, I
nodded before leaving his office, slamming the door behind me.
Ignorant fuck.

March 17
Evening
Tristan

"We need to get her warm," Aeson muttered, pacing back and
forth while trying to find a solution to undressing Lennie.
"Fire?" Lachlan suggested, walking back into the room in time to
hear the problem.
"It's just a bra and panties, we can handle it. Lachlan is probably
the tallest, so grab a shirt," Calev said, sounding annoyed that we
were letting her get cold instead of handling it. Lachlan nodded,
grabbing a shirt from his drawer and tossing it to Cal.
"She's moving to the room next to ours, so a few of us need to
grab her shit and move it over. Also, I ensured that bitch would get
some form of punishment. I'm not letting that just fucking slide,"
Lachlan said, his bear causing his skin to ripple slightly.
"Breathe, she's not here much longer. Then we can take her back
to our school," Tristan said, lifting her to a sitting position and
holding her steady while Van slid her dress off. We kept our eyes on
her face as Cal slid the shirt over her body. The shirt reached just
above her knees, fitting her like a dress.
"Go change or you'll get her wet again," Calev ordered, easily
lifting her into his arms. She made a small noise at the jostling but
didn't open her eyes. Van glared at him before rushing around the
room in vampire speed to get changed. He was done within seconds,
a breeze blowing around the room in his wake. He scooped her out
of Calev's arms and sank to the floor with her in one graceful
motion.
"Aes, can you light a fire in here?" he asked, pointing to the
metal trash can. A Mage’s fire had a low heat to the touch, but
emitted a steady warmth. Aeson hurried over, dumping the random
assortment of papers from the floor into the can, and closing his
eyes. A few seconds later, the purple arcane fire bathed the room in
an ethereal glow.
The rest of us slowly joined him, sitting around the fire with our
eyes locked on Lennox. Something about her just drew me in, and I
tried to resist reaching for her for as long as I could. Focusing on
Van alone, I projected how much it was bothering me. He clenched
his jaw and let out a sigh, before reluctantly shifting her over. When
my arms were wrapped around her, and I could smell her sweet
scent of berries and vanilla, my thoughts finally calmed. The others
were projecting so much that their emotions were overwhelming me
despite my mental walls.
It would seem weird how protective of her we were, if we hadn't
spent weeks keeping watch over her and stopping assholes from
approaching her. At this point, we were invested in her and learning
more about her. But it went beyond that. I wanted to be there for
her, to hold her when she was sad, to be truly with her. I may not
have the primal possessiveness that some species have, but she was
mine now… ours. Now that she had come into a portion of her
powers, she would need us more than ever. Even if our presence is
the last thing she wants, she’ll need to learn to at least tolerate
being around us.
Staring down at her peaceful face, I studied her like this would
be the last time I'd get to hold her. The way she’d reacted last time,
it was a bigger possibility than I'd like. Though my hope was that
she'd see that it wasn’t just her, that we were in this together. I
brushed a strand of her rich, brown hair out of her face as I studied
her. She was gorgeous, a unique beauty that drew me in. Though
they were closed, I knew she had gorgeous sea green eyes,
accented by long lashes. They stood out against her high
cheekbones and her adorably dimpled chin. She was a classic
beauty, but it was more than that. Under that shattered spirit was an
impressive strength, and until today, she had never lost her hope for
a better future. This wasn't a loss of strength, it was just showing
how deep her loneliness went, I reminded myself.
"What's the plan?" Lachlan finally asked, his bear at the surface
again as he stared at her. This time, there was a protective gleam in
his eye, like he'd be willing to tear down the entire building if he
could. I couldn't blame him for that. I'd do the same. Unfortunately,
as far as powers went, I was useful... but weak. Though in this
team, I was constantly reminded that we each had our strong
points, which was why we all worked so well together.
"We can’t force her. We have to wait and see what she says. Not
to mention, we're the only ones here for her now," Calev said. With
that thought we all grew silent, watching and waiting for her to
make the next move.

