“Don’t,” Ethan said.
“Don’t what?” I asked without taking my eyes away from Hunter.
“Don’t assume things,” he whispered. “Ember made some strange comments to him the other day about someone who tried to get out of the Academy once. He is just being friendly to make sure she is not up to something and that she knows nothing that she doesn’t need to know.”
“Whatever, he can do whatever he wants.”
“Are you still mad about him not telling me about Jennifer?”
I nodded. “I don’t know how you are not.”
“I told you, he is trying to protect you. I would have done the same for her.”
Kim was sitting there, just staring at the both of us. “Ethan is right. Hunter is risking a lot for you. There is just no way he doesn’t care about you.”
“Can I ask you a question about the Otherworld?” I asked.
Kim seemed surprised.
“Sure…”
“You learn a lot about the Otherworld in your classes, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it possible that the communication between someone in the Otherworld for a limited time and someone here is… an illusion?”
“You mean, if you were there and someone, let’s say… Hunter was here, and he told you something… You want to know if that could have been something you imagined? Like… let’s say… if he told you he thought he was in love with you?”
I sat there with my mouth open. “How do you—“
Ethan smiled. “She is the strongest haunted for a reason.”
Kim blushed. “When I kicked that spirit out… the one that was not yours… well, when you came back I had access to your memories. That was one of the strongest ones.”
“So, was I imagining things?”
“Oh, no. Like I said, that was a memory. A very real one!”
“I don’t understand why he won’t say it again.”
Kim, only twelve, was proving to be the smartest person I knew. “Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. Give him a chance.”
Ethan nodded. “I don’t want to sound mean, but did you ever think that maybe he is afraid to say something because you push him away every time you don’t approve of something?”
I looked back at Hunter and Ember, and this time I noticed how uncomfortable he was… like he was trying desperately to find a way out of talking to her. Funny how perception works…
“Fine, I will give him a chance. Now Ethan, would you please go and rescue him away from Ember?”
“My pleasure,” he said.
Kim smiled as he walked away.
“What?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “Just glad you made the right choice. You are stronger when you are together. We will need that.”
“Ookay… so, let’s talk about my memories. Does that mean you now know everything about me? Not sure I like that.”
“Don’t worry, my mind could only process so much. As I said, that was your strongest memory.”
I was fine leaving it at that. The less I thought she knew about me, the better… even if I was wrong.
“Please don’t tell Hunter I know…”
Kim actually rolled her eyes at me. “As you wish.”
Looking back at Ethan and Hunter, they were both now trapped with Ember and Charlotte. Luckily, soon came the time to go into the auditorium, and they were finally able to get away from them.
I was not sure how much Ethan told Hunter, but Hunter smiled as soon as he met my gaze.
***
Part of our plan was to keep a low profile in front of others, so we pretty much just acted as friends.
Hunter did sit next to me, with Kim on my other side, and then Ethan.
Daniels was the one speaking at the briefing. It was still weird to think of him as my father. I tried not to talk to him much, but that was nearly impossible.
Daniels stood in front of everyone, haunted and fallen… and Hunter and I, who didn’t exactly fall into either category.
“Good afternoon, everyone. This is a very unusual briefing, but very crucial. The news that you will hear today will be difficult to process, but we have decided that it is in the best interest of everyone involved if all of you are aware of what will be happening here.”
Everyone stared, anxious to hear this news.
I was tense, until I felt Hunter’s hand on mine. I know Kim noticed, because she was smiling like a fool.
Daniels continued.
“There has been some demonic activity out there, involving an incubus.”
I felt ice cold.
“There was a human compromised, she is expecting a child, and in order to protect both her and the child, we have brought her into the Academy.”
“Ashley,” I whispered under my breath.
“She will not be attending any classes, but we cannot keep her in her room the entire time. Please remember that she does not know anything about the Academy. Her new roommate, Ember, has already been instructed on how to deal with her questions and she will be with her at all times.”
My grip tightened around Hunter’s. He squeezed my hand back.
No one had a single question. After we were dismissed, everyone went to do their own thing.
“Are you going to be okay?” asked Hunter as soon as we were outside.
I nodded.
Daniels came after us calling our names.
“Kayla, Hunter, I would like to see you in my office.”
TWELVE
Mr. Daniels’ office was cold as usual. Hunter and I sat across from him.
“As you may have already assumed,” he said. “The human coming to the Academy is your friend Ashley.”
“She is not my friend,” I snapped. “Hasn’t been for a long time.”
“Well, friend or not, I believe that it will be good for her to spend some time with people that she already knows, and by that I mean the both of you.”
“So, you want us to babysit her so she won’t figure out what this place really is?”
Daniels took a deep breath, as if to calm down. “I guess you could put it that way.”
