by M Guida
He gave me a hard stare. “You’re my daughter and—“
“She’s my daughter, too, Vincent.” Mom walked around the bed with her coffee cup. “And she’s Raven’s sister.”
She slipped her palm around the back of Dad’s neck.
“And?” His tone had softened.
She kissed him on the cheek. “I know you want to protect her, but you have to let her make up her own mind. If she wants to stay here, she can. If not, she comes with us. You can’t have her floating in limbo like this.”
Dad lowered his head. “She’s not as powerful as Raven. She could be killed. It’s not even her first month, and she’s already cursed.”
I grimaced at his doubt in me and swirled the slab of butter around on my pancakes. He wasn’t even giving me a chance to prove myself.
Mom slid her hand down his cheek. “No, she’s not as powerful. Not yet.”
Dad sighed heavily. “You think she should stay?”
I couldn’t stand it anymore and blurted, “She said it was my decision, Dad. I want to stay.” I refused to turn tail and run. Raven never did and neither would I.
Dad studied me, and then Mom. He glanced at Anton. “You will keep her safe?”
“You know the answer to that question,” Anton said with a smile. “In a few months, it will be time for the Academy Games. You could come back for a visit to check on her then, if you want.”
Dad sat on my bed. “Ebony, I don’t want you to think I don’t I believe in you. It’s just…I almost lost Raven in the wars. I couldn’t bear to lose you. You’re cursed because of me and I can’t live with that.”
“Oh, honey,” Mom said. “Anyone of us could have been cursed.”
I gave him a smile. “I’ll be fine, Dad. Anton and my friends will watch over me.”
He studied me again and I could practically hear the wheels grinding in his head. I held my breath, waiting for him to say something.
“I’ll allow you stay.” He held up a finger. “On one condition.”
I smiled and grabbed it playfully. “Anything.”
He laughed softly but then his eyes turned serious. “I want you to stay away from Gunnar and his dragon.”
I looked between him and Mom. “What? Seriously?”
“From what Dr. Greenwood said, Gunnar almost killed you by knocking that potion out of your hand, and as we have seen Hades can be extremely dangerous.”
“I can’t believe you’re asking me this.”
He folded his arms. “Those are my terms.”
Mom looked at me with understanding pity in her eyes. “Vincent, you’re not being reasonable.”
“Take it or leave it. That’s my final offer.”
If I tested him, he’d drag me out of Legacy by my hair, I knew it. He had me backed me into a corner, but all I had to do was say yes. It didn’t mean I actually had to do it.
“I’ll stay away from him.” I crossed my heart. “I promise.”
“Just in case you get any ideas about going back on your word, I’m going to have someone watching to make sure that you don’t.”
I tilted my head. “Anton?”
“No, Rusty Owens.”
My mouth dropped. Great, Rusty considered Gunnar still to be enemy number one and never really accepted that he’d changed his stripes. This wasn’t going to be good.
Chapter 9
A few days later, I finally got a get-out-of-jail-free card out of the medical ward, but my life wasn’t going to get much better. Mom and Dad both left, but not before my dad went through with appointing Rusty as my new body guard. What am I saying. Not a bodyguard, more like a jailer.
Still, I woke up pumped to go back to classes. I was so behind, thanks to being cursed or whatever it was. I got up early, being careful not to disturb Victoria, and quickly got ready for school. Rusty liked to sleep late, so hopefully, I would have time to digest what had happened and sneak some time with Gunnar.
I threw open the door to head to the cafeteria and all my hope instantly vanished.
Rusty sat on the steps, smoking a cigarette. He had covered his head with a blue bandana and his long red hair flared around his shoulder. Like always, he wore his sunglasses on top of his head. “God, your old man was right.” He smashed his cigarette on the steps and stood, towering over me. “You do get up at the crack of dawn.”
I brushed past him and waved my hand to get the smoke away. “You’re not supposed to be smoking on school grounds. It’s against school rules.”
He shrugged. “When have I ever followed the rules?”
