by LJ Swallow
"She did tell you about the tunnels," I suggest.
"Hmm. Because yesterday she had no choice but to tell the professors why Confederacy officials visited, Maeve." Sofia shakes her head. "There's more to this. Vincent’s arrival and sudden departure. Professor Whitlock and his interest in you. Disappearances—including your trips off campus. I am in the dark about all this and I'm determined to expose what's happening."
I blink at her words. "Expose? There's nothing to expose."
Leaning forward, Sofia lowers her voice. "I am not a fool, Maeve. I will stop whatever you're all plotting."
Sofia may mean our group, but the way she addresses me prickles my scalp—the menace in her tone is aimed at me.
Jamie shuffles forward in his seat. "Sofia, I think recent events may be upsetting you too. Lorna's death turned everything upside down inside the academy. A lot of people are questioning their safety and the academy's stability. You're a strong witch who can help Theodora; don't allow yourself to be dragged down by suspicion and discord too."
I stare in horror at the side of Jamie's imploring face. If I'd spoken those words, Sofia would've thrown me out of the room. Anger flickers in Sofia's expression and her mouth thins until her lips almost disappear.
She stands. "As I said, I will get to the bottom of this. If I discover any evidence of untoward behaviour, I will go above Theodora and inform the council."
"I understand," Jamie says softly.
"No, Jamie, I don't think you do." She glares at him. "I'm increasingly upset by your disloyalty to myself and your house. I've a good mind to tell your parents—you're evidently going off the rails if you allowed a vampire to do that."
Jamie touches the faded wound on his neck from Leon’s attack.
With a disgusted glance, Sofia turns to me. "When—not if—Andrei Tepes assaults you, there will be consequences."
"He won't," I say, sick of repeating this to her.
"I know Tobias helped control his nature and now Andrei's chaperone isn't with him. Heed my words, Maeve."
Each minute we're with Sofia, the greater my anxiety. This woman is a world away from the one I met in my first days at the academy. Was it Lorna's death that began her spiral from misgivings to downright mistrust? I can't place my finger on how her mind works, and I'm scared to read Sofia in case she notices my intrusion and adds to her belief we're planning something underhanded.
My suspicions surrounding Sofia, triggered by her recent treatment of me, lessen as she talks. The professor's attitude is driven by fear of the unknown—fear of us and her loosening control over her role as Walcott head. In my recent experiences, behaviour driven by emotions lead to disaster.
What's happening to everybody?
Chapter Seventeen
MAEVE
We arrive at mental magic with moments to spare, and Andrei catches my eye to beckon me over. I cross to Andrei but don't have a chance to speak, because Garrett enters the room with a manner that reminds me of Tobias on the first day I spoke to him.
He slowly circles the classroom, studying us one by one, and I'm affronted when I sense his mental fingers touching my mind. I block Garrett and he bounces his gaze to Andrei and Jamie before progressing around the room.
The class watches in silence as he wanders to the desk at the front of the classroom, pulls out a chair, and sits.
“Half of you struggled to keep me from your mind just then.” He steeples his fingers beneath his chin. "This concerns me, as blocking is a basic skill. What techniques have you practiced recently?"
"Is he suggesting Tobias is a bad teacher?" I whisper to Andrei.
"Dunno. This guy is pneuma, so they should have similar skill."
I straighten in my seat. Nobody is as skilled as Tobias at mental magic, but has he held back on teaching students enough?
"Where's Professor Whitlock?" asks Katherine.
"That isn't your concern," replies Garrett without looking at her, then continues his teaching. "How much have you practiced on humans?"
"A little," says the girl beside Katherine. "Most of us don't need to, since we keep away from the human world."
Garrett mutters beneath his breath. "But that is the exact reason we hone this ability! Practicing on other students has no bearing on how humans react. Has anybody here used their mental magic on humans?”
Several kids raise their hands, including Andrei, who avoids my eyes. He's found himself in situations he needed to—and received extra tuition from Tobias.