March 18
Morning
Lennox

Pain flared to life inside of me, pulling me out of my slumber. A

whimper escaped as I tried to take in a deep breath, my lungs
feeling like someone had stuck knives in them, each breath tearing
free from their hold. Flashes of memory moved through my mind, a
slideshow of depressing moments until the end. They saved me?
Why?
"You still have to ask yourself that?" Tristan's voice broke through
the jumbled mess that was my brain. I opened my eyes, blinking in
the dim light for a few moments, before I focused on his sweet face.
Did I say that out loud? I must be woozier than I thought.
"Yeah," I mumbled, not willing to lie to him. He gave a small, sad
smile, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. My cheeks flared at
the closeness I wasn't used to.
"If I'm making you that uncomfortable, I can move away?" he
whispered quietly. I glanced up at his pretty bright blue eyes,
studying the emotions behind them. I expected to find judgement,
disgust, and annoyance. Instead, I only found relief, a hint of
protectiveness, and indecision. He’s actually worried about how I
feel. I can’t remember the last time someone actually cared.
"Why did you do it?" Calev's harsh question startled me out of
my stupor. Panic welled in me as I processed how to answer that
without lying.
"You're sending her into a panic." Tristan's voice was hard as he
spoke, glaring at Calev. Despite the protest, Calev never tore his
dark gray eyes from me.
"No, she's strong enough to answer. I want her to trust us before
this goes further," he countered, his eyes boring into me. There
wasn't a single hint of judgement in his tone, which was the only
reason I answered.
"After Clara read the letter, I needed space. I threw my stuff and
took off, running to the only place that calmed me," I explained,
taking another shaky, painful breath. Aeson's arms reached out for a
second before he retracted them.
"The bridge," Calev encouraged, getting me back on track. I
nodded slowly, closing my eyes against the tears threatening to spill
free. One tracked its way down my cheek, and I angrily wiped it
away. I didn't want to show weakness, not to them, the only people
who weren't judging me. Maybe I should have let myself be weak
around them, knowing they’d be there to help, but I just wasn’t
ready for that.
"Yes. Something about that spot resonates with me, it always
has. I know it sounds crazy, but it pulled me in, consuming me until
I complied. My mental strength was broken from the letter, and I
didn't have enough left to think through what was happening, it just
all felt so bleak. So, when I got to the edge, instead of sitting, I
walked off it," I finished with a sigh, looking down at my arms to see
if the scales were still there, or if I had imagined them.
"They faded before we brought you inside. Aeson kept you and
Evander warm until then," Calev explained. My eyes shot up to his
face, startled. They saw me with scales, and they're not freaking
out? Why?
"Because we aren't your average bears either, Goldilocks,"
Lachlan said, the serious look I was getting used to seeing replaced
by an amused smile.
"How do you keep answering my thoughts? Can you hear
everything I’m thinking?" I asked, scooting further away until my
back hit the wall. I may have scales, but I had no clue if I could trust
them.
"I can read them, but only when you're panicking or really
focused on them. I don't get every single passing thought, just the
strong ones. I get emotions, too. I can also open up a link between
people or groups. Don't worry, I know you were checking us out,"
Tristan joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Prove it," I challenged, determined to see if they were actually
as willing to trust as they said. I didn't want to trust them, to just
take this. But I fucking grew scales, and that's hardly normal, so
what was a little mind reading? If these guys were telling the truth,
if they had answers, it would be stupid to turn them away.
