Deadly Declaration (Shadow Veil Academy Book 2)

by Heather Renee

  My dragon side had been my best asset, keeping me safest when I needed it most. When I was partially shifted, I’d never felt the urge to harm anyone, only to protect myself. From what JayLeigh had explained, dragons just wanted a peaceful existence.

  It was what I had wanted when I first arrived at the academy, to learn what I needed to stay under the radar—not that it had worked out that way for me—so I understood the concept she described.

  “I’m sorry,” I said when we were exiting the forest.

  “For what?”

  “For judging you, or dragons, to be more exact. I’m going to try and keep an open mind, but you have to understand, I was raised as a human. My mind doesn’t work the same as a supernatural’s does all the time. Especially when I’m constantly having to choose between my elf, witch, and dragon sides.”

  She winced and gave her own apology. “You’re right. I should have taken that into consideration as well. I’ve met very few others that aren’t pure dragon. I sometimes forget life isn’t as black and white as it is on Drakken.”

  We grinned at each other, seeming to come to a silent agreement. Of what, I wasn’t sure, but I was no longer worried about her pressuring me. At least, for the moment.

  “Do I need to try to hide you? I’m sure people will ask questions if you walk into the school looking like that,” I said.

  “Probably a good idea.” She snapped her fingers and disappeared.

  “What the hell?” Twisting around and looking up in the sky, she was nowhere to be found.

  Then, I heard a laugh directly in front of me. I reached out a hand, and she swatted it away. “Hey, we haven’t even had a first date. No feeling me up.”

  My face must have turned ten different shades of red. “Just follow me.”

  She continued to laugh behind me at my expense, and I chose to ignore her. Once we arrived at the main doors, she quieted, and I felt her grab on to the back of my ripped shirt.

  “You really need to learn how to magic your clothes,” she whispered, even though there was nobody in the front entry.

  “Yeah, I’m getting there.”

  I headed straight for the Magic Hall platform. While I did, I pulled my phone from my pocket, once again grateful I didn’t wear the skirt portion of the uniform previously required. I sent a text to Jules telling her to get to the headmaster’s office ASAP.

  Before I could slip the phone back into my pocket, she replied that she was already there and that I was in trouble for ditching class.

  I smirked, because missing my afternoon classes on the first day was going to be the least of their worries when they met JayLeigh.

  Chapter 5

  When I waltzed into Headmaster Stone’s office, I held my head high with confidence. That was, until I noticed Enzo was also in attendance. Why? Why did they do these things to me?

  “Have a seat, Raegan,” Aunt Jules said firmly.

  “I’d rather stand. Plus, I have a guest of my own, but I think it’s better if she makes her appearance only when we’re alone.” I didn’t bother to even look at Enzo a second time. I was still pissed he had messed with my head and lied.

  “Enzo is in trouble, as are you. He’s not going anywhere, and your punishment will be given jointly, considering you chose not to attend your afternoon classes together,” the headmaster said disapprovingly.

  “Did Mr. Liar-Liar over there tell you how this all started? Oh, wait. He probably only omitted certain parts, so that’s okay. My bad. I forgot.” Sarcasm dripped from every word as I crossed my arms.

  Suddenly, all three sets of eyes staring at me widened, and I felt JayLeigh’s body shaking from behind me before laughter ripped from her chest.

  “This is like one of those soap opera shows the humans sometimes watch. No, this is even better, because I get to watch it live. But don’t mind me. Keep going.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Jules snapped.

  “She doesn’t matter right now,” I replied. “We can talk about her when we’re alone.”

  Headmaster Stone came around his desk while I still avoided Enzo who was hunched over in the chair against the wall. I only knew that because my peripheral vision was on point, not because I had peeked another glance at him. Definitely not because of that.

  “Raegan, you need to accept that we have forgiven Enzo and he will remain involved in the school, just as he was before. I’m sorry if you don’t agree with it, but he did more good than he did harm in the end. I hope you can set your feelings aside one day and realize that.”

