Did he really just say he loved me?
Maybe this was all just a dream and I would wake up on Cress’s floor soon. That was the only way this was going to make sense.
“You love me,” I said.
“Yeah, it seems I do.”
“You love me. With the curse and everything?”
“Yes. The curse just makes you even more interesting.” His lips quirked into a smile. “I didn’t mean for…feelings to develop. I tried to ignore them as much as I could.”
“That’s a lot to process,” I confessed.
I didn’t trust my instincts in the moment. It would have been extremely romantic for me to jump into his arms and pledge my deep and never-ending love for him. It would have been a great Hallmark moment. But right now, I really couldn’t deal with it.
“You have a boyfriend back home,” he continued. “But I’m assuming he’s not a supernatural.”
“There is no boyfriend,” I said before I could consider the answer. I’d lied to him earlier and I didn’t think to keep the lie going now. I didn’t elaborate, rather I let him think whatever he wanted about that.
Liam continued in the silence. “You’ve made it starkly obvious you don’t feel the same way. So I’m not expecting anything from you. I just need you to understand why I’m keeping your secret.”
“I just—”
My words were cut off as the dorm room door swung open. Principal Dunlop stood there, an angry look making wrinkles on his forehead.
He looked at me and then Liam. “You need to come with me,” he said, thankfully looking at his son and not me for that order.
Liam rose from the bed. “I’ll stop by later.”
“No, you come right now. Your little friend can see you later.”
“Well, I guess I’ll see you later, Eden. We can talk more then,” Liam said to me. I nodded and hurried out of the room before the principal could say anything to me. Both junior and senior Dunlop had rattled me.
I stood in the hallway around the corner, out of sight and out of my mind. Liam knew about my curse. He could have been completely playing me in his room. He could have just been delaying things so he could tell his father everything.
My mind was an absolute mess of problems. I couldn’t focus on just one thing without hundreds of other random thoughts getting in the way.
Despite all the chaos that was going on, what Liam told me touched a nerve in me. He’d said he loved me. Sure, he could have been playing me like a fiddle but what if he wasn’t?
I couldn’t deny the fact I had feelings for him. Feelings that went beyond his gorgeous sky blue eyes. I liked his company and the way we could talk about anything. Add to that his sexy body and he was the whole package.
But it was difficult thinking about a future and starting relationships when I would probably be hauled off by the Black Cloaks any day now. Liam would only be another person I had to say goodbye to.
Plus, I couldn’t forget about what Cress said. She didn’t like Liam in any way, shape, or form. She said it was her werewolf instincts and I didn’t know enough about them to completely discount her opinion.
Maybe Liam was telling his father everything as I stood there doing nothing. He could have been an excellent actor when he was speaking with me.
Who I should love and trust was not going to get resolved in the corridor. I needed something to do that would settle my mind and my nerves.
I headed to the only place where I could find some solace: the library.
Just like every other night, it was quiet and I largely had the place to myself. There were a handful of other students with their noses buried in books but they didn’t even look up when I walked past them.
I headed to the research room and chose a computer way in the back. I could see the whole room from that desk but nobody could see my screen. It was the perfect position for some privacy.
I typed in the ‘Nightshade Coven’ and fell down the rabbit hole. Because they were so powerful, they had quite a presence online. They were consulted on many occasions when the council needed some expertise or assistance. Nobody referred to them as nice, but did use words like efficient, and knowing.
Having a direct link to the supernatural council wasn’t a good omen for me. It wasn’t against the council law to place curses on people. In the eyes of the law, they hadn’t done anything wrong. So they didn’t have anything to lose by advising the council of my name and location.
I kept clicking through the pages until I had a list of names for the coven members. Some dated back to when my grandmother was cursed, others had only been admitted as members since that time. They currently still had only nine members.
The list of names meant nothing to me. I didn’t recognize any. The only one that seemed vaguely familiar was a witch named Marybeth Dunlop. She shared a name with the school principal—which was probably just a coincidence. The name wasn’t uncommon.
After being in the computer room for a couple of hours, I needed to use the restroom. It was also a good opportunity to get some coffee to keep me awake a bit longer.
I left my things at the desk but flicked the computer monitor off. I ducked out, went to the bathroom, and then filled a cup of coffee from the vending machine. That machine was one of my favorite things at the academy.
The whole excursion probably only took ten minutes at the most but by the time I returned, my bag had been moved. It was subtle, but I was certain I’d left it on my chair. Now the chair was pulled back and my bag was exposed for all to see.
I looked around and couldn’t see anybody lingering. The same people seemed to be immersed in the same books as when I’d left.
All the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I didn’t like the thought of someone going through my things. It wasn’t that I left anything incriminating in my bag but I didn’t want a stranger going through it.
Or robbing me.
I snatched up my bag and sat down. I rifled through it, trying to remember everything that was in there and what could be missing.
