Delayed Admission

by Heather Renee

  A short time later, I was pacing the entryway. Waiting for Gemma was winding me up even more, so I decided to go for a walk, in hopes of releasing some of my tension. Without conscious thought, I ended up at the door to the dungeon.

  The power behind it still called to me, but not like before. There wasn’t a constant need to go beyond the barrier, but the connection to whatever was down there was blatant.

  What if Enzo is down there? I thought.

  My hands rested on the door as I considered trying to break through the locks. Would he kill me if I risked myself to go down there and find him? Absolutely. Would it be worth it? Definitely.

  Fuck the rules. The rules had gotten me nowhere in the last four months. I was taking a page from Enzo’s book and pushing the mother-effing boundaries.

  Hands placed on the door, I simply thought about what I wanted the door to do and connected with magic behind it. Each time I had been at the door, there didn’t seem to be any difficulty getting past it. The council really needed to do something about the lack of security around something that was supposed to be dark and dangerous.

  When the locks disengaged, I turned the handle slowly, glancing behind me to make sure nobody was coming. The coast was clear, and I slipped inside, leaving the door closed but unlocked for an easier escape if necessary.

  Sneaking down the stairs, I pressed myself against the wall and listened for anyone coming. I had no idea where I was going, but I was desperate to find Enzo.

  My toes barely even touched the ground off the steps before I was busted.

  “You again. What are you doing down here?” Ryn snarled at me so deeply, I would have thought he was a shifter until I saw his pointed ears.

  Pushing my shoulders back, I held my head high. “I’m looking for Enzo Vaughn. I think one of your guests down here might have taken him.”

  “The prisoners in here don’t ever leave, so nobody has taken Enzo. This isn’t a place for you, and if I see you in here again, I’ll have you thrown out of the academy.”

  Damn, he was actually sexy in a dark, twisted, this-guy-has-major-baggage-but-maybe-I-could-fix-him kind of way. Even still, he had no idea what he was talking about.

  I laughed right in his face. I couldn’t help it. I was past the point of giving a shit about anything. “Good luck with that. If I could leave this place, I already would have. I won’t be going anywhere, no matter how many times I decide to venture down here.”

  My head snapped back and, if I hadn’t been staring right at Ryn, I would have sworn he smacked me, but his hands never moved. “What the fuck was that?” I screeched.

  Both of his hands gripped my arms. “She’s coming for you. You need to leave. Now, Raegan.”

  He pushed me up the steps, and I began taking them two at a time. As soon as the words left his mouth, I knew he was right. Malina’s presence was everywhere around us, pulling at me and sucking the life out of my very being.

  By the time I reached the top of the stairs, I could barely breathe, and my muscles felt like they were being ripped apart. When the door opened, I fell onto the ground and kicked it closed behind me, then stared up at the ceiling.

  Shit, that hadn’t gone how I wanted.

  “Raegan!” Gemma’s voice yelled from down the hall, followed by the sound of pounding footsteps. “What happened to you?” she asked as she dropped to her knees beside me.

  “Oh, you know. Just the normal. Decided to go for a stroll in the dungeon. Had a nice chat with Ryn. Got bitch-slapped by Malina.”

  “Why were you—never mind, it doesn’t matter. Let’s get you to your room. More people are arriving today, and you don’t want them to find you on the ground.”

  Gemma stood, reached out a hand to me, and helped to lift me up. My body ached, but I was able to walk on my own, for the most part. The wall only needed to help keep me steady every few steps.

  Gemma switched her bag to the other side and looped her arm through mine when we got on the platform to go up to our rooms, which I was grateful for, because there were no sides on the platform and I really didn’t want to be the first student to fall over the edge.

  When we arrived at my door, she punched in the code I’d long ago given her. I made my way to my bed and fell on top of it. Tears built in my eyes, and a fire burned in my throat as I tried to hold them back. I wasn’t sad or upset. I was pissed the fuck off, and this was the result of what happened when I was pushed too far.

