Grey Matthews and Simon Peveril work at the same school. Grey is a teacher and the much younger Simon (or Si as most call him) is a teaching assistant. There is something different not only about their school and how guarded it is, but also about it's inhabitants. Teachers, staff and kids are not exactly what they seem. To outsiders for sure but also to one another. It's actually unclear how many of them have the gift of magic when Headmaster Greene - a High Elf - keeps all these details to himself.
Si is a Fairy, or part Fairy at least. He has magical abilities but his aura and power is pretty messed up. Basically it NEVER does what he wants or expects it to do but it's not like he has many opportunities to actually use his power.. Grey on the other hand is considered "Nomic", meaning a non-magical entity. He can channel A LOT of power from the earth around him but he himself has no magic of his own, putting him lower on the "magical food chain". Not that it matters to him.. He would rather not use his power for a different reason.. The one time he abused it he found himself in jail - he got his lesson for sure.
Si and Grey are friends of sorts. They don't really spend a lot o f time on the school grounds together, but they do go out where Si dances his heart out with many admirers Grey would have loved to strangle.. But he doesn't do that.. He sits and sips his drink and enjoys the show. Si tried to encourage him to have a bit of fun himself, but Grey isn't the kind.. He is also not interested in anyone except for Si, but he is definitely out of reach.. He hasn't known a lot about his abilities as a child but in prison he met fairies who taught him a bit about the magical world, including that his ability to draw power from the world around him will be fatal to the power fairies have within them.
Their night out goes a awry when Grey defends Si and in return Si tries to protect him when the police comes asking questions.. From there EVERYTHING changes. Grey's position at the school was always in jeopardy considering his past but the one to pay the price this time is actually Si. But that's actually the least of their problems when they both realize The Veil - a magical barrier formed by the strongest magical creatures - the Celestials - in order to shield the supernatural world from the humans is breaking apart. Having a job or not is far less important than shielding not only themselves but the kids at the school as well. There is a reason Guardians were so crucial even if no one realizes today their importance - Si knows one when he sees him - Grey. Si's special powers and heritage is a totally different matter.. (I hope we'll learn a bit more about it in the next installment)
Besides this major drama there is also the connection between them. Much of what both Si and Grey know or thought they know about the world around them, about magical creatures as well as about WHO or rather WHAT they actually are have been a lie. Which not only allows them to be together as a couple but also helps them form a special connection. Together everything makes more sense and it's also easier to manage it all when they're not on their own. Well, anyhow they have Tabitha Fellows' help - a fellow teacher, a very nosy one, but never in a mean way.
Near the end two characters who were introduced to us in the beginning re-appear - the twins Jaime and Harry. I'm not sure about their role in this one at the very end but it's pretty clear we'll be getting to know both very well as Jaime and Robyn (another student with powers very similar to Grey's) form their own sort of connection and with the hints Grey and Si gets from higher powers I can sort of guess where we are going in the next one.
It was A RIDE or sure. There were sweet tender moments, there were a bit of angsty ones and quite a lot of action (unlike what I'm used to with Suki but I'm not complaining!). It was a great start to a series. Really enjoyed it!
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Rating:
★★★★½ |
E-Book
Edition |
229
pages
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Read on:
14 March 2020
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