Chapter 11
“We’re not friends anymore.”
Willow and Dunc solemnly look back at me, then nod.
“Very reluctantly, copy that,” Duncan replies.
“But let the record state, we don’t like any of this,” Willow adds.
None of us do, but it’s what has to happen.
I’ve been instructed to be friends with Wes, Cosmo and, shudder, Jordan.
Not the two dear people in front of me.
I’m supposed to avoid ‘lessers’ after all. Ugh.
“So, I guess I’ll get going.” I give them one last, bleak, look then start walking along the path to the dining hall by myself. It feels nothing but wrong.
—Don’t forget we’re still head-friends, Theo!—
That’s true! Having Willow’s thoughts make me instantly feel a little better. —Head friends sounds a little…Maximus-y—
—What about brain buddies? That sounds better-eh?— Nigel comes on the line and adds his two cents—or two loonies, given his nationality.
I click off my friend’s thoughts and beam out telepathy in the direction of the building site.
—We’ll be back as soon as we can, Lu. Just hold on—
Still nothing.
A cold wind whistles across the grounds, and I tuck my brown, school-issued parka closer to my body. Winter is coming alright.
My nose and cheeks pink up as I enter the cafeteria. Nobody pays any attention to me. The student body has more on their minds than tormenting remedial students these days. All around me, groups are huddled together, whispering about riots and injured relatives, curfews and scary guards.
One girl seems still in shock, staring off into the distance while chewing a bagel. Others are very vocal, denouncing the humans for their attack.
People have died, after all.
I keep my head down, fix myself tea and toast, then stand in the corner, staring across the seating.
Where should I go?
Cosmo meets my gaze. —Sit with us—
—Right, and then your fiancee can dunk my head in oatmeal—
Even from here I can sense his eyeroll.
—Come here and sit, Theodora. I’ll control her—
With a sigh, I head towards them then slide into the empty spot across from Cosmo and next to Wes.
Wes immediately turns in my direction. “Theo. We are supposed to be friends now,” he says.
“Yup. I’m friends with you, and Cosmo and Jordan.” I put a dazed-ditz expression on my face. “Isn’t that nice,” I add for good measure.
Jordan slams her coffee mug onto the table. “Nice? This is ridiculous. Why Daddy said she had to be part of our clique is beyond me.”
“Are you questioning a direct order from the Conclave,” Cosmo asks, his voice icy cold.
Her face pales, despite the fake tan. “No, of course not,” she replies quickly. “I’ll do whatever the Conclave requests, of course.”
I watch, fascinated, as she literally shudders, straightens her spine, then plasters on a smile and fixes it in my direction. “Good morning, Theo. Glad you could join us for breakfast. You do look like shit though. Didn’t you sleep well?”
Oh, Jor-Jor. Classic.
I blink slowly at her, keeping my expression unmoved.
Inside, my Lumina is doing a slow, angry lap around my ribcage, but on the outside, I just offer her a docile, airhead kind of head tilt.
“I had lovely dreams actually. About being a princess. Everywhere I went, trails of sparkles followed me. And I had all these lovely princes loving me madly.”
Jordan’s lip curls in a massive sneer. When Cosmo coughs, she attempts to turn it into something resembling a smile. I catch his eye.
—Bad dud, you nearly made me laugh—
I reach out and stroke one of Jordan’s dark red fingernails. “Ooh, I like that nail polish. Is it Basic Beetroot, or Budget Burgundy?”
She snatches her hand away, her face flushing a shade that nearly matches her manicure. “It’s Imperial Garnet, you idiot. Custom-made with an heirloom pigment.”
“Oh,” I say, letting my hand fall back to the table with a limp flop. I offer her a wide, vacant smile. “It’s so pretty. It really brings out your eyes.”
Cosmo chokes on a forkful of acai bowl. I push the water jug in his direction.
Jordan lets out a huff and turns her attention to the bowl of strawberries she’s picking at.
Taking a sip of my tea, I think in a weird way, the Conclave has given me a little gift. Tormenting Jordan now that she has to be friends could be just what the doctor ordered. I stretch in my seat, and my foot meets Wes’s.
Instantly my Lumina freaks out. It’s an intense push and pull feeling.
You’re not the boss of me, Lumina. Get your butts over to Wes’s foot asap.
I think a few sparkles manage to wade through the gloop of dark energy but I’m not sure.
“Did you sleep alright, Wes?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Yes.”
Shifting my chair a little, I manage to also connect my knee to Wes.
“Did you dream?” I ask him.
He frowns. “I think…I…”
My Lumina is tickling at his body, trying to be let in.
—Wes?—
A quick smattering of his thoughts flash into my brain. Not much, but snatches.
—no…bad…yes…can’t—
Jordan stands up abruptly, sending the water jug flying. We all shift to avoid the spill and my connection is broken.
