I wasn't really sure how long we stayed like that, just hugging each other. "I need to get back to the dorms soon. I'm going to miss the curfew.""Just send Joe a message saying that you're going to get back late.""I can't just abuse my connections like that, Ali.""Sure you could. I did.""You tried." I corrected with a laugh. "And got your ass kicked by Aunty Jules every time for it.""It's so unfair that I was the one getting beaten up when you were always there with me.""I had my fair share of lectures!" I protested."Lectures are better than getting your ass kicked.""I beg to differ." I scoffed. "Seriously, though, I need to get back. I promised Martin that I'd be good.""That's a shame. I thought we'd get to sneak around the Guardians on patrol like we used to.""How about during the holidays? That way there aren't many students around and Martin would have less to worry about." I suggested."You're staying here during the holidays?" Ali sounded surprised by the idea and I pu
Understanding grew and grew in his eyes as he marched in with long paces. While the emotion was there in his eyes, his expression was firm and unreadable. I backed away as he stalked towards me until my back hit Martin's desk and I was more than surprised when Drew suddenly pulled my top up and tugged the bandages away. I should've known that he would know about the mark."I knew it…" he murmured as he stared at the mark that was placed on my hip by the alchemists all those years ago.In my shock I let out some sort of a strangled scream and pushed against his chest whilst tugging my top down at the same time. My mind was in a flurry of incomprehensible thoughts and I had no idea what to do. Millions of things ran through my mind. Thoughts like I had to run away again or knock Drew out cold or wipe out his memories somehow flashed through my mind. The thoughts were endless and Drew just made everything worse by getting down on one knee and taking my hand gently in his. I watched with
We turned away from each other so that we could get dressed. Once ready, we managed to get a few blankets together so that we could use them as shelter from the rain. Drew put the fire out and we readied ourselves before making a mad dash through the rain towards the main building for Martin's office.Luckily, we didn't bump into anyone along the way since we would've no doubt attracted a few odd stares and questions. When we burst into the office and shut the doors behind us carefully, we found Ali pacing frantically around the room and the others were all seated with heavy frowns marking their faces.Hearing us crash in, they all looked up and Ali stopped pacing. When our eyes met, he rushed towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. "Are you okay?" he murmured into my hair, holding me away from Drew."Yeah, I'm good, Alster. We're all good since Ozera's going to be a nice guy." I reassured him.Peeking over Ali's shoulder, I could see everyone stare at Drew expectantly. Rosette had
"Valentine… are you alright?" he asked hesitantly."I've studied a little about them." I lied. I knew more than just a little. Hard not to know about them when Rosette was a Spirit user. "They can pretty much control everyone and anyone with a thing called compulsion, right?""All Moroi have compulsion but Spirit users have a special affinity with it amongst other things. You know Dr. Salvatore?""Yeah.""She's a Spirit user and she heals people really well just as Lady Drozdov can. Apparently Dr. Salvatore is the best healer around.""So… how many of these Spirit users are there? I mean, there doesn't seem to be that many around. Most Moroi in my year play around with elements.""If we're talking about your year, I think O'Connor is a Spirit user. Who else do you know well?""Moroi? Just Ozera, Dan, Jacks, Quinn and O'Connor. I haven't had time to get to know others just yet.""You will. It's only been two weeks after all so you have plenty of time. You already know about Dr. Salvato
Turning, I saw Drew heading towards me with curiosity gleaming in his eyes."Training was cancelled to begin with." I told him honestly, relieved that I didn't have to lie to him since he knew the truth."You look stressed. Did something else happen?""No. I've just been through a really heavy discussion, that's all." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I've been meaning to ask, but why didn't you ever let the guardians know about what Eric was doing to those girls?""Nothing short of expulsion would have stopped him." Drew explained. "And they definitely didn't have enough evidence to expel him. The girls weren't able to remember what they had been through. It wouldn't have been fair to remind them of the humiliation they might have suffered the night they were with him.""But you could've at least tipped the guardians off to get them to increase the surveillance around him, right?""By the time I knew about it, the guardians were already keeping watch of all the Spirit users.
When the car eventually pulled up to a large mansion, I was in total awe. Apart from the royal court, I couldn't recall seeing such a splendid looking house before. The architecture somewhat reminded me of an old English palace of some sort with its sparse grounds surrounding the main building.I lingered at the back of the group and stuck with Joe without making it seem obvious. He gave me a light pat on the back as reassurance and I gave him a subtle smile to show that I was okay."What are you and Crispin going to do?""We're going to be in the room right beside you with a few of the other guardians. Don't you worry, we're not going to be far." Joe assured me."You guys are going to eat dinner though, right?""Of course." Crispin told me bluntly.I didn't get the chance to say anything after that because the doors opened and once again I was thrown into a world of grandeur. Chandeliers decorated the vast ceiling, paintings and large photo portraits lined the walls, and various anti
Spinning away I turned to see his arms outstretched as though he had been intending to grab me in some way. Surprise shone in his eyes and I narrowed mine at him. As nervous as I had been as we drove up to the mansion earlier in the evening, I did manage to notice that the mansion and the immediate area surrounding it was heavily guarded. So the chance of this man being an attacker was almost zero.After all, why would this man need to attack me?"Excuse me if I'm being rude but who are you?""I am a guardian of Lord Ozera.""And you are trying to sneak up on me because?""I was intrigued to see if you are as good as they say.""So you decided to check it out yourself by trying to sneak up on me when I was all alone? No offense but that's a little creepy." A little of my usual snarky edge returned to my voice now that I was actually comfortable in this gorgeous mansion.Amusement flickered across his eyes before it was gone as quickly as it had appeared and he slipped on a typical gua
Eventually, he spoke first to break the silence and I had certainly not expected him to say what he did."How are you feeling about what happened with Cooper?" he asked cautiously, as though expecting me to lash out and hit him.Under any other circumstances, I might actually have done. I had told him countless times to drop the subject after all. But I was too shocked to since I hadn't expected such a change of topic."Excuse me?" I gaped."How are you feeling? I doubt you've ever come so close to being bitten before.""Damn right. I tended to stay well away from Moroi while I was out there." I scoffed."Are you going to answer my question?"I sighed and stared solemnly at him. "You're not going to drop it, are you?""I'm just concerned. Am I not allowed to be?" His tone dropped to one of those ridiculously intense ones and I just sighed again. Knowing how stubborn he was, I knew that he wasn't going to drop the subject any time soon."Of course you're allowed to be concerned." I gri