While I ached. And mourned. And bit back my screams.
A scratchy grunt drifted up from the edge of the roof.
As I stood and swiped the tears from my face that kept falling, Donovan lifted and slammed his leg up over the side. Huffing, he hauled the rest of his body up onto the stones. He lay on the roof before his head lifted and he glanced my way.
“Hey,” he said. He frowned. “That was…” Rising to his feet, he shook himself then grimaced when he took in the smoking lumps nearby. “Not sure what that is. But there was this guy here, and he—”
“Ashton.” And Will. Both.
“Yeah. Ashton. I need to ping the Headmistress. The jerk tackled me up here. He flung me off the roof, tried to kill me.”
“I thought you’d fallen.” That Will’s white magic had hit true.
“I know it sounds weird to accuse Ashton,” Donovan said. “He’s a prefect. But just in case you were wondering, I, uh, I didn’t jump.”
I took one step toward him, followed by another. “I know you didn’t.”
“You do?” He rubbed his hair, but his gaze never left mine. “How do you know that?”
“If you had, you would’ve shifted.”
“Shifted.” The rough laugh he gave rippled around us. “Right. Sure. Like anyone can shift into something else if they want to.”
He could. But this Donovan—the exterior shell covering up the guy I was crazy about—didn’t remember he’d told me about his dragon.
I had a feeling I could take care of that, however. Take care of everything. Because, while I might not be a full Level Five, I’d figured out how to tap into the power.
Striding closer, he held out his hand. “I’m Donovan. And you’re…?”
I pulled in black threads then gathered up some white and braided them together.
This. This was what it took to achieve Level Five.
Minerva was tricksy, too. She’d known I had to discover this all on my own.
Or with a little nudge from a friend.
As I took Donovan’s hand, my bitter happiness shone through in my voice. The future held promise, but Alex…
“I’m Fleur,” I said.
“Nice name.”
“Thanks.” I squeezed his fingers as anticipation shot through me like a falling star. “Do you have a minute?” I nudged my head toward the edge of the roof.
“Sure, but there’ll be no more almost falling off the edge for me tonight.”
Maybe we’d jump together tomorrow. Or the day after that. We had our whole lives stretching ahead of us.
A gift from a friend I’d miss forever.
“I want to show you something,” I said, tugging Donovan toward the edge. “I promise. No jumping.”
The half-smile that made my knees weak rose on his face. “Okay. Sure.”
We soon stood with our toes stretching over the side.
“Hey, Donovan,” I said.
“Yeah?”
I tipped back my head. “Hey, world!”
No one replied, but they’d hear. Everyone would hear and soon, everyone would know the truth.
Because it was time to fix history.
I gathered all the power inside my moonstone and sent it out with one Level Five word. “Unravel!”
Chapter 40
Summer
“More?” I asked as I added a few more drops of verdeen to Beatrice’s bowl.
“Yes. More,” she said. Her burp was followed by shrill giggles. She keeled over backward and skidded on her butt across the floor. Her skirt flipped up, as did her legs, and she kicked her pointy heels.
“I can’t believe you’re getting our brownie drunk,” Patty said with an eye roll. She lounged on her bed, waiting for Bryce to come take her to dinner.
“It’s barely five,” Tria said. She sat on my bed, and I thought she’d been mindchatting with a guy she’d met recently, but she must’ve hung up.
“We were out of everything else,” I hissed out the corner of my mouth at Patty. “You were supposed to pick up some gummy worms yesterday.”
Her face crinkled. “I know you said they’re not real worms, but are you sure we can eat them?”
While they finished renovating the mall, we’d flitted one Saturday a month to an outling shopping center.
“They coat the worms with sugar.”
“Not doing it for me,” Tria said with a twist of her face.
“Or me!” Patty and Tria leaned across the space between the beds and slapped their palms together.
“Sugar good,” Beatrice said, tottering on her heels. “Me likey sugar. And verdeen.” She pointed a sharp finger at her bowl. “Give more.”