"Is Tobias unwell? Or did the professor do something inappropriate?" continues Katherine and she purses her lips as she looks at me.
"I said, this isn't your concern, Ms Edelston. I heard that you are the one who uses your mental magic inappropriately."
Garrett shifts in his seat to fully focus on Katherine and she squirms. "At least I'm good and I’ll pass," she mutters.
With a small shake of his head, Garrett returns to his musing over his new students. "I've looked over the testing criteria for the year and I believe many will fail. Perhaps the team games will help develop the ability."
"That would be unfair on the shifters," I say.
"And this is why you need to work together and build on each other's strengths," he retorts. "Did you not listen to Professor Lancaster?"
"I did, but—" I begin and wince as Jamie kicks my shin.
"Don't get into fights with professors again, Maeve," he whispers.
"When will she announce teams?" asks Dane. "And the first challenge?"
"I believe somebody will post the information on the noticeboard tomorrow; we will finalise teams tonight."
A couple of lamia vampires beside Katherine mumble to themselves.
"Sergei. Could you please take one of these and pass to the student beside you." Garrett picks up sheaths of paper from his desk and holds them out to Sergei.
I remember Sergei laughing at me the night I embarrassed myself at Petrescu searching for the heartbeat. Before that night, we'd barely registered each other. The hemia kids mostly stick together—apart from Oliver and his gang who disappeared, presumably expelled, after their stunt at the Winter Ball. At least Theodora deals with some threats to her academy’s stability.
Sergei focuses on blending into the background, but today he stands out and not only because Garrett requested his help. The hemia stares at Yvette and Kimberly sitting across the room from him, eyes dark.
"Sergei!" Garrett slaps the papers on the table in front of him and he blinks and straightens. "Pass these around."
Silently, he picks one from the top and slides the pile to the hemia guy beside him—Arek? My unease grows as I notice the guy staring at the witches as intensely as Sergei. Have more issues arisen in the Petrescu/Walcott rivalry? This pair don't normally involve themselves.
I glance at the witches, who seem oblivious to the vampires' attention. "Do you know him well?" I whisper to Andrei and incline my head to the pair.
"Sergei? Nah, he doesn't like me. I give hemia a bad rap, remember?"
"Have you seen how he's looking at Yvette and Kimberly?”
"Huh?" Andrei takes the papers as they reach him and passes the pile to me. "He's not looking at them; he's switched off. Sergei is like Katherine and doesn't need much practice. He hates the lesson and zones out. Probably daydreaming."
I place a paper on the desk in front of me and suppress a shudder. Daydreaming while looking at a witch?
That can't be good.
Chapter Eighteen
MAEVE
Garrett instructs the class to write down what we consider our mental magic strengths and weaknesses, plus our ideas for future teaching from him. Halfway through the lesson, the bored students start chattering. Ignoring this, Garrett sits and watches everybody with a keen expression, then ends the class by walking around the room and retrieving students' papers.
With everything happening, I forget I'm at the academy to study too, even though the lessons are odd. Passing magical exams no
t only seems weird, but also pointless when the academy's future is threatened.
"Ms Foster. Could I have a word, please?" he asks as I prepare to leave.
Katherine passes at the moment he speaks to me and makes a derisive noise.
Ignoring her, I look to Andrei. "We'll wait," he says and points to Jamie.
The classroom empties and I clasp my hands behind my back. Garrett stands, arms crossed over his dark suit jacket. The tall, wiry guy’s authoritarian attitude would normally intimidate me, as I can sense he’s as powerful as Theodora, but I’ve met others who make his attitude positively friendly.
"As you can imagine, taking over another professor’s classes towards the end of the year is a difficult task."
"I didn't mean to be rude," I stammer.
"Perhaps." He tips his head. "Theodora has informed me of the situation between you and Tobias Whitlock and also the recent developments in your life."
