Chapter 1

Her skin sparked with tiny bolts of lightning. She rubbed her arm, trying to get rid of the physical sign of her Magic and nerves. She waited outside the headmaster's office, trying to be calm but her Magic still raced through her with anxiety from the last few weeks. She wasn't used to being so close to so many Arcanes at once, and especially since she was so far away from her own people.

Kore sat quietly, looking at the dark panels of wood in front of her. The whole school was panelled like that, dark but somehow still warm and welcoming.

She was tired. It was well past one in the morning by the time she got onto the island and it must have been closer to two since she got to the school.

The Iscariot Finishing Institute was on Iscariot Island, a private island off the mainland of Japan. The whole east side of it had been repurposed into the school grounds, sitting high on a mountain with a lake and a forest surrounding it. A single road led westward towards the town.

Kore had already taken a look at the school grounds, noting the four buildings of the school and how they were connected. A lake separated one House from the rest of the school, keeping the Arcanes distant from the rest of the student body. Understandable, even Orion wouldn't want there to be any incidents of Arcanes being found out.

The grounds were considered neutral grounds for all, with Mundanes, Arcanes, Guardians, and now a Witch, living together in peace. Europe held the vast majority of Witches but it still had a good amount of Arcanes, but Asia was the mastermind in controlling Arcanes.

When the door opened and Kore was invited into the office of the headmaster, she shook his hand firmly.

Dante Iscariot looked nothing like a headteacher. His smile was soft as he introduced himself and quickly got her situated in the room to discuss the matters at hand.

Kore glanced between him and the papers before him, her arms folded loosely under her chest. She scanned his eyes, watching for any alternative motives as her Magic would tell her if he lied or kept anything from her. She wasn't going to trust him just because her mum did.

She still felt jittery.

Kore had never been away from any large number of Witches before. The many Arcanes scattered across the school grounds, and their desire for Black Magic and blood put her own Magic on edge.

By her upbringing, anything that wasn't Witch was considered Black Magic. The Order didn't welcome other Arcanes, barely considering themselves Arcane due to their inherited Magic. Witches believed Magic wasn't only their gifts but their birthright.

The weight on her chest wanted to pull her to the House across the lake, closer to the Arcanes as their Magic and hers demanded them be close. It was always the case with her. Her Magic liked to be near Magic, be it Witch or Arcane.

Headmaster Iscariot smiled at her, "I've decided, due to your Witch status, that you'll be part of the Key House. We have a Vampire as our Senior Prefect, elected by his peers to be the leader of the Key House. Those students have their lessons during the night, as will you tomorrow night. Lessons start at nine in the evening and finish at three in the morning, with three one-and-a-half hour lessons with a thirty-minute break at ten thirty and an hour lunch at twelve-thirty. Then the rest of the morning, or day, is yours to spend however you like."

"Why are my classes going to be during the night?" she asked.

"We have tried the Key House during the day but found that their Magic, especially those with light sensitivity or sensitivity towards Mundanes, have a harder time concentrating," he said. "I decided, alongside the Governors, that it was better for them to be away from the Lock House for the most part. Will night classes be a problem?"

She shook her head, "No. I was simply curious. I have never heard a school of having both lessons during the day and night."

"Most schools do not include both Arcane and Mundane members," Iscariot paused, his eyes glazing over a little for a split second before he smiled faintly. "I've given the Key House a half-day because of your arrival. I presume Richard is on his way. He is the deputy Senior Prefect under Markus. He will see to it that you brought over and are introduced to everyone. We have a few rules here."

"Okay,"

He scanned her eyes, flickering between them as he spoke, "I understand that there have been struggles between Arcanes and Witches, and I hope those struggles do not transfer over while you attend the Institute."

"Don't worry," she said. "They won't."

While her upbringing did like to emphasise the importance of Witches over Arcanes, she wasn't stupid enough to have it solidified into her values. Magic, regardless of origin, was exceptional. She didn't care for the source.

