The Darkest Soul: Reaper University- Year One

  The Darkest Soul

  Reaper University Year One

  D.L. Howard

  Copyright © 2021 D.L. Howard

  All rights reserved. No Part of this book or parts

  thereof may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any

  means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical

  methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the

  case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other

  noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  ISBN: 978-1-7353917-3-1 (paperback)

  Any references to historical events, real people,

  living or dead, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and

  places are products of the author’s imagination.

  Cover Design by: Cover of Darkness Design

  Contents

  Dedication

  Map of Shadowcrest University

  1. Chapter 1

  2. Chapter 2

  3. Chapter 3

  4. Chapter 4

  5. Chapter 5

  6. Chapter 6

  7. Chapter 7

  8. Chapter 8

  9. Chapter 9

  10. Chapter 10

  11. Chapter 11

  12. Chapter 12

  13. Chapter 13

  14. Chapter 14

  15. Chapter 15

  16. Chapter 16

  17. Chapter 17

  18. Chapter 18

  19. Chapter 19

  20. Chapter 20

  21. Chapter 21

  22. Chapter 22

  23. Chapter 23

  24. Chapter 24

  25. Chapter 25

  26. Chapter 26

  27. Chapter 27

  28. Chapter 28

  29. Chapter 29

  30. Chapter 30

  31. Chapter 31

  32. Chapter 32

  33. Chapter 33

  34. Chapter 34

  35. Chapter 35

  36. Chapter 36

  37. Chapter 37

  38. Chapter 38

  39. Chapter 39

  40. Chapter 40

  About Author

  Also By D.L. Howard

  To all of those who wished they could attend a magical university

  filled with magical creatures, amazing food, and the coolest stuff ever!

  I get it. This one is for us!

  Chapter 1

  “Don’t tell mom! Please,” Zazi begged her brother. His hand rested on the cold brass doorknob, where his slender fingers wrapped around it with a tightened grip. She watched as his emotions rippled in waves over his features. He was thinking, and for what she wanted, thinking was good. “I will do one task for you. Whatever you want. I swear on the ancestors!”

  His mouth dropped open. Zazi tried to hide the smile that was trying to find its way to her face. Swearing and promising things on the ancestors was not something they were supposed to do, but she needed him to know how serious she really was. Her eyes caught a slight movement, then zoned in on her brother’s hand. He yanked it away from the doorknob and returned his hands back into his pockets. Zazi didn’t have a way to describe how she was feeling. All she knew was that an immense weight fell off her chest.

  Her brother spun back around and inched towards Zazi. A sudden grin blasted across his face. “Anything, you say?”

  Zazi’s stomach tightened, then did a bunch of flips. She recognized that devious smirk. He was up to something, and she knew whatever he had up his sleeve would not be to her liking. Zazi gulped, the sound loud in her head and ears. Like rushing waters clogging up everything.

  She shifted on her feet. “Yea, sure. Anything.”

  “Cool. I will let you know when I want whatever done.”

  “So you won’t tell?”

  “Nope. Your secret is safe with me.”

  Relief flooded Zazi, and she ran to her brother, hugging and squeezing him tightly. “You’re the best Bro ever! Absolutely my favorite.”

  “Mm-hmm, I’m your only brother.”

  “Which makes it so much more true!” Zazi let him go and stepped back. She couldn’t wait to tell her best friend, Lia, the fantastic news. Her parents would figure it out eventually, but she needed the time to come up with some way to break the news to them. She hated feeling stifled by their tight rules. All her other friends got to do whatever because they were adults. Humans albeit, but adults, nonetheless. She was nineteen and still had to ask permission to go out or whatnot.

  They were practically about as humans as they could get. Shunned from the magical community and no one in her family had shown any capabilities for the ancestral and arcane arts in generations. She knew a cursed family when she saw one. Hers was cursed, and she really didn’t care. Well, not anymore. She wasn’t for the airs of their kind, but the rest of her family tried. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t see the way the other families laughed at them whenever they attended the required events and festivals throughout the year.

  Zazi wanted to see the world. To see it all and not wither away, stuck in their small corner of the world. Meet new people and be able to live her life the way she wanted. What they had to endure ever since she was in middle school, it all felt like they were imprisoned. It wasn’t right but there was nothing they could do about it. But who was she kidding? Seeing the world and free of magic, that was a dream for another life. Not this one.

  She had almost forgotten her brother, Max, was still in the room with her. Her mind had ventured onto a well-worn path of random thoughts. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Before he got too far away, he turned back to her. “Don’t wait baby girl. I’ll hold my tongue, but you know these walls talk.” He gestured to the wood-paneled walls between them. “It would be better if you tell them. Lying to our parents is not a good look for us. It’s not who we are. It leads down a path we mustn’t travel. We may not have the magics, but we still uphold the values of our kind. No matter how much you think we are, we are still not human, and we will never be.” He whirled around and walked away from his youngest sister, leaving her heart conflicted.

