by LJ Swallow
"Can you take a look?" Ash grabs the edge of his T-shirt and drags it over his head.
And although he may not want to be alone with me, I'm craving private time with Ash.
I don't need to look closely to see the patch this time. The scales have spread. My silence tells Ash everything he wants to know.
"There're more, right?" His voice is hoarse, thick with fear.
"Not many."
He drags his t-shirt back on and smooths it, as if covering up the patch removes the reality from his mind. "But bigger?"
I nod, biting on my lip as Ash drops onto the bed with his head in his hands. "What's happening, Maeve? Am I a Mid?"
Is he? I've little knowledge about the fundamentals of the shifter society, only the horror stories I've heard. "You can't be. They shift properly and get stuck when shifting back. Right?"
His head remains in his hands. "But since the night with Vince, I have scales and no memory." Ash looks up at me and his expression rips into my heart; a guy pleading with the world for this to not be true.
"Have you checked everywhere?" I ask.
He gives a wry smile. "Almost. No claws, so that's a positive."
"Ash..."
"I don't think I shifted totally, but something triggered that side of me." He speaks as if trying to convince himself.
To see Ash broken like this doesn't only break my heart but it fills me with a rage enough to affect me, as if I were the shifter. Whoever has stamped down on Ash and created somebody half the guy I met months ago deserves to pay. I'll fix Ash and then end them.
He runs a hand across the top of his head, fingers trembling. "I'm lost, Maeve. I'm fucking terrified."
I'm beside Ash in seconds, to offer the comfort he has to me so many times. I attempt to wrap my arms around his back and shoulders as he rests his head on my chest, squeezing me until I struggle for air. His breath heats my skin through the dress's thin material and his back moves rapidly, breathing fast.
Ash spends his days pretending nothing has changed, and I'm happy he can let go of this vulnerability when he's with me. I stroke Ash's hair and sit with him until his breathing returns closer to normal.
"If you have scales, will you be a dragon?" I whisper, remembering my aunt's words.
"Looks that way." He looks up at me and smiles, face redder, but composed again. "At least I'll be strong enough to take the bastards on."
My mouth dries as thought hits. "Do you think that was the plan? To make you a Mid so you're out of the picture."
Ash looks down to where he links his fingers through mine. "I'd thought about that."
"How long until you're nineteen?"
"Summer. August 3rd."
Three months. "They won't win," I whisper.
"No."
He tips my chin and his lips meet mine, staying there as we savour the moment. I love the sensation, the closeness, but hate the barely hidden anguish I sense inside him. Shifting closer, I take his face in both hands and deepen the kiss. Ash's kisses always tear thoughts and worries from my mind, and I sense I do the same for him.
His hand slides down my back and he rests against the door. As he shuffles down to my height, he drags me so that I'm held tight against his body. I grip the edge of his T-shirt as I rest against him and enjoy our snatched moment.
I might be the one skilled in mind-control, but Ash's mind-melting kisses could lead me in all kinds of directions. But Ash is holding back. I may not pick up on his memories, but the swirling emotions are headed by one thought: Vince could be close by.
Moving back, I rub the taste of him from my lips with my tongue, then hold out a hand. I'd love to stay here much longer, and judging by his kiss, Ash would too, but this isn't the time. "I'm proud of you, Ash."
"Yeah?"
"This party. Your loyalty to the academy even though Vince is bullying you." I tip his face back to mine as he tries to look away. "I'm not stupid, Ash. I can see what's happening. You had a bruise on your back."
My phone buzzes in my back pocket and I blink away from our conversation as I check for a message.
Jamie.
"What is it?" asks Ash.
"Maeve?" Ash attempts to take my phone and I shove it back in my pocket.
"Jamie needs us at Walcott."
His eyes narrow. "Why? What happened?"
I usher Ash towards the door, praying that any ruckus in the common room won't be heard here, but strained voices and music are audible. Ash pauses. "Maybe I should check out what's happening."
