by Tarah Scott
The following morning, I quicken my pace along the walkway and duck against the bitter wind that blows from whatever cold hell exists in the farthest reaches of the north. The air smells like snow, though I’m sure it’s too cold to snow. The Watchman at my side matches my stride, and I’m getting the usual stares from other students, but don’t care. Blade’s words kept me up all night and still ring in memory.
“I’m the one who investigated Miriam.”
The sense of betrayal, fear and downright fury have my insides tied into a knot even Grams wouldn’t be able to unravel, like those impossible knots in my shoestrings she dissected when I was a kid. Blade’s treachery is made worse because he waited until we were bound by a blood pact before admitting that he’s Grams’ accuser.
An accuser who might be right, that persistent voice in my head whispers.
An accuser who hid his identity from me and made me—
My thoughts come to a screeching halt. Oh, no. There is no fucking way I am going there. I do not have feelings for Blade. And if I did, he killed them by lying to me.
That big ass crater in Grams’ house isn’t Blade’s doing. Then, again, maybe it is. Who says The Three didn’t set up Grams? If they lied about finding Shadows in her house, they could easily lie about this.
But they’re not lying, and I know it—at least not about Grams making that hole. There might not be a trace of Grams’ physical body, but her energy lingers around that fucking hole.
What the hell were you up to, Grams?
A barely detectable movement in my jacket’s front pocket snags my attention. I didn’t have to coax Stony into taking the shape of a mouse. Well, this morning, that is. Last night, she was her usual piggy self when she took over my bed. I spent the night glad for her comforting snore.
For the thousandth time, my eyes burn with the need to cry. I can try to lie to myself that I’d be crying out of joy of having Stony back, but the flood of tears I’m working hard to dam are all on Blade’s head. Had I known the truth, there is no way I would have made a blood pact with The Three. They all knew Blade was Grams’ accuser yet kept quiet.
The blood pact.
God, what a mistake.
At least, the dragon’s sigil is gone. The natural thrum of magic I’ve known my whole life flows through me. But the warmth of dragon magic hovers like a specter on the edge of consciousness. The dragon, no doubt, purposely left some magic behind. The first chance I get, I’m going to demand he remove the remnants of his magic. I don’t need him. I don’t need any of them.
I choke back a laugh. Hard as it is to believe, Raith has been the most honest of The Three. He doesn’t like me and never pretended otherwise. Except last night. I’m sure I sensed fear and even a little tenderness when he demanded I comply with his safety measures.
I blow out a frustrated breath. The Watchman looks my way, but I ignore him as we reach Leeds Hall and hurry up the four steps to the main entrance. Warmth washes across my face as we enter the building. In the hallway, I receive the usual stares as students part like the Red Sea so the Watchman and I can pass. Fuck them. I’ve got Stony. I gently pat my pocket and am sure I feel her wiggle as I near the newly reopened Potions class.
I’ve been assigned to the advanced class. No surprise there. I’m a Crowe, after all, a detail not lost on anyone as I step through the door. Heads turn. Whispers float through the room. I catch sight of shelves lined with jars and I’m swept back to my first day at school when Ethan found me here. God, I can almost feel his cock pressed against my ass. He’d been so hard.
A girl doesn’t needs dragons when she has a pig?
I mentally grimace. That might be going just a little too far.
I glimpse a narrow-eyed glance a girl shoots my way. What had made me think I would find any welcome at The Academy? Given that everyone believes Grams was practicing Shadow magic, can I blame them? Why would they think I’m any different?
Am I different? I have Grams’ spell book, a spell book that might contain Shadow magic. I had intended to get the book to give up its secrets immediately after Stony and I returned to my room, but hadn’t had the energy. I haven’t even told Stony about the book.
My heart skips a beat. I’m withholding important information. Does that make me the same as Blade? Will Stony think I’ve betrayed her? Will The Three think I’ve betrayed them? What if the book does contain Shadow magic? I think about Eddy Hanks. Oh God, what if I am like Grams?