“Only a capful,” I said. “And then I’m shutting you off.”
“You go, bartender,” Tria said with a snicker.
Beatrice’s face morphed into something I’d hate to run into in a dark alley. I would’ve missed it if I’d blinked. In seconds, she was all sunny smiles. “Verdeen!”
“Boggart alert,” Alys said, strolling into our room from our shared bathroom.
My unraveling had broken her spell. She’d been able to dispose of the charm and would no longer turn into a troll, which made both of us happy.
Some could say I’d lost something precious that had barely gotten started. That it should hurt. But I still had Alys in my life, as a friend.
“Okay, okay,” I said, dumping about a quarter cup of verdeen into Beatrice’s bowl. Jeez. To think a five-inch-tall brownie could make me do whatever she pleased. “I really don’t think you need more.”
“I decide more,” Beatrice said. She hefted the bowl and drained the liquid, following her guzzle with a bigger burp.
“Can I borrow your concealer?” Alys fluffed her blonde hair that swirled around her shoulders. “I want to go pink tonight.”
I capped the verdeen and gave it to Tria. “Port this somewhere far from here, would you?”
The bottle disappeared.
“My concealer?” I said to Alys. “Hot date tonight?”
Alys’s cheeks grew red.
My eyes widened and I hopped across the room and grabbed her arms and made her hop around with me. “You’ve got a date!” Out of breath when I shouldn’t be, I stopped hopping, though my grin still filled my face. “Who is it? No concealer unless you tell me.”
Alys hadn't returned to her mean girl ways, and because she wasn’t acting snarky all the time, she’d made a bunch of new friends.
The loss of her dad had hit her hard, and I’d heard her crying late at night in the bathroom.
I’d joined her, sitting on the floor beside her, and we’d talked. About the different ways we’d grown up. The challenge of spells. Boys. And staying friends even though our pact had ended.
She told me how much she missed her dad. He might've rejected her for most of her life, but she'd loved him.
I hadn’t told her I’d been convinced she was my sister. I preferred she think I’d softened all on my own. We were buds now, and that was all that mattered.
Moira leaned against the bathroom doorframe, and she winked when I glanced her way. I had a feeling she knew everything but, if she did, she’d kept it to herself. Bad enough she could read our emotions. No need to shout them out to the world. Discretion was a valuable thing and I hoped she learned more about it.
“Okay,” Alys said, all breathless as she eased away from me. “I’ll tell you if you keep it to yourself. It’s new and I don’t want to ruin it and—”
“He has a diplomacy skapti,” Moira said. “The two of them could run the world.”
A thought that would’ve caused me horror months ago but now only made me smile.
“Manuel,” Alys said. She stared down at her clenched hands. “Do. Not. Tell. A. Soul.”
“An outling?” Patty leaped off the bed and raced over to us, skidding to a stop in front of Alys.
Tria joined us and slapped Alys’s arm, sending her a few steps sideways. “You’re going out with
an outling?”
I wasn’t sure Alys’s face could get any redder, but it did. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing!” Patty elbowed me. “Absolutely nothing, right?”
“I think it’s perfect. He’s a nice guy.”
“He’s cool,” Tria added.
I lifted the chain with the concealer over my head and handed it to Alys. “All yours. It worked well for me.” Reaching up, I yanked on the blue strands I’d chosen this morning, knowing they’d revert back to my regular black within seconds.
We’d finish First Year in a week then break for a month before returning as Second Year students. Upperclassmen.
The only thing holding me back from my excitement was the fact that Tria, who was a year older than me, would graduate and begin her career as a Seeker.
We’d barely had a chance to get to know each other, and she’d be gone.
“I’m going to visit,” she said as if she could read my mind. Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, she gave me a squeeze. “So often, you’re going to beg me to stay away.”
“Never.”
At the end of the school year, I was going to Grathe to stay with Tria and her family. Sisters unite!
