by LJ Andrews
“I’m here for Advanced Bio, Teagan. College credits.” She scribbled something on the front of my notebook. “Why don’t you and Mitch give me a call this weekend. A few friends and I would love to get together.”
My eyes drifted to the name and number written in large print. “We have free time on Saturday night.”
“Oh, I know the reform schedule.” Ah, she’d done this before. With a pat to my cheek, she lowered her voice. “Don’t do anything to get it taken away.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Mitch leaned against a row of lockers and smiled. “You aren’t a true reform until Jenna Mark pays you a visit.”
“That much experience, huh?”
Mitch shrugged. “Not just her. Those friends of hers are regulars too. Jenna likes the new faces. She knows how to butter up Sapphire, though, so he keeps allowing them to hang on the weekends. It’s been a while since there’s been a new guy. Jenna is probably over the moon.”
“Sounds perfect.” I sounded more like I was convincing myself.
An hour later, I sat in the back of Mrs. Tiddel’s class, tapping my pencil on the desk. My pulse quickened when Jade entered. Dash wasn’t with her, only Raffi today. And again, he watched me, unblinking, as if I might turn on them at any second.
“Hi, Jade.”
Jade grinned at Raffi, then scooted her desk a few inches closer to me. When her fingers brushed my arm, flames burst along my skin. I held my breath until the sensation passed. Did she feel the same thing? If she did, Jade recovered quickly.
“Teagan, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again,” she said.
Raffi nudged her elbow, frowning. “Let’s just listen today, Jade.”
“Thank you,” she said sweetly. “I plan to listen to the class and speak with Teagan.”
A pressure rippled through the air. There, then gone in another breath, but like yesterday Raffi kept his eyes focused on the front of the class. Though he desperately looked as though he wanted to say something more.
“Why would you want to see me?” I asked dryly.
“Why wouldn’t I?” She smiled, clicking her stiletto fingernails. Painted a rich, inky black with a few splashes of green. Jade had a dimple, too, I hadn’t noticed. I might not be able to look away. She shifted in her seat, so she faced me directly. “Teagan, I know certain things should be kept secret, but I wonder if I could ask you a personal question.”
“Sure.” I leaned over my elbows, so my hand rested an inch away from Jade’s. Something about her presence made it nearly impossible to keep my distance.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what the purpose of sending you to the reform school would have been, unless it is for the benefit of Sapphire, of course. Perhaps he needs extra strength. Is that why you’re here?”
I laughed, but eyed Jade strangely. “To give Sapphire strength? No, that’s not why I’m here.”
“So you defied law enforcement intentionally. Was it arranged by the elders? I have Raffi and Dash. I don’t need anything more. Naturally, I thought it could be for Sapphire.”
“Jade.” I glanced at Tiddel, who was droning on with her lesson. I replayed her words twice before speaking again and still didn’t understand what she was talking about. “What elders? Is that a coven, or a guild? Or do you mean the judge? I had a plea deal and Wyvern Reform was it—that’s why I came.”
Jade’s smile slipped. The flash of frustration brightened the green in her eyes. Yet, when she spoke it was still in the same soft tone. “I don’t know why I expected you to tell me something straightforward. No one else does either. Forgive me for asking. I won’t push you to divulge any more secrets of the council, or your purpose. I’ll do my duty and take the cover story without question.”
“Wait, I’m not sure I know what you’re asking,” I fumbled, trying to keep the conversation alive. “Are you wanting to know what I did to get into Wyvern Reform? I’ll tell you.”
Jade had already turned around in her seat.
“Mr. Ward, thank you for volunteering to read. Just pick up in paragraph two and, Teagan—” Mrs. Tiddel said, clutching tight to the thick textbook. I hadn’t even opened the book.
“Yes?” I turned the pages as if I knew where we were.
Tiddel beamed wistfully and caressed the page. “Read it with desire. Give the words the passion they deserve. Begin.”
I could feel my cheeks flush when Jade smirked, looking a little smug. Any smile I’d had faded into a deep frown. Jade hadn’t admitted to being magis, and I didn’t know if she could force the teacher to call on me, but based on her sly grin I think she might’ve had some hand in it.