"Remember you asked for this. If you scream or act a fool, we
will leave you to deal with this on your own," Lachlan challenged, his
voice hard. I met his challenge with determination. If they thought I
was weak, I'd prove them wrong. Lachlan smirked at the fire in my
eyes before turning around and taking his shirt off. As he reached for
his belt, I yelped and covered my eyes, but not before I got a view
of his perfectly toned, pearly white ass. Well, I was not expecting
that.
"What, your superpower is getting naked?!" I squeaked out
sarcastically, rubbing my chest as my lungs continued to burn. Deep
chuckles filled the room, before a huge thud had me peeking out
from between my fingers. A strangled cry started before I cut it off,
remembering my promise. Lachlan was gone, but a huge bear stood
in his place. The bear had vibrant green eyes, and his thick fur was a
deep copper, reminiscent of Lachlan's hair in the light. "You're a
fucking bear?" I asked in awe, forgetting my fear in the face of this
badass power. Not wanting to startle him further, I projected a
thought to Tristan. ‘Can I touch him, or is that the perfect way to
become a snack?’
"You can, just no sudden movements until his bear trusts you,"
he answered quietly, everyone's eyes trained on me. Shutting out
the attention, I focused only on Lachlan. Sliding slowly up the wall
until I was standing, I took a tentative step forward, my arm
outstretched. I stopped inches away from his snout, opening my
hand palm up, letting him make the first move. With a low grunt, he
stepped forward and nudged my hand. I giggled, in awe of the
magnificent creature in front of me. My fingers shook as they ran
through the thick, coarse fur, gaining confidence the more he
became putty under my scratches. It’s a lot easier to let go and be
close to a bear than it is to another human. What does that say
about me? Trying to ignore the path my thoughts were going down,
I giggled again as he nuzzled his head into my side.
"You're magnificent," I whispered in his ear, wrapping my arms
around his neck in a giant bear hug. He nudged me after a moment,
letting me know it was time to see the others. Stepping out of the
comforting bubble we had, I headed for my safety zone against the
wall. My eyes stayed on Lachlan for a moment, clinging to that sense
of comfort for whatever fresh crazy was coming my way next.
Instead of transforming, he locked eyes with Tristan, before the big
bear nodded and padded toward me, curling up on the floor next to
me with his head in my lap. I absently rubbed his head as I stared
around the room waiting. I was startled when he let out a weird sort
of low echoing growl, realizing as his body rumbled next to me that
it was a purr. Bears purr?!
"Well, you know mine, I'm just a psychic," Tristan said pointedly,
waiting for someone else to go.
"She knows what I am, too," Evander said quietly, ducking his
head. For once he didn't look confident; instead, he looked
embarrassed. Yeah, you didn't take that well last time, Lennox, I
reminded myself.
"I'm sorry for freaking out last time," I called over to him with an
apologetic shrug. He looked up and gave me a smile, fangs poking
out. I chuckled at the sight, thinking he looked adorable and goofy,
not quite scary like I remembered.
"She thinks you’re an adorable vampire," Tristan supplied
cheerfully, looking away when I glared over at him. "Just trying to
help," he mumbled.
"Is it just fangs? What about blood and powers?" I asked,
knowing he was holding some of it back for my benefit. He almost
seemed embarrassed to be a vampire.
"It's the humans. They portray them so horribly he's afraid you'll
think the same," Tristan answered Evander’s internal thoughts,
earning a glare from Evander.
"Prove me wrong," I challenged, trying to keep up a confident
appearance. Internally, I was still freaking out. This was all mind
Other documents randomly have
different content
Suutarista.

