by M Guida
He gave me a quick. “Makes it all more entertaining.”
“Hey, have you seen Bo or Lucien? They haven’t come in yet.”
Please don’t let Lucien be rotting in a jail cell.
Rhys’ smile faded. “I don’t think they are, gorgeous. Lucien ate early and so did Bo. Hopefully, they aren’t having a showdown somewhere. They’re still at each other.”
At least Lucien hadn’t gotten caught. Not that this was good news. I sighed and put down my silverware. “Great.”
“Don’t worry.” He grabbed a piece of my cut-up sausage. “Those two will figure it out. They always do.”
“I just hope figuring it out doesn’t mean one of them ends up in the grave.”
“It’ll be fine.” He patted me on the back and headed for the food line.
“Seriously, they’ll be okay,” Mina said. “You worry too much.” She leaned closer. “Why don’t you think Lucien came last night?”
“I don’t know.” I swirled my sausage in the syrup. “I hope he didn’t get caught trying to come.”
“If he did, he would have gotten out of it.” She popped a piece of bacon into her mouth. “He’s Lucien.”
Her affirmation did little to convince me. I had to stop World War III. I forced myself to finish half of my French Toast. If I didn’t, I’d have a big hole in my stomach and the only thing I would think about was food. I needed to be focused today.
Mina frowned. “That’s all you’re goin’ to eat?”
“I’m really full.” I grabbed my backpack.
“Sure, you are. I’ll see you later,” she said.
I waved to everyone and headed out the door. “Bye.”
Bo was sitting at a picnic table outside by himself, reading a book. His long red hair flared over his broad shoulders and he chewed on a piece of grass in his mouth. Now was my chance.
I stopped at his table. “Hi. I missed you at breakfast.”
He looked up. “Hi.” He closed his book. “Where’s Lucien?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see him at breakfast, either. Can I sit down?”
He gestured with his hand. “Yeah, go ahead.”
We both stared at each other for a few minutes. He was really hot and if it weren’t for Lucien, I’d be all over him.
“Bo––”
He held up his hand. “I get it. You don’t have to say anything. You’re really into him, aren’t you?”
My gut hurt and I hated doing this, but I had to stop the war.
Guilt rolled down my throat and landed like a lump a coal in my gut. “Bo, you mean a lot to me. You always will. You were there when I needed you the most.” I stopped. I didn’t know what else to say.
He wiped a tear from my cheek. “You know when I knew I lost you?”
“When?” I asked softly.
“That first dance. You were so beautiful, and then Rhys gave you one too many of his stupid High Tempest drinks.”
“Hey, watch it,” I laughed through my tears. “Rhys would consider those fighting words.”
“Yeah, probably.” He clasped my shaking hand. “I lost you when Lucien kissed you that night.”
My chest clenched up. “I didn’t mean to kiss him.”
He chuckled. “I know, but Lucien can be quite determined.”
My lower lip trembled. “I still care for you, Bo. That hasn’t changed. And it never will.”
He sighed and kissed my knuckles. “Yeah, it did. And then last year, I betrayed you.”
The memory of him turning his back on me sent another wave of tears pushing on the back of my eyes, but I blinked my eyes and cleared my throat. “We’ve been over that, Bo.”
“I know, but it doesn’t change anything. Lucien’s domineering and a giant pain in my ass, but don’t let him go. And you’ll always have my heart.” He got up and kissed me on the forehead. “See ya around, Raven.”
I nodded, unable to utter a single word. The dam burst. Tears fell and fell and fell.
I covered my eyes with my palms. I wished Anton had banished me to my room one more day.
Someone sat down next to me. Poppy rubbed my back. “You told him.”
I took a shaky breath and dropped my hands. “More like he told me.” I quickly told her what happened.
“It was the right thing to do.”
“Maybe. But my heart’s breaking. I never wanted to hurt him.”
“I know.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Come on, let’s go to class.”
But the last class I wanted to go to was the one with my two least favorite instructors.
Chapter 18
Vivian greeted me at the door after Poppy left. She had a sour, satisfied look on her face and smirked. “I hear Bo dumped you today.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What went on between Bo and me is none of your business.”
Demi stepped in between us. “Down, you two.” She went nose-to-nose with Vivian. “Can you teach her, or not? Because if not, let me know and I’ll ask Anton to appoint someone else.”
Vivian blinked and stepped back. “Okay.”
I glanced over at Demi, not sure why she had she just stuck up for me.
“Come on. Let’s get started.”
Purple candles flickered, and soft lavender drifted through the room.
Demi sat on a mat.
Vivian and I looked at each other and shrugged. I sat across from both of them.
Demi smiled. “Raven, did you find any music that soothed your dragon?”
“Actually, I did.”
“That was fast,” Vivian said. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Some of the girls told me about how the music that soothed their beasts was connected with their parents somehow.”
“And?” Demi asked.
“When I was in high school, Mom and I bought us tickets to the Buell Theater, and I fell in love with Phantom of the Opera. That music does something to me and my dragon.”
