James was silent, his brow furrowed in concentration and curiosity. When he finally started walking again, he wore a smug smile.
"What?" I asked.
"Just, I guess I always thought you and he were…" His smirk grew into a genuine smile. "I think we're going to be good friends."
"Just as long as you don't get me arrested again."
"Hey, you asked me to help you find magicals and books, and I delivered, didn't I?"
At that, I had to laugh. "Fair enough, I guess."
December arrived with cool nights and pleasant days. Since James was still grounded, we couldn't spar, so I didn't see much of him outside of school. But I noticed a marked difference with him. He actually spoke to me at school, asked me to be his lab partner once in physics, and seemed to enjoy conversations with me when he wasn't with his girl-of-the-week. He and Callista had broken up over Thanksgiving, and he made no secret of his hunt for his next conquest.
His latest fling was with Gee, the drop-dead gorgeous editor of the yearbook, who straight-up asked me if there was anything going on between James and me.
"Nope, just unwilling friends," I said with an amused laugh.
I considered, perhaps, having "the talk" with James and making sure he was using protection. But that just conjured up images of Gavon having the same talk with him, and I pushed that out of my head.
The best thing about December was it meant the end of my second-to-last semester of high school. My grades came in perfectly, as predicted, and I maintained my position at the top of the class. Unless I did a total nosedive in the second half of the year, I'd graduate valedictorian.
The winter break started and I found myself rather…bored. James obviously wasn't around (still grounded) and my tutoring had ended for the semester. I spent a few days in the apartment, but all the downtime drove me batty. The spell books couldn't keep my interest, as they just reminded me that Gavon had tricked me into taking them. I even attempted a sparring session with myself, but it just didn't have the same impact as sparring with James.
To stay busy, I signed up for extra hours at the kennel and actually did the work, versus letting my magic do it for me. It made for sweaty hours, but I left every day feeling accomplished, and that counted for something.
The day before New Year's, I was wiping down the cat cages when I heard an annoyed sound behind me.
"Ugh," James made a face, "it smells like dog in here."
"Yeah, that's because it's a kennel," I said, but I couldn't help the smile on my face. "Did you get released?"
"Probation. No magic, and I have to be back in exactly three hours. Plenty of time to get into some trouble."
I glared at him.
"Okay, no trouble. Because if I'm a good boy today, Gavon will let me attend a New Year's Eve party tomorrow. Gee might give me another chance."
"You broke up?" I wasn't necessarily surprised about that, more that they'd lasted this long.
He shrugged. "I mean, the texts she sent weren't good. Mostly because I didn't get them until ten minutes ago."
That answered my question about cell reception in New Salem. "You should've told Gavon. I know he wouldn't stand in the way of true love."
James' dry look made me laugh.
"I try not to converse with him about that if I can help it," James said. "But how about it? If I go with you, at least if Gavon comes looking for me, he'll know you're keeping an eye on me."
I played with the mop handle. "Would he come looking for you?"
"Doubtful. I haven't seen much of him. I think he'd just prefer not to get another call from the police. Which I promise won't happen this time." He wiggled his eyebrows, his boyish charm drawing an unwilling smile onto my face. "C'mon…"
I gripped the mop and frowned. "I really need to get the volunteer hours…"
"Use your magic," James said with a grin. "It's not as if you're not doing the work. The place will get clean. Just quicker."
"The point is I need the hours."
"For what? You already sent in your college applications. Why do you need to keep working here?"
I chewed my lip, surprised he'd remembered something like that. "Yeah, but…"
"Yeah, but what? You've done what you can. Now it's time to have fun."
I looked around the kennel. James was right. I'd logged over two hundred hours this year alone, and I'd already submitted all my applications. And to be honest, I was volunteering because it got me out of the house and away from Nicole, who'd continued her insufferable campaign to make the holidays cheerful.
I sighed. "Fine. Let's go."
True to his word, James picked one of the most mundane places possible—Starbucks. We found a table in the back of the shop, and he took a few minutes inhaling and savoring his coffee.
"There's nothing like this over there," he said, gently sipping his americano. "Nothing. Just disgusting brown liquid they substitute for tea."
I sipped my sugary peppermint mocha thoughtfully. "So what was it like…growing up there?"
"Terrible. Next question."
I put down my coffee. "Sorry I asked."
He actually looked a bit repentant. "Sorry, I just… I forgot what it's like. It's been horrendous back there. Boring as hell."
"What's there to do? Sparring matches?" I asked.
"No, those are rare. Gavon wouldn't allow an audience when he and I trained, and I was very rarely allowed to spar with Cyrus. Our introduction matches were the highlight of the decade." He shook his head. "Mostly they spend their days toiling dirt and trying to make food from whatever they can grow in the harsh conditions. Bunch of animals."
They'd looked poor and uneducated when I was there, but still human. "That's not fair, James. They can't help what kind of magic they were born with."
"It's not just their magic, it's…" He shook his head. "The Council does a good job of keeping them uneducated. Most of them think the world ends at the town limits. None of them know about, well…all this. If they knew, they might do something drastic, like revolt. Even though Gavon dotes on them. The Council thinks he's an idiot, but I think it's smart."