825. Tyhjä neuvo neulan tiestä, nälkä naskalin siasta, riutuvassa

kaupunnissa.

Ompelioista.[159]

Kyllä sen neula syö, jonka neula sua.

Kankuriloista.

Kyllä rukki ruokaa tuop' kehrä-varsi keittämistä.

Palkkaan tyytymisestä.

Saaneella sia on, ei ansaineella.

XLI. Työstä ja työn tiettämisestä.

Töistä.

Ei työ miestä häväise, taito tapoja pahennak.

Työn alkamisesta.

830. Piästä pinoa aletaan, hyvä asia alusta.

Tehty työ on aljettunna, aivotessa aika mänöö.

Työn lopettamisesta.

Alku työn kaunistaa, lopussa kiitos seisoo.

Kuhnustelemisesta.
Aika mänöö arvellessa, päivä piätä kiännellessä.

(Ei se katellen paremmaks tule, eikä kuiva kurkistellen).

Työn loppumattomuutesta.

835. Kyll' on moata kyntävälle, vettä viljoin soutavalle.

Ei työt tehen lopuk, virrat vuotain vähene.

Tehten työt leviäävät, tekemätä soukistuuvat.

Maassa on työ matala, ei o puussa pitkäkään.

Pian pitkää lyhennetään, kauvan lyhyttä jatketaan.

840. (Missä hoikka, siitä poikki).

Mahottomista ja mahollisista töistä.

Ennen lyhyt rikan maasta ottaa, ennen kuin pitkä

tähen taivaasta.

(Paremp ojaa tukkia kuin jokea).

Pieni pitkällä ulottuu.

(Siinä pieni pisteleiksen, jossa suuri kiänteleiksen).

Hitaisista töistä.

845. Hiljain tehty, hyvin tehty.

Joka hiljemmin hiiltyy, se paremmin palaa.

Kiireistä töistä.

Ei Jumala kiirettä ouk luonnut, sen on pahat ihmiset

suonnut.

(Ei kiireellä kauvas mennä).

Hätäisistä töistä.

Väleen Koira pennut teki, sokeetpa hyö syntyik.

850. Ei juosten jauheta, eikä kannuksessa kynnetä.

Työhön tottumattomuutesta.

Tottunut työn teköö, tottumatoin tuskantuu.

XLII. Työ-ajasta.

Ajasta.

Ei aika miestä otota, jos ei mies aikaa.

Kyntö-ajasta.

Aseessa työn teko, ajallansa pellon kyntö.

Heinä-ajasta.

Ajallansa työnteko, hetkellänsä heinän niittö.

Puhteen-ajasta.[160]

855. Ilta-virkku, uamu-torkku, se tapa talon hävittää.

Amun-ajasta.

Arki uamulla tuloovi, talon työhön tarvitahan.

Ehto-ajasta.

Ehto karjan, yö perehen kokoo.

Yön-ajasta.

Ei yöltä silmä puhkiak, hämärältä jalka taitu.

XLIII. Työ-kaluista ja Talontarpeista.

Aseista.

Aseessa työn tientö, miehessä pellon kyntö.

Aurasta.

860. Aura arpoja parahin, kirnun-mäntä tarpomia.

Kirveestä.

Kirves hyvä kierteestä, veihti hieno-karkeesta, viikahte

murenevasta.

Kuhun miekkansa Kuninkas, siihen köyhä kirvehensä.

Nyrhistä.

Nilkis nalkis Naisen kirves, milloin puuhun, milloin

muahan, milloin keskellen kiveä.
(Ei kirves kiveen pysty, napakairo kalliohon).

Veihtestä.

865. Miestä myöten miekka vyöllä, kilpi kantajan mukahan.

Tylsä veisi tyhmän miehen, terävä tekevän ase.

Paha laiskan partaveihti, vein vie, karvan jättää.

Viikahtesta.

Viitake karvan katkaisoo, harava kaks koapaisoo.

Rautalapioista.

Kirkon kirves ja Rauta-lapio, köyhän velan maksaa.

Päreistä.

870. Viikahte varteen, ohra piälle ja päret orteen.

Muista kaluista ja töistä.

Sitä myöten vyö kuin nuttu, tie kuin talo, vars' kuin
lapia, virs' kuin laulaja.

Niin on, niin on niitun aijat, kuin on niitun niittäjäkin,

niin on niitun veräjät, kuin on tylsä kirveheni, kovin
koski koivun kuori, pahoin potkaisi petäjä.

Heijän korjoomisesta.

Kalua kahtoa pitää, ennen suatua säilytellä.

