Page 76 of The Stone Secret
“Maybe she’s right, Blake,” Flora says. “I can feel his power, but he’s holding back.”
“Because he feels that he needs Cameron’s permission,” Yarrow says heatedly. “It’shispower, and he should be able to wield it howeverhesees fit.”
Flora grabs hold of Blake’s arm, her expression filled with concern. “Blake…”
Yarrow sucks on his cheek. “I’m sorry, but…I feel strongly about this.”
The witch has issues. “Reality check, this isn’t about you. Whatever demons you have in your past, you need to leave them out of this. Derek isn’t you, okay? And his power is also Cameron’s power. He’s her shield. They’re connected. It seems to me that you should be nurturing the connection, not trying to sever it.”
“I’m not…I wasn’t…” He presses his lips together. “I’m the tutor here. I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
Wow, defensive much? “Then maybe you should explain yourself to Lionel Basque.”
Flora’s eyes go wide with shock. “There’s no need for that, is there, Blake?” She looks over at Derek. “Derek is obviously not striving without Cameron present. They’re two halves of a whole, like us.” She smiled up at her brother. “We’ll have to rethink our strategy.”
Yarrow’s tight expression softens as he looks down at his sister. “You’re right, of course. Please ask Cameron to join us for the next session.”
He isn’t happy about it, but fuck him. Cameron and Derek are a team, and he has no right to split them up because of his own deep-seated issues.
“I’ll let her know. Hey, Derek, let’s get back to the dorm. I’ll teach you how to fry steaks.”
* * *
CAM
Going back to the dorm was a bad idea. All it did was give me time to procrastinate before my training session with the elites. I practiced how I would act around Serath—aloof and unaffected maybe. I wanted to show I didn’t give a shit, even if it was a lie. I’d keep the conversation with him to the minimum and engage with Selas and Orix instead.
I paced my old dorm room, hoping that Melanie or Derek would show up. Talking to Derek always helped. His presence calmed me. But he was probably still at training with Yarrow.
Melanie was a no-show, although there was a cold spot by the window.
In the end, I headed for a walk around campus to clear my head. My feet took me around the back of the training building and toward Willowman’s cottage.
Was he home?
Would he mind a visitor?
We were due to begin herbology tomorrow, but maybe he could take my blood sample now. It would certainly kill time until my training with the elites.
Varsa, the caretaker that lived here with Willowman, was crouching by a flower bed. He looked up as I pushed open the gate.
“Hey, is Willowman in?”
He shook his head and went back to the flowers.
The poor goyle had been damaged by the graynites, his mind broken by their attempt to get information out of him. They’d siphoned part of his soul, leaving him broken.
I crouched beside him. “What are you doing?”
He tensed but didn’t say anything.
“Are these your flowers? Are they special to you?”
He nodded, the action stilted.
I lightly touched his hand. “They’re beautiful.”
He beamed at me, and his eyes lit up. “They are. Beautiful and strong.” He lightly touched a petal. “They don’t like the cold, but they withstand it. They bloom all year round, stubbornly resilient.” He turned his head to look at me, and the beam of his smile was now a gentle warmth, but his gaze was probing. “Are you happy here?”