"Who…are the Council, exactly?" I asked, playing with the rim of my coffee. "What's their purpose?"
"Supposedly, it's made up of the most powerful Warriors in New Salem," James said with a smirk. "But since the only Warriors around are me, Gavon, and Cyrus, we've had to add some Charmers and Enchanters to the mix."
A horrible, curious thought entered my brain. "Gavon's not your father, right? And neither is Cyrus…I hope…"
James looked at me, surprised. "What gave you that idea?"
"I mean I…" My face warmed. "Just checking."
"No, they're not," he said with a laugh. "But even Cyrus would've been a vast improvement over my actual parents. They're both worthless."
I chewed my lip, toying with the white lid on my coffee. "Was James Riley your ancestor?"
"My father claims he's directly descended from Riley, but so do half the residents there. He's nothing but an enchanter, so there's a good possibility he's lying or misinformed." James heaved a breath. "But on the other hand, there haven't been a whole lot of Warriors, so who knows?"
There was no mistaking the contempt in his voice. "Do you talk to him often?"
"Never, if I can help it. Both he and my mother were quick to hand me over to Gavon once I was off the teet."
I gasped, covering my mouth. "He took you from your parents so young?"
"He didn't take me. They practically tossed me at him," James said with a sardonic laugh. "In New Salem, Warriors are highly coveted, especially as there haven't been a lot of them born in the past hundred years. So when one comes along, they're snatched up pretty quickly by the surviving Warriors and trained. And the parents get a large sum of money every month. They've been living easy ever since."
"But it can't be all bad over there," I said. "Don't you have friends?"
He snorted. "We're about as close as my friends over he
re. Over there, everything's about magic. It's hard to find common ground when you're better than everyone else at everything."
He looked completely serious, and I barked a laugh. "I don't know, maybe you should try treating people like humans instead of magic?"
"Do you really want to talk friend-making? You live here and you don't have any."
"I have friends," I said. "My sister is my friend."
"Mm. Yeah. That doesn't count."
I grit my teeth and decided to change the subject. "What's Cyrus been up to?"
"Odd change of subject. You'd rather talk about Cyrus than your lack of friends?"
I shrugged and took a sip. "Why not? We're talking about uncomfortable things. Why not check in on the madman who ruined my life?"
"Well, we don't chat often. Gavon's forbade me from seeking him out. And he's been absent over the past few months."
"That doesn't…worry you?"
"Why should it?" he asked. "I'm not the one he wants dead."
I leveled an icy glare at him, which he laughed at.
"What are you so worried about? He can't touch you. And if he ever did figure a way to do it, you'd kick his ass."
"Oh right…"
"I'm serious," James said, leaning back. "We're about the same level, and I'm amazing."
I rolled my eyes. "Humble, too."
"I know you think I'm lying, but I'm being serious. Even if Cyrus were more powerful than you, he's still got a good thirty years on you. Magic can help slow the aging process, but not by that much. Besides, you really do kick ass."
I smiled, oddly charmed by the compliment. "You think?"
"I think you're a force to be reckoned with, absolutely. One of the most powerful magicals I've ever seen." My suspicions rose as he reached across the table to take my hand. "And so smart, so brilliant—"
"Out with it. What do you want?"
"Would you take me to Gee's party tomorrow night?"
I parsed his words for a moment, because he couldn't mean what I thought he meant…until I realized he didn't. "Oh. You mean you need me to bring you to the party because you don't have magic."
"And Gee won't tell me where it is either. I think she's trying to play power with me."
"Power play," I corrected. "Or, and this is just a stab in the dark, perhaps she's decided you aren't worth her time because you ignored her for two weeks."
"But it wasn't my fault!" he said quickly. "That's why I need you to take me there so I can talk to her in person. Please?" He squeezed my hands. "It's not like you have any other plans tomorrow night."
"I'll have you know I was planning on watching Netflix and going to sleep at ten."
"Lexie," he whined. "I need your help. And you need to get out and spend time with real people. It'll be good for you."
"Look," I said, taking my hands out of his. "I'm not… Parties aren't really my scene. The last one I went to was a complete disaster."
"That's because you left after fifteen minutes. I can't believe I have to explain this, but in order to make friends, you have to actually talk to people."
"I have…friends," I said lamely. "Besides, what do you care?"
"Seeing you alone all the time is depressing."
"Go to hell."
"How about this: you're obviously unhappy, and that makes me, as your friend, unhappy. So let's both go to the party and have some fun?"
He was back to his charming smile, and it was hard to say no to it. I tried a diversion tactic. "Didn't you say there would be something in it for me?"
"Yes, isn't that obvious? You get to attend a party. See? Win-win." I rolled my eyes, but he took my hands again. "Stop fighting it, and come with me."
I couldn't resist any more. "Fine. But if it's lame, I'm going home and you're on your own."
Seventeen
For the second time in three months, I found myself digging through my closet, searching for something to wear to an actual party. This time, I was slightly more excited. At the very least, I would have James to hang out with. Our conversation had warmed me to him a little, if only because it might've been the first honest one we'd ever had.
