“I’m sorry—” Ivy could barely get the words out. They were practically hyperventilating, and it got to be too much. Ivy fled.
Guards barked orders, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Hands landed on me, trying to pry me away from Thaddeus, but I wouldn’t let go.
Charlie, you have to, Oberi said gently.There’s nothing more you can do.
This wasn’t right. He was just a kid. I’d tried to keep him out of trouble… and now he was dead, because he’d followedmyinstructions.
The guards yanked me back, and Thaddeus fell from my arms.
“Everyone against the wall!” a guard shouted.
We followed their orders. Ava wheeled herself beside me as we were forced to stand in a line. Commotion filled the hall as the guards surrounded the scene.
“It was suicide,” one of the guards stated. “I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Like hell!” Kallie protested. “He was being compelled by—”
“You’ll speak only when spoken to,” a guard sneered, cutting her off.
I turned to Marcus and whispered, “What happens to Thaddeus now?”
Marcus lowered his voice. “He’s an Elementai, so his spirit will hang around until he’s ready to go with his ancestors. I suspect he’ll be around for a while, because his death was traumatic and confusing. It’ll take a bit before he can sort out what happened.”
“So we should be able to talk to him?” I asked.
“If we can find him,” Marcus said. “His ghost spooked the second he saw his Familiar’s broken neck. I don’t know when he’ll be back—”
“I said quiet!” a guard roared.
Marcus and I both went silent. I didn’t know how long they kept us there, but it felt like an hour before they’d documented the incident and wheeled Thaddeus’ body toward the morgue. They asked us a series of questions, but most of it was to confirm what they already suspected.
What did Thaddeus say before he died? Had he told us he was planning this?
The questions made my guts churn. Thaddeus would never do this to himself. If anyone had a chance of graduating the Institute one day, it was this kid. He had a bright future ahead of him… and now he’d never get to live it.
I hated the Institute more than ever.
“Why is it that people end up dead whenever you’re around, Wahkin?” one of the guards growled.
There will be more dead bodies before I’m done, I thought, though I held my tongue.
“Perhaps it’s because a lot of people die here,” I stated coolly.
“Get out of here,” he snapped. “I best not find you around the next dead body we deal with.”
It must’ve been three o’clock by the time the guards let us go. A large crowd had formed nearby. Oberi barked at people, and the crowd parted as I wheeled Ava through the hall. We turned a corner, where we were finally alone.
“I’m going to find Mad Dog and kill him,” I growled.
Ava must’ve grabbed her wheels, because she came to a halt in front of me, blocking my path. “Charlie, you can’t,” she said sternly. Her thoughts slipped through our bond, and I was reminded of the conversation we’d had weeks ago. I’d already killed one person this semester. I’d promised I wouldn’t go down that road again. Right now, though, it seemed like a pretty damn good option.
“Then what am I supposed to do?” I demanded.
“You’re supposed togrieve,” Ava said.
I crossed my arms. “How’s what I said any different?”
“We’re all pissed at Mad Dog,” Marcus said. “But we can’t bring Thaddeus back, and this isn’t worth going down to Cellblock 9 for. We still have work to do.”
