by W. J. May
A deep chuckle erupted from his throat. “Now you sound like my mother.”
Ohhh, I can’t resist this one. “I don’t think she wants to protect the same body parts I’m interested in.” She gave him a sly look, fighting back the urge to smile.
“Yuck!” He pretended to gag. “I hope not.”
Rae chuckled, despite her worry. “I don’t want any part of you getting hurt, or in danger. Your mother doesn’t know half of what this world is capable of–”
“Any more than you do. You’re sixteen, newly initiated and only beginning to grasp a hint of your talent. I can take care of myself, and I’ll take care of you as well. It’s my responsibility and my job now…though I can’t consider hanging out with you, work.” He grinned. The adorable dimple Rae loved appeared on his cheek. Yup, definitely missed that.
“Fine.” She breathed out through her nose, a calming technique she had learned long ago. She had just returned and didn’t want to argue. “You win.” She shifted in her seat, taking in his thin, muscular outline. He looked even more handsome since she had gotten off the plane. “Tell me more about the jobs you’ve done over the summer. It all sounds pretty cool.”
“The rush is amazing, and the pay, incredible. Bet I’ll be loaded before I’m twenty.”
Not if you spend money on cars like this.
Devon grinned, his thumbs tapping against the steering wheel. He talked the rest of the drive about the training he and Julian, their friend, had done over the summer.
Rae listened, fascinated, but also noticed he didn’t give specifics about anything. Either the jobs were a secret or he had just spent the summer training and there were no specifics to give. Hopefully it’s the latter of the two.
The motorway turned into a slip road and soon they were driving along the countryside, towards the familiar grounds of Guilder College.
The football fields were full of male students scrimmaging. The oriel windows on the old Tudor buildings were wide open, airing out the rooms in preparation for the arrival of the students who would live there for the next school year. The ivy on the red brick and wood danced in the wind, as though in anticipation. Rae could not wait to get to Aumbry House and to her dorm room. She wanted to see who had already arrived. Molly had e-mailed to say she would arrive the next day. Finally emerging from her own reverie, she realized her cheeks hurt because she had been grinning for a while.
“Happy to be back?” Devon teased.
“Maybe a little.” She shrugged and tried to act like she didn’t care, but the look on Devon’s face told her he didn’t buy it. “Okay, I’m very excited to be back.”
“You’re all right?” Devon tugged at his ear. “You know…with everything that happened… with Lanford, before the summer?”
Rae’s smile slipped and she turned silent, staring out the window as they drove under the bridge that connected the two round towers of the main building. She fought the sense of betrayal and fear that she had kept a lid on all summer long, determined not to think about it. I don’t want to feel like this. She tried to laugh, but it came out wrong, more like a harrumph. “You mean, the headmaster who fooled me into trusting him and let me believe he was on my side?” She didn’t wait for a reply and pointed at one of the towers they’d just passed. “Or do you mean the part where he trapped me in there and tried to force me to finish something my good-for-nothing father started? Or the part where he tried to shoot me and ended up slipping on ice and breaking his head?” She forced herself to stop talking, feeling a tide of emotion starting to well up inside her and fearing the consequences of letting it out.
Devon’s raised eyebrows and hanging mouth made her realize what she had just said.
She reached over and touched his leg. “I’m okay, honestly. I was trying to make a joke; and apparently, I failed. After everything I learned last year, I shouldn’t have let my guard down for anyone.” Tucking an escaped curl behind her ear again, she added, “Except for you, and Julian… and Molls.”
“You’ve just ranted like that, and then say you’re totally fine?” Devon’s voice carried nothing but gentle concern and the promise of support. She had missed him over the summer.
She sighed, pushing her shoulders back and sitting up straighter, mentally pulling herself up by the bootstraps. She needed to reassure Devon that everything was fine. Fake it ‘til you make it, right?
