But Zervos was in his element as a history professor, and in this classroom he almost looked happy. He discussed werewolves first, so I could see, even from the back of the room, that Sip was fascinated. At least for her, the time went by quickly.
“If Zervos’s class turns out to be the bright spot in this semester, we’re in a lot of trouble,” said Lough in a disgruntled voice as we all filed out.
But I excused myself from the discussion that was sure to follow, because I wanted to find Keller. I’d barely seen him since we arrived, and with classes over for the day I figured he should have some free time.
I hurried to the boys’ suite, where Keller was staying with the rest of the Public males and Nolan. I was excited to see him. I knew their suite was just as rich and beautiful as ours, and a relaxing evening was just what I needed after a Zervos class.
As I reached the door I heard an argument taking place.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Keller’s voice demanded. I was shocked by his hostile tone; it was one I had never heard him use before. Whatever answer he received was inaudible to me.
“I don’t trust you. Did Sectar pay you to spy on us?” Keller’s voice again. His tone was filled with warning.
This time I heard the response. It was from Nolan, of all paranormals. “I don’t want any part of what Sectar has going on. That’s why I’m here.”
“You’re here to make sure all our questions are answered,” I heard Keller drawl.
I stepped around the doorway and peered inside. Nolan was cowering in a corner as Keller stood over him, glaring furiously. With Keller’s back to me, Nolan was the one who spotted me first. His eyes went wide and Keller spun around.
“Charlotte,” the fallen angel said, releasing Nolan instantly and striding toward me. “Is everything alright?”
“What are you doing?” I demanded, staring at him. Unlike the girls’ suite, the boys’ suite was a mixture of gold and earth tones, making Keller’s blue eyes look all the brighter.
Keller’s stride faltered.
“Nolan and I needed to have a little chat,” he said, scowling.
“Nolan helped Sip start the Sign of Six,” I said. “He’s trustworthy.”
Keller shook his head. “You’re too nice. He doesn’t deserve our trust. He has to earn it.”
“He did,” I countered, “by starting the Sign of Six.”
“You think it’s that easy?” Keller said, his brow knitted together. “It’s just like ‘poof,’ now they’re good paranormals. This is a life or death situation, Charlotte. Dove’s already dead.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, totally ignoring Nolan’s presence. “You think I don’t know that?” I said. “They just reminded us. Dirr. Professor Lambros. They’re all dead because of the Nocturns, I get it, but we can’t turn on each other. That’s exactly what the Nocturns want. The paranormal types are still so splintered that we might not be able to enact the Power of Five even if we do get all the artifacts together. My relationship with you, my friendship with Rake, all of that is to fight against the darkness. Even your parents don’t understand that.”
He stepped back from me, looking stricken. “They’re my family,” he said, his eyes filled with hurt. “They just want what’s best for me.”
“Which is to stay as far away from me as possible?” I said. “That’s great. They don’t hate other paranormal types at all.” If I was going to go partway, I thought, I might as well go all the way.
Nolan pushed away from the gold wallpaper. “Look, Keller has every right to question what I’m doing here.”
“No, he doesn’t,” I said harshly. “He has no right at all. He doesn’t trust you, but he should.” I was nearly shouting now, and I wasn’t even sure why.
Keller took a deep breath, as if he was about to argue, but instead he just threw up his hands and did something that I’d never seen him do before.
He walked out on me. He just walked right past me and didn’t even look at me. I watched him go, fighting back tears, very aware that Nolan was still standing there.
After the door closed behind Keller, Nolan said quietly, “You should leave here, Charlotte. I thought you weren’t supposed to be left alone?”
It was true. “Lough walked me here, but then when we heard Keller’s voice he went back to eat,” I whispered, feeling sick. I was lying, but Nolan would never know that.
“Well, thanks for being on my side,” said Nolan quietly. “I still want the Sign of Six to succeed. I’m just not sure that it’s in the cards anymore. I didn’t realize what we were really up against until I came back here.”