“Then break them now. You don’t have to follow me around like a puppy dog.”
He narrowed his eye. “Not a puppy dog. Your worst nightmare, especially if you try to talk with Gunnar.”
I lifted up my chin and turned on my heel to head toward the cafeteria with Rusty hot on my tail. The cafeteria was warm and welcoming, and I inhaled the delicious smell of crackling bacon, frying eggs, and baking bread. I was so happy I could go through the cafeteria line and choose my own food. Dad had been generous with bringing me food every day, but it made me feel like a prisoner, having to eat whatever he had picked out for me.
I grabbed a tray and Rusty got one, too, but I ignored him and concentrated on picking out what I wanted. My mouth watered as I got a smothered egg and sausage burrito and steaming cup of coffee with cream.
I headed for the Royal table, hoping Gunnar would sit there, but Rusty blocked my path.
“Don’t even think about it.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Then where am I supposed to sit?”
“With me and my friends.”
Rusty sat with Kyle’s older brother, Evan, and the other older wolves. I would be odd man out. The only person I would know would be Evan, and I wasn’t even a wolf, I was a dragon.
Thanks a lot, Dad.
Luckily, his pack hadn’t arrived yet. I attacked my burrito. Rusty had gotten the same thing as me, along with a stack of pancakes. The cafeteria began to fill up and Gunnar walked in with Armond and Cadye.
Armond and Cadye both smiled at me, but Gunnar didn’t even look my way. I don’t know if it was because of Rusty, or if he was done with me. Too much drama for him, maybe? But God, he looked so damn good, like a delicious hot fudge sundae just begging to be licked. I missed him so much. I didn’t care what Dad said, I’d find a way to talk with him.
If only I could shift, I could ditch my shadow.
I was just finishing the last bites of my burrito when Armond and Gunnar got through the cafeteria line and sat at the Royal table. I wanted to jump up and go sit next to him, but unfortunately, Nora swanned over and plopped down next to him as if she owned him. The Royal table soon filled up with my friends, including Jaxon, Darius, and Kyle, and an emptiness overtook me. I swished a piece of bacon around aimlessly on my plate.
Some of Rusty’s pack, including Kyle’s older brother Evan, joined us. Evan was hotter than sin with his blond hair and greenish blues eyes.
He gave me his trademark dazzling smile, the one that turned girls’ insides to mush. “Hey, Ebony. Good to see you. Feeling better?”
“Yeah, I am. Just glad to get back to normal, you know?”
Behind him, I could see Gunnar get up.
Rusty clasped my wrist firmly but gently. “Where do you think you’re going?”
I shrugged innocently. “To take my tray to the dishwasher.”
“Dishwasher’s back here.” He pointed his finger down at the end of the table, but his gaze was on my friends. “No pit stops, little girl.”
I glared at him, wishing I could change him into stone.
“Do you understand me?”
“I get it.” I jerked my wrist free and walked away. I could feel Rusty’s eyes on me, but I squared my shoulders and headed for the dishwasher.
I turned and literally ran into Armond. I gasped and jumped, putting my hand over my thundering heart. “Armond. You scared me.”
“Hey, Ebony. Sorry, I
didn’t mean to.”
I threaded my shaking hand through my hair and smiled. “No, it’s okay. I just didn’t know anyone was behind me.”
“I have a message for you. Go out on your balcony at midnight.” He grinned. “Someone wants to talk with you.”
A flame of excitement flickered inside me. It was just like Romeo and Juliet. “Really?”
He tilted his head. “Don’t get too excited, you don’t want Rusty all over your ass.”
“I’ll be there.” I forced myself to remain calm.
Rusty came up with his tray and bumped his shoulder into Armond’s. “Costa.”
“Hey, Rusty.” Armond smiled. “So, I see you’re off guarding-my-butt duty and all over Ebony now.”
Rusty put his tray on the metal tray that led to the dishwasher. “I’ll always be watching you, but the Golden Phoenix gave me a special assignment—one I couldn’t refuse.”
