1948 is swiftly coming to a close, and 17-year-old Bunny Jacobs is living her best life...until she isn’t. Strange things begin happening. Unexplainable things. Fearing her behaviors are sending her down a troubling path, her parents ship her off to finishing school - charm school - to reinforce proper manners that will help her attract a suitable husband.
But Bunny quickly learns Stavanger Finishing School is not what it seems. Many around her hide magical secrets, and in a chilling turn of events, she discovers magic of her own. Facing dangers both known and unknown, Bunny struggles to find her place, to learn who she can trust, and to understand the confusing new collective in which she’s immersed. To top it off, she can’t seem to control how, when, or what magic she summons.
When Bunny meets Royal Rhys, a student from Highcliff Academy, everything seems to finally fall into place. Until the dangers surrounding her become all too real. In the fight of her life, against someone she thought she could trust, can Bunny summon the magic she needs to escape?
THIS IS A life-or-death situation. I know that much.
What I don’t know is why. Why am I the one in this situation? There’s nothing really that special about me—not compared to the others.
What I do know is I’ve been in this dark, confined room for a long time, unable to see or hear anything that could help me. I’d better start figuring out how to get myself out of this mess.
What was it Mrs. Sandzya said? Mentally sifting through the never-ending notes I’ve taken, I try to locate the answer, but it just won’t materialize. The fear of who or what might meet me on the other side of that door scatters my thoughts in a million directions, and I don’t have the presence of mind to wrangle them back.
Is this terrifying new world something I can survive?
Is this what my life is meant to be now?
A voice in the back of my mind pushes forward. No! But do I believe it?
When I first arrived at the finishing school meant to teach me manners and etiquette, social skills and scholastics, when I met the girls in the dormitory, became friends with Lauren, I never dreamed I’d soon be facing the perils of the last few months. All culminating in this moment.
Trying once again to shake through the nervous scramble in my brain, to collect myself and formulate a plan, the voice of Mrs. Sandzya comes to my rescue: Breathe, Bunny. First and foremost, breathe. Focus on the simple act of centering yourself in a moment of calm. Then begin to draw your strength through that calm, ball it up as tight as a fist in your core, and then release it throughout your body. Picture an explosion of light and summon your power from that explosion. You can do it. I believe in you.
I believe in you.
But it is harder than it has ever been before. Only once have I conjured enough energy in a moment of terror to make my power as effective as I need it to be now.
Drawing in a deep breath, I begin. Slow exhale, deep inhale. I picture Mrs. Sandzya standing before me, encouraging as she always does. Slow exhale, deep inhale. I try to still my mind, to let a blanket of darkness fall over the worries racing around inside my head. I’m almost shocked when it starts working, when I feel the blanket weighing itself down, down along my shoulders, my arms, my fingers, working its way through my legs. Slow exhale, deep inhale. After a few long moments, the stillness covers every inch of my body, my mind opening like a blooming flower while a shimmering, glowing trail of light curls around the corners of my consciousness and moves like a snake down into my body, circling tighter and tighter into a coil at my center. It’s working! It’s actually working! Exhale, inhale. My breathing turns labored, more rapid, but I force my focus on the trail of light from my mind into my core. The strength building, my body begins to pulse with it. I imagine the core of light spinning around and around itself in all directions, a force so great, no man could overcome it.
And then it happens.
The explosion—just as Mrs. Sandzya had promised—shoots through my body, energizing every muscle, every cell. I gasp as I reverberate with the power. I’ve never felt anything like this before. There’s a strength in my bones and a clarity of mind I hadn’t known was possible. My mentor promised she’d help unlock my gifts, and she has.
Thank you, Mrs. Sandzya! I release the thought out into the universe.
I suddenly realize I can see in the lightless room where I’m being held captive. I’d been blind before in the dark; I know the room still must be pitch black, yet I can see. Not as well as if there was actual light, but well enough to assess the situation, the tiny room I’ve been shoved into by someone I thought was a friend, by—
The enhanced sound of the bolt scraping across the door echoes in my ears, pulling my attention, and my head snaps up in that direction. Is my hearing heightened as well as my eyesight? What else have I elevated within myself? I am eager to find out. I stand and move to the middle of the room, bracing for the fight of my life.
The heavy metal door swings open loudly, with a creak and a clang. Bright light from the hallway bathes the room, nearly blinding me. The light casts a shadow around the large figure in the doorway, and it takes a moment to adjust my eyes and make out any features.
A gasp tears up my throat when I recognize the face.
