by R L Medina
“I’m not a criminal.”
“What is it for?” He glanced around and moved closer to me. “Are you in trouble… Do they make you… do things?”
My face turned scarlet. “No! Gross. It’s not like that. I didn’t want to come here with them or become a GRIMM.”
He was still frowning. An awkward silence filled the space between us.
“Then why didn’t you opt out then?”
“What?”
He folded his broad arms across his chest. “Opt out. It’s for people who have the sight, but don’t want to be a GRIMM. They tag you to check in with you every now and then. To make sure you’re not targeted or causing trouble. But you’re free to live your life.”
His words punched me in the gut. “So, you don’t have to take the final test to leave?”
“No.”
The room grew silent. Rage unfurled inside me. How could Javi not tell me? His betrayal cut me to the core. We were supposed to be family.
Grayson’s face softened. “For what it’s worth, I think you’d make a great GRIMM, but it’s not something anyone should be forced into.”
I snorted. A great GRIMM? Who was he kidding? I’d succeeded at getting myself attacked twice and almost kidnaped. What part of that said GRIMM?
He leaned closer. “If leaving is what you really want, I can help. We can go to the headmaster together.”
“And what is he gonna do? He already knows about the compulsion thing.”
His eyes widened. “He knows?”
“Yeah.”
“No. That’s impossible. He’d never allow this. It was hidden. If any of us had seen it before… we… would have stopped it. It’s not right. You should have told someone. You should have told me.”
My cheeks flamed at his intensity. I couldn’t help but feel flattered, but I had no reason to. It was obvious Grayson was the kind of guy who would stick up for anyone.
“Look, even if I tried, I wouldn’t have been able to say anything. But I think it’s broken now.”
“I’ll go to the board. They have to know what your uncle has done. This is criminal.”
Hope lit inside me. Was this my chance at freedom? I glanced at Grayson out of the corner of my eye.
If you leave, you leave him behind too.
Woah. Where did that thought come from? I stifled a groan. Somewhere between the coffee and saving me from a vampire, I had fallen for this guy.
I met his eyes. Anger shone in them and the intensity of that handsome face made my heart race. Yeah, totally and utterly fallen for him.
Just frickin’ perfect. A stupid crush was just what I needed in the midst of this crisis.
“I promise, I’ll find a way to get you out of this, Rose.” He glanced around. “We could go now. To the council.”
His words startled me. My head spun. As desperately as I wanted to destroy the thing, there were other things I had to worry about. Like the fact that the shifters were sent after me. Luna Negra knew where I was and anyone around me would be in danger.
“Thank you, but I’ll be fine for one more night.” I smiled at him.
His jaw clenched. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Positive. Let’s figure it out later. I just want to go to sleep.”
Grayson’s eyes roamed over me. “Here. Let me take off the mark. You won’t be able to sleep with it.”
My eyebrows shot up. Right. The no sleeping mark the headmaster gave me. I’d forgotten about it. It felt like forever ago since I was in that office. Had it only been just that morning? So much had happened in one day.
Grayson held my arm, wrist up, his touch making me flush. “Evorto.”
“I really got to learn how to chant,” I murmured.
His eyes met mine. “I can teach you.”
There was a promise in his look that went beyond teaching me Latin. Something had shifted between us, and I wasn’t so sure it was a good thing. Not when my life was in an utter state of chaos and complexity.
I sighed as the mark disappeared. Weariness immediately filled me.
“Be careful. I’ll see you back at campus tomorrow.” Grayson squeezed my arm and released me.
“I will. See you.” I watched as he disappeared into the portal.
My body trembled, all the events of the day finally catching up with me. Questions and doubts plagued my weary mind. Grayson’s words played on repeat.
Free to live your life.
Was I though? Or would I have to choose between becoming a GRIMM or becoming a witch? Sorrow filled me. Papi always told me I could be whatever I wanted to. Did he really believe that or was that just a lie he told me?
Tío and Javi returned, walking toward me. I blinked away the angry tears and pulled my shoulders back.
“Let’s go,” Tío ordered.
“Portal needs a minute,” the same guard from before announced.
Javi’s color returned, but exhaustion showed on his face. I studied him, the sting of betrayal filling me. Why didn’t he tell me about being able to walk away from the GRIMM? Did he think I’d join up with the witches like my mom?
His gaze met mine. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” I glanced away.
“Portal is open,” the guard interrupted.
Tío waved us forward. “Go.”
“You could say please,” I muttered.
His eyes locked onto mine, his eyebrows shooting up.
I cringed, remembering too late. The link from my bracelet was broken, and now he knew it.
“In the portal,” Tío’s voice grew dangerously low.
I bristled, wanting to refuse.
Javi stepped toward me. “Rose,” he warned.
Yanking my arm out of his reach, I was tempted to run. This was my chance. I was free. What was stopping me?
“You wouldn’t make it out of the prison. Rose, please,” Javi pleaded.
Anger burned inside me. He was right. I would never make it out. Swallowing my pride, I turned to the portal and stepped in.
Light and sound swirled around me. My stomach rolled and I clenched my eyes shut, ready for it to be over. When I opened them again, we were back at their mansion.
