I unclamped my hand, and her legs crumpled. She collapsed in a heap on the tiles, sobbing.
“Healers! We need healers,” Cloven cried from above, on the first landing of the broad staircase.
Justine nodded as she and Cloven rushed down the stairs and to us.
Healers appeared, and two dropped down beside Jenny. They spoke in tones too low for me to understand. One tipped her head back with a light touch to examine her face.
As I’d expected, the O and the five had disappeared, magicked away by whoever had dropped us into a nightlace viper nest.
“Where are you hurt?” a healer asked me.
“I’m not. Just shaken up.”
“Allow me to assess you for injuries, please.” She frowned as she swept her gaze down the front of my body.
Cloven’s attention remained focused on Tria, his face almost as pale as Jenny’s.
I grabbed Tria’s arm. “Thank you.” My voice came out scratchy, from screaming or from the vines wrapped around my throat.
She let out a huge breath. “Got there just in time, didn’t I?”
“How did you know where to find us?”
“I’m…” She shot a glance at Cloven, who watched her more intently than Beatrice as I filled her bowl with pumpkin cookies. Tria lifted her chin as if challenging Cloven. “I’m a Seeker. That’s my skapti. A Seeker can find anything.”
Wow. Would she someday work for the Council?
“This is yours.” Tria held out my moonstone blade. “Scooped it up as I ran toward you.”
Tears welled behind my eyelids. I thought it was gone forever. Taking it, I carefully slid it back into its sheath.
“A Seeker.” Cloven’s hands twitched at his sides, and his eyes sheened, an unexpected reaction on his part. “You said your name is Tria?”
“Yes.” She dropped her fisted hands on her hips. “I’m a descendant of the second family on my mom’s side.”
“And on your father’s?” he asked carefully.
“Not my secret to share.”
“I see,” he said.
What did he see?
The healers left, flitting Jenny with them.
“We need to talk,” Cloven said to Tria.
She released a curt nod, and her arms relaxed at her sides. “I’d like that.”
“Why didn’t you flit here with the others?” Justine asked me.
“Something, no, someone sent me and Jenny to a tunnel with a big black pit. Nightlace attacked. Someone had to be controlling it. It almost killed us.”
Her breath hissed out. “Impossible.”
“That someone diverted us or that the nightlace attacked?”
“Both.”
“Look, enough of the games. Someone’s sending nightlace after us. Jenny and I would’ve been murdered if Tria hadn’t found us.”
“But—”
“You need to find out who here has a plant-controlling skapti before clusters kill us all.”
“You’re right.” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I’ll notify the Council and tell them to send more Seekers immediately. Until the perpetrator’s caught, I’ll need you and the other outlings to remain at the Academy. No flitting to the city. Only leaving the main buildings with protection. I’ll assign guards.”
“No!” I’d never get back to that room with Roark trotting around behind me.
“Why not? You just demanded I do all I can to keep you safe.”
“It’s just—”
“I’ll stay with her,” Tria said. “Protect her. I’ve proven I’m good at it already.”
Justine stepped closer to Tria. “A Seeker, you say?”
Tria nodded.
“Normally, I’d never expect a student to—”
“I’m a Second Year. And I’ve already had official training.”
“Ah, with the Council. Over the summer, I assume?”
“Mastered every test.”
What kind of tests?
“Then I’ll permit this. You may guard Fleur.”
“Standing right here,” I said. “Able to decide about things like this all on my own.”
“Already settled,” Tria said.
“But I don’t want you following me around,” I snapped.
Tria’s lips trailed downward. “You don’t? Why not?”
“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…” How could I get out of this?
“We’re friends, right?”
“We are.” But I barely knew her.
She had secrets.
But then, so did I.
“This is the way it needs to be, Fleur.” Justine pressed her palms against her stomach and her breath wheezed out. “The Council has indicated they’ll have Seekers here within the hour.” Her gaze fell on me. “You look exhausted. I’m sure their questioning can wait until morning.”
