The sandwich nearly tumbled from my hands, but I caught it before it slipped.
“I’m not expecting anything from you, though,” he said. “We can take this as slow as you want. All I know is, I can’t be the person I was before you arrived.” Aspen took a bite of his sandwich.
I sat next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder, not saying anything for a very long time. The two of us munched on our turkey and cheese sandwiches and stared out over the canyon. I’d never been much for cold lunches, but somehow the flavor burst in my mouth. Despite the meal’s commonness, it was probably the best thing I’d had in my entire life.
I gulped down the last bite and finally spoke. “Slow is good, but I’d really like to find out if you belong . . . with me.”
Aspen’s blue eyes twinkled, and his hand found the back of my neck. My breath hitched as he stared directly at me for what seemed like a million, glorious years.
“May I kiss you again?” he whispered.
“Yes.” Breathless, I wasted no time meeting his mouth.
Aspen’s lips were soft and gentle. This time, everything in the world felt right. This was no accidental kiss or a kiss to try covering up that we’d broken something. This kiss was real. Aspen wanted to kiss me, and I wanted it back.
Light stubble burned at my skin, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want this moment to end—ever. I slipped my hands around Aspen’s waist and pulled him closer. He reached into my hair and caressed the back of my head.
Everything about that moment was perfect—until voices sounded from our left. We flinched apart and turned toward the sound. Through the bushes behind us, we could see two figures standing about fifty feet away.
Quickly we ducked down behind the rock to get out of sight and peered just enough over to see what was going on. It was a little hard to see through the bushes, but I was thankful for them since it must have prevented them from seeing us here in the first place.
The first, a short, stocky man with sandy hair, had his back to me, but I didn’t think I recognized him. However, the second I most definitely did. The bearded man wore a charcoal colored three-piece suit, and a gold pocket watch chain hung from his vest.
Unless Professor Lakeshore was a ghost, he was most definitely alive.
Chapter 11
Josy!
Nine’s voice entered my head, and I nearly screamed from behind the rock with Aspen. I whipped around to see the black cat was standing right behind us. He had several pine needles caught in his fur, and one was lodged beside of his nose like a thick whisker. Had he been spying on Aspen and me?
Professor Lakeshore isn’t dead!
“Why do you think we’re hiding behind this rock?” I hissed as quietly as I could. “And why are you out here?”
I came out here to warn you.
“Well, you’re a little late.” Aspen glared at the cat.
Nine crept around the side of the rock to have a look and darted back. He’s right there!
Despite the risk that I might get a cat bite, I threw my hand over Nine’s mouth to tell him to shut up even though only Aspen and I could hear him. Fortunately, not only did he stop talking, but I didn’t get a nip, either.
“I can’t wait any longer,” Professor Lakeshore demanded to the other man. “This entire thing was a mistake, and it’s getting too dangerous for me.” He paced back and forth with his hands crossed tightly over his chest.
The other man turned our way slightly, showing that he wore a pair of dark-rimmed glasses. My stomach dropped. Seeing his face, I did know who he was. It was the same guard I’d seen kneeling over the apparently dead Professor Lakeshore. He worked for the Directorate.
“You must give me a bit more time . . . until midnight tonight. I’ll meet you back here then.”
“Your promise is still good, right?” Lakeshore asked. “Relocation with a new identity, and I’ll never have to do any of this dirty work again?”
The man tucked his hands into his pockets. “That is the deal we made.”
“Fine.” The professor huffed and stopped pacing. “But forget poisoned herbs. The stress of this alone is going to kill me.” Without a goodbye, he turned and trudged away.
Silently, the man watched Lakeshore leave, then scanned around. I gritted my teeth as he eyed our direction a little too long for my comfort, but we remained still. Eventually, he returned his attention to the way out of the forest and walked down the path.
