For a moment, I just stood there reveling in the heat of his skin against mine. My eyes fell shut. Everything else disappeared except for the heavy beating of our hearts. I took a deep breath to soak in his Christmassy scent. His fingers tightened on mine. Unable to stop myself, I leaned forward and pressed my face to his chest. His skin was burning hot, scorching my cheek. I frowned and pulled back—and my gaze landed on that glowing white mark on his chest.
My heart sank. My stomach rolled. Chills filled my veins, turning my body into a giant block of ice. Bitter cold seeped deep inside me, into my very soul. All I could do was stare. I’d forgotten. Somehow…for those few minutes…I’d forgotten.
Jackson had a soulmate, and it wasn’t me.
I couldn’t have him. I wasn’t supposed to hold him like this, to touch him like this. My kiss wasn’t the one he wanted, the one that was meant for him.
Oh my God. I’m Julian. I leapt away from him, my back slamming into a wall.
Hurt flashed across his beautiful face. He stepped toward me with his hand out. “Bettina, what’s wrong?”
Tears filled my eyes. I shook my head and pointed to his chest. He frowned and looked down—and then his face fell. A wave of cold energy slammed into me. He opened his mouth then shut it again.
I can’t do this. To him. To me. To whoever the lucky girl is. Had Timothy somehow known what was coming? Had he heard from the Hierophant about Jackson’s future? Maybe that was why he’d told me his story. Perhaps I was supposed to learn from Julian’s mistakes. Or maybe it was a complete and horrible coincidence, but I was going to learn from it. I had feelings for Jackson, more than I dared to even think about, and I wanted him to be happy. Even if it couldn’t be with me.
More importantly, I wanted me to be happy. I deserved that. I was never going to be his. The universe had spoken. There was no point in not listening. His soulmate might not have been present, but she would be some day.. I had to let him go…for both our sake’s.
I shook my head and turned, then sprinted for the stairs. I didn’t look back at him. It was time to get over Jackson for good. I just needed to make myself get over him. Fake it till I make it. Cooper’s face flashed in my mind, and a game plan started to form. Cooper was hot and a nice guy. My best friend’s brother. I was going to try and like him. I had nothing to lose…because I feared my heart was already lost to the boy downstairs.
Chapter Forty-Two
Jackson
I climbed the steps to the library while that nagging voice in my head screamed that I wasn’t supposed to be out here. I wasn’t. I knew that. But there was absolutely no bloody chance I was sitting in my dorm room tonight…alone.
I’d been struggling to be in there at all since we came back from the Old Lands without Warner. Every time I saw his empty bed, it was like someone had stuck a knife in my back and twisted it. I’d failed him. All the years he’d supported me, stood by my side, was the brother I never had…and I’d failed him right when it mattered most.
Sleeping in that room was actual, literal torture. I needed a distraction, and a library was full of all different kinds.
I reached out to grab the handle of the door when I caught sight of my reflection. My feet froze and my eyes locked on the bright, shining white mark on my chest sparkling back at me from the glass. It taunted me. It was assault to my heart. Then I saw Bettina’s face in my mind, her expression when we both realized she wasn’t meant to be mine.
A few minutes ago, in the common room of our dorm, I’d forgotten for a moment. I’d forgotten that the universe had spoken and claimed me for someone else. In those few seconds, I cherished the heat of her skin and the soft scent of wildflowers in the morning. My fingers twitched like they, too, missed her. It was bloody rubbish, and there was nothing I could do about it. I wondered if this pain would go away, if I’d ever be able to look at her and not long for her.
I cursed and yanked the library door open. Inside it was almost dark, only a few flickering candles providing any light. It was late, close to midnight. The library wasn’t a hot spot for students at this time. Which was perfect for me. I didn’t need witnesses that I’d directly disobeyed the Emperor’s orders. I didn’t linger in the main lobby area just in case there was a student or two. Besides, that area wasn’t my goal.