Ei kalua suaten rikkaaksi tulla, vaan siästäin.

875. Joka siästää suatuansa, sill on tarpeissa tavara.

XLIV. Talon teistä.

Kylän-teistä.

Tiet kulkoo kylien myöten, ihmiset tietä myöten.

Talon-teistä.

Sitä myöten tie kuin talo, vars' kuin lapia.

Talvi- ja kesä-teistä.

Talon kautta tie talvella, nauris-halmeen kesällä.

Suorista ja koukku-teistä [161].

Paremmin virsta viärää kuin voaksa voaroo.

Mäkisistä teistä.

880. Kyllä mäki velkansa maksaa.

XLV. Matkoista ja kulkemisista.

Matkaan mänemisestä.

Suap tiellen olla lähtemätä, vuan ei viikon viipymätä.

(Yksi tie, kaks asiaa).

Matkan jouvuttamisesta.

Juosten matka joutusampi, ehkä käyven keveämpi.

Käyven kylään kerkiää, juosten tielle jäähään.

Yö-majasta.

885. Kylä siellä kussa Kukko, haukkuu Koira korvessakin.

Pitkä on yö kylässä.

Matkan käyneistä.

Jo on turpa tuulta nähnyt, parta päiviä pahoja.

Käynyt matkaase sanoo, käymätöin ajattelee.

Tieltä eksyneistä.

Jälki jäänneen neuvoo, umpi eksyttää hyvänkin.

890. Tietä eellinen tekööpi, jälki jäänneen vetäävi.

(Yhtäälle on yhen jälki, kahtaalle kahen polku).

Tietä kysymisestä.

Ei se eksy joka kysyy, eikä katu, joka katsoo.

(Käypä johonkin yhtyy).

Kulkevaisista.

Ei vierävä kivi sammaloitu, mies kulkeva rikastu.

895. (Aina kulkevalta kuluu).

Heijän toivotuksia.

Ompa muata muuallakin, ilmoa etämpänäkin.

Kuormista.

Köytetyn kotihin suap', köyttämätöin tielle jääpi.

Sen Hepo kotihin tuopi, joka pannahan pajuillen,

liistehillen liitetähän.

Heijän raskauntumisesta.

900. Kyllä matka kuormaa lisää, tuska vaivoja valoa.

Heijän koatamisesta.

Kyllä matalakin kanto kuorman koataa.

Evääistä.

Tasan naiset taipaleella, tasan matkoissa eväät.

Tekeminen luotut lapset, syöminen tehtyt evähät.

Tiellä tuttavista.

Hyvä tiessä ystävä, reppu reessä parempi.

(Ei ole tätiä tiellä).

Kohtaamisesta, tahi vastatuksin tulemisesta.

905. Kyll' on tiellä tiloo, jos on vartta virsullaik.

XLVI. Kotosta, ja koti-rakkautesta.

Koton suloisuutesta.

Ah, kullaista kotoa, jos on ruoka niukemmalta, niin on

unta viljemmalta.

Aika autuas kotona, Ukko kurja kulkemassa.

Kaikki kauniit kotona, ihana isän majassa.

Koton ansiosta.

Moni muualla mulko-silmä, kotonansa kyynö-silmä.

Kotin kaipoamisesta.

910. Muut kotihins mänöövät, majohinsa matkustaavat, mull' ei

kurjalla kotia, kataloll' ei kartanota.

Koton heittämisestä.

Vie Jumala mihin viet; kuin et kotiin vie.

Suo siellä, vetelä teällä, ei kuivoo kussaan.

Koton muistamisesta.

Kylä hyvä jätettävä, koto huono muistettava.

Koton heittäjöistä.
915. Nyt on Matti muansa myönyt, konna heitänyt kotonsa.

(Antaa menevän mennä, kyllä jääpä neuvonsa pitää).

Ei huolta hävyttömällä, työtä muansa myöneellä.

