Nurse Taishi had checked me and found my heartbeat and breathing too fast, both signs of dehydration. He’d said that, thanks to Dean McIntosh’s Velox Vitae potion, I could do without an IV, but only if I promised to drink plenty of fluids. I hated needles, so I’d promised to chug down whatever they gave me. Though, at the moment, I wasn’t counting with Nurse Nightingale and her mighty straw.
“How about a popsicle?” Disha asked.
“Yeah, sure.” Anything but the prodding straw.
Disha skipped to a small fridge in one corner of the room where Nurse Taishi kept nourishing supplies for his patients. The light that came through the windows was dimming, letting me know the day was winding down.
“Grape or strawberry?” Disha asked, holding two popsicles in transparent wrap.
“Strawberry.”
She handed me the red one, while she took the purple one and sat back down. We removed the packaging and got to work on them, silent for a moment. I glared at the door again.
“Chartreuse, I warned you about him,” Disha said.
“Chartreuse?” I asked. “What? Do you like… use a dictionary to come up with these names?”
“You’re avoiding the issue,” she said in a singsong tone.
I took a bite of my popsicle and huffed.
“Rowan carries too much baggage, girl,” she said. “A lifetime of it, actually. Just imagine Macgregor as your father.”
“What the hell did he do to him? He was so happy last time I saw him and now he looked… depressed, lost.”
“It’s anyone’s guess. Macgregor is very hard on Rowan.”
“What is wrong with that man?” I asked. “He’s worse than Hitler on a bad-mustache day.”
Disha giggled.
“Well, I almost died,” I said, “Rowan will come and see me. He has to, right?”
Disha shrugged. “I think we’re better off unattached. You should do like me and find a play thing, instead. Someone easy on the eyes but shallow, by which I mean uncomplicated.”
I shook my head. “Not my style.”
“Seriously, give it a try. It’s quite fun.” She licked the popsicle as if it were a lollipop, her eyes growing dreamy and far away as if remembering exactly how much fun “uncomplicated” guys could be.
The door to the infirmary opened. My heart leapt, thinking it had to be Rowan. Instead, Nurse Taishi walked in. He was easy on the eyes, with his shiny black hair and ready smile, not to mention the muscular frame inside those blue scrubs, but he was not Rowan. My shoulders sank.
“How is the patient?” he asked, striding in my direction, a stethoscope draped over his neck. “I’m glad to see you’re hydrating yourself.” He gestured toward the popsicle.
Disha leaned over coquettishly, putting an elbow on the bed and resting her chin on her hand. “She didn’t want to, but I made her.”
Nurse Taishi squirmed on the spot and hid a blush by turning toward the blood pressure machine. What was Disha doing? Hadn’t she learned her lesson with Henderson? But what did the Academy expect when they hired such young, good-looking staff?
I waved a hand, shooing Disha away and frowning. She rolled her eyes and sat properly while Nurse Taishi checked my vitals.
Ten minutes later, I was headed to my room, walking on my own two feet with Disha by my side. I was wearing a pair of scrubs Nurse Taishi had given me as no one wanted me walking around with a bloody T-shirt, the evidence of another attack on campus.
I could only imagine the amount of damage control Dean McIntosh would have to do after they’d assured everyone the school was safe. But there was no way to avoid it, not when Disha had run all over the place, screaming like a maniac that a vampire was killing her BFF.
Disha and I walked into the Freshman Dorm, discussing what to do for dinner, though I wanted to take a hot shower before going anywhere. However, we came to an abrupt halt as soon as we reached the common area. A gaggle of students had sprung to their feet from the comfortable sofas as soon as they saw us and started firing questions like paparazzi after hot gossip.
“Is it true that Answorth is a vampire?”
“Did he bite you?”
“What was it like?”
“I wouldn’t mind him biting me… a little.”
“Are you going to turn into one now?”
Seriously?! I pushed past them, ignoring all their questions.
“Guys, we’re tired. We need a bath. We need food. If you care for your lives, get out of our way,” Disha said, opening a path ahead of me.