I reach the last row of desks and notice Thomas leaning against a small wooden worktable. He says nothing…well, verbally, anyway. His eyes spit fire.
Eddy Hanks, my inner voice whispers. Shame warms my face. I break eye contact with Thomas and drop into the desk seat as the door opens and Headmaster Domini enters, quite suave in a white, button-down shirt and navy slacks. That’s right. He’s a Master of Potions, but I hadn’t realized he actively taught. He leans against the table at the head of the class, crosses his arms, and begins a talking about basic herb potions.
Ten minutes later, I conclude that Grams could have magicked circles around Domini. As advanced as this class is, it’s still beneath my level. I’d learned everything in this current lesson by age eleven, but I don’t mind the refresher course. The headmaster is easy on the eyes and something about his voice is mesmerizing, like the roll of waves on a beach. I slump in my seat and relax, wishing I could sleep with my eyes open.
Near the end of class, there’s a pop quiz. I pass with flying colors even though my thoughts wandered during the lecture. I shuffle out, ignoring the wide berth other students give me.
While I lived with Grams, I was a typical kid. I laugh at myself. Well, maybe not typical, but more average than I became on the streets. Oddly, the nearly fifteen years spent with Grams seems like a dream compared to my homeless years. I don’t remember what it feels like to be a part of society. Margidda’s underworld. Abaddon, is a dark place. Even there, I operated under the radar by steering clear of the big dogs and by staying small. Except for Eddy Hanks. I guess there’s good reason for my being accustomed to being on the outside. Still, it hurts that the students so easily swallow Thomas and Ariel’s lies about me. Are they lies?
I leave the classroom and the Watchman falls into step alongside me. I’ve got a two-hour break before martial arts class. A shiver ripples through me. At least, martial arts is outside—away from spears mounted on walls. A lighter shiver prickles across my arms, only this one isn’t remembered fear. I look left and spot Blade striding toward me from the walkway leading to Penncarrow Hall. Before I can halt the reaction, my pulse quickens.
I’m ashamed to admit that I’m not sure if my reaction is because Blade is just so damned beautiful dressed in jeans and a leather bomber jacket or if it’s the blood pact connection. A group of young female students wave to him and giggle when he smiles at them as he passes.
He reaches us and nods to the Watchman. “Thanks, Joseph. I’ll walk Leilah to her dorm.”
“No need to bother,” I say, and keep walking.
The Watchman hesitates and Blade adds, “Why don’t you wait for us at her dorm?”
Joseph—I’m ashamed to admit, I never asked his name—nods and strides on ahead of us.
I want to shout for Blade to go away. I want to punch his jaw so hard he feels pain clear down to his balls. I want to run away and never see him. But there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to fuel the rumor mill. Not about this.
“That man is the size of a troll,” I say in a conversational tone. I keep my gaze straight, but I’m aware of Blade’s glance.
“That’s common for the Watchmen,” he says. “They’re like the knights of old, large, skilled and fearless.”
“I had a crush on one when I was thirteen.” I lengthen my stride. “He wasn’t as large as Joseph, but he was huge.” I recall the man. Tall, dark and very handsome. He had kind eyes. “At least, my thirteen-year-old self thought he was huge. I was only five feet tall at the time. He had to be
six five.”
Blade angles his head in my direction and says, “You like tall men, do you?”
A tremor ripples through my stomach. I hate myself for still finding him attractive. That voice. God.
Something white lands on my eyelash. I blink. A snowflake. Another, larger one, lands on my eyelash. Blade grasps my arm and pulls me to a stop. I freeze when he cups the side of my face and brushes a thumb across the eyelash that the snowflake clings to. Two male students approach, but my legs don’t obey my command to start walking.
Blade’s gaze lingers on my face, not on my eyes. “It’s snowing.”
I nod. The tenderness in his voice startles me. God, his eyes are so blue.
“Did you know who I was when you first met me?” I ask.
He blinks and his hand drops away from my cheek. He steps back. I sway slightly at the loss of warmth that had cocooned us.
