by LJ Swallow
Immediately, Clive and Remi approach him and they knock together their beer bottles. Vince jerks his head in my direction before leaving the common room.
I don't think that's the last I'll see of Vince tonight.
Maeve and Jamie arrive together, late. She's dressed almost the same as the first time she came to one of my parties, in her short floral dress and cardigan, revealing her slender legs. That night she drew my attention, but I thought she was with Jamie so I never took things past flirting.
She's with Jamie again; the pair are together now more than me and her, but nobody misses how much attention me and Andrei pay to her when we're all together.
I saw Maeve with Andrei earlier. I'm unsure what happened—he's less ‘hands on' with her, but she sits and talks to him a lot, the pair huddled together and shutting everybody else out. I never knew Andrei well before he became part of us, but I know he'd need a heart of stone to survive the murder accusations and Ravenhold imprisonment.
Jamie told me her and Andrei had an argument about the drugs, but isn't sure what the deal is between them now. After everything Maeve did to help Andrei, I'm sure she won't stop loving him now. Although, I suspect there's some ‘tough love' happening here.
Many students now think Maeve is stranger and more dangerous and avoid her. Maeve's choice to surround herself with so many guys causes whispers, but only because she's crossing houses and not sticking with her own.
Jamie stands close to Maeve, an arm around her waist, offering comfort and support. There's a new synchronicity between them I hadn't noticed before. They move in a similar way, movements co-ordinated as if they don't need to talk. Why didn't Jamie mention to me the suspected witch bond? And what does that mean for them—for us. Can Jamie and Maeve communicate through their minds like Matt and Amelia can?
I walk over before anybody can speak to them and we shuffle into a corner, facing the groups. There are around a dozen here, filling the room with a happy buzz, and I smile to myself when I see a good mix of both houses.
Maeve's eyes dart around the room and she stays close to Jamie. Despite their low-key entrance, they've attracted attention they don't want.
"Beer?" I ask Jamie and he shakes his head. "Maeve?"
"No. You know I rarely drink." She smiles at my 'offended host' face. "But you can bring me a Coke."
"Yes, ma'am," I say and wink.
Drink fetched for Maeve, I stand with my two friends, and as the evening passes I relax a little, even though Clive and his mates grow louder. They soon replaced their exes with new shifter girls; if I'm lucky, they'll drag their new girls out of the academy for a night in town, instead of causing trouble here.
If I'm unlucky, they'll stay.
Their behaviour grows more raucous, and the comments how this should be a Gilgamesh-only party become louder. The witches who attended mix with their Gilgamesh friends. Vince's campaign isn't as far-reaching as he'd hope.
Jamie's accosted by a witch from our Magical History class. I once thought he had the hots for her, but now I realise there's a nerdy brain meeting nerdy brain. She's with a group of Walcott rugby players—I think her friend is Jonah's girlfriend. As group laugh and joke together, I feel a smugness I've seen on Vince's face many times. Bad luck, Vince.
Maeve hugs me and when her hands wrap around my waist, brushing the small of my back, I tense. I can't easily see my back, and when I touch the patch I'm unable to tell if the scales are spreading. I've waited for a chance to ask one of the others to take a look and every time I think about them, my skin burns. My imagination? Maybe.
I brush hair from Maeve's face and kiss her cheek. Her skin is soft and I can taste the vanilla scent she wears. "Thank you for coming tonight."
"I needed to." She tiptoes to see past me again. "Is your brother around?"
"Nah." I swig my beer. "He buggered off back to his staff quarters, I think."
"I hope so".
"Listen, can I ask you to do something for me?" I say and take a nervous swig of beer.
"Anything you need. Especially if it involves exposing Vincent."
"Come with me." I place the bottle on the nearby table and glance around before slipping from the room with Maeve. The hallway is empty. It's late—people are either in the party or in their rooms.
