Nightworld Academy: Term Four

by LJ Swallow

  He turns and I tense at the shadows hidden in his eyes. "Every hour counts, Maeve. Every. Single. Minute. We need Andrei acquitted."

  "Is Ravenhold that bad?" I ask.

  Tobias shakes his head. "No. I'm worried he wasn't taken there."

  "Then where?"

  He holds his temples and closes his eyes. "Forget it. We'll get him out. Tell me what happened with you and Ash. Is he marked?"

  I shake away his subject change. "No. I won't 'forget it'. What do you think might happen to Andrei?"

  In the ensuing silence, I'm drawn into a memory as if reliving a vision of the past. The bonfire and the future Andrei predicted for himself. "You think they might kill him?" Tobias doesn't need to answer. I drop into the nearest chair and shake my head. "No. Andrei won't die."

  "Now you see why I need to see Becci. Now. We need to get her alone and check her mind. If she has nothing, then we need to look at other possibilities."

  "She does know the truth, Tobias. Jamie—tell Tobias what you saw."

  As Jamie recounts events to Tobias, I lose track of their words. Knowing Andrei is in Ravenhold hurt, but a part of me accepted this. Andrei dying? That thought is a knife in the heart, twisted by a memory of Rupert's mocking face. Tobias hid this from me. Or am I stupid for not adding up what could happen?

  Tobias's stiffened stance loosens, eyes filling with hope to replace the desperation. "But the vampire's face wasn't clear?"

  Jamie shakes his head.

  "Unlike Ash, Becci is aware of her memories and that helps. She isn't blocked the way he is." He drags a hand down his face, with the hint of a smile on his face.

  "Which leaves the problem, how do we get Becci to you?" My voice wavers as both Jamie's and Tobias's faces shift into concern.

  "It's ill-advised of me to enter the Walcott house currently. Least of all because Sofia makes no secret that she blames me for the situation," says Tobias. "I can't ask a pupil here to my office with no reason."

  "She missed a lesson?" suggests Jamie. "Call her here to discuss that."

  Tobias shakes his head. "She wouldn't come, and I'm sure Sofia wouldn't care."

  "Maeve can make her," he says.

  I straighten. "She'd know. Becci would tell others I can control minds."

  "Once Becci tells the truth, your mind control will be the least of her worries."

  Tobias's harsh tones cool my blood. The witch killer. Angry with his Walcott student.

  Tobias looks at me in surprise and I hear, what the hell? He heard my thoughts? "I meant, she'll be in trouble with the authorities," he says stiffly.

  "If they believe her," I say. "And what if the killer isn't within the academy? If we can't find him, we're stuck."

  "We'll fix this," says Jamie and looks up. "Won't we?"

  Tobias rubs his temples again. "I have no choice."

  If time is precious, I need to find her. "I'll go to Walcott after class. As soon as I get her alone, I'll bring her here. This won't wait until Ash's party."

  "Speaking of Ash, Maeve." Jamie tugs my hand so I sit again. "Don't you have something else to tell Tobias?"

  "What?" he asks sharply.

  "Ash asked me to look into his mind and… it ended badly."

  "I told you not to, Maeve." Tobias's expression darkens. "And what do you mean ‘badly'?"

  I sigh. "I wanted to help him, Tobias. Ash is hurting."

  "What do you mean ‘badly'?" he repeats.

  "Ash felt unwell and my head hurt too."

  "Jesus, Maeve, stop making it sound like nothing," puts in Jamie. "Maeve's eyes bled."

  Tobias's face becomes a mask of horror. "Tell me exactly what happened."

  In a monotone, I recount events.

  "That's not normal for a future-sighted witch, is it?" asks Jamie, gesturing at me.

  Tobias chews on his lip and is silent for a few moments. "Powerful forces have influenced Ash. What you felt wasn't him pushing back, but something darker lodged in his mind."

  Omigod. "Will Ash be okay?"

  "Whoever interfered with Ash's mind wanted him to return to the academy, so I don't believe he's in immediate danger. But you..." He takes a deep breath. "That's a problem."

  "I don't care. We need to help Ash remember."

