Phantasia wanted to turn around and confront them, to ask them again why they felt the need to be so cruel and judgemental, to have the rest of the class and Mr Haan back her up and make the bullies realise what they were doing. So what if they didn’t agree with her views? Fire faeries and Wind faeries always disagreed on things, but they accepted they had to work together for the greater good! Then again, she thought, human history was defined by repeating disagreements that ended in conflict. Maybe it was just the way their world worked. Who was she – not even a human – to criticise that?

Break arrived and with it the usual gossip and banter that made teenage lives so melodramatic and their bonds waiver and twist like strands caught in a storm. Phantasia hid in a corner, re-reading Lysander’s and Angelo’s guidebook and pondering how best to avoid creating further conflict.

“She scares the authors,” said Astrid’s entry, “Apparently the daughter of Bishop Wotan; she attends school here rather than at that elitist – sorry, privately run – religious school. We tried pranking her once but she didn’t appreciate our caper. Currently the authors are listed in her ‘black book’, though they are hoping for a promotion to the rumoured ‘rainbow book of smiley happy faces’.”

“Ms Celeste, I would be wary of what those boys say,” interrupted a haughty voice that Phantasia recognised as belonging to the girl who always answered teachers’ questions in class, “They aren’t the most impartial of commentators, nor are they the most mature,”

A girl with tanned skin and dressed in baggy clothes was facing her, checking around for signs of possible eavesdropping. She flicked her long, dark hair out of her face and clutched a clipboard to her chest.

“As you should know by now, I’m Phoenie Rogan, Topaz Second. I’m also the editor of Veritas, the school newspaper? I’m sure you must have read a copy by now! I heard you’re that new girl who has been causing commotion lately. Would you like to talk about it?”

“I-I…? Talk about it?”

Phoenie touched her arm. “Excellent! Our current meeting room is just around the corner.”

Phantasia found herself escorted to a small room on the outskirts of Emerald House, looking out over the young forests to the east of town. Phoenie closed the door and sat at the teacher’s desk, unpacking and organising her equipment out in front of her with more care and precision than the majority of the teachers had. Phantasia sat crossed-legged on the table in front of her, earning herself a raised eyebrow as Phoenie scanned her clipboard’s information.

“We have to change rooms every month,” she said, twirling her pen, “John Smith has made sure it’s sound and spy-proof, thanks to those snazzy gadgets him and his father come up with. You don’t have to worry about the Inquisition in here and whatever you say remains between us, okay?”

Phantasia nodded. Phoenie was staring at her, pen twitching as she prepared to take down notes.

“Right, so you’re Phantasia Celeste; Sapphire Second; fifteen-years-old. You recently transferred here from a foreign school,” she said aloud, as she read through the details, “Right; we’ll skip all the unimportant details about your background for the time being. I’m far, far more interested in these rumours I’ve been hearing.”

“Rumours?”

Chapter 10
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