  Zazi, the youngest of five, groaned and plopped down onto her bed. The momentary joy she had felt, slowly dissipated as she replayed her brother’s words over in her head. He was right. She couldn’t go trampling off to university overseas without letting her parents know. Eventually, she would have to muster up the courage and let her mother and father in on her plan.

  “It will be all right,” she said out loud. “They’ll be glad I got into somebody’s university and will be stoked that it’s on scholarship. Saves them money,” she tried telling herself but even she didn’t sound too convinced. There was no need to save money. Her family had old money even if they didn’t show act like they did or show it. Zazi grabbed the pillow from next to her, covered her face with it, and screamed into the large soft bag of sleepy fluff. It was going to be a long day.

  After laying down in her bed for what seemed like forever, Zazi got up, showered and dressed. Might as well hit the day running. She picked up her cell phone off the nightstand and checked her messages. Only two missed calls and about a dozen of messages from her best friend. She skimmed over all the texts and responded. She needed out of the house, and she knew exactly how to do that. There was a party that night and she needed to go shopping for a new dress.

  Departing her room, she headed down the stairs, not paying attention because she was solely focused on texting. That was how she didn’t see her father when she ran into him.

  “Zazi love, just the person
I am looking for.” His tenor voice rolled over her, bringing her to attention. They may have been an accursed family and pretty much magic-less, but her father wasn’t. He had enough power to get his point across but not enough to be considered worthy in the eyes of his peers. His little trickling of magic was the only reason they couldn’t be ousted and erased from the magic world. But it still did him no good. He and the rest of them was the laughingstock of the world.

  “Hey dad, what’s up?” Zazi said a little too eager. There was a high-pitched hitch in her voice she prayed he didn’t catch on to. Besides, she really hoped it didn’t take long with whatever he wanted because Lia had agreed to meet her at the mall. She had to leave.

  “My beautiful Zazi bear, come with me to my office. I haven’t talked to you in a long time. It’s way overdue.”

  She didn’t like the sound of that. Her brows rose in a silent question towards her father, but it did no good. His smile wasn’t changing. Sighing, she put her phone in the purse hanging off her shoulder. “I would love to talk, Dad, but I was just on my way out. Can this wait until I get back?”

  The look on her father’s face took her back a few, and she instantly regretted what came out of her mouth. She didn’t want her dad thinking she didn’t want to spend time with him. She loved being around him. He could also read her like a book and knew when she was hiding something and could get her to spill without her realizing what she was doing. Another reason she wanted to avoid him. She wasn’t ready to spill about her plans.

  “I’m sorry, dad. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “No worries.” His smile only widened at this point and his eyes crinkled at the corners full of amusement. The sunlight from the windows hit his irises just right, bringing out the golden flecks in the sea of light brown. His grin was infectious, and she couldn’t help but grin back. Her father was a jovial man, and she couldn’t resist. “But you don’t have a choice in the matter. Lia can wait. Be there in five.” Just as quick as he showed up, he left her there just as fast. Leaving no room to counteract whatever he said. Zazi wanted to scream again.

  The youngest Ravendark had no choice but to obey. Zazi pulled out the mobile device yet again and pressed the speed dial button to Lia. Not listening to her parents had major consequences in their house. She needed to play nice for the time being.

  Ekalis Ravendark sat down in the soft Italian leather chair next to his desk. It wasn’t cold outside, but he kept the fire roaring in the fireplace. Reminded him of when he was a young boy and how he used to sit in his father’s office and talked with him about life and power. Now, in his own house, he made sure when the contractors came up with the plans; he wanted his office just like his father. Kind of an ode to the past.

  He opened the bottom drawer and pulled out two glasses and a glass carafe of dark red. He poured himself and his daughter a glass for whenever she came in. He knew she would come. Of all his brood, she was the most like him. That’s why he had to have the talk with her soon. His wife said it was unnecessary, but he had a feeling. Their four children before at Zazi’s age manifested nothing but deep in his soul, he always knew his Zazi bear was special. She was bound for greatness, and he didn’t know if it was for the good or bad.

  Soon as he finished pouring the glasses, the door to his study opened and Zazi stepped through.

  “Close the door,” he said to her. “You’re just in time.” He pushed a filled glass towards the chair opposite of him and waited until she sat down. His daughter glanced at the glass of wine. He knew she was curious. The wine was the perfect bait.

  “You never offer me wine, Dad. Mom will kill you and me both if she knew I was drinking underage.”

  “Your mom isn’t here is she?”

  “Well... no.”

  Ekalis lifted the glass to his lips and winked. “Then I suggest you drink up.”

  Zazi knew a gift horse whenever she saw one and took this opportunity to drink Red with her father. She lifted the weighted glass to her lips and took a sip. The liquid hit her tongue and flavors exploded all in her mouth. She almost moaned at how good it was. Sun ripened berries, hints of plum, and just the right notes of some type of spice. She took a few more sips before setting the glass back on the desk.

