Chapter 20
1353 Words
Chapter 20
“There is absolutely no proof that Ms. Evans hurt anyone,” Themis tells the assembled school. We’re in an outdoor amphitheater, I guess what Mount Olympus Academy uses as an auditorium. As much as I try to hide in the back, the whole of the student body is sneaking looks at me. For the first time, I’m thrilled we can’t have cell phones. I’d be viral by now.
I barely pay attention, even though she’s talking about me. I know that I didn’t hurt anyone, but Tina is right, I totally could have. Whatever is inside me, whatever I shift into, I think it’s probably pretty scary. All the more reason for me to keep it locked inside.
I tune back in to Themis. “I brought her to my office not because she was under suspicion, but because I feared a few of her classmates might have the wrong idea and try to take vengeance into their own hands.”
Yeah, no doubt the vamps would break their no-biting-shifters rule for me. I catch Tina’s glare. Val sits beside her, not looking at me at all. Maybe our flirtation ends here.
“Believe me, the tragic death of Jennifer LaMont will not go unpunished. Please, leave this in the hands of the faculty and staff. We will get to the truth of the matter. Justice will be served. Any attempts made by students to deliver retribution, or deal with the matter themselves, will not only hinder our investigation, but bring the utmost punishment upon them.”
“If anyone feels the need to talk to me, I will be available with one of our medics skilled in grief counseling. Ms. LaMont’s family will be on campus later. This is a sad time for them, so please do not exacerbate the situation with unfounded accusations. Now, everyone. Return to class. They will continue as scheduled.”
“See,” Cassie tells me. “No one actually thinks you hurt Jenn.”
“Tina does.” I turn to her. “Can’t you see who did it?” I ask, jumping to my feet.
“That’s not how being a seer works. I can see the future, not the past.” We walk down the stone steps and out of the amphitheater.
I deflate. “Well, I’d better get to my flying tutorial. I don’t want to be stuck walking alone with the vamps out for blood.”
“No one is going to hurt you…” Cassie says, somewhat breezily. “Didn’t you hear Themis? The utmost punishment…that means like…”
She breaks off, suddenly without words. I turn, ready to catch her if she’s going into another trance and is going to rant about monsters doing jazz hands again. Instead she’s just quiet, pensive, her brow furrowed.
“Means what?” I nudge her. “The utmost punishment is what?”
“At Mount Olympus traitors are punished by flood or fire. Sometimes they even get a choice.”
“Drown or burn?” I ask, and Cassie nods. I shiver, not knowing which I’d choose. “Wait,” I go on. “Does this mean that Jenn was a traitor? Why was she burned?”
“I doubt it,” Cassie shakes her head. “They would make a big show out of killing a traitor, get Mr. Zee involved and everything. Speaking of which, where the hell is he? Themis always ends up doing all the work, poor woman. Last year, after that student turncoat took off, it was Themis who went after her. I mean, men, am I right?”
I let Cassie go on until she runs out of steam, then bring the conversation back to the original point—my safety. “I appreciate what Themis said, but I’m not going to take any chances. Vamps don’t like following the rules, right?”
Greg and Darcy wait for us at the exit, along with Fern. “Tough break,” Darcy says. “I mean, someone gets murdered by burning and you’re notorious for starting random fires…”
“I didn’t do it,” I tell them.
“No, of course not,” Fern says.
“I didn’t think you did,” Greg tells me, staring at the ground. “Though Jenn was a total b***h. I mean, not to talk ill of the dead but she once told me that the legend about vamps turning into bats was true. She said we were fated to mate, and I was like—awesome. I can contribute to society and bang a hot chick, right? So, she told me to meet her in the ruins so we could mate, then surprised me with her whole vampire crew when I had my pants down.” He looks up at me. “Hmmm, I feel like this is one of those oversharing moments that Darcy is always telling me about.”
“Yeah, it definitely is.” Darcy chimes in.
“TMI,” Fern agrees.
I shake my head. “Look, I’m late. Ocypete is going to kill me.” I put my hand over my mouth. “Poor choice of words.”
Darcy nods. “I’m heading to the lagoon—”
“I’ll join you!” Cassie says very loudly. Darcy gives her a shy grin. I can’t help but smile.
“How dare you smile when my best friend is dead,” Tina yells at me. She is flanked by her vampire goonies. I expect Val to…well, maybe not defend me, but at least shepherd her away. Instead he just stands at her side looking moody.
“Drop it, Tina,” Fern tells her.
“No one asked you, you witchy bitch.”
“Tina!” One of her crew objects, the first time I’ve ever seen any of them speak out about her. Tina turns on the girl with fire in her eyes.
“Don’t get me started on you, Marguerite. I know you and Fern have a thing going on. Don’t you dare take her side.”
Marguerite looks cowed and Fern shrinks back. Are relationships between the disciplines that taboo? Or is it just good old-fashioned interspecies bigotry?
Back in charge, Tina again turns her wrath on me. She stalks forward, teeth exposed.
“Break it up!” Ocypete drops in between us like a stone, her claws flashing, body curled and ready to strike.
“We were just talking,” Tina tells her defiantly.
“Well, stop talking and start walking to your next class or I’m going to put a few s***h marks on your pretty little face. And I’ll tell the medics no blood for you for a week.”
“You wouldn’t!” Tina cries out.
“Try me.”
Ocypete gives a half lunge towards her and Tina retreats, stumbling over a tree root and landing on her butt. Vampires are always graceful, so seeing one of their own down in the dirt is shocking enough to elicit a giggle from her own crew, which makes Tina even angrier.
Tina throws out a hand and Val immediately helps her up, like a trained dog.
“She killed my friend,” she yells at Ocypete, and I’m surprised to see her lower lip trembling. “She started it!”
“And I’m ending it!” Ocypete roars, her old woman voice suddenly inflated as her wings come out full span. She spins, making eye contact with the whole crowd. “Edie is off limits. Get to your classes. NOW!”
Everyone scatters, including Darcy, Cassie, and Greg. I don’t blame them. Harpies are seriously scary.
Ocypete looks at me. “Well, come on. You’re not going to learn to fly on your own.”
We make our way to the practice field.
“Thanks,” I say. “I really didn’t hurt that vampire. I didn’t even know her. When I burned Val it was an accident. I wouldn’t just kill someone randomly for no reason.”
“I know you wouldn’t. Elysa wouldn’t have raised someone so heartless.”
“Wait.” I stop and stare. “You knew my grandmother?”
“Look, there is a lot you don’t know, about your parents, about you…” She glances around.
“Well, tell me!” I demand.
“It’s not safe to talk here.” She motions past the practice field. “My nest is about half a mile that way, in a giant cypress. You have to fly to get there.”
“Let’s go!” I flap my wings and manage to get a few feet off the ground before crashing back down. Ocypete studies me.
“You’re not ready yet. Not to fly and not to learn the truth.”
I want to cry, but it won’t help anything. Ocypete isn’t going to budge.
“Let’s get on with our lesson,” she tells me, not unkindly. “Let’s treat it as an incentive. Once you can fly to my nest, I’ll tell you what I know.”
I stand, more determined than ever. There are answers out there, and I need to find the truth.
- Writer