Aspen and I didn’t move from our positions for probably five minutes. I could barely breathe, but my mind was on fire. Did the Directorate plan and fake Lakeshore’s death? If they were involved, it would make sense why they didn’t bother to question me very much. Maybe the entire interrogation was just a technicality since Rosalee had been spreading rumors. They had to appear as if they were doing the right thing to placate anyone who suspected me of wrongdoing. But what would be the point of faking Lakeshore’s death in the first place? Or even protecting me?
Finally, I turned to Aspen and whispered, “What did we just see there?”
“I have no idea.” He rose from his crouched position. “But we should get back. It’s a bad idea to get mixed up in whatever is going on.”
I pinched my lips together and eyed Nine. “How’d you know we were out here?”
No apology for slapping me in the face?
“Ugh.” I let out a sigh and stood. “I’m sorry, Nine. Now how did you know we were out here?”
A low growl rumbled in Nine’s throat. I saw you leave the campus and decided it was best if I followed you to made sure Aspen wasn’t a serial killer or something. He does have that backpack. Who knows what’s in it?
Aspen scoffed.
“You’re the one who told me he was a nice guy!”
Nine tipped his head. One can never be too careful. He eyed us for a second and then spoke again. I got a bit lost when I chased a squirrel, but then I saw Lakeshore wandering around. I knew I had to find you.
“So you don’t know anything else?” Aspen asked.
Only that I saw Lakeshore meeting in his office the last three nights before he died with that guard that was just here.
My mouth hung open. “And this was not something you thought was important enough to tell me before now?” I demanded.
Humans do all sorts of things I pay little attention to. This was one of those things. I didn’t put it together until now. Nine raised his back leg high into the air and nipped at his heel. Dang pine needles.
“Would you please focus?” I snapped my fingers at him.
Nine stopped what he was doing and laid his ears back on his head. Look, I agree with Aspen. We should get back on campus and put this entire thing behind us. Your name has been cleared, and if Lakeshore wants to disappear, we should let him.
I scowled at Nine. “But he looked as if he was being forced.”
“And if the Directorate is forcing you to do something, then you should do it,” Aspen finally said.
I sighed in frustration at both of them. For the time being, I was glad we were not seen, since who knows what kind of problems that could have caused. But Professor Lakeshore had actually been quite nice to me in class. I had a hard time believing that the guy was involved in some sinister plot, not on purpose at least. But maybe Aspen and Nine were right. There wasn’t much I could do about the problem. “Fine, let’s go.” I snatched Aspen’s backpack from the ground, shoved the water bottle in the pack’s side holder, and slung it over my shoulder. Something jingled inside.
Wordlessly, Aspen, Nine and I trudged from the woods without seeing anyone else. The guard appeared to be long gone, and Professor Lakeshore must have gone back to wherever he’d been hiding. The weight I’d felt earlier came back full force when the Academy came into view.
I’ll be back at the room later, Nine said and took off without explanation into the field of green grass.
“Probably chasing mice,” I muttered to Aspen, which brought the slightest of smiles to his lips.
>
“You want to do anything else?” Aspen clasped his hands behind his back. “This didn’t exactly turn out to be the best of first dates.”
I stopped and faced him. “The first part of it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.”
He quirked his eyebrow into a perfect arch. “Even better than the day you found out there was a magical world on the other side of a doorway?”
I tipped my head in thought and pinched my lips together. “Okay . . . that was a topper.”
Aspen took my hand and led me the rest of the way.
It was still quiet on campus, but this time whenever I passed a guard, I took notice. Was the one I’d seen back in the woods the only one involved with the scheme to fake Lakeshore’s death, or were other guards involved? Had any of them seen Aspen and me go off campus? Did they even care? This place wasn’t a prison, was it? Before today I’d felt that they were here to protect us from Morelli attacks, but what if they were here for something else?
“I’m tired,” I said. “Would you mind just taking me back to my dorm? I might take a nap.”
“No problem. It’s been a long two days.”