Tía Teresa ran toward us, her emotions flashing across her face. Alarm. Relief. Anger.
“What were you thinking? Breaking into the prison, Javier? And…” she paused, her eyes narrowing. “Were you drinking?”
Javi waved his arms in an appeasing gesture. “It was just one drink, Mama.”
I snorted, earning a glare from him.
Her eyes shot to me. “And you too, Rosa?”
“We just barely survived a prison breakout and you’re worried about us having some beers?”
Javi gave me a shut-the-hell-up look.
“Go to bed, Teresa. Let me handle this,” Tío’s voice boomed behind us.
Tía straightened. “I’ll go when I’m ready, Javier. This must be dealt with first.”
Woah. Did she really just say that to him? I glanced at him to see his reaction. He sighed wearily and motioned her to lead us.
She held her head high as she took us upstairs and into the training room. Tío closed the door behind us and motioned for us to sit.
Not happening. Without the bracelet working, he couldn’t make me do anything.
He glared at me. “Where is your medallion?”
His question caught me off guard. Tía and Javi whipped to me, their eyes wide.
“I had to trade it. To a fairy in exchange for the location of the antidote. For Javi.”
Javi flinched. No doubt regretting his role. It was his fault after all.
“We found several fairies. No medallion was on them.” Tío studied me.
The image of the dead fairy flashed in my mind, making me shudder.
“So where did it go?”
I scoffed. “How should I know? Maybe one of the prisoners stole it.”
His eyebrows knitted together. “It wasn’t found on any of the prisoners.”
>
“Maybe they stashed it somewhere, or they escaped with it.”
“No one can escape Paradise Prison alive.”
“Look, I don’t know where it went. But the shifter outside school found me even when I had it on, so obviously it did a crap job of keeping me hidden.”
Tío’s face reddened. “That medallion has been in the family for years. Silver magic is the rarest and strongest form there is. Someone tampered with it.”
My head pounded against my skull. All I wanted was to curl into bed. Instead I had to endure the freaking Spanish inquisition.
“Did you use magic to weaken it?” Tío’s voice came low and dangerous.
I scowled. “What? I don’t even know how to do that. And why would I do that? You think I want those shifters coming for me?”
His eyes continued to drill me. “Why is the bracelet broken, then?”
Sighing, I threw up my hands. “I don’t know. Maybe you performed the chant wrong.”
A snarl escaped him, making me flinch.
“Javier,” Tía interrupted, “the headmaster is calling for you.” She held up her phone.
He grunted, swiped the cell from her hand and stormed out.
Tía moved toward us and placed her hands on each of our shoulders. “I’m glad you two are okay. What you did was stupid and dangerous, but I’m glad you are safe. I know you must be tired, but wait here for a moment. I have something to give you that I think might help.”
Her dark eyes searched mine. I tried not to give away my emotions, but she had a way of peeling away my barriers with that steely look. Pain blossomed inside me as I thought of what Papi would think. What would he say?
She turned on her heel, leaving me alone with Javi.
Grayson’s words came back to me along with the rage at my cousin’s betrayal.
“Javi?”
He turned to me, dark bags under his eyes.
“Have you heard of this thing called opting out? Apparently, if you don’t want to be a GRIMM, you can refuse, and they’ll let you out. Without making you take the final test.”
I watched him carefully.
He stiffened, eyes darting away. He knew.
I advanced on him, my rage unfurling fast. Red dotted my vision.
He threw his arms up. “Let me explain! I couldn’t tell you about that because it would put you in danger.”
I glared at him.
He sighed. “Rose, if you leave, the coven will find you. It’s not safe. It’s not safe to send you out on your own.”
“That’s not your decision to make, Javi.”
“So, what? I should just let you put yourself in danger?”
“You should have told me the truth. You’re my cousin. I had to hear this from Grayson.”
He stilled. “How did he find out?”
I shook my hand in front of his face. “He saw it.”
“What? How? There’s an enchantment on there that’s supposed to make it invisible.”
“Well, it’s not.”
Javi swore. “Rose, what did you tell him? You can’t tell anyone about the bracelet. My dad would be in serious trouble.”
“Good.” I folded my arms across myself. “He should be!”
Javi shook his head. “He’ll have to explain your secret. It would put you even more at risk. No one can know your connection to the coven.”
He grabbed my hand and stared at me. “Tell me you didn’t tell Grayson about that.”
Frowning, I yanked out of his grasp. “Of course not.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Good. You can’t trust him.”
“Why not?”
“He’s a suck up to the headmaster. If the headmaster knew who you really are… if any of the GRIMMs knew, it wouldn’t be good.”
“So, what I’m just supposed to pretend I’m Rose Perez for the rest of my life?”
His jaw clenched. “Just until we know what to do. Until we find a way to keep you from the coven.”
I sank to the floor and rubbed my forehead. I didn’t know what time it was, but there was no way I was going to make it to training with Cassiano at 5:00 a.m. My eyelids drooped. The strange words in the prison came back to me.
A promise made in blood cannot be undone.