“Lucky me.”
Rusty put his arm around my shoulder. “Not keeping any secrets from me, are you?”
I stiffened. “No.”
“Good.” He led me back to our table and quickened our pace as we passed the Royals.
I forced myself not to look at them, but all I could think of was tonight. My heart was doing a two-step. Gunnar wanted to see me.
Rusty escorted me to my first class and made sure I was sitting away from Gunnar. He needn’t have bothered, because Gunnar didn’t even look at me once and focused on Nora the whole time. Maybe Armond had been lying. Or maybe I was just assuming that Gunnar was who he was talking about. Well, I wouldn’t know until tonight.
After Supernatural History class, I headed toward Dragon Magick with Rusty at my side. I couldn’t stop the breakfast burrito from doing a rumba in my gut.
Rusty looked at me curiously. “Are you okay?”
I pushed my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I’m fine.” But I was far from it. What if the curse came back?
He studied me. “Bullshit. You’re as white as a sheet.”
“Okay, well, it’s just that last time—“
“Don’t worry. You're a badass. You’ll do fine.”
I nodded, wanting desperately to believe him.
"I’ll be back to pick you up.” He gave me a hard stare. “Wait for me.”
I thought about arguing with him, but what was the point? I don’t know why, but I almost wanted to call out to him to come in with me, but you didn’t act like you were scared shitless in front of Rusty. He had lived on the streets until he was sixteen.
I took a quivering breath and pulled my shoulders back.
Professor Tuamma greeted me. “Ebony, I’m so glad you’re back.” She escorted me over to the bleachers and to the red dragon row where Zayne was sitting. She put her hand on my shoulder. “I know you’re still having trouble shifting, but the Headmaster has asked that you have private lessons with Zayne to help you shift. You and Zayne will be here for the first part of class and then you will leave so he can help you learn to shift.”
Zayne grinned. “Just like Raven and Bo.” Despite his big smile, I could hear the sadness in his voice. He’d been close to Bo.
I sat next to him nervously. “Hey.”
He elbowed me playfully. “Are you nervous?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Victoria laughed. “Oh, look. Loser’s back.” She and her friends walked past us and took their seats behind us.
Zayne narrowed his eyes. “Shut up, Victoria.”
Victoria lost her smirk and pouted. “Zayne, I keep telling you, it’s Tory.” She looked as if she had tears in her eyes but quickly blinked them away.
He rolled his eyes and then stared straight ahead.
I could cut the tension between them with a knife.
Professor Tuamma stood in front of the room. “Now, class. I have promised you that we are going to learn how to use dragon magick. We’ve all learned to shift—“
“All except for one loser,” Victoria murmured under her breath.
Zayne leaned forward and mouthed something I didn’t catch. Whatever it was, Victoria buttoned her lip and hung her head.
Professor Tuamma clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Now, we will be having the dragon trials and you must pass the trials in order to participate in the Academy Games. Do you know what the first trials you must pass?”
No one raised their hand, but then Professor Tuamma looked at me. I avoided her gaze.
Don’t call on me. Don’t call on me. Don’t call on me.
“Ebony?” she asked softly.
I winced and slowly lifted my head. “Yes?”
She smiled sweetly. “Surely you know what the first trial is?”
“I think it’s changing the size of your dragon and controlling the heat of your fire.” My voice was so low I wasn’t sure she could hear me.
“That’s right. Very good. However, Ebony, since you are most likely a silver dragon, you could participate in transmutation instead. For those of you who don’t know, transmutation is changing into objects. Students from Goodie Academy will be coming to the games and they will know how to do transmutation. It would be wonderful if one of our students would know how, as well.”
I tensed and sat straighter on the bleacher.
Great, just great. No pressure there at all.
Victoria raised her hand. “What are the other competitions?”
“A very good question. There will be magick, of course, supernatural speed, fire, firearms, and transmutation. Those who excel will be eligible to participate in the forest hunt where you must use the abilities you’ve learned to find the First Stone.”
A bunch of hands went up in the air.