***
After school I shuffled toward the bus with Mitch and Graham. Mitch groaned on about his art homework when Jenna shouted down the hall, drawing all three of us to a halt.
“Teagan, these are my friends Lacy and Sloan. They’re going to be joining us on Saturday. Mitch, you’ll be available to keep them company, right?”
“Sure. Always glad to offer my services,” he said with a wink.
Lacy had one half of her head shaved, her eyes like pure copper. A wolvyn, no doubt. Like Kent, she had this wide-eyed stare that raised the hair on the back of your neck.
“What pack?” I asked.
Lacy grinned, her human-form teeth glistening. “Green Hills. Heard of us?”
I nodded. “Yeah. You have some impressive numbers. I have friends in the Glacier pack.”
“Oh, Alpha Ridge’s turf,” she said. “He’s . . . violent.”
Putting it lightly. So was saying I had friends. Neither Kent nor Angie had reached out, not to Liz, not to me. No mistake, I was sure by now they’d long forgotten me.
“She’s always bragging,” Sloan whined. “There are other magis who are stronger than shifters, Lace.”
Jenna touched my wrist. “Ignore them, they love to compare power. Sloan is part siren and hates water, if that tells you anything.”
“Hey.” Sloan nudged Jenna’s arm, but simply snickered.
I laughed. Talk about defective.
Jenna eyed me with an intent to conquer. At least I thought so, until I saw the way Sloan devoured Mitch with a single glance. Did her voice work on fae? The way she looked at him, if she started a siren call, I had no doubt my fellow reform would be lost.
“What about you Graham, want to join us?” Jenna asked.
Graham shrugged. “I don’t know, depends on homework.”
“Oh, come on Graham,” said Mitch. “You always complain no one wants anything to do with us. He’ll be there.”
“I can’t wait,” Jenna said, brushing her fingers along my shoulder.
I smiled, the rugged, dangerous feeling spreading through me once again. Old habits. After the awkward class with Jade, I ought to cut my losses and stick to what I knew. My logical brain knew Jenna was into me because of my record—I knew exactly how short-lived any romance might be—but who really cared?
“It’ll be great getting to know someone a little better from school,” I whispered close to Jenna’s ear. Her breaths were rapid when she glanced up. I half expected it, but was still surprised when Jenna pecked my lips. When she pulled away, she kept her mouth close.
“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised what you discover, Teagan.”
Graham sighed and abandoned us. Mitch grinned, the fae in him coming out in his flashing eyes, as I leaned against the wall. Jenna and her friends floated away. Defective, true, but I could still have a bit of fun.
When I turned to ask Mitch about any private places I could sneak to with Jenna, my heart lodged in the back of my throat.
Jade’s brilliant gaze stabbed me from across the hall.
A furrow gathered over her brow and a bit of pink flushed her cheeks. The seductive dimple faded because Jade certainly wasn’t smiling. Her gaze leapt to Jenna as the girls retreated, then back to me. I cleared my throat, the back of my neck prickled in shame and it didn’t make sense. Why have
shame when I didn’t know Jade, didn’t have any romantic connection to her?
I blinked away and hurried in the opposite direction. On the bus I slumped in my seat, chest tight. A weird, sick knot of betrayal throbbed in my chest until I thought a rib might snap.
Foolish to think that way, but the feeling didn’t ease all through the night. The raw coils in my insides worsened at the idea of Jade witnessing the simple kiss.
I hardly slept, so it didn’t matter that again the alarm clock flashed a blinking midnight reset, never going off.
Chapter 6
Saturday morning brought me lawn duty. Three hours of clipping, trimming, and whacking, but it gave me time to meditate with my friends the trees.
The air blistered over my exposed neck and arms by the time the afternoon broke through the quiet morning. Tonight was my first social night since coming to Wyvern Reform, and I was looking forward to the evening if for no other reason than to silence Mitch about what might happen.
The changeling spoke of nothing else and had admitted to fooling around behind the school with Lacy before, but tonight Sloan would have his attention. As much as I did look forward to the night, a dark cloud bloomed in my chest.