Rata maansa myyneelle, tienvieri väsyneelle.

Suru sian siirtäjällä, murhe majan muuttajalla.

Koton asettamisesta.

920. Onni uuteen tupaan, hyvä vuos vieraiks'.

Oman muan makeutesta.

Muu mua mustikka, oma mua mansikka.

Omat muat makuammat, omat mehät mieluammat.

Paremp omalla mualla, juua vettä tuohisesta; kuin on

mualla vierahalla, juota tuopista olutta.

Paremp on oma olkinen, kuin vieras villainen.

Taipumuksista vanhoin tapoin.

925. Tapa entinen taluu, virka entinen vetää.

Aina uusi hempiämpi, ehkä entinen parempi.

f) IHMISEN ERINÄISISTÄ ELÄMÄN-KEINOISTA

XLVII. Linnustamisesta ja Peton-pyytämisestä.

Mehtämiehistä.

Minä mies metän käviä, Uros korven kolkuttaja.

Kuljenma Kuren teitä, käynmä Kären uroja.

Heijän vaikeutesta.

Suapi hiihtäjä hikensä, riihen-puija lämpymänsä.

Heijän pyytö-päivistä.

930. Hyvä olo, laiskat päivät, niitä lintuja ampuu.

(Mäne Pyytä pyytämään, Koppelo kotona katoisi).

Heijän mehän-käynnöstä.

Hiis on mehän käymättömän, Korppi käyneen uron.

Ei tule lintu liikkumata, kala jalan kastamata.

Heijän sualiistansa.

Mikä miehissä suahaan, se miehissä syyvään.

935. (Ei luutointa lihaa, eikä piätöintä kalaa).

Heijän tyhjään käymisestä.

Ikävä iloton ilta, päivä pitkä sualihiton.

Paha syyvä suamatointa, ajoo näkemätöintä.

Jos lie pyytäjä typerä, niin on antaja[162] itara.

Vähään tyytymisestä.

Hyvä on jalkakin jänistä Suen suusta suatuvaase.

Linnuista.

940. Liukas lintu lentäissä, liukkahampi linnustaja.

Sitä lintu linnullen, jota linnulla itelläkin.

Heijän soitimesta.

Vuotta myöten lintu soipi, kevättä kala kuteepi.

Aika siitten ansoja punoja, kuin on Hanhet soitimella.[163]

Heijän pojillisuutesta.

Silloin lintu laihimmallansa, kuin on pojat pienimmällänsä.

945. Laiha lintu lapsillinen, lapsitoin lihava lintu.

Heijän emäks joutumisesta.

Kuin kynä katoo, niin silloin kynsi kasvaa.

Ei sikiä siipi-lintu, päivän Perttulin perästä.

Kyyhkyisistä.

Syvän kylmä Kyyhkyisellä, syyvessä kylän kekoja.

Pyistä.

Koska pilli pienestäns pirisee, Pyyn pienen pettääpi poveensa.

950. Paremp Pyy käissä, kuin kaks' oksalla.

Ei ole Pyystä kahen jakoo, Oravassa kolmen osaa.

Teuristä.

Sen teki Tetren poika, appo aholta marjat.

Pienistä linnuista.

Ilonna Käki mehässä, lammas laiho-halmeessa.

Vesi-linnuista.

Lokki luotohon munii, Kajova kivi-karihin.

955. Telkkä poikia teköövi, Tavi lapsia latoovi, niitä Hauvit

hajottaavi, Veenkoirat viettelöövi.

Karhusta.

Karhu ou karkia mehässä, minä oun Karhua karkiampi.

Lähen Karhun kuatamaani, metän onnen ottamaani.

Suesta.

Kyllä Susi syytä sua Lammas-lauman ruatellansa.

Toisin on Hukalla huoli, toista ampuja ajatteloo.

Ketusta.

