The Alchemists Academy: Stones to Ashes Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

in a deep red silk that didn’t entirely suit her, while the dark-haired one was dressed in an outfit that nearly matched Spencer’s. She smiled as they approached.
    “Hi Spencer. You’re showing Appearing Boy around then? And copying my wardrobe while you’re at it.”
    “I’m copying you?” Spencer shot back. Wirt got the feeling that the banter between the two of them was a regular feature. “I thought you hated wearing black.”
    “Yeah, well, anything to get in with the Head right now. So,” she turned her attention to Wirt, and he felt the full intensity of those deep, brown eyes, “enjoying your first day?”
    Wirt shrugged. “There hasn’t been much of it, yet.”
    “True. I’m Alana. You gave us quite a shock yesterday, just showing up like that, right Priscilla?”
    The other girl giggled, looking away.
    “So if you’re staying,” Alana continued, rolling her eyes, “does that mean that you’re on a scholarship?”
    “I guess so,” Wirt said, “though I think I might be more of a ‘stuck here’ student.”
    Alana raised an eyebrow. “Well, either way, it is nice to meet someone else who isn’t stinking rich. Unlike these two, of course.” She nodded good-naturedly to Spencer and Alana. “Spencer’s family could probably afford to buy the school.”
    “Assuming father thought it was a good investment,” Spencer added, grimacing as he ate his toast.
    “Assuming that, of course, while as for Priscilla…”
    “Daddy already did think it would be a good investment,” the other girl said, with an accent so posh it could have etched glass. “Which is why the school is in our kingdom.”
    “Your kingdom?” Wirt asked. Alana nodded.
    “Maybe I should have gone for the slightly more formal introduction before. Wirt, I would like you to meet Her Royal Highness, Princess Priscilla of Aravalia. Technically, I think she’s also a countess or something, too.”
    “Comtessa of Blairsbrook, Lady of Larovia and Duchess of Ilfshire. Though I tend to ignore the duchess part. I always think it makes me sound fat.”
    Wirt did his best to keep the word “airhead” out of his mind. It was not terribly easy. Alana gave him a look that dared him to say something about her friend.
    “Suffice it to say that Priscilla’s father, King Wilfred, likes to give her things,” she said.
    “Just never the one thing I actually want,” the princess countered. “You get to do all the magical classes, while I am stuck with special lessons on being royal instead. I don’t need lessons on being royal. Lessons on turning people into things, on the other hand…”
    Wirt saw Alana give her hand a reassuring pat.
    “It’s not as much fun as it looks. Besides, you will have a court wizard to help you out with that kind of thing. Or a court witch, of course.”
    From the way Alana smiled when she said that, Wirt had a pretty good idea of just whom she thought that might end up being.
    “So, are you two roommates?” he found himself asking. Alana nodded.
    “I do my best to put up with the mess. Technically, of course, I’m also Priscilla’s Peer Advisor as a condition of my scholarship, so it helps if we share.”
    “Daddy wants to make sure that I have time to get to know my future advisor,” Priscilla said. “Alana is so clever and poised. Not like me at all.”
    “I do my best,” the dark-haired girl said.
    “Plus,” Priscilla added, “I think he likes the thought of someone else being around to help with my… problem.”
    Oh good, Wirt thought. Not only was the beautiful rich girl the sort to giggle and wonder whether being called a duchess sounded fat, she also had the kind of problem that had earned itself a significant pause. Spencer came to the rescue in the silence that followed.
    “Alana has always been good at keeping people in line,” he said. “She certainly did a good job with me. We go back a long way,” he added, seeing Wirt’s questioning look.
    Wirt thought he saw Alana