by Mandi Oyster
“He’ll be okay.”
I closed my eyes, and the image of Arion popped into my head. Blood soaked his pristine fur. Aurelia, how’s Arion? Is he okay?
He is getting stronger, she answered. Demon wounds can be very tricky and tend to take a while to heal. You did well, Dacia. He would not be alive without you.
He would’ve done the same for me.
I will be here with him for a couple of days at the very least. If you need me, I will come, she promised. I owe you for this.
No, you don’t.
Please stay close to the dormitory, she said. I do not want Mavros to hurt you or Cody while I am indisposed.
We will. Guilt pressed down on my stomach. Tell Arion I’m sorry I didn’t keep him safe.
He does not blame you. He told me you knew something was about to happen and tried to get him away.
I was relieved Arion was in good enough shape to talk, but guilt still twisted my gut. I should’ve been faster.
I pressed my hand against Cody’s chest and sat up. “Aurelia doesn’t want us to leave.”
“Me either.” He sat next to me, combing his fingers through his hair. It fell into place, and I envied him. My hair would look like a red afro if I combed it without wetting it first, and right now, it was probably sticking out in a hundred directions.
Cody tilted my chin up. “Whatcha thinking?”
“That I probably look awful.”
His thumb skimmed along my chin. “Never.”
My skin tingled behind his touch. I ran my hands along his bare chest, contemplating knocking him back down and spending the day lying on the couch with him. Instead, I got up and called Sarah.
“Sarah can’t meet with me until 4:30, so what are we gonna do all day?”
We spent most of the morning playing games: Boggle, Othello, and Scrabble. After lunch, we decided we didn’t want to spend the whole day in my room. We walked to Lupine Fieldhouse to shoot hoops, but the doors were locked.
“We can go to the other court.” I grabbed Cody’s hand and started pulling him across the green space.
“No.” He tugged back, stopping me. “Don’t want you in the open.”
As if fighting monsters wasn’t bad enough, when they were in my life, I felt like a caged animal. The walls closed in, and I needed my space. I dragged my fingers through my hair. It was too soon to start this again.
Cody and I went back to my room, and I paced in front of the couch like the tigers at the zoo.
“Dacia, please.” Cody patted the cushion next to him.
I stopped, looking down at him. “I hate being trapped. Why couldn’t they bless the whole building? The whole campus?”
He grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap. “I’m trapped, too.” He wrapped his arms around me. “At least we’re together.”
I rested my forehead against his. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t complain, but I hate being cooped up. I get caught up in my thoughts and see all the bad things that might happen.”
He kissed my chin, then the tip of my nose. “How can I help?”
“I don’t know.” My head dropped forward.
We watched movies until time to leave for Sarah’s office. I tried to keep my mind from wandering, but I felt like Sisyphus, eternally doomed.
Trees lined the sidewalks between Wisteria and Cacomistle Halls. The fresh air recharged me. Birds sang and insects hummed. Squirrels jumped from branch to branch, and chipmunks darted to and fro.
I sensed no danger. My steps slowed. Cody stopped, waiting for me to catch up. When I did, he pressed his hand against the middle of my back, quickening my pace. His body was rigid, his eyes alert.
We walked past both of the men’s dormitories, choosing the route with the most visibility. As soon as Cacomistle Hall came into view, Cody sped up even more.
The three-story stone and timber building looked like it had always been here. Centuries-old pine trees surrounded it. Enormous boulders were strewn about where glaciers had deposited them.
As soon as we stepped inside, Cody noticeably relaxed.
The office was dark, no flames danced in the stone fireplace. I looked toward the seating area, remembering how nervous I’d been the first time I came here. I’d fully expected to be expelled for setting Cassandra Nightshade’s books on fire. Instead, Sarah had been excited to meet someone with powers. She’d told me about the prophecy, and I’d thought she was certifiably nuts.
Timber columns formed a cathedral ceiling, and the massive windows framed a spectacular view of the Snowfire Mountains. Looking at them centered me.
We climbed the rustic-looking stairs to the second floor. Sarah’s door was open, so we stepped inside. I knocked on the oak moulding. “Hello.”
“Have a seat.” Sarah’s voice came from her office in the back. “I’ll be out in just a moment.”
Two couches faced each other separated by an oak coffee table. Cody and I sat on the one with the best view of the mountains. Normally, he’d be right next to me with his arm over my shoulders or his hand on mine, but he sat at the opposite end of the couch. Instead of focusing on him, I studied the room. Not much had changed since the last time I’d been here. Bookcases still lined the walls. Some new titles had taken up residence on their shelves. All the ash had been cleaned out of the fireplace, and fresh logs waited for their turn to provide warmth and ambiance to the room.
We only had to wait a few minutes for Sarah to come out. She sat across from us and smoothed out her tan slacks. “So—” she tilted her head, looking at the distance between Cody and I “—what did you need to talk to me about?”
I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and told her about Mavros attacking Arion.
