by D. R. Perry
Hal's demonstration made almost everyone laugh. I abstained.
"Seriously though, you shouldn't bother." I waved a hand at them as if I could make them all vanish. Or myself, maybe. "It'll never work."
"Let the cards be the judge of that." Izzy patted her bag.
Before I could protest a second time, they practically herded me toward one of the two chairs flanking a cocktail table. I sat and let Izzy shuffle the cards, cutting the deck when prompted. I'd known that drill since she started reading tarot on her seventh birthday.
Nothing could have prepared me for The Wheel of Fortune reversed, right in the middle of my spread. In fact, I couldn't even bring myself to look at the other ones she flipped over because I'd gotten that card in this position exactly one other time in my entire life.
The reading before coming out to, well, everyone. It was the first time I truly took my life into my hands and tried to steer my destiny. If I hadn't, I'd have lived a miserable lie all these years.
"So Noah, these cards say—"
"No need, Iz." I stood.
"Are you sure?" Hal blinked.
"He is." Izzy gazed at the cards, reading them anyway. After a moment, she began to clear them but paused when she came to two Knights, one of swords and the other cups reversed. "Hmm."
"Was it that reversed Wheel of Fortune?" Lee scratched his head. "Has he gotten it before or something?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Tell them what it means, Noah."
"It's time to wrestle with destiny. Unexpected changes are coming for me, and if I sit by, they won't go my way. It's time to do something, try to improve my situation. So if you all are still willing to help—"
The chorus of voices saying yes nearly had me in tears again. But I'm a curmudgeon prone to fits of drama, not a softie. I held them back. A vampire crying is not a good look.
"I trust you guys." I grinned at them, hoping it touched my eyes. "Go ahead and do the thing. Check the decision, sway opinions. I'll write an appeal letter as needed. Just tell me when to send it in."
Dylan seemed relieved. Hal nodded. Lee smiled. Izzy opened her mouth, then closed it again.
The exhibitors had started packing up their tables, which meant this event was pretty much over. Dylan waved goodbye and went to collect Logan, who was still engrossed in his notebook but alone now. Hal trailed after them. Izzy elbowed Lee, who stood aside and turned his back as she approached me.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Those Knights in your reading gave me such a strong vibe, I've got to mention them. But you might not like what they mean."
"I'll put on my big vampire pants."
"I'm serious."
"I know. May bravado be my armor and quips my sword."
"That's what I sometimes call the Rolling Stones formation of suit cards."
"Which is?"
"You can't always get what you want. You already know what Knights signify, Noah."
"Suitors. Of the young and male variety." I sighed, then asked her a stupid question on purpose because I already knew the answer would cut deeply. "Which was reversed again? The Sword Knight?"
"No." She shook her head, reached out, and put a hand on my arm. "Cups. I'm sorry."
"Thanks for being honest anyway." This time, I did dab at the corner of one eye.
"It doesn't mean you should give up, though. Remember that the Wheel of Fortune has the most influence here. Everything's still up to chance and subject to change. The other cards give a difficulty level. Maybe."
"How hard will it be, do you think? Wooing Jonah again, I mean."
"It's going to be brutal. Because I think you have to give Jonah time and space to handle this on his own. Noah, wooing him wasn't in your cards."
"But I can't—" I sighed. "Sorry. You read what's there, so I'm not arguing."
"I wish I'd seen something different, if it helps."
"Thanks for that. See you around."
She linked arms with Lee on her way to the lobby. I headed for the tunnel. As I descended the stairs, my spirits sank even lower. Trust had escaped me since Darren's cheating incident. It wasn't right to judge Jonah's future over my past. But there I was, doing it.
My inability to let go was like my left fang. Something sharp that caused me injury if I wasn't careful. The fang on the other side was impatience, and it had an even keener point.
I'd never been able to wait. So far, I'd been unable to temper it with my new vampiric extended lifetime. It was one reason I never wanted to go into extraveterinary medicine.
