Chapter Thirty-One - Secrets
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Secrets
MURMURS FOLLOWED ME all the way up the steps to Aura Reading. It was a relief, at least, that Christina didn’t take this class this year. I was so grateful for Blythe and Levi, who walked with me while I explained what happened was because of a potion poured into my cup. I’d been the one constantly messing up and the student that got let in despite living in the Unenchanted, but having them with me helped.
It wasn’t such a big deal not fitting in anymore. It wasn’t as important. At first, trying and failing would have meant disappointing my family. With my memories fully unlocked, I realized I was afraid of more than just my magic. All those memories I pushed down made me afraid to come back.
Now, I wondered what consequences I would have to face after nearly burning down a portion of the dining hall. It made me wonder if Christina’s obvious plan to get me kicked out would actually work.
Sitting through class, Caleb was right when he mentioned a focus of this class would have been on mate bonds. I ignored when he smiled at me a couple of times during the lecture that I was still too zoned out to focus on. The fire enhancing potion still strummed in my hands, my magic sought an escape, but it was manageable. Controlling that was demanding nearly all of my focus.
Glancing around, some students that walked straight here from the dining hall were still giving me distrusting stares. Every time I turned to see Nick, to my right at the back of the class, he was completely focused on his notes and paying attention to the lecture. Last week, he would look my way, catch me looking, but now it felt like he was ignoring me after helping me stop my magic.
Was it too much? He knew how I felt about fire more than anyone else did. Did he look at me as a liability now that I knew more, now that I was involved? I wanted to learn more. That loss of control over an element I feared definitely wouldn’t have helped.
When I turned from Nick back to Professor Douglas, a realization hit me, and my pen dropped on my desk. The Aura professor strode around the classroom. I remembered when I saw him walking to the front of the academy just seconds before Nick rushed through the courtyard. Was he involved? Was that why he kept trying to read me? Why me? He dug into my past, looking for something .
I felt sick. Panic caused my magic to flare harder in my palms. My hands fell to my lap, over the plaid skirt in bronze and black colors. These were not the colors I wore that night. I needed to get out of here. It felt like so many eyes were on me, and Douglas was watching me, even before I was there at the graveyard. How easily could he still find out I was there? If he remembered what I wore, and if he was one of those there, would he have recognized me? The rain was so heavy that day, and he looked distracted.
“I need to use the restroom,” I whispered to Blythe without really focusing on anything. I had to get out.
Managing to get only feet away from my desk, I swallowed hard. At least I didn’t have to wait long to find out if I was getting in trouble. Chancellor Evelyn Lastrada walked in. Her hands were folded in front of her, sleek gray hair was pulled into a sharp bun. Her assessing stare scanned the class.
Professor Douglas’ booming voice stopped me in my tracks. “Right on time, Chancellor. We were just starting reading demonstrations.”
“I’ll sit in then,” she said, nodding to him in greeting.
“Seems we have a volunteer already.” The professor’s eyes glittered as he walked over to me.
I looked around the room nervously, catching Blythe’s dark brown eyes. I turned to the second-years in front of me. Levi’s lanky frame leaned forward in his seat so his hands were over the front of his desk. He looked from Douglas to me and swallowed hard.
“Let’s show the chancellor how our classes have been progressing. A future reading, Solace. Hand, please.” His tone was firmer than normal. Nothing about him was flustered, not like during the evening the rain poured down on us when he looked at my new shopping bags before he left. It had to have been paranoia, but the firmness of his face made me feel like maybe I wasn’t being so ridiculous. A feeling crawled up my spine, telling me to run. He stood only a couple of feet from me while I remained in the center of the class.
My mouth parted, needing to get out of this somehow, needing to say something, but I didn’t know what. I took a couple of steps backward.
Lastrada spoke up, “It might be better for me to see the students in action. Perhaps there’s a student you have in mind that could demonstrate an advanced reading?” She smiled warmly at me.
“Of course.” Douglas cleared his throat. “We have a rising student. Mr. Emerson, would you demonstrate what you’ve learned so far?”
A loud clatter sounded from the back of the room. Nick stood from his chair, gathering his notes loudly, and casually walked to the front of the classroom. It was an effortless stride before he leaned against the door beside the exit to the classroom. It looked like he was stopping on his way out but wanted to watch. He paused, appearing to be more focused on his phone than anything else. It was only the slight change in the way he held his shoulders, that slight flicker in his jaw that told me he wasn’t at ease as what he put on display.
“Wonderful,” Lastrada said. She pointed out an empty seat beside Caleb. “Would you, dear?”
Caleb nodded, moving over a seat. Their desks were just inches in front of us, so close to the door that I wanted to dart out of. After the way Nick held my hand while he fought to get out, there was this strange sense of comfort that if it came to it, he would have my back. It was just a future reading—and not by Douglas. I moved to sit in the empty seat between Caleb and Trevor, with Levi just a row behind me.
Trevor took my hand immediately. “Your hand is hot. I heard about your loss of control. Please refrain from burning me.” His tone was completely serious.
Then, he barreled into my mind without warning.
Immediately it felt like what Professor Douglas did. An agonizing, splitting pain radiated in my head. With the potion in my system and feeling overwhelmed, I couldn’t put my walls up in time and he managed to rip into my mind. He was doing illegal mind reading just like Douglas did. It made me wonder how ready he was to take up a place on the council.
My teeth clenched tight. My thoughts felt fragile, like if he didn’t know what he was doing, it would ruin something in my mind. His light brown eyes bore into mine, face revealing nothing as he brought my memories forward. I was able to see what he was looking at. I watched, too scared to move, feeling like my body was paralyzed with the sharp claws around my mind.