I stood staring sadly at the door that had just closed, but only for a few seconds. Then I heard screaming.
“CHARLOTTE,” Lisabelle’s voice screamed out to me, nearly making me stumble in its intensity. “CHARLOTTE?” The panic in her voice was in stark contrast to our beautiful surroundings.
Fear shot through me and I looked around wildly. Lisabelle sounded like she was in a complete blind panic. Nolan stood wide-eyed looking at me, his face going paler. We both dashed to the door and I peered around the door jamb.
Sip and Lisabelle came racing around the corner. Sip was in werewolf form, her haunches pumping, and Lisabelle looked like she was about to have a heart attack. Her black hair flew around her and her eyes were frantic. When she caught sight of me she skidded to a halt, looking at me as if she was seeing a ghost. Sip halted as well, her tail starting to wag as Lisabelle bent over and braced her hands on her kneels.
“What is going on?” I demanded, folding my arms across my chest to keep them from shaking. Dinner seemed to be over; I could hear other students coming. “You two are frightening me half to death.”
Lisabelle stood straight, pulling her hair back into a severe-looking ponytail. Even from where I stood I could see that her hands were shaking.
“Are you alright?” she asked through clenched teeth.
I nodded, my chest so tight it was hard to draw breath. “Explain what’s going on. I need to leave soon.”
Lisabelle looked at me sharply, her eyes filled with something I couldn’t read. “Where’s Keller?”
“He left,” I gritted out, barely managing to keep my lip from quivering as I said it.
“So, who are you here with?” she demanded, her eyes filled with panic. “Charlotte, I’ve told you and told you not to be alone! It’s not safe.”
I choked, feeling the prick of tears in my eyes. “Lisabelle, this whole acting like my mother thing is too much. I’m not alone, so just stop it.” It was the first time I had snapped at my friend.
Lisabelle gave a sharp, bitter laugh, but there was no humor in it. “I’d rather act like your mother and have you be safe than have you dead.”
“She’s here with me,” said Nolan, coming through the doorway into full view. It took a lot to stand up to Lisabelle when she was angry, and Nolan looked like he might collapse from the effort.
Sip, meanwhile, had transformed back into human form. Her worried eyes were trained on my face.
“He can be trusted,” Sip said to no one in particular, her voice shaking.
“It certainly seems to be a big topic of discussion,” said Nolan dryly, glancing at me.
Lisabelle waved him off. “Go away. Now.”
Nolan didn’t hesitate. He disappeared back into the guys’ suite and closed the heavy door. Sip and Lisabelle each came to either side of me.
“You better be prepared to stay up late,” I warned tiredly. My fight with Keller had taken a lot out of me. It’s hard to move around normally when your heart isn’t in it, because it’s with someone else. “I have a meeting, and if you aren’t going to leave me alone you’re going to have to come with me.”
“Meeting with who?” Lisabelle’s eyes narrowed as we started back to our suite.
“Kia asked to meet with me,” I said, throwing my hands up in the air. More mothering talk, just after I had told her to leave me alone. “I tol
d her I would tell you two about it, and she said she’d be glad if you two came along. What’s it to you?”
“Oh, I’m sure she won’t mind at all,” said Lisabelle casually. Something was obviously very wrong. I halted.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
“Kia,” said Lisabelle, turning to face me, “is dead. Murdered.”
Chapter Sixteen
After that we went back to our suite. I nearly ran. The only problem was that there was no privacy there. You couldn’t really have a conversation about darkness when you lived with Camilla Van Rothson. We had already made an agreement not to say anything in front of the blond pixie, not even so much as “How was your day?”
“They’re going to have a school-wide meeting about it soon,” said Sip quietly. “It’s just awful. Golden Falls doesn’t do murders.”
“How was she killed?” I asked, my heart clenching. I had spent years not even liking Kia, but she had saved Lisabelle when we were attacked, and I had been changing my mind about her as she moved away from her old associations. I had started to feel sick because of my fight with Keller, but now I really felt like my stomach might get rid of everything I had eaten recently. Kia was just my age, and now she was dead.