“You did.” Pain tightens like a vice around my heart. I’m a complete idiot.
Blade motions with his head in the direction we were headed. “I’d better get you to your dorm. The snow is starting to come down pretty hard.”
I realize he’s right. Snow is falling in big, thick flakes that promise a winter wonderland in the next couple hours. So much for practice outside. It looks like class will take place in that damn practice gym.
We reach Penncarrow Hall and I brush past Blade, hoping he won’t follow me inside. Of course, he does. We climb the stairs to my floor, where the Watchman stands guard, and continue past him to my room. I open the door and turn to close it.
“If I could prove Miriam’s innocence, I would defend to the death,” he says.
I meet his gaze. “That wouldn’t serve the Illumina, now, would it?”
“I’ve been accused of many things, but nothing quite so dastardly as to convict an innocent woman.”
“How sweet,” I say. “I’m your first.”
Hurt appears in his eyes. I should feel bad. I should demand to know why he kept the truth from me. I should explain that deceit is the one thing I can’t abide—that, and the willingness to sacrifice another person for one’s own ends. But there’s not the tiniest part of me that wants to do any of those things. So, I just close the door.
Chapter Forty
LEILAH
If at first you don’t succeed…
Stony has her doubts about me using magic to decipher Grams’ spell book while on Academy grounds but, at my insistence that I will proceed with or without her help, she agrees to stand guard. She snorts from her position in front of the door.
I open the cover of the book on my desk. “I’ll be careful.”
I lift my wand and angle the point so that it’s nearly touching the first page and chant:
Words on these pages
Verses in this book
Decipher me your riddles
Your wisdom shall be mine
Wind gusts with a force that drives me backwards. Stony’s squeal mingles with the howl of wind. My hair whips around my face.
I grip the wand with both hands and point it at the book. “Wind, be gone!”
The wind cuts off and I stumble forward, but catch myself before crashing into the chair. Stony is at my side, snorting loudly.
I spit out a tiny strand of hair. “I know, I know,” I say. “Too much magic.”
I snatch up the book. Foreign words still fill the pages.
“Dammit,” I mutter. “Maybe if I put a shield around the book and amp up the spell.”
Stony squeals loudly. I look at her and frown. She’s right. If I overdo the magic on Academy grounds, that is sure to set off alarms.
“There’s no way The Three are going to grant me permission to leave school grounds until they figure out who tried to kill me,” I tell her. “I can’t wait. I have to see what’s in the book.”
“Decipher one or two pages,” she snorts in piggy English.
I lift my brows. “Speaking English, now?”
She snorts, again, this time piggy snorts, but I know the look. Don’t be a smarty pants.
I return my attention to the book. “A few pages… You think that’s enough to get an idea of what’s in here?”
She snorts.
“No, I don’t want anyone to know I have the book.” I release a breath. “I guess it’ll have to be enough.”
A knock sounds on the door. I lunge for the book and shove it inside the top drawer.
“Who is it?” I call.
“Open the door, please.”
Shit, it’s Ariel.
“What do you want?” I call.
“We heard noises. Open the door, please.”
The word ‘please’ is emphasized in a way I interpret, open the door before I huff and I puff and I blow your house down. If I didn’t have Grams’ spell book, I would double dog dare little Ariel to try. But not tonight. I cross to the room and open the door.
Ariel pushes past me into the room.
“Uh, most people ask permission before entering someone’s room,” I say.
She scans the room. “Someone reported noise from this room.”
“Am I supposed to not make noise?” I ask.
Ariel whirls on me. “Unusual noise.”
“Like a pig snorting?” I nod at Stony, who’s sitting on her butt staring up at Ariel.
Ariel curls her lip and looks at Stony. “So, that’s the pig.”
Stony snorts.
Ariel’s eyes narrow. “Careful, piggy. I happen to like bacon.”
I take two quick steps, so that Ariel’s nose is level with my chin. Her head snaps up and I stare down at her. “Don’t you ever threaten my familiar.”
