Page 67 of The Stone Initiation
Seeing him like this was almost uncomfortable.
“Miss Aziza,” Yarrow summoned Sharniza.
He repeated his instructions and set to work. It took less than a minute for him to assess her and the look on his face told me that Sharniza had some epic shield power.
I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
She reclaimed her seat, and Yarrow moved on to the next cadet. Dayn’s shield needed work, Saffe’s shield was strong, and Palia and Ginia were called up together. Yarrow explained that they could work to expand their shields into a twin force if they wanted to.
“I’ll work separately with you both on that,” he said with a smile.
Finally, he called my name. “I doubt I have any shields. I’m only half gargoyle.”
“Then we’ll have to work on creating some for you.” He took a deep breath and held up his hands. A prickle ran over my skin as his power tested me, delving past my aura and deeper to root out my psychic defenses. My head felt light and then pressure built at the base of my skull. Panic bloomed in my chest as something in the deep recesses of my mind rattled.
No.
“Now,” Yarrow said. “Push back.”
The rattling intensified and a dark foreboding swelled inside me.
Stop. “Stop!”
My mind was mine once again, and I sagged with my hand on my chest.
Yarrow watched me with concern.
A nervous laugh slipped from my lips. “I told you I didn’t have a shield, didn’t I?”
Yarrow looked as if he was about to contradict me, but then he nodded slowly. “Not to worry. We can build one.”
I went back to my seat with a heavy heart because I was so out of my depth here.
Yarrow called the next cadet but before he could start the test, there was a knock on the door.
“Yes?” Yarrow called.
The door opened and a small man, about four foot high, popped his head round the door. “Headmistress wants to see the Walker girl. Now,” he snapped.
Yarrow didn’t even flinch at the creature’s tone. “Miss Walker, you’re excused.”
“What the heck?” Touron looked worried.
But this was perfect. I needed to see the headmistress anyway, and now I wouldn’t need an excuse.
“I’ll see you guys later.” I grabbed my jacket and followed the tiny man out of the door.
* * *
The headmistress’soffice was on the second floor. We passed several rooms with their doors open, occupied by human men and women doing administrative work. My guide turned down a second corridor lined with landscapes of pretty pastures and took me past a metal closed door with the wordsFile Roomprinted on it. There was a palm scanner where the handle would be. Whatever was inside must be confidential and important. Next came a lounge with a kitchenette and finally a dark wood door withHeadmistressprinted on it.
The little man hadn’t spoken the whole way here, and when we got to the door, he simply glared at me before storming off as if I’d affronted him in some way.
O-kay. I knocked on the ajar door. “Hello?”
“Miss Walker do come in,” Miss Carter called.
I stepped from wood floors onto the plush carpeted interior of the office—a cluttered, cozy space filled with color. Squishy sofas, throws, patterned pillows, and books with bright spines piled haphazardly onto bookcases came together to create an appealing space. Miss Carter herself sat behind a desk scribbling furiously on a notepad. She waved me to the chair opposite her, never taking her eyes off her task.
