The Shadows of Blackbriar Academy Page 5

  Silence settles between us, and soon, Aunt Patricia yawns. It’s the most human and normal action I’ve seen from her thus far, and I smile at the sight.

  “My dear, I believe that is the sign that it’s my bedtime. It was lovely to see you though. I’ll see you tomorrow, unless you are busy.”

  I stand and nod. “Sounds good.”

  Aunt Patricia stands and walks me to the door. I wrap my arms around her in a hug, but there isn’t any real reciprocation. No love. No joy. No comfort. It is more like a hug you offer to a stranger.

  Unfeeling and cold.

  Empty.

  Her lack of emotion stings, but I remind myself that she had just flown half-way across the world to see me. That has to count for something. And, we haven’t seen each other in over six years. Things are new, tense, and somewhat awkward. Maybe it’s too optimistic of me to expect an aunt who has never really been “hands on” to suddenly be all hugs and smiles with me. It’ll probably take time for her to warm up to me. We are, in a sense, strangers.

  Still, it creates a small seed of doubt.

  It’ll take time to relinquish the idea I had of her in my head—a loving, caring, doting aunt—to the cold-hearted woman who I spent the evening with. I’ll try to work with what I’m given. She’s my blood, after all. My family.

  With a final goodnight, I step back into the hall. The door clicks shut behind me and my attention is caught by the resident gnomes that flit in and out of view, carrying miniature lamps and tools I can only guess at. Such interesting creatures.

  I really need to learn more about them.

  As I walk, I feel more at peace, more whole, now that a piece of my past is filled in. Although nothing will ever replace the hole my mom left, with luck, soon, my father will be back, and I will feel even more complete.

  That thought brings a smile to my face. One that doesn’t stop as I entertain visions of being reunited with my father and what that will feel like. I continue smiling to myself as I move through the halls. Suddenly a weight presses on my shoulders in the way that it does when someone is watching me. I don’t need to look to know who it is.

  Fucking Anderson.

  My intuition flares when it’s him. The air I breathe turns sticky and stale. I can actually feel his eyes caress my body in ways that will never, ever happen. It’s a sensation that twists my stomach and covers me in an everlasting chill.

  Whatever. I can’t sacrifice this small bit of happiness to reprimand him. I refuse to let him take this joy away from me.

  Chapter Seven

  I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I move on autopilot through the halls. That is, until a hard body suddenly stops me. It takes a moment to shake the jarring halt from my senses, but as I stare into his deep brown eyes, I smile. My magic rushes through me, strong, powerful, cooling and calming.

  “Milo,” I say.

  “I was looking for you.”

  “You were?” I cock my head to the side.

  He nods.

  Aww, he missed me.

  “Well don’t you know how to make a girl feel special.”

  “I haven’t seen you all day, wanted to see how things with Gideon went.” He pushes his glasses up on his nose.

  I chuckle under my breath. He will never know how adorable that little move of his is and the places that tingle when he does it.

  “Everything went well. I reconnected with my aunt today. That’s why he called me to his office. She had just arrived.”

  His eyes widen and he grabs my shoulders. “That’s… that’s so wonderful!”

  “Thanks, Milo. I love that you are happy for me.” I gently grip his arms, unable to wipe the smile off my face. He just seems to know exactly what to say.

  “Well, yeah.” He shrugs. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose it isn’t that you wouldn’t be happy, but rather unaffected, I guess.” He seems much happier than I am. It’s cute.

  “Are you kidding me? This is huge! You haven’t seen your aunt in what? Six years?”

  “A little over that, but who’s counting?” I wave a dismissive hand through the air and slip my arm into his. “Walk me back?”

  The muscles under the sleeve of his shirt flex, and I bite the corner of my lower lip as I picture his arms wrapped around me, pinning me against his chest as we grind against each other in the most tantalizing ways.

  Holy hell. I’ve been corrupted by these men. I can’t seem to get through a single moment with them around without my mind going to naughty places.

