More because I wanted to punch him in the face than anything else.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
“Fine.” Glancing back longingly at my second piece of chocolate cake I’d only taken one bite from, I waved goodbye to Gemma and Jules before following Headmaster Stone down the hallway.
We stayed silent as we passed by other students. Their stares were unnerving, because I had no idea how much they knew about me and what had transpired at the end of last school year. Was I going to be ridiculed for my part? I didn’t even really know what my part was, but I felt to blame for Malina’s escape.
Just by being alive, I’d made her stronger. Every day I had stayed at the academy and grown in my abilities, so had she. Somehow, we had been connected, and I still needed to figure out how deep that connection went. I no longer sensed Malina within my mind, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a hold on me for future use.
The question that swirled through my mind most often was, If I had the chance to kill her, if there was a way without a Doyen, would I also be killing myself? And more importantly, was I okay with that?
I didn’t have the answers yet, and she hadn’t made contact with me, so I hadn’t been pressured to figure it out. Though, since I was back at the academy, I really needed to.
Headmaster Stone opened his door and gestured for me to go in first. Fear slammed into me at the thought of being set up, causing me to hesitate before entering, but a heavy breath released from my chest when I saw the empty office. No Enzo in sight.
“Take a seat.” He gestured to the same chair I had sat in so many times before, but this time felt different.
When he was settled behind his desk, our eyes met, and the stress he’d been through was evident in the deep wrinkles and dark circles on his face. His fingers stroked his beard as he seemed to choose his words carefully.
“How was your summer?” he asked.
“No offense, but I’d rather not make small talk. Though, to ease your worries, there were no huge developments on my end while I was gone. No Malina sightings, and she didn’t reach out mentally like before.”
“Well, that’s good to hear.” Pausing, he leaned back in his chair. “I wish I had better news for you, but I’m afraid we’ve made little progress where Malina is concerned as well. As much as I was hoping you had avoided her, I was also hopeful she had made contact.”
My hand instinctively went to the replacement necklace I still wore. The one I told myself I only still wore because it kept Malina out, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t true. It hadn’t been recharged in months, and I wasn’t willing to ask the only person I knew who could do it to do so.
“I haven’t heard from her since the day she got out. I think her mental connection to me was only good when she was imprisoned. Not sure how or why, so maybe I’m wrong, but I would think if she could, she would have contacted me by now.”
He nodded in agreement. “We kept her in a spirit form while she was locked away to weaken her. When you entered the dungeon, she likely attached a part of her spirit to you, but when she broke free, that connection was broken as she became whole again.”
“So, you have no leads as to where she might be? You couldn’t get either traitor to talk while I was gone?” I refused to say Enzo’s name out loud. It hurt too damn much, so I had decided “traitor” was a good substitute for the time being. Much more appropriate than all the other names I had mentally called him over the last few months.
“Desmond has been a problem. He gave us just enough information to bargain his way into a comfortable holding cell, but nothing that told of Malina’s plans for the future. Most of what he divulged just helped us piece together how we got to the point we did.”
He paused, seeming to gauge my mood, but I was hopeful my face gave nothing away. The headmaster didn’t need to know how much his next words were going to gut me.
“Enzo, on the other hand, has been invaluable with his cooperation. Though, he was out of the loop from Malina’s plans at the end, so the tips he gave us mostly led to dead ends.”
A growl rumbled in my chest. “Maybe there’s a reason they led to nothing. Why would you even trust him?”
“Because I’m the headmaster of this school, and Enzo is my student. It’s my job to give him the chance to explain. There are magical ways to make sure I’m not being lied to, and Enzo told me the truth. More than he needed to, actually. He is on our side.”
My eyes rolled so far into the back of my head at that last statement, I was surprised I didn’t get a glimpse of my brain. “Easy for you to say,” I grumbled.
“I understand why you’re angry. You have every right to feel the way you do, but I hope one day, preferably soon, you’ll give him a chance to explain. The only thing Enzo asked of me when he explained himself was that he was the one to tell you why when you were ready.”
Fury bubbled near the surface of my skin. I would never be ready to hear what he had to say. Regardless of his excuses, I couldn’t risk my heart again. The pain he put me through was too great to experience again.
But what if the love you could experience is too great to miss out on? my bitch of a subconscious chimed in.
I needed to change the direction of my conversation with the headmaster before I lost my cool in front of him.
“Are you alright, Raegan?”
Apparently, I was too late.
Scales began to creep up my arms, but I counted to ten in my head and they receded. “Yes, it’s a little harder to control the partial shifts, but I’m working on it.”
“You reversed it rather quickly. I must say, I was concerned what would happen when you fully embraced all three races, but you seem to have handled it like a seasoned supernatural.”
I shrugged at the compliment. “I didn’t really have much of a choice.”
“We always have a choice,” he reminded me.
“So, what now?” I asked, needing to know why it was so important he speak with me.
