Chapter Seven
Brigid
Fiona stands in front of my door, a kaleidoscope of colors and jangling metal. My chest tightens.
She grins. “ Hello, girl.”
I keep walking. Don ’ t engage.
“ No hello for an old friend?”
I try to brush past her to unlock my door.
Fiona ’ s hand shoots out, blocking my path. The familiar scent of her perfume hits me, dredging up memories I ’ d rather forget.
I meet her gaze. Her eyes dance with amusement.
I take a deep breath. “ I have nothing to say to you.”
“ Nothing?” Fiona puts her arm down. “ After all these years, and everything we shared.”
My fingers curl into fists. The rage I ’ ve been suppressing threatens to explode.
“ Fuck off, Fiona.”
She laughs, the sound grating on my nerves. “ I ’ ve missed you.”
I turn to face her fully. “ You don ’ t get to miss anything about me.”
Fiona ’ s smile falters for a split second. " Brigid, I know you ’ re angry— "
“ Angry? Angry doesn ’ t begin to describe what I am, Fiona.”
My heart pounds. I want to scream, to lash out, to make her hurt like I ’ m hurting. But I can ’ t let her see how much she ’ s affected me. I won ’ t give her that satisfaction.
I make my face a blank. “ You ’ re nothing to me now. You ’ re just another disappointment in a long life of disappointments, Fiona.”
“ It ’ s Dean Farland now, Brigid.”
My stomach twists. The title hits me like a slap. I swallow hard, tasting bile.
Fiona ’ s face softens. “ Come on, Brigid. It doesn ’ t have to be like this between us.”
She reaches out, her fingers brushing my arm. I flinch away.
I stare at her, silent. My throat feels tight. I think of all the times I trusted her. Confided in her. And all along, she was... what? I don ’ t know who or what Fiona really is.
My words come out sharply. “ Your words mean nothing to me, Fiona. And neither do you.”
Fiona ’ s eyes flash, and the friendly mask slips, revealing something harder underneath. “ Watch yourself, Brigid. I ’ m still your dean.”
My laugh is bitter and hollow. “ Right. Dean Farland. Tell me, Dean , how long were you playing with me? Was any of it real?”
She straightens, her stance shifting. Gone is the casual, warm smile. Now she ’ s all prim authority.
“ I think you ’ re forgetting your place, Ms. Ryan. We both need to remember that Grimstone Academy is not Newton. Things are different here.”
The formal address stings more than I want to admit. I force myself not to react.
“ No, I know exactly where I stand. It ’ s you who ’ s lost her way.”
Fiona ’ s lips thin. “ Well. This conversation is getting us nowhere.” She looks down at her watch, a clear indication that she has better things to do. “ What I did come to tell you is that as a student of the academy, I expect you back in class tomorrow, on time, no excuses.”
“ Are you serious? After everything that ’ s happened? Being on time to class is what you ’ re concerned about. Not Rory.”
Her expression turns cold. “ I am deadly serious, Ms. Ryan.”
I return her stare.
Fiona ’ s eyes narrow, a glint flashing in their depths. “ Speaking of recent events, I am quite curious about your... new abilities.”
My stomach drops. Of course she ’ d bring this up.
“ What abilities?” I keep my voice neutral.
She leans in, whispering like we ’ re girlfriends confiding in each other about boys. “ Brigid. The rift. You opened it.”
I stay silent, my heart racing. How much does she know? She doesn ’ t mention Marius and his role in the rift opening. And instinct tells me not to say anything about it, either.
Fiona ’ s fingers drum against the wall, her nails clicking rhythmically. “ It ’ s fascinating, really. Shadow magic is incredibly rare. And to manifest it so... spectacularly.” Her eyes rake over me, searching. “ How did you do it?”
I shrug, aiming for nonchalance. “ I don ’ t know what you ’ re talking about.”
Fiona ’ s hand clamps down on my shoulder. Her eyes burn with an otherworldly light.
“ Listen closely, Brigid. Grimstone isn ’ t what you think. The Council—”
I move away from her, shaking loose her hand. “ Don ’ t.”
“ You ’ re in danger, Brigid.”
A laugh rips from my throat. “ Yeah. I figured that out when my so-called friend turned out to be a fucking spy. That ’ s what you were doing all that time, right? Spying on me for the Council?”
Fiona ’ s voice drops to a low murmur. “ This is bigger than you and me—”
“ Save it.” My skin crawls. I can feel my shadows beneath the surface, eager to lash out. “ I don ’ t need your warnings or your bullshit concern. Sometimes the danger ’ s closer than you think, Dean.” I spit the words. “ Guess I learned that lesson the hard way.”
Fiona ’ s face goes still. For a moment, I see something flicker in her eyes, and for a minute I wonder if it ’ s regret. But as quickly as I see it, it ’ s gone.
We stand there for a moment longer, locked in a silent battle of wills. Finally, she turns on her heel and walks away without another word.
Despite my anger towards Fiona and this whole situation, there ’ s a small part of me that misses our friendship. We used to be so close before this all began. She was the only person I missed from back home. The one person I wanted to call and talk to when it all got to be too much.
But now...now I know we can never go back to the way things were. And that thought breaks my heart.