When we arrived at Willoward Hall, Aspen kissed me on the cheek and bid me goodbye. It wasn’t until I was almost to my room that I realized I still had Aspen’s jacket and backpack. The call of my bed pulled at my heart, and I was sure I’d see him at dinner, so I didn’t turn back.
Inside my room, Merrygold was nowhere to be seen, but she didn’t have to materialize if she didn’t want to. Perhaps after five years of being alone in this room, she didn’t mind some extended solitude on occasion.
I tossed the backpack to the end of my bed, and the jingling sound came from inside again. Curious, I unzipped the pouch and reached inside. Cold metal touched my fingers, and I pulled out Aspen’s keys, his emergency set that could get me into any of the professors’ offices—including Professor Lakeshore's.
Chapter 12
The dining hall was mostly empty, just as the campus had been all day. Only a handful of students were scattered around the room eating their dinners. And since so few were here, the cook staff only had one entree available tonight. I’m sure they had some sort of vegetarian option in the back, but I didn’t ask.
As I watched Aspen wolfing down his dinner, part of me wanted him to ask me about his backpack. If he did, then I’d just have given it back to him with the keys inside, and that would be that. But he’d apparently forgotten all about my taking it since he hadn’t brought it up.
“Don’t you like chicken fried steak?” he mumbled between bites.
I peered down at the virtually untouched platter with its meat patty, potatoes and side of green beans. “The meal is fine. I’m just tired. I tried to take a nap this afternoon but couldn’t sleep.” I set my fork down. “Nine will eat my leftovers.”
“Hey, Josy.” Holly plopped her tray onto the table and sat on the bench next to me. “Aspen.”
“Hi.” I gave her a tentative smile.
Emiko gently slid her food next to Aspen and sat.
Aspen eyed them for a moment before he spoke. “Next, I’m going to end up hanging out with all the first years from Spellcasting class.”
“Before a few weeks ago,” Holly said, “you sat over here in your lonely corner with your nose in a book. You should be thankful for some friends.”
Aspen chuckled and caught my attention. “Oh, I’m thankful all right.”
My eyes grew large, and I bit my lip, thinking about our kisses earlier.
“Wait!” Holly glanced back and forth between the two of us. “Are you two . . .”
Holly was perceptive and quick to speak her mind. Not that Aspen could have made it much more obvious. Heat spread up my chest and neck, and I knew I must look like a cherry popsicle with white hair.
When neither Aspen nor I answered Holly’s question, she looked to Emiko, who was quietly cutting her chicken fried steak. “You’re an empath. Will you confirm if Aspen and Josy are together?”
Emiko scrunched her brows. “I’m not a mind reader, Holly, and it’s not like my empath abilities are at your beck and call anyway.” She shoved a huge portion of potatoes into her mouth and then pointed to her face as if to say, can’t talk now, mouth full.
Holly scoffed. “Well, it’s pretty obvious.”
“Aspen and I have been getting to know each other,” I finally admitted.
“And?” Holly demanded.
“And it’s none of your business.” Aspen leaned his back against the wall. His lips curled into a mischievous grin, and I knew he was getting a kick out of teasing Holly. Honestly, I think we all did. I know it was a good distraction for me.
“Has anyone heard anything else about Professor Lakeshore?” Emiko asked out of nowhere.
Her question completely destroyed my good mood, and my memories of seeing him in the woods tumbled back to the front of my mind.
The smile fell from Aspen’s lips. “As far as I know, Sterling hasn’t released an official statement. Lakeshore’s death is still under investigation, I think.”
My heart rate quickened, and I was sure that Emiko would be able to sense my nervousness, but she could easily chalk it up to my being questioned by the Directorate yesterday. I picked up my paper napkin and wrapped the piece of meat inside it. “I’m headed out. I have some studying to do, and I think I’ll call it an early night.” I glanced at Aspen. “See you tomorrow?”
Aspen twisted his lips. He must have had something else in mind for tonight, but he nodded.
I climbed from the bench, napkin in hand. “Enjoy your dinner, ladies, Aspen.”