He pulled a vial from his desk, one filled with a clear crystallized liquid I remembered from when he masked my dragon side. “You may have broken through the block on your shifter side, but it didn’t completely go away. If you promise to work with Jules to learn more about shifters, then I would like to give this to you.”
He dangled the glass tube between his fingers, and I briefly wondered how much more could have still been restrained from the previous potion he gave me. Not really caring about the consequences, I snatched the vial from his hand. “I promise.”
As I chugged the liquid down, all I could hope was that there was an ability I had yet to discover that would keep my heart whole when I had to lay eyes on Enzo. I knew it was only a matter of time, and I’d need every possible advantage if I was going to make it through without losing my shit.
“I’m also going to need a favor from you tomorrow,” he added.
Panic swelled in me at the thought that he would ask me to interact with Enzo in some way, and I was two seconds from vomiting up his magic concoction and saying, “thanks, but no thanks.”
“Calm down. It’s nothing you can’t handle. We’re simply hoping you can speak with Desmond. He’s asked about you several times, but never really says why. We hope it means he has something to tell you that might help us with Malina.”
Desmond I could tolerate. Plus, there was something about him that bothered me whenever he was around, something I felt like I should know, but I could never quite grasp the thought or make sense of the feeling.
“Sure, I’ll come by before classes tomorrow. I’m assuming my schedule is on my tablet like before?”
“Yes, but I’m going to make adjustments to it now that we’ve spoken,” he stated before reaching for his computer. “I should have it updated shortly.”
A part of me wanted to ask why he was changing it, but it didn’t really matter. My only hope was that it had more to do with my dragon abilities than it did with Enzo.
“
Can I go back to my dorm now?” I asked, feeling like a child talking to their parent.
“Yes, but don’t hesitate to come see me anytime. I want you to still feel at home here, Raegan. You thrived last year and did more work than any other student to catch up with your peers. I want you to continue to grow and not be weighed down with the past.”
I nodded in understanding but didn’t agree. “Easier to do when there’s not an evil sorceress out there somewhere, hoping to use me as her personal well of power.”
He didn’t have a response to that, and I said my goodbyes. It was time to get back to my best friend and aunt. It was safer with them and all the junk food a girl could wish for. The following day would be a problem for future me, and I chose not to worry about it as I slipped back into my room, pretending like our evening hadn’t been interrupted.
The following morning, I was up early after having slept six uninterrupted hours. It had been months since that had happened, and I was happier than I’d been in a long time.
I was the only one who could make my day bad. I didn’t have to let the worries of others get to me, and I needed to make the most of being at the academy. There were a lot of positives in my life, and I needed to focus on those. Not the heartache Enzo brought me.
My class schedule was a replica of Gemma’s, with the exception of two classes: Elven Advanced Magic and the time I was scheduled with Jules to work on my shifter side. Even though she wasn’t a dragon, she agreed with Headmaster Stone’s decision to have us work together, seeming confident she could help me with the sudden appearance of my scales when my emotions went wild.
She also had a slight concern about me feeling my dragon but not hearing her. Apparently, I was also supposed to have voices in my head. After what I had gone through with Malina, I couldn’t say I was disappointed there were none.
Once I was dressed in my black leather pants, knee-high boots, and standard white, collared shirt with teal tie, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door. It was time to see what Desmond wanted, and he would hopefully have some insight to help me move forward.
As I passed by other students, I waved and said, “Good morning.” Tension I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding onto released from me when they didn’t ignore my attempts to be social. I noticed more than a few other women wearing black pants as well, varying in fabric. I’d have to ask how that happened when I saw Gemma again.
The door to the headmaster’s office was already open when I arrived, and another student was standing at his desk when I walked in.
My body froze on the spot as my mind tried to process what to do next. I needed to run. I wasn’t ready. I wouldn’t ever really be ready, but I definitely wasn’t okay with facing him on the first day.
Headmaster Stone stood and smiled at me. “Good morning, Raegan. I was just finishing with Professor Melnier, so come on in.”
The guy finally turned around, and I wanted to smack myself. It wasn’t Enzo. Just someone who looked a hell of a lot like him from the back; not so much from the front. His skin was much lighter, a complete contrast to his darker hair that fell long around his face.
“Hello, Raegan.” The teacher reached a hand to me, which I shook hesitantly. “I’m going to be your instructor for the advanced elven class.”
“Nice to meet you,” I replied.
“I need to get to class, but I’m sure we’ll catch up later,” he said to Headmaster Stone.
“Yes, very well. Let me know how the first day goes.”
The two men shook hands as I moved out of the way so Professor Melnier could exit. In an attempt to get my pulse back to normal, I took several deep breaths and waited for the headmaster to let me know where I needed to go to see Desmond.
“Are you well this morning?” he asked with a pinched face.
“Yeah, I’m great.” I forced a smile, trying to get back my earlier cheer. “Where is Desmond?”
“He’s in the dungeon. We can head there now if you’re sure.”
“Yep. Let’s do this. I’d rather not be late to my first class on the first day.”
