Belle’s lips pulled into an apologetic frown as she faced me, but I just smiled. No way was I letting this asshole come betweenus. “I’ll see you later.”
She leaned over and smacked a kiss on my cheek. “Find me tonight.”
Elder Monroe showed no sign he was disturbed by her warmth toward me. He took her hand and off they went for breakfast. ButI found myself uneasy all the way to the front gate.
Where another disaster was in the process of exploding over the grounds.
Mom and Dad had arrived, and they weren’t alone. Logan and a tall warlock that I could only assume was his father were facingoff against my parents.
For fuck’s sake. Apparently, this was the day for assholes to rain from the skies. No wonder today was gray and stormy, afteryesterday’s perfect blue skies.
Picking up the pace, I had the feeling that this confrontation was going to make meeting with Elder Asshole feel like a delightfulcatch-up. Sprinting through the students, I came to a skidding halt beside Dad, hoping I could cut this off before it started.
Logan’s expression was the affable amusement he perfected so well, hiding the dangerous beast inside. Case in point, his eyeswere flecks of glass, light and iced over. “Nice of you to join us, Precious,” he drawled. “We were just discussing you.”
Logan’s dad turned his gaze on me, and I felt every hair on my body stand on end. He had the same piercing eyes as his son,though his were dark. Almost black. He was fairer than his bronzed son, but there was no denying the resemblance between them.I stared at the older version of Logan, still handsome, tall and broad.
But, despite Logan’s icy exterior, I’d seen warmth in him on those rare occasions when we were alone. In those moments, he’dsaved my life and used his power to heal my body.
Logan had fire in his power, but his father was all icy darkness. A void of warmth, obliterating everything in its path. Hereminded me of the monsters we’d seen in that text, with the shadowy aura over them.
This spellcaster was dark, and utterly, utterly terrifying.
Chapter 30
“Talking about me?” I said, forcing a casual tone while on the inside I was all terror and panic. “All good things I’m sure.”
Rafael, better at hiding his feelings than Elder Monroe, smiled as if we were old friends. It was apparent who’d taught Loganto hide his calculating manipulations under a cloak of civility. Only, the jury was still out on Logan and how dark he trulywas. “All good, Paisley. We were discussing this little monster issue the college appears to be having. Weird that it startedthis year. Your freshman year.”
Smoothly done with the accusation there, Kingston, but since I was fairly sure I’d know if I was summoning monsters, the bitedidn’t really have any teeth. “The year Logan transferred in too,” I replied, smiling so pleasantly my jaw hurt. “Definitelyaweirdcoincidence.”
I swore there was a brief twitch in Logan’s lips even as his expression remained hard, his focus on his scary-ass father.“I’m so happy you survived Walter’s attack. He’s a strong air elemental. How did that happen, Paisley? Also, you wouldn’thappen to know where he is? His family is worried sick.”
I blinked, trying to keep up with his segue and rapid questioning. Was he talking about Walter the Weasel?Kingston will thank me for this.I’d already been on the edge of a panic attack, but the implication that all along that attack might not havebeen directed by Logan slammed into me, and I couldn’t help but burn a hole in the side of Logan’s face with my gaze.
His father noticed too, his grin satisfied in a way that hurt my stomach.
“Why would I know where he—?”
“Leave her alone, Rafael,” Dad finally cut in, done with the warlock’s baiting. “Paisley was attacked by the monsters, she’shardly the one bringing them to the school. You always were quick to blame our family for any wrongdoings.”
Mom was quiet, and so pale that I was worried she was about to faint. We needed to end this conversation immediately, beforeit did more emotional damage.
“I wouldn’t dream of blaming anyone. We all know your family is above such reproach.” Rafael’s reply was smooth, the digssubtle. “How are you, Beth?” Dad shifted his stance to block Mom, not that it stopped Rafael. “Still ignoring your magic?”
“We all lost Isabel that day,” Dad snarled at his former best friend. “Beth was hurt too, remember? We have all suffered,none more than my wife, who saw her best friend get torn to pieces.”
“She wasmybest friend,” Rafael snapped, and for a moment the darkness in the spellcaster blasted like a beacon. “Mine!And she was taken from me. I have never bought your innocent act regarding Beth’s magic, and now your daughter is neck-deepin a situation where another was torn to pieces. I don’t believe in coincidences. You need to stop blaming others for yourfuckups, Tom. Not even our years of friendship can excuse what happened that day.”
Dad’s laugh was strained and without humor. “That blood oath clued me in on the lack of forgiveness, Rafe. We just want tobe left alone.”
“I think I should leave,” Mom murmured softly. “I don’t want to remind anyone of their loss.”
Her compassionate words only made Rafael angrier. The heat around him rose, and I wondered if it was harder to hate someonewho so plainly suffered for what happened that day.
“I’ll take you home,” Dad said, keeping her partially hidden behind him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Paisley,let your brothers and sisters know, and stay away from the Kingstons.”
“With pleasure,” I said, shooting Logan another glare. I’d asked him point-blank if his father was going to be here and he’dignored me all so his father could ambush Mom.