Awesome. Were they anything like Roark?
“Are you comfortable flitting to your room or would you like help?” the Headmistress asked me.
“I want to see Jenny. Make sure she’s all right.”
“I’m sorry, but she has already left the Academy.”
“What? She was here just seconds ago and, okay. I…we…saved her.”
“The experience traumatized her. The healers hadn’t even finished assessing her for potential injuries before she insisted they strip her of her power, blank her mind so she never remembers being a wizard, and flit her home to her family.” Grief deepened Justine’s voice. “I’m afraid you won’t see her ever again.”
Which meant I wouldn’t get to ask her about Ashton, Vik, and Eben.
Patty flitted into the room and wrapped her arms around me. “I was so worried about you!” Tears streamed down her face while I explained what happened. After I’d finished, she turned to the Headmistress. “Can I take Fleur to our room? She needs to rest.”
Justine dipped her head. “Of course.” Her concerned gaze fell on me. “Please don’t go anywhere by yourself.”
Swallowing back shivers generated by the fear in her eyes, I nodded.
Up in our room, Patty encouraged me to shower and dress in PJs then lay in my bed, where she tucked the quilt Ester made me around my shoulders.
“No going anywhere for us, tonight, okay?” she said in her best mom voice. “We’ll order pizza.”
I could agree to pizza but not to remaining in our room all night.
But after eating, everything caught up with me and I fell asleep.
Jolting awake after what felt like years later, I synced with the sundial in Grathe.
11:52.
Not taking time to change, I flitted to the roof.
“Donovan?” I called out.
Only the wind greeted me, whipping across the open surface, steeling my heat. I wrapped my arms around my waist and walked closer to the tower. “Donovan?” I lifted my voice and said his name again.
Thinking he might be waiting at the top, I flit there and stood staring down at the empty wooden shakes. I dropped down and drew up my legs, wrapping my arms around them, holding them close.
Because there was no one else here to hold me.
An hour passed. Another.
I huddled at the top of our tower.
He never came.
But after three hours had passed, he did send one message.
I’m sorry.
Chapter 26
Three days passed, and I heard nothing from Donovan.
A part of me hoped he’d arrive at Professor Grim’s class and tell me I’d misheard him, that of course he’d never ditch me.
Another part of me wanted to track him down in the king’s penthouse suite and make him tell me to my face that he’d chosen.
A third part of me couldn’t see beyond my crushing pain.
I hadn’t given up. While I might be a silly, stupid girl, I couldn’t give up.
But he didn’t answer my pings.
While I knew I shouldn’t, I missed seeing him. Talking with him. Kissing him.
“And I was telling Donovan…” Walking into the greenhouse, Alys trailed off when she caught my eye. One side of her pink lips curled, and she lifted her voice. “I was telling him he didn’t even need to ask. I’d love to hang out with him anytime.”
“Keep at it and pretty soon even you won’t be able to tell the truth from the lie.” Moira slanted a sympathetic look at me. “Just so you know, other than one long and very boring dinner where she sat across from Donovan but between two Council members who chatted her head off, Alys hasn’t seen or talked with Donovan in days.”
Glaring at Moira, Alys smacked her fists on her hips and stomped her foot. “Why do you keep doing that?”
“You really want me to tell you?” Moira shot back. “Here, in front of everyone?”
The rest of our class had arrived and stood in clusters near a long wooden table, watching the exchange as if it was the last ten seconds of hotly-contested tennis match.
Alys took in the eager faces and, like a popped soap bubble, her fury collapsed. “You could try being more supportive, you know.”
“This is supportive. You just don’t see it yet.” Moira smile held the patience of an angel. “One of these days, the Alys you hide from the world will shine through.”
“Ugh. Sappy alert.” Alys left Moira and stalked over to stand next to me. While Moira chuckled and joined us, Alys made an effort to cut me with her razorblade stare. “Don’t even start to believe I’ll ever be friends with you.”