  Her father watched her; amusement oozed off him in waves. “Glad I was able to break your first taste of Red with you.”

  “It’s soo good.” Zazi couldn’t help herself and picked up her glass again, this time taking a huge swallow.

  “Be careful. It’s rather strong. It’s not your normal wine. This is mage wine. The finest out there.”

  “What happens if I drink too much?” She asked as she downed another gulp.

  A chuckle from her father filled the space between them. “You will be drunk off your ass and your mom would be ripping me a new one. You know she’s a stickler for law and rules.”

  That was enough to douse her. Zazi sat her glass back down. “You’re right.”

  “So what have you been up to? It’s been too long. Your mother and I kind of just let you do your own thing after you graduated but do you have plans for your future?”

  Straight to the point, Zazi thought. It was no better time than now to tell her dad about her plans. She did promise her brother she would tell. She had only hoped it wouldn’t be soo soon. She squirmed in her seat. Her father’s gaze never wavered and watched her every move.

  “I haven’t really been up to much. Enjoying my time off before I decide to go back to school.”

  “Oh good, so you have thought about going to university. Where have you applied? Anything locally?”

  Zazi cleared her throat. “Yea, I’ve applied. A couple schools are local, and a few are out of state.”

  Ekalis’ brows rose. “Out of state?”

  “Yea, out of state.” Zazi squirmed in her seat under the stare of her father.

  “Where exactly?” Ekalis asked, but it was more of a command and Zazi recognized the difference.

  She knew this was her best chance to tell the truth. They were there sitting together drinking mage wine, might as well spill the beans. “Well... I applied to a couple on the east coast and I’m still waiting on acceptance for those. It should be a shoo-in with my grades and stuff ya know. Even after taking a year off.”

  “Mmhmm...” Ekalis took another drink from his glass. “You know it's perfectly normal for children in mage families to take a year off before starting university. Gives them time to experience life a little. Maybe go and see the world, enjoying their last days of youth before being lockdown with studies.”

  “Really?” Zazi was shocked to hear that. It was no wonder her parents didn’t get mad when she told them she was going to wait a year before going to college.

  “Yes, really. I took a year off myself.”

  “I don’t feel so bad now. Apparently I’m following in your footsteps.”

  “I’ve always said you were more like me than the others, Zazi Bear. So what schools on the east coast did you apply? Any Ivy League schools?”

  Now was her chance. Zazi nodded her head before she spoke. “A couple but I also applied at Oxford and was offered a scholarship,” she said so low she didn’t think her father heard her. Her eyes cast to the floor, staring at the expensive Persian rug, she was too afraid to look up and see the disappointment in her father’s eyes. The disappointment in getting away from the family, accepting that they were no more magic than he was. She couldn’t understand why her family held on to false hope. They were just regular ole humans. The quicker they realized it, the better life would be.

  “Excuse me. Did you say you got into Oxford? The Oxford across the Atlantic on a scholarship?” His voice rose, punctuating every word he said near the end.

  Zazi finally got the nerve to look up and was taken aback at the huge grin on her father’s face. He was proud and excited, and it was the complete opposite of what she thought he would say!

  “You’re not mad?” Curious she asked him.

&n
bsp; “Gods no! Why would I be mad?”

  Zazi shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Just figured you would be. I mean, it is overseas, and I kept it from you all.”

  “Noo, never mad Zazi Bear. Your mom and I was worried that you didn’t want to go on to school. The rest of your siblings are in college, and we have more than enough funds to pay for you to go but you just never seemed that interested.”

  “Is that why we are here, drinking this yummy mage wine in your office?”

  “Yea, it was your mom’s idea to have an intervention.” Ekalis raised his hands up and used air quotes when he said ‘intervention’. “I just wanted to spend a little time with you. Let you have your first taste of the Red. Plus, you’re always gone lately.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I just tire of everyone looking at me like I’m a failure.”

  “You’re no failure. You’re just a child of both worlds. It’s hard for us all.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Zazi adjusted herself in the comfy chair. “I can’t tell my best friend that magic is real, yet I don’t have it to prove that it’s real. We get talked about and shunned from the other families when we go to the mandatory events. Why dad? Why do we have to go? Our ancestral magic dried up hundreds of years ago. We are cursed!” Zazi sniffled.

  “Stop it!” Ekalis firmly commanded. His voice rose just enough for his point to come across. “We are not cursed.”

  “Dad, we are. Your little bit of magic is enough to be considered a hedge witch. Not even strong enough to be deemed a mage or head of an original line like ours. The only reason we haven’t been disbanded is because of the Treaty of Families. Ravendark is an old elite mage family. They can’t do anything to it. All they can do is ridicule us.”

  Ekalis finished his glass and poured more into both his and his daughter’s glass. “We may not be like our ancestors once were, but we still carry the name with pride. Never let them see you weak, Zazi. Never. One day, things will be all right in the world, and we will no longer be the butt of their jokes. I can feel it.”