“Fine, you let me call my mom and dad and I will spend time with Ashley.”
“I’m not responding to threats anymore, Kayla. I’m sorry for what has happened to you, but I can’t allow you to put me in that position again.”
“You can’t force me to spend time with her if I don’t want to.”
Daniels sighed. “Well, if you want the privilege of not having a roommate, I think you should reconsider it.”
Furious, I got up and started to walk out.
“Kayla,” Daniels called. “You may keep writing to your parents if you wish.”
“How do I know they are even getting my letters?!”
Daniels picked up an envelope from the table and handed it to me.
I looked to see my name, written in Kelly’s handwriting. I grabbed the envelope and practically ran.
***
I was sitting in my room for a while, just staring at the envelope, when Hunter appeared. He was holding a sandwich bag.
“You really need to stop forgetting when dinner is. You know they have strict rules.”
I shrugged.
He came to sit next to me. “Are you okay?” he asked.
I didn’t say anything.
“Did you read it yet?”
I shook my head. “What if it doesn’t bother them that I am gone?”
“Of course it does, Kayla. I met them before. Do you remember when Andrew caught us kissing? If that is not a concerned parent, I don’t know what is.”
I took a deep breath and opened the letter.
Kelly went on and on about how much she and Andrew missed me. She mentioned how sometimes she couldn’t understand how she allowed me to be so far away from them, but that the ‘doctors’ kept reminding her about how that is important to my improvement and how much progress I was already making. She had been told that they so
on would be able to talk to me on the phone, and she could not wait.
She also talked a bit about my baby sister, Carolyn… about how she could not wait for me to meet her.
I knew that the Academy was doing something to make her believe all of those lies, but I couldn’t tell that to Kelly because I was sure they were reading all of my letters. That would explain why out of all of those letters I wrote, I just now got a reply. Clearly, my last letter, the one that was all secretive about this place, was the only one that Kelly and Andrew received.
I was all teary eyed by the time I finished reading the letter.
“I’m going to get you home,” said Hunter.
I nodded.
“What about this Ashley thing? I do want to know if she is okay, I just don’t want the daily reminder that it is Benjamin’s kid that she is carrying.”
“You are right. I don’t want you to have to go through that.”
“Yes, but Daniels wants—“
“Just ignore what he said, Kayla.”
“Hunter, I do not want a roommate. If I have to choose between hanging around Ashley or having a roommate, I will hang out with her.”
Hunter put his hand on my shoulder. “Look, just let things calm down. I stayed after you left and Daniels does want to see how she adjusts on her own at first… without seeing us at all. If that is a problem, then we would come into play. He just thinks that if there are problems with her adjusting, seeing familiar faces might help.”
“…And then what?”
“We will be gone by then,” he said.
“What do you mean? I thought we still had to figure out how to safely break the wards so that we can leave and no one can come in… that is going to take some time.”
“There have been improvements in our plans. Eat your dinner and I will tell you about it. Just know that with Ashley here and so close to having that baby, well… Benjamin will be trying harder to get into the Academy, and I’m getting you out of here before that happens.”
“What if he comes after me when we leave?” I asked.
Then, I guess you just answered one of the things I have been contemplating.
“Huh?”
“Kim… she will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Hunter wouldn’t tell me anything else until I finished eating, but then, the lights went out, and he insisted I needed rest. He said that he was tired too, but he would tell me the entire plan in the morning.
When Hunter got up to leave… even though I knew he wouldn’t really be gone, I stopped him.
“Stay,” I said. “I know you have been staying here one way or another anyway.”
“You do?” he asked.
I nodded.
“I can sleep on the other bed,” he said. Even though I didn’t have a roommate, Daniels left everything setup to make everyone believe that sooner or later I would get one.
“Please don’t,” I said. “The nightmares are getting worse…”
I didn’t have to finish what I was saying. Hunter pulled me into a hug, and then lay down on the bed, pulling me down with him.
“Do you think the nightmares will ever go away?” I asked.
“Probably, but… call me selfish, but then you won’t need me anymore, so I’m not sure that would be a good thing. Not for me, anyway.”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Come on, Kayla. If it wasn’t for that, I would probably be sleeping on the other bed, or maybe even in another room.”
“I doubt that is the case,” I said.
“I would hope not.”
We lay there for a while, just holding each other.
“Hunter?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you risking so much for me?”
“You know I hate this place Kayla… besides I got you in here. I owe it to you to get you out”
“Oh.”
He pulled away and I could barely make out the outline of his face and body in the dark.
“Were you expecting a different answer?” he asked.
“N-No,” I said with my voice breaking.
“I told you from the beginning, Kayla. This trust thing goes both ways.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It probably made it easier for me to talk to him like that, with it being so dark… Not being able to see his expression.