Demi studied me for a minute. “We need to test it.”
“How?” I asked.
“There’s one way, but you’re not going to like it.”
“What?” I drawled out the word, knowing she was going to be right.
“Vivian needs to give you crap, and then you need to control your beast with the Phantom music. It’s the only way we’ll know for sure.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
Vivian chuckled. “Of course, it’s not going to work. You’re a fraud and a cheat. That’s why Bo doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. Rumor has it neither does Lucien.”
I jerked back as if she’d just slugged me in the face. That couldn’t be true. Demi avoided my gaze.
Shit, this couldn’t be happening. They’ve both left me.
“Don’t you know?” Vivian jeered. “Lucien asked Demi to take him back.”
As if to prove the point, Lucien walked into the room, sat on the mat next to Demi, and kissed Demi on the cheek. “Sorry, Raven. I do want her back.”
My jaw dropped to the floor.
“You’re all alone,” Vivian said. “No one wants to be with you. Soon you’ll be kicked out of the Defenders.”
I narrowed my eyes. It was like someone turned up the fire in my blood. I felt and heard it rushing everywhere––my temples, my ears, and my chest. The anger rose up so thick inside me that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t control it.
My dragon flashed in my mind, her eyes blazing with hate.
This wasn’t good. But I didn’t care. I wanted to hurt Vivian, hurt Lucien, like they had me.
A breeze moved through the room. The candles flickered and Vivian’s, Demi’s, and Lucien’s hair twitched.
Demi clapped her hands. “Raven, now. Think of the Phantom.”
Lucien hadn’t moved.
I ignored both of them. Power flooded through me. The spell book filled my mind, and my dragon whispered, Neurorpus Demoactus.
Vivian slowly rose off the ground and swished back and forth har
d. Her smirk face vanished and pure terror filled her eyes. “Raven, stop. What are you doing?”
I laughed, but the laughter didn’t sound like me.
Demi grabbed my shoulders. “Raven, listen to me. Think of the music. The Phantom. Your mom.”
Something in her voice registered with me, and I don’t know why. But all of a sudden the words rolled over in my mind.
Think of me. Think of me fondly.
When we’ve said goodbye.
Remember me, once in a while.
Mom’s face flashed in my mind and then Lucien’s. No matter how much I wanted to forget, I remembered him holding me close in the library, his lips over mine.
I inhaled and my blood cooled as if someone had shut off a valve. I could breathe and the power within me simmered.
Vivian slowly settled back into her mat. She jumped off her mat and grabbed her backpack. “I’m telling Anton. You’re too dangerous to be here. He’ll definitely send you to the Hollows now.” She left and slammed the door.
Shitshitshitshitshitshit
Beads of sweat broke out all over me and soaked my skin, turning me into a dripping mess.
Demi tilted her head. “Don’t worry about her.”
“How can I not worry about her? She’s right. Anton’s going to throw my ass in the Hollows. And I’ll deserve it.”
“No, he won’t.”
I grabbed my backpack. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because this is what Anton wanted.” Her voice was so soft I could hardly hear her.
Just as she said that, the door opened. Anton came inside with his arms behind his back and surveyed the room. Vivian was right behind him with a smug look that seemed to say “you’re going to fry now.”
“Looks like there was quite a commotion,” he said.
“You should have seen what she did, Headmaster,” Vivian blurted out. “She got mad, and I went flying into the air. I have never been so scared.”
He held my gaze. “And then what happened?”
“She did it, Head Master. She just like you thought she would,” Demi said.
I couldn’t believe he was saying that.
Demi smiled. “Raven was furious, but she controlled her dragon.”
Lucien winked at me. “I told you she could.”
Vivian’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
“Being where I belong.” He tilted his head. “No thanks to him.”
“Lucien?” I could barely say his name. Confusion spun around in my brain and my heart trembled. I held my breath, not sure whether he was here to see me or Demi.
“In case you’re wondering,” Demi rubbed my arm. “Lucien and I are not back together.”
Lucien kissed my frozen lips softly. “You really didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did you?”
I wasn’t sure what to say. “Was this a setup?” I was just as floored as Vivian, who looked like she was ready to spit nails.
Vivian put her hands on her hips. “Demi, that’s not what you told me.”
I frowned in confusion and stared hard at Lucien. “What?” I didn’t know if I wanted to throw a temper tantrum or plant kisses all over his face.
“I’m sorry, Vivian,” Anton said. “It was my idea. For Raven to get angry, it had to be genuine.”
“You people are crazy.” Vivian stormed out of the room.
Demi looked between all of us. “I’d better go after her.” She exited the room.
Lucien glared. “Why do you insist in always torturing Raven?”
“She’s powerful and must learn control. Or would you rather have Ryker capture her, and do who knows what to her?”
I thought of those cruel gold eyes I saw looking back at me from my mom’s cell. A shiver ran down my spine.
Lucien clasped my hand. “I’d never let anything happen to you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “But you’d go along with these games.”