Maeve's face has paled and the worry clear in her eyes. "Do you want me to read your memories again? We agreed with Tobias that I'm not to do that alone."
"No." I seize her for a tight embrace. "I'd never ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with."
"I know," comes her muffled voice. "But not knowing what happened is affecting you badly."
"We're all dealing with shit, Maeve." I draw back and kiss her soft lips. "Together, we'll unlock this, but not now."
"What did you want me to do?" Her eyes widen and she pokes me. "Are you unsubtly inviting me back to your room?"
Oh, hell. Don't tempt me. The time we spent alone last time, when I promised to keep things calm if we took things further, did the opposite to me. The amount of self-control I needed in the situation scared me.
I'm headed towards shifter adulthood and I'm taking meditation classes to calm my less-human instincts, but I hear him inside. The shifter-Ash banging on the walls and becoming louder.
I always knew I'd face a learning curve when the animal becomes an equal part of me, but never thought this could apply to sex. I'd never hurt or force Maeve, but if the slightest thought to push her entered my mind, I'd walk away.
I'm a hypocrite, accusing Andrei of being the biggest threat when I'm equally capable of causing Maeve pain.
"Ash?" I blink out of my worrying, refocusing on Maeve's face. "Are you okay? What did you need me to do?"
I pull at the edge of my shirt. "The mark—I need to know if the scales spread. I tried to look again but it's hard for me to see."
"Here?" she asks. "Or your room?"
I'm a dumb bastard, because the beer allows the creature inside to wander into my thoughts and replace mine with his own. "Uh. I don't know."
Maeve smiles. "It's okay. I understand you don't want Vince finding us together. Does he know I'm here tonight?"
I nod and her forced smile doesn't hide her nerves.
"I can't leave the party for long anyway. People are watching me."
"People like...?"
"Clive and Remi. They've become Vince's brothers in arms." I scratch the side of my head. "He's taking them away again soon."
"The farmhouse on the moors?"
"Yeah." I pause. "Do you think I should ask to go?"
Maeve's mouth forms a perfect 'o' of horror. "No. What the hell would you do that for?"
"To help us?"
She grips my hand. "Promise me you won't. Vince knows you don't believe him anymore and if you go... who knows what will happen."
I cup her cheek with my palm. "Calm down. I'm not doing anything unless we all agree."
"You promise?"
"I promise," I whisper and place my lips on her forehead.
With a sigh, she takes my hand and tugs me from the wall. "If you want me to take a look at your back, we'll need to go to your room for a few minutes."
"Why?"
"What if someone walks by and sees the patch? Come on, this won't take long."
I chuckle. "Yes, it will."
"What?"
"Nothing." She pouts at me. "I was making a joke about how long... never mind."
Maeve gives me a light shove. "I know what you meant. Come on, time to get your shirt off."
"Always trying to get me naked," I say and throw one arm around Maeve's shoulders, rewarded with an elbow in the ribs.
I hug her to me as we walk towards the dorm rooms. Sometimes I forget exactly how small Maeve is, and when I'm reminded of her frailty, I'm scared for all of us. Maeve, the person seen as the answer to the fight to keep the academy safe. The Confederacy's secret weapon. But that's the problem—these people see a witch, not a human girl who until recently h
ad no clue she was capable of magic. A magic out of control. One that threatens her life.
Chapter Forty-Six
JAMIE
Ash and Maeve disappeared ten minutes ago. I'm not surprised; their chemistry lights the room when they're together, and she's worried about him. I can't help a small flicker of jealousy, which is stupid—I'm the one holding back. Maeve isn't pushing me aside at all and has made that clear.
Somehow, I've found myself stuck in conversation with April, my fellow brainiac, as she shares her latest discoveries in hushed, excited tones. Each time we're given assignments, April goes above and beyond. I'm known for my love of learning, but this witch has the ability to hold more knowledge than I thought possible. Sometimes I wonder if she learns via osmosis and has a magic that allows her to absorb words by touching a book.
