The Strangers of Precedent

“Hi, you must be, what was it?” Bobbi looked at her letter, “Mortimer. I did inform you ahead of time I would be here at this date, and the Eves said it would be okay—stop.”

Bobbi stared at the octopus door knocker again.

“I can absolutely do better.”

“Hello, Mortimer—person I was specifically told not to use any honorifics for—I was invited here on a scholarship, but I have to live here, in this TV set creepy mansion, except it probably has walls.”

She was getting a little too distracted by everything, so distracted she didn’t notice someone coming up to open the door.

“I promise you, we actually really like solicitors,” the girl said. She was black, probably teenage, with poofy hair, and a plump figure.

“I’m not a solicitor,” Bobbi said, “I was supposed to—”

“Are you the scholarship student?”

“I assume more than one student attending is here on scholarships, but I guess I’m the only one supposed to stay here.” Assuming she came to the right address and wasn’t about to be told she was a whole block off.

“I’m Syren Eves.”

Syren yanked her through the door and into the foyer. While the outside of the house almost looked cartoonish in its intimidation, the inside oozed elegance. Everything seemed to be black, with accents of charcoal that somehow popped despite the closeness of shades.

“I feel like I’m going to get murdered,” Bobbi muttered.

“That probably won’t happen,” Syren said, “Though you do stand out like a target.”

Bobbi looked at herself in the glossy black floor, close enough to a mirror. She was very pale, with strawberry blond hair, and her clothes were bright shades of yellow and red.

“Well, I can change if I have to.”

“You don’t. In fact you have an appointment.”

“An appointment?”

She thought she just had to arrive and prep her workspace. Orientation wasn’t for another week.

“Sarah is going to give you a tour.”

“Who’s Sarah? Tour of what?”

“She’s MK West’s groundskeeper, and she’s giving you a tour of the campus.”

Was that strictly necessary?

“Don’t I get one for orientation?”

“Do you really want to turn down a private tour because you’ll be touring with people younger than you later?”

“Yes? I’ve already been to the campus before, and I’ve looked through the map. I can find my way around.”

“Oh, do you have an eidetic memory?”

She hardly remembered breakfast this morning.

“I’m just very good at remembering where I am.”

“Well where are you?”

“I’m in the middle of a mansion, that I will apparently be living in for the next few years, whose color scheme was chosen by one of those kids I was told would sell me drugs.”

“Did they?”

“Did they what?”

“Sell you drugs.”

“No, but I didn’t ask.”

Syren seemed to chew on that answer. Bobbi noticed larger than normal canines.

“Well, that was an easy one. I’ll ask you again, later, when you least expect it.” Syren turned around and left her.

“Wait. I don’t even know where I’m supposed to set my stuff down… and I left my stuff at your front door.” Where there wasn’t any luggage.

“Mortimer has already handled it. Don’t worry, they didn’t look at anything, unpacking is your job.”

That was a relief.

“I’m going to call Sarah to let her know you’re here. I will show you your chambers after you take the tour.”

“This is extortion. Chambers?”

“You didn’t think you’d have just one room in this house, did you?” Syren gestured at the whole place. It did seem like the type of place to have bedchambers instead of just rooms. Bobbi was grateful for the likely privacy.

The Eves’ phone looked old, like telephone operators were still a thing old, Bobbi wasn’t sure if it just was that old, or if it was made to look that way.

“Hello Sarah. She’s here, awaiting your tour.”

“I’m at home, Syren. I will give the tour tomorrow.”

Bobbi knew most people wouldn’t be at work at 6pm.

“But—”

“If you are holding her room hostage until the tour, just show it to her. I will handle it.”

“Can I have the phone?” Bobbi asked. If she let Syren keep talking, she’d have to be up at 8:00 AM to have this tour.

“Hi Sarah, no last name given.”

“Hello Scholarship Student, no name offered. My paychecks say Sarah Carson, but I prefer for you to call me Sarah.”

“Well, Sarah, you can call me Bobbi. I just wanted to make sure before Syren negotiates a tour for me, that I let you know I have an irregular sleep schedule—”

“We were all informed of your habits, Bobbi. Are you good for 3am?”

“Absolutely. Thank—” the phone on the other end clicked— “You.”

“Why would you be up at 3am?” Syren asked, disgusted.

“Because I sleep while the sun is up.”

“So you’re nocturnal?”

“That is correct.”

“I think you’ll fit right in here, then.”

“That is the reason to—”

Syren seemed to disappear.

“Apply to a Power School…”

“Follow the sound of my voice to find your chambers.”

Bobbi shrugged, ready to accept it.

