Page 19 of Venomous Lies
Just because I didn’t like lavender didn’t mean I wanted to hurt the plants. I just wanted them to be somewhere else. Far away from me.
‘You need to rest, beastie,’Cassius insisted.‘This place might make your powers seem limitless, but that’s not going to be true when you leave.’
He was right, of course, but part of me didn’t want to leave. The heady power was almost too tempting, too intoxicating, to walk away from.
‘At least rest and lay on the bed. I’m sure your moms have reached out again. Or Demir.’
He knew just how to get me to listen.
I’d reached out to Mom last night, and after a bit of back and forth, she had gone to work. They had been understanding of the fact that I’d been trying to adjust to a new school and friends, but when I said no video call… Well, Mom hadplentyof opinions on that.
‘Let’s see if they got back to me.’
With fluid movements, I stood up, stretching my hands above me to get the kinks out of my back before making myway to the center room. Earlier, I’d thrown my laptop back on the bed.
A quick check told me there was still no internet, and my cell phone also had no internet or signal in here. Maybe it was the magick? Or perhaps it was simply being in the forest… Either way, that was something I wouldn’t find out until the lockdown was lifted.
Hopefully, that happens soon. I’m fucking hungry as hell.
My mom had, in fact, responded to me, wanting more updates.
Flopping down on the bed, I snagged a pen and wrote her back.
I just checked. I still don’t have any internet, so I can’t video call.
What do you mean, you still can’t video call?!
I sighed at my mom’s irritated reply. Rubbing my face, I tried to remind myself that screaming out of frustration would get me nowhere. The plants also wouldn’t like it—too much stress and negativity in the air after being alone for so long.
I’ve tried about five times already,
I wrote on the magicked paper in reply.
And nothing is working. I don’t think I have good signal, which makes sense given the school is in the woods. But we can message back and forthon this note... unless Demir doesn’t know you took this from him.
Of course he knows,
Mom replied back in her scrawling handwriting.
He said he’d buy another so he can talk with you too.
Smart man.
I smothered a laugh as I shook my head. No use fighting Mom when she had her mind set on something, a life lesson we’d all learned early on because it applied to everything—cleaning our rooms, participating in sports. Hell, even when Mom tried to learn how to braid Demir’s hair. She committed herself and didn’t stop until she figured it out. Honestly, I was unsure whether Ma found the trait endearing or annoying.
Well, at least this way I can talk with all of you! Demir is the one that gave me the paper in the first place. I wasn’t ignoring you,
I reminded her for the millionth time. Or at least it felt like the millionth time.
Classes are going good. I’ve made a few friends. Just trying to get a feelof how the school works still. No issues so far.
There was just the matter of the campus lockdown.
Not to mention, I had a mate.
I’d survived a rut with an almost feral incubus.
All small details she didn’t need to know about because I had no idea how to fully process any of those three things yet.