My purse and cell phone were intact. My notebook and study notes seemed to be all in order too. The only other things in there were a small bag of pretzels and some tampons.
I zipped it up tightly and switched the computer screen back on.
That was when I saw it.
Someone had left me a message.
Chapter 11
I stared at the screen as my cheeks grew red. I wasn’t sure if it was out of anger or fear.
The message had been typed into a Word document in a large, overbearing font. So big that I couldn’t miss it.
You have three days. Then it is over for you.
Another threat. I hadn’t received one since someone left the note in my locker. I hadn’t been back to my locker in weeks. I only used it when I absolutely had to—just in case I would find another message in there.
Maybe they were getting sick of waiting for me so went with a more direct communication method. It had been so long since I received the first note that I had hoped they’d forgotten about me. Or, at the very least, not cared anymore.
The thought of doing any more research now wasn’t appealing. The writer of the note could still have been watching me. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine.
I packed up my things and returned to dorm room 396. Rosa was asleep in bed, her eye mask down and her blankets pulled up to her chin. She didn’t look as nasty while sleeping.
I took my things and had a shower in the communal bathroom. I made sure it was as quick as possible. My mind was playing terrible tricks on me. I was hearing random footsteps and the sound of the Black Cloaks’ clothes swishing in the breeze.
It was a relief to crawl into bed but I was a long way off sleeping. Every noise was sinister and every moment seemed a chance for something horrible to happen. Even Rosa’s breathing could have been mistaken for a monster in the room.
More than anything, I wanted to call my mother. I ached to be able to call
her up and chat about everything. She would ease my fears, tell me I was stronger than I thought I was. She would make the world that much better just from talking with her.
Out of everything that had happened, it was losing the relationship with my parents that I regretted the most. I would give up any claim to magic just to have them back in my life again.
But there was no way I would be calling them. I couldn’t bear to hear my father tell me again not to phone them anymore. I could still remember the first time so vividly, I would not torture myself with a fresh new memory.
I closed my eyes and felt the lonely cold seep into my bones. I didn’t know how much more time I would get at the academy. Every night where I slept in my bed was a bonus.
I just had to keep going. There was no other option for me.
Sleep must have pulled me away at some stage. The nightmares were waiting for me on the other side. I dreamed of evil witches, Black Cloaks, and horrible shadow people. They were all trying to get to me and I tried to run away but no matter how hard I tried, my legs were like sandbags.
Just as they reached me, I woke up.
Rosa was standing over me. “You were making a lot of noise.”
It took me a few moments to orientate myself. I looked around, remembering that I’d returned to my old dorm room. Thankfully, no evil entities were there, just the seer with an attitude.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. My mouth felt like sandpaper. “I was having a nightmare.”
“With a problem like yours, you should be having nightmares.” She stopped, thinking. “Although, maybe I should be having bad dreams. You could turn us all in and ruin our lives. Roach.”
“I’m not a roach,” I mumbled.
She did a fake laugh. “Yeah, tell that to the principal. I’m sure he’ll believe you.”
She stomped to her closet, grabbed some clothes, and headed out. Having a conversation with Rosa wasn’t a good way to start the morning. It didn’t bode well for the rest of day.
After looking at the clock, I forced myself to get up and dressed. Next was breakfast in the dining hall. I kept looking for Liam but he was nowhere in sight. I wasn’t sure if I was trying to find him so I could avoid him, or because I wanted to see him.
Shadow Academy was making me crazy. I definitely didn’t think it would be this complicated when I first learned about it when I was a little kid. It had always sounded so exciting.
I imagined parties and magic and interesting people. I thought I would be so grown up and have this amazing life. I hoped that I can have it all one day, once the curse was broken.
First class of the day was Elements with Professor Monroe. He droned about earth for a very long time. Dirt was considered a grounding element. It was used frequently to keep a witch or warlock in the present in case a spell started to pull them away.
Considering our faction was created by the Goddess Aurodite—who came from the earth—this element was a huge part of everything we did. I had learned to respect our earth from the time I could walk.
Professor Monroe didn’t make it sound any more exciting than a bit of dirt. My father could have done a much better job teaching the class. The stories he used to tell me were epic. I think he had at least three different versions of how Aurodite rose from the earth. They got more elaborate the more he told them.
The most notable thing about class was the absence of Liam. He never missed class. I think he actually enjoyed all of them. I always saw him taking notes and paying full attention.
The knot in my stomach was starting to tighten. The last time I saw him was with his father. Was he speaking to his son because of the cursed student? If Principal Dunlop had tasked him with finding the cursed one, they could be sitting back right now and arranging for the Black Cloaks to come in.
I remembered the time when one of the other student roaches were dragged out of class by the terrifying Black Cloaks. It had been a tragedy to watch and I didn’t feel like having a replay with me as the lead.