Bobbi was finally satisfied with her workspace. Syren had left her alone after the first yawn. Everything was ready to go for a few weeks from now. Pen, Highlighters, Binders.

She’d checked the window earlier for if it had a screen, and discovered it hadn’t. She opened it now, shutting it before climbing down the brick wall. She missed climbing like this.

“Drop your swag now,” a voice threatened behind her.

When she turned around, the voice seemed to belong to an oversized hoodie, keeping whatever occupant it had hidden.

She set her bag down.

“I know you have no reason to believe a word I say, but I wasn’t stealing anything.”

“Then why were you climbing out the window?”

“I didn’t want to wake Syren up. Why were you standing just outside my window?”

“Your window?”

“Yes, my window. I’m the Scholarship Student. Further, why would a burglar dress like this?”

She was wearing the same bright colored clothes as before.

“The same kind of burglar who wouldn’t check if someone was watching the window they were climbing out of.”

“Who checks for that?”

“Why are you leaving at 3 in the morning anyways?”

“Well—”

“It seems she was anticipating my arrival,” a similar voice to the one on the phone said.

Sarah Carson was intimidatingly beautiful. Even in a sweater and long skirt, she was clearly very tall, not quite 7 foot by Bobbi’s estimations, and her crimson hair was difficult to hide, especially with the way it elegantly fell in front of her face.

“Is she who she says she is?” the hoodie asked.

Sarah nodded. Bobbi didn’t usually care that much about what people looked like, at least not how most did, but she couldn’t stop staring.

“I suppose we can start with an introduction.” Sarah stared at them as if to get on with it.

Bobbi extended her hand

“Bobbi Fayner, scholarship student, like I said before.”

Hoodie turned to Sarah, who gave a nod

“Vlad Drake.” A bony hand reached out to shake hers. Somehow Mr. Drake ate enough to get hairs on the back of his hands despite the emaciated appearance. “Professor Monstro’s assistant.”

“I didn’t know he had a TA.”

“I’m not that kind of assistant.”

“Oh, but you are the assistant to a teacher.”

“Astute observation, Ms. Fayner.”

“Tour?” Sarah asked

“Yeah, sure.” Bobbi pulled her hand away quickly.

“You are free to join, Drake,” Sarah said, back turned to them, “Especially considering your schedule at the moment.”

Drake slumped.

“Why not? I’m sure Ms. Fayner could use some extra protection on a night as dark as this one.”

It didn’t seem that dark, even if it was the new moon. The sun was coming up in a few hours.

“I’m not sure I really need protection, but if you want…”

“Perfect,” Sarah clapped her hands, “Follow me.”

Bobbi had to take two or three strides for every one of Sarah’s, but Drake seemed to keep pace surprisingly well. Maybe the hand looked the way it did because of some disability, and it had nothing to do with his food intake.

Sarah pointed out several monuments, and explained all the buildings, but Bobbi barely listened.

“Aside from your habit of climbing out the window of a house you have free reign of, what exactly is it you do?” Drake asked while Sarah showed off the gym.

“I’m studying library sciences, well I will be; I’m getting a bachelor’s in English Lit first.”

“I don’t mean what you’re studying.”

“Oh, well I bake, and generally like doing things with my hands, like sewing. I once made a working spit for a diorama.”

“What are your powers, Ms. Fayner?” he asked, rolling his eyes.

“Bobbi, please. And I don’t have any powers.”

“What?”

“Well, let’s put it this way: I’m a little bit weird, and have definitely had the DSR on me a few times, but I have never tested positive for any superhuman abilities.”

“Well that doesn’t mean much.”

Bobbi lagged behind a moment.

“Why doesn’t it mean much?”

“Because I wouldn’t test positive for any of the tests, and neither would Sarah. That doesn’t make either of us normal.”

“I didn’t say I was normal. I just said I didn’t have powers, because I don’t; I just live nocturnally and took some bouldering field trips.”

Drake crossed his arms.

“I’m weird as fuck,” Bobbi explained, “But I’m not superhuman.”

“And this is the library,” Sarah gestured at a secluded building on the edge of campus. What a strange place to put a library. “It’s not open at this time, but the chief librarian should be inside.”

She smacked the door a few times until a black man opened it.

“We do not open until 6:00 AM on the dot, a fact I know you know.”

“I thought you’d want to meet the scholarship student.”

The man looked Bobbi up and down, his expression softening.

“Greetings Ms. Fayner.” his voice was soothing when gentle. “I am Thoth, who prefers no honorifics if you can help it.” he gave a bow.

“Of course Pro—Thoth.” Bobbi gave an awkward bow back.

