Wicked Magic: Harper Shadow Academy (Book Three)

by Luna Pierce

  I gawk at him. “What do you mean no?”

  “We can’t do this anymore. I won’t do it.” He doesn’t bother to look me in the eye when he rips my heart apart.

  “Are you… Silas, are you breaking up with me?”

  “I’m sorry.” He utters the words and then is gone in a flash, and I’m left there, alone, confused, and in shock of what just happened.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  After Silas leaves me high and dry, I rush around the side of the building and back into the school. I make a beeline straight for the north wing stairs, not bothering to walk all the way to the west wing ones in an attempt to avoid anyone who might spot me.

  I rush across the glass ceiling and into the hallway of the girls’ supernatural dorms.

  Ruby exits her room the same moment I’m running past, and we slam right into each other.

  “Shit, I didn’t see you,” I spit out.

  She bounces back up. “When I told you to attack me, I wasn’t expecting this.” She lets out a little laugh. “Are you okay? Why such a hurry?”

  “I, um…” Come on, Willow, think of a lie. “Started my period.”

  “Oh gosh, don’t let me stop you then. You don’t want to ruin that stunning dress of yours.”

  It’s then that I take in her attire. A humble dark-green gown with thin straps and a billowy bottom. Her shoes are gold, and she has a matching gilded necklace with a small moon.

  Similar to the rest of the girls, she’s a total ten.

  “You look great, Ruby.” I back away toward my door. “Again, so sorry for bumping into you.”

  She gives me an awkward smile like she’s trying to read why I’m being so freaking weird. “See you down there.”

  “Yep.” I shut the door behind me and sink to the floor.

  What the fuck is my life.

  You know that scene in New Moon when Edward leaves Bella and she sits in that chair in her room, by the big window, and time just passes and she’s miserable and cries and doesn’t understand why someone who pretended to care so deeply for her would up and vanish? Well, that’s my fucking life right now. And how ironic that Edward was a mother f-ing vampire, too.

  Except, for me, it’s only been a couple of hours.

  I don’t totally realize that until a knock rattles the door to my back, and I snap to reality. My body aches from sitting on the floor this long.

  “Willow, are you in there?” Sydney’s voice sounds afraid.

  “Yeah.” I fumble with the knob and scoot out of the way to let him in.

  “What the hell? Why are you down there? Are you injured? Did he hurt you?” Sydney’s hands magically scan my body.

  “Yeah,” I say again.

  “Where? Show me where you’re hurt?”

  I bring my hand slowly to my heart.

  “Willow, you’re not making sense. What happened?” He pulls me up and off the hard surface.

  I lean into him, not giving a shit about standing on my own.

  Angels, I’m being dramatic, but damn if this doesn’t hurt.

  Sydney drags my limp body over to the nearest bed. He lowers me down onto it and rests my head on a pillow. He lifts my legs and sets them gently on the comforter and then removes my sneakers. “Talk to me, please. The last thing I saw was you and Silas dancing on the patio. You two seemed good… happy. Then I get word that Silas was on wolf territory. Which is super dangerous this time of the month. I was praying you weren’t with him… but I didn’t expect to find you this way.”

  “Is there something wrong with me?” I grab Sydney’s wrist and demand his direct attention. “Am I ugly or do I have a crappy personality… oh no, am I bad in bed? Is that it?”

  Sydney lets out a breath. “No, Willow. I promise you are none of those.”

  “Well then, what is it? Why would Silas break up with me?” The last few words come out choked.

  “He did what?”

  I rip the pillow out from under my head and smash it over my face. “Uhhhh.”

  Sydney tries to tug it away, but I hold on firmly.

  “Listen, Will. I really do not care for Silas. For quite a few reasons. But I’ll be the first to say this isn’t him talking. It’s the stone. You realize that, right?”

  Without uncovering myself, I mumble, “What if the stupid rock is simply making him say what he already feels?”

  “Then Silas is hands down the dumbest guy on the planet.”

