My mind wanderedas I let Roslyn guide me to the dorm. Seeing Saryna helpless like that made me angry. I hated that it’d happened and that I’d done nothing to prevent it. Images of my mom were flashing in my mind, Saryna’s face flickering to hers, and no matter how hard I tried to push it down, my fear took over that night. It exceeded my anger for being weak. It had allowed something evil and terrible into my home. Something that killed my mom. I was so weak that I couldn’t save her, and I couldn’t save Saryna or Bella either.
And I was scared—scared that I would always be weak.
Melanie was there when we got into the dorm, her violet eyes flashing in the darkened common room, which only had a single candle to light.
“What are you doing sitting in the dark like this, Melanie?” Roslyn asked.
“Waiting,” she said.
“For what?” Roslyn asked.
“For her,” she said, staring at me.
I met her stare, a burning anger raging in my chest.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I seethed. “You knew what Malakai was doing.”
She scoffed. “I’m not the only one.”
Her tone was dismissive, yet it held no hint of a lie.
“Why tell me this now?” I snapped. “Why sit here, useless, and watch this unfold?”
Melanie’s deep violet eyes bored straight into my soul. “I wanted to see how you would handle it.”
Her words disarmed me. What did that mean?
Roslyn’s hand touched my arm.
“Come on, Anna,” she said, pulling me towards her room. “Don’t encourage her.”
I went with Roslyn, only tearing my focus from Melanie at the last second, but for one reason and one reason alone.
Roslyn would have to stay out of it.
Whatever this was between Melanie and me—it was between us alone.
Chapter 26
Heavenly Bodies and Portals to the Void
ANNA
In the days after the ball, tension settled into my shoulders like a bruise that wouldn’t heal. Nightfall was not the same after the attacks.
Few students lingered in the common areas for long and those who did were in groups, frequently looking over their shoulders. Roslyn assured me the situation was being dealt with and that they were looking for Malakai, but it was clear she was worried.
When I saw Isabella for the first time since the attack, I nearly crushed her spine as we embraced. Having her back was a breath of fresh air. After Cody and Skylar vanished without a trace, a deep root of discomfort had formed in my mind. I didn’t realize until this moment, with her back and healthy in my arms, how terrified I was that I’d never see her again.
I blinked away tears as I tried to hide my reaction. Isabella had become something like a sister to me, just as I thought of Katie and Eiryn. Eventually, she adjusted back to a normalroutine, but I didn’t want to press her for details of what happened yet.
I did, however, talk her into breakfast. As fate would have it, that turned out to be a bad idea. The hall was filled with whispers when we arrived and sat down at our usual table. Everyone wore grim expressions like someone died.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Isabella glanced at Riya and Eli, and I saw Riya’s eyes were red. Eli’s usual cheer was missing as he pulled Riya next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
My brows furrowed.