  Blood boiled just beneath the surface as I sucked in a breath.

  “Oh, here it comes,” JayLeigh murmured behind me.

  “Put my feelings aside, you say? As if everything he did to me was no big deal and I just need to get over it. News flash, Alistair. That’s not going to happen. Not today, tomorrow, or next week.”

  “That’s not what he meant,” Jules interjected, trying to reverse the downward momentum of our conversation.

  “Really? Then how was I supposed to take it? Because it sounded a lot like I should just be okay with my memories being tampered with and lied to for months.”

  Enzo stood from the wall, distracting us from our bickering. “I’m just going to go. Raegan is right, and none of this should be taken out on her.”

  He walked painstakingly slow out of the room as we all watched him, but nobody said anything. My heart twitched, wanting me to tell him he didn’t have to go, but for once, my head won out, and I said nothing.

  “Happy?” Headmaster Stone asked.

  “Very.” Turning around, I addressed JayLeigh, “Can you do the dome thing again?”

  “You know it.” Her hands clasped together, then the dust-like fog hovered over our heads, once again making a half-circle.

  “Who are you, and why can’t I get a read on what you are?” Jules asked suspiciously.

  JayLeigh glanced at me, and I nodded, encouraging her to tell them whatever she was comfortable with.

  “My name is JayLeigh. I’m here on behalf of Marek Skye, King of the Dragons. You can’t tell what I am, because I don’t want you to be able to tell. I was sent to check on Raegan and bring her back with me to Drakken if I thought it was necessary. Considering she can’t shift properly, I believe it’s better for her to finish out her schooling at Dray Academy.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you saying there’s a chance I could shift into a full dragon, even with my elf and witch side?”

  “I don’t know about your other two sides, but I do know your dragon is suffering being on its own. Dragons need clans and, from what I can tell, your circle is too small to satisfy its pack needs. The happier your dragon, the more she will do for you when you need her.”

  “You mean to tell me Marek Skye is still alive?” Headmaster Stone said in awe, completely disregarding anything else that had been said.

  “Yes, he is, but you won’t be seeing him. He refuses to come back to Earth,” JayLeigh replied.

  The headmaster turned to Jules and then me. “Do you know what this means? We can stop Malina. Raegan, you need to go with her and convince Marek to help us. Learn whatever you need to learn as quickly as you can, and we’ll continue hunting down Malina. I’m close to figuring out her cloaking spell and should be done within a few weeks.”

  No, this was not going as I planned. They were supposed to be freaking out that someone had come for me, not pushing me out the door, possibly never to be seen again.

  Glancing at Jules, I was hoping she wouldn’t agree, but the glimmer in her eyes told me she was hopeful about something. Yet, I knew that whatever it was, it didn’t have anything to do with me staying at Shadow Veil Academy.

  “I agree with Alistair. We can handle things at the academy, and if you have the chance to get the training you really need, then you can’t pass it up.” She turned to JayLeigh. “How long would Raegan have to be gone?”

  All attention went to the dragon. “Oh, well, I’d prefer the full year, but w
e could make it work in just a few weeks for the basics, most likely. Can’t be certain since you’re of mixed race, though. If you stayed the remainder of your school time, I’d definitely be able to make you as badass as me.”

  “Can I have some more time to think about this, or is this another one of those situations where I’m being volun-told?” I asked with resignation.

  “This is completely your choice, Raegan,” Headmaster Stone said, and Jules nodded in agreement.

  Turning back toward JayLeigh, I asked, “How much time do I have to decide?”

  “I have one more thing I need to do, so maybe another day. Two, at most.”

  “You’re welcome to stay here while coming and going as you please,” the headmaster said to her.

  JayLeigh smiled, and I swore she looked as innocent as a five-year-old. “I appreciate that. I’ll be back later this evening.” She snapped her fingers and disappeared. Then, moments later, the dome around us dissolved and I heard the soft click of the office door as it opened and closed.