“Wouldn’t dream of the idea.”
She nodded pertly. “Good. Because you’re still an outling, and direct descendants of the original families don’t mingle with outlings.”
“Aw, thanks!” I said with a cheer I didn’t feel. “See? You do have feelings for me.” Savoring Alys’s sputter, I added, “Otherwise, why do you make so much effort to spend time with me? Whenever I turn around, you’re talking to me, hanging out with me, hell, even sharing ice cream with me.”
“At the mall. That wasn’t real.” She was so pissed off, I could swear steam blasted from her nostrils. “I was trying to—”
Hovering above the table like our latest ghostly haunting, Professor Grim cleared his throat. “Students.” His shrill voice grated across my skin like a nail file. “Students! If I could have your attention, please, it’s time to get started. I have a wonderful lesson planned for tonight. Come. Come! Collect the bucket with your captured dandybucklion and pick a spot to place it on the table.”
We trooped over to the back wall and located the plants we’d plucked from the ground and hogtied a few nights ago.
The cabinet where the Professor had trapped the nightlace was missing. He must’ve moved it after the guys tried to trick me with dead vines.
Sparky’s sparkler had snuffed out. His neck curled forward. His golden cheek petals drooped. And his cheery, though fanged, sunflower face resembled a wind-battered flower’s. Like tree branches after a storm, his stick arms lay askew at his sides.
“I released their bonds this morning to give them time to stretch,” Professor Grim called out. “But I waited to water them until moments before you arrived. They should perk up nicely after a bit.”
“You haven’t fed them in days?” My mouth unhinged. He said he’d take care of them after we caught them. I wanted to stroke my poor little dandybucklion’s stem. When we yanked them from the ground and brought them to the greenhouse lab, I never thought they’d be harmed. By the fae, I would’ve come here and snuck them water if I’d known. Classes should be conducted with willing creatures. At least the aldakors enjoyed giving us rides. “You let them starve?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Alys said, her voice dripping malice. “If they eat, they’re aggressive. You don’t want them biting off your hand, now do you?”
“Sparky doesn’t look capable of biting a potato chip at the moment.”
“They don’t eat chips.” She rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you reviewed the material for this class at all?”
“I—”
“Okay, now,” Professor Grim shouted from the head of the long table loaded with bucketed dandybucklions and encircled by students. “While holding an uncapped vial in one hand—you’ll find vials waiting for you on the table—wrap your other hand around your bucklion’s neck. Don’t be shy. They’re compliant when they’re nutrient-deprived, which will allow us to work with them without one of you suffering unnecessary injury.”
“What about them?” I hissed out. “This is inhumane. Ever thought of asking them nicely instead of using force?”
“Shh!” Alys barked as her hand snapped toward her dandybucklion, who slumped against the side of its bucket.
Professor Grim floated around the room, encouraging the more squeamish among us to latch onto our bucklions.
“Sorry,” I whispered to Sparky as I carefully slid my fingers around his stem just below his face. His dark eyes slid my way, and my guilty conscience read accusations in the murky depths.
“Do any of you know how to get a bucklion to release its venom?” Professor Grim asked. He coasted above the middle of the table and, when he rocked backward, the overhead lights revealed the sharp angles of the ghostly-pale face he normally kept hidden inside the hood of his Academy robe.
“We sing to them,” I said.
Sparky’s head snapped back and he bared his fangs at me. Definitely read betrayal in his eyes, now.
“Excellent idea,” our professor said. “Delightful, Fleur. It pleases me greatly to know you’re researching before class.” Sweeping down and between me and Alys, he patted my shoulder before swirling around to face us. “While singing is a grand idea, it won’t work.”
“But—”
“With careful study, we’ve developed a method that has proven effective on multiple occasions.” Our professor earned his name with his next words. “We choke the anti-venom out of them.”
“Not doin’ it!” My hand snapped back, hitting my chest. “That’ll hurt them.”