  “Tell me what happened.” Gemma held my hand as she snuggled in beside me.

  “He just disappeared. It’s been six days, Gem. I was getting desperate. I had to check if he was stuck down there, but Ryn found me before I could get anywhere. Then, when we were arguing, Malina’s presence showed up.”

  “It’s going to be okay. I’m here, and we’re going to figure this out. I promise.” Gemma’s head leaned down, settling on top of mine.

  Having her there helped to calm my raging emotions, but it wasn’t enough to make everything okay. I needed to know where Enzo was and if he was alright. I had even resorted to reaching out to Malina, but the bitch refused to speak with me. Apparently, our mental connection only worked one way. Convenient for her, of course.

  “What if he’s stuck down there with her somehow?” I asked. “If she’s powerful enough to get inside of my head and fly around the dungeon in some sort of spirit form, then I can’t put it past her to have taken Enzo.”

  Gemma sighed. “I don’t know. We just have to figure out a way to be stronger than her and hope that Enzo is doing the same.”

  She was right. Enzo wasn’t new to dealing with the darker side of our supernatural world. He never told me exactly what he did when he went on his “errands”, but I got the gist of it the last time he came back. He was covered in a film of dark magic and I had to help him with a cleansing spell.

  Wherever he had been was not any place I ever wanted to venture, but if I had to for Enzo, then I’d find my lady balls and make it happen.

  “You’re right. I need to be bigger, better, and badder than the bitch downstairs. She has controlled enough of my life these last four months. No more. I’m done. I came here, so I could find out who my parents were and learn how to protect myself. I’m at least going to do one of those things.”

  A grin lit up her face. “There’s my biatch. Now, show me what Enzo’s taught you and be prepared to have it amplified by a hundred.”

  My gut was telling me I would live to regret whatever it was I had just agreed to, but that didn’t matter. I needed to be a stronger me in order to figure out how to rid myself of Malina and get Enzo back.

  “Let me put my stuff in my room and change. We have less than a week before school starts. We need to narrow down your strengths before then, so we know what to focus on in what little time you’ll have outside of classes,” Gemma said, equal parts excited and serious.

  Standing from the bed, I gave her a hug, holding on longer than necessary, but I had missed her, and I needed a moment. Thankfully, she understood without saying anything.

  When she left, I glanced in the mirror, taking in my elf ears and the slight glow emanating from my hands. I needed both halves of me to beat Malina, maybe even the dragon side, too. I just had to convince Headmaster Stone it was a good idea if and when the time came.

  On the last day of break, Gemma and I were training outside, quickly gathering a crowd. All of the students were back from break since school was back in session tomorrow, and they were enjoying our show.

  “What next?” I asked Gemma with a huff after we finished creating shields. They might have sounded simple, but the process practically sucked the life out of me. I needed a bigger well of energy before I could do it without tiring.

  “Elements?” she suggested.

  Nodding, I held my hand out and called on my magic. Warmth filled my stomach, then heat transferred up my arm before scorching power erupted from my fingers and fire filtered through.

  “Very nice, Biatch. Twice a
s fast as it took you yesterday.” Gemma applauded.

  I hadn’t become a pro, by any means, but intent went a long way toward how much success we had. Plus, Gemma wouldn’t let me quit. Even when my arms were covered in burns, my muscles ached, and my eyes would barely stay open, she pushed me, reminding me what it was all for.

  We swapped out elements until each one came naturally and the sun was setting. Hunger took over then, so we headed to the commissary.

  “Muscles are screaming at me that I didn’t even know existed,” I complained when we sat down.

  “Yeah, but you look like a total badass, so deal with it.” She laughed.

  Peyton and Finley walked by but didn’t sit down. Things had been tense between the four of us. They wanted to know what we were up to, but Gemma and I had agreed it was better not to tell them. For many reasons, though mostly because we had no idea what we were dealing with and didn’t want to put them in danger.

