Page 78 of Dark Embers

Nope, not going there. I had to follow only the trail that included Arya’s scent, too. And Caesar’s.

Shea had gone with the two shifters when they’d left the house. But why? She and Arya must have been close friends. That had to be how she knew about the school. She’d been there when Caesar told Arya about it, and she’d gone with them to thesubway. I didn’t even have to follow the trail to the end to know that.

But where had she gone from there? There was no way Caesar had taken her to the secret entrance, no matter how close she and the mermaid might be.

I quickly followed the scents to the stairs of the subway, making a show of looking confused and lost at the top of the staircase. I would follow this trail no further, and it had to be believable to anyone watching that I had lost it.

I stood there for a few minutes, frowning as if considering what to do. Well, that part wasn’t an act. I had two separate urges driving me in opposite directions: follow Shea’s scent to wherever she might be now, or go home and get my fix before I did something stupid and disastrous.

Not really much of a choice, was there? I had to go home. I had to quench this horrible thirst before I did anything else. For my sake, and for Shea’s.

Chapter 28

Tobias

“Man, poor Arya.” Niko stared down at his controller where he’d set it on the coffee table when Arya had started talking.

“I know,” Brett agreed. “That Cora’s a real bitch.”

I didn’t chime into their conversation. I was too deep in my own thoughts on that very issue.

I should have put Cora in her place after the sim room prank. Apparently, the warning I’d given her and her little friends hadn’t been enough to get them to back off. But Arya had demanded I stand down, insisting she could handle them herself.

I should have known better. I’d been such a damned idiot about everything to do with that girl. It was time to start doing right by her. And it was time to show everyone at this school that she was not to be messed with unless they wanted to incite my wrath.

“On the bright side, I can’t believe you finally shot your shot with Ashlyn.” Brett gave Niko’s arm a playful back-handed slap. “I always knew you liked her.”

I flicked my gaze up to them, trying to pay attention to what they were saying.

“Yeah, actually, I was wondering if either of you would want to double with us on Thursday?” Niko asked. “With all that new curfew stuff, her dad won’t let us go out alone, and Ireallydon’t want him as our chaperone.”

Brett grimaced. “Ooo, sorry, bro. Not only do I not have a date, but I have detention with Miss Tanis all week—long story.”

“Tobias?” Niko asked, looking at me.

“Huh?” I asked, mentally silencing my thoughts so I could give him my full attention.

“Would you mind double dating with me and Ashlyn on Thursday?” he asked again.

I scrunched my forehead, momentarily at a loss. “Um…”

“I know things are weird with you and Arya right now, so you could ask someone el—”

“Actually!” I scooted suddenly to the edge of my seat, seized by an idea. “Okay, I’ll go with you Thursday night, but I need a favor from you first.”

He narrowed his eyes on me. “What kind of favor?”

“I need help fixing Arya’s exile,” I confessed. “But it’s going to be tricky.”

“Oh, juicy! Count me in, too!” Brett interjected.

Niko chuckled. “Well, I guess deal, then. What did you have in mind?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but a knock on the common room door made me pause. Who the hell would be knocking? Any avian shifter would just come in.

One of the harpy students opened the door, and I was surprised to see Mrs. Sharp standing outside. She looked over the student’s shoulder, her eyes sparking when they landed on me.

“Tobias, may I speak with you?” she called.

---