"This school is quite like ones you'd attend in England, but we host Arcane students in the Key House so we have to have rules," he said. "We have Prefects, young members of Orion. You do know what that group is?"

"Yes. The Guardianship Accords created Orion as a way to keep Mundanes and Arcanes safe."

"Good." He nodded. "There are four of them. They work in six-hour shifts and patrol the school grounds. The Prefects and I would much rather prefer you don't wander much during the day, as that is when the Lock House is up and about. We'll make an exception for your daily vitamin D needs, or do you not need it?" he asked.

"No." She shook her head, "I don't need the sun. I'll be fine with the curfew."

"Good, good. Well, we have two Senior Prefects in this school, like heads of their respective classes, one for the Lock Students and one for the Key. Markus Alastair is going to be your Senior Prefect," Dante said. "He is a fair individual, so if you have any problems come to him or his deputy."

A knock at the door echoed into the room.

"Speak of the devil. Come in!"

"Markus said you needed me?" He bowed in greeting. "Hello."

He was cute in the way a labrador was, soft and smiley. He wore what Kore presumed to be the uniform of the Key House-a black suit jacket over a dark red vest over a black shirt. The jacket had red detailing in the marks of red lining the arms and part of the hems, including going down the sides of his trousers.

It was a nice uniform and reminded her of her tailcoat. She left that little piece of her behind. She couldn't take the coat with her, even if she never wanted to part with something that told her her purpose.

She looked over her shoulder, looking at him.

"Miss Greylight, this is Richard Lee, the Deputy Senior Prefect of the Key House," Iscariot introduced. "Richard, this is Kore Graylight. She'll be joining the Key House."

He stilled, sniffing the air once. "She's..."

"I'm a Witch," she stated before standing up from the chair. She grabbed her large suitcase and duffel bag from the floor, pulling the straps over one shoulder. "If you both don't mind, I'd like to be shown my quarters. I've been on an eleven-and-a-half-hour flight and I want a bed."

"Of course," Iscariot said, waving his hand dismissively. "I was wondering about your hair. Is it dyed?"

"No." She tucked a piece of her charcoal hair back to reveal the plum purple colour, "My hair is my family Trait."

Each family had their own trait, something that showed their bloodline and exactly who they were. Her family trait was her strangely coloured hair. The charcoal was from her father but the colour underneath was what told people her true family line. She had a deep plum colour peeking out from under the charcoal grey, her hair cut to her shoulders to show off the colour. The darker top of her hair hid the colour well but the purple poked out at her temple.

She understood why he thought it was dyed. The colour was usually unnatural for someone to have. It was the identifying feature of her family line. Her mother had the same trait, as did every other Witch born to the Greylight line. Though their hair was a colour that reflected their personality and Magic colour.

"Oh," He said, a slight shock filling his expression before it changed back to a calm attitude. "Alright. Go show Kore her room. Rest for the day. You'll have lessons with the Key House when night comes again."

"Alright, thanks." She nodded to him before she began to walk out of the room. Her suitcase followed like a lost puppy, rolling itself behind her and keeping a good distance away so she didn't trip.

The two of them walked in silence, for which she was grateful. Kore wasn't in the mood to talk, only sleep. Sleep sounded good right now. She yawned at least twice in that office. The air was decent, at least. And since most of the Lock House was fast asleep, she didn't have to worry about her Magic being exposed.

Kore gave Richard a once over, letting her Magic inform her of almost everything about his Magical status.

"You're a Baihu, aren't you?" It meant he was a peaceful Arcane, one that liked to keep peace within all nations as his brethren tried to do the same.

He smiled, "A Chinese white tiger, yes. Do you have more questions?"

"What's the kitchen arrangement for the Key House?" she asked. "Can I have food delivered to the House if needed?"

"Yes. Most of us do not cook but the kitchen is fully stocked at all times. Everyone has a right to use it."

She hummed. "Good. I'll see about going into town to get food delivered. I'm quite picky about my meals."

"How so?"

"I'm vegetarian,"

"Why?"