“I can still hear my father’s stupid voice in my head, but I’m going to be fine.” We are above mankind--above the law which rules over them. She dropped her head and squeezed her eyes shut tight for a moment forcing her father’s words out of her thoughts. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to get a job with the Privy Council, or act as some secret agent for the government, like you.” And make up for my father being the Hitler of the tatù world. Great job, being the daughter of the world’s evil genius.
Devon chuckled. “I think being away made you a bit crazy. How about you get that massive talent of yours under control before you decide to save the world? And for the record, that’s my job at the moment.” Devon grabbed her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.
“You can keep the job…for now. When I graduate, I’ll let you work with me.” She stuck her tongue out at him. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but he was right. My tatù ability is powerful and I barely know how to use it. I might be able to mimic other tatùs, but using them properly is the challenge.
“Thanks for the offer, but secretly dating you is all I can handle at the moment. I don’t know if I could handle working side by side day in and day out and pretend I didn’t have feelings for you.” Devon pulled into the parking area by Aumbry House. He jumped out of the car and opened Rae’s door before she unbuckled her seat belt.
Now that’s the kind a thing a girl likes to hear “Thanks. I–”
“Devon! Ms. Kerrigan!” A pleasant-sounding male voice shouted from across the parking lot, near the Refectory Hall. Rae turned and saw the new dean, Devon’s father, waving as he walked over.
“Hey, Dad.”
Devon stiffened and moved a few inches from her.
“Hello, Mr. Wardell. I mean, Dean Wardell. Congratulations on the new position.” She shifted her weight, making a conscious effort not to look at Devon.
Dean Wardell raised his eyebrows, his gaze shooting back and forth between them. He smiled and rubbed his hands together. “Glad you brought our star student back in one piece. I just wanted to say hello and let you know Headmaster Carter wants to speak with you both, as soon as you’ve unloaded Ms. Kerrigan’s suitcases.”
Rae nodded, still afraid to look at Devon. He had gotten his fennec fox tatù from his father so sharp eyes ran in the family. The last thing she and Devon needed was for anyone to guess at their relationship. Instead, she looked straight at his father. He looks uncomfortable. I must be making it obvious how hard I’m trying not to look at Devon. Have to think of something else. So Carter is staying around as headmaster? That’s…interesting…I guess. She felt her head tilt to the side as she tried to figure out her feelings about Carter’s continued presence on the campus. She had spent most of the previous year convinced he was the enemy, until he had come to rescue her from Lanford. The Dean seemed to relax as she pondered. Crisis averted.
“Julian’s looking for you, Devon. He’s in the room opposite yours. He arrived earlier today.” Dean Wardell turned and smiled purposefully at Rae before heading across the football pitches. “Have a nice afternoon.” Hmm…maybe not so much averted just yet.
Devon and Rae pulled her suitcases from the boot of the car. They walked towards Aumbry House.
“Is it going to be this awkward every time we’re in public together?” Rae whispered.
“I bloody hope not.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s probably ‘cause it’s my dad. he would kill me if he knew there was anything more going on between the two of us besides mentoring.”
My thoughts exactly. But we need positive reinforcement, not agreement on future mutua
l destruction. “You do have an excellent track record of being the faithful, obedient son. I doubt he’ll suspect a thing.” Rae nudged him with her elbow.
He bent forward towards her, but instinctively straightened up a second before Madame Elpis entered the main lobby.
“Welcome back, Ms. Kerrigan.” Madame Elpis smiled genuinely, her voice a pleasant, almost sing-song tone. “You’re the first here, so you can pick a room on the third floor. I’ll see you both at dinner.” Madame Elpis whistled as she strolled outdoors.
Rae’s eyebrows went up and her mouth hung open. She watched the tall, hawk-nosed, normally austere and perfunctory woman walk with a light skip down the path outside until she disappeared from sight.