Kenneth had always told me I was welcome in his place at any time. He’d said I never needed to ask. I simply needed to show up. He’d said it didn’t even matter if he was there. His library was open for me at any time, for any reason. He’d known about Michael. He and I had spent countless hours talking about it. Yet that wasn’t why I was here. Michael was always on my mind—how could he not be?—but tonight I needed information on something I’d never thought I’d need.
Soulmates.
I turned the corner—and slid to a stop. I gasped. My heart caught in my throat. On the narrow stairway that led to Kenneth’s place, there was a guy lying on the steps. He was a friend of mine from the Pentacles Suit. And he was sprawled out like he was waiting for me.
“Hey, David, what are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer.
I took a step forward, and the wooden floor creaked under my weight.
David didn’t move.
“David? You all right?”
I kicked his foot lightly, and he slid down a step. His head bobbed. And then it clicked. My pulse skipped. Oh Goddess. My stomach turned. I leapt forward and pressed my fingers to his throat even though I knew the answer before I touched him. His eyes were glazed over and unmoving. His chest didn’t rise and fall from his breathing. I pushed harder against his skin. C’mon! Give me a pulse!
But there wasn’t one. He was dead. His skin was ice cold…and gray, like someone had painted him that color. It was like looking at someone in a black and white photo. I frowned and pulled my arm back. I’d seen dead bodies before, especially recently with the demons attacking the border. I saw Timothy’s for a moment before Joseph snatched it away. But David…didn’t look normal. He was actually gray, a medium-to-dark gray, like a shadow had passed over—
I gasped. A shadow.
I jumped back to my feet and spun around. But there was no one in sight. I didn’t feel anything, any kind of aura or presence. The candles flickered against the wall. There wasn’t anywhere for someone to hide. Unless they’re in Kenneth’s— What am I bloody saying? This isn’t a someone. This is a something.
Whatever those shadow creatures were, they weren’t human. I crouched down next to David and searched again for a pulse. My heart sank. It was futile, I knew that. Damn it, David. C’mon, give me something. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. He was gone.
I pulled my phone out and dialed, then held it to my ear. When I’d left my dorm, I knew there was a chance I’d get busted for breaking Tennessee’s order…but I never expected I’d be outing myself.
There was a click, and then Constance said, “Jackson? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“David Cornel is dead,” I heard myself say in a flat voice.
Constance gasped. “What? He’s dead? How? Are you sure?”
I stumbled away until my back hit the wall. My legs gave out, and I crashed to the ground. “He’s gray. No pulse.” I groaned and hung my head.
There was whispering and muffled noises, and then Tennessee’s deep voice said, “Where are you?”
Where I’m not supposed to be. “At the base of the stairs to Kenneth’s place.”
“Don’t move.”
This time, I listened to his orders. Less than a minute later, there was a flash of light, and then The Coven filled the hallway. Tennessee’s mismatched eyes were wild and furious as he looked at David’s body. He prowled forward but didn’t go to the body. He stood beside me with his hand resting on the hilt of his long black sword.
The rest of The Coven filed in and crowded David’s body, blocking him from my sight. I had no idea what they were doing or looking for. I couldn’t even hear the words they whispered. I was done.
It was all too much for me to handle. So I just sat there and waited for them to address me. My mind was just blank.
Finally, they parted. Kessler emerged with David draped in his arms.
He sighed and shook his head. “Let’s get him to Mona, see if she can figure out what happened here.”
Tegan frowned and grabbed her uncle’s arm. “Everyone come close, please.”
Tennessee held his hand out and helped me to my feet, then nodded once. Something told me this guy knew what I was going through. I was so wrapped up in my head that I didn’t even notice Tegan had portaled us until I heard a squeal from a woman.
“Kessler! Who is— David.” Mona ran toward us. She immediately pressed her fingers to his throat and cried, “Oh no.”
Katherine, the Lead Healer from Tampa, ran up behind her. She took one look at him and cursed. She went over and looked into his eyes then shook her head. “Just like Erin.”
My heart stopped. “What? Erin? Is she… Did she—”
“No, no. She’s still alive. I’m sorry.” Katherine groaned and tied her auburn hair up on her head. “But she’s not far from this.”