  My body slumped into the chair in front of me. It had been a long damn day and it wasn’t even dinner time yet.

  Headmaster Stone paced in front of his desk. “I’m going to excuse you from classes until you’ve made your decision. I know nothing of Drakken, I didn’t even know it existed, but I know of Marek and he was a good man if the stories told are true. Even if you can’t figure out how to shift in the short time, figuring out why he sent JayLeigh for you could be equally as important.”

  “I get it. Can I go to my room now?” I asked, really needing to see my best friend.

  “Of course.” He nodded absentmindedly as the possibilities of everything swirled around in his eyes.

  Just as I was about to open the door, Jules’s fingers wrapped around my forearm. “You don’t have to do this, and I will support you no matter what decision you choose.”

  She still had that twinkle in her eye, and I knew she wanted to say more. “But?” I prompted.

  “No buts. I just need you to know I’m here for you and we’ll figure things out as they come. You’ve been through a lot, and I apologize for not being more sensitive today with Enzo. I do understand it’s different for you.”

  “Thank you. I really needed to hear that, because I was beginning to think maybe I was overreacting, but what he did was wrong on so many levels,” I said.

  She nodded. “I have every faith you’ll figure this out. Now, go see Gemma like I know you want, and I’ll be by later tonight.” She hugged me tightly before pushing me toward the door.

  Glancing around, I wondered if JayLeigh had actually left the academy. When she was following me over the summer, I had sensed her, but I had never known what she was. I had assumed she was a creature similar to a scavenger, just one I had never met, but that was a mistake and one I wouldn’t make again.

  Now, I wondered if she had tricked me into picking up the scent just to throw me even further off. She liked to play coy, but something told me she had a bigger plan and there was more to the situation than she was letting on.

  Classes were just about out for the day, so I hurried to my room where Gemma had mentioned wanting to meet me when I left her at lunch. When I entered the dorm, I went straight to my butler box and ordered my favorite fudge brownie and ice-cream, then an Oreo shake for Gemma.

  Quickly, I changed out of my ruined shirt, which I was surprised neither Jules nor Headmaster Stone had said anything about, and into a comfy loose shirt and some yoga pants. Just as the familiar ding sounded from the box, Gemma burst into my room.

  “Please tell me there is something sugary in that box, or I just may suck your blood instead.”

  “I missed your sweet ways of addressing me.” I grinned at her, then handed her the shake. Sometimes, I forgot she was half-vampire since her witch side was prominent, but she wasn’t shy about reminding others of her heritage.

  She sucked down a long drink. “I love you almost as much as I love this shake. Third-year classes are nothing to joke around about. How did your afternoon go? What did Lyssa want?”

  I moved onto my bed and patted the spot next to me. “You might want to sit down.”

  She winced. “That bad, huh? Are we moving from friends to frenemies with her? I can hate her again if you need me to, even though it’s been nice not having to worry about her bitchiness.”

  “Lyssa was the least of my problems this afternoon. I never even made it to my other classes.”

  “Damn, girl. What happened?”

  “Enzo. He spelled Lyssa to force her compliance in luring me toward his meeting spot without being able to tell me what was happening. I’m not mad at her, and I did let Enzo begin to explain what he wanted, but it only made things worse for him.”

  “Uh oh. How so?”

  “The bastard seems to think now is the time to unload all of his deceits, and while I appreciate that he isn’t continuing to lie or omit things from me, what he did have to say only dug his grave deeper. When I first met him, I recalled seeing him before, but I couldn’t place where. I thought I was imagining it until he admitted he had screwed with my head before the night he saved me from the scavenger.”

  “Please tell me you kicked him in the balls.” Her eyes narrowed, and I was grateful someone else was seeing the injustice of his actions.

  “No, but I punched him in the face and stormed off.”

  “So, you’ve just been hiding here ever since?” she asked between sips.