That would be a useful spell.
In the past, I spent time wondering if her interest in me was more than friendly, but if it were, I didn't notice and she gave up. She reminds me of Amelia a little: diminutive in stature and confidence.
"Are you and Maeve bonded?" she asks in hushed tones, her large brown eyes wide.
"I thought everybody knew by now."
"What's that like?"
I forget that witch bonds are rare and Matt and Amelia weren't the norm. Now two couples in the same group share bonds, which is still more unusual. No wonder we're carefully watched.
"It's strange." I refuse to go into details about anything to do with my life or relationships. I've known April for years and she never gave me a reason to distrust her, but nowadays I worry enemies lurk everywhere.
April nods and picks at the label on her bottle. "I also heard you saved her life."
My stomach lurches. People witnessed Maeve's collapse, but the full story was glossed over, including the part where I saved her life. How does April know?
"Is that when you realised you're bonded?" April continues, her bright eyes keen.
"She passed out and I helped her. That's all."
My explanation falls flat on the girl who spends as much time as I do on studying our world. Her family are scholars, her father teaching at a human university, which amuses me. He teaches history and knows more about both human and supernatural history than most.
Thankfully, April drops the subject.
"I've noticed you're back in your old spot in the library," she says. "I thought you'd given up—you hardly came for weeks."
I chuckle. "I had other things taking up my time, but I'll always make time for study. You know me."
"Last time I saw you, you looked pissed off and spent forever in the old stacks. Are you researching something in particular?"
April's words should raise a red flag, but I know why she's asking. The stacks hold the oldest books and are the greatest interest to her. "Do you think you can help? I'm doing some extended research for a history assignment."
Her eyes widen, expression keen. "Sure. What assignment?"
"I'm doing some research into the academy's history. I'm looking for plans of the building."
"Because of the weird thing that happened in the sanctum?" she whispers. "Dane and Kailey told everybody. They thought Maeve cast a spell."
I wave a hand. "That was nothing. Water pipes, apparently. But you know me, I always want to check everything."
"The building plans aren't in the stacks. There are some old books from when the place was an asylum. Did you see them?"
"No, but I'm not interested in human medical records."
"I started reading one once, before they were moved. Pretty boring unless you're interested in how humans treated mentally ill people. Just lists of patients and treatments." She pauses. "And deaths. Maybe you heard a ghost?"
I laugh at her, but she's serious. "Ghosts don't exist, April. They're an example of humans trying to find explanations for things they don't understand."
"I suppose." She scratches her cheek. "I can find the books if you want to take a look. There might be some clues."
I perk up. "Find them? Are they hidden?"
"Not exactly, but they were moved off the main shelves. The old records are with all the spell books the academy keep restricted."
Now I'm interested. Secret books—or as good as. "Yeah. Maybe I'll take a look if you can get hold of them. Do you think you can find the academy plans too?"
"No. As far as I know, they don't exist."
"Damn," I mutter.
But the books April mentions could hold some information. Maybe I can match the asylum ward locations with parts of the school and create my own map.
The chatter in the room drops away and I glance over my shoulder at where April looks, trepidation on her face. Vince stands, arms crossed as he surveys the room. His gaze lands on me before he flicks a look around at the others. Frowning, he walks away towards the kitchen area.
"Vincent scares me," whispers April. "The way he looks at us, as if we don't have a right to be here."
"Yeah, he's weird about Gilgamesh mixing."
"That's wrong." She purses her lips. "I hope he doesn't take over Gilgamesh."
More rumours? "He can't. Vince isn't qualified."
"Neither is Professor Whitlock, and he's head of Petrescu."
"He is," I reply sharply. "He teaches Mental Magic. He's a teacher."
"So where was Professor Whitlock before he came here?"
"Teaching at an academy overseas, I heard." I smile but her words trigger anxiety. Is she prying deliberately?
"Hmm."