A deep voice rose above all others. “Is it true that he escaped?”
I whirled around. “What? Who escaped?” I demanded.
“Answorth,” a tall guy with horn-rimmed glasses and a lumberjack shirt asked. His name was Ian. We had Spells together.
“Where did you hear that?” Disha demanded.
Ian adjusted his glasses. “Dunno. Everyone’s talking about it. They’re saying he knocked Underwood out and took off.”
I exchanged a glance with Disha. My heart clenched as my thoughts immediately went to Rowan. Was he okay? I opened my mouth to ask Ian if he meant father or son, but before I could manage, Disha grabbed me by the elbow and led me away from the gawkers.
Blinking in confusion, I went along. When I realized she was leading us toward Rowan’s bedroom, I walked with firmer steps and pulled ahead of her. I practically ran down the hall, passing closed and open doors and ignoring the students who milled about.
I stopped in front of Rowan’s door, heart thumping.
He was hurt, and I’d been mad at him for not coming to see me in the infirmary. I’d already convinced myself he’d suffered a worse fate than me when Disha knocked, and Rowan himself opened the door, looking as rosy-cheeked as ever. When he realized it was us, he sighed, walked inside, and sat on the bed.
My heart thudded with anticipation as we entered the room. I glanced around at the bare walls and piles of scattered clothes on the floor.
“Is everything alright?” Disha asked. “We heard Answorth escaped.”
He twisted his mouth to one side in an indifferent gesture. “Apparently, he got the best of my mighty father, knocked him over the head and left him unconscious.” Rowan seemed rather pleased by this development, judging by his twisted smirk.
“But… you’re okay, right?” I asked.
He met my gaze for just an instant, then glanced away. “I’m fine, yes.”
Disha and I exchanged a skeptical look. That was a lie if we’d ever hear one.
“The truth is I’m tired,” he said. “I’d like to… rest.”
“Oh, sure,” Disha said, gesturing toward the door for us to go.
“Um, meet you in the cafeteria in an hour?” I asked her.
She nodded and, offering me a good luck expression, walked out of the room.
Once Disha had left, I sat next to Rowan. He shifted on the spot and put a few more inches between us. I stared at the floor as my heart broke in two. Did I need any more proof to show me that what had started between us over Christmas break had already crashed and burned?
“It’s… good to see you,” I said. Yep, apparently I did need more proof. If he still wanted this thing between us to go somewhere, he would take this as an invitation, right?
“It’s good to see you, too.” The words seemed genuine but not as warm as I would have liked.
“What happened? Where did your father take you?”
He shook his head. “I can’t talk about it.”
“Classified, huh?” I attempted a smile that felt like a grimace.
“Look, Charlie…” he began.
I jumped to my feet. Nothing good could start with those words. I had to get out of here.
“It’s good to have you back.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets and strolled to the door. “I’d better let you rest. You look tired. Plus, I have to shower and change, then meet Disha for dinner. I’ll see you around, okay?”
He nodded, his expression
a combination of sadness and relief. I’d just saved ourselves a very hard conversation.
So much for a chance at my first boyfriend. It was over before it began.
Chapter Twenty-Five
SPRING SEMESTER
MID FEBRUARY
It was Saint Valentine’s Day and I had no boyfriend.
One heated make-out session, it was all my relationship with Rowan had amounted to. That and a very awkward last couple of weeks as we tried to avoid each other at all costs.
“Why are we going through this again?” I asked, glancing at Disha in the backseat of our Uber.
She was dragging me to a party, and a fist-sized knot was already forming in my stomach as we pulled down a long tree-lined driveway. Why had I let her talk me into this? Parties were so… people-y. Lots of chit-chatting with classmates who stared at me and whispered to their friends. I knew rumors were circulating that I had turned into a vampire and was working for Answorth. God, would I ever fit in anywhere?