  They didn’t know that and were holding it against us, but it was better than having Malina screw with one of them as well.

  Lyssa came by next and stopped at the table. “Anything?”

  “No, you?”

  She shook her head. “Maybe he’ll just show up tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  When she walked away, Gemma’s body shook dramatically. “It seriously creeps me out that she’s nice to you now.”

  “Agreed, but she has resources we might need later, so I’m not going to turn down her help.”

  “Smart girl.” She went back to eating, and the rest of our dinner was spent mostly in silence as I reflected on everything that had happened over the last several days.

  “Hey, I’m going to chat with Headmaster Stone. I’ll see you later, okay?” I said when I finished eating.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Gemma asked.

  “Nah, I’m sure it will be more of the same. I’ll stop by your room when I’m done.” Pushing away from the table, I headed toward Magic Hall.

  The headmaster had been avoiding me, but I wasn’t leaving his office this time until I spoke with him. I needed to know what they’d done to look for Enzo and what was going on with Malina. Even though his mind had been messed with, he still should have been doing his job, even if it was half-assed.

  Malina still hadn’t been back in my head, but I knew she was continuing to grow stronger. I could feel her in the hallways now, her power pulsing through the air, seeming to be searching for a way out.

  It creeped me the hell out, but I did my best to ignore it. I needed to outmatch her and keep those around me safe. Besides getting Enzo back in one piece, that was all that mattered.

  My hand lifted to knock, but I decided there was no use with the way the headmaster had been acting as of late. Instead, I opened the door and called out his name.

  “In here, Raegan,” he replied.

  When I entered, his normally smooth grey hair was in complete disarray, and his office was torn apart.

  “Uh, Headmaster Stone, what’s going on?”

  He shook his head and placed a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet.

  “Were you here about your class schedule?” he asked while nodding his head.

  “Sure. I mean, yes. Did you get it worked out yet?”

  “Yes, last night I was finally able to sit down and see about rearranging some of your classes. I have the new proposal right here.” He slid a piece of paper across his desk, and I moved to pick it up while he went back to searching his office for something.

  It read: Someone is listening. I need to find the orb they planted. It should be a small glass ball with either blue or purple light glowing from it.

  Nodding my head, I set the paper down. “I think this is reasonable. Do you think I could borrow a few books for the new classes from you?” I asked, giving us an excuse as to why we would be moving about the room to whoever was listening.

  “Yes, that’s a great idea. I should have thought of it myself,” he replied.

  Soon, we were both scouring his office, moving books around and looking under chairs. Finally, he waved his hands. “Ah, here is the History of Witches book I was looking for.” With a wave of his hand, the glass orb blinked once and then the purple light faded away.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked again, needing to know his response before I went on a tangent. I wasn’t sure we could speak freely just yet.

  “No, nothing is okay, Raegan, but first I must apologize. I remember everything from the last couple weeks, but it was as if I didn’t have any control over my body. I was finally able to break through this morning.”

  Damn it. I knew something was going on with him, but deep down, I had hoped I was wrong. That meant there was some really screwed-up shit happening.

  “Where is Enzo?” I asked, hoping maybe he’d be able to finally give a solid answer.

  “I don’t know. All I do know is Malina has almost completely taken over the dungeon. Over the last five days, her strength has grown tremendously.”

  Shit, shit, shit.

  That couldn’t be a coincidence, and it was the worst-case scenario. There was no way I could ever beat Malina if she became stronger as I did.

  Dread coursed through me as I struggled with what I needed to do next.

  Chapter 19

  Two months. Two mother-effing months had passed since Enzo disappeared. The council hadn’t found a trace left of him on Earth, but I refused to believe he was dead. “No body, no death” was my latest mantra anytime someone tried to say it was a possibility.

  “Rae, you look like shit,” Gemma so kindly announced when she entered my room. “And you missed dinner.”

