Contents

  Destine Academy: Charm

  Copyright

  Other Books By Sara Snow

  Guide to the Destine Academy Factions

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  JOIN THE SARA SNOW FAN CLUB

  About the Author

  Charm Playlist

  Destine Academy: Charm

  Book 7 of the Destine Academy Series

  By Sara Snow

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2020 Sara Snow– All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Other Books By Sara Snow

  Destine Academy Series (Available on Amazon)

  Destine Academy (Book 1)

  Destine Academy: The Return (Book 2)

  Destine Academy: Secrets (Book 3)

  Destine Academy: Prophecy (Book 4)

  Destine Academy: Changes (Book 5)

  Destine Academy Boxed Set (Books 1-5)

  Destine Academy: Bound (Book 6)

  Destine Academy: Charm (Book 7)

  Destine Academy (Book 8) Coming Soon

  Guide to the Destine Academy Factions

  Magique

  Abilities: The magical students. Alchemists, occultists, herbalists—there’s many branches of magic they can—and do—specialize in.

  Symbol: Green line running diagonally from left to right and a green orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Magiques.

  Head Girl: Zara Del la Croix

  Head Boy: Vale Abreo

  Metamorphe

  Abilities: Shifters with the ability to shift into anyone.

  Symbol: Yellow orb with four lines diagonally surrounding, but not touching it. Labeled with the word Metamorphe.

  Head Girl: Honore Joubert

  Head Boy: Orson Favre

  Surnatural

  Abilities: Preternaturals—students possessing superhuman powers such as strength, speed, and many other talents.

  Symbol: Red line running horizontally from left to right with a red orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Surnatural.

  Head Girl: Katriane Houde

  Head Boy: Javier Badeaux

  Voyante

  Abilities: Oracles—seers, if you will. They can see your thoughts.

  Symbol: Blue line running vertically from top to bottom and a blue orb in the center of it, labeled with the word Voyante.

  Head Girl: Simone Gerard

  Head Boy: Baron Cadieux

  Chapter One

  All Caroline could hear was the sound of her breathing echoing in her ears as she stared up at her best and oldest friend—who also happened to be wearing a Destine Academy uniform, with the yellow of the Surnaturals faction.

  “Felicity?” It was all Caroline could manage to say, wondering if she was hallucinating.

  Felicity turned back to Katriane and the others and said something too softly for Caroline to hear, but she didn’t like the smirk that crossed Katriane’s face before she shot a smug look in Caroline’s direction, flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned on her heel, the other girls leaving with her. Only Felicity remained.

  “Miss Destine, I really should get you back,” the nurse started to push the wheelchair, but Caroline gripped the wheels tightly, preventing them from going anywhere. She was grateful that even in her weakened state, her Surnatural powers were still functioning to some extent.

  Caroline watched silently as Felicity slowly walked over to her. She’d longed to see her best friend again since moving to the academy—even daydreamed of their heartfelt reunion where they would hug each other so hard that they’d tumble to the ground like when they were little. The friendly, cheerful and bubbly friend she’d known all her life wasn’t the girl who stood before her now. There was something different about her—it was as though she carried herself differently. It was like she’d been instilled with new-found confidence—but there was something else too, just lurking around the edges that Caroline couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “I can take her back to her room,” Felicity offered to the nurse.

  “The headmistress specifically said…” the nurse started.

  “I’ll be fine. Why don’t you grab a coffee or just have a quick break? I’ll be fine, really.” Caroline tried to sound reassuring while she kept her eyes fixed firmly on her best friend. She worried that if she took her eyes off her for just a second, Felicity would disappear, and Caroline would know she’d imagined the whole thing. A myriad of emotions ran through her. She was equal parts excited to see her best friend and confused by seeing her at the academy. An alarm bell rang in her head, but she told herself she was being ridiculous—this was Felicity. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that Felicity’s presence was in some way a bad thing.

  “I’ll meet you back in your room in twenty minutes,” the nurse stated sternly and walked away, not requiring a response.

  Felicity walked around to the back of the wheelchair with a swagger Caroline had never seen before. Felicity looked positively gleeful, which only unnerved her further.

  “What are you doing here?” Caroline finally asked as Felicity pushed her down the corridor at a leisurely pace.

  “I go here now,” Felicity replied matter-of-factly, as though it was the most obvious and logical answer in the world.

  “I…I don’t understand,” Caroline said, rubbing her forehead as a headache started to take hold.

  Felicity sighed, but it sounded more bemused to Caroline than annoyed.

  “I was always promised a spot here, regardless of what happened with you. Or to you. Or whatever.”

  “You…you’re magic?” Caroline frowned, intensifying her aching head.

  “Well, you didn’t think you were the only one, did you?”

  “I am so confused. Have you always known about this place? How come you never said anything?”

