by Jade Thorn
The threat that there was a limit on that time, was unspoken but clearly implied. Melody hadn’t thought it was possible for the woman to look any angrier, but she did, although now she wisely held her tongue.
“As for Nicholas’ claims. They’re true. I have the documentation and eyewitness accounts. Unfortunately I’m only three hundred years old myself, but I can attest that Nicholas was here at the founding of the academy and that he did fight in the war. My ancestors fought alongside him. Something I’m proud to admit. That we saw the injustices against the shifters and fought for their freedoms.”
The provost brushed her hands down her clothing, as though removing any evidence of what had happened. What had almost happened.
“Very well, if you are willing to vouch for the mental stability of this shifter, I will not force the issue,” she said, primly.
“As for the expulsion of Nicholas,” the councillor continued. “Let me make it very clear, Provost, that his continued presence here, until such time as he bonds a witch, is part of the accords. Should he bond and leave the academy, then Justin would be required to take on his duties as the ambassador to the Witch High Council.”
The provost’s eyes widened as she looked at Nick.
“Ah, I see you were unaware. Yes, Nicholas is an important factor in the relative peace between witches and shifters. When he was assigned the role, it was not expected that he would have to wait for so long before bonding. However, many good and strong witches and their bloodlines were destroyed during the wars, and it has taken us some time to breed up to a similar level of strength again. It is quite possible that Melody is the only witch alive who could bond and hold not only one dragon but two.”
The councillor gave her a slight bow. “You’re the strongest witch in over five hundred years Melody. It is a blessing from the Goddess that you were gifted with Beast Magic. Our strongest shifters have waited a long time for you. How are your bonds? I believe you have acquired three strong shifters in less than a year. That is a considerable burden even for a witch of your standing. I would hate for you to burn out by taking on too much too soon, no matter how badly you wish to aid those involved.”
He gave a significant look to the shifters around her, warning them to be patient, before turning his stern gaze on the provost. “Forcing Melody to bond is not only against the law, Provost. But against her best interests, and therefore the interests of the American High Council itself. There will be no second chances if you cross that line again. Have I made myself clear?”
The provost gave him a stiff nod.
“I need to hear you verbalise it, Sienna,” he insisted.
“Yes, Councillor Argrum,” she spat.
He stood, watching. Waiting.
Finally, the provost lowered her gaze, her shoulders slumping. “Yes, Councillor Argrum,” she said, more quietly.
“Excellent. Well, if you will excuse me, there are still forty-seven shifter students unaccounted for after the incident here. Melody, I beg your forgiveness for remaining here, I forgot how distressing it would be for you.” He sighed sadly. “For all of us.”
“Thank you, Sir, for coming and helping us with this misunderstanding,” she said, trying to smooth things over. Melody knew the fact that they had all witnessed the provost’s humiliation by the councillor would be held against them. Her aunt was the same way. Whatever damage control she could do now, was worth sucking up her pride for. She already had enough on her plate.
“I know that the provost was genuinely concerned for the wellbeing of the academy. It is a good sign for our future here that she was willing to do whatever it took to protect us all.”
Everyone stared at her, but Melody stood her ground, calmly waiting for them to respond. Under her aunt, she’d learned to lie with the best of them, when telling the truth served no purpose. Well, she’d at least learned that it was the best thing. Sometimes her foolish temper, or her desire for justice for others, got in the way.
“I will always put the needs of the academy first,” the provost said, regaining her composure.
Melody began to relax, until the councillor opened his mouth again.
“Well, see to it that you don’t do so at the expense of the wellbeing of its students,” he snapped, obviously annoyed with her efforts at smoothing things over.
The provost stiffened, but fixed a grin on her face and bowed. “Of course, Councillor,” she said firmly, refusing to look Melody’s way.
Oh, that did not bode well for them. What the councillor forgot to realise, was that Melody and the shifters around her, would have to live with the long-term fallout of that morning’s events.
“Oh, and Sienna?” he snarled. They all looked at him again, waiting. “Finish fixing the fucking wards.”
He opened a portal and stepped through it.
Yep, everything was going to go to hell. The furious gaze the provost turned upon her guaranteed it.
“Don’t just stand there gawping, girl. Get to class,” she snapped.
There was no use pointing out that they had missed breakfast. It wouldn’t be taken into consideration. Obediently, Melody turned to go. For now, they would have to play the game and see where the dust settled. They would need to choose their way forward very carefully.
28. Dean
Dean’s lion yowled at him to take care of her. She hadn’t eaten, and now was about to run the gauntlet of hexes, pranks and harsh words to get to class. The other students may have been turned away from watching the drama, but he knew they had not gone far.
“Go with her to class,” he growled under his breath, knowing the others would hear him while Melody would not. “Oz, Ryan, please head back to the cottage. I’m going to see if I can scrounge up some breakfast rolls, anyone want to come with? She hasn’t eaten.”
There was a shift in his head, and then he could hear all of them.