  “Absolutely. But tell me everything.” He gives me an expectant look.

  I chuckle as we start down the hall together, explaining the dinner, the questions, generalizing the whole visit because I am not sure I want to share my worries about my aunt’s dismissive ways just yet. I’m not convinced I should suspect anything, to be perfectly honest. Not only that, but it’s still new.

  But damn it all if Milo doesn’t absorb every single word I say.

  “What are you not telling me?”

  I look him in the eyes, questioning him just as he does me.

  Hell, he probably even hears the hesitation in my voice.

  “You seem disappointed with the time.”

  Yeah, he does.

  I shrug. “It’s still new and not exactly how I expected it to be.”

  “What did you expect?”

  More warmth, more depth, more meaningful exchanges… the list probably could go on forever. “I dunno, really. Maybe it’s just gonna take more time than I thought it would.”

  “You wanted her to jump right in and act like the gap in time, the significant events you probably both went through, didn’t happen?”

  Damn. He’s got a point.

  I hadn’t thought about what she may have gone through. She’s probably just as nervous about seeing me as I am of her. That explains things a little more.

  I smile. “You’re right. It probably is hard for her. She doesn’t know about my father yet. So, it’s probably painful and nerve-wracking with everything that happened. She just needs a little more time to adjust to things.”

  He lifts his shoulders up, raising his hands to his sides, palms facing the ceiling. “Makes sense to me.”

  I realize we hadn’t talked like this for a couple weeks. It’s refreshing.

  The tension in my shoulders ease. I didn’t realize I was so wound up as I ease deeper into our talk. I don’t even mind that we’re walking in a very wide circle back to the House of Phoenix. I sort of miss having our chats like this. We hadn’t had much time alone since the trials started.

  And that bothers me.

  “We haven’t had a lot of time together recently, have we? Feels like it’s been forever since we’ve talked like this.” I stop in the hall and face him. The dim light casts dancing shadows that play on his features. I take it all in, the angle of his chin, the point of his nose, the angle of his eyebrows. Even the shade of his beautiful brown eyes. I have to lift my head a little to look him in the eyes as he steps closer to me.

  He shrugs and rubs the back of his head while he shoves his other in his pocket. “Yeah, it has been a while. But, I get it. I’ve been working on a few projects, and you’ve been busy training. Plus, you have a lot on your plate right now. Besides, we’re making up for some of that lost time now, right?”

  “I guess so. What do you say to making this time last a little longer?” I nod toward the corridor that leads to the garden.

  He smiles, and I’m dazzled by the sight. “I would love to.”

  We make our way to my favorite garden, finding a bench to sit on. The rush of the ocean below whispers toward us as sprites fly around, blinking their lights as they dance in the air. I lean into the back of the bench and curl up next to Milo.

  “Are you excited about seeing your father?” Milo asks.

  My anxieties flare through me as I ponder the question. I suck in a deep breath through my nose and let it slowly slip between my lips
. “I’m nervously excited.”

  “I get the excited, but why nervous?” He sits forward and twists to face me.

  I sit up and shift to face him, tucking my foot underneath my right knee and draping my arm over the back of the bench. “I don’t know what to expect.”

  And really, I don’t. It’s an unknown. I haven’t seen my father in years. He disappeared a few days before I went to stay with my aunt. When I saw him in the mirror in Professor Lawrence’s secret room, he looked so frail, weakened by years of what seemed like abuse. I had a rough time with the trolls, but he looked like he had it far worse than I did.

  To be honest, I don’t know how much of my father will be left when we finally see him.

  “That’s understandable.” He covers my hand with his. “It’ll all work out just fine, I’m sure.”

  “I know it will.” I realize that I’ve never thanked him for helping find my father. After all, if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t even know my father was alive. “I appreciate your help with that spell. It made a huge difference, and soon I’m finally going to see my dad.”

  He nods once. “I’m glad I was able to help.”