He eyed me skeptically but nodded in agreement.
When we stood in front of the previously forbidden door, I anticipated feeling some sort of anxiety, but none came. I was actually eager to get to explore the area without having to sneak around or get attacked by Malina.
“We have him in a room built specifically for his powers. There is an illusion that makes a wall appear complete on the inside, but from the outside, we can monitor everything he does. You won’t be alone when you go in. I’ll be right there if you need me,” Headmaster Stone said as we traversed down the stairs.
“I’m not worried about him, but it’s good to know in case something does happen.”
When we approached the cell, I took in the two-way wall and my eyes landed on Desmond sitting chained to a chair inside the room.
“Being a little cautious?” I asked.
“We don’t keep him like that all the time, only when he has visitors.”
My brow raised. “Is that often?” I wouldn’t think so after his betrayal, but it could have been possible for someone to still give a shit about him.
Headmaster Stone shook his head. “Mostly just someone from the council.”
“Makes sense.” I continued toward the door and waited for the headmaster to do his magical thing on the locks so I could open it.
When I walked in and Desmond laid eyes on me, a smirk appeared on his lips that grated on my nerves, but I kept my face neutral. He wouldn’t get another moment of satisfaction from screwing with my life.
“Nice to see you again, Raegan,” he mused. “What brings you here after all these months? I had hoped I’d see you again, but alongside Malina with me free, not chained like an animal.” His voice was casual, as if we were longtime friends catching up.
Not answering, I took a seat about ten feet away from him and stared, really taking his appearance in. Gone was the haggard look of a man who had been fighting for the good of his people. Instead, before me was an unsympathetic piece of shit who got off on others’ pain.
“You’re going to ignore your elder when asked a simple question?” He tsked. “How unbecoming of you.”
Crossing my ankles, I leaned forward and leveled my glower at him. “I’m not the same girl who entered this school a year ago, Desmond, partially in thanks to you. So, don’t piss me off, because those chains won’t protect you from my wrath if you do.”
The grin on his face only grew wider. “You are so much like your creator.”
“I’m nothing like her. I would never harm innocent people just for power,” I spat.
“You think this is about power? Oh, child, you have so much to learn.”
“Well, why don’t you teach me? What was your part in all of this before she threw you under the proverbial bus? Why did you help her? And more importantly, why are you still helping her by keeping what you know to yourself when she hasn’t once tried to come for you?”
He leaned back, seeming uninterested in my plethora of questions. His eyes roamed the room before a spark lit within them and met mine again. “I’ve already told the council everything I’m going to say about Malina, but if you do something for me, then I will tell you about the day Enzo disappeared.”
My breath hitched and I regretted it immediately, because I had given away my feelings. Based on the growing gleam in his eye, he knew he had me. I had lost hours of my memory that day. I never figured out what had happened between the times I was supposed to meet Enzo for lunch and when I awoke in my bed, missing my original necklace.
“I can’t give you whatever it is that you want,” I finally said. He was going to want something ridiculous, like me letting him out, and knowing what transpired that day wasn’t more important than keeping him locked up.
“Oh, but you can. I only want to see my family. Explain to them why I did what I did. While I have no regrets, they deserve answers, and the council refuses to let m
e see them. Get them to change their minds, and I will tell you what you want to know.”
Well, that was nothing. They couldn’t deny him his request if it meant more answers, right? Desmond wasn’t demanding to be let out. He had accepted his fate and wanted to say goodbye. I didn’t see anything wrong with it and stood to go confirm with Headmaster Stone that it wouldn’t be a problem.
Desmond’s arms crossed over his chest as he watched me walk from the room.
When I opened the door, the headmaster was already waiting for me, shaking his head at me. “We can’t offer him that. He’s asked for it before, and his wife refuses to see him,” he said once the door was closed behind me.
“Shit, seriously?” My hands ran through my hair, trying to figure out another solution. “Did you ever tell him she refused?”
“No, we didn’t want him to act out even worse. We just pretended to deny his request instead.”
“What if I tell him you agreed, but he has to talk first?” I asked.
He nodded his head. “If you want to try it, you have my permission, but something tells me Desmond will get more enjoyment out of spilling whatever he knows than you will hearing it.”
I sighed. He was probably right. I had gone all these months without knowing what happened that day. It really shouldn’t matter now, but the curiosity was eating away at me.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve been through worse.”
Turning around, I went back into the room. Taking my same seat, I chose my words carefully. I didn’t want to lie to Desmond—he would sense that—but I could omit and hopefully get what I wanted in the process.
“Headmaster Stone said he would grant the request only if you talked first. So, tell me what happened that day?” I requested.
He shook his finger at me. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
I quirked a brow at him. “Are you telling me a powerful sorcerer like yourself can’t tell when someone is lying to him? Maybe we overestimated you.”
Glaring at me, he sat up straighter in his chair. “Will the headmaster contact my family and tell them to come to see me?”
Deadly Declaration (Shadow Veil Academy Book 2) Page 2