"My whole situation?" I ask, and the prickling anxiety that had dropped begins again.
"Theodora confided in me about everything, Maeve Winterfall."
I meet his intense dark eyes but have no hope of detecting his thoughts about the situation. "Oh."
"I don't intend to interfere with your life, but I'm always here if you have concerns about your study."
"Thank you. If you know all about me, then you'll know I have stronger than average mental magic skills."
"Yes, but you lack emotional control."
I bristle at the words Tobias used in the past. "I'm nineteen. Of course, I do."
His thin lips spread into a smile. "I am also here if you need some help with those emotions."
Uh. Creepy. Someone else messing with my mind? Huge, fat no. How do I know I can trust this guy? "Thanks."
"I can read your thoughts, Maeve." My cheeks heat and he chuckles at me. "Theodora is struggling to cope with recent developments, which is unusual for her. Please be assured that I am here to help her. We are long-term friends and I am as old as Theodora; I've seen much happen over the last few hundred years, and I have no desire to see instability and death again."
"I know she wouldn't bring anybody new into the academy if she didn't trust the person," I mumble. “Sorry.”
Garrett steps back and rests against the desk. "Exactly. Now, I also sense you resent my taking Tobias's place, even though you no longer wish to interact with the man."
"I don't." Is he fishing? Does he want to know more about us?
"Maeve. I have first-hand experience of war between the races, and Theodora informed me of his crime. Tobias moved on from a past and behaviour that many vampires would not walk away from. In the old world, many vampires continued such behaviour for hundreds of years with no remorse—they brought the Purge upon us. Tobias is an unusual man, but I don't believe he's evil."
The room suddenly feels warmer. Why is this man giving me a pep talk about Tobias? Has Theodora asked him to—and why the hell did she reveal his secret?
"Do you know what's happening in the tunnels, now the Confederacy have taken over?" I ask.
He arches a brow at my subject change. "I'm sure Theodora will update you once the witches complete their investigations. The tunnel entrance will be warded once they've concluded their exploration, and with magic as powerful as that around the academy. From there, we will wait for the Confederacy's conclusions and whether to close the academy."
"Poor Theodora," I say softly. "She's resistant to the idea."
His intensity grows. "I am here to support Theodora in every way possible. She is no longer alone."
In the time we've spoken, this man hasn't once attempted to touch my mind and so I've an inkling of trust for him.
"I'm glad she has you here." He doesn't respond. "Can I go now?"
Garrett nods. "Take care, Maeve. And remember I am here, if you need me.”
I make my way from the room towards Jamie and Andrei. Theodora trusts him, even though the number of people she trusts shrinks every day. I'll struggle to—is this because I'm losing my trust in Theodora?
Chapter Nineteen
ASH
I count less than a dozen shifters in the Gilgamesh meditation class today, and I'm one of only three guys. A younger witch, Professor Donoghue, takes the class—begrudgingly, considering attendance is always lower than it should be. She recorded her meditative instructions a few weeks ago and now plays the lesson back to us while reading.
Nobody takes this class seriously, but they should. Admittedly, I was one of the resistant shifters, convinced the exercise was a load of crap because I had no issues controlling myself. Since Maeve suggested I work on my self-control, I've attended every session. Who knows what Vince triggered because I'm not as in control as a few months ago?
Vince.
Where the hell is he?
The few Gilgamesh kids who attend this evening trickle from the classrooms to the Gilgamesh house wing, as we walk outside and around to the main entrance. Petrescu house is physically separate, but Walcott and Gilgamesh are either side of the library and classrooms which block direct travel between the two houses. Petrescu's status as separate to the rest of the academy has cemented recently and I hope the challenge doesn't make things worse.
I found concentrating difficult today with all the shit going on around us. I haven’t told Theodora and Professor O'Reilly yet about Clive and Remi's activities; I want more evidence that they’re more than rebellious shifters who can’t wait for permission. In the past, Theodora and the professor kept an eye on students who do, but I'm uneasy. After the shit with Vince, I don't believe this is simple shifter rebellion against academy authority.