“Bye.” Emiko waved.
Holly just furrowed her brow. Apparently, she was still sore about my not giving up all the details on my relationship with Aspen. But I didn’t even know what Aspen was to me yet. Sure, we’d kissed, but was he my boyfriend? It was too early to tell that.
I walked from the dining hall back to my room, but barely had the door opened than I noticed that somehow Holly was right behind me in the hall. I hadn’t even heard her following me. Maybe she had some hidden teleportation skill I didn’t know about.
“Aren’t you supposed to be having dinner?” I kept my fingers on the handle.
She planted her hands on her hips. “Aren’t you supposed to be going out with Aspen?”
I rolled my eyes. “I told you. I’m tired and need to study.”
Holly pushed open the door and walked through. She flung herself into my desk chair and spun it to face me.
My stomach dropped when I realized that Aspen’s black backpack, jacket and keys still lay on the end of my bed. There was no way I could get to them right away without looking suspicious. I pushed the door shut, and the lock clicked. On my desk was a cereal bowl I’d borrowed from the dining hall a few days before. I opened the napkin still in my hand and dumped the piece of steak into the bowl.
Holly scanned around my room. “I know Aspen doesn’t have the strongest magic running through his family line, but he’s hot. And it’s pretty obvious he wanted to hang out with you tonight. I can tell that you like him too, so his heritage is not the problem.”
“Holly . . .” I protested.
Her eyes moved to my bed. “Why do you have Aspen’s backpack?”
I opened my mouth to give her the very true excuse that I’d accidentally kept it and his jacket today, but she was on her feet and grabbing the keys.
“These are his keys, too. I’ve seen him with them before. Since he’s Magnolis’s TA, he has a set that can get him into the staff offices.”
A lump the size of an apple lodged in my throat. “I was going to give them back.” I reached for the keys, but Holly was taller than me, and she pulled them from my reach.
“If you were going to give them back, you would have already done it.” She narrowed her gaze at me.
I crossed my arms over my chest, saying nothing.
“You are planning to use these tonigh
t.”
Lies flew through my head, but none of them seemed good enough. How in the world was Holly one step ahead of me? I barely knew what I was going to do.
Holly sat on the end of the bed, keeping the keys clutched in her hand. “You can’t get much sneakiness past me. I’m a master of it. My parents didn’t know about half the stuff I did at home. You’re planning to go find that file Sterling has on you.”
Oh. Holly thought this was about the school file.
“Let me go with you,” she blurted before I could get anything out, lies or otherwise. “I haven’t gotten to do anything fun since school started. Emiko is a great roommate and all, but she’s pretty much the most straitlaced person I’ve ever met.”
I balled my sweaty palms. Rolling with Holly’s assumptions was my only chance. “It was a stupid idea. The file doesn’t even matter. Seriously, I’m going to bed and will give Aspen his stuff in the morning.”
Holly squinted at me. “You’re totally lying right now. You’re terrible at it.”
A thump came from the window, and Nine landed with a thud on the floor, his back to me. No news on why Lakeshore is still alive. He turned to us and glanced at Holly. His eyes widened. Oh, you have company.
Holly gave Nine a quizzical look, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. “Lakeshore is alive? And your cat can talk?”
I laughed nervously. “Yeah . . . I didn’t even know he could talk until I arrived at the Academy.”
Holly raised her brows in question. “And Lakeshore?”
I waved my hand in the air dismissively. “Oh, Nine is just blabbering on . . . cats, you know, always coming up with the strangest stories.”
Nine let out a low growl and straightened his back. If you must know, we saw Lakeshore in the woods today . . . quite alive.
“Nine!” I scolded.
I won’t have people thinking I don’t know what I’m talking about because of my species.
Furious at him, I grabbed Nine’s dinner bowl from the desk, ripped up several pieces of meat, and placed the bowl next to him. “How about eating instead of talking?”
Spellcaster Academy Box Set Page 15