I sighed with relief. Erin couldn’t… We couldn’t lose her, too.
“They look identical.” Mona looked up, and her purplish-brown eyes were sad and worried. “I assume you brought him here so we could…investigate?”
Tennessee nodded. “Yes. We need to figure out how he died.”
“Come with me,” Mona whispered.
She turned and gestured for us to follow. Katherine was right on her heels. The two healers led us to the back of the infirmary and through closed doors until we were in what looked like a morgue. It didn’t look much different than the human ones on television, except it was littered with plants, potion bottles, and candles. Mona tapped on a table then stepped aside. Kessler followed and laid David out. Mona squeezed Kessler’s arm, and I looked away.
Katherine slid rubber gloves on and stared at David’s lifeless body. “I’m not sure how much we’ll be able to tell you. We don’t really know what we’re dealing with.”
“Neither do we.”
“I was just telling Mona that these witches in here with the flu were acting a lot like Erin.” Katherine turned to us with serious eyes. “I think we’re looking at the same cause.”
“Joseph,” I heard myself whisper.
“Great, now he’s coming indoors?” Easton shook his head. “I’m not sleeping tonight.”
“Actually, I’m not so sure it happened inside.” Tegan walked forward with a book open in her hands. Pages flipped without her touching them. She stopped and looked up. “You said he looks like Erin does, right? But whatever they were trying to do to her was interrupted by Jackson and Bettina. Remember?”
My eyes widened. “She’s right. Those shadow creatures snatched Erin. When we found her, it was hovering over her and Trey.”
“Right, but your arrival scared it off.” She closed the book, then it vanished in a cloud of golden mist. “I’m thinking that it tried to grab David but somehow got spooked and bolted.”
Chutney frowned. “Why didn’t he go to the infirmary?”
“That’s a damn good question.” Tennessee sighed and scrubbed his face.
“Mona and I will get to work.” Katherine moved closer to David’s body. “But keep your eyes open in there. Anything you can tell me might help to heal Erin and the others.”
“Does anyone else find all this, with Joseph and Bettina, suspicious?” Deacon glanced around the group. “Or is it just me?”
Royce shook his head. “And someone blocked her magic…shady.”
I turned to Tegan and narrowed my eyes. “You’re not suggesting that she had anything to do with all of this, are you?”
“No, definitely not. She’s my best friend. I know she’s innocent, but…” She grimaced. “She is somehow connected. It’s on the tip of my tongue. I’ll figure it out.”
“Tomorrow we’ll go in the Old Lands. It’s the first step in figuring it all out.” Tennessee ran his thumb along his bottom lip as he stared at nothing. “We can’t all go. Dad, while I’m gone, I’m going to ask you to fill my role. Em, I’m sorry, but we can’t leave them without our level of power. I need you and Deacon to go to New York while we’re gone. Continue with the plan. We need that school open, now more than ever.”
Deacon nodded, his eyes serious. He turned to Kessler. “If you need us, we can fly back on my parents’ plane.”
Cooper cleared his throat. “I’m going with you. Don’t fight me on it.”
“So am I,” Willow said and stepped forward.
Chutney bounced up beside her. “Same.”
Tennessee arched one eyebrow. “Are you sure? Last time—”
“We’re not the same people as we were last time.” Chutney scowled. “We need you to come back out alive, and that means you need us.”
“We do, indeed.” Tennessee smirked. “Royce?”
“Yeah, but I’d like to bring Henley, too.” He pulled his phone out and hit a few buttons. “I just need to find her first.”
“The school is on lockdown, but I felt her magic nearby. George will lead us to her.” Tennessee turned to me and nodded. “Let’s escort Jackson back to his dorm first.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Bettina
I threw my blankets off and climbed out of bed. Sleeping wasn’t going to happen, so there was no reason to lie there and suffer. I needed to move. To think. To distract myself. Tennessee had ordered us to stay inside, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t move around the Swords building. Plus, Trey had food. I wasn’t hungry at all, but eating would be a distraction. Something to do. An excuse to go over to Trey’s room to hang out, at least.