Her hand flew in front of her mouth, covering her gasp. “Will he be all right?”
“Aurelia thinks so.” I twisted my hands together.
“But you don’t?”
Cody scooted closer, placing his hands over mine, as if that could stifle my guilt. “Dacia blames herself.”
“The fault doesn’t lie with you.” Sarah’s couch shifted when she stood and walked over. “Mavros is to blame.” She rested her hand on my shoulder. “It sounds like you saved Arion.”
“I should’ve been faster.” I choked back a sob. “I’m supposed to keep everyone safe.”
“You need to keep yourself safe.” Sarah squeezed my shoulder and stepped away. “If Mavros comes after you, teleport to your room as quickly as possible, but please, don’t go anywhere else alone.”
“We won’t,” Cody said.
Sarah paced behind the couch she’d been sitting on. “You need to be extra vigilant … I need you to stay safe.”
“We’d planned to go to Althea.” Cody sat back, pulling his hand off mine. “But without Aurelia, didn’t.”
Sarah nodded. “That’s good. There’s enough on campus to keep you busy.”
“Everything’s locked,” Cody said.
“I’ll have that fixed immediately.” Sarah sat across from us again and looked directly at me. “I’ll have the ball cages unlocked, too. I don’t want you to get bored.”
“I won’t go looking for trouble.” I tried not to sound angry. I knew she was right, but I hated being reminded of my faults. “Sometimes, though, it’s better to face life head-on than to wait—cowering in the corner—for it to pass you by.”
“Courage is a commendable trait.” Sarah nodded. “Just wait until you’re ready. If you act too soon, you’ll fail.”
I raised my hand in the Girl Scout’s salute. “I’ll do my best not to do anything stupid and not to jeopardize anybody … including myself. I don’t want anybody to get hurt. I just want to get through this somehow … to figure out how to stop him and to move on with my life.”
“
That sounds like a good plan to me, Dacia.” Sarah looked at the clock, then stood. “I’ve got one more meeting. I’ll have the fieldhouse and library unlocked right away.” As we walked to the door, she said, “Why don’t you two join me for supper? I’ll meet you in the cafeteria at six.”
i
Phlox University’s swimming pool was Olympic-sized, and Cody and I had it all to ourselves. We changed into our suits and met at the shallow end.
Cody waved his arm at the pool. “Show me what you can do.”
“Other than soaking you—” I smiled and threw water over him like I had at the lake “—I don’t know what I can do with water.”
Cody grabbed me around the waist and plummeted under water. When he brought us up, his eyes sparkled with mischief. He wiped the water off his face, then mine. His thumb brushed over my lips a moment before his mouth crashed down on mine.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled his body against mine, backing against the pool wall.
His hands trailed over my body, exploring every inch of exposed skin. I ran my fingers over his back, along his ribs, and up his chest, memorizing the feel of him.
“Dacia.” Cody pulled back. Alarm flickered across his face. “Water’s warm enough.”
I pushed him away and thought about snow and ice. “Better?”
“Yeah.” He swam across the pool.
I fell onto my back and floated on the water. Then shaping it around me, I used it to hold me up. When I tired of that, I swam to the deep end, using the water to propel me forward. I summoned waves and whirlpools.
Cody stayed near me but didn’t touch me again. I swam up to him, reaching for his hand, but I let mine drop before making contact. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Startled me.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” He swam away. “Time to go.”
I watched Cody pull himself out of the water and wondered about his sudden distance.
By bedtime, I was exhausted. I crawled onto the couch with Cody. He wrapped his arms around me, running his fingers through my hair. I snuggled into him with a sigh. He was warm and comfortable. He was my happy place.
Chapter 13
A Life For A Life
Everything is black, the walls, the floor, the ceiling. I’m stuck in an obsidian void, staring into Mavros’ rage-filled eyes. Every muscle in his body is taut, and I can sense his hatred and envy for Cody.
“Dacia, this is not the way things are supposed to be. You belong with me. This boy”—he spits the word out—“is nothing more than worm food.”
“No.” I hold my own for once. Maybe I can look into his eyes without being enchanted because of the hatred in them, or maybe, hopefully, I’m getting stronger. “I belong with Cody. He is my soulmate … the only one for me.”
“If you choose him over me, you will watch him suffer an agonizing death.” Mavros grabs my arm. His fingers burn my skin. “If you choose me, I will let him live his pathetic, little human life, and he will eventually die on his own. But, I will not stand by and watch the two of you together! That is not an option.”
“So, don’t watch,” I say through clenched teeth. “I love him, and nothing you can say or do will stop that.”
“You are destined to be mine!” Anger distorts his features. His eyes narrow, and his irises blacken with hatred. Cords bulge in his neck as his jaw clenches.
“No! My destiny was to defeat Nefarious,” I yell, unable to control my anger. “I did that. The rest of my life was supposed to be my own!”
“No, Dacia.” Mavros laughs, a dry humorless laugh. “That is where you are wrong. There is so much more to that prophecy that you don’t know.”