“If you’re available in future evenings, I’d love to ask for help in exchange for payment, and dinner obviously. You’re one of the few students interested in library sciences that doesn’t have a history involving fire as far as I can sort.”

“How do you know who has a history with fire?”

“It is my job to sort knowledge; I’m allowed to read it every now and then.”

That made some sense. It didn’t make it any less concerning that he knew enough of her history to come to that conclusion.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.” he closed the door and locked it.

“And that concludes the tour,” Sarah said. “I have work to do, so, Drake, would you be willing to escort Ms. Fayner home?”

“Oh, I don’t need escorting,” Bobbi said, “I walk around alone at night all the time.”

“You are new in town, and what?” Vlad held his hand up to her height, “5 feet tall?”

“4’11””, and I’m not sure I’ll feel safe with a stranger walking with me.”

“I don’t bite unless provoked.”

“I’d feel safer if you let Drake take you home,” Sarah said, “You won’t be keeping him up either; he sleeps during the day.”

Two against one. Bobbi wouldn’t be left alone.

“Fine, but I maintain my protests.”

“Then let us be on our way.” Vlad entwined his arm with hers so she again had to take several steps to his one.

Bobbi kept failing to get out of Drake’s hold keeping her arm from moving.

The school was beautiful in twilight, though Bobbi secretly wished for less streetlights so she could enjoy it by the light of the stars. The bricks still managed to glisten at their limited touch.

As she looked for more starlight, she spotted movement in the alley between two of the campus buildings. She froze, Drake dragging her a small distance, before continuing; it was probably just Sarah, doing whatever work groundskeepers do.

“So what exactly are your plans post-degree?” Drake asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just fighting the awkward silence.”

“I probably want to get work at a library. In fact helping Thoth—why does he insist on no honorific anyways?—will probably help my resume for that purpose.”

“Thoth enjoys an air of mystery. The only people who might know exactly why aside from himself would be Sarah and Frank.”

“Frank?” this was becoming too many names for Bobbi to keep track of.

“Professor Monstro,” Drake elaborated, “First name Franklin. He and Thoth regularly play chess, or at least they did until a recent spat I don’t know the details of.”

“I’m not going to get caught in the middle of whatever it is, am I?” If Bobbi was studying under Monstro, and doing some work for Thoth…

“Despite their careers involving so much literature, they don’t want to be too dramatic. I work for Frank, and haven’t been drawn into it.”

That was comforting.

“Okay, so why would Sarah know?”

“Sarah knows too many things.”

“Is she psychic?”

In a power school, not surprising.

“That is her primary information source. She won’t elaborate on what kind, so don’t ask. She won’t elaborate on most things, actually—likes her privacy.”

She must be tired. She only just processed by using a short I for privacy that Drake didn’t have an American accent.

“Where are you from?”

“Whitby, small town in England. And yourself?”

“Near here actually, foundling. Then ward of the state, then foster kid, then I almost got adopted, and now I’m back here.”

“What stopped the adoption?”

“Me.”

“Are you truly that insufferable?”

Bobbi gave a smile.

Her joy at his confusion paused with her heart as she heard something to their right, definitely not an animal.

“Did you hear something?” she asked, unmoving beyond Drake dragging her again.

“Yes, that’s why we’re moving.”

She returned to walking again to match his pace.

“What do you think it is?”

“A predator.”

“They don’t usually attack groups of two if they can help it.”

“Not an animal, not the human criminal, just something that thinks we’re prey.”

“And are we?”

“As long as we’re being pursued, yes.”

She dared to glance back, spotting a figure slowly following, but keeping pace nonetheless.

“We are definitely being pursued.”

“If they try talking, let me speak. I’ll do my best to distract them while you run.”

“Run to the Eves’, right?”

“Exactly. That place is warded for just such an event as this.”

“How often has it been used?”

“Enough to know it works.”

Bobbi held tighter to Drake. This wouldn’t have happened if she’d gone home alone. She’d be too high for them to reach.

A second figure stood in front of them, blocking every time they tried to nod and move around.

“This is not your territory, brotherhood,” Drake said.

“We’re at a disadvantage,” the one behind them said with a southern accent, “You know our court, but we don’t know yours, if there is one.”

The first one stepped up to them and smelled Bobbi specifically, making eye-contact with a hungry smile.

“And you have such a pretty little thing. We just want to get to know her is all.” he took another whiff. “Smells sweet, too.”

“I’m good,” Bobbi replied.

“She’s mine,” Drake placed a hand on Bobbi’s shoulder, “And this isn’t your territory.”

“It will be,” the second one said, closer to them now, “You recognize that accent, Lou?”