Cosmo meets my eye. “Walk with me to Restricted Studies, Wilson.”
“Yes, of course,” I reply demurely, like a good girl, quickly gulping down my tea and picking up the toast to chew en route. Jordan’s eyes narrow, but relax when Cosmo leans towards her, kissing the top of her head. “Relax, dearest. Just doing my duty. My very tedious duty.”
She gazes up at him, face brightening. “Of course. I just feel so bad for you, being stuck with someone so…” Her eyes flick to me, “...so much less than the rest of us.”
Ouch.
Cosmo doesn’t reply, just starts walking.
As soon as we’re outside of the dining hall and down the wide steps, he swivels to face me. “About her,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “Don’t take anything she says to heart.” He looks up. “I’m sorry.”
I nod. “Don’t worry about it. Water’s off a duck’s back.”
He grabs me by the arm. “No wait. I’m trying…” Cosmo lets out a frustrated sigh. “I’m trying to apologize to you, Theodora. About everything.”
Like one apology makes things right.
“I’ve changed, I’m not the same person I was. You’ve changed me…fuck, against my fucking will you have transformed me to someone I don’t even recognize anymore. But I’m better for it.”
Hmm, words. Just words.
“Don’t we have a class to go to? Oh, and how’s your sister?”
Cosmo starts walking again. I watch his face flash through a myriad of emotions. “She’s on the mend, thankfully, but scans show she’s got a heart murmur. The smoke inhalation did a number on her lungs and affected the circulation in her aorta.”
Shit.
“A mix of regular medical intervention and healers are getting her back on track,” he continues. “The ankle break is already mending. That’s the good news.”
“So you’re saying there’s bad news, further than her heart problems?” I ask.
His face clouds. “Thomas Crankshawe.”
“The dude at the ascension—the dean’s brother? Looks like he should live in Transylvania?”
“Yep. I think my father has promised him my sister.” Cosmo shudders. “When she turns eighteen.”
I picture Aurora, swearing her head off as she lay collapsed on the ballroom floor. “No! That can’t happen. Your baby sister and that…old monster? You can’t let it happen.” I shudder at the thought. Poor, poor Aurora.
“I’ll do everything in my power to stop it, but it’s complicated.” He pauses and switches to an internal conversation.
—How can I rebel against my father, when I’m supposed to be under the spell of dark energy?—
Much as I’m pissed with Cosmo, he’s a fucking arrogant bully, I’ve nothing but sympathy for his sister.
“I’ll help,” I tell him. “We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.” Her ice blue angry eyes flick into my mind. “She seems like quite the spitfire.”
“You have no idea. Crankshawe went in to visit her at the hospital; she threw the bouquet he’d brought at his head. She’s her own worst enemy. No control over her temper at all. Theodora…”
“Yes?”
—Thank you. I know you don’t owe me a thing, but thank you. And I’ll find Ludo, get him out of there—
—This is not a negotiation or deal. I’ll willingly help your sister. I would hope you’d willingly help Ludo.
“Of course,” he splutters. “I didn’t mean it as a trade-off.”
I press my lips together. “Hmm, well it certainly sounded like that.”
Cosmo gives a frustrated sigh then changes the subject. “What about Wes? You think you can burn away the control they have over him?”
That’s the question of the hour.
“I hope so. I’ve managed to get to the ‘real him’ a couple of times, but it’s bad. He’s been spelled with the dark energy in a way I can’t really…pick through. Of course, I’ll keep trying.”
A couple of Elites catch up to us, so I finish my thought internally.
—I’m not giving up on him—ever—
—Good. He’s…he’s special. He’s the best of us—
Special, yes, of course, but not just Wes.
—So is Donovan—
We enter the Restricted Studies block, and Cosmo suddenly yanks me to one side, dragging me into an empty classroom.
“No, Theodora. Wes is everything. Have the twins ever told you about their childhood? Our childhood?”
“No, not really. Just bits and pieces about lots of nannies, and very little parenting.”
Cosmo lets out an age-old breath. “If only it were that simple.”
He pauses.
A shudder runs through my spine, wondering what I’m about to hear.
“Their story, our story is filled with more than neglect and disinterest.” He takes a strand of my hair between his fingers.
I flinch and he drops his hand. “Sorry.”
I narrow my eyes. What’s he playing at? “So talk, Cosmo. Tell me what I need to know—about my twins.”
His ice-blue gaze burns into me. “I’ll tell you, so you know how much of the darkness has already claimed my soul. I’ll tell you, so you understand why Wes is too good to be corrupted as well.”
“I don’t need convincing to save Wes, but tell me anything that can help me reach him.”
Cosmo swallows and looks at the floor.
“Drakeward?”
He raises his face again, eyes meeting mine. “I guess you already look at me like I’m the devil, so I’ve nothing to lose.”