Page 55 of Venomous Lies
Maybe Allison would die, but with the comments she’d made? She was lucky dying was all she was going to do.
I could think of so much worse.
Chapter 17
Isla
MONDAY
If I can just adjust the temperature…
Slam.
I blink a few times as a familiar face comes into view above me.
“Miss Hallowes, if you’re not paying attention, things like that will happen in a fight. Not even magick will save you then.” Professor Falke didn’t reach down to help me up, but he did back away so I could get up on my own.
“Noted, Professor,” I replied with a quick nod, brushing the dirt and leaves off my clothes. I shivered as a breeze stirred the chilly morning air around me.
He watched me closely for a moment before bringing his attention back to the class.
“Isla, are you?—?”
“I’m good.” I smiled absently at Wells. “My brain is just focused on my potion.”
He nodded in understanding, then his gaze returned to Falke, who was talking about different techniques.
I tried to focus, but honestly, my mind just wasn’t in it today. A passing thought hit me about skipping my Familiarsclass, but I knew I’d never hear the end of it from that professor. Not that I particularly cared at the moment, but I probably would later.
Right now, though, I had other important things to think about—aside from my potion. Z and Aizel weren’t talking to each other, and I still had no idea what happened during the few minutes I was gone the other day. Echo kept looking like he was going to say something then thought better of it. My brother Demir was around here somewhere even though I hadn’t seen him since Saturday. Cassius and I still hadn’t had a chance to talk…
I thought my life was going to get easier, but it had proven to do anything but that.
At least there hasn’t been another attack or lockdown.
“Class is over. Get your things and be someone else’s problem for the rest of the day!” Falke yelled, causing me to jump. “I would advise everyone to come better prepared for the next class. It wouldn’t be good to be unprepared for your tests.”
Test?!
“I’ll catch you up after breakfast,” Wells reassured me.
“Was I really that out of it today?” I asked, falling into step beside him as we headed for the dining hall.
“Can I butt in and say yes?” Echo answered from Wells’ other side.
“Depends, are you speaking to me now?” I replied sarcastically, arching an eyebrow at him as I pulled the strap of my bag higher up on my shoulder.
“I’m trying to,” Echo answered as he came to a halt, forcing other students to go around him. I stopped as well, facing off with my friend, my arms crossed in front of my chest. “But if you don’t want?—”
“What I wanted was for you to talk to me after everything happened!”
“You were busy getting mated, so I think that particular thing falls onyou.”
“Not right after!” I yelled, stepping closer to poke him in the chest.
I immediately froze, however, when he flinched back, fear in his gold and green eyes. His shoulders hunched in, a haunted expression coming over his face. He just stood there, waiting for me to keep going, to hit him.
‘I’m going to kill someone.’