“I remember something from when I was in the Otherworld,” I said.
Hunter moved his body as if he was going to get up, but he didn’t. “Are you sure you want to talk about anything related to that place?”
I knew I would never get the courage to say this again.
“I’m sure. You see, Kim said memories from the Otherworld are true memories, and I have this one memory that I wish I knew whether it was a true memory or my imagination… although Kim assured me it is a true memory…”
“You are babbling, Kayla.”
“I know. Ugh, just… never mind. I was probably imagining it.”
Hunter lay back down with his arms around me.
I had just fallen asleep when I heard his voice.
“Kayla,” Hunter whispered.
“What?”
He hesitated. “If the memory you were talking about was of me begging you to come back to me because I thought I was in love with you… well, it is a true memory.”
“Do you mean you ‘thought’ you were as in, not anymore?” I asked.
“You are so difficult sometimes… Yes, I do mean I thought I was.”
“Oh,” I started to move away.
“Kayla, I didn’t mean it like that. It is a done deal… back then I thought I was… now I am sure. Even if you are so damn difficult most of the time.”
Hunter pulled me closer and kissed me. When his lips moved away from mine, it was just long enough for him to say what I wanted to hear. “I love you, Kayla,” then he went back to kissing me.
THIRTEEN
It felt like I had just fallen asleep when I saw Benjamin. The nightmare was so realistic. He was at the front gates of the Academy. He was pulling on it, trying to get in and getting frustrated by not being able to.
Once he sensed that I was there, he looked up. Looking into my eyes, he said, “Open the gates, little sis.”
“I’m not your sister.”
“Well, no reason in denying it. We both know that you are. Now come on… Open it.”
I turned around to leave.
“They may keep you in here forever, little sis. This may just be your only chance to get out. You know… your adoptive parents, your sister… they are not as protected as you think. Now open it!”
I woke up screaming. Hunter quickly and gently put his hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming even more. Once I calmed down, he moved his hand and just hugged me.
“It is okay, Kayla. He can’t get to you in here and he won’t be able to get to you when we leave.”
“I may be safe here, but what about Kelly and Andrew? Do you really think that Daniels sent someone to watch over them?”
“Look, as soon as we leave here we will make sure they are okay, and then we will take off, okay?”
“… and do what, Hunter? How are we going to survive with no money… no place to live?”
“We will figure it out, Kayla.”
“WHAT? We can’t just leave here with half a plan, Hunter!”
“I know. Look… I know it is not the most reliable source, but we can get help from my mom… at least until we figure things out. She probably won’t even notice that we are there. And if there is no one watching over Kelly and Andrew like they say, we will be able to approach them as well.
“I don’t like it. We need a better plan.”
“I don’t like it either, but all I know is that I want to get you out of here.”
“Hunter?”
“Yeah?”
“There is something we have to do when we leave. I promised Ethan I would help him find Jennifer.”
He sighed. “That doesn’t su
rprise me.”
“I just wanted you to know. I intend to do whatever I need to keep that promise.”
“Kayla, if that gets you anywhere near the Otherworld or the other Academies…. There is only so much you will be able to do.”
“I know.”
“I’m serious, Kayla. If there are any chances of you being put at risk, I will be there to stop you.”
I shrugged, knowing no one would be able to actually stop me. I told Ethan that I would help him and that is what intended to do.
“How are we doing this?… Getting out of here?”
“Kim is getting us out. We got lucky to have her help us… She is the key to the Academy, Kayla. From what I’ve heard, the other Academies don’t even have this level of protection, because they don’t have her. She keeps everything evil out of here.”
“So, what will happen when she leaves with us?”
“That is our worst problem. We have a theory that they depended on Kim’s power for so long that no one will not be able to keep those beings away.”
“So Benjamin would definitely be able to come in.”
“Well, Kim has started to train some of her friends. She has been telling them that it is a good thing to know for when they go back to their lives…. Saying that they can use the technique to protect their homes. She started to do test runs every once in a while, without anyone noticing, of course. They have been keeping it all a secret. They trust Kim, even though she is younger than most of them. They know what she can do and they respect her for it.”
“…But how will they know what they are supposed to do when we leave?”
“Kim is working that out. They seem more than willing to do the job to help Kim. They are not even asking questions. Hopefully by then they will know what to do and they will be strong enough to do it.”
The more I heard about this plan, the less I liked it.
“Kayla, you really should get some sleep. We will have to be up soon and I have to go back to my room… there are things that Ethan and I still need to work out.”
I nodded. “Can you stay just for a little while longer? Make sure I’m not having a nightmare right away.”
Hunter nodded and lay back down.
“Hunter?” I whispered. “I know that I have trust issues and I will probably always have them.”
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