She laughed. “Calm down, calm down. The First Stone was the first magic stone and the academy who won the previous Games possesses it. Currently the vampire Red Rose Academy has it.”
Zayne lifted up his fist and blurted, “We’re going to steal it from them.”
Someone else yelled, “Yeah, we’ve got Ebony. She’s gonna kick ass like her sister did.”
“Yeah,” someone else chimed in. “She’s our secret weapon.”
Everyone clapped and cheered. Everyone except me. I wasn’t Raven. I couldn’t even shift. How was I going to be their champion?
Chapter 10
“Now class, I want you to get into pairs and spread out on the floor.” Professor Tuamma motioned with her hands.
Zayne patted my thigh. “Come on, you’re my partner.”
I reluctantly followed him. Victoria bumped into me and whispered, “Bitch.”
Zayne clasped my arm. “Did Victoria say something to you?”
“Forget it, Zayne.” I brushed past him.
Zayne gave Victoria a hard glare and she grabbed one of her friends and headed away from us. Her face was flushed and she avoided looking in our direction.
“Now, I want each of you to face your partner and shift,” Professor Tuamma said. “Then I want you to call upon your dragon and think of getting bigger or smaller.”
My heart thundered and beads of sweat broke out across my forehead. Dread gripped my insides like an iron fist.
Zayne grinned and clasped my hand squeezing gently. “You’ll shift this time.” He winked. “I can feel it.”
I hoped he was right, but I didn’t feel any different. We all stripped down like we always did and I stared at Zayne in all his glory. He was devilishly handsome and built and I wished I wanted something more from him, but all I could think about was Gunnar. Why was I attracted to the forbidden fruit? It would be so much easier if I wasn’t.
Professor Tuamma clapped her hands. “Now, shift.”
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
Please, please dragon. Come forth. I need you
Raven always said she felt tingles moving over her when she shifted, but I felt nothing. I reluctantly opened my eyes, and once again, I was standing naked, feeling like an idiot, in a room full of dragons.
Professor Tuamma
touched me softly on the back. “You can get dressed, Ebony. Without being in dragon form, I don’t think you can do transmutation.” She gave me a sad smile that made me feel like a total failure.
I sighed heavily and started to get dressed.
“Now, class, I want you to make yourself smaller or bigger.”
Zayne grew in size until he was almost as big as a Mac Truck. Others got bigger, but not as big as Zayne. But some of the others diminished in size.
I bit my lip, not willing to give up quiet yet. Closing my eyes, I called upon my dragon one more time, hoping against hope.
Please, please let me change
Suddenly, tingles swept over me like a winter breeze, swirling all around me. My body felt strange as if I was weightless. It was as if I was floating on air and drifting up and up and up, and I was cold, but for some reason, I wasn’t trembling.
Even with my eyes closed, I could see all the red, blue, and green dragons moving around the room in my mind’s eyes and Professor Tuamma with a shocked look on her face. It was as if I were in a dream. Had I fallen asleep? What was happening?
“Oh, my.” Her eyes widened and she put her hand on her chest. “Ebony, you’ve…you’ve mutated.” Her voice was so excited that it broke the spell.
I fell from the ceiling fast, landing on my naked ass. I opened my eyes. “I did? What was I?”
“It was wonderful.” She hugged me. “You were a shimmering silver fog. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Really?” I frowned. “But I didn’t shift. No bones or muscles changed. I don’t understand.” I was still naked as a jaybird.
“I don’t either.” She rubbed my back. “But I think this means your dragon will soon make an appearance. You just need to keep trying.”
For the first time in this class, I smiled. I had done something right. No one else in the class had transformed into another object, not even Zayne. I could hardly wait to tell Gunnar.
After class, I walked out with Zayne, only to run into Rusty who was leaning against the wall, waiting for me. He ran his gaze over me. “You look like you’re in a better mood. Did you shift?”
“Not into a dragon,” Zayne blurted before I could say anything. “But into fog. She did it for a whole minute.”