In between then, we’d eaten every meal together, studied together, and talked whenever we had a free moment. I wanted to know everything about her, from her favorite color to her hopes and dreams.
I couldn’t believe I was Elite. Funny how I missed my outling status. But I was still half-outling and I’d hold onto that part of myself forever.
As for Donovan’s brother…After some persuasion on Donovan’s part, King Niles had agreed to me attending a dinner. We’d talk. Maybe come to a truce.
I’d promised to keep my blade in its sheath.
“Thanks for the concealer.” Alys hustled into the bathroom to finish getting ready, and Moira followed, mumbling something about making sure she put on more mascara.
Someone knocked on the door, and Patty raced around me and swung it open.
“Lookin’ awesome, Pats,” Bryce said. He lifted his hand my way. “Fleur. Tria.” His gaze returned to Patty. “Ready to get something to eat?”
“I’m starved.” She linked her arm through his and dragged him out into the hall, calling out to me as they started down the hallway. “Don’t wait up!”
“I’ve gotta go, too,” Tria said, rushing around me.
“Anyone I know?”
She shrugged but a grin teased along her lips. When she winked, I knew. She liked someone. “Nothing like that.” A total lie, but I’d let her get away with it for now. But tomorrow, when she was staying over in Patty’s and my room, I’d make her confess. “I’ve got some studying to do.”
“You told me you’d already taken your last final,” I said.
“I’m…” Her glance flicked from mine. “I’m doing other research.”
I frowned. “Researching what?”
“Just…Dad.”
Oh. I never would’ve guessed that. I’d thought… Okay, so maybe this wasn’t about a guy.
My ears perked up. “Dad?” We’d been unable to learn anything about our father’s whereabouts, though Tria had said she was following a few leads. “What have you heard?”
“Nothing yet. But hopefully, soon.” She waved. “Later!”
I stomped after her. “Tria!”
When I peered out into the hall, she’d already left, flitting somewhere.
I growled. She was hiding something, and I needed to find out what it was. But later. Not tonight.
Tonight was for me and Donovan.
Ping! Someone tapped my mind.
It was Cloven. Err, my grandfather. The second she’d been healed, Tria and I had sat down with him and shared the news. He’d been ecstatic, as had Minerva—my great grandmother!—when we’d told them.
I heard that, he said sternly.
Heard what?
Patty’s comment about not waiting up.
You’re not supposed to be spying.
I don’t. Most of the time.
I coughed.
Okay, not all the time, he said. But you’re my granddaughter. I need to watch out for you.
And soon, he’d be Crystal Wing Academy’s Headmaster. When I first started at the Academy, Justine had told me she’d been offered a new position. She hadn’t then decided if she’d take it. But this week, she’d announced she’d accepted it and would be moving there during the summer break.
I hadn’t gotten used to having family yet, though I loved the idea of it. But my grandfather would soon be running the place, and—
Do not think you’ll get away with the things you did while Justine was in charge, he said.
Never crossed my mind. Ha.
Back to tonight. I’ll be watching that boy. Making sure he behaves.
You better not watch us.
I won’t really. I meant that figuratively. He sighed. You know I can’t help it. Hope it’s okay.
My heart pinched. I love you. Already. It would be hard not to.
And I love you, he said softly. I could almost see his back stiffen. But you still need to be in your Coven room by nine.
Twelve.
Ten.
One a.m.
Midnight, and that’s my final offer.
Deal. Double ha.
Wait.
Too late! I ended the mindspeak. Yeah, I wouldn’t get away with that trick twice.
Grabbing a jacket in case it got chilly, I left my room but stopped to say hi to Thorn when I stood in the hall.
“Lookin’ awesome tonight,” I said as his lips formed in the panel. “You have a date, too?” It seemed like everyone was pairing up, even the doors.
“I’ll never tell.”
I laughed. “You always tell.”
“Only when you make me.”
“Let me guess.” I tapped my chin. “Room 112, Wind Coven.”
“How did you know?” His bright blue lips painted with sunflowers thinned. “Is someone talking?”