"No." I grab his arm. The back exit from the building leads away from the common room, and I pull him towards the doors. "Jamie needs us, remember?"
Our feet tap along the hallway as I hurry along. Jamie's safe or he wouldn't text—but Ash doesn't know that. Without speaking, we push through the door and swing down the steps as I take them two at a time.
"I'm sure Jamie is fine," says Ash as he effortlessly keeps up.
I pause as we step outside and adjust my eyes to the light. The back of the Gilgamesh building faces away from the academy, with one path leading to the sports hall and another on the left that goes around the building side and to the front.
The door bangs behind us and Ash steps ahead of me. "Let me check if anybody's around."
Taking my hand in a firm grip, he leads me around the corner along the dimly lit pathway towards the cloisters between the buildings. As Ash strides along, I hurry to keep up with his pace.
A scuffle and urgent voices come from the side of the building, and Ash pushes me behind his back with one arm as he peers into the shadows. "What the hell is going on?"
Chapter Forty-Eight
MAEVE
I tiptoe and look over Ash's shoulder. Clive and Remi can be seen in a dark alcove with two people at their feet, both cowering.
"Piss off, witch lover," snarls Clive, and he turns back to his victim.
The ground shudders and I grasp onto Ash as a rock dives up from the ground and hits Remi straight in the face. Remi roars, a guttural sound similar to that I heard echo across campus, on the day I took my colours and was attacked. Picking up the rock, he holds his arm back, ready to hit the guy.
His victim is a Walcott kid who's on the rugby team—or was. Ed?
"Shit," mutters Ash. He drops my hand and lunges at Remi to grab the rock. "Step back and leave them alone, otherwise you'll be in trouble."
"You'll be in trouble," mocks Remi. He pushes Ash hard in the chest, but Ash doesn't budge, one arm behind his back to protect me as he takes three more shoves from Remi.
"Maeve, leave," says Ash beneath his breath.
"I can't. There're two of them and one of you."
"Go to Jamie and both of you find Tobias or Andrei. I'll be fine," he urges.
"No," I reply.
"Maeve. You can't lose your shit and cause more problems. I'll deal with this," he hisses. "Please."
"What you saying to your witch bitch?" calls out Clive.
Ash charges forward and knocks Clive to the ground. "Watch your fucking mouth."
Tom, a shifter I recognise from the rugby team, manages to push himself to his feet and bends over, holding his stomach. Fear surrounds him, almost breathable with the earthy smell and cool night. Darting a look around the preoccupied group, he steps away then breaks into a run.
Ash stands over Clive. "One chance. Stop this or regret it."
"Ash," I urge.
Clive springs to his feet, effortlessly sending Ash backwards across the space until he's the one on the ground.
I shrink back as Remi steps towards me, mouth twisting. "You did something to me once, witch. I don't remember, but I swear you were the one who hurt me that night in the woods."
My pulse heads into overdrive as he takes deliberate steps. His energy is prima
l, eyes dark. As I begin to back away, the witch on the ground is on his hands and knees and mumbling something. Lumps of grass suddenly tear from the ground and I cover my face as the earth sprays.
Remi yells as the loose soil hits him in the face and I remove my hand to look around, wiping grass and mud from my skin. Remi's dumber than I think—he's rubbing his eyes and smearing more dirt into them, swearing.
"Go to Jamie!" Ash shouts.
The vehemence in his tone lifts hairs on the back of my neck. Taking advantage of Remi's distraction, I back up then turn and run towards Walcott. Ed sprints away too, cradling his arm to his chest.
The shouting starts again and as I glance back, I see Ash still on the floor, this time with Remi and Clive over him.
I can't leave him.
I switch direction from Walcott and back around the corner. If the witch they attacked can use a simple elemental spell to interrupt them, I have plenty worse that I can do.
Which is the reason Ash wants me out of the situation.
Through the darkness, I make out figures but it's impossible to tell who's winning. Tom sneaks to the edge of the fray before bolting around a corner.
