Read Online Elemental Havoc (Paranormal Public Book 11) by Maddy Edwards - Free Book Online
Authors: Maddy Edwards
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with an eye to the straightness of your tie.
Somehow, in dream fashion, I knew that the last bit had been added by his grandfather. He read it whenever he felt as if he was losing his way and moving too far from the Protocols in the Manual.
I woke with a start and glared around my room. I knew who to blame for that dream, but not what the point was. Martha, the embodiment of Public’s power, must have wanted me to know something about this William Fallgrabber, but why she wanted that I had no idea. I threw off the covers. It was time to go to dinner.
President Valedication did not particularly want to address large crowds of students. He wasn’t much for speaking in public – he preferred writing – but it had been perfectly clear when he accepted the post at Paranormal Public that speaking to large numbers of paranormals was part of the deal. He had to speak with students, professors, staff, donors, alums, and many other paranormals, not to mention the government officials who were helping to get the school restarted.
According to Charlotte, he had decided that if he was going to do it he should do it right, so he had signed up for an elaborate training for public speakers where among other exercises he had practiced putting on his imaginary bravery cloak and standing up in front of an auditorium full of students.
On our first evening at Public, when he stood up in front of all of us, he looked like a seasoned professional. I would never have guessed that he needed bravery and a vision of himself as some other paranormal in order to stand straight in front of us, his hands resting calmly at his sides and his eyes drifting placidly around the room.
Finally, he took a breath. He was ready.
“Good evening, and welcome to the inaugural class at the rebirth of Paranormal Public University. It is a new era, and I am proud that we are gathered here together.” He paused for a moment to allow the polite applause to die down.
“You will notice that you were all assigned seats. That was intentional. Get comfortable at the tables where you’re currently sitting, because you will be at them all semester, maybe for all your years here.”
I saw grumblings go up around the hall and couldn’t blame some of the paranormals; many of them had come in with lifelong friends with whom they were not sitting. I felt lucky to be sitting next to Keegan, all the more since I knew virtually no paranormals my own age. Taking note of the discontent among the students, I also took the chance to glance at some of the professors. Many wore robes, but a few didn’t. One stood out to me, a thin man with clear eyes. With some surprise, I realized who he must be, but Dobrov was still talking and I couldn’t keep my attention on the thin man for long. I quickly forced my eyes back to Public’s president.
“I guess this means we’re in the same group,” Keegan said quietly. I nodded. Small blessings. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.
“You will have classes with your group,” continued Dobrov, “and you will eat with your group. You will also have classes with other members of your dorm, since obviously there are skills that vampires, for instance, can learn, that others never can.” Slight murmurs went up again and some of the paranormals looked relieved. Most of the groups and pairs of friends who’d come in together were obviously from the same dorms.
President Valedication went on. “Your group will be your everything. If you have a problem, you will go to your group, who will all be from your own year. In rebuilding the university, we did make the choice to have sophomores, juniors, and seniors here as well as first year students, but they will be on an accelerated program and very busy. Many have been keeping up with their education to some extent and will have tests to take. Only those of you Starting will not have to go through the rigors of these tests. Be relieved. They will not be easy, because we do not
Somehow, in dream fashion, I knew that the last bit had been added by his grandfather. He read it whenever he felt as if he was losing his way and moving too far from the Protocols in the Manual.
I woke with a start and glared around my room. I knew who to blame for that dream, but not what the point was. Martha, the embodiment of Public’s power, must have wanted me to know something about this William Fallgrabber, but why she wanted that I had no idea. I threw off the covers. It was time to go to dinner.
President Valedication did not particularly want to address large crowds of students. He wasn’t much for speaking in public – he preferred writing – but it had been perfectly clear when he accepted the post at Paranormal Public that speaking to large numbers of paranormals was part of the deal. He had to speak with students, professors, staff, donors, alums, and many other paranormals, not to mention the government officials who were helping to get the school restarted.
According to Charlotte, he had decided that if he was going to do it he should do it right, so he had signed up for an elaborate training for public speakers where among other exercises he had practiced putting on his imaginary bravery cloak and standing up in front of an auditorium full of students.
On our first evening at Public, when he stood up in front of all of us, he looked like a seasoned professional. I would never have guessed that he needed bravery and a vision of himself as some other paranormal in order to stand straight in front of us, his hands resting calmly at his sides and his eyes drifting placidly around the room.
Finally, he took a breath. He was ready.
“Good evening, and welcome to the inaugural class at the rebirth of Paranormal Public University. It is a new era, and I am proud that we are gathered here together.” He paused for a moment to allow the polite applause to die down.
“You will notice that you were all assigned seats. That was intentional. Get comfortable at the tables where you’re currently sitting, because you will be at them all semester, maybe for all your years here.”
I saw grumblings go up around the hall and couldn’t blame some of the paranormals; many of them had come in with lifelong friends with whom they were not sitting. I felt lucky to be sitting next to Keegan, all the more since I knew virtually no paranormals my own age. Taking note of the discontent among the students, I also took the chance to glance at some of the professors. Many wore robes, but a few didn’t. One stood out to me, a thin man with clear eyes. With some surprise, I realized who he must be, but Dobrov was still talking and I couldn’t keep my attention on the thin man for long. I quickly forced my eyes back to Public’s president.
“I guess this means we’re in the same group,” Keegan said quietly. I nodded. Small blessings. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.
“You will have classes with your group,” continued Dobrov, “and you will eat with your group. You will also have classes with other members of your dorm, since obviously there are skills that vampires, for instance, can learn, that others never can.” Slight murmurs went up again and some of the paranormals looked relieved. Most of the groups and pairs of friends who’d come in together were obviously from the same dorms.
President Valedication went on. “Your group will be your everything. If you have a problem, you will go to your group, who will all be from your own year. In rebuilding the university, we did make the choice to have sophomores, juniors, and seniors here as well as first year students, but they will be on an accelerated program and very busy. Many have been keeping up with their education to some extent and will have tests to take. Only those of you Starting will not have to go through the rigors of these tests. Be relieved. They will not be easy, because we do not
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