  I peek out from under my concealment. “Really?”

  “Yes. Without a doubt. Now, we have about ten hours until the full moon. Get some rest. You’re going to need it. We’ll sort Silas out tomorrow.” Sydney shifts his gaze to my body. “You probably shouldn’t sleep in that, though.”

  I sigh and then stand from the bed. “Can you help me?” I reach clumsily at the fastener. It’s a freaking wonder I managed to zip it up earlier.

  Sydney’s skin touches mine and sends chills over me. He brushes the hair away that’s fallen from my once cute bun and frees me of my restraint.

  “Thank you.” I let the dress fall to the floor, not really caring about it being rumpled. I sluggishly walk to the nearby pile of clothes and seize a t-shirt off the stack. It’s not until I put it on that I remember I wasn’t wearing a bra under my gown.

  Oh well, it’s not like Sydney hasn’t seen me naked.

  When I turn around, he looks as though he’s in shock.

  He blinks and snaps himself out of it. Syd collects my discarded outfit and finds a place to hang it up.

  I climb into my actual bed and snuggle under the covers.

  Sydney sits at my side and presses his palm to my face. “You deserved a better night.”

  I push my hand against his, eager to soak up his comforting touch. “You were wonderful.” My heavy eyes close despite my failed attempt at keeping them open. “Will you stay?”

  Sydney takes in a breath. “Um…”

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to.” I grip him tighter.

  “I’d love to.” He slowly pulls away, and the sound of him undressing fills my room. Syd goes around to the other side and climbs in next to me, his warm body doing wonders for calming my nerves.

  I reach back and run my hand along his nearly naked physique.

  He’s only in his boxers.

  I position myself closer to him and move my legs so they’re entwined with his.

  He shoves his arm carefully under my head and wraps the other one around my torso.

  He holds me tight like he may never let go, and it’s all I could ask for right this moment. Well, minus the whole Silas suddenly hating my guts thing.

  That will be a battle for tomorrow, though.

  I awake to screaming, but the most startling thing of all, is it’s me.

  Sydney is shaking me and trying to wake me up. His face is afraid. “Willow. Are you okay?”

  I close my mouth. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I think I had a bad dream.”

  “More along the lines of a hardcore nightmare. It sounded like someone was trying to murder you.”

  A strange pit fills my heart, and an intense sadness consumes me.

  I reach for the nightstand to find my worthless phone. All it seems to be good for anymore is checking the time and setting the occasional reminder. The clock reads ten on the dot.

  “Damn, we slept a while.” I stretch and rub my still sleepy eyes. “What time is the full moon?”

  “Eleven thirty-seven to be exact.”

  I whip my head around to him. “Seriously? That’s soon.”

  He grins, and it’s then that I take in his puffy morning face.

  Angels, he’s adorable.

  “I’m going to take a shower.” I hop from the bed. Although I’d rather stay there all day and cuddle with Sydney, big stuff is happening today, and we need to be prepared. I glance back on my way to the bathroom. “Do you want to join me?”

  A grin forms on his handsome face. “As tempting as that sounds, I need to head to my own r
oom and get ready.”

  I frown, and he continues.

  “I’ll bring you coffee when I’m done.”

  “Deal.” I give him a smile in return.

  Sydney throws on his suit pants and jacket, leaving his chest exposed.

  I thought he was fine last night, but this bed head and shirtless look take him to a whole new level.

  “I’ll see you shortly.” He presses a kiss to my forehead.

  The moment he’s gone, the gaping hole in my chest opens up.

  What the fuck is happening to me?

  I brace myself against the bathroom vanity and close my eyes. The vision from my nightmare fills my line of sight.

  Silas. On the ground. Begging for mercy. His cheeks are dirty and tear-streaked. His fingers claw at the earth. His dark-gray tee is riddled with gaping slash marks. He brings a hand up and tries to conjure his magic, but it doesn’t come. He’s left there, defenseless and scared.