Disha closed her lighted compact with a snap. “Because you’ve been avoiding every party all year and the end of the semester is around the corner. I will not, as your best friend and party advocate, allow you to finish freshman year without attending at least one rager. And Kenny said their Valentine’s party is going to be killer.”
She batted lashes that were so incredibly long she must’ve used a grow spell on them. Her outfit was impeccable—slinky red dress, chunky heels, and perfect makeup. Her eyelids and lips shimmered red to match her dress, and she’d even gone into town to get a blowout for her hair, something I didn’t even know existed until now.
People actually paid to have someone else blow dry their hair for them. Inconceivable.
Me, on the other hand, I’d worn what I normally wore—skinny jeans, Chucks, and one of Disha’s red hand-me-down sweaters. Though, I had to admit to putting more time in on my hair and makeup than normal. Disha had mentioned that Rowan would be at the party. Yeah, I was clinging pathetically to some irrational hope.
Thinking of him was like the memory of a bad fall—all pain and bruises that never seemed to heal. After his return from the excursion with dear ol’ dad, it was as if our time at his house, in his bed, hadn’t happened. Now I wished I, at least, knew the reason, but I’d been too chicken to hear him out, fearing the it’s not you, it’s me conversation.
At least, the dean and the staff had managed to keep Answorth’s attack as quiet as they could, downplaying my injuries and sending a team to track him down. Plus, they’d beefed up security, buff men and women from Magical Law Enforcement.
They’d had no argument from me. I didn’t want the school to close. Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do at the end of April when the semester ended. But that was two months away. Time enough for me to figure out how to avoid living on the streets again.
The car pulled up to a large farmhouse and let us out. I stood on the curb and took everything in.
The house was rented by several upperclassmen, including Kenny, Disha’s new boy toy. Only seniors were trusted to live off campus and this was one of the college’s sanctioned houses, situated about ten minutes away in a little, barely populated township called Greenville. The huge ring of sky-high evergreens in every direction was a clue as to why. With no neighbors, the students here couldn’t get into too much trouble.
The old farmhouse was enormous, sporting a giant wrap-around porch lined with twinkle lights above thrift store couches. Music thumped from the house’s interior as bodies moved past the glowing windows. Everyone wore reds and pinks, per the invitation, and paper hearts hung from the tree boughs. There were also recently-sprouted shrubs decorated with red and white roses.
Disha grabbed my hand and pointed. “It’s Alice in Wonderland themed.”
“A theme party? Ugh.” I rolled my eyes.
“See? This is exactly why I didn’t tell you until the Uber guy drove away.” She winked at me and then tugged me up the cobblestone walkway.
The house was jammed with bodies and loud music. My eyes did their best to take it all in—a couple already making out on the couch, two DJs in Tweedledum and Tweedledee costumes manning a set of turntables at the far end of the living room, and a counter with treats labeled “Eat me” and cups labeled “Drink me.”
As I watched, a girl took a little yellow cake and nibbled. Her body blew up to twice its normal size, head thunking on the ceiling. She guffawed and handed the cake to a friend. If they all ate those, we’d be in trouble.
God, it was loud. In addition to the music and the chatter, a very drunk girl in a crooked Red Queen wig kept yelling, “Off with their heads.”
I wondered how long I would last. I should’ve paid the Uber driver to hang around, but then I remembered I had no money.
“Kenny’s in the barn,” Disha yelled, pulling me away.
Weaving through the house, we stepped into the yard and I sucked in a breath. If I thought the decorations out front were amazing, the backyard could only be described as out-of-this-world.
Giant, bioluminescent mushrooms loomed above our heads, casting dim shadows. Flowers and vines of every color oscillated in time with the music. In the center of a brick patio, a huge table was set for tea with at least fifty cups and saucers. Tucked among them, a stoned guy in a rabbit costume twitched in the center while others sat around, oblivious while they smoked a hookah and blew smoke rings.
I had to hand it to these guys. When they picked a theme, they really dove in.
Disha led us across a stone path to the largest of the three barns. Kenny was waiting out front. He was clearly very excited about his party’s chosen theme, dressed in a full Johnny Depp style Mad Hatter costume with a big bowtie, curly red wig and makeup.