"Oh…" Nicole appeared in my doorway, a bottle of cheap champagne in her hands and her excited smile turning into a frown. "I didn't know you had plans…"
"Yeah," I said, standing and feeling a little guilty. "Last minute invite."
"Well…well, good." Her fake smile was back, but I saw right through it. "Have fun. Is it a date or…?"
"Absolutely not," I said with a laugh. "One of my friends needs…me to play wingman. I guess."
"Really? Who's your friend? Have I met her before?"
Yeah. "No. Just someone I go to school with. We're in a lot of the same classes. He's—"
"Oh, he is it?"
"Calm down," I said with my hands in the air. "This is the guy I was telling you about a few months ago."
"The one who burned you in the past?" She frowned. "I thought you weren't going to work with him or whatever?"
"He made a compelling case," I said. "And at the end of the day, it's better if we work together than apart. Turns out, once you get past his ego, bluster, and womanizing ways—"
"I thought you said he was gay?"
Damn Nicole and her good memory. "Turns out, he's bi…I guess." I needed to end this conversation before I slipped up again. "Anyway, he's really not a bad person. I mean, he's still a pain in the ass, but it's actually kind of fun to put him in his place."
"Uh-oh, Lexie, sounds like you're developing a crush on him," Nicole said with a wink. "Just be careful. Even if you think he's changed, people rarely do. I don't want to see you get hurt."
I smiled. "I won't, trust me. I'm keeping my distance. It's more fun to see him get destroyed by the girls in my class." I chuckled. "I have to say, I really like watching them dump him. Sweet justice."
"Have fun." She kissed me on the forehead. "Please stay until midnight, at least."
"I will." I frowned. "Are you going to be all right by yourself?"
"Sure. May not be sober when you get back, but I'll be fine."
She left me to my devices and I finished checking my makeup in the mirror. I wasn't the kind of girl who spent hours contouring and defining, but I figured for a special occasion, I could add a little extra. Once I was happy with my appearance, I transported myself to the beach and waited for James to arrive.
He showed in a puff of black smoke not five minutes later, dusting the remnants of his transport potion off his shirt and coughing into the darkness.
"You've got to teach me how to do that," I said, walking over to him.
"You're better off driving. This is no way to travel." He coughed again and shook his head as black soot fell from his dark locks. "I'm counting down until I get my magic back. One week, five days left."
I smiled, recalling my own brief grounding. "Hopefully you can forget about it tonight."
"I don't know," he said, his face lit by his phone's backlight. "Gee hasn't responded to any of my texts."
"I doubt she will. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl who'd accept an apology over the phone."
James slid the phone into his jeans and took my arm. "Good thing I've got you, then."
"Yeah, yeah."
Gee lived in one of the nicer subdivisions in the city, so it was easy to locate a dark spot to appear in. James even commented on my improving abilities to transport others, before he ditched me and nearly ran into the house. I followed slower, knowing that us arriving together would kill his chances of getting back together with Gee. To be honest, I wanted them back together. He seemed a lot less willful in her presence.
The house was already full of people, most of whom I didn't know. I found out from some overheard conversations on my way to the kitchen that Gee's older brother was visiting from Florida State, and had invited his friends to stay for the weekend. They were supposedly chaperoning, but from the looks of them, they were more drunk than the high schoolers.
"So, I hear James is trying to get back together with Gee," Tamara said with a shake of her head. "Doesn't he know to leave well enough alone?"
"No," I said with a snort. The bubbles in the drink tickled my nose and the sugar sat unhappily in my stomach. I'd probably only have one.
"Look at them out there," said Emily, peering over the countertop curiously. "Gee does not look happy he showed up. How did he even know where she lived?"
I tried not to look too guilty. "He's resourceful. And determined."
"So what is the deal with you two?" asked the other Emily. "Are you friends, are you—"
"Friends, believe me. I'm not touching that. Ever." I shivered. "He's not the kind of person one should date."
"Yeah, I hear Callista was heartbroken. He apparently wouldn't ever take her out except on Friday nights and wouldn't introduce her to his parents."
I imagined what it would be like for Gavon to meet Callista and had to laugh, which I covered up with a cough. "Sorry, went down the wrong pipe."
"Oh, she's coming in," Tamara said. "She looks pissed."
The three girls went to do their best friend duty, and Gee tossed one very evil look in my direction, which I responded with an "I'm-sorry" expression. But I could hear the sound of her stomps all the way up to her bedroom.
"Well, that went well," James said, walking up to me. "Guess I'm back on sale."
"Back on the market," I replied. "Honestly, how am I the only one who gets to hear you make mistakes like that?"
"Because you're the only one I'm comfortable making mistakes around," James said, grabbing my drink from me and downing it with admirable gumption. "Ugh, this is gross." He drank more.
"So what happened?"
"I tried to tell her I'd been grounded, and didn't have my phone until the other day. She then tells me I was supposed to come over on Christmas and meet her family. Is that a thing?"
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