His smile faded. “You don’t understand––”
“No, I guess I don’t.” I slung my backpack over my shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Raven, wait.” He moved to take my arm, but I broke away.
I darted out of the room, feeling like a total chump. How could he go along with this charade?
Something I knew for sure, Bo wouldn’t have done this to me.
Tears crept into my eyes and blurred my vision. I smacked into something hard.
Strong hands held my arms. “Raven, what’s wrong?”
I looked up into Bo’s concerned blue eyes and burst into sobs.
“Come on. I think you need something to drink.” He put his arms around my shoulders and led me out of the building toward the cafeteria.
“I should go to class.”
“Later. You don’t look like your any shape to concentrate on powerful objects.”
“I’ll be okay in a minute.”
He escorted me to a picnic table. “I’ll be right back. Just stay here. Don’t. Move.”
Lucien ran over to me. “Raven.” Desperation was in his voice.
“Lucien, I can’t talk to you right now. Please. Just give me some space.”
I got up from the table and bolted into the cafeteria, nearly running over Bo.
“What’s wrong?”
“Lucien’s out there. I just can’t talk to him right now. I just can’t. I just can’t.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “I’ll talk to him.”
I gritted my teeth. “No. I’m not some trophy for you two to fight over.”
He pulled out a chair. “Please, sit. Can you tell me what happened?”
I bit my lip and sat.
He handed me a cup of ice water. “Here.”
The ice water coated my throat and put out the fire burning in my belly. I gave him the fast version of what happened.
He rubbed my shoulder sympathetically. “I can’t believe Lucien went along with Anton’s stupid plan.”
“It just hurts, you know. I couldn’t lose him after––”
He dropped his hand. “After what?”
“Never mind.” I finished the rest of the cold water and took a quaking breath. “I’m feeling better now.”
“Do you want to stay here and talk?”
I shook my head. “No, I’d like to get back to class.”
“Very well. Hopefully, Professor Elfiel won’t give you a hard time for being late.”
“Me, too.” I grabbed his hand. “Thanks for listening. I just needed to talk to someone.”
“I’ll always be there for you, beautiful. All you need to do is ask.”
I sniffed. “I appreciate it.”
He wiped a tear off my cheek. “Lucien and I don’t always see eye to eye, but he’s not one for games. He might not have had a choice here.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s Lucien. He gets away with anything.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Don’t do what I did last year and abandon him. Give him a chance to give you his side of the story.”
I smiled tightly and gathered up my backpack. When we got outside, Lucien was pacing back and forth.
He stopped and hesitated as if not knowing what to do, which was a first for him.
Bo clasped my arm. “If you need me…”
I nodded but kept my gaze trained on Lucien.
Bo jogged back to the classroom building.
Lucien looked over his shoulder and then back at me. “Are you going to give me a chance to explain?”
“Talk.”
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “That’s not encouraging.”
I shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
I didn’t answer him and headed for class.
“Raven, Anton forced me to pretend like I was back with Demi.”
“No one forces you to do anything.”
“For the most part, you’re right. But when it comes to you, I don’t take any chances.”
He covered mine with his. “Anton said if I didn’t go along with his dumb plan, he would send you to the Hollows. He even brought the damn sentries here to prove he meant business. The Kings are supposedly worried about your abilities and this time my dad didn’t have influence on them.”
“And you believed him?”
“No, so I contacted my dad.” He gritted his teeth. “He confirmed it. Raven, Anton’s right about one thing. You are powerful and the Kings are threatened, so much so that they’re willing to keep you locked up.”
“Why? I haven’t done anything to them.”
“Silver dragons were the most powerful dragons, but combined with a spell book, they were unstoppable.”
“So that’s why Anton had to make sure I could control my dragon, because the Kings thought I was a threat?”
“Yes. Stupid, I know. But you don’t know what the Hollows is like.”
“And you do?”
“Yeah, I do. My dad had to sentence a rogue guard who was slipping information to Ryker. I went with him.” Fear flared in his eyes and he grabbed my shoulders. “I don’t want you anywhere near that place. I’d do anything to protect you, even go along with one of Anton’s dumb charades.”
“Pardon me, but my charades are not dumb. Congratulations, Raven. You’re halfway to passing your first trial.” Anton had come up behind us without making a single noise.
Lucien and I both blurted. “What?”
“The first step is for you to calm your dragon with your music, and the next step, which is harder, is stopping your dragon from using the spell unless you want to use it yourself.”
“Oh,” I said. “I didn’t realize that.”
He gestured with his arm. “I suggest both of you get too class now. You’ll be excused for your tardiness.”
“Fine. I’m going.”
Lucien came up alongside me and escorted me to class. “What can I do to make this up to you?”
“You can trust me.”
“Anything.”
“Then after school, I want to know about Armond.”
I didn’t wait for his response and slipped into Power Objects. If Lucien wanted to prove he really trusted me, and really cared about me, he needed to make himself just as vulnerable as I had been. Maybe it was mean, but I wasn’t totally buying what he was selling.