  Felicity sighed again, and Caroline could swear if she turned around, she would see a smile on her friend’s face.

  “Of course I have. It’s Destine Academy. It’s every magic child’s dream to attend this school. Which is why I made sure to keep up my end of the deal, so I could finish out year eleven and twelve here as planned.”

  Caroline couldn’t think straight. The headache was starting to make her feel nauseous, and she leaned on the armrest, cupping her forehead with her hand. She barely registered the wheelchair stopping, or Felicity walking until she was kneeling in front of her.

  “No one expects you to grasp this right away. I mean, it’s probably a lot, especially since you were raised as a mortal for so long.”

  Caroline shook her head, “Huh? We both are. Were. What is going on?”

  Felicity reached up and patted her on the knee. “It will all make sense once you’re feeling better, I’m sure. Just think of me as your guardian angel.”

  “I thought of you as my best friend,” Caroline said slowly.

  “Of course you did, silly! That was the whole point! We certainly started off as friends, I mean, it’s not like I was aware of my path in preschool. That conversation with my parents came along later. The promise of attending a school for the magically gifted when I was older was all the persuasion I needed to get on board.”

  “To get on board with what?”

  “With keeping an eye on you, of course.”

  “What? Why?”

  Felicity stared up at Caroline, her expression a little more serious suddenly, as though she was trying to determine how much she should—or shouldn’t tell her.

  “Okay. No one said I couldn’t tell you, so I assume it’s fine. It’s not exactly a secret anymore anyway. So, basically, your aunt and your father had a falling out, like, years ago. Before you or I were even born. I don’t know exactly what happened between them, but I do know that your father broke from the magic community and settled in the mortal world with your mother. She was already pregnant with you, or so I was told. Your aunt wanted to make sure you would be safe, so she inserted magic people into the mortal world to make sure of it.”

  “You mean, she had people spying on us?” Caroline asked, her eyes wide.

  Felicity rolled her eyes and got to her feet. “Not spying, silly. Just observing, making sure you were okay. Like I said—guardian angels.”

  Caroline shook her head. She didn’t care what kind of spin Felicity tried to put on it. She knew her aunt well enough not to be surprised that she’d taken such a step.

  “Obviously, the task became more important once your father died—or didn’t die, as it turns out. I have to admit, I didn’t see that one coming, did you?” Felicity asked with a laugh as she started pushing the wheelchair again.

  Caroline couldn’t answer but considered if her best friend had become a li

ttle mad.

  Felicity continued, seemingly enjoying hearing herself recount the story. “It was hard work, keeping up with my mortal schoolwork, and working with a tutor on my academy work. I know you always felt superior because you effortlessly got top marks, while I barely scraped by every semester—but I could hardly tell you I was attending two schools at the same time, could I?” Felicity chuckled. “And you know how I used to go to my grandparents one weekend a month? They were ailing, and I was such a perfect granddaughter. Well, I was off doing my academy course work. Yet you never questioned it.”

  “Why would I? You were my best friend—it would never have occurred to me to question anything you said,” Caroline snapped. Her stomach knotted and cramped as she wondered if anything in her life had been real, or if her aunt had orchestrated everything.

  Do you know what happened to my family?” Caroline asked angrily, trying to turn around to look at Felicity, but her ribs screamed out in pain. Her question was met with silence. “What happened to them?” Caroline demanded.

  “That part I don’t really know. I swear. Despite my task, I loved your mom like my own. I wouldn’t have agreed to anything bad happening to her.”

  “What makes you think you would have had any say?” Caroline scoffed.

  “You would be surprised how valued my opinions are,” Felicity replied haughtily, “Being so close to you gave me respect amongst the magic community—right-hand man—or woman—to the prophesied one? It was like I was royalty by default.”

  “Do you know what happened to them or not?” Caroline demanded.

  “I don’t know. But honestly? I don’t think you will see them again. Your path won’t allow it,” Felicity stated softly, and Caroline felt a glimpse of her old friend.

  “What do you mean? What do you know about my path?” Caroline asked, closing her eyes as her headache intensified.

  Felicity pulled up and walked back around to face Caroline, who looked up surprised to find they were already at her room, but also on edge because she hadn’t told Caroline her room number.

  “Your path isn’t for me to discuss with you. It will all work out though; you’ll see,” Felicity patted her on the shoulder as the nurse appeared at the other end of the corridor. “Get some rest. I’ll come back and check on you soon,” Felicity stated and all but skipped down the corridor.

  Caroline stared after her, only partly aware of the nurse as she neared, cup of coffee in hand. “It’s not my place, Miss Destine, but I’d watch out for that one.”

  Caroline looked up, surprised by the kindness. She nodded. “I would like to see my aunt. As soon as possible.”