960. Ketull' on keviät jalat, jotk' ei pauka pakkaisella, eikä kolka

kovalla siällä.
Ruskia on Repo kuoltuakin.

Jäniksestä.

Jänis jäppä juppa-niska, juokse kohti lankojaini.

Juokse vintura vipuun, kantura kahain, pyörä silmä pyyvyksein.

Oravasta.

Osais se Orava juosta, salon halki, toisen poikki,

kolmannen vähä vitäisin.

965. Ammun ohtaan Oravan, kärsään kävyn-purian.

Ampumisesta.

Ei auta ampuminen, kuin ei ole nuolen-noutajata.

Hätä opettaa Lappalaisen ampumaan.

Jousesta.

Janhus jousessa pitäävi, koivun-kylki kirves-varressa.

Suksista.

Pihlaja ylös pitäävi, huapa hankellen vetäävi, petäiä

perätin viepi.

970. Hyvä on suksi suunnallinen, sivon piällinen sivakka.

XLVI. Kalastamisesta.
Kalan pyyvöstä.

Kalan-pyyntö kansallisen, mehän-käyntö miehellisen.

Kalalle kala käskee, lintu linnun pyyvykselle.

Kalamiehistä.

Joka on nuotalle nopia, käsiverkoillen käpeä, se on

laiska muullen työllen.

Heijän elämän-kerrasta.

Kaita on kalamiehen pöytä, leviämpi leipä-pöytä.

975. (Pitä kaipoin kala eräsi, levittellen Lehmän anti).

Kalastamisesta.

Ei tule ilo ehtimätä, kala jalan kastamata.

("On niitä syöty, ehk ei suatu"; sanoi Hämäläinen

Silakkoista).

Kaloista.

Ahven armas tuorehelta, Särki siästössä parempi.

Uipi Hauki harjullenkin, kyntömiehen vakoja myöten.[164]

Heijän kuvusta.

980. Tyyneessä kalat kutoovat, hyvät tavat hiljaisella.

Ahven kuvun alkaa, ahven kuvun lopettaa.

Heijän kuvun-taukkoamisesta.

Loppuu Lohta piä-kaloa, päivän Perttulin perästä.

(Jo mäni mäti kalalta, muna Muikulta putoisi).

Kala-vesistä.

Aina kala vetessä, ehk' ei aina apajalla.

985. Jos ei tärpä tästä lammista, kyllähään tärppää toisesta.

Kalan-pyyvyksistä.

Tihjä verkko miehen onni, surma kaikillen kaloillen.

Harvoin harva syöttelee, senkin suurilla kaloilla.

Kalan sualihista.

Sen mies omana pitää, minkän merrasta löytää.

Veneestä.

Aika tuopi tyynen meren, aika vuotavan venehen.

990. Vie veneisi vesillen, kyllä tuuli tuuvittaapi.

Purjeesta.

Ei olek siitä purjeesta, joll' ei ole airoillen apua.

(Soisi soutaja veneensä soutamata juoksevaksi).

Soutajoista.
Joka tyynellä makoo, se tuulella soutaa.

Laiska moallen soutaa, veltto vesillen heittää.

Vesillen mänemisestä.

995. Ei uhalla uimaan, eikä vetjulla vesillen.

Ei vesi hullua hukuta, ennen viepi viisahamman.

Kosken-laskioista.

Se kosken tavat tietää, joka kosken korvalla asuu.

Koskesta, eli joesta.

Kyllä juonia joella, joka mutkan soutamista.

On joissa jotaik', haukia hakojaik'.

Kosken-laskennosta.

1000. Honka ota uraisi, kivi pitä varaisi.[165]

Laskioihen uskalluksesta.

Kuin olin miessä nuorempana, osaisinma Ouluun

soutaa, kivirannan kiikutella, piipun suussaini pitää,
tousan toisessa käessä.

En kiitä meristä miestä, kovan kosken laskiata, meri

silt' on mielen viennyt, koski korvat särkenynnä.