  "Maeve. Bleeding eyes and ice-pick headaches might not be the only effect on you. We need to tread carefully. How was Ash afterwards?" asks Tobias.

  "He was okay when I left him, but I'm worried. Will you check on Ash for me?" I ask.

  He nods curtly. "I intended to and now I certainly will."

  I prepare to leave with Jamie, already planning my line of attack on Becci. "Maeve," interrupts Tobias. "Can I talk to you alone before you go."

  Jamie's mouth thins.

  "About?" I ask.

  The words last night and this come into my mind and my eyelids flicker as I attempt not to show my discomfort to Jamie. This new psychic communication is freaking me out.

  "Advice on how to deal with Becci," he says.

  Jamie's doubtful look returns. "You sure, Maeve?"

  "I think we're past the point you need to worry about Maeve's safety with me," he says stiffly. "You know my darkest secret, Jamie. I hope we have trust."

  I nod at Jamie and give him a gentle shove. "All good. I'll see you in Potions in ten minutes."

  Chapter Thirty

  MAEVE

  Alone with Tobias.

  I've spent the day attempting not to relive last night's events—any of them. I've ignored that the arousal Tobias caused took over an hour to subside, as I lay in bed my skin imprinted with the memory of his touch. How did the embrace affect him?

  As I stand with him, the weird energy surrounding us grows louder and stronger. The more he shared about himself, the closer I was pulled and now I feel bound tight. Tobias steps behind his desk, creating a barrier between us as he stands close to the window.

  "I apologise for losing control last night." He doesn't meet my eyes, instead looking outside. "That won't happen again."

  "I don't think that's true, Tobias," I say softly. "Please look at me."

  My heart stutters as he does what I ask. Tobias looks at me the way Ash does. Andrei. Jamie. There's a mixture of desire and affection, but underpinned by confusion.

  "I struggle, Maeve. So bloody hard. I don't think you understand how great an effect you have on me." The intense gaze continues and I'm grateful for the desk between us.

  I battle to suppress my thoughts, but the words spill. "You know I'm the same around you, but I don't know why. I don't understand because you scare me, Tobias."

  "Do you understand now why I won't touch you? I can push down the reaction with brief contact, but last night was a slip-up we can't afford."

  He rubs his forehead with the long fingers that touched me yesterday and prompted the temptation I now know we both shared.

  "Is this your hybrid powers?" I ask. "I thought maybe that's what happened, because I'm a witch."

  "No. This is you. Us." He looks up at the ceiling. "I have no fucking idea what's happening."

  I move towards the desk. "Explain why I hear your voice in my head."

  "I don't know." His teeth clench. "Ever since you took over my mind, my reactions to you are worse. I feel each of your emotions and hear you, the way bonded witches do. But I'm not a witch, and I shouldn't experience the same pull."

  As I moisten my lips, Tobias watches the action before looking away, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "When you held me, the touch felt as if you and I were naked. My body reacted as if you'd touched my bare skin."

  "Don't, Maeve." His voice grows hoarser.

  "You said you wanted to talk about last night. So, I am. You touched me through my clothes and aroused me. That's frightening and we can't ignore what happened."

  "I know." He drops his look to the desk and takes a shuddering breath. "I experienced the same sensations."

  "Was that your lamia side?" I whisper.

  Tobias lifts his eyes. "
That was all of me."

  I cover my mouth and step back. "Is this what happened to the witches you killed? You used all your powers?"

  Did he want my blood?

  "No!" His shout startles me and my racing heart beats faster. "This is nothing like that. I can't describe to you what I did to those witches and why, because I've locked those memories away. This between us is a world away from what happened with other witches."

  "How?"

  Tobias finally steps from behind the desk to look down at me, so far into my personal space we almost touch. "I don't know, but the attraction existed from the first time we met, didn't it?" I swallow. "At first, your reaction amused me, because it's not unusual. Most can hide how I affect them, but you were an open book. Back then, the barrier between professor and student helped, but I broke that the night I touched you to wipe your mind."

  "Another reason you should never have done that," I retort.

