Hunted

by P. C. Cast

Chapter Twenty-six

  I had fencing class before lunch and couldn't have been happier. Okay, well, that's an overstatement. I could have been happier if my friends and I were about a bazillion miles away from the House of Night, Neferet, and Kalona. Since that didn't seem very possible, especially after Vamp Soc and Neferet's freaky anti-cloaking lecture, I settled for being happy that Dragon agreed I looked too tired to do more than sit and watch class.

  Actually I wasn't feeling bad at all, and when I fished my mirror out of my purse to put on the lip gloss I was relieved I hadn't lost, I didn't think I looked that bad, either. So Dragon's allowing me to sit out of class, coupled with the fact that his cat had been one of those that had shown up in my room like a furry clue, had me keeping a close eye on our fencing professor.

  At first glance Dragon appears to be another of my grandma's conundrums. First of all, he's short. Second, he's cute. Really cute. As in the guy you'd pick to be a stay-at-home dad who baked cookies and could even hem his daughter's skirt in an emergency. In a world where male vampyres were warriors and protectors, a short, cute guy wouldn't normally get much attention. But his whole persona changed when he picked up his sword, or, as he'd correct me, his foil. Then he turned lethal. His features hardened. He didn't grow taller, that would just be silly (as well as impossible), but he didn&rsquo ['kay, l;t need to be taller. He was literally so fast that his foil seemed to glide and glow with a power all its own.

  I watched Dragon drill the class in fencing exercises. The fledglings didn't seem so podlike in fencing class. But that was probably because it dealt with physical activity, not mental stuff. I paid closer attention and noticed that, even though the class was completing the physical motions, there was no easy banter or harmless teasing going on. Everyone was on task, which was weird as hell. I mean, let's face it. Keeping a gym filled with teenagers who had sharp things in their hands totally on task is nearly impossible.

  I was frowning at a group of guys who would normally have been getting at least a couple of reprimands from Dragon, along with reminders to pay attention and not act like idiots (at the House of Night professors can call kids idiots when they act like idiots because the idiot children can't run home to their mommies and cry about it; hence there is a lot less idiot behavior at the House of Night than at most public schools), when Dragon stepped between me and my line of vision. I blinked and refocused on him.

  Slowly and distinctly he winked at me before turning back to the class.

  About then his huge Maine Coon padded up to sit beside me and lick one of his monstrous paws.

  "Hey there, Shadowfax. " I scratched his head and felt more hopeful than I had since the Raven Mocker had almost killed me.

  Even though school had turned into a nightmare and danger was all around us, lunch felt like an oasis of familiarity. I loaded up on my personal favorite, spaghetti and brown pop, and joined Damien and the Twins at our booth.

  "Well, what did you guys find out?" I whispered between big bites of pasta with marinara and cheese.

  "You look way better," Damien said, his voice definitely not a whisper.

  "I feel better," I said, giving him a WTF look.

  "I'm thinking we really need to go over the new vocab for the lit test next week," Damien said loudly, opening his ever-ready notebook and taking out a number two pencil.

  The Twins groaned. I frowned at him. Had he gone pod on us?

  "Yeah, just because stuff is changing around here, it doesn't mean you can let your grades slide," he said.

  "Damien, you are a pain in the ass," Shaunee said.

  "Worse. You are a damn pain in the ass with your stupid vocab shit, and I--"

  Damien slid the notebook around so that we could read what he'd written below the list of vocab words.

  R. M. @ all the windows. Their hearing is excellent.

  The Twins and I shared a quick glance, then I sighed and said, "Fine, Damien. What ever. We'll study the stupid vocab with you. But I agree with the Twins that you're a pain. "

  "All right. Let's start with `loquacious. '" He pointed his pencil at the word.

  Shaunee shrugged. "Isn't that something out of Star Trek?" "Sounds right to me," Erin said.

  Damien gave them a look of disgust I knew he didn't have to act to put on. "No, simpletons, this is what it means. " He wrote: Dragon is on our side. "So, Erin, why don't you try the next word, `voluptuous'?"

  "Oooh, I know what that one means," Shaunee said, grabbing Damien's pencil before he could pass it to Erin. Beside `voluptuous' she quickly wrote: me! Then, farther down on the page, she scrawled: Anastasia is 2.

  "You know I consider using texting shorthand gauche," Damien said.

  "Don't care," Shaunee said.

  "Even if we knew what `gauche' meant," Erin said.