  Glancing at my nightstand, I nodded toward the plates. “I ordered in from my butler box.”

  “I could have joined you, so you didn’t have eat alone. Your ‘biatch’ nickname is becoming quite fitting with your attitude as of recently, if you ask me.”

  “Well, I didn’t ask you, did I?” I snapped.

  Guilt assaulted me, but I didn’t apologize. I was angry at the world, and Gemma had been paying the price for that over the last several weeks.

  I couldn’t leave the academy; I could hardly even train for fear of Malina getting even stronger. Headmaster Stone had confirmed my connection to her was making her more powerful.

  She had been visiting me more frequently lately, kindly reminding me I needed to excel in school or there would be a price to pay, but it seemed to me I was already paying that price, so I didn’t see the point.

  Gemma’s face moved right into my line of sight. “Listen here, Raegan. I’m only going to say this once, and then I’m going to walk out your door and possibly never come back.”

  My head leaned back in surprise. She’d never spoken to me with such animosity before.

  “I have stood by your side for months as we tried to find Enzo, but I won’t stand here and watch you wither away. Yes, I realize he means a lot to you and you feel responsible for his disappearance, but Enzo is a big boy. If anything, I’d have to guess he got himself into this mess all on his own and your guilt is severely misplaced.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but her hand clasped over it.

  “I’m not done. It’s March, and you have less than three more months to figure out how to get yourself out of here. Why don’t you focus on something for yourself for once and accept the help being offered from those around you instead of wallowing in self-pity that you can no longer do anything. I love you, girl, but I’m done feeling sorry for you. It’s time to pick up your lady balls and bring back the Raegan I met last fall.”

  She removed her hand, turned on her heels, and stomped out of my room, completing her show by slamming the door.

  Fuck me.

  My throat burned, but it was a feeling I was all too familiar with as I tried not to cry. My emotions were everywhere, and I went through a gamut of them every day. One minute I was angry, then depressed, determined, okay, or helpless. I’d done a ba
ng-up job of nailing the woe-is-me act, and I’d finally pushed away the only friend I had left.

  Lyssa still checked in from time-to-time, but Enzo no longer concerned her that I could tell. At first, it pissed me off, but then I realized it didn’t matter. None of it mattered. I was a pawn in a game much bigger than me, and I was just trying to survive.

  Almost a half-hour later, my door opened, and I assumed it was Gemma coming back, so I stood up, already calling out my apology to her. She deserved better from me after all that she had done.

  “Oh, Raegan. What did you do?” Aunt Jules asked when she entered my room.

  Shit. That definitely wasn’t Gemma.

  I’d been avoiding my aunt like the plague. I didn’t have any good news to give her, so I didn’t see the point in talking about any of it.

  “Why are you apologizing to Gemma?” she asked when I stood there dumbfounded at her arrival.

  “I, well, you see… things are complicated,” I sputtered.

  “Explain.” She crossed her arms and took a seat in my desk chair, giving me her best “mom” face. For having only been a mom to me for a little over a year, she had it down and it was rather intimidating.

  “Jules, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Things are messy, and there is stuff going on here you don’t need to be involved in. I can’t lose you, too.” My heart lurched as I said the last part, and I realized I had slowly been pushing away Gemma for the last month, because I was afraid to lose her, as well.

  I was toxic to anyone around me, as long as Malina had her hold on me.

  “Sweetheart, you don’t know my past or where I come from. That’s my fault, but I need you to understand there is nothing in this world that would scare me more than losing you. You’re covered in a darkness you can no longer hide, and you need to tell me why that is.”

  That’s when the dam broke.

  When the first tear fell, there was nothing I could do to stop the rest. Word vomit followed, and I told Jules everything, even more than I had told Gemma or the headmaster. My stresses were no longer a weight I could bear on my own. When I was done, I began laughing hysterically, because I was officially a maniac.