She grinned, "If you ate something and could see exactly how it was killed, would you want to eat meat?"

"Hmm, good reason to be vegetarian then," he had to give himself a second to refocus after he chuckled a little. "I couldn't imagine seeing everything I ate as their animal counterpart all the time."

"I thought so too."

)()()(

A lake and bridge separated the Key Houses from the rest of the school. It was a beautiful building, being more of a mansion rather than the simple Houses on the main campus. It was a cool grey with dark accents. There was even a small closed-off courtyard and the back of the whole place faced the huge forest that covered most of the northeast of the island.

Now Kore just hoped she got a nice room. She knew she would get a room to herself. Being the only Witch attending the school and being a royal, she doubted that Markus Alastair would allow her to room with one of his classmates. He wouldn't want her tempting any of his classmates by living with them too close.

Arcanes and Witches didn't get along too well.

The inside was beautiful, decorated to the nines with rich tones and dark wooden panels. A large staircase lined one wall, flowing down the side as it encased a communal area where a group of four sat.

There weren't many people here. Kore could count just under a dozen people standing over the railings of the upper floor, not including the small group on the couches. They had been talking but as soon as the duo came into the building, they silenced. They stared blankly as they walked closer. Kore didn't care. She was used to the staring by now. The hair didn't help, nor did her status in the Witch World.

"Everyone, this is Kore Graylight," Richard started. "Kore, this is the Key House."

"You must be kidding, Richard," a girl said, a Siren if Kore's Magic was telling her correctly. "What's she doing here?"

Richard brushed off the question, "Where is Markus?"

"Markus didn't say we were having guests," a boy stood up, stretching out a hand to shake Kore's.

She did, feeling the sudden allure of a Siren come from him but it just washed over her. Just like all Sirens, he was beautiful with dark, sharp features with matching dark eyes. He retracted his hand, hissing in pain as he turned to accuse the people behind him.

Kore quickly tucked her hand back into her pocket as a tall boy came into the room. Everyone acknowledged him with a quick nod of the head, making their presence known while he ignored them.

"What's going on?" he asked, tilting his head but his dark, slicked-back hair didn't move.

"Someone hit me!" the Siren screamed and gestured widely.

"None of us used Magic, Silas,"

She crossed her arms and made sure that one hand was free to tap against her bicep. Every time she tapped her finger, a shot of icy pain ran through him and made him flinch and eventually jump up. He patted himself down as the pain travelled from his head to his toes and back up again.

The new boy, the one she knew to be Markus Alastair because of how everyone reacted to him, allowed this to happen for a single moment more before looking at her with dark eyes. "Miss Graylight, please stop."

"What?" she shrugged, still tapping away in amusement as Silas jumped. "I'm not doing anything."

"Kore, please," Richard said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She felt a wave of calming warmth come from him, his Magic trying to keep the peace as his kind always did. She shrugged it and his hand off.

"Fine, I'll stop." Kore gave both of them a quick look. "But he better not try and use his allure on me again. I don't like it."

"Okay fair," Silas frowned. "But how'd you do that!?"

"May I explain or should I let you, Miss Graylight?" Markus asked, calmly looking at her after she uncrossed her arms and shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

She nodded, "Have at it."

"Kore Graylight is a Witch of the Graylight Family," Markus explained as he turned to the rest of the class. "Just as we have the royal families of the Arcane, Witches have their own hierarchy. Where does your family sit on that line?"

"Just as the Arcanes have five families," Kore said, mentally counting them off in her head. Alastair, Torren, Tudor, Moore, and Gordon. "Witches have three ruling clans. My family is one of the three."

"And the others?"

"The Whitestone and Blackwood Clans," she said. "The Whitestone, Graylight, and Blackwood families are our royal families of sorts."

"If you're a Graylight and they are considered royals in your society," the only girl of the group spoke, Silas' twin sister. "Why are you attending Iscariot Institute?"

Kore shrugged with a dismissive wave. "I'm just here to get my education until I'm nineteen."

