Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Selene
Iwas really starting to hate the fact that my increasingly frequent trips to John’s office were allowing me to memorize what was on his shelves.
“Are you alright?” John asked for the third time this evening. Despite his eerie calmness, he hadn’t sat since I entered.
“I’m fine.”
I wasn’t fine. My sister could’ve been killed.
I thought the safety of the academy’s dome and trained guards would have been enough.
It wasn’t even the dark mage who had killed Mom—but it had been someone from the same clan.
And they weren’t going to stop. As long as I remained at the academy, Vivian wouldn’t be safe.
“Would you like some coffee?” He went over to the wooden cart and poured himself a mug, the rich aroma wafting over to me.
Despite the excited zing in my brain and grumble in my stomach, I was only here for answers—not coffee. The migraines from the caffeine withdrawal had long subsided, but not the urge to have a steaming cup.
“Did Ender’s grandmother let the dark mage in?
” I asked, leaning against his desk. He set the carafe down and strode over to the window with his mug, not showing if it had bothered him that I hadn’t answered his question about coffee.
He took a sip as he looked outside, the view overlooking the courtyard, giving him a small view of the training fields.
“I have reason to believe otherwise.” He smoothed the cuff of his collared shirt with his free hand. “She wouldn’t want any harm to come to Ender.”
“But she did want me dead.” If the stick to the eyeball wasn’t obvious enough.
“Dark mages can only siphon from ethers.” John turned to face me. “She would never take the risk of exposing her grandson and getting him caught in the crosshairs.”
“Because he’s an ether mage.” I was pretty sure I felt it when we were in the Academy’s basement fighting off those Demonher rats and again after the dark mage attack.
“At this time, we are unsure how the dark mage got past the barrier and how the Demonher Rattus took hold in the academy’s basement and escaped into the library.
” His voice was calm, his lips didn’t waver, and his brows weren’t creased.
The only telltale sign that this entire situation had upset him was the red-tinged whites of his eyes and the fact he had started slowly pacing.
He and the guards had been fighting five Demonher rats when the dark mage had arrived, so they hadn’t been able to get to the cafeteria right away. One guard hadn’t made it.
“The dark mage must have had help.” The place was like an impenetrable coconut, strong on the outside but malleable from within. “The Demonher rats have been in there for weeks.”
John’s gaze assessed me. “You knew there were Demonher rats in the basement?”
I blinked. Whoops. In hindsight, I should’ve shared that information immediately.
“Mr. Hastings had found the secondary door to the basement unlocked and something had tampered with the enchantments. There had been no signs of Demonher rats in the basement during its reinforcing. It seems you and Ender had a more exciting trip than we had thought.”
“You knew we went down there?”
“Not only was it unlocked once, but it had been unlocked twice.” He opened one of his drawers and pulled the hefty staff directory out.
“Once, when Ivy had stolen a summoning book, and another when you had gone down looking for this. After we noted the second security breach, this was found on the basement floor. Now we know why it was left behind in that manner.”
“How …?” I had been careful, or so I thought.
“How we had learned that three students were able to get into the basement is irrelevant. What is relevant is how we ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
I fiddled with my hands. Not that I cared if I got detention, but how did detention work when it was winter break?
“So … why would Ender’s grandmother want me dead?” I asked, and John took a deep breath.
“She knew you were a level five ether mage.” Now John had figured it out too. The back of my neck itched, giving me the inkling he had already known something was different with me.
“How did she figure it out?”
“She knew your mother’s background. We assume she had tracked what little she could of your family.
” He let out a sigh. “A lot of mages believe ether mages are dangerous, and level five is incredibly rare. Some will act to dispose level five mages, as they believe it is the correct course of action. Her grandson is her priority, but that doesn’t justify her actions, and she will be transferred to a containment facility. ”
“So rare, Mom hid my sister and me our entire life,” I muttered. “She’s not safe with me.”
John stopped pacing, his jaw tensing and the creases at the corners of his eyes crinkling—the most serious I had ever seen him.
“I am sorry I failed to keep the academy a safe place. I am sorry you, Vivian, and the other students were put in danger.” His gaze never left mine and he took a moment before continuing. “She lives because of you.”
I snorted. I’d be the cause of her death or the reason she’d get injured.
“You’re planning on escaping the academy.” He straightened slightly and studied me.
What? How? How did he know that when I hadn’t even decided if I was going to go through with leaving myself?
Liar. Sometime between the attack and arriving at John’s office, I had decided that I was going to leave the academy. I just hadn’t thought out the escape plan in the middle of a frozen desert.
More lies. I would steal a teacher’s car. It would be easy.
“Every single thing you have done since the moment I found you at that cabin in Venezuela was to protect your sister.” He must’ve read the question in my eyes.
“The dark mage was after you, not your sister, further increasing the chance that others will come. If you leave, I ask you that you please let me know. There are well-trained guards here who can protect you.”
“Well-trained? Where were they when the mage attacked?” I already knew the answer but couldn’t help my response.
He sighed, his head dipping ever so slightly.
“You already are aware of this.” He paused. “Out there, there will never be a time where you won’t be looking over your shoulder. When you leave, please don’t go alone.”
“You’re just going to let me walk out of here?”
“I could stop you today, but there’s nothing stopping you from trying tomorrow or the next.” He took a breath. “I am not going to throw you in one of the holding cells next to Miss Lee. You aren’t a criminal.”