Izzy's readings hadn't steered me wrong before. But I couldn't bring myself to accept them.
If I did, it meant that Jonah Arnold wasn't my destiny.
I could try doing everything in my power to prove those cards wrong. But the outlook was not so good.
Chapter Ten
Aliyah
Logan said nothing about Jacinda on Monday, and I didn't dare ask. The last thing I wanted was a repeat of my first year when I almost burned the cafeteria down. If I brought it up without figuring out what my problem was, it wouldn't be fair to either of us.
He spent most of his free time at Monday lunch and in Creatives with Dorian, which was typical, although without their notes, which wasn't. I tried joining him and Lee for a to-go dinner in the cafe.
"Oh, Aliyah," Lee twirled his fork in some pasta. "This is important and kind of private. Sorry."
"That's okay." I nodded. "See you guys later.”
Logan gazed into his chamomile tea the entire time, only looking up to wave shyly as I left to sit with Faith and Hal.
"What's that about?" she asked. "Are Lee and Izzy okay?"
"I don't know." I shrugged.
"Probably. It's college stuff." Hal added. "Lee's going for early acceptance at four different schools."
"Wow." I blinked.
After that, Ember got a ball out of Faith's bag, and we got distracted by the adorable game of keep-away she played with Seth and Nin.
On Tuesday, the tryouts usurped every conversation I was involved in, including the one at lunch.
"What if people try out for your team and my squad and we both want them?" Logan finished his grilled cheese sandwich.
"The coaches talk about it and decide what they both want," Dylan said.
"Yeah, compromise is important." I nodded.
"Nobody has to fight over me, anyway." Dorian chuckled. "I'm not going out for either team. Maybe people will stick to one thing."
"I'm going for both." Faith twirled her spoon in the dregs of her soup. "I need whatever I can get on my college applications."
"I hear you," Hal said. "That stuff's important."
"Says the gadgetry genius." Dorian shook his cup. "I'm all out of beverage roulette."
"Bell's about to ring, though."
It did. We managed to pay attention in Lab. Right afterward, I got food to go from Penelope. After a hasty meal, I headed toward the gym to change and do some warmups. The locker room was empty. I stood in the doorway, staring at the arch over the gender-neutral bathrooms, unable to enter.
The yellow tape had been gone since last spring, but my mind's eye supplied plenty of memories about the crime scene, including how it looked before the authorities arrived.
I must have been there for a long time because after the squeak of shoes on wood startled me, my arm had a red mark from leaning in the doorway. I turned around to find my roommate.
"I knew I should have come over here earlier." Grace put her hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Not really. There's a lot in my head."
"Let's get changed and run some laps. If you think that'll help?"
"Yeah."
Running occupied my body out on the track, but my mind wandered. Fortunately, away from the life-changing catastrophe last year. However, my thoughts strayed to something still ominous. The almost-overheard conversation between some of the trustees, whose presence on campus hadn't made us miserable yet.
After the
third time around the track, I stopped. Grace ran by for a moment but turned and came back.
"What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I was thinking about last year."
Grace's jaw and shoulder eased as I explained what I meant. She must have been more worried than I thought. Having a target, whether an objective or a person, put Grace in her element.
"I knew we should have followed up on that more." She chewed her lower lip. "Well, we didn't have the opportunity last year like we do now. Maybe they made a mistake, invading campus. Leave it to the umbral magus. I'll find some clues, and we can brainstorm what to do with them. If your parents are okay with some sleepovers, that is."
"Should be fine." I sighed. “But I want you to be extra careful. Hiram’s no slouch with the space magic and this is his school now.”
“Understood.”
A crowd of students came into the gym, heading for the locker room. I didn't bother looking to see who since both tryouts were happening.
Coach Pickman ran Bishop's Row tryouts, and Coach Chen ran cheer squad's. Faith went between both groups as I expected, which must have been taxing. Her main athletic strength was endurance so she managed.