XLVII. Muan viljelemisestä.

Moan isännistä.

Ei muata markatointa, eikä ilma isännätöintä.

Tietämättömistä maista.

Kyllämä tiiän tilkun-maata, syömätöintä, lyömätöintä,

miehen miekan käymätöintä, tapparan talloomatointa.

Mehtä-maista.

1005. Korpi kasvaa komean kuusen, kankas kaunimman petäjän.

Mustikka ei mäkee muutak, puola polto-kankaita,

maita mansikka pahennak.

(Ajan vietto, marjan syöntö).

Pelto maista.

Sakoisampi savi kuin santa hiekka-pellolla.

Mua kavottaa kivinen pelto-siemenen.

1010. Kiitä kivistä muata, laita lanta-savea.

Kasvaa kivinen pelto, vaan ei kasvak kakkarainen.

Kyntö-miehistä.

Ei salli savinen pelto sukan-vartta valkeata, miestä

verkaista vaolla, piikoin pitkee hametta.

Paremp kyntäjän kyperä, kuin rahat rannan kiertolaisen.

Kyntämisestä.

Hyvä kyllä hullu kyntää, jättää kyynärän vaon väliä,

puoli-toista toisinahan.

Kaskesta.

1015. Kaikill' on kaskessa työtä, ei yhelle kyntäjälle.

Palon kynnöstä.

Eessäpäin on pitkä kanto kaskessa.

Ahon kynnöstä.

Apuna ahonkin kyntö, lisänä mahonkin maito.

Mullostamisesta.

Toisin tonkia pitäävi, muutoin muata mullostella.

Kylvämisestä.

Joka taajan kylvää, se loajan leikkaa.

1020. Joka puolelta pivon kylvää, se puolelta leikkaa.[166]

Myöhäk kylvöstä.

Halla hiljain kylväneellä, nälkä siemenen syöjällä.

Halla myöhäisen panoo, sika syöpi aijattoman.

Nälkä varhain syöneen, halla myöhään kylväneen.

Herneen ja pavun kylvöstä.

Jos ei o' Vappuna vaossa, ei se puoha puohtimessa.

Kauran kylvöstä.

1025. Kauroja Kakarin suuhun, Käen suuhun herneitä.

Tattarista.

Tattari talon tuottaa, tattari talottomaksi.

Nauriista.

Navat syöpi nauritoin, kuoret kuopatoin puroo.

Kasvon joutumisesta.

Ei tähätöintä Helluntaina, eikä jyvätöintä Juhannusta.

Harvoin Helluntai tähätöin, harvoin Juhannus jyvätöin.[167]

Muan kasvuista.

1030. Ei seula satoja kasva, kylvy-vakka kymmeniä.

Muan hetelmästä.

Muasta leipä kynnetään, vaimosta väki tuloo.

Muamiesten elämän-kerrasta.

Kyllä kyntäjät elää, aatranpainajat asuu, koska me

meriset miehet aina aikoin tulemme.
Mualla muatonnik elää, vesillä venehetönnik.[168]

XLVIII. Laiskuutesta ja Ahkeruutesta.

Ahkeruuesta.

Ahkeruus kovankin onnen voittaa.

Nöyryytestä.

1035. Siitä tunsin nöyrän miehen: pian joi, pian söi, pian pistihin
pihalle.

Viriäisyytestä.

Viiesti viriä käypi, kerran laiska katkaseikse.

Teräväisyytestä.

Joka on rutto ruuvillensa, se on töillensä terävä.

Kiiruutesta.

Ei hätä hävetä anna, kiire kauan kiinitellä.

Unisuutesta ja makoomisesta.

Ain' on aikaa vireällä, kiire laiskalla kotona, jos ei

muutoin niin makuulle.

1040. Eipä maaten markat, eikä istuin iku-hopeat.

Ei unta verosta viiä, makuutta maan otoista.