And I certainly wouldn’t forgive myself...
Bane Locke, the Cursed Cock.
Death is my curse, and I should have known better.
I should not have given in to her pleas and cursed her to this fate.
I turned to see three individuals I recognized, but whom I certainly did not wish to see at this very moment. I was already seething, and the Squid Squad was not going to help matters.
Unless I have permission to fucking string them up like the dead fish they are.
“Delaney, Wanda, Norman. Thank you for joining me so promptly.” Headmistress Blackthorn gestured for them to sit, though there were only two chairs.
At least Norman had the manners to let the ladies take seat. At least they would be free of his kraken slime.
“What ishedoing here?” Wanda drawled, and I could not help the hiss that escaped me.
“I have called youallhere for a very important matter,” Ophelia Blackthorn said pointedly as she glared at me.
“I was not called here, I—”
“Do you think that I do not know you? Any of you? You are students within my walls, I know more than any headmistress should, and it is because of that knowledge thatyouare allowed to continue your deviancies in peace,” she bit.
“I do not expect every student called into my office to tell me the truth. Though I gave every one of you the chance to do so.”
“What truth?” Delaney asked, biting her fingernail.
“You all are connected to Violet McCreanor in way or another. And you all have been aware of her... awakening. Yet, you all stuck your heads into the sand like ostriches, instead of acknowledging the truth.”
We all hung our heads, no doubt because she was right. We all knew happened to Violet—and I’m sure even if Delaney wasn’t there, as her roommate Violet would have told her something, or she would have seen the effects, perhaps even felt the effects of Violet’s newfound magical boost.
I’d wanted to take her to the infirmary that very evening, but the little mix talked me out of it.
And I’d boldly assumed that she knew what was best.
Her magic, her choice.
I should have made her go, maybe then...
“What does that have to do with anything?” Wanda questioned.
My monster was rattling beneath my human visage as a flurry of emotion ransacked me.
Anger, pain, guilt.
Sadness.
But through all the emotion, I felt the tiniest spark of hope.
Wherever I am, you are, too.
I closed my eyes, trying to hold on to that spark, to not let the darkness pull me under again, like I had last year.
I would not let Violet succumb to the same fate as Anne.
And I did not wish to succumb to the same fate as I once had.
So I pulled on that spark, focused on it...
