Read Online Mystics 3-Book Collection by Kim Richardson - Free Book Online

them the night before, she still jumped when a hairy man
with four legs scurried out of a ruby-red mirror on her right.
    Tristan chuckled, and she pushed him
playfully.
    As they passed the front desk, Zoey could
see that Mrs. Andrews and an older woman with short white hair were
in deep conversation. The two women looked up as they neared, and
Mrs. Andrews waved desperately to get Zoey’s attention. But Zoey
pretended not to see them and kept moving. Mrs. Andrews probably
only wanted to boast to her friend that she knew the Drifter.
Besides, Zoey suspected that Mrs. Andrews was only going to say
something very rude to her, so it was best to avoid them all
together.
    She let out a shaky breath and inhaled
deeply. She tried to breathe normally, but she could tell she was
on the verge of hyperventilating. Why was she so panicked? She was
as tough as they came. But even as she tried to convince herself
so, it only seemed to increase her nerves. She had to force herself
to think of something else.
    “So, do you have a girlfriend or something?”
she blurted out. She regretted it as soon as she said it. She felt
stupid and forward, but the words were already out there.
    Tristan’s face darkened to a deep shade of
burgundy, and he looked embarrassed. Zoey felt even more
uncomfortable. Great , now he thought she was a freak. Her
ears burned, and she wanted to kick herself for being so dumb. How
could she say something like that ?
    The main hall branched out like a T with two
corridors on either side. Tristan turned to the left and stopped
before large double doors with Sevenths’ Academy, Room 1D written in bold black letters on the front.
    “I don’t know how they teach at the Mutes’
schools,” began Tristan, “but here the operative program is divided
into two sections—theoretical and practical. The theoretical part
is from nine to noon. We have a break for lunch, and then it’s
practical from one to three. I prefer practical—it’s when the fun
really starts—it’s when we learn to use weapons and go out on field
assignments. You’ll see—you’ll get your chance pretty soon.”
    Zoey just nodded. She still felt like an
idiot because of what she had said moments before.
    Tristan lowered his voice. “We can’t talk
during class, so we can meet after and go for lunch, if you
want.”
    He started forward and then turned, “Oh—and
the answer is no .”
    “Sorry?”
    Tristan scratched the back of his neck
awkwardly, his ears reddening. “I mean that I don’t have a
girlfriend.”
    Zoey stood wide-eyed, blood draining from
her face. “Oh, right. Okay, thanks.” Thanks ? She repeated in
her head. I’m such a moron.
    Tristan smiled at her and then turned. Zoey
hesitated and then followed him in, feeling more and more like a
fool.
    The room was large, about the size of three
regular classrooms in one. It was divided into two sections. The
right side was lined with desks and computers. The opposite side
looked like a gym with floor mats, hanging ropes, bean bags, and
circular colored target stands on wheels like she had seen before
at an archery competition. The far wall was lined with shelves of
weapons. There were daggers, batons, swords, sledge hammers, axes,
metal nets, and a large variety of sharp looking weapons she didn’t
recognize.
    And then her heart stopped. All eyes were on
her. She had been so enthralled with the room that she had
temporarily forgotten where she was.
    The other eighteen students in the room had
turned around and were staring at her with shocked expressions. She
could hear them whispering. She met their curious stares head on,
and one by one the students turned back around and faced the
front.
    A woman with gray chin-length hair sat
behind a desk at the far end of the room facing the students. Zoey
imagined it was Agent Ward. She sat very straight and watched Zoey
through black-rimmed glasses. Even at a distance, Zoey could see
the severe expression on her face. She understood right