Horror shot through my body. He silently watched what happened at the graveyard. His face didn’t change when I saw Caleb’s parents. Images of me using shadows and my arm being cut as I ran from the council came to the surface.
He skipped past my memories, the claws didn’t relent on piercing my mind while he did a future reading. I didn’t know what he saw when his face grimaced only slightly before a mask of complete calm pulled back over him.
“She wants to buy a home here. I see her staring at housing deeds. A focus is on plans to graduate, her education is in her future. She’s going to visit the lingerie shop in Deimos,” Trevor added that last part with a small twitch to his lips.
I had noticed that when he peeked into my memories, he lingered a moment, watching me shopping with Levi. He focused only on Levi while we ran in the rain, laughing to tears before I followed Nick to the graveyard.
Did Levi know his boyfriend would go into my mind that way? Did he know what he was capable of, or that if Douglas was in the secret society, that Trevor might have been?
“Very detailed, Trevor.” Lastrada smiled at him with pride. “Please don’t let me keep up your class. Continue practicing, students,” she said to the class.
Instantly relief washed over me when he didn’t announce my illegal shadow magic use to the class or Lastrada, but that would have meant he’d have to admit to using mind reading.
Everyone started to group up with partners. I remained in the seat with the second-years, stunned by how much was so easily taken. My heart pounded, wondering how long Trevor would keep the secret he uncovered.
The chancellor approached my desk on her way out.
“How are your tutoring classes going? With a new student to the Realm and a new professor, both with parents on the council, I knew Mr. Ares might have been able to help you bring your magic out. By the sound of it, I’ve heard you’ve been improving. Professor Scarlette has only wonderful things to say.”
“I do think the tutoring has helped me,” I said honestly.
Her dainty hand fell to mine for a moment. Her strong magic rested in her palms, almost in the same way mine was eager to escape. The touch was soft, reassuring. “However, a loss of control again could have you pulled out for a year of extra lessons. It may have been an oversight on my part. A different professor who has worked with students struggling to control their magic may be more beneficial. I knew you’d be a bright student, so much like your parents. Perhaps you may end up on the council like they did. Please know you can come to me if you need any more help.” She removed her hand and nodded to Douglas on her way out.
The moment the chancellor left, the Aura professor walked up to Trevor. “I’ll need to see you after class.”
“Of course,” said Trevor.
Before I got up from my seat, Caleb leaned in and whispered in my ear. “You’re getting tutoring with Ares now, too? I bet those are by the book.” I could hear the smile in his voice, but all humor was vacant from his face. He chuckled low. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
I didn’t bother with a response, taking my book bag and heading back to my seat.
My phone vibrated.
CALEB: I mean it. I won’t say anything .
At the end of class, I found myself lingering on the steps as the students passed me. I had to know if Trevor was just waiting to tell Professor Douglas about what he saw and find out what he thought of it. I had to at least know for Levi.
Stepping off the staircase, I climbed over the old chain bordering off an empty floor, filled with storage items. Towering shelves blocked me from view while I made my way to hide myself under the stairs.
Shadows wrapped around me. A scream nearly tore from my throat before stormy emerald eyes stared down at me.
“Hmm… Sneaky.” Nick’s shadows pulled me close, under the stairs with him.
“I needed to know what Trevor is going to do after the reading,” I whispered.
His body was so close to mine. If he thought anything of it, it didn’t show. Shadows hid us under the unlit winding staircase, partially blocked by dusty shelving. “What did he see?”
“The graveyard.”
His eyes traced over my features almost too slowly, his jaw tightened.
“He didn’t see us afterward,” I said.
“I wasn’t going to ask that.” His voice softened.
Because he didn’t care? Because it was over. Suddenly, everything in me felt numb, even though I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted.
“Were you following Professor Douglas to the graveyard?” I asked.
He nodded slowly.
“So, he’s involved? Does that mean Trevor is in on what they’re doing? What happens if he tells Douglas?” I asked.
He paused, staring at me in a way that left me feeling open before he spoke low, “It’s likely he was involved in some way. I’ll find out. You should go to class. The council is more interested in student movements right now. Someone will notice if you’re late.”
I stared up at him, standing so close we were nearly touching. “For our next tutoring session, I want to learn to make an air shield.” After my conversation with Lastrada, I realized my tutoring sessions were exactly what I needed. I might not have liked Nick’s particular teaching style, but he pushed me and believed in me.
He placed his hands in his pockets. “Okay. Good choice.”
Taking a deep breath, I ducked out of the stairs. Last time I waited after class, I was noticeably late to Realm History, I didn’t need more strikes on my record. Blythe was probably waiting for me at the bottom of the steps this time after what happened at lunch.
Nick’s arm wrapped around me, pulling me so my back was flush against his hard chest. His arm held across my chest, hand resting on my shoulder. I couldn’t budge. Before I could ask, steps sounded from above, racing down the winding staircase.
Trevor’s voice echoed over the stone building. He was on the phone. “Yes, father. I know. Not now, I’ll take care of it tonight. ”
Nick’s shallow breaths could be felt against the top of my head. His grip held me firm. For a second, I didn’t want him to let go. We didn’t move, his peppermint and leather scent surrounded me until the footsteps receded completely.
I looked back up the stairs toward Professor Douglas’ class, then to where Trevor raced down. There couldn’t have been enough time for him to have told Douglas anything. I really needed to know.
“I’ve got this,” Nick assured me.