  "I know! From that moment, the situation was no longer amusing. I craved you and told myself this was my old self breaking through. That I needed to control the buried creature in order to keep you safe, until I realised this was more than hunger."

  At the word hunger, I shuffle back.

  Tobias slumps back against his desk again. "I feel you on every single level—in my soul. In my heart. The marrow of my bones. The way I crave you drives me insane."

  I'm not here. This man isn't saying these crazy things to me. I steady myself on the nearby chair, aware Tobias's energy somehow holds me upright.

  "Stop that," I say hoarsely. "Why are you saying all this to me?"

  "Because I worry that your effect on me happens for a reason. I'm concerned that my link to you will bring me trouble, like the others. Jamie, Andrei, and Ash are all in precarious situations because they're connected to you."

  Anger races through, along with hurt at the idea I'm putting lives in danger. "You make me sound like I'm using the guys."

  "No, that's not what I mean. Their focus on you keeps you safe—I won't."

  "Maybe you're wrong and you're here to help!" I retort. "Maybe our connection is to help strengthen me to take on whatever I need to and win." My words come fast, breath speeding.

  Tobias shakes his head. "Maeve. Calm down. Please."

  "You all tell me to believe in myself, but I need you all too. What if you can't resist this forever? What if you need to stop resisting?"

  "Maeve!" Tobias shouts. "Stop. You're doing it again. I can't cope when you blast your energy at me like this."

  "Then feed on it," I retort. "Take the energy away."

  I startle as Tobias smacks a palm on the desk. "I hang onto the self-control I have around you by my fingernails. I guard the magic that screams at me to meld with yours, as your energy sings out to me. Right at this moment, that song drowns out my resolve."

  I shake my head, clamping up in case he loses control, and watch in alarm as he walks to the wall and places his hands and head against it.

  "I want you on so many levels, Maeve, and this is wrong. I can't get closer to you; I need to step back or everything will end badly for us both. I'm begging you, please hold me at arm's length again."

  "Then how can you teach me? Help?" I ask, breathless at his words and with the panic.

  "I don't know." He turns and rests his back against the wall, eyes to the ceiling.

  Witnessing Tobias losing control of the ice-cold barrier scares me more than when he uses magic on me. I clear my throat. "No. You have to learn to deal with this. I can't grow my abilities without your guidance."

  The laugh he gives is filled with despair. "You don't understand what you're asking me to do."

  I lick my dry lips. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."

  Tobias finally looks back to me and instead of the anger that scared me, now there is something that worries me more. Fear. He swallows and shakes his head as if dislodging our conversation. "Andrei is your priority right now."

  "Our priority."

  Clearing his throat, Tobias straightens again and focuses on his watch. "You'll be late for your next class if you don't leave now. I'll speak to you later."

  "Tobias. Don't do this again. You can't just switch off as if nothing's happening."

  "I'm sorry if this upsets you, but now I've explained, we need to go back to helping Andrei. I hope you manage to find Becci soon."

  Explained? Tobias just unleashed on me, more than I can comprehend. My anger subsides at the defeat in his voice and I'm a heartbeat away from hugging him. The one thing that's helped me recently is the hugs and affection, whether from Jamie or the other guys, or even Amelia before she disappeared. Behind Tobias's barriers lives a man filled with secrets and shame who can't—or won't—turn to anybody.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  MAEVE

  The atmosphere in Potions class is no better than Mental Magic, but at least we have a practical lesson to distract us. I struggle to focus creating the herbal tincture ready for the creativity potion in a couple of weeks, because I'm too distracted by the day's events, and because Ash and the Gilgamesh students aren't in class.

  "Why aren't Gilgamesh here?" I whisper to Jamie.

  "Vincent," he mutters and eyes the two empty seats beside us, normally occupied by Ash and Amelia. Nobody took Andrei's, and others have moved the chairs further away, as if they might catch something unpleasant if they sit closer.

  I'd would've preferred to return to Walcott to find Becci, but I also need to bide my time. The majority of Walcott attend today, even those who often skip class. If I'm seen stalking the halls alone, someone might catch sight of me and question my motives. No, the best thing to do is subtly approach her when others are around and pull her to one side then. No doubt she'll avoid me, but I can still do this calmly and not screw up with recklessness.

