He released me and then slammed the door shut. A loud clicking noise signaled that we were now locked inside.
NINE
FALLON
I banged a fist against the locked door and then spun to face Eden. The subtle glow of the crystal light sconces on the wall cast shadows on her frown.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “He still likes you.”
My stomach sank. “No. No, I think he’s totally into you now.” It felt like a lie the second it left my lips. They’d gone to dinner a few times after studying, but Eden said nothing had happened and it seemed he was holding back. When his gaze had dropped to my mouth just now, I’d wondered, but I’d hoped she hadn’t seen.
She looked at the wall behind me, as if lost in thought. “I think he tried to be into me, to get over you, but…he’s not.”
No. No. No.
If anything came between Eden’s and my friendship, I would never forgive myself.
“E, I’m over him. I swear on my father’s life,” I growled.
She slipped her hand in mine and squeezed, giving me a sad smile. “Fallon, it’s okay. I’m fine. We’re young. I’ll have plenty of potential boyfriends to choose from my whole life, right?” She gave me a wink, but I could see the pain behind her eyes.
I really, really wanted her and Ayden to work out. Maybe partially to make me feel better for moving on with Ariyon so fast, but also so that Eden would have someone after Hayes broke her heart. Ayden felt like a brother to me now, and any chance of romance was gone—and not just because he couldn’t touch me without activating my curse.
I opened my mouth to speak when Mrs. Reebus called up the stairs to us.
“All students must be present for roll call!” she shrilled, and we descended the steps.
‘Yan?’I called for my familiar as I stepped into the basement fortress, and he poofed through the wall, solidifying onto my shoulder in a second.
I wrinkled my nose.‘You smell like burnt feathers.’
‘I just flew through a war zone,’he shot back, and I stiffened.
‘What? How bad is it out there?’
‘There are hundreds of Nightlings out there, Fallon.’He looked serious.‘Half the town was being attacked when I flew from—’
“My father,” I croaked.
‘I flew here after making sure he was okay. He’s barred himself and Mable in the cellar. They’re fine.’
“Students, gather around!” Mr. Whitlock announced, and I was jolted from my momentary panic. Would my father be fine with Mable in the cellar? Nightlings could penetrate walls. They could turn to shadow like Yanric and pass through any solid mass.
Madame Mondpoint, one of the professors who I knew worked with energy crystals and had a special kind of magic, walked over to the far basement wall. She began to throw blue glowing light at it, and when the light hit the walls, it splashed out, spreading and creating some kind of shield.
Some of the students, me included, gasped in awe as she covered every single wall of the basement as well as the floor and ceiling. We were now standing in a glowing blue box. Madame Mondpoint was covered with sweat, sitting in the corner, panting.
“This should keep the Nightlings out if they try to penetrate the walls,” she said.
Should.They didn’t know for sure.
Hayes walked over to Madame Mondpoint and mumbled something to her. She looked up at him, utter exhaustion lining her features, and nodded. Hayes put his hands on her back, and the marks on top of them began to glow and move.
I pushed the fear for my father to the side and stepped over to where Hayes was. “Is she okay?” I whispered.
Madame Mondpoint had her eyes closed and was slumped against the wall now with Hayes siphoning energy into her.