  "I'll take the next word," I said. Ignoring the next vocab word, I wrote: We gotta get out of here to night, but can't use the Hummer. Can't cloak it. I paused, chewing my lip, and then added, Got to be careful. N knows we're going to try to leave. "I guess I don't know what that next one means after all. Can you help me out, Damien?"

  "No problem. " Damien wrote: We need to get out of here fast. Before they can stop us.

  "Okay, hang on. I'll try the next word. Just let me think about it for a sec. " We all ate silently while I thought, but not about the vocab word "ubiquitous" (seriously, I could have thought about that forever and not figured out what it meant).

  We needed to get off campus, under my cloaking, as soon as possible. But Neferet was expecting us to try to bolt; she'd made that clear. This meant she'd be listening in to our lunchroom conversations, not just via the Raven Mockers but inside Damien's and the Twins' minds the second she was physically close enough to them to make her psychic eavesdropping work. Again, I thought how relieved I was that no one but Stevie Rae and I knew I'd really be running to the Benedictine Abbey instead of the depot tunnels. Thanks to my note-passing skills and--

  "That's it!"

  The Twins and Damien stared at me. I grinned at them. "I remembered what `ubiquitous' means!" I lied. "And I have an idea about studying. I'm going to write definitions for some of the words on pieces of paper. I'll give one to each of you, which you're going to be expected to study and learn. When you learn the word, pass it back to me, and I'll give you another one. It'll be kinda like flashcards. "

  "Have you lost your damn mind?" Shaunee said.

  "No," Damien said perkily. "It's a good idea. It'll be fun. "

  I was ripping strips of notebook paper and writing furiously on them: Get to the stables. After folding each one carefully, I said, "Just think about the definitions we've gone over. Don't read the word I gave you until the bell rings for the end of sixth hour. I mean it. " I handeE?I# zd each of them their "word. "

  "Okay, okay, we get it," Erin said, stuffing her note into the pocket of her designer jeans.

  "Yeah, what ever. You two are turning into teachers. And that's not a compliment," Shaunee said, taking her piece of paper.

  "Just remember, don't peek until the bell," I said.

  "We won't," Damien said. "And when we do, maybe we should call our inpidual elements to us, just to help us focus?" "Yes!" I said, smiling gratefully at Damien.

  "Speaking of. " Shaunee grabbed the sheet of paper we'd been writing on. "I'm going to take this to the ladies' room and do my own studying with my element. " She looked long and hard at me, and I nodded, understanding that she was going to call fire to her and destroy the evidence of our "subterfuge," which was a big word I actually knew the definition of.

  "I'll go with you, Twin. You might need my, er, help. " Erin hurried after her.

  "At least we don't have to worry about Shaunee lighting the school on fire from the bathroom," Damien whispered.

  "Holy shit, I'm starved!" Aphrodite breezed in and plopped down next to me. Her plate was loaded with spaghetti. She looked gorgeous, as usual, but a litt
le frazzled. Her hair, which she normally wore long and flowing all around her shoulders, was pulled back in what might have once been a chic, puffed-top ponytail, but now looked actually messy.

  "Are you okay?" I whispered, throwing a look at the window and giving Aphrodite what I hoped was a be-quiet-they-can-hear-us look.

  Aphrodite followed my line of vision, nodded slightly, and then whispered back, "I'm fine. Darius is fast!"

  From that I understood that the warrior had probably been taking her on one of his superfast runs. I briefly regretted that he couldn't carry us all out of here, one at a time, but filed an amended version of the thought; maybe he could carry one or even two fledglings in an emergency.

  "They're all over out there," Aphrodite said so softly I almost didn't hear her.

  "Around the perimeter?" Damien whispered.

  Aphrodite nodded, shoveling spaghetti into her face. "They lurk around campus, too," she said between bites, careful to keep her voice low, "but their focus is obviously on keeping anyone from coming or going without their permission. "

  "Well, we're definitely going without their permission," I said. I looked at Damien. "You have to go so I can talk to Aphrodite. Do you understand?"

  He started to look hurt for a second, and then I saw understanding in his eyes as he remembered I could talk freely to Aphrodite without worrying that Neferet could break into her mind and dig out what I'd said.

  "I understand," he said. "So I guess I'll see you. . . " His voice trailed off into a question. iv>

  "Just go over the vocab note I gave you, okay?"

  He smiled. "Okay. "

  "Vocab note?" Aphrodite said after he was gone.

  "It's just a way I'm getting them to meet me in the stables right after school without them knowing beforehand. Maybe if it's a surprise to them, it'll take a while for Neferet to know what we're up to. "

  "And by that time we'll be out of here?"