Ash is strong and the superior player tackling on the rugby pitch, but he's mistaken if he thinks I'll leave him to fight Clive and Remi alone. With trembling hands, I pull out my phone to text Jamie.
I huff.
Frustrated, I shove my phone back into my back pocket. I have Tobias's number now, something that seems too personal and for emergencies only—but this is an emergency.
We all need to be here.
Ash's voice lets out a yell, distracting me from Tobias's response. I'm torn on what to do—I used my powers on Remi once before, so I know I can influence him. Andrei helped cover up what I did, but would we be as lucky the second time?
The action would be unwise, but if the pair overwhelm Ash and a spell is the only answer, I'll control one of them in a heartbeat.
Edging along the wall, I gain a clearer view of what's happening. Ash holds his own against the two guys in a way I've only seen in the movies. He doesn't back down, tackling each of them head-on. I wince at each blow exchanged, the figures moving so fast I struggle to discern who's who.
Ash crashes to the floor, Clive's foot on his throat.
Remi turns and cocks his head, listening. The light from the faint moon catches his face, and what I see makes my skin crawl more than anything I've come across since I found my way into this new world. His eyes shine bright in the dark—a shade brighter than a human. He snaps his head back around again as Clive calls for his help.
Ignoring the shock he may be shifting, I step forward, ready to do something—anything—when a voice close by sends me shrinking into the shadows again.
"Clive. Remi. What the fuck?" Vincent strides towards them
Chapter Forty-Nine
MAEVE
I edge far enough away so that I can't be seen but still hear. Not difficult considering how loud Vincent is.
Remi looks around again and his eyes remain green. Nausea rises. Ash's flashed reptilian for less than a minute outside the pub that night, but this is longer. The bile pushes higher as a worse scenario crosses my mind.
What if Ash is shifting too?
I eye the man responsible as he half-runs at the trio. "Is that Ash?" He points at the groaning figure on the floor.
As Vincent reaches them, Clive steps back and ducks his head. "Sorry. We thought—"
Vince pushes both hands into his hair and growls something beneath his breath. Remi steps back too, muttering the same apology.
"He attacked us," says Clive, like a kid trying to placate a parent.
"Why?"
"Because they were beating the crap out of Ed and Tom?" comes Ash's weakened voice.
I rest my head against the wall and take slow breaths. Stay calm. You might be needed.
"Why?" repeats Vince.
"Tom needed pulling into line, Vince," says Remi. "He's screwing a witch. His dumb witch mate followed and got involved."
"I decide who needs pulling into line and when," says Vince in a tone as cold as the breeze brushing my perspiring skin. "You do what I say, not what you think. Look at you, Remi, for fuck's sake. You can't shift at the academy. There are times and places."
Shift. Ash's purple scales appear in my mind and I swallow hard, more frightened than ever the same might happen to him.
"Sorry, man," mumbles Remi.
"Who?" growls Vincent.
"Sorry, sir."
Where did the witch and shifter go? If they're injured, Vince won't be able to hide what his prodigies did.
And why isn't Ash running?
Vince grunts. "I have the name of a proven dissenter now, but you've caused me a problem. You don't attack your own."
Hypocrite.
Ash chokes in agreement to my thought.
"You two—back to the house, I'll deal with you later."
I press myself against the wall as Clive and Remi move away from Ash and Vincent. They head the other way—back towards the door I walked through with Ash.
Vince leans over Ash and I tense, waiting for him to hit Ash too. "You. Get up."
"Piss off, Vince." Ash's voice is weaker than earlier and the magic begins to tingle in my head as I hear Ash roughly pulled to his feet. "I saw Remi's face, Vince. I know what you're doing to them."
"If you don't support me, keep out of the fights."
Ash doesn't reply and my heart thuds in my ears as I strain to hear what happens next. If he assaults Ash, Vince will regret what I do to him.
"I helped by stopping the attack on Ed," he says scornfully. "We can't have dissent inside Gilgamesh."
"Exactly," hisses Vince.