  “Well,” I say with a heavy sigh, “tell me about your day. I’m curious.”

  He shrugs. “It was just like any other day except full of classes. I had hoped to have more with you than Jesse. He never stops joking. I wonder if he even has a serious bone in his body.”

  I chuckle. “It’s buried somewhere deep inside him and might take a microscope to find it.”

  “Microscopic in size,” he adds with a chuckle.

  “Soren carries enough seriousness for all of us,” I say.

  “No kidding. I should make him a chillax potion.” He looks out to the side, somewhere in the shadows.

  “You… You’re not actually thinking about it, are you?” I ask.

  He shifts his gaze to me and flashes a devious grin. “No. That would be no different than drugging him. But I’m entertaining the thought.”

  I laugh. “It’s a rather tempting idea sometimes, huh?”

  “Yup.”

  I shake my head as more laughter bubbles out of me. We need to change this conversation before it gets further out of hand. “Jesse may be a bad influence on you. But he can never know of this idea. He’ll never leave it alone.”

  “He would probably take over the idea and drink the potion himself.”

  “Possible.” I weave my fingers through his. The touch of his skin against mine is smooth, soft. The simple gesture ignites my nerves. Heat rushes between my thighs.

  I’m so thankful to have him with me tonight. I can be myself without worry. He teaches me much more than he will ever know. He’s so smart and kind. Hot as hell. And he’s quickly becoming a cornerstone of my life. I never thought I would be surrounded by him or the others when I came here. But I’m glad I am.

  Of course, I would be even more grateful if I could break through that wall Aunt Patricia keeps up. I really want her to be a part of my life. I think I’m gonna have to do something especially extravagant. But what? Hmm… this is all so new. I really don’t know what families are expected to do together. It’s been so long since I’ve had one.

  “Going back to the family thing… Have you heard from your family? Are they stoked you’re in?”

  He snorts. “The letters don’t stop arriving.” He shakes his head. “I told them about you. They want to meet you eventually.”

  And just like that, it’s hard to breathe. “What did you tell them? You know what? Never mind. I’d love to meet your family someday.”

  He smiles. “Really?”

  “Hell yes.”

  Shuffling footsteps whisper toward us, and we both snap our heads in the direction of the sound as Lady Alene steps into view. Her every movement is smooth, fluid, and commands attention with the grace she holds. The fact that she’s a living statue made of stone makes her even more enchanting.

  “Good evening Milo, Wren.”

  “Good evening, Lady Alene,” we take turns saying.

  “I’m just giving you a friendly reminder that curfew is rapidly approaching. You two best be off to your houses.” She gestures with a nod toward the castle.

  “Okay.” I really want to reach out and stroke a strand of her hair, because it looks so flowy. But, I know better.

  “Thank you for the reminder, Lady,” Milo says.

  She softly smiles and returns deep into the garden.

  We stand, and as we start on our way back, Milo possessively grabs my hand and weaves his fingers through mine. And I can’t hide the smile on my face if I tried. Before I realize it, I’m back at the House of Phoenix.

  I face him and smile. “Thanks for bumping into me.”

  “You bumped into me. But I’m glad. I enjoyed myself.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and trails the tip of his finger along my jaw to my chin. A pleasant, thrilling chill rushes through me.

  Lifting up on my toes, I kiss his cheek. “Have a good night, Milo. See you tomorrow.”

  His eyes darken as his gaze falls to my lips, but I pull away and turn toward the door. No sooner than I set my hand on the doorknob, he turns me around and pulls me into his arms. He slides a gentle hand behind my head and presses his soft, warm lips into mine. He deepens the fiery kiss and I breathlessly melt into him. I don’t want him to stop, but Milo being tardy for curfew isn’t an option.

  Talk about your catch twenty-twos.

  He breaks from the kiss, resting his forehead against mine. His voice is low and deep as he says, “Goodnight, Wren.”