My oversized sweater was hanging off my bedpost, so I threw it on. Then I slipped my Converses on and snuck over and turned off the bedside lamp, and the room went dark. I was just standing upright when something outside caught my attention. It was pale and shimmering like moonlight. I put my face up against the glass and squinted. My jaw dropped. It looked like a person. I threw the balcony door open and skipped to the rail then looked down. Oh God, it IS a person. Behind the Swords building right along the edge of the border, someone was lying in the grass.
Someone with pale skin, black hair, and a tattoo of the Roman numeral XVIII— OH MY GODDESS. HENLEY! That wasn’t a tattoo—that was the Mark of the Moon Card. That was Henley curled up in a ball in the grass. She wasn’t moving, and there didn’t appear to be anyone else with her.
“Henley!” I whisper-shouted, but she didn’t even budge.
I turned and sprinted for the door. It only took me a minute to fly down the stairs and run out the back door of my building. The ice-cold air stung my face and burned down my throat, but I dug my heels in and pushed harder. Henley wasn’t moving. Oh Goddess. Please be okay. Please. My breath left my mouth in a white cloud. The temperature had dropped more than I’d realized— Oh no. What if she’s got hypothermia? I pumped my arms and sprinted as hard as I could.
“Henley!” I shouted and dropped to my knees beside her—then gasped.
Her eyes were open...but they weren’t seeing. She was curled up in fetal position, with her arms wrapped tight around her knees. Her entire body trembled like a leaf in a hurricane. She shook so hard even her teeth rattled together. Her bright red lipstick was missing. I didn’t know her that well, but I knew she always wore it. Something wasn’t right. Her black eye makeup was smudged down her cheeks. She only had on a black tank top and black jean shorts. It had to be thirty degrees outside.
I leaned closer. “Henley?”
Nothing. She didn’t move. Didn’t register my presence at all. I frowned and looked down at her body in search of an injury. My eyes widened. I froze with my hand hovering over her shoulder. Her skin was so pale it almost looked blue. But that wasn’t what had me frozen. It was what was on her body. Someone had written all over her bare skin. Her arms and legs were covered in runes
and spells in the ancient language. I didn’t know how to read either, so I had no idea what they said. Not that it mattered. The handwriting was sloppy and smudged, like someone had written them in a panic. My gut told me that someone was her.
The energy around her was sharp and tense. I had the intense desire to run away as fast as I could. Except I knew it was the magic, and I had a feeling it was the spells written on her body making me feel that way. My pulse pounded out of control. My fingers trembled. My breath came out shaky.
Oh God. Oh God. What do I do? What do I DO?
“Henley? Henley, it’s Bettina,” I yelled and shook her shoulder. “Henley, I’m here. You’re okay. Look at me.”
But she didn’t. Those sapphire blue eyes were vacant. Her skin was ice cold. My stomach sank. I swallowed the nausea bubbling up my throat, moved my fingers to her throat, and pushed. Her heart beat against my fingers nice and strong, a steady pace that wasn’t much different than my own. I sighed with relief. She was alive. I just needed to get her help.
I reached down to my jeans pocket— OH NO. I had on leggings. No pockets. No cell phone. I cursed and looked around, but there was no one in sight. Damn this school and their no cell phones for First Years! It was an asinine rule, and I was going to have words with Tennessee about it the second I saw him…but I needed to help Henley first.
Okay, think, Bettina. Think. I could’ve run back inside to any of the dorms to borrow a phone, but I didn’t want to leave her. Something in my gut told me not to leave her. Shouting for help was always an idea, except if there were monsters snatching witches off the streets, the last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to myself. I needed to protect her.
Protection. I need a protection circle. Lennox had taught me that in times of danger, an emergency protection circle was the first step. Without the correct ingredients, it wouldn’t be as strong as a real protection circle, but it would hold steady for a small amount of time. Like enough to run and get a phone. I just needed to remember that spell. I closed my eyes and pictured Lennox’s textbooks. Think. See the page. See the words.
The Fallen Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 2) Page 21