All week Jade had pummeled my thoughts. She’d spoken with me in Mrs. Tiddel’s class after she’d seen Jenna in the hallway, but hadn’t said much, and when school dismissed Friday she’d wished me a good weekend. Truth be told, she’d said it like a bad taste in her mouth.
I wanted to ask her things. Everything. Was she magis? Why did she think I was here? She had to be magis. But I wanted to know more. If she was with Raffi, why the jealousy about Jenna? Maybe I’d read it all wrong.
I sounded like an idiot. Like a hormonal, insecure teenager.
I shook my head and chugged a long gulp of water. A family of robins watched me from the branches. Their beady eyes followed me around the yard as though the birds were waiting for me to outright speak to them. All morning they’d perched on the tree, only flying away when I moved toward the front door of the house. Not the first time. Once a line of chipmunks surrounded me. Liz even snapped a picture of it. They’d sat there, perched on hind legs, as if waiting for me to do something remarkable.
“Teagan,” Sapphire’s voice echoed from his office.
I wiped the back of my hand over my sweaty brow. “Yes, sir.”
“What are the rules for tonight?”
“No drugs, no alcohol, no getting naked. I got it.”
“Stay out of the bedrooms. You may go out on the porch with the lights on or in the free room for a movie. Curfew is still at ten.”
“Do you grill Mitch and Graham like you do me, sir?” I tried to sound aggravated, but Sapphire only seemed amused.
“Mitch knows the rules, Graham is being forced to participate, and I don’t recall you being in a position to question what I do or don’t do, Mr. Ward.”
“I’m not a complete ass, you know. I can keep it in my pants.”
Sapphire lifted a brow. “Fair enough. This is a privilege. Don’t bring me to regret it.”
I offered a lazy salute, then hit the shower.
It was disturbing the lengths Wyvern Reform went to allow visitors. All parents of underage kids were informed, had to fill out consent sheets, and an adult was always hovering in the corner. For us, we had an inch more freedom, but there’d be someone close in case we went feral and turned on our guests, I guessed.
Jesse, Sapphire, and Bart were on chaperone patrol, and Sapphire meant business. I laughed whenever his loud voice shouted at a few rebels sneaking into bedrooms. About every half hour it’d happen again.
Jesse had the job of sticking with me, Mitch, and Graham. The youngest employee, entirely human, and had the tendency to scroll absently on social media, not really paying attention to his surroundings.
Curfew loomed and we led the girls to the front porch.
Jenna curled against my chest on the porch swing. She seemed comfortable, like she belonged there. My skin was on fire, and not it a good way.
Sapphire worried about my wandering hands, but Jenna’s hand was inching ever closer to my lower back, then my belt, and more than once I had to shift into an uncomfortable position to avoid them. Sloan was on the prowl, her face buried against Mitch’s neck. I had to laugh—poor Mitch—he tried to reciprocate her moves, but Sloan was a little much. Eventually, he folded his hands in his lap until she gave-up.
Graham kept his arms crossed, his eyes focused straight and ignored Lacy at his side who looked rather annoyed. She snarled more than once, showing her wolfish features in the dim light.
“Now you know,” Jenna said softly, her fingers tickling against the back of my neck. “There are girls who aren’t afraid of magis guys.”
“Defective isn’t really impressive.”
She shrugged. “I’ve heard of defective magis showing power later in life. It’s known to happen.”
My eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah. Rare, but it’s happened. Usually because there was some kind of block placed on magic. You know, because they might be sociopaths with magical abilities and that’d be chaos. So I guess they weren’t really defective, just blocked.”
“Huh,” was all I said. Not exactly the hopeful notion I wanted.
“You’re not the first girl to talk to Teagan.” Graham said, a little indignant. “There are others who aren’t intimidated by reform magis, Jenna.”
I glared at him. His pale eyes flat and uninterested in my temper.
Jenna tilted her head. “Really?”
A curl twisted the corner of Graham’s mouth. The first hint of gladness I’d witnessed since coming. He took a sip of soda we’d snatched from the fridge. “Jade Drake likes him.”