Sorry, sent Nick. I was kind of distracted, I should have had this open all along. They’re not going to allow all of us to go into class with her. I suggest Asher and Trent go, as her bonded shifters, they won’t object too strongly to both of you, as long as you pipe down.
I’ll go with Dean, Justin said. Then I can take breakfast to the wolves.
It didn’t escape anyone’s notice that he was avoiding Melody, but nobody called him out on it.
Fine, I’ll come too, I can help Dean carry enough for the five of us. Then I’m going to need to let my dragon out. Today was a shitshow before she pulled that bonding crap. The new provost is going to be trouble. She’s trying to invoke the whole witch dominance thing again. She wanted me to kiss her fucking ring.
Hey, snarked Justin. If she expects me to bend over for her, she can kiss my fucking ringhole.
The others snickered. Dean relaxed a little, the whole scene had been intense. Melody’s emotions down the bond were becoming clearer. She might be resigned to no food, and relieved that the whole thing was over, but she was more tense than ever. It wasn’t only Nick who was worried about the new provost.
“Hey, Mel,” he said to her. “What do you have first again?”
“Enchantments,” she said quietly. “Why?”
Dean smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head, eliciting snarky comments, gagging sounds and the odd giggle from lookers on. It never failed to astound him how immature the witches were that attended the academy. It was possibly because they lived longer lives and matured more slowly, but sometimes he swore they were more like teenagers than witches who had reached their majority at twenty-five.
“The guys and I are going to grab something to eat and meet you there, okay?”
“I don’t think he’ll let us eat in class,” Melody said, heaving a sigh.
“Then I guess we better be fast and get there before class starts. Otherwise, I’m sure they’ll taste just as good after class.”
Dean gave her shoulders a quick squeeze and jogged ahead with Justin and Nick. The chime sounded to announce the start of classes and he cur
sed under his breath. So, she wouldn’t get a meal before the lecture started, and if it turned out to be a practical session, then she’d be even hungrier afterwards.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” Quinn called out as they approached him and Carla, moving quickly towards their own classroom.
“The thing with the provost meant we missed breakfast. We’re seeing if we can grab something. Food, man, I’ll always run for food,” Dean joked, trying to move around Carla, but she deliberately stepped in his path making him halt abruptly. The two dragons surged around him and kept going. Good, the sooner they got food to Melody, the better.
“So, what is the bitch up to now? Inviting her coven back to attack us again?” the angry witch snarled.
“Hey, Carla, I thought we talked about this?” Quinn said, stepping up beside and slightly in front of her.
“No, Quinn,” she snapped. “You talked about it, about her, at great length. I just tuned you out.”
Dean heard Quinn’s wolf whimper. What the hell was going on with Carla? He’d thought that she’d been cool at first.
“I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but it’s wrong,” Dean told her quietly. He knew that matching her fire with his own temper would get them nowhere.
“Melody was a slave, she was as much a victim of that attack as the rest of the academy.”
Carla scoffed, and his restraint started to fray.
“That raving bitch, her aunt, murdered Melody’s mother to get control of the coven. Now, she’s murdered the provost, the closest thing Melody had to another mother-figure. She’s been beaten, tortured, forced to endure psychological abuse that would break most people. Melody has nearly died several times since she arrived here, all while to protect the Apex. So, if you’re going to talk about her, get your facts straight. She’s worth ten of you, and if you had half a brain, you’d know it.”
He knew it was a mistake as soon as he let fly, that the information he imparted would be fed straight into the gossip mill and used against her. It would be twisted and distorted and made to fit whatever narrative Shawna and her cronies decided on. Still, it was done, and there was no taking it back.
Carla was staring at him, open mouthed. He could see her brain processing the information. For a second, the thought maybe he’d broken through to her, but then her expression hardened again.
“Then why the fuck did she reject Justin? If she knows what it’s like to be imprisoned, then why wouldn’t she give freedom to someone else? Hmm?”
“Because she wasn’t just imprisoned, Carla, she was enslaved. Her entire life was governed by geasen. Spend thirty seconds cleaning your belly button every time you bathe. Go around the building and kill every spider. Wipe your feet five times before coming inside. Everything, Carla, every moment was dictated by that bitch who couldn’t be bothered to raise her, so she got spells to do so. And before Mel came here? Her aunt put big ones on her, punitive ones. If Mel told us she had geasen on her, one would rip her back open to the bone. If she spoke about the awful conditions, it was disloyal, there’s another whip. If she refused to bond one of us, there was another whip.”
The doubt slowly creeping over Carla’s face made him hope for more from her, he hoped she was listening. He noticed her absently scratching at her wrist where a thin silver bracelet wrapped around her skin. The flesh beneath was raw, and Quinn reached around and stopped her motions.
“Carla, I think you should take it off. It’s obviously bothering your skin. Let’s get it checked out and see if there’s some contaminant or something on it. It could be nettle hairs or something.”
Even as he spoke, Quinn was turning the chain, looking for the clasp, but Carla was quicker.
“No,” she shouted. “No, I can’t take it off. I don’t want to. Leave it alone, Quinn.”