As the group downstairs yawned, standing up, the larger group on the top floor disappeared. Kore knew they were getting ready for bed now. The time was turning to around four in the morning and yet the sun was starting to rise. Markus also left without a word, only gesturing towards Silas' twin, indicating something.

She had a tight afro pulled into a bun on the top of her head, with beautiful dark eyes to match her hair and skin. She was a Siren too, just like her twin.

Richard gently led Kore over to her, smiling just as brightly as he did when he first greeted the Witch.

"Kore, this is Annaliese Torren. Annaliese, be nice," he said when he caught her scowling. "This is Kore Graylight and, as you know from the little scene earlier with Silas, Kore is a Witch. Can you take Kore to her room? It's dorm seven."

"Fine. Follow me," she said, waving a hand to Kore as Annaliese walked towards the stairs. "You have a room to yourself, it seems. Lucky. Master Alastair and Headmaster Iscariot probably just don't want us tempted at the Institute."

Kore just hummed quietly at that.

House seven was a simple beauty with a sophisticated feel. The room was slightly longer than its width, with two walls adjacent holding the large windows. The right wall had nothing but windows, letting the beautiful sunrise in. The walls were a dark shade of navy, with cool wood panels and shimmering gold detailing in places.

The other window had the desk set against it as the corner to the left held the four-post bed. The floor was dark brown wood with a plush rug right under the bed.

Kore dropped her bags at the side of the bed and snapped her fingers, her chosen pyjamas, a set of soft black silk shorts and a matching shirt, which appeared on the dark purple sheets of the bed.

The first thing she put down after her bags was the salt line. The salt was fine as dust as she sprinkled it on top of the door frame and the metal separating her flooring from the hall. She also put it under the bed frame and on the windowsills.

The salt itself did nothing but with the intention of protection, the salt took on that aspect as Magic was infused into it.

)()()(

Kore let herself be trapped in her room with a Vampire, opening the door to Markus as he requested to speak to her. She knew she wasn't really trapped. She could revoke the passage allowance. It worked for anyone entering her room with permission, forcing them out if she didn't want them there.

Markus stood by the desk, leaning on it a little as he watched her put items onto a bookshelf without pause.

"What is the reason for attending Iscariot Institute, Lady Graylight?" Markus asked, using her proper title since they were equals in this situation. "I don't like being lied to."

"Skipping the pleasantries, I see." She sighed, placing the phone on charge by her bed. She turned to look at him. "Lord Alastair, unlike you, I don't have the company of others like myself and the abilities to keep them loyal and myself safe. I would rather not speak of the circumstances that happened for me to attend Iscariot Institute but I have a feeling you will push until you know."

"You are in the right assumption,"

"Close the door,"

He did, coming to stand near her desk. He stared at her, letting her take a breath before she began.

"Two weeks ago, my mother was forced to commit suicide because of a treaty broken by the other two Clans," Kore toyed with the ring on her right middle finger, twisting it side to side. "It was either she dies or gives up her Magic, and she chose the former because we Graylight Witches do not give up our Magic in any circumstance."

"If I remember correctly," he crossed his arms, "The ruling Witch clans have their own gifts, more so than the normal Witches under your guidance?"

"Besides the natural ability and aptitude for Magic," she said. "Entitled Witches of the royal families have extra abilities that are limited to the descendants of the clans. Even our nobility don't have the gifts we do."

"When I was younger, I only learnt about the abilities of the Whitestone and Blackwood families." He leaned back, a hand put onto the clean desk as the other tapped a tune against the wood. "Why is that?"

She tried to counter and dodge his question. "Just as the Alastair family is private, so are the Graylights. The other royal families are not usually taught about because they're not considered important."

"You haven't answered the question," Markus said, unamused. "Alright, another question instead. If the Whitestones deal with life and earth, and the Blackwoods deal with death and forests, what do the Graylights deal with then?"

"Lightning," she stated. "Strange that we don't have a combination like the other two Clans but this is what we are good at. I don't see why this is any of your business anyway but I guess a Vampire's curiosity can't be sated."