My breath catches in my throat. I tremble with rage and fear. His words ring true, and even though I don’t want to hear it from him, I ask, “What are you talking about?”
“Join me … be mine, and I will divulge the rest of it to you. Otherwise, you will have to find out for yourself.”
“Tell me.” I hate the pleading tone of my voice. “Help me find a reason to trust you.”
“Nice try.”
“You expect me to give up everything, and you will give me nothing in exchange.” I narrow my eyes at him and fold my arms over my chest.
“No, if you give up your human, I’ll spare his life … for you, Dacia. If you don’t give him up, he’ll die, but not before he suffers as no mortal has ever suffered. The choice is yours, and the clock is ticking.”
I woke with a start. My heart pounded loud enough to wake the dead, but somehow Cody slept through it. I was grateful for that. I didn’t want to have to tell him that I was dreaming about Mavros again.
I settled back down and thought about my dream. I knew part of this conversation would happen, and I wondered what I would choose when the time came. I couldn’t let Cody die, but I couldn’t choose Mavros over him either.
Chapter 14
I Love You So Much It Hurts
I woke up in Cody’s arms feeling rested and loved. I could get used to this, I thought to myself.
I wanted to stay there curled up with him, but it was time to start a new day, like it or not. “Cody.” I trailed my finger along his arm, hoping not to startle him awake.
“Mmm.” His eyes slowly opened, then drifted shut again.
“I’m going to take a shower and brush my teeth. I won’t be too long.”
“Kay.” He opened one eye and said, “Stay in the building.”
I kissed the tip of his nose before getting up. “I will.”
I stepped out into the hall and found it empty. Cody and I were the only two staying in the dorm right now, but I wasn’t used to the silence. It seemed so out of place here. Even though I always walked softly, my footsteps echoed throughout the hallway like a herd of elephants tromping through it.
Just as I pushed on the bathroom door, I felt somebody watching me. I closed my eyes and slowly turned around.
Mavros leaned against the wall dressed all in black. Except for the rage in his eyes, he looked quite relaxed. His right foot was crossed over his left. When he spoke, his tone was anything but casual. “I don’t like seeing you sleep in his arms.”
“Then don’t watch me sleep.” I flipped my hands up. He watches me sleep? Do I ever have any privacy?
He pushed off the wall. “Yesterday, at the pool was a little much.”
I clenched my fists, my fingernails digging into my palms.
A smile played on his lips as he stepped toward me.
What right did he have to watch me? Was there a way to stop him from doing it?
He took another step closer, his gaze roving over my body.
“What?” I snarled the word.
“Has anybody ever told you that you are just … so damned cute when you’re angry?” An impish grin tugged at his lips.
“Why would you even say that? Are you just trying to piss me off?”
“No, actually, I am trying to make you mine.” The anger had fled his eyes, leaving them soft. I looked down, hoping not to fall under his control. “I thought you knew that.”
A humorless laugh escaped me. “I’m not sure your intentions are honorable.”
“Tell me what to do to win your affection.” He strode closer but didn’t touch me … didn’t try to control me. “Help me, Dacia.”
“I love Cody,” I answered without looking into his eyes.
“I know, but I want to be a better person.” The sincerity in his voice was overwhelming. “I can’t do that without you.”
I felt myself being drawn in again—this time without him touching me and without looking into his eyes—and I knew I had to keep it from happening. I couldn’t let him gain control of me. “But you’re not even a pe
rson. Are you?”
“Well, not technically, no, but you think of Aurea as one. Don’t you?” His words begged me to believe him, and I found myself wanting to.
I couldn’t trust my voice, so I nodded in response.
“With you in my life … with you to keep me on the straight and narrow … I could be good enough. You could think of me as a person, too. Can’t you find it in your heart to help me?”
He was baring his soul to me, and I felt my heart going out to him. He sounded so innocent. He sounded like he could be good. I wanted to believe him, but even if I did, it wouldn’t change things. My heart belonged to Cody.
I made the mistake of looking into Mavros’ eyes. My pulse quickened. I closed the gap between us and reached out to him. Without thinking twice, he pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. If he would’ve asked again at the moment, I would’ve given myself to him for all eternity.
While Mavros held me, I wasn’t conflicted or tormented. I felt alive. My body tingled with excitement.
“This is how it could always be, Dacia,” he said in his silken voice. “With me, you’d never age. You’d always be young and beautiful.”
“But, what would I have to give up?” I leaned my head back and looked into his eyes. “Everything has a price.”
“Nothing you would miss.” The softly spoken words caressed my ear.
There was something I was forgetting, but all I could think about was Mavros’ touch … his promise. Was there anything I could want more than this? How could I?
“In time you would see that Cody was nothing … that he meant nothing to you.”
Cody … how could I have forgotten him? Even with all of Mavros’ impossible splendor, I shouldn’t have been able to forget Cody.
“No, you’re wrong! Cody’s my life.”