  I shake the fictional Silas out of my mind.

  This can’t possibly be real. Silas is the strongest, most feared person I know. No way in hell he’d let himself get into a situation he couldn’t get out of.

  I let the hot shower water cascade down my aching body.

  I replay the image in my head while I go through the motions.

  Shampoo. Rinse. Conditioner. Rinse. Wash body. Shave legs.

  A terrible possibility comes to me.

  What if Silas didn’t accidentally fall into this trouble?

  The more I replay mine and Silas’s evening, the more I realize Sydney was right.

  Silas wasn’t quite himself last night. Although, parts of him were frantically trying to show through.

  Perhaps this was something he brought upon himself… to end his suffering.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  I’m towel-drying my hair when Sydney comes into my room, two steaming cups of coffee and a brown paper sack in hand.

  “We need to find him.” I throw the wet cloth onto my counter. “I was going to go but I don’t know what I’m up against. Thought it would be better to wait for you.”

  “Okay. Yeah. Why, though? Did something happen?” Sydney hands me my drink and studies my face.

  “I keep having these weird visions. It’s almost like he’s trying to reach out to me. Or maybe he’s not, but whatever our connection is, it’s showing me these horrible moments. A warning maybe?” I take a cautious sip and let the goodness flow through me.

  “That could be possible.” He sets his cup on the table and opens the bag. “Eat this. You’ll need your energy.” He hands me a blueberry muffin. “Cam had a special stash I robbed from.”

  I peel back the wrapper and shove what I can of the delicious thing in my mouth. It’s unattractive and a bit extreme but it does the trick.

  Sydney’s eyes go wide, and he laughs. “Hungry?”

  “Not really,” I say between bites. I wipe at the crumbs dangling from my chin. “Just want to hurry.”

  Sydney glances at his watch.

  “Do you have the stone?” I toss the empty wrapper into the bag.

  “No, but it’s somewhere safe.”

  I down more of my coffee and leave the cup behind. “Let’s go.”

  Arriving in the big open area in the middle of the first floor, Sydney grabs my arm. “Do you know where he is?”

  I hold out my finger and close my eyes. I take in a deep breath and focus on Silas and only him.

  Where are you? I think.

  I let the vision of his chiseled jawline float forward, and then slowly, the rest of his face comes into view. His pale lips are cracked, and for once, he looks so… human. Fragile.

  My heart thumps loudly, and I comprehend in an instant where he is.

  The invisible thread connecting us to each other navigates me through the dining hall, out onto the patio, and into the forest behind the school.

  “Willow, wait, you…” Sydney calls out.

  But it’s too late, and it doesn’t matter.

  Silas needs me.

  I break into a run, picking up the pace with each fretful step.

  I skid to a stop the second my gaze lands on him.

  He’s crouched on the ground, shriveled into himself. Alone and at the spot where I fainted into his arms that incredible moment we touched for the first time.

  “Silas.” His name rolls off my tongue gently. I take a few cautious steps forward and then kneel beside him.

  He tries to shrug me off, but I don’t allow him.

  “It’s me.” I attempt to push my calming energy into him, but a weird resistance doesn’t let it go through.

  Silas moves onto his backside and scoots away. “Don’t come any closer.” His eyes are rimmed red. His hair drenched in sweat. A sickening sensation flows from him. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  How could I have been so stupid to think the man who has part of my soul could be so heartless and leave me the way he did?

  That wasn’t my Silas. That was some twisted, sick version of him the stone fucked with.

  Sydney comes rushing to my side, and Silas flinches at his arrival.

  “Dude, you look like shit.”

  A rogue tear falls down Silas’s cheek. “Take care of her for me.”

  “Now, now. Don’t be so dramatic.” Sydney stoops to the ground. “Come here, bud.” He reaches out his hand.

  I’ve witnessed a lot of crazy things in my lifetime, especially in the last few months, but never did I expect Sydney to come to Silas’s aid in this manner.