Clive and Remi loiter outside the entrance to Gilgamesh, resting against the wall as they watch the students pass by. "Brainwashed morons," calls out Clive. "Meditation is their way to control you."
Nobody answers as they hurry past into the building. I stride over and step between them and the last two nervous girls heading by the pair. "Are you bullying now?" I ask.
Clive pulls himself from the wall and squares his shoulders. Shit. He's definitely bigger than a few weeks ago. I've tackled him enough times on the pitch to recognise how much he's bulked up. As far as I know, transformation into a mid happens within one shift. Is he slowly turning? Is that possible? The scales on my back haven't disappeared either and they heat as I think about them.
"Are you avoiding us, Ash?" Clive asks. “Do we worry you?”
"Oh. So you remember seeing me the other night?" I ask.
"Yeah." He moves forward and I ignore his intimidation. "Keep your mouth shut."
I scoff and he steps further into my face. Too late, mate. Clive doesn't only look different, but he smells different too, the human pheromones now subdued by the animal ones. "Why are you shifting? Look at yourself and how it’s changing you."
Remi moves to stand shoulder to shoulder with Clive. He's different too—the squat guy's barrel chest has expanded and his eyes are a different shade of brown. "So what? I'm ready now. Why wait until we're told?"
"Years of tradition and for your own safety?" I suggest sarcastically.
Clive laughs directly in my face and his breath stinks of beer. "Like I said, keep your mouth shut or face the consequences."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Um. Yep," puts in Remi and they both laugh again. "You think anything will change if Theodora kicks us out of the academy? We'll just have more time to prepare."
Clive flashes Remi a look and elbows him.
"Prepare for what?" I shoot back. "What are you planning? Is Vince back?"
"You ask a lot of questions and I'm not answering them."
"You know the Confederacy are looking for Vince, don't you?"
Clive shrugs. "Never said I knew where he was."
I drag a hand down my face in frustration. By my count, Vince had a good handful in his thrall, and Clive and Remi continue to successfully recruit inside Gilgamesh. I’ve heard more than a few kids echoing t
heir sentiments about witch and vampire control over shifters. Did others from their growing gang shift but I only caught these two?
"Theodora will be interested to hear what I saw. Stop being fucking idiots." I step away towards the steps into the building and Clive snatches the back of my blazer, almost tearing the material as he yanks me back.
"Are you deaf? Do you want people hurt?" he snarls.
I shrug him off but as I turn to face him, he shoves me in the chest. I push him back as hard. "That's why I'm telling Theodora. If this continues, someone will get hurt."
Clive runs his tongue along his teeth and shoves me in the shoulder. "I mean your friends." He pushes again with both hands this time. "The crazy witch bitch."
I grit my teeth and refuse to show how the word annoys me. "Maeve? You won't be able to hurt her," I sneer.
"Yeah? Gonna risk me trying? How would she fare against a pack of us?" His eyes narrow to slits. When Vince attacked me, I struggled to hold my own, and for the first time I doubt whether Maeve could. She could defend herself against one, but she can't mind-control a whole group. He grins. "Gotcha. So keep it shut, right?"
The heavy feeling builds in the pit of my stomach, spreading upwards into my chest, and my heart rate picks up. The anger comes in a sudden wave, slamming into my mind before I have a chance to register and suppress the reaction. I want to smack that mocking expression off the arsehole’s face, but instead I try to breathe out the anger. If I’d seen Tobias face to face that night, I doubt I would’ve held onto the control I have now.
"Are you worrying about your witch?" he taunts. "Don't. We'll take care of her."
Remi snickers and rage flashes across my vision at his connotation. I shove Clive hard with both palms, fighting curling my hand into fists and hitting the bastard, but he barely budges. "I'm watching you, dickhead."