He pulled off his top hat and took a bow. Disha ran up, squealing and threw her arms around him.
“You look amazing!” She held his face in her hands. “You even changed your eye color.”
Kenny smiled. “Lawrence did it for me. He swears they won’t stay this way once the spell wears off, but time will tell. Charlie,” he said, addressing me, “what do you think?”
I grinned at him. Kenny was a nice guy, one she’d met in the library, actually studying. Too bad Disha was going to chew him up and spit him out in a few weeks. “This is amazing, Kenny. How’d you guys pull it off?”
He shook his head, casting his gaze around. “Honestly, we didn’t attend class all week. Probably a terrible use of our time, but we love it.”
Disha leaned into him, batting those bird-wing eyelashes. “He says last year they did Jurassic World.”
“That got way out of hand,” Kenny said laughing. “Dinosaurs everywhere. This is way safer and less to clean up.”
I tried to picture it, wondering how they kept the lizards all contained and managed not to kill the neighbors.
“Much better choice,” I said, pointing at the tea table.
“You haven’t seen the best part!” Kenny said, jumping up. Placing his hat back on, he got into character, accent and all. “Behind us, ladies, is the pièce de résistance—a maze of sorts that will require cunning, wit and a little magic.”
Disha clapped her hands. I raised an eyebrow. Now, this sounded interesting.
“How does it work?” I asked.
“Simple. You go in, walk through the maze, and try to get out. It’s not that bad. I’ve only had to rescue a few people and you girls have a better shot because you’re sober, unless…” He gestured to the cooler by his feet.
I shook my head, remembering the witch’s brew. I couldn’t trust what warlocks offered, even if it was from someone as nice as Kenny.
“Okay, then.” He pushed open the barn door, revealing a dark interior.
I took Disha’s hand and together, we stepped inside. Darkness enveloped us as soon as Kenny shut the door.
“There better not be any of those pixie minotaurs in here,” I said.
“Remind me again why I’m in here with you instead
of out there making out with him?” Disha asked as she wove her hands in the air and cast a light spell.
“Because you love me,” I answered, peering forward into the barn. It seemed very ordinary—hay, yard tools, and shelves of fertilizer that smelled terrible.
“I don’t see any ma—”
My foot, which I thought would land on a solid barn floor, fell into empty space. My body pitched forward. I wheeled my arms, trying to keep from falling in, but there was nothing to grab.
Down I went.
“Charlie!” Disha screamed.
I fell through the rabbit hole, a shout tearing from my throat. My hands clawed at the sides, dislodging dirt and roots, but nothing stopped my fall. I tumbled end over end.
The bottom reared up, and I feared I would splat, but, at the last second, my body hit a pocket of air and hovered a few feet off the floor, before gently landing on the dirt.
I glanced up. Way, way up.
Stupid boys. Stupid theme party.
Dusting myself off, I found the tunnel I was supposed to take, the only one here with torches to light my way.
This was Kenny’s game and I’d have to play it. I stared up to see if Disha would follow me, but after a few minutes, it seemed like she’d changed her mind. Whatever. I could do this alone. It’d take my mind off of other things.
I trekked down the dirt tunnel and found a room at the end of it. The hollowed-out space was empty, nothing in it but a very tiny door at the far end. I’d seen the movie more than once as a kid and I knew what I had to do, but as I glanced around, I didn’t see any “Eat me” or Drink me” items to shrink myself.
“But Alice didn’t have these,” I said, pushing my sleeves up to reveal my magic cuffs.
Conjuring a shrinking spell was easy. Down, down I went until I was the size of a Pomeranian, small enough to fit through the door. Then, I turned the knob and strode through.
A similar landscape to the farmhouse’s backyard lay before me—big mushrooms, glowing plants, a huge Cheshire-Cat-smile in the sky, lighting everything in dim shadows.
Supernatural Academy: Freshman Witch Page 19