Suppliant

by Laura Tree

  Chapter 25

  I spend the rest of the class period holed up in my dorm feeling sorry for myself. I’m upset at myself for getting distracted, for letting that orb go. I’m mad at the universe for putting me in this situation. I am not trained, and I nearly killed the professor. I can barely hold my head up.

  My shoulders are tense from all the stress, and my eyes are burning and red--rimmed. Knowing that I don’t have permission to skip my next class, I decide that I need to take a bath to relax and refresh.

  After a half--hour of soaking and reading, I decide that I need to move on. I need to learn from my mistake and work on staying focused. It could cost some innocent bystander their life if I lose focus again.

  My belly starts talking to me, and I realize that it’s lunch time. I’m jonesing to see Damien again and feel his comfort after my royal screw--up. So I grab my stuff and head off to lunch.

  I feel the eyes on me as I come to my typical table. Damien, Zeke, and Trish are already sitting there when I plop down.

  Trish’s eyes are huge when I look at her.

  “Is it true? Did you kill Professor Dylan and bring him back to life in front of the entire class?” She is practically bouncing up and down in her seat at the current bit of gossip.

  I glance at Zeke and then at Damien. I’m at a loss for words. Should I tell her that it is true? I don’t want to lie to her, but at the same time, I don’t want to answer her.

  “Are you ok, Lay? You seem a bit tired.” Damien strokes my cheek. Thank you, I say, feeling relieved that he has saved me from this social fiasco.

  Zeke told me. We talked about our situation and decided that we would work as a team. He agrees that I should still be your boyfriend to prying eyes. He also agreed to room with me for now, he thinks to me.

  Again, thank you. I don’t know how I could do this without you, Damien, I think back.

  “I am. I just took a bath and feel more relaxed now.” I send a thank--you to Zeke too for distracting Trish. It looks like Zeke and Damien are already on the same page.

  I enjoy the rest of my lunch period with small talk all around. Thankfully Trish doesn’t press the issue and the boys are careful not to mention anything about it.

  With ten minutes left before the end of lunch, the three of us excuse ourselves to go talk to Professor Kale.

  I can feel the prying eyes following me as we’re leaving the cafeteria. Damien slips his hand into mine, both to play the role of the boyfriend and to offer support, and once again I’m grateful.

  Once we’re in the desolate hallway, Damien stops in a nook.

  “We have decided to be friends and work together to help keep you safe,” he whispers. “It seems like the best option. Zeke can be there when I can’t, and we both want the same thing.” He’s still holding my hand, and I feel like a giddy school girl at his touch. Contact from either one of them is getting very distracting.

  “It seems like a really good plan,” Zeke says. “Plus I like the idea of being closer to you. I was glad that Damien asked me to room with him after last night. After class, I’m going to pack some essentials and head over. He got an extra key and gave it to me earlier.” Zeke is practically bouncing.

  “We have also made a pact. We know what being joined means to our relationship, and have both agreed that it is unfair to make you choose. It’s also unfair for us to expect more from you. We made a pact that neither one of us can get physical with you. I’m sure that you will agree to that,” Damien says. Is Damien asking for my permission?

  It seems fair. If I were one of them, I wouldn’t want to see their Suppliant/ wife with another protector. But from my perspective, it’s hard to ignore our connection.

  It’s best that we settled this now, so that I don’t have to watch them get hurt in the future. I know that we all share the same addiction to touch, but the other one shouldn’t have to sit on the sidelines and still feel it.

  “That makes sense,” I agree; this is the only way to make it work.

  “Layla, do you want to talk about it?” I know that Damien is asking about the orb that went astray. He doesn’t have to spell it out for me.

  “I’m just upset at myself. I let myself get distracted for a second, and it was too late. I didn’t mean to do it. I hope that Professor Dylan will forgive me.” A single left-over tear falls. My heart feels like it’s been split in two.

  I can tell by the look on both of their faces that I’m projecting my pain, so I try to reel it in.

  “He knows that. Besides, you should focus on the fact that you saved him.” Damien lets go of my hand to run his fingers down my cheek, catching the tear. It’s an odd sensation that I can share a comforting moment with him in front of Zeke and not feel shy.

  Since the Joining, I feel so much closer to both of them. We share a powerful secret, and it’s hard to keep anything from them.

  “The class was in an uproar once you left. Professor Dylan told the other professors that you saved him. He could feel your presence pulling him back and putting his soul back in his body. He described the pain in vivid detail. I’m glad that you weren’t there for that.”

  I flinch. I can remember his pain from when I was putting his soul back; I had felt it too.

  “They were in disbelief,” Zeke continues. “They didn’t think it was possible to save him from the point of death. They said that the best the Shaman could have done would have been to ease his pain on the way out.”

  I’m a wreck, an emotional wreck. I don’t know how to feel. I am upset at myself for nearly killing my professor, and a little proud of myself for saving him. I would have liked to have heard them say those things. It makes me think that I did some good. But the whole disaster was my fault.

  “Don’t feel bad,” Zeke says. “His protection spell should have stopped it, but he didn’t know how powerful you are. If it was another student that hit him, it would have only stunned him for a minute. Don’t blame yourself. The whole class knew it was an accident. He used it as a lesson on focusing your power, and keeping your focus when you are using.”

  I know that Zeke is trying to comfort me, but it’s not working. “Now that is something I know that I need to work on.” With a smirk on my face, we make our way to see Professor Kale.

  Kale is sitting behind his desk when we enter his office.

  “Layla, Damien, Zeke.” He nods, looking at each one of us. We stand awkwardly in front of his desk. His office is barely large enough for his chair and desk. Somehow he manages to cram two bookcases and a filing cabinet in here too. It’s cluttered with trophies, books, and papers.

  I feel uneasy being closed--in in this cramped office with so much masculinity. Deciding to get out as quick as possible, I take point on the conversation.

  “We came to ask for your permission to work together as a team in Combat,” I say.

  His eyebrow raises as he waits patiently for me to explain further.

  “It has come to my attention that Zeke and Damien are both Protectors,” I say. “I would like to work with both of them to help me make a decision of which one I would like to be joined with.” It’s only a half--lie, an omission, but I still feel guilty.

  “You have all agreed to this?” He looks back and forth to Damien and Zeke, who both nod in agreement.

  “I don’t see a problem with it. We are here to help you, Layla. Best of luck.” With murmured thanks all around, we part to change for class.