  I guess miracles really are possible.

  Silas exposes his fangs and hisses at us. “I said, stay back,” he growls.

  A flash of something red pokes out from Silas’s clenched fist.

  “What is that?” I point to it.

  His gaze slowly shifts down, and he brings his palm to face us. His hand is quite literally steaming, and a red flower I’ve never seen before is tucked inside.

  Sydney gasps. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Silas snaps his arm away like he thinks Sydney might take the blossom from him.

  “What is it?” I ask Sydney, not quite understanding the significance.

  “A middlemist red. Rarest flower known to man.” He pauses. “One of the very few things that can kill a vampire.”

  All of the breath is sucked from my lungs.

  I shake my head. “No. No. No. It can’t be.” I drop to my knees. “Silas, please. Listen to me. Give me that.”

  He scoots farther and clutches it tighter. His hand oozes a gross gooey liquid.

  Howling sounds in the distance, reminding me of the time and whose property we’re on.

  Shit.

  “Sydney. Get the fucking stone. Now,” I urge through gritted teeth.

  “But I can’t leave—”

  “So, help me, angels, if you don’t stop wasting time.” I hate to be so cruel to someone so gentle and kind, but this is life or death, and no way in hell I’m letting the latter happen.

  Like he can sense my urgency, he takes off running away from us.

  I focus back on the broken man in front of me.

  Each subtle effort toward Silas I make, he scurries a little farther.

  I’ve always been terrified of him shutting down on me, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that he would resort to this.

  Watching him this way, it’s as if my soul is being set on fire.

  I stare into his tormented eyes and silently plead for any remaining piece of him to hold on just a bit longer. For me, Silas. For us.

  Moments pass, and I don’t dare move. If I can keep him still, he won’t make any drastic decisions.

  He’s faster than me. Clearly. So, the chances of getting that flower from him if he decides to do something with it is slim to none.

  Another howl, this one much closer than the last.

  Please, Sydney, hurry up.

  Did Silas come out here because he wanted the wolves to finish off what he
started? Maybe he couldn’t bring himself to take the poisonous flower and thought they could give him a release.

  But he had to have known Deghan would be one of them and wouldn’t let that happen.

  Leaves crinkle nearby, and I pray that it’s Sydney.

  My luck, though, it’s not.

  A light-ashy-colored werewolf emerges from a spot between the trees about twenty feet away. Its teeth are exposed, and saliva drips from its growling mouth.

  I stand slowly and hold my arms out. “Please. Whoever you are.”

  But the beast doesn’t want to hear what I have to say; instead, it lurches forward and leaps through the air toward the man I’d die for.

  I take in a breath and pull my strength to the surface, throwing it between Silas and the deranged wolf.

  Like it slams into a brick wall, the creature squeals and falls to the ground. Slowly, it regains composure and gets back on all four paws.

  I use the opportunity to place myself amid the two of them. I will do whatever it takes to protect Silas, even if it means my own life. I could never live with myself if I didn’t give it my all to keep him from harm’s reach.

  The wolf digs its claws into the earth and raises its head. It lets out a howl, as if it’s calling in reinforcements.

  Shit.

  I glance over my shoulder at Silas and find him still crumpled on the ground. That blasted flower gripped tightly in his fist.

  I sigh and pull myself together, readying for the next attack.

  With a huff of its own, the wolf charges toward me with its vicious mouth wide open.

  I slam another burst of energy into it and send it flying into a nearby tree.

  It yelps and cries but quickly gets back on its feet, shaking its head. A bit of blood goes flying.

  I’ve injured the thing, but it seems to want more.

  I guess I’m going to have to stop holding back out of fear I might kill the creature. If it’s kill or be killed…

  Balling up a bright-pink orb of magic, I hold it in my hand and wait for the animal to advance. I don’t want to, but I’m out of other options at this point.

  The otherwise pretty wolf makes its move, launching at me at the quickest pace yet.