  “Not really. I decided to go for a fly, since that was what I was used to doing over the summer, and the day turned even more interesting. Remember me telling you about the person or thing I thought was following me while I was gone?” She nodded. “Well, I met her today and she’s not at all what I would have ever guessed.”

  “Keep going. Your day is way more entertaining than anything I’ve experienced in months.”

  Pushing her with my shoulder, I snatched her shake and took a long pull. “Don’t take pleasure in my pain or I won’t give you any more sugar.”

  She stole it back and waved her hand in the air for me to keep going.

  “So, dragons are still alive,” I said as she took a long sip from the shake, and it was the wrong thing to do.

  Bits of Oreo sprayed all over my comforter as she choked. “Excuse me? As in, more hybrids like you or full-blooded ones?”

  “Full-blooded.”

  She punched me in the arm. “You maybe could have led with that bit of information.”

  “Besides your spit all over my bed, it was worth it.” I laughed. “Anyway, long story short, this chick from a dragon world called Drakken was following me. Her name is JayLeigh. You’d actually like her. Except for the fact that she wants to take me to another academy that’s for dragons only. Headmaster Stone thinks I should go, so I can convince Marek Skye to come back to Earth and kill Malina. You know, because he’s a Doyen, and I also forgot to lead with that.”

  “Ohmygod.” Her words jumbled together as she shot up from my bed and started pacing. “You know what this means, right?”

  “Well, I know what I think, but I’m curious how you feel about it all.”

  “We’re going to Drakken together—I’m not getting left behind again—and then we’re going to murder that bitch Malina. She’s going to pay for trying to kill me.”

  I nodded my head at her demands. “I’m not sure I really have any say in who goes, but I’ll see what I can do. Maybe I can make some ultimatums.”

  “Damn right, you will. They wouldn’t have come for you if they didn’t need you or want you for some reason. I bet you have more pull than you’ve been told. So, what now? You don’t seem so sure about it all.”

  My shoulders shrugged. “I’m not. I know nothing about these people. To top it off, it’s in another realm that none of us even knew existed before an hour ago. After everything I’ve been through the last couple years, I don’t really want to deal with anything else, but I also know there may only be one way t
o stop Malina. And it’s just been handed to me on a silver platter if I can convince Marek to help us.”

  Gemma sat back down on the bed. “It’s because of everything you’ve been through that I know you can do this. You’re one of the strongest people I know, Raegan. Most wouldn’t have shown up here again, but you came back, owning what happened last year like a boss. Whatever happens, whatever you choose, I know you will make the most of it.”

  Tears pricked at my eyes. “Damn you. I thought you’d be totally against this, not lift me up and remind me of who I am.”

  “I like to surprise people. It keeps them on their toes.” She grinned.

  “So, I have to do this. I have to go to this Dray Academy in Drakken and learn to be a real dragon and bring back their king to defeat Malina.”

  Her hand grasped mine. “No, you don’t, but we will. I’ll be there for you every step of the way.”

  “Thank you,” I said as I brought my attention to my quickly melting ice cream. “Now, can we quit with the heavy and eat our weight in sugar before I have to talk to JayLeigh again?”

  “Most definitely.”

  We spent the next hour devouring whatever we wanted. All the while, my mind raced with what I would have to do the following day. It was one thing to go across the United States to learn about the supernatural. It was on a whole different level of crazy to visit another realm and hang out with dragons.

  I wasn’t sure I was ready, but apparently, I was going to have to figure it out rather quickly.

  Chapter 6

  JayLeigh never came back that evening, so I spent it with Gemma, Peyton, and Finley, trying to enjoy the last of my freedom for the next few weeks. I had no idea what I was supposed to expect at Dray Academy, but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be sunshine and rainbows.

  The following morning, I slept in and only woke up when Aunt Jules came in my room to let me know JayLeigh was waiting in Headmaster Stone’s office.

  “How are you feeling? I heard you girls having fun last night, so I didn’t want to come in and bother you,” she said.