"Nothing you have said will leave my lips unless needed,"

"Until the moment that it could endanger me or mine, you will never speak nor write of anything we have spoken about today in the light," she interrupted with a glare as she felt her eyes glow, a shade of silver coming before reverting back to the usual grey. "That is a Vow we make tonight."

)()()(

Her uniform was just like everyone else's in the Key House. Kore had asked for both trousers and skirt sets of uniform. All students were allowed to wear skirts or trousers.

She looked in the mirror as she adjusted the cufflinks on her black button-up before shrugging on the black jacket over the deep red vest, buttoning both well. She had already Magically adjusted the trousers to fit her perfectly and made them skinny-legged instead of straight. She just didn't suit straight-legged trousers.

She liked the uniform. It was a little formal but it was comfortable. She very much felt like she was in a private school again.

Kore topped the uniform with heeled boots she'd use for both uniforms and a bit of makeup. Mascara and a bit of darker eyeliner were enough with a bit of good chapstick. She finished up the ribbon bow, adding a silver brooch to the middle to match her cufflinks.

A curling G and L intertwined on the blessed silver, a gift from when she turned eighteen.

"Kore, come on," Annaliese's voice echoed through the door. "Richard asked me to retrieve you before we leave. He wanted to make sure you got to the school on time."

"Give me a minute," she snapped her fingers towards the door, making it swing open as she sat at the desk to try and get her hair to sit straight. "I'm just tryna get my hair covered."

Annaliese frowned, "Why would you need to cover it? It's only purple. We're all Arcanes. Unnatural hair is the least of our problems."

"Yeah, but this is part of my identifying features. Plus the other House hasn't seen me yet."

Annaliese slapped Kore's hands away from her head, easily taking over as she fixed the middle parting and pulled the hair behind her ears. From lower temples downwards, Kore's hair was plum purple, and now with the front piece gone, it showed off the colours. The dark charcoal usually hid everything if she wanted it to.

It also showed off the piercings she had on her ears. In total, she had eighteen piercings. Her black septum was her first professional piercing but she liked to keep that hidden from her mother. Now she didn't need to. Kore had several cartilage piercings alongside her stretched lobes. They were small, only done to a size double zero but she loved them.

Witches were very much less modest and conservative compared to humans. They liked to show off, to be their true selves.

"Leave it behind your ear so it shows everyone you have it now because if you show it later, it will cause a bigger commotion," Annaliese said. "Now, let's get moving. The sun is setting and we're supposed to be in the classroom soon. Headmaster Iscariot doesn't like us being late for class. Bad example for the Lock House."

Kore soon found out that the long walk to and from the Houses was nice. She liked the fact they walked over the huge lake that separated the House from the campus. The sky was darkening. She preferred the cool nights in Japan to the cold nights in England.

It didn't rain as much here but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

For the next few days, a storm brewed over the southeast of Japan and neighbouring islands.

It took three days of dewy days and windy nights for the storm to finally settle at Iscariot Institute.

More often than not, Kore found herself looking out the open windows in her room, doing school work as she let the rain calm her twitching nerves at being away for too long. She wasn't as moody or uptight as she was when she came to Iscariot Institute.

When the class had to go to lessons, almost everyone brought an umbrella with them as the rain hadn't let up. Kore decided to go for a simple black trenchcoat, keeping her uniform dry but letting her enjoy the rain.

"Are you sure, Kore?" Richard said as he held his umbrella. "There's enough room under mine. You'll become sick."

"I'll be fine, Richard," she said, letting the rain fall on her face. She didn't usually wear much makeup so she was quite happy to relish in the comforts of the storm without having to redo the makeup. To one side, a flash of lightning came and a few seconds later the clap. "I won't become ill. Trust me, I've been in the middle of a storm and never once become sick."

"If you're sure,"

A few more lightning bolts landed nearby, nowhere near to hitting them but enough to scare some of the Key House. It definitely made Silas jump in surprise more than once.

She loved a good lightning storm.