  “Perhaps tomorrow…”

  “Now!” Caroline demanded as Felicity’s words swarmed around in her head like angry wasps, and she felt the tears start to fall down her cheeks.

  “The headmistress said…”

  “I don’t care what she said! I want to see her now! She owes me that much!” Caroline lifted her feet off the footrest and lowered them to the floor, bracing herself on the armrests as she drew from what Surnatural powers she could muster. The nurse reached out for her with her free hand, “Miss Destine!” Angrily, Caroline shoved her arm out, accidentally hurtling the nurse against the wall…”

  “I’m so sorry! I…” Caroline managed two small steps towards the nurse before she collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

  Chapter Two

  Caroline opened her eyes, relieved to find that she was back in the comfort of her own bed. As Felicity’s revelations flooded back to her, she felt sick to her stomach and was about to roll over and return to the escapism of sleep, willing it to be nothing more than another bad dream. Then she noticed Aldrick sitting in her desk chair. The chair was turned around, so he was facing the bed, and his attention was fixed on something he held in his hand. It looked like an old piece of paper, though she couldn’t be sure from the bed. As though sensing her gaze, he looked up and quickly tried to slip the paper into his jacket pocket.

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked.

  “What is that?” Caroline asked.

  “What?” he asked, playing dumb.

  Caroline rolled her eyes, “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  “It’s nothing. Just a keepsake.”

  “Show it to me,” Caroline demanded, raising herself up on her elbows.

  “It’s nothing, really.”

  Caroline sat up and threw the covers off.

  “Okay, okay!” Aldrick said, holding out one hand to stop her, “Calm down, you’re supposed to be resting.”

  “I feel fine…” Caroline lied but did as she was told. Aldrick got up from the chair and walked slowly over to the bed as he pulled the paper from his jacket. He stared at it a moment, and a slight frown moved across his features like a shadow. With a sigh, he handed it to her and promptly shoved his hands in his pockets.

  Caroline looked down at the image and gasped. It was half of an old, sepia-toned photograph of Aldrick. Only it couldn’t be.

  “It’s me. Just not now,” Aldrick explained.

  “Huh?” was all Caroline could muster.

  “Remember the photograph you found when you triggered your Voyante powers?” he asked softly.

  Caroline’s mouth fell open as she looked up at Aldrick, to the torn photograph, and back to him again. “This is the other half?”

  He nodded.

  “But the other half was of me?” she asked. Aldrick nodded again.

  “I don’t understand,” Caroline said, feeling like it was becoming her motto.

  “Neither did I at first. I found the photo in an old book my grandfather gave me. It was intact then, and obviously, I was intrigued to find an old photo of someone that looked just like me. I felt drawn to it like I was looking into a past life of something. I never knew who the girl in the photograph was, and my grandparents had both passed by then. Then, when you first came to the academy, seeing you—it was such a shock. You were a stranger, and yet, I felt like I knew you. I was intrigued but terrified at the same time.”

  “So, that’s why you were such a jerk, avoiding me like I had the plague?” Caroline asked, gently running her finger over the features of the girl in the photograph, with the same nose, the same high cheekbones, the same stubborn glint in her eyes—the same everything.

  “I wouldn’t say I was a jerk, exactly. At least, not intentionally, but if I was, then I’m sorry. It was just…” he trailed off, turning his face away from her so she couldn’t read his expression.

  “What is it? Tell me,” she pleaded softly.

  Aldrick cleared his throat. “Well, I’ve always received extracurricular work from my professors—I enjoy reading and studying. About a year before you arrived here, I stumbled across the prophecy of a girl who would have power over all four factions. I honestly didn’t believe it to be anything other than some kind of myth. I even thought it might have been made up by Tempeste and her followers in the Entiere as part of their cult’s propaganda. I honestly never gave it any more thought.”

  “Until I arrived and started unlocking keys left, right and center…” Caroline offered.

  “Exactly.” Aldrick said, turning back to face her. “Then, when Tilda read out the prophecy about you when she was in the archives, I started thinking about it again and what it meant.”

  The fourth will only unlock when the Destined has found the true counterpart of her soul. Only then will she become the embodiment of the powers of the factions…

  Caroline leaned back against the pillows as she tried to make sense of it. “So you think we are what, soulmates or something?”

  Aldrick shrugged, trying to appear relaxed as she leaned against the bedpost, but the flush of color that ran up his neck didn’t escape Caroline’s notice. “Maybe. I mean, it’s not the craziest thing I’ve heard since you got here.”

  Caroline smiled, “Yeah, I suppose that is true.”

  “And look what happened when we, you know, when we…” Aldrick shoved his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat.

  “Yeah, I know what you’re talking about. Though I don’t entirely understand. You think you were always meant to trigger my final powers?”

 

1 2 3 4