Her pupils dilate but, to my surprise, she doesn’t back down. “Make sure your familiar stays out of my way.”
I give a low laugh. “I suggest you stay out of her way. And, for the record, right now, you’re in my way.”
Ariel stares for several heartbeats, then spins and walks to the door, Stony trotting along behind. Ariel steps into the hallway, then looks over her shoulder and says, “Anymore unusual noises and I’ll—”
Stony pushes the door shut with her snout.
“That’s gonna cost us,” I say.
Stony tosses her head and says, “Too hot tonight.”
I hesitate.
She snorts and I snap my gaze onto her.
“Truth is, we don’t know I’m not like Grams,” I say.
“I know,” she says in as plain an English as I’ve ever heard her use.
I grimace. “Yeah, well, you’re not always right.”
Chapter Forty-One
LEILAH
Lessons
Overhead, geese too stubborn to have flown south when winter set in a month ago, honk against a cold wind. Two days have passed since the blood pact and I’m headed to Raith’s for my first Friday night lesson, the Watchman, Joseph, at my side.
The curiosity I’d felt at the prospect of seeing what Raith has in store for me is gone. I haven’t seen the vampire since we picked up Stony that night, and I would be glad never to set eyes on him again. He has maintained that Grams killed herself while practicing Shadow magic. That, as they say, is that. How naive I’d been to think I could get information from him. Then again, a blood pact with one of the oldest vampires alive hadn’t been part of my plans, either.
Gooseflesh skims atop my arms. The Three have been pointedly silent about the way the ritual ended. But we all know something unusual happened. No ordinary wind snatched the contract from Blade’s hand and blew it outside the circle.
I didn’t tell them about my dream—and don’t plan to tell them anything in the future. I did tell Stony what happened, and she didn’t like the weirdness any more than I do. That’s why she insisted on sticking with me today. The weird dream had to be due to the blood pact. I straighten. Wait a minute. Might I be able to use lucid dreaming to capture elusive dreams?
A prickle of fear tingles my spine. Can I afford for the connection among the
four of us to be brought into sharper view? My pulse quickens. Blade isn’t one of the young wolf bikers I dated in Chicago. If I get too close to the Fae… I’m not sure just what will happen. Given the way Ethan touched me that first day in school, he—
He hasn’t made another overture since that day, I realize. The other woman he mentioned to Miss Mack must be the reason why. I blow a strand of hair that’s escaped its ponytail and fallen across my eyes. Ethan sure as hell didn’t hold back that day. Why, if he had someone else, did he come on so strong? God, men love to talk about how deceitful women are, but men are so without honor. Unless… Maybe the someone came into his life after that day? I jam my hands into my hoodie pockets. Good, it’s not like I care about the three of them.
The three of them?
When did I say I wanted Raith?
Just what the fuck are my plans? I made a blood pact that will keep me here for six months. Can I stand to see them every day, knowing they hid the truth from me? A thought occurs. The blood pact demands I ask permission to leave. I made no promise to stay if they refused that permission. Is that a loophole I can really use?
I spot Chelsea, the young girl I sparred with the day I met Raith. She’s with two male students at least four or five years older than herself, all of them walking toward us. As the students approach, Watchman Joseph steps up to my side the students will pass. I shoot him a you’ve got to be kidding look, but he ignores me. I swear, the guy’s a sphinx.
Chelsea watches me from the corner of her eye. The dumb kid probably doesn’t realize I know she’s watching me. They pass and I wonder if The Academy allows underage students to fraternize with older students. So far, I haven’t noticed a great deal of fraternizing. Then again, I haven’t been included in a damn thing. Not even by Fran. As if summoned, Fran emerges from a path to our left, waves, and hurries to catch up with us. The Watchman tenses.
“Relax,” I say. “I know her.”
He doesn’t reply, but his hand casually rests on what looks like a small pepper spray can on his belt.
Fran reaches us, spares a glance for the Watchman, then says, “Some of us are going to Silwood Hall for a party. Want to come?”