It’s the twilight zone. I’m in the twilight zone. Any second now, I’m going to hear that theme music. “What the –?” Rae sputtered. Madame Elpis had been rigid with her strict demeanor the previous year, and her magpie-crow tatù suited her to a tee. She had always been “in the know” and quite cranky at the best of times. Now it seemed as if someone had switched her personality for a that of a happy little songbird.
Devon gently put his fingers on Rae’s chin and closed her mouth. He smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the lips. Rae closed her eyes to savor the feeling, Madame Elpis completely forgotten.
“She fell in love.” Devon pulled away. He grabbed two suitcases, dragging them towards the black and white marble staircase.
“She did, and she’s waiting for another kiss.” Rae puckered her lips, eyes still closed.
“Not you, silly. I’m talking about Madame Elpis.” Devon laughed from several feet away.
Rae opened her eyes, heat rising to her face. She grabbed the remaining case and ran to catch up with him. he had already gone halfway up the first set of stairs.
“Holy smokes, Rae. Is half of New York in these suitcases?”
She ignored his question. “Who’s the lucky, or not so lucky, guy?”
“Madame Elpis? Do you remember the English Professor from your first term?”
“Professor Lockheed?” Rae stared at him incredulously. She knew she and Devon were breaking the rules of the tatù world by dating but she simply could not imagine the ornery Madame Elpis stepping even one toe out of line.
“Yeah. Well, not him, but his brother Donald.”
“Donald?” Rae repeated then started smirking.
“What’s so funny?”
“Do you know Madame Elpis’ first name?”
“Not off the top of my head.”
“It’s Daisy.” She had to stop when they reached the first landing, she couldn’t stop laughing.
“I don’t get it.” Devon shifted his weight, one foot on the next set of stairs.
“Donald and Daisy.” She raised her eyebrows. “You know, on Disney? Donald Duck?”
Devon still seemed lost. “She’s got a magpie, not a duck.”
“I can’t believe you’ve never watched cartoons as a kid,” Rae muttered under her breath before following him up the next flight with her head down. She might as well keep quiet. How come no one ever gets my jokes? They’re not that bad. She brought her head up about to explain the joke.
What the—? She froze midstride, startled when a blurry picture began to flash behind her eyes. Small choking noises escaped as her breath caught in her throat. She squinted, trying to get a clearer glimpse of the fuzzy scene. She felt the handle of her suitcase slip from her hand but barely noticed it tumble down the stairs. This had never happened before. Could someone be trying to kill me? Or contact me?
Devon rushed to her side. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
She heard the fear in his voice but could not reply. She gave her head a slight shake and focused on the mental picture. The old dean, now new headmaster, Carter, paced in his office, his hand nervously running through his dark hair as he talked on the phone. Rae could not hear what he said, but the agitation in his body language worried her. The caller on the other end must not be giving him good news.
She blinked. As fast as the image had appeared, it disappeared. Dazed, she realized Devon had an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, gently shaking her shoulder with his free hand.
“Rae…Rae…Can you hear me? Kerrigan! What’s going on?” Alarm filled his voice.
Slowly she turned her head to focus on him. “Sorry. I’m okay. I—it—” She pressed her lips, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Then something clicked. “I had some vision-thing of Carter. That’s never happened before. Right out of the blue, it popped up. I saw him—just now—” She swallowed, wondering if it would happen again. Taking several deep breaths, she relaxed and let her shoulders drop. “I don’t know where I picked the tatù ability up. Not sure if it’s new or a development of another I already have. It was freaky.” She reached her hand around his neck and stroked her fingers through his hair. She had really missed him this summer, and now here he was. He smelled and felt so good. Focus girl, focus. “I didn’t expect it.”
His bright blue eyes stared deeply into hers. After a few moments, he released his hold on her waist and slowly stepped back.
She knew he was not convinced. “Honest, I’m fine. I’m not gonna pass out, or anything.” As she spoke, her mind replayed the mental picture of Carter. He had gotten his haircut, and almost appeared a bit younger.
“What did you see? Is Carter okay?”