Doors. Talking. Who would’ve thought?
“I think I heard about it from one of the vrillas.” I’d helped Donovan find them more frogs. And twelve lizards. Not even going there. Who’d kiss a lizard?
A vrilla would.
I shuddered.
“Gotta go,” I said with a wave.
“Me, too. He’s waiting.” Thorn grinned. “See you in a while, Fleur?”
“How about midnight?”
His grin grew wider.
I took the skywalk to the back stairs, then skimmed through the hall and exited on the eastern side of the campus.
Donovan had asked me to meet him beside Professor Grim’s greenhouse lab.
We were having a real date, not a spontaneous, eating lunch together on the roof date, though that was fun in itself. This was a moment where it would be just us. Together, with no one else around.
Doing…something. He hadn’t exactly told me what we’d be doing, yet.
I shouldn’t be wound up, and my heart sure shouldn’t be galloping in my chest faster than a herd of aldakor. My breathing had gone ragged. But there it was. I liked him. We’d been separated too long and hadn’t gotten used to being back together again.
“Fleur,” Professor Grim shrieked from behind me so loudly, even my bones jumped. He drifted closer, his gray robe dragging on the path. Bugs bailed from the fabric and scurried into the grass. “I was hoping to recruit you for a special class I'm offering this fall, Lethal Creatures of the Night.”
Lethal, huh? How did that differ from Magical Horticulture of the Night: Adding the D to Deadly? Both felt…terminal, to me.
“Tell you what,” I said. “Let me think about it. I’ll get back to you before classes restart in a month?”
“Delightful,” he said. He floated over to the door and unlocked it before turning back to me. “I can’t wait to introduce you to the erikenna.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to ask what an erikenna was.
“I know her reputation precedes her, but she’s actually quite sweet,” he said. “She doesn’t mean to eat those who attempt to charm her.”
Really didn’t want to take this class.
I pushed for a smile. “I’ll get back to you.” With a no.
Or maybe a yes. Because, okay, I did love a challenge.
“By the start of term,” Grim shrieked. He floated into the greenhouse and shut the door behind him.
“You ready?” Donovan said by my ear.
Whirling, I grabbed his hands and squeezed. “I was ready yesterday.”
“Me, too.” His cheeks went pink, and I loved how he felt as unsure yet certain about us as I did. He pulled a dark strip of cloth from his back pocket and dangled it in the air. “I want our date to be a surprise. Are you up for a blindfold?”
“You planning something…interesting?” I asked, breathless when I hadn’t run even one step.
He tipped his head. “How interesting would you like it to be?”
“You lead, and I’ll follow.”
“I like that.” He wrapped the blindfold around my head, shutting out the world.
And it was weird. But also funny. And a bit sexy.
He took my hand and I followed. No choice now.
“How much longer?” I asked, a shrill, excited squeal coming through in my voice only seconds later. Okay, so I was nervous. Not about what we were doing but…I don’t know, about what might happen next.
Donovan squeezed my fingers, his hand wrapped snugly around mine. “You okay?” Stopping on the trail—I assumed this was near the eastern forest because an earthy-piney essence swirled around us—he turned toward me and grabbed my other hand. With a soft pull, he drew me so near our clothing brushed together. A hint of tease entered his voice. “You’re not scared, are you?”
“A girl who can throw fireballs?” Without much accuracy, but that was being picky. Give me time.
“You were totally awesome,” he said. No hiding his awe. “If Professor Mealor hadn’t been trying to kill us, I would’ve dragged up a chair and watched.”
“You weren’t so bad yourself.” He’d reached up and snatched a bolt of lightning from the sky and thrown it at a power-sucking slake. Not many guys could do that. Together, we’d burned the slake to a crisp and saved each other. “Maybe I’m nervous because I’m wearing this.” I nudged my shoulder against the blindfold. Only a tiny slice of sunlight peeked through the folds, not enough to see where we were going.
Crystal Wing Academy- The Complete Series Page 76