“You have to tell us what she wanted,” said Lisabelle fiercely. “It could mean the difference between life and death.”
“I didn’t know,” I said, despair choking me. “She was going to tell me tonight.”
When we reached our suite we were in luck; it was empty. Sip and Lisabelle had rushed to find me, but no one else was around.
“They don’t know how she was killed,” said Sip breathlessly, “or they aren’t saying.”
I frowned. “They don’t know?”
“That’s what Camilla was screaming,” said Lisabelle. “She came into the courtyard and just started screaming. According to Lough she ruined a perfectly good dinner.”
“There weren’t a lot of paranormals there,” said Sip, her voice still hushed. “Most of us were in our rooms or just getting out of class.”
Cold and sadness washed over me in waves. “Poor Kia.”
“She was really afraid of something,” said Sip, her brow puckered. “Whatever that something was is probably what killed her.”
“Now you really can’t be alone,” said Lisabelle warningly. “We’ve been gone from Public for a week and we’re down two.”
With both Dove and Kia dead I wondered if they’d recall us to Public. I voiced the thought to my friends, but Lisabelle didn’t think so.
“Do you think the rest of us are in danger?” Sip asked.
“We’ve always been in danger,” I pointed out.
Sip nodded, glancing out the window at the stunning view of the mountain and waterfall. “I mean, do you think what happened to Kia could happen to us?”
“I think we have to act like it could,” said Lisabelle. The door to our suite banged open, making us all jump. Vanni came rushing in. Her eyes were wide and terrified.
“Kia’s dead?” she cried, her eyes frantically darting around to each of us. “I want to go home. Like now. How awful! I miss my mom and dad.”
She disappeared into the bedroom she’d claimed as her own, the only one that had a private bathroom. She reappeared a few moments later.
“I’m leaving,” she said hurriedly, breathing like she’d just run from a demon. “I can’t take this anymore. I don’t care if I don’t graduate from college. Charlotte, tell Keller I’m sorry.” She was shaking so badly she could barely talk.
“You think if you leave you’re safe?” Lisabelle demanded, hands on hips. “You think that demons can’t get you outside Golden Falls?”
“You think demons did this?” Vanni asked, at least showing a little fight. “I don’t care what did it. I want to go home!”
“Exactly,” said Sip, “Do you really think they’re going to let you leave? It would show that Golden Falls can’t enforce peace.”
“If you have to enforce peace you already have a problem,” I murmured.
Vanni only paused for a second. “I’m going,” she stammered. “If anyone tries to stop me I’ll Contact my dad.”
Sip groaned.
“If you can get to a Stone,” said Lisabelle quietly.
But Vanni was past the point if listening. “I’m going back to Public, where things make sense,” she said. “I’ll tell them what’s going on. At least Professor Erikson will help.”
The door closed quietly behind her. Sip glowered.
Lisabelle rubbed her temples. “We’re dropping like flies.”
“Should we go back to the guys’ suite?” I asked, thinking I wanted to make sure our friends were alright.
Lisabelle shook her head. “We aren’t allowed to leave here, according to Zervos. The place is on lockdown. Besides, he’s with them. They should be fine. They don’t want girls coming to their rescue anyway.”
“Come on. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow Sectar’s going to speak to all of us. I want to be well-rested,” Sip said tiredly.
I barely slept that night; I just kept tossing and turning. It was hard to imagine that I would never see Kia alive again and that I was the last paranormal she had wanted to talk to.
The next morning dawned gray and cloudy. The brightness of Golden Falls felt subdued, and all the Public students moved around quietly. It was as if we were afraid that if we made too much noise, we’d disrupt a giant, sleeping serpent. By that time news of Kia had spread, and we were all in mourning. We might not all get along when we were at Public, but being away had brought us closer together.