“I don’t listen to many Englishmen, Jas, but I think it’s from Whitby.”

There was more to that town if they managed to identify it from a few sentences.

“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a dragon,” Jas said.

Lou clicked his tongue, finally stepping back. Drake gave a nod, and walked himself and Bobbi away.

“Jas, did you remember hearing about a dragon several decades ago?” Lou walked in step next to them.

“Yeah, figured he’d head to Romania or wherever he speaks the language,” Jas came to the other side.

“Ahh, that’s the first place they’d look, you know, and you’d have to pass through too much territory to not get caught, but we’re the land of the free here.”

“Someone ran to unclaimed territory.”

“Do you know what that means?”

“It means we don’t have a dragon.”

Drake picked Bobbi up by the sides and walked faster. Lou grabbed his shoulder.

“The accords don’t protect you, Runaway.”

Drake spun around, tossing Bobbi away before slashing at Lou’s face. When his victim turned toward her, she could see the slash marks, but no red of blood yet.

“What the fuck?”

“Run!” Drake ordered.

Bobbi ran over to a nearby tree, climbing into the branches. She couldn’t outrun those guys given her size, but with enough height, she had a chance to get away should Drake fail to stop them.

Drake had moved somewhat out of range of their attackers, took some kind of vial out of his hoodie pocket, and poured the clear liquid into his mouth. His hood falling, Bobbi caught sight of an intensely pale face, with a surprisingly full head of stark white hair, and red eyes and lips. His emaciated face seemed to fill out slightly after his drink, and he dodged the first attack.

He dodged several more, moving further back each time.

Finally Jas grabbed him while Lou punched through his chest, leaving him on the ground.

Bobbi positioned herself to jump as they stalked towards her, suddenly unsure of her strategy.

“Help,” she squeaked to anyone possibly listening. Drake was dead, so she was probably going to join him soon.

“Come down here, sweetheart, I promise our bite won’t hurt too much.”

Lou flashed a grin that made something obvious.

“Oh fuck it has fangs,” she muttered, feeling slightly more claustrophobic in the tree. She tried to jump, only to have her ankle grabbed, pulling her down.

“Arhgg!”

He let go of her ankle, and she rested on the suddenly longer boughs of the trees.

“What are you?” Jas asked.

Bobbi didn’t answer, carefully climbing back to the center of the tree.

“The runaway didn’t hurt, but this bitch did.” Lou finally broke the part of the tree stuck in his arm from the rest, now trying to pull it out.

She readjusted herself to jump again, keeping an eye on both her predators. All she could think was a series of swear words.

Jas fell to the ground. Drake appeared in his spot.

“If you don’t want to join your friend, run.”

Lou looked to the east.

“I don’t think your tricks will last much longer.”

Bobbi covered her eyes with her arm as the sun started to rise.

“Ahhh!” Lou was suddenly a lot further back, laying on the ground.

“Are you still going to say you don’t have powers?” Drake asked.

“What?”

“The tree, it…” he made a batting gesture like there was a fly. “You did that.”

“I didn’t make the tree do anything. Is it safe to come down?”

Drake nodded, offering his hand. She let him help without protest.

“Is he okay?” she tapped Jas with her foot.

“He’s down for the count, and hopefully won’t touch us again, but he’ll survive. So should the other one.” Drake was panting heavily, starting to lean on Bobbi for support. Bobbi leaned on the tree for support in turn.

“They were right.” Drake said in her ear.

“Right about what?”

“You do smell sweet.” Bobbi felt something scrape her neck right where Drake’s mouth was.

She pushed him back, and he fell to the ground, mutual terrified stares between them.

She finally listened to him. She ran.

Vlad’s room had already been mostly emptied. He hadn’t even unpacked since coming home. He looked again at his mother’s locket.

“Do I really have to go?”

His mother’s dying breaths had been clear, echoing in his mind.

“Run. It will destroy you. Run and be free.”

He opened the locket to look inside. An image of him with both his parents. Now he was the only one in the photo still around. The other half had a tiny mirror.

“How did you manage to sneak this in and keep it all these years?”

He hid the locket in his pocket as the door opened.

“You still haven’t unpacked.”

He didn’t need to turn to know his uncle’s voice.

“I’m not sure I should stay.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s gone, and this place is emptier for it.”

His uncle rested a hand on his shoulder

“The only way to fill it is to stay. There are responsibilities you must prepare for.”

“Just give me some time away.”

His uncle tapped his fingers on Vlad’s shoulder for a moment, then sighed.

“Of course. Six months, wander anywhere, then return to your family.”

“Thank you.”

That was easier than expected.

“I’ll need help packing my bags.” and saying his goodbyes.