  "I hope so," I whispered. I leaned closer to Aphrodite, not caring if the Raven Mockers were suspicious about the two of us putting our heads together. At least they couldn't get into our heads. "Get to the stables with Darius as soon as school's out. Dragon and Anastasia are with us. So I'm hoping that means the cat clues were right, and Lenobia is on our side, too. " "Which means she may help us get out of here from the weak part in the wall by the stables?"

  "Yeah. Okay, do not tell anyone else this next part, not even Darius. Do you swear?"

  "Yeah, yeah, what ever. Cross my heart and hope to--"

  "Just saying you won't tell is good enough for me," I said, not wanting to hear anything about hoping to die come out of her mouth.

  "I won't tell. So, what is it?"

  "We're not going back to the depot tunnels when we leave here.

  We're going to the Benedictine Abbey. "

  Her gaze on me was sharp and way more intelligent than most people gave her credit for being. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

  "I trust Sister Mary Angela, and I have a bad feeling about the tunnels. "

  "Ah, shit. I hate it when you say that. "

  "Hell, I don't like it either! But I sensed a darkness down there that I've been seeing too much of. "

  "Neferet," Aphrodite whispered.

  "I'm afraid so. " I spoke slowly, thinking aloud. "And I'm thinking that the influence of the nuns might repel her. Plus, Sister Mary Angela told me that there was a place of power there at the abbey, something that made my control over the elements not so surprising to her. I think she called it Mary's Grotto. " As I spoke I felt that sureness within that told me Nyx was pleased with the choices I was making. "Maybe we can somehow use the power there, like we've used the power over by the east wall before. At the very least it might help me keep us cloaked. "

  "Mary's Grotto? Sounds like something that should be in the ocean and not in Tulsa. Look, just keep in mind that the place of power by the east wall has been misused about as much as it's been tapped into for good," she said. "And what about Stevie Rae and her freaks? Not to mention your boyfriends?"

  "They'll be there. Or at least I hope they will. The Raven Mockers have been watchinv>

  "Well, I can tell you from being around her for those two days that she is majorly resourceful, and some of those resources are not so nice. " She paused and kinda squirmed uncomfortably.

  "What is it?" I prompted.

  "Look, if I tell you, I want you to promise to believe me. "

  "Fine. I promise. Now what is it?"

  "Well, talking about your bumpkin BFF and her bag of tricks kinda reminded me of something. Something I found out after she and I, well, you know. "

  "Imprinted?" I said, trying (unsuccessfully) not to smile.

  "It's not funny, smart-ass," she snapped. "It's annoying. Anyway, remember when you were talking to Stevie Rae about the extent of the tunnels and whatnot?"

  I thought back. "Yeah, I remember. " Then my stomach clenched as I replayed the scene in my mind and I really did remember how Stevie Rae had looked all uncomfortable when I asked her about other red fledglings, and I braced myself to hear what Aphrodite had to say. "She lied to you. "

  I had a feeling Aphrodite had been going to say that, but knowing didn't make hearing it any easier. "Exactly what did she lie about?"

  "So you believe me?"

  I sighed. "Sadly, yes. You're Imprinted with her. That means you're close to her in a way no one else is. My Imprint with Heath has taught me that. "

  "Okay, look. I do not want to do the nasty with Stevie Rae. "

  I rolled my eyes. "I didn't mean that, you dork. There are different kinds of Imprints. My bond with Heath is very physical, but I've been attracted to him for years. Uh, can I assume I'm right when I say you've never been attracted to Stevie Rae?"

  "Hell yes, you can assume that," Aphrodite said dryly.

  "Both of you have psychic abilities. It's only logical that your bond would be mental, not physical," I said.

  "Yeah, good. I'm glad you get that. And that's how I know she was lying to you when she said the red fledglings she introduced us to are the only ones there are. There are more. She knows it, and she's in touch with them. "

  "And you're absolutely sure of this?"

  "Totally and absolutely," she said.

  "Well, I can't worry about that right now, but that could definitely explain some of the darkness I sensed down there. It's the same aura that used to surround Stevie Rae, but it's going to have to wait until we get out of here," I said, feeling miserable and upset that my BFF felt like she had to lie to me.

  "I hate to be the one to clue you in, but Stevie Rae has more secrets than Paris Hilton has purses. On the bright side, I'm betting your lying bumpkin f fo not wan rriend, the freaks, and your boyfriends make it past the bird boys. "

  "I hope so. " I sighed and messed with my napkin.

