Chapter Twenty-Seven - Courtyard
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Courtyard
THE ADRENALINE LEFT my body, it should have been shocking, but it felt more like things started to finally make sense from my past. It was overwhelming, a rush, and completely wrecked me before I gave in to an escape with Nick. I fell into the pull I kept feeling, falling into what felt like safety and control for a moment.
I had no idea following Nick would have led me to something so buried within my past. He had known this whole time it wasn’t an accident. I should have known. Those council members, Caleb’s parents, murdered prisoners in some freakish ritual. It made me feel sick, but the shock of what I saw just turned to fear and anger.
My whole life was based on a lie. Those cloaks weren’t something I imagined that night. They tried to kill us tonight. I wanted answers, I needed to know more and get justice.
I couldn’t cry. I couldn’t freak out or even think about what I just learned, because it was already technically morning. It was going to be my best friend’s birthday today.
There were only a few hours left to get any sleep, and I was so tired after using more magic than ever before. It saved us. He used illegal magic and encouraged me to—he did it so effortlessly, while they used legal magic in what would have been killing blows. My head was a complete mess.
I wanted Nick tonight. He helped numb what we went through. While he was a safe place, I did know it would only be for tonight. I just didn’t want to think anymore, everything felt heightened from getting away.
Then that look he gave me. I didn’t know if he knew he was doing it, or if it was just how he was. He looked at me like he really understood what it was like to keep that secret for so long, maybe he did know. When he bandaged me so carefully, the promise he wouldn’t let them scar me again, the lack of judgment, I completely let go. I wanted him, I wanted everything his eyes promised.
He stood in my room, and my stupid heart did backflips for someone so off-limits, someone too guarded. A part of that was comforting because I hadn’t wanted to be close to anyone this year.
I hated it because as he stood in my room and the change in the air could be felt around us, I wanted more. The worst part was that I knew he wanted me. You don’t touch someone, look at them that way, and not care. A part of that distance had to have been losing his parents, knowing that it wasn’t an accident but not being able to tell anyone.
Now, I wanted answers. Fear crept within my body like icy claws climbing up me. He was right, if those people from last night were the same from that night so long ago, it was lucky my uncle got away.
My phone displayed a missed text and call from Caleb asking if I was awake and a text from Blythe checking that I was okay after leaving so suddenly. I sent off a quick text to Blythe. My thumbs shook over my phone while lying in my bed in the dark.
ME: Hey. How’s the new place been?
UNCLE NOLAN: Slowly making it home. I’m surprised you’re up this early. You doing okay?
ME: Yeah, I’m okay. Can I see you tomorrow evening?
UNCLE NOLAN: Sure thing. I’ll meet you at the front of the academy Sunday. 6 pm?
ME: Sounds good.
After getting a couple of hours of sleep, it was nearly time to meet up with Blythe and Levi at the front of the school in an hour. Everything that happened last night still felt fresh in my mind. Even the night with Nick, in his stupidly fancy hotel, in his bedroom—it felt surreal.
While waking up and grabbing lunch, I’d been watching for a clue that anyone might have seen it was me there that night. The academy was safe, no one could even portal in, and there were students and staff everywhere. I hadn’t seen a council member on the grounds since attending, but I’d been looking around like someone obviously paranoid.
The scent of last night’s storm was still heavy in the air as I made my way across campus from the library to pick up Blythe’s birthday gift from student services. It was a silver bracelet I ordered a week ago with the most bright, colorful stones on it that I could find.
Caleb’s unmistakable bulky frame stood under a tall tree across the courtyard. He waved at me, spotting me at the same time I noticed him. Sunlight shining through the dispersing rain clouds reflected off his messy, dirty-blond hair as he brushed it out of his face. He gave me a beaming smile when he jogged up to me.
“Hey, where have you been?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Here. Oh, and in town yesterday.”
He gave me a look like he didn’t believe me. “I went to your dorm room, and you didn’t answer.”
“Oh, really?” A light laugh escaped me as we walked together, side by side. “I fell asleep early.” I winced, hoping that wasn’t an obvious lie. The amount of lies was piling up.
“You busy today?”
“Yeah, going to Blythe’s house,” I said. “What about you?”
“My family asked me to see them. Asking is to put it mildly. They politely demanded my presence. So, I’ll probably stop by home.”
The memory of his parents’ faces flashing from within the shadows of their cloaks as they performed dark magic, murdering people to steal their magic, was all I could think about. Did he know? Nick didn’t think he was involved, but he had been following him. I couldn’t ask though, I was already nervous, there was no way I’d tell anyone without learning more.
My arm still stung under a fresh bandage. My mind jumped to the next thing I could ask about his home. “Oh, yeah? How’d last weekend go?” The weekend he promised he was going to get out of with Christina.
He blew out a breath and his hand went to the back of his neck while he followed me into student services. “It was just a dinner that ran kind of late. A little awkward with both our families there.”
“They’re still setting you up?” I asked.
His wince was obvious. “It’s just dinners for now. I’m sure they’ll give it up after a while.”
“That sounds complicated.”
I noted how his tone turned darker, more stressed, while avoiding eye contact.
“I’m going to grab my things, then portal over to her house. I’ll see you later,” I said when it was clear he didn’t want to talk about it.
His smile came back, a glint in his eyes. “I’ll be up late if you get bored and want to text me.”
I laughed, playfully rolling my eyes. “I doubt it. It’s a birthday. Thanks for the offer.”
He laughed deeply. He bit his lip, looking down at me as he walked away, and it became clear how much he hid his stress under his careless demeanor. Still, he felt genuine around me, even if things were more than complicated with his parents. He didn’t judge me and encouraged my magic, I felt comfortable around him. While he displayed a careless side, it still felt like a side to him that was real.
“You never know,” he said, passing the double doors into the dorms .
Even knowing what his parents were capable of and everything that just happened, I found that I had a real smile on my face when walking to pick up her gift.