Hailey and Bailey Overton also did dual tryouts. Both of them looked exhausted about halfway through, but Hailey kept her chin up while her twin glared and snapped at everyone.
Grace and Dylan were both brilliant at Bishop's Row, with Lee showing his usual competence. Nothing unexpected there. However, we had a couple of surprises.
Hal tried out. His space magic was nothing to sneeze at and a distinct advantage in the game. I could tell he'd been practicing over the summer, too. Coach Pickman's enthusiastic note-taking during his tryout made me nervous, but she'd given me veto power. If she tried putting Hal on the team, I'd block her. Sure, he'd be disappointed, but both Nurse Smith and Bubbe still seemed too concerned about his health for my comfort.
Lena Zanelli might be the quietest girl at school, but she was practically a force of nature on the court. Her endurance needed work, but she conjured almost as fast as Lee and matched me for speed. She even tagged Dylan out.
"Wow!" Grace clapped. "You're awesome!"
"Thanks," Lena mumbled.
I realized I could make up for vetoing Hal with Lena, no problem. With that all but decided, I relaxed.
Here comes trouble.
"If it's not too late, I'd like to try out."
"Onassis." Coach Pickman blew her whistle. "Morgenstern, swap with Khan! Onassis, there's no time for you to change, but drop the apron and let's see how rusty you are."
He wasn't. In fact, he'd improved since first year—while playing in steel-toed work shoes and cafeteria whites.
"He helps me practice," Lena said to Grace.
He conjured faster than he used to and made a throw I barely dodged. I tossed underhand and almost tagged him, but he smirked and spun out of the way. I burned his next orb with mine, then ran behind him to conjure again. He turned and ducked, so I jumped. It was a fakeout, and he threw high, tagging me squarely in the middle.
Coach blew her whistle, and we stopped. Dylan stood on the sidelines wide-eyed. I crossed to him and passed Alex on the bleachers. Logan stood nearby.
"No cheer squad?"
"Sorry." Alex shrugged. “Got here too late.”
The coaches blew their whistles, and everyone headed out besides Logan and me. We sat on the bench together.
"There's no question DuBois is in. The same goes for Zanelli. They'll make our defense amazing."
"That's fair." Coach Chen nodded. "I want both Overtons on cheer squad."
"No problem. I want Fairbanks on second mid. Undeath rounds out Morgenstern's fire and solar to counter vamp and unseelie players from the other schools." Coach Pickman checked her notes. "For reserves, Hawkins and Onassis."
"Veto."
"Who?"
I closed my eyes. Life or death was more important than tolerating a jerk.
"Hal Hawkins." I sighed. "I know he looks better, but I'm not sure he'll be able to keep up."
"Not even with accommodations?" Coach Pickman raised her eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" I blinked. "Does he have a doctor’s note or something? Because I think he's got better team synergy than Alex, but I worry. He's my friend."
"I was thinking of leaving him on the bench unless we need an ace up our sleeve. I can replace him with Young."
"I don’t know." Coach Chen shook his head. "I’ll miss having Fairbanks on squad. I had ideas for Faith's sha and Kitty's sphinx. What do you think, Logan?"
"I think we can use any of the familiars for that idea, except the pigeons. Skinner can do the same tricks, and I want Arick on the squad. He's got the best rhythm out of all the second-years, and he only tried out for cheer."
"What's your opinion on Hawkins then, Pierce?" Coach Pickman asked.
"Aliyah's right. Unless he has a note from his doctor, he shouldn't be doing athletics."
"Hold on." She stood, walked away, and took out her wand. She spoke into it like a phone, which made me even more eager to learn that type of magic in college. If I ever got in.
You will. Somewhere.
"Thanks."
"We both have to do the right thing for Hal, Aliyah. Even if it hurts his feelings."
"Oh." I blinked.
"Was that, um, the thing?" He glanced at Coach Chen, who seemed to be tuning us out.
