Page 57 of A Drop of Anguish
She nods. “I don’t want to see him. I want to be free of this.” Her lips tremble.
It would be so much simpler if she were my messenger, but I believe her—or at the very least, I pity her enough not to push it. “You’ve heard nothing new about the games?”
She shakes her head again. I sigh and slump into the seat across from her. “Someone has been leaving me notes. You haven’t gotten any?”
She shakes her head again.Dammit. What does that mean? It’s all a hoax? Someone’s messing with me? I don’t know what to think.
“Okay,” I say finally. “Sorry for bothering you.” I try for a compassionate tone, but I’m too frustrated to succeed. Corrine skitters off out of Minor Hall, leaving me alone with the last few students staring at me in horror.
They all think I’m the bully. Wonderful.
27
You Should Have Told Me Sooner
I’m later than usual this morning, but Lola, Janet, and Thompson are chatting outside the Minor Hall gates, waiting for me, so I try to hide my internal panic and grin.
Even though Jarron’s threat is clear as a full moon, and I don’t suspect there is even the slightest chance someone would dare harm me now, Thompson still walks me to and from Minor Hall every morning and most evenings.
I sometimes get the feeling that he stays with me for his protection more than mine. Jarron is rather scary these days. But I’ve never brought that up. He goes out of his way to walk with me, Janet, and Lola every morning, and I’ve come to enjoy the tradition.
Today, I even brought him out a blueberry muffin from Minor Hall because I feel bad for the last two mornings the three of us came out holding our remaining snacks and he had nothing. His face lights up when I hold it out, making it very easy for me to drop the act and smile sincerely.
The muffin is nothing but crumbs within seconds, so obviously it’s a hit. Maybe I’ll bring a few tomorrow. Wolfy appetites are massive.
“So, how’s this professional-level potions class going?” Thompson asks casually as we walk toward our classes. We only have a few minutes before we’re officially late, but no one comments. I suspect they know I was dealing with something stressful and don’t want to put any more pressure or shame on me than I already feel.
I have the best friends ever.
I sigh. “Kinda annoying. I’m forced to study potions I’m not particularly interested in, which sucks. But the professor keeps droning on about foundations. Learning these processes can help with others further down the line, yada yada.” There are also only five other students, four of whom look at me like I’m the Wicked Witch of the West. “But it’s cool to be in class with some Elite. Ya know, the ones that don’t hate me and aren’t forced to literally fight me.”
“How is that combat class going? Any changes?”
“Nope. Every time Coach tries to put me in the ring with someone, they forfeit automatically, even if she threatens them with low marks. She’s given up for a while, and now I spar with her every day. Stupid.”
Lola flutters a few feet ahead. “I don’t blame them, though. Jarron has beenscary.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be like this if they weren’t jerks to begin with.”
Lola shrugs and does a lap around the three of us.
“What about your classes? Any new big projects?”
“I’m writing a sleep song,” Lola shares. “Which is cool, but also kinda pointless since I can just use my pixie dust.”
I laugh. “I guess that’s the downside to so many different species taking classes together.”
She wiggles in agreement.
“I’m just starting up our final project in art casting,” Janet chimes in. “It takes so much focus to keep the magic lingering over every stroke. I’ve got this massive canvas to complete, though. Like the entire rest of the year will be dedicated to that, which is awesome.”
“Nice. What are you painting?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I’m still structuring it. The spell should be a version of hypnosis that makes the person literally think they’ve fallen into the painting and keeps them there for hours. I haven’t decided what the actual image should be yet, though.”
That sounds insane, and it’s aclass project. “How do they grade that? Do you test out the spell on someone?”
“We each have to volunteer as a guinea pig for someone else’s project, so we’ll get a full pass one day at the end of the year. It’s… interesting.”