The alarm sounded at the end of class and we packed up our things to move onto the next one. In the corridors, I kept my eyes open for any sign of Liam but there were none. I did catch a glimpse of Cress as she headed into her next werewolf-themed class.
I sat down in Spells and Incantations and tried not to imagine all the worst-case scenarios. Liam could just be taking a sick day. Or a day to help his father with something completely unrelated to me. Although, I couldn’t talk myself into believing it.
Professor Peabody was just about to close the door when Liam rushed in. “Sorry I’m late, sir.”
“Find a seat and be quick about it.”
There were only two desks still available. One between me and the wall and other in the back. He chose the one next to me.
Liam flashed me a small smile as he sat. I really wanted to ask him where he’d been all morning but Peabody launched into his lecture. I tried to pay attention but all I could think of was the boy sitting next to me.
Eventually, the professor had to turn his back to us to write on the whiteboard. I took my opportunity and subtly leaned closer to Liam. “Is everything okay?”
He shifted a little in his seat. “Had to help my dad with something.”
“Anything I should know?” Such a little question with such huge consequences. I was desperate to know the answer.
Liam shook his head. “Nothing related to you.”
I felt a momentary rush of relief. He seemed genuine enough but he still could have been lying. If he was working with his father, he never would come out and tell me about it.
“Miss Musgrave, Mr. Dunlop,” Professor Peabody said as he turned around. “Clearly you are not interested in this spell for healing wounds. Would you like to demonstrate it, considering you know all about it already?”
“No, sir,” Liam and I said in unison.
“Very well, then. Let’s keep it quiet. I may not have eyes in the back of my head but I do have two ears and they work exceptionally well.”
Some of the other students laughed while the professor gave us a look that could have killed. We remained quiet after that. I didn’t like drawing any kind of attention to myself.
When the alarm sounded at the end of the lesson, Liam took off quickly. I was still packing up my things as he rushed off. I didn’t get a chance to catch up to him.
Everyone herded to the dining hall for lunch. I easily found Cress once I picked up my meal. She was sitting at the table we’d started to claim as our own—halfway down the hall and the table closest to the dessert station. Every girls’ dream location.
We talked about our classes before I changed the subject to something I was dying to discuss further. “I had a weird conversation with Liam last night.”
She dropped her fork. “What kind of weird?”
“He said he knew about me, that I was, you know.” There were way too many people around to say the C word too loudly. In a supernatural academy, it wasn’t always only people that had ears.
“How?” she asked. She was so surprised, she had stopped eating. That was a big statement from the werewolf.
“He said his father knew there was someone like me so he’d been on the lookout. I apparently fit the bill.”
“This isn’t good.”
“He also said he loved me.”
Her jaw practically hit the table. “He didn’t.”
“He did.”
“And what did you say?”
I saw a lecture in my near future, no matter what I said. “I didn’t know how to respond so I didn’t really say anything. His father interrupted us and we went our separate ways.”
Cress picked up her fork and started eating. I could almost see all the thoughts flitting around her head before she decided on what to say. “You don’t like him, though, do you? I mean, seriously?”
“I honestly have no idea how or what to feel anymore. There is so much other stuff going on and I don’t even know how long I’ll be here for. I can’t let myself
just forget about all that,” I explained, as best as I could. My mind was in such turmoil all the time that I could never think straight about anything.
“And Liam is not the right person for you, remember that.”
“Based on your instincts.”
“Yes.” She nodded, eyes too-wide open. “And my instincts are never wrong. How do you know he’s going to keep your secret?”
I shrugged because there was no way to know for sure. I’d been stressing about it all night and throughout the morning. “I don’t know,” I conceded. “But he did seem very genuine.’’
“The best liars always do.”
She wasn’t going to change her opinion of him. And perhaps she was right, the truth was yet to be seen. So I changed the subject and hoped she would forgive me one day for continuing to talk to Liam.
“I got another threatening note last night,” I said.
She dropped her knife this time. “You’re gone from my room for one night and all this happens? I think you should move back in.”
If only it was that easy. I explained to Cress about the note but she couldn’t think of a prime suspect either. While they were worrying, I didn’t have any clues about who had written them. Beyond asking random people whether they had authored the note, I didn’t have anywhere to start searching.
We both agreed that the scariest part of the note was the three day deadline. That wasn’t much time to work out who it was and convince them to not turn me in. It sounded like an impossible feat.
Cress promised to look out for any dodgy people and I avoided promising I would stay away from Liam. We went to our afternoon classes as the alarm sounded.
The rest of the day passed slowly and my anxiety was growing. Liam had been in some classes but not others. He didn’t offer me any further reassurances that everything was okay.
Whatever he was working on with Principal Dunlop had to be big. The school principal wouldn’t have his son miss so much class time otherwise.
When the final alarm sounded, I was itching for action. I’d been sitting down all day and trying to focus in class but my mind kept wandering off.
Magic Bound (Shadow Academy Book 2) Page 8