  "Hey," she said softly. "Try not to let this thing with Stevie Rae freak you out. She's keeping secrets, but I can also tell you that she cares about you--a lot. I also know she's choosing good, no matter how hard it is for her sometimes. "

  "I know that. I believe Stevie Rae must have a reason for not telling me things. I mean, it's not like I've never kept secrets from my friends before. " Yeah, I added silently to myself. And you messed up big-time because of that, too.

  "Okay, so it's not just Stevie Rae that's making you look like you need some pharmaceutical help to cheer up. " Then her brows raised as she continued to study me. "Oh, I get it. You're having boyfriend issues. Or should I say boyfriends issues?"

  "Sadly, the plural seems to be the correct form of the word," I muttered.

  "Erik and I used to have a thing, but you know that's way over. You can talk to me if you need to. "

  I looked at her and again thought how ironic it was that she was right. I really could talk to her.

  "I'm not sure I want to be with Erik," I blurted.

  Her eyes got j
ust a little wider, but her voice stayed nonchalant. "He's pressuring you about sex?" I shrugged. "Yes, no. Kinda. But it's not just that. " I leaned forward and lowered my voice. "Aphrodite, did he ever get possessive and ?ber-jealous with you?"

  She curled her lip in a sarcastic sneer. "He tried. I don't so much tolerate the jealous bullshit. " Then she paused and in a more serious tone added, "Neither should you, Z. "

  "I know, and I'm not. " I sighed. "I have a lot to deal with when this mess is over. "

  "Seriously. You have a mess to deal with when this mess is over. " She gobbled another forkful of spaghetti.

  "Well, let's try and get this particular mess over with then so I can go back to my ridiculous personal drama. Tell Darius to be ready for some bad stuff to go down to night. Like he said, Kalona isn't going to be happy when we get out of here. "

  "No, he said Kalona isn't going to be happy when you get out of here. He really has a thing for you. "

  "I know, and I wish he'd just get over it," I said.

  "Hey, have you thought any more about that first poem Kramisha gave you before we left the tunnels? It sounded like it was a formula for getting rid of Kalona. "

  "Well, if it's a formula, I haven't figured it out. " I didn't want to admit to Aphrodite that I hadn't thought at all about Kramisha's poem--or at least not the one about Kalona. I'd been completely distracted by the second poem, and by the possibility of Stark's humanity being returned to him. And th x S0Pat realization made my stomach clench. What if Stark was perting me on purpose? What if he was putting on an act when the two of us were alone so that I would be too involved with him to figure out the other poem or anything else--like a way to get out of the House of Night?

  "Okay, clearly, your issues are weighing on you. And I think we can sum up your problems in one word," Aphrodite said.

  I met her eyes and we said the one word together. "Boys. "

  She snorted, and I gave a kinda hysterical little giggle. "Let's just hope someday all of this goes away and your biggest problem is boy drama. " She hesitated and then added, "I hope you're not still thinking about Stark. "

  I shrugged and took a massive bite of spaghetti.

  "Look, I did some asking around, and the boy is wrong. Period, the end. Just forget about him. "

  I swallowed, chewed some more, and swallowed again. Aphrodite was still studying me.

  "The poem might not have even been about him," she said.

  "I know," I said.

  "Do you? And, look, you need to focus on getting us the hell out of here, and getting rid of Kalona--or at least chasing him away from here. Figure that out now. Worry about Stark and Erik and Heath and even Stevie Rae later. "

  "Yes, I know," I said. "I'll think about them all later. "

  "Yeah, right. I still remember how you were the night Stark died. He got to you. But you have to remember the Stark that's strutting around here, acting like he's all that, and basically using girls and throwing them aside after he fucks with their minds even more than their bodies, is not the guy who died in your arms. " "What if he is that guy, but he just needs to Change like Stevie Rae did?"

  "Well, I can promise you I'm not giving up another piece of my humanity to save his ass. Shit, Zoey, Erik's a better bet than Stark! Are you hearing me?"

  "I'm hearing you. " I drew a deep breath. "Okay, I'm going to forget all guys right now and focus on getting us gone, and then getting Kalona gone, too. "

  "Good. You can deal with boy issues later. "

  "Okay," I said.

  "And you can deal with BFF issues later. "

  "Okay," I said.

  "Okay," she said.

  We went back to eating. I'd meant what I'd said. I was going to deal with all my personal issues. Later. Really. Or at least that's what I told myself. . .