"Yeah." I nodded.
Coach Pickman returned.
"That was Nurse Smith. He agrees with you on Hawkins." She sighed. "As much as I love an underdog story, you've got your team, Morgenstern."
"Thanks, Coach."
"Chen and I still have to hash things out. Lists post tomorrow morning before breakfast. Dual practice every Tuesday and Thursday. Now scram."
She blew her whistle instead of shooing us away like other faculty.
I headed toward the exit instead of the locker room. Logan looked over his shoulder, then trotted to catch up with me.
"No shower?"
"Upstairs for me." I sighed.
"Oh, right." He nodded. "Me too, then."
We walked together in a silence I hoped wasn't too uncomfortable. I thought I could make my escape and continue avoiding the topic of my bizarre jealousy. He stopped me in front of the stained glass doors.
"Wait a minute." He turned and faced me.
"Okay?" I looked at the mural done in glass. Shadows of other students passing by in the lobby made the shadows on the Unseelie side look like ghosts.
"Aliyah?"
"What?"
I turned my head toward him again and found him impossibly close. Our eyes met, and everything stopped. All the burning rage about Jacinda snuffed itself out, and my worries over Hal faded into evanescence.
"This year, we have three dances. I want you with me at all of them." The corners of his mouth tilted up but his eyes widened almost fearfully. "As my—um."
I blinked.
"Date?" The word seemed to steal all his breath, and he gasped afterward. "Maybe like Lee and Izzy."
"Oh!"
The world seemed to shatter into tiny bits, like the glass beside us must have looked before it got framed up and soldered together. Finally, it resolved into something more cohesive, a pattern of colors and shapes that felt right although I couldn't have described them if my life depended on it.
"But still a date?" I managed. "Because they always say it's not."
"Right. Maybe not exactly like them but—"
"Yes." I nodded as my hands fumbled toward his.
He didn't take my hands. Instead, he caught me up in a hug and lifted me off the floor for a heartbeat before setting me down. I still felt weightless in his arms, the same as every time we'd danced together.
I'm not sure how long we stood hugging like that, but when we broke it off, my eyes were misty. We held hands and pushed through the doors together.
For the first time since starting at Hawth
orn, I crossed the lobby without the excruciating awareness of everyone else there and the suspicion they judged my every move. Although people noticed us, it felt different. Like nobody waited for disaster to follow me.
Ember peeped and dove through the air, landing on my shoulder but wrapping her tail around Logan's arm. Doris trotted over and walked between us.
We parted at my door. Grace sat at her desk in her pajamas already. I paced through the room, gathering my shower things.
"Are you humming?" Grace turned in her seat and raised her eyebrows.
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize. You're glowing in a non-fire kind of way. What happened?"
"I'm giving things a shot with Logan."
"Get out!" She jumped up, knocking her homework helter-skelter across her desk. Lune hopped and capered all over the room. "No, I mean don't like, literally get out. Leaping Luna, this is awesome!"
"It is?"
"Wait. Are you happy about it?"
"Yes." I nodded. "Why are you so excited?"
"I know it's a little weird to ship real-life people, but I always hoped you two would get together." She squealed. "Can we hug?"
"I'm still kinda sweaty from tryouts but okay."
We hugged. Grace wrinkled her nose.
"Yeah, you're stinky. Go shower. I'm so excited!"
I headed out and down the hall while chuckling. Life would be a million times harder without the people I cared about in it. They made it better, interesting. Weird too, sometimes.
How else do you learn?
"Right," I said into the empty bathroom.
I regretted having missed Faith and wondered how her reaction might have differed from Grace's. There'd be plenty of time to chat with my friends in the morning. I took my shower and went to bed, more tired than I'd realized.
Before breakfast, I headed to the gym to see the teams. Hal was already there and when I approached he turned toward me, glaring.
"I can't believe Dylan did this to me." His nostrils flared, and his cheeks deepened in color.
"Did what?" I blinked.