Did the shifters write it? I couldn’t help but feel it was a message for me. I shuddered. The implication drove fear right through me. Maybe there was no way to keep me from them.
23
My eyes flew open, my heart pounding. I blinked. I was in my room at Tío’s house, in my bed. Hushed voices caught my ear.
“Are you awake, Rosa?”
I turned to see Tía and Javi standing beside my bed. Still sore and tired, I sat up slowly with a groan.
“What happened?”
“You fell asleep,” Javi answered, a frown on his face.
“Oh.”
His scowl deepened. “Oh? Your mark mysteriously disappears on its own and all you can say is oh?
My eyebrows flew up. What was he so mad about?
“Javi.” Tía shook her head.
“It was Grayson. He took it off for me… so I could sleep.”
Javi stiffened. Apparently, he didn’t like that answer any better.
“Well, now that you are awake, I have something to give you. Before your tío gets back.”
“Back? Back from where?”
“The academy. The headmaster called him in to report.”
I froze. Did Grayson tell the headmaster about the compulsion bracelet?
“Rosa?” Tía’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Come, I have something for you.” She motioned me over to the long, coffee table.
I swung my feet off the bed and padded over to her and Javi.
A long box sat on top of the table. Roses and thorns were carved into the dark wood. I traced the pretty design, a strange feeling sweeping over me.
Tía Teresa smiled. “Open it. It was your mother’s. It should have been given to you long ago.”
I pulled the clasps up and opened it. A sword. It was beautiful. A thin blade and a carved silver handle.
I stared at the sleek blade in awe. A thank you stuck in my throat as emotions choked me.
She picked it up and placed it in my hands. “It is yours now, Rosita.”
My eyes snapped to hers. Hearing my name made me think of Papi. It should have been him giving me the sword. I sniffed.
There was something so moving about the moment that I couldn’t speak. I lifted it in the air and admired it. In my short time at the academy, I’d handled many different blades, but none of them felt like that one.
It was the right one. I could just tell. There was something so powerful about the shiny body and carved handle. Though I hated to think of what it had been used for, I felt a shift inside myself. It was power and strength. A strong bond that my mom made with it, and even though she was gone, I felt as if a part of her was still there, telling me who she was.
She was strong. She was brave. Unafraid to hold her ground even against the GRIMMs and the witches. A sorrow filled me. I would never really know the woman, and I knew it was pointless to feel sorry about it, but I couldn’t help but wish I had more memories of her.
Would she have been proud of me? Would Papi?
Javi whistled. “Does it have any enchantments?”
“Not anymore. They have all faded. You’ll have to keep it hidden, Rosa. This sword was given to your tío when your mother left. He was supposed to destroy it.”
“Look at this.” Javi pulled something out of the box.
I walked over to see, still gripping the sword.
He handed me a small square picture. I stared at the faded photo. The edges were burned away, but the center remained. As if someone had tried to get rid of the memory but couldn’t bring themselves to surrender it completely to the flames.
Mama.
Dark, sharp eyes stared back at me. Eyes that held a secret and a superiority. A GRIMM. Someone who saw
the truth for what it was and couldn’t be easily fooled. A witch, too. Skilled in the art of summoning and spell work and yet with all her power and foresight, she was dead.
Who were you, Mama?
Movement caught my attention. I looked up to see Tío storming in.
His gaze flicked to my sword. Shock flashed across his face—then anger.
His eyes turned murderous as he met my gaze. “Where did you get that?”
Tía stepped in front of me. “I gave it to her, Javier. Rosa would have wanted her to have it.”
He reeled at her confession, no doubt finding it a betrayal. Then he turned to me.
My grip tightened on the hilt. He couldn’t take it from me.
I wouldn’t let him.
“That blade was meant for a GRIMM. Your mother was supposed to be one of the greatest. But she betrayed us. I will not see you do the same. Tomorrow, the sword will be destroyed. As it should have been.”
Tía gasped. “No, Javier—”
He held a hand up to her. “I’m not making the same mistakes. Hate me if you want, but I will keep my family safe.”
Anger rolled inside me. “It’s not your sword to destroy! I’m not letting you do it.”
His eyes flashed. “I will not let you become your mother. You will not throw your life away like she did hers.”
“Did you always hate her so much?”
He reeled as if I’d slapped him. I stilled. Too far. I’d gone too far. Javi and Tía stood watching, eyes wide in shock.
“She was my sister. And my best friend. I never hated her. I wish I could. It would be easier to hate her.” His words were quiet and steely.
My chest tightened. His declaration rattled me.
I didn’t want to think of my mom and tío as kids. Kids like Javi and me. Her life ended so horribly wrong and Tío… as much as he tried to hide it, something had broken inside of him. Why else was he the way that he was?
He straightened. “Now, back to the matter at hand.”
And just like that his cold exterior was back. I turned and set the sword back in its case.
“Your friend accosted me when I arrived on campus.”
I spun toward him. “What? Shiloh?”
He frowned. “Grayson Chapman. You told him about the compulsion ring.”
It wasn’t a question. He knew. My eyes flicked to Javi. He stared stonily ahead. Coward.