“He seemed angry or upset, or maybe both.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember every detail, but it was like trying to remember the details of a dream. She could taste the fear from the vision but could not remember where it had come from. “I don’t know if the image is happening now, if it’s in the past or something that hasn’t happened yet. I don’t get it.”
“I got a bad feeling.” Devon shook his head, his forehead creasing with lines. “Let’s toss your suitcases in a room and go see him right away. Something’s going on, and I’m willing to bet it’s pretty important.” Quick as a flash, Devon ran down the stairs to grab the fallen suitcase and back up ahead of her before Rae could reply.
Chapter 2
Ghosts from the Past
After having dropped Rae’s things in her chosen room, they made a mad dash to the Oratory to find Carter. The formidable ancient building always took her breath away, not only because she enjoyed the tatù classes held there, but also the structure itself retained the aura of its former glory. However, today, the tall silhouette of the Tudor-built hall failed to brighten her mood. Rae never even bothered to look, concentrating on the cobblestones rushing beneath her feet leading up the steps to the main entrance.
Devon held open the large wooden door for her, and as she entered, a stale, musty scent filled her nostrils, leaving an acrid taste in her throat. She doubled over, fighting to catch her breath. Devon didn’t even appear winded. His fennec fox tatù gave him speed and agility. Why didn’t I think of mimicking his tatù when we bolted out of Aumbry House?
Heart rate back to a semi-normal speed, she walked with Devon into the grand room, and the temperature dropped several degrees, The black and white marble floor and incredibly high ceiling helped keep the room cool. Worried about the vision, she led the way towards the back of the Oratory, where the headmaster’s office nestled between the education classrooms. It had been Lanford’s office. I wonder if Carter’s changed it. “What do you think’s wrong?” Rae whispered, grabbing hold of Devon’s arm. What if it’s some trick? She had not trusted him for most of the previous year and it was hard not to be wary.
“Hopefully nothing.” He cleared his throat and knocked, shouting. “Carter! Headmaster, are you here?”
“Devon? I’ll be out in a minute.” Carter’s deep muffled voice came from behind the large oak door of his office.
Suddenly nervous, Rae shifted gears. “Let’s go back to the grand hall.” Rae pulled Devon back the way they’d come.
They waited. Both of them leaned against the oak walls. Rae stared at the intricate
woodcarvings on them. She felt strange being here when the room wasn’t full of students. She loved this room, but the quiet emptiness was unnerving. She straightened when Carter entered.
“Good. You made it back safely. Nice to see you both.” Carter wore his usual expensive-looking three-piece suit, but something about him had changed since she had seen him last. He was still tall and thin, but the suit fit him tighter. Or maybe he had just hidden it last year and she had never noticed his strength. He had definitely cut his hair. Well, that means the vision didn’t happen in the past. That just leaves the present and future. His large, dark eyes stared intently at her. “How was your summer, Rae?”
“No major catastrophes, but a lot of boredom.” She couldn’t read his face, and didn’t really know him well enough to be able to read his body language. He seems fine. She paused, catching a muscle twitch near his jawline. Or maybe not.
“Enjoy the tediousness while you can. Life will soon become busy, leaving little time for monotony.”
“Yes, sir.” She had no idea why someone would wish for a boring life.
Carter glanced around, tapping his thumb against his leg to some internal rhythm. “Rae, can you get us some chairs?”
Are you trying to see what I can do or still prejudice against females? Carter had been a total prick to women in general the previous year. It didn’t matter. He had something to tell them, and she intended to find out what it was. Using a levitation tatù and her fingers to direct them, she brought three chairs forward from against the back wall. The finger tapping paused while Carter waited for Devon and Rae to sit. He continued to stand.
“Has something happened?” Devon sat on the edge of his seat, his upper body pin straight. His tension wasn’t lost on Rae, though she didn’t know what to make of it.
“Nothing–yet.” Carter rested fists against his hips.
“Then, what’s going on?” Devon crossed his arms over his chest.