"Vincent disappeared for years. He definitely wasn't teaching." Vincent walks by again and I watch him leave the common room. The door slams behind, and he ignores those saying hello to him.
"That's why he scares me. Nobody knows what happened to him all those years."
I don't want to get into this conversation with April. She's voicing what many think, and her questions and comments are leading in an uncomfortable direction. April may not be close to Yvette, but I'm not spilling any secrets to her.
Something about Vince's behaviour concerns me too. Is he looking for Ash? Because he's with Maeve somewhere, and if Vincent finds them, shit will hit the fan.
"Well, excuse me," I say in my politest manner.
April shuffles closer and leans in to whisper, "Tell Maeve to keep away from Andrei. Yvette's planning to do something if she doesn't."
"What?" I ask sharply.
"I'm unsure. They're tight-lipped about their plans, but I've seen them in the witches' sanctum. They never study in their spare time."
"Studying what?"
April shrugs. "Something unpleasant."
"Maeve's a strong witch. They'll struggle to influence her."
"Katherine did."
Shit.
"Or they could be planning something against Andrei. Both," she continues.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I hate how the atmosphere in the academy is changing. Not only Vincent, but the death. The tension." She sips from her bottle. "I'm glad Ash decided to hold his party."
She waves a hand at the group her friends are with. In front of me is an example of everything Vince hates. Two guys from the rugby team—one Gilgamesh and one Walcott—are with a mixed group.
The shifter has a witch girl on his lap, and the witch a shifter. They're happy, laughing and drinking, relaxed the way Ash's parties always were.
The shifter moves the brown-haired witch from his lap and kisses her briefly before heading over for more drinks. Clive and Remi immediately follow him. My thoughts about leaving evaporate as their body language changes. They surround him, Clive jabbing a finger in his chest and the guy sneering and ignoring them. The shifter attempts to pass them and voices rise.
"We're warning you, Tom. Hands off," says Clive.
The room drops into silence as discomfort trickles into the room, only the music playing audible. "I'm not ditching my friends just because Vincent thinks I should. Ash invited them. He's cool with it."<
br />
"Ash? Don't follow his example," sneers Remi. He leans into the guy's face and whispers something. Concern flickers around the shifter's features before he steps back.
"I'd like to see him try." Tom pushes past Clive, who immediately seizes him by the collar and drags him towards the door.
My heart pushes into my mouth as the two guys escort him out, the way security would kick a troublemaker out of a club.
The silence in the room remains and the witch guy he's with stands. "No, Ed, don't," says the girl beside him. "Don't get involved."
"He's my mate," says Ed staring at the door. "I'm not standing back."
I swipe a hand across my hair and my skin goosebumps as the mood in the room shifts. Yvette and her friends step away from the Gilgamesh girls they're chatting to, and other Gilgamesh guys stand as a Walcott guy mutters something derogatory.
No.
Shit.
The door hits the wall as Ed pursues Clive and Remi out of the room.
What the hell do I do now?
And where are Ash and Maeve?
Chapter Forty-Seven
MAEVE
We don't only need to unlock Ash's mind, but we need to get him away from Vincent, because he's hurting Ash physically. Ash denies this and although shifters don't stay marked for long, I've seen faded bruises.
Ash isn't safe.
As he opens the door to his room, I sense Ash's apprehension grow. Last time he brought me here, we danced around the idea things would become more physical between us. That thrill of the unknown isn't with us tonight.
"Don't worry, this won't take long and we can be out of your room before anybody notices," I say as I follow him inside.
I walk into chaos—clothes strewn everywhere and his bed unmade. The picture on the nightstand has been replaced by empty energy drinks cans, plus the odd beer bottle. I recognise Ash's uniform slung on the opposite bed too. Doesn't he share with someone anymore?
"Uh. Ignore the mess." He screws his face up and closes the door.
"Things aren't good, Ash, are they?" I ask softly.