“They don’t have feelings,” Professor Grim said.
Says the guy who used to reap souls.
“In our textbook,” only kindness came through in Moira’s voice, “it says they don’t mind the procedure at all.”
“I don’t care. I’m not doing it to Sparky.”
“Sparky?” Alys sneered. “You didn’t actually name a plant, did you?”
“Why not?”
“Come now, Fleur,” Professor Grim said. “I can assure you this causes them no harm. Take hold of your bucklion again, please.”
“I won’t do it. I—”
Sparky lifted his face and, when his gaze met mine, he nodded.
My hand twitched as I reached toward him, and I whispered, “Are you sure?”
He nodded again.
Beside me, Alys’s fingers blanched when she latched onto her bucklion. It writhed, flinging its head back, and spat at her. Releasing the plant, she reeled backward, sputtering, her hands flying up to cover her face. “Yuck. Yuck. By the fae, I need a washcloth. And a hazmat suit.”
“Don’t waste the anti-venom, please,” Professor Grim shouted. He zipped behind her, his dreadlock robes dragging along the floor, and nudged her forward. “Try again. Tighter grip this time, my dear.”
Grunting, she approached her plant and snatched its neck, pointing its face in another direction. If she squeezed any tighter, she’d pop its head off. Teeth bared and with renewed energy, she wrangled with her dandybucklion, trying to force it to bend forward.
“The vial!” Professor Grim squawked. “Place the opening beneath a fang and, squeezing tight on its neck, milk out the anti-venom.”
“I can’t,” I said, releasing Sparky again. “Even if you give me permission, little guy.” So what if I flunked the class? I’d take another, one that didn’t involve creature cruelty.
Sparky peered up at me and tilted his head sideways.
I swore I read in his e
yes, think outside the square.
Farther down the table, Professor Grim hovered beside Manuel, cheering him on as he wrung every last drop of venom from his bucklion. Alys had moved on from her own plant and had pinned Moira’s onto the wooden surface with both hands clamped around its neck. Hopping and squealing beside Alys, Moira shoved the vial against its mouth. Droplets of anti-venom flew everywhere as the plant struggled.
Across from me, Patty stood with her arms limp at her sides, a solitary tear gliding down her cheek. Her fingertip stroked her bucklion’s neck and, when she looked at me, her lips trembled.
“Sing,” I mouthed then waved toward her bucklion. “Try it?”
Her tremulous smile rose and she gave me a quick nod before leaning near her plant.
I uncapped a vial while Sparky stared up at me with complete trust in his eyes.
There was more than one way to milk a bucklion and Professor Grim was wrong when he said singing wouldn’t work. I’d made it happen myself already.
Inching closer to Sparky, I whispered by his face, “Work with me, okay?”
I hummed. Low and off-key, but it was a song.
Clear amber venom dripped from one of Sparky’s fangs, shimmering as it glided down the glass to pool in the bottom of the vial. After filling one container and tucking it surreptitiously into my pocket—in case Patty’s prediction came true—I filled a second.
Across from me, Patty screwed the cap onto her vial, pure triumph alight on her face. She placed the vial on the table beside the bucket then stroked her plant’s neck.
“Perfect, students!” Professor Grim said, swishing around behind us, verifying we’d each filled a container. “I award an A-plus to each of you for this lesson.”
A few kids high-fived each other. Moira and Alys lifted their noses and smoothed their scattered hair.
“Before you go, you’ll need to feed your bucklions,” the professor said. “Remember, only one cup of water and two drops of liquid nutrition.” He swooped over the top of his desk and turned to face us. A wooden box drifted up from the floor and floated above the bucklion table, stopping to collect a brimming vial of anti-venom from each of us. “Your hard work will be ported to the Council, who will distribute the anti-venom to our healers. Tonight, you’ve saved multiple lives.”
Crystal Wing Academy- The Complete Series Page 41