“And if I don’t go?”
“Then you stay here, with your sister,” he said.
“I propose that a group of guards join you if you don’t choose my next offer.
I accompany you, with a couple guards, and Vivian.
I’m sure you want answers, and I can help ensure the areas you would like to go are safe, including your home in Dominica. ”
“Let me get this straight.” I tried to unravel his proposal. “You are offering for you and a group of guards to join Viv and me wherever I choose—even where my mom was killed?”
“If you leave, would you not visit your old home?”
“You are the headmaster of the academy,” I noted. “You can’t just leave.”
“It’s between semesters. I do not have to stay on the grounds.” His jaw set, as if he didn’t need to explain any further.
“I will think about it.”
“Let me see your phone.” He held out his hand, and I handed him my phone. He took it back to his desk, did a few things, and a moment later, he handed it back to me. “I added safety features.”
“Like tracking?”
“Please consider my offer,” he said. “There’s less risk if we join you.”
But there’s more risk for Viv.
I wasn’t sure what else to say, so I simply walked out.
I hadn’t been expecting him to practically open the front gate for me or to offer his services.
As a headmaster, he had a duty to protect the students.
I was some mutt who happened to wander in later.
But I couldn’t help feel the heavy emotion that had charged the air in his office, almost as if he did care about me.
He had a funny way of showing it if he did.
In less than thirty minutes, I had made it to the roof of the east dorms. It was late, but my sister was still waiting for me.
I plopped down next to her and let my legs hang off the back as I stared off into the woods.
She leaned over, resting her head on my shoulder.
I leaned mine against hers. My hair was still damp from my shower and no doubt was making hers wet.
The aroma of her lilac shampoo and familiar fresh rain scent caused my stomach to clench. This was going to be tough.
“What do we do now?” Viv asked.
“The academy is still the safest place.” I pulled away from her and straightened. “Vivian. There’s something I need you to promise me that you will do.”
“What is the promise?” Her eyes narrowed.
“I need you to promise first.” I swung a leg over the parapet so I could face her more easily.
“I can’t make a promise until I know what I’m promising.”
I sighed and continued, “I’m going to go home and see if there were any clues left behind. While—”
“I’m coming,” Viv stated. “I mean; I don’t really want to be where Mom died, but you are not going without me.”
“Please let me finish.” I looked at her, waiting for her confirmation. She nodded. “While I’m searching, I need you to stay here at the academy. The dark mage that had attacked—”
“No! I’m going with you.” At least letting me say a half a sentence more than I thought she would.
“Vivian!” My voice rose. “Please just let me finish and then we will discuss it. I want to hear how you feel and I want to know your desires, but I also need you to hear me out.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “I should have brought Oreos for this.”
I smiled at her and shook my head. I should have brought her Oreos. It might’ve helped persuade her.
“The dark mage was only after ether mages. It was after me—and Ender.”
“Ender?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “But that story is for another time. The dark mage didn’t know about Ender, but she knew about me.
So if I leave, the rest of her clan shouldn’t be interested in the academy.
While I’m gone, I can see if I can find any information on the dark mages. I need you here, safe, while I’m gone.”
“First of all, how will they know you left? Second, why would you think I would let you go alone?” Viv frowned.
I knew she wouldn’t like my plan, but I had an idea that might help her.
“I wouldn’t know, but the academy and our friends—including April—would be safer with your skills around.
” I was playing on her feelings, and it was dirty.
“Including you. Vivian—you would be safer. I have to go back to where it happened. Even if I don’t find anything, I need to go home. I need some closure.”
“You know about April.” She glanced down at her hands, then back up at me. I nodded and she took a deep breath. “You’re my sister. I should be going with you, and I don’t want you going alone.”
“John offered to join both of us, along with a couple of guards. He asked me not to go alone.”
“The headmaster approved all of us going together?”
“Yes, but I’m unsure of him. It’ll be easier to move around alone. This is something I want to do by myself, and as my sister and best friend, I’m asking you not to go.” I grabbed her hand. “Please do this for me.”
She took another deep breath and stared off into the night. “If I say yes, do you promise me all the Oreos I can eat and a girls’ night?”
“What kind of girls’ night are we talking about?” I pulled back and arched an eyebrow. “A party with half the student body or all the cookies we can eat while binge watching a TV series or movies?”
“I should say a party, but I guess a night in would suffice.” She grinned.
“That means you’ll stay?”
“I don’t think I should be letting my older sister go alone, and it’s dangerous.” Her expression fell flat. “But I want to respect your wishes and I am thankful you are talking to me instead of just acting.”
I smiled, even though my heart stung. “Thank you.”
“You owe me.” She nudged me, then frowned. “I still don’t want you going alone.”
“If I possibly ask for a guard to join me, would that make you feel better?” After being independent and only relying on two people, it was hard to ask a stranger to watch my back.
“Not really.” She shook her head. “When are you thinking about leaving?”
“Tonight.”
I knew she’d be resentful for leaving the new life she created at the academy, even if it was for a short period of time.
I couldn’t take her away from her new friends.
There were still questions regarding the security of the academy, specifically how the dark mage and Demonher rats had gotten in.
I was hopeful my departure would deter any future attacks, and with the majority of our friends together, she would be well-guarded.