“What are we doing here?” Lough wailed as we fell into step with the rest of the Public students. Sectar had called us all out to the front gate, and it was a relief to get outside. Golden Falls had felt claustrophobic since Kia’s death.
“We’re learning and growing,” said Lisabelle, with an edge to her voice.
“Learning how to die and growing in fear?” Lough sputtered. “It’s ridiculous. Kia just died. We should be in mourning and in class. If this place is so filled with light, how could they let this happen?”
“Can you get in touch with Dacer?” Sip whispered to me. It was something that had been on my mind. I wondered if Keller had been in touch with his aunt. He was her favorite, and I had a hard time believing she would accept not talking to him for months on end.
“I don’t know,” I whispered back. “I can try.”
“You should,” said Sip nervously. “I mean, I’m sure Golden Falls has Contacted him, but it would still be nice to know what he thinks.”
I agreed with her. “Ouch!” I cried, grabbing my hand and holding it to my chest. All of a sudden my ring was pulsing frantically.
Sip and Lisabelle both looked at their own rings.
“Oww,” said Sip, glaring at her finger.
“It’s a warning,” said Trafton thoughtfully, coming up to us, his light blue eyes filled with concern.
“What’s it warning us of?” I asked.
Trafton didn’t know.
We all came to a halt, but Zervos, who was leading us, did not. When he reached the double doors he turned around to glare at us.
“Are those made of solid gold?” I asked in wonder.
“Do you want me to answer honestly?” Trafton asked with a little smile on his lips.
Zervos marched back to us, fists clenched at his sides.
“You will move,” he muttered. “Let me be very clear. We are all walking through those doors, together. We will not disrespect our hosts or their ways. If your rings are pulsing, Golden Falls has a good reason for it.”
At first no one moved, then someone tapped me on the shoulder. I knew it was Keller, because I could sense his presence and I recognized his touch.
“I’ll go,” he said without looking at me. Marcus was following him. Once our two student chaperones were standing next to Zervos, the rest of us reluctantly followed. I could see Keller’s ring pulsing an
d wondered why he was agreeing to walk out into the courtyard. My blood had started to fizz as my ring grew hotter on my finger.
“If this is the end,” said Sip sweetly, “I just want you to know that it’s been swell, and Lisabelle, you have a horrible sense of home decor.”
I stifled a giggle.
“Says the girl who decorates in neon,” Lisabelle muttered.
Zervos threw open the double doors. A cold chill slammed into us, and I sucked air in through my teeth.
“Here goes nothing,” said Lough from behind me.
We followed Zervos out and down the steps. In front of us was a sea of gold. All the Golden Falls students turned to look at us. Their faces were somber. The only noise was the sound of our footsteps and the waterfall in the distance.
Standing in the center alone was Sectar, an apex of power in the massive square. Gold robes whipped around him in the cool air as he stood with his hands clasped in front of him and his head held high. His face was unreadable.
Sectar waited until we were all assembled in front of him. Even Zervos didn’t seem to know where to look or what to do. He just stood with us.
Silence ticked through the courtyard. Not one of the Golden Falls students moved. I saw Pearl, Jewel, and Devlin, each looking somber. At Public the student body had never been so quiet. We were growing into adulthood and we were allowed our little rebellions. I hadn’t realized how unique our situation was until I came here.
Finally, Sectar moved.
“It has come to my attention that one of yours has died while visiting Golden Falls,” said Sectar, his eyes two depthless pools. “I think it’s despicable of you to come here, as guests no less, and wreak such havoc on your hosts.” Sectar’s jaw was working and I could now see how upset he was.
The president’s representative started to pace in front of the sea of gold, but still no one else moved, including Zervos. I was growing more nervous by the second, realizing that Kia’s death had violated everything that Golden Falls purported to hold dear.
“We have given you every opportunity to learn and grow. We want this to be a place of learning and safety. We want those who come through our gates to be happy and safe. Instead, you allow petty fights amongst yourselves to get in the way of this institution’s functioning.”
Elemental Earth (Paranormal Public) Page 10