My stomach tightened. I narrowed my eyes at Graham, warning him to shut up, yet I wanted him to keep speaking in the same breath.
“Jade?” She whipped around, her freckled nose crinkling when she met my gaze. “Are you the kind of guy who’s into a princess?”
“Princess? I’ve spoken to her like twice.” Not entirely true, but I really didn’t need to bring up all the little comments we’d shared each day in class. “Why do you think she’s a princess?”
Jenna chuckled, as did Lacy and Sloan. “Well, she lives in a mansion. She’s followed by some of the hottest guys in school like they’re her personal guards. She’s the principal’s daughter, want me to go on?”
“That doesn’t mean she’s a princess,” I said, wryly. Strange how I jumped—no, needed to come—to Jade’s defense. “You’re holding it against her that she’s rich?”
“No, that’s not all. She’s weird,” Sloan said.
“We’re in a magis district,” I said. “Everyone is weird.”
“No. She’s worse.” Sloan leaned over her knees, a cruel grin on her pink lips. “A couple years ago she got into trouble with some kid and, of course, it was brushed under the rug. But the kid—he like disappeared. We never saw him again.”
“What?” My voice croaked and I fought to clear it away.
“I’ve never heard this story,” Mitch said.
Graham folded his arms and frowned. “Me neither.”
“Yeah, some say the guy made a move on her and Raffi murdered him—I wouldn’t doubt it—that guy has rage issues,” Sloan went on. “Others say he tried to do something to Jade, you know, like force her, and she hurt him. Of course, her mom takes care of everything and makes certain her record is spotless. Jade seems all perfect, but there’s something dark in her.”
My fists clenched. A surge of hot, raw anger flooded my veins until my skull throbbed. If true, I’d find the guy and end him myself. What the hell? When did I turn into some slaughterhouse?
“She doesn’t have girlfriends,” Jenna chimed in. “And hardly speaks to anyone except for Raffi and Dash. The rest of us are just peasants beneath Princess Jade.”
“There are all sorts of stories like that—about all of them. Jade, Raffi, Dash, my dad ev
en struggles with Ms. Drake. Like no one knows where Jade’s dad went,” Lacy said. “Are the Drakes divorced, is he dead, is he chained in the basement? Who knows? Look, my brothers and I, we sniffed them out once—”
“Lacy,” Mitch said, astonished. “You went on their property.”
What?” she said innocently. “They’re weird. It’s put the wolvyn on edge. Anyway, even their smell is . . . I don’t even know. It’s not a scent I’ve picked up before.”
“I’ve seen Jade out in the forest.” Jenna said, smugly. “It’s creepy. She’s always alone out there, probably doing all kinds of druggy stuff or weird magic. But that’s the other thing. No one knows if she’s magis.”
“If I had to bet, I would say Jade deserves to be in Wyvern Reform ten times more than any of you guys,” Sloan said, tracing the line of Mitch’s jaw, humming.
“You’d be smart to stay away from her, Teagan,” Lacy insisted.
I hesitated and my voice broke with barely managed temper. “Well, I didn’t get into Wyvern Reform because I’m smart.”
Jenna leaned her head on my shoulder. “What do you think she does with Raffi and Dash? I mean, they both look like they’d jump in front of a bus for her at any given moment. Who knows what sort of freaky stuff they’re into?”
Picturing Jade with Dash and Raffi was the breaking point. I was done.
“Sounds like you all might be a little jealous.”
“Jealous? Please, who is here with you tonight?” Jenna leaned in, lips aimed at mine, and I had a choice. Let it happen, enjoy a few minutes, or hold true to the way my chest corded in tension over Jade Drake.
I chose the latter.
I stood abruptly. Jenna’s lips parted when she scowled in my direction.
“Well, it’s about time for our curfew,” I said. Mitch burst to his feet, and I thought Graham muttered ‘finally’ under his breath.
“You’re not going to kiss me goodbye?” Jenna whimpered.
I wanted to roll my eyes when she pouted out her lip. That might have been playful, attractive even, before—okay, even ten minutes earlier—before Jade was brought into the conversation. Now all I wanted to do was shoo Jenna away and process everything they’d told me.