  He gently pulls away and quickly walks down the hall, shoving his hands into his pockets as he moves toward the House of Drakon. As soon as he disappears around a corner, I head to my room for a cold shower and much needed rest.

  Chapter Eight

  The rest of the week passes in a blur. And now, I sit with the rest of the House of Phoenix in the arena set up in honor of Professor Lawrence’s unfortunate death.

  Two tapestries hang from the expanse of the ceiling, depicting his image outlined in gold. The face he showed everyone in the academy. The one that hid his true nature. The Blackbriar emblem covers the far wall as a backdrop to a podium that stands in front of it, decorated with a wreath of glowing flowers. A few oak trees stand guard on either side of that with sprites flitting in and out of view.

  If I didn’t have to be here to keep up appearances, I wouldn’t be. It’s uncomfortable honoring a man who tried to not only kill my men, but my father as well. He may have tried to kill me, but I think we all know how that one ended. The point is, no one messes with the ones I care about.

  Mess with the bull. Get the horns.

  Soren nudges me. I turn my attention to him and take in his concerned expression. It’s a silent question asking me what’s wrong. I shake my head. He grabs my hand under the table and gives it a small squeeze. I smile at him, thankful for the kind and reassuring gesture. But I’m really okay. Just… uncomfortable with the show.

  The lie.

  But no one can know the truth. To know the truth would destroy everything. My life would end. I would be labeled as a shadow mage. My men’s lives would be turned upside down. And I just can’t let that happen.

  Someday the truth may come out. Someday in the future. Just not right now.

  So, I’ll grin and bear it for now.

  Gideon takes his place at a podium. “Tonight, we gather to honor the memory of one of our most accomplished professors here at Blackbriar. While off the island for a business matter, Professor Deacon Lawrence was killed by a basilisk while protecting a group of young mages. He sacrificed himself, knowing that basilisks spew deadly venom. He did this for the sake of others. Strangers that had never met him before. The unfortunate and untimely death has affected all of us. He will be missed.”

  Soren leans in and talks low into my ear. “What do you think?”

  I shrug and lift my lips to his ear. “It’s still a lie, but I understa
nd why we have to do it this way.”

  “It won’t be like this forever.”

  “I know.”

  Gideon’s voice reclaims my attention. “I’ll open the podium for anyone who wishes to say a few words in honor of Professor Lawrence’s memory.”

  “Do you want to go up there?” Soren asks.

  I shake my head. Mind you, I’m still incredibly grateful to Professor Lawrence for the invitation. I’ll at least give him credit for that. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. But that’s where my gratitude stops. “I doubt anyone wants to hear what I have to say, especially since ninety-nine percent of it isn’t nice.”

  Gideon steps down from the podium and takes a spot on the wall. I stop paying attention at this point. Especially as a teary-eyed student approaches the podium and begins her heartfelt eulogy.

  “Oh, that reminds me,” I say. “Did you find out what happened during my fifth trial?”

  He nods and leans in closer. “The trial was supposed to end as soon as you stepped through the mirror. But the professor had other plans. Lady Alene didn’t know until it was too late, and once a trial starts, there can be no interference. She didn’t know where you were taken because he somehow cloaked your location with a powerful spell. I’ve never seen anything like it, but Gideon is looking into how Deacon was able to use it the way he did.”

  “How was the professor able to use an unknown spell? I thought that’s impossible.” A pinch forms in the center of my forehead. The idea that a spell like this is untraceable doesn’t make sense. Professor Lawrence was up to no good, for sure. But to use unknown and likely unsanctioned magic that even Gideon wasn’t familiar with?

  There’s more behind this. I feel it.

  “Not impossible.” Soren’s breath brushes against my ears, sending warmth down my neck. “Just difficult.”

  I nod. “Thank you for the update. I’m just happy we don’t have to worry about him.”

  An overbearing sensation of being watched overcomes me, and I look around the room to find out where the person spying on me is hiding. I find him, lurking in the shadows. He dips out of view just as I catch sight of him.