Quinn subsided, stepping back and frowning in worry. Dean could smell blood, whatever was going on, it had obviously been happening for a while, and it was reaching boiling point. It was what Carla had said, however, that grabbed his attention.
“What do you mean you can’t take it off?” Dean asked her gently.
“I can’t. I mustn't. Terrible things will happen if I take it off,” Carla whimpered.
Dean snarled. He fucking knew what this was. He grabbed her other wrist and started tugging her. “You need to come with me, right now.”
Quinn growled, lunging at him, but Dean refused to let her go. However, with the two of them fighting him, it was going to be much harder.
“Quinn, you want the thing off her? I’m taking her to someone who can help. You know something’s going on. Use your bond. Fill it with a need for help, a need to follow you, she won’t be able to fight that. You do need her to do this Quinn, because what she said is downright dangerous and you know it.”
Quinn swallowed hard and halted, closing his eyes and focussing.
“No, Quinn, no. If we take this thing off, horrible things will happen. I promise, I won’t scratch anymore, just don’t do this. I don’t want anyone to get hurt!” Carla shouted.
Any moment now, someone would come out and demand to know what the fuss was about. It was time to step things up a gear.
Without waiting for permission, he scooped her up, slung her over his shoulder and began to jog. Ironically, he was heading for Melody’s first class anyway. He knew she could sense his anger and concern, so at least he’d be able to allay her fears while he was at it.
“Open the door,” Dean growled at Quinn.
The wolf shifter looked from him to the door, indecision on his face, all the while Carla sent small hexes and curses against him, mostly landing on his ass. It was beginning to sting.
“But class has started,” Quinn whined.
“Open the fucking door, or I’ll be forced to kick it in, and then we’ll both be in trouble. Me for doing it, you for forcing my hand.”
Abruptly, Quinn moved forward and twisted the knob, the door flying from his hand and hitting the wall. There were several startled exclamations and everyone turned to see what the commotion was.
He could feel Melody’s worry through the bond, but right now, he had to help this witch.
“Dean? What is the meaning of this?” Mr. Cartwright. “That’s not your witch, you can’t just manhandle her like that.”
“Put me down!” screamed Carla from over his shoulder, increasing her thrashing.
“She’s being enchanted,” Dean explained. “I’m pretty sure it’s mood and belief based. There’s a silver bracelet on her left hand. That’s the culprit.”
“It doesn’t mean that you can drag her across the school,” Mr. Cartwright said angrily.
“Her bonded familiar couldn’t convince her to take it off, he couldn’t fucking get her to do anything, and she’s turning her emotions against him too, it’s crushing him. You should hear his fucking wolf, it’s in agony.”
Dean had been trying to shut the beast’s growing whimpers out for a while. The more distressed Carla was about the bracelet, the more upset the wolf became, but he wasn’t angry with Dean. He was frightened for his witch and she was hurting him. It was clear by the sounds he was making. She was punishing him for not helping her.
In response, all of the shifters, bonded and unbonded alike stirred. Several of them stood up.
“She’s hurting him,” one of them called out. “You need to make her stop.”
Dean dumped her on her feet, leaving her unbalanced so she fell into the teacher’s arms.
“Grab her, and don’t let go, she’s going to fight us on this with everything she has,” he instructed.
“Dean, there are proper procedures to do this,” Mr Cartwright objected. “If she had come to me …”
Dean had had enough. “Carla, what would happen if I broke this bracelet right now.”
Carla worried at the chain, blood now flowing freely down her hand. “No, Dean! You can’t! You mustn’t! Horrible things will happen if I take it off. Terrible things. People are
going to die! I can’t let that happen.”
“So, if I said that it wouldn’t, that the bracelet was enchanted, would you have come to Mr. Cartwright to get it checked?” he demanded.
Carla flinched back from the teacher, suddenly taking in where she was and who she was with. He could see the fear ramp up. It also meant she was too distracted to continue punishing Quinn, who had fallen to the floor in pain.
“Of course I wouldn’t. I know it’s enchanted. It’s a curse. If I take it off, the curse will be unleashed and people will die. Quinn, come on, we need to run. Quinn …” she turned to her familiar, shocked to see him on the ground.
“Quinn!” she shouted, dropping beside him. “Oh, my beautiful wolf. What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Carla,” Dean said softly. “You did that. You were punishing him for not stopping me, for helping me get you here.”
“Quinn consented to bringing her?” Mr. Cartwright asked, while Carla fussed over her familiar, lifting his head onto her lap.
“It’s the curse,” she whimpered. “He touched the bracelet, and now the curse has hit him. This is all your fault.”
She raised a hand and threw magic at Dean. He had no idea what she’d done, but it flung him across the room and against the wall.
“That is enough!” roared Mr. Cartwright.
Carla froze.
Dean could hear her whimpering, but the only thing she moved were her eyes, which tracked back and forth frantically as if seeking a way out.
The teacher knelt beside her, lifting his hands around the bracelet and casting his magic against it. A blue light began to glow around the links, everyone gasping at the sight.
“It’s a friendship bracelet,” Quinn said as he struggled to sit up.