"Do you seriously think you can beat everyone into submission? Good luck. We're taught to think for ourselves here. How long before Theodora steps in and kicks your pathetic arse out of here?"
Omigod, Ash. Stop. I close my eyes and reach out with my mind. Can I see through Ash's eyes?
No, but I pick up his thoughts. His emotions. The fear I expected isn't there—only hatred on a scale beyond black anger. His mind swirls with a need to hurt Vincent, because Ash knows in his heart that this man is not his brother. He believes this is who or what killed Vincent and wants him dead.
Now his mind is open, I see a shocking new perspective on events. Ash pretends he's weak to take the beatings; each blow forging the molten anger into a solid weapon to use on the imposter. Ash wants more proof that Vince is a dangerous imposter. More hate to fuel his power.
Ash's other thoughts aren't easily detected, hidden behind an aura of red mist surrounding him.
I press my fingers to my temples. I won't tap into his memories but I want to be Ash, before Vince manages to draw the anger out. With each confrontation the pair has, the rage is stoked. With every assault on his body, or word cutting into his mind, he's pulled closer to unleashing.
Ash is charging into Vince's trap—he want's Ash to shift.
Pain shoots across Ash's mind and jabs mine too, and I swallow as the red mist obliterates more of his thoughts. Will Ash hate me if I intervene? I sense his fury flowing through his blood to his muscles and limbs—away from his brain.
Ash can't let go, and he grows closer as Vincent goads him.
The magic pushes at my head, overwhelming and urging me on, and I hold on, wanting to channel the energy safely. Vincent's mind is a void, like looking into a universe with no stars. I can't penetrate his and take over, which leaves Ash's mind available.
Muttering, "I'm sorry," beneath my breath, I project myself towards him. I swore I'd never interfere with my friends' actions, but I'm terrified what might happen next.
As I do, a thought crosses my mind. This wasn't knee jerk; I paused and consider
ed what to do.
Tobias will disagree with my actions, but I don't care.
A sensation like an electric shock to the head is joined by a jolt to my heart and I'm suddenly staring back at Vincent through Ash's eyes. Vince provokes me—Ash—by whispering words that sicken my stomach.
"What the fuck, Maeve?" echoes in my head and I ignore Ash as he pushes at me.
Vincent's releases Ash's shirt and shoves him in the chest when his brother stops retaliating. "Fight back, Ash."
"No." I clench Ash's fists by his sides and hold his gaze. Every muscle in his body is primed for attack. Is influencing Ash's mind enough to override this? "I won't."
"Pathetic little boy," he sneers and my nose stings as he flicks Ash's nose.
"Maeve." Ash's voice is faint, and he's unhappy with me as I try to keep my focus on Vincent. Mine and Ash's thoughts push at each other like magnets rejecting each other instead of connecting. He fights to unleash his red-mist anger and succeeds, balling his hands into fists.
"What the fuck are you doing?" someone calls.
I almost lose my grip on Ash as I hear Tobias's voice. Crap. What if he approaches where I stand first and senses what I'm doing to Ash?
Vince turns around. "Private matter."
Tobias steps out of the gloom and approaches. "It would appear you're assaulting one of your students."
"This is family stuff, nothing to do with the academy." Vince draws himself tall, emphasising his bulk in an attempt to intimidate Tobias.
"Anything that takes place on the academy grounds is of my concern." Tobias steps forward and Vincent's attitude drops, stepping back so Tobias can't reach out to touch him.
"You're the Petrescu head. Go back there and deal with your own."
"No. You are assaulting a student," repeats Tobias.
Through Ash's eyes, I watch the cold exchange. Tobias feels different to me now I'm in Ash's mind; his energy no longer radiates in my direction, the physical pull absent.
"You're not my brother, Vincent would never do this to me." The sentence bounces around my head, repeated by Ash over and over. As the words come echoing out of his mind's shadows, a strange dread washes through me. Ash stops his battle against me for control of his fists, and the red mist anger ebbs, replaced by a flow of panic.