  In Mental Magic, I attempted to catch Katherine's eye and failed. The same thing happens now. Katherine also saw me at Petrescu the night Lorna died and could back up my story, and I'm desperate to speak to her. Rupert wouldn't believe or listen to me—is there the tiniest chance he'd pay attention to Katherine?

  I know the answer, but it's worth a shot anyway.

  When the lesson ends, I snatch my chance. As always, Katherine hangs around outside the classroom talking to friends. I approach and the girls she's with incline their head at me. The first thing I note is that none of Katherine's witch friends are with her, and the second is how she looks through me.

  "Katherine, can I talk to you?" I ask.

  "I'm busy." Turning her back, Katherine continues the conversation.

  Jamie stands at my shoulder. "Katherine, I have that... thing you asked me to do for you."

  I frown at him. Surely, he isn't still writing her assignments?

  With an audible, false sigh, she looks over her shoulder. "I won't be in need of your help anymore, Jamie."

  His lips purse. "Oh?"

  "I feel it's best to sever ties with Walcott currently, due to their threats and prejudice."

  "What threats?" I ask.

  She arches a shaped brow. "I was Andrei's friend. I've heard threats, although they'd be damned stupid to take me on."

  "I'm sure things will calm down," I say.

  "You were Andrei's friend, I expect you've had threats too," she continues.

  "I am, not was."

  She smiles sweetly. "That's cute. You really shouldn't bother, Maeve. Even if he were still here, Andrei would probably be done with you by now. You're wasting your tears."

  I take a sharp breath. "That's what I wanted to talk about. You saw me—"

  Jamie nudges me in the ribs. "Talk to her privately."

  Our exchange catches the other girls' attention, but I really don't care about rumours. "In Petrescu," I continue.

  "Did I?" she scratches her nose with a pink fingernail. "I'm unsure how I could've seen you unless you were in my room. You know, since I'm banned from social activities after my mishap in the competition."

  I
close my eyes. Shit. She disobeyed the conditions of her punishment and left her room; Katherine wouldn't expose herself to more discipline.

  "Don't you care about Andrei?" I ask. "He's your friend. Friends help each other."

  "But I can't help him." She steps forward and I catch the sickly scent of her perfume as she lowers her voice. "Yes, I saw you in Petrescu. I told you where Andrei's room is, but I never saw him that evening."

  Pressure starts in my head at the frustration, the tears not far away. Why would I expect Katherine to help? "But if you were asked, would you say you saw me at Petrescu?"

  She rubs her glossy lips together and her face softens as she notices my eyes moistening. "Maeve. I'm on the verge of expulsion; you know this isn't the first time I've been in trouble this year. I can't tell the academy I disobeyed rules."

  "You were only in the common room!"

  "That still counts. You have no idea what my parents are like, or what they'd do to me if I were expelled." Her eyes harden. "I wish I could help, but I can't. I'm sorry."

  "If it could help Andrei?" I ask. "Please. I'm sure Theodora would make an exception in this case."

  She stares at me and, for a moment, I think she's about to agree with me. "Even if I said yes, it's too late for Andrei, Maeve."

  "It isn't!" The frustration bursts from me and heads turn at my outburst. The pressure in my head grows and I'm no longer aware of Jamie beside me as I shove past people and further along the hallway. As soon as I find a space away from the group, I rest against the wall, sucking in breaths. My eyes blur and I wipe at them with my blazer sleeve.

  "Why are you this upset?" asks Jamie. "Even if she did admit to seeing you, Katherine isn't the answer. She never saw Andrei."

  "But she could help!" I blurt. "Doesn't anybody care about him?"

  "Yes." He places his hands on my shoulders and I look up at him. "You care. We care."

  I gulp down a sob. Andrei wouldn't believe anybody cared, apart from me. Does he think nobody else does as he sits in Ravenhold, or wherever the hell he is?

  Fury hits my head as hard as the vision earlier. Blow after blow keeps knocking us down and I'm not holding back anymore.