Page 73 of A Drop of Anguish
Silence stretches for a few minutes. “It would be really helpful if we knew what the secret was,” Lola mutters.
I bite my lip. Would it be breaking some sacred trust if I told them the full truth? I want to. Embarrassment swirls in my chest. What if I tell them the secret burning a hole in my heart—that Jarron was destined to be mated to my sister—and then, I change my mind and want to be with him again?
They’ll know. I’ll know that they know, and it’ll eat me up in a new way.
But they could also help me understand it. Maybe they’d keep me from him, and maybe that’s what I’m afraid of. Maybe they’ll judge me for wanting my sister’s fated mate.
And maybe that fear is actually really telling.
I suck in a long breath. I trust Lola and Janet. They won’t judge me; they’ll just give me an honest perspective and tell me if I’m being an absolute idiot or if my hesitancy is justified.
“Swear you’ll never repeat it to anyone ever. No one.”
Their eyes widen.
“I mean it.” I bite my lip. “Trevor said it’s sacred. Like I’m pretty sure talking about it at all is a betrayal of some kind.”
“We can do a swearing spell,” Lola suggests. “We’ll swear never to reveal the secret to anyone ever, no matter what.”
Janet’s jaw drops. “You really want to do that?”
“If the secret is really that big of a deal, then yeah, I think we should,” Lola says. “It’ll help us make sure we never break our friend’s trust or overstep another world’s culture.”
“Isn’t it dangerous?” Janet asks.
“Only if we have loose lips.” Lola winks. “No one has to know we know either. We’ll stay safest that way too.”
I take in a long breath. This might be a bad idea, but they’re right, the information has been suffocating me for weeks now. I need a little perspective.
I don’t know much about swearing spells, but I have heard they can be deadly. It depends on the type and how strong they are. “I’ll do it, but only if you guys want to.”
“I do.” Lola puffs out her chest.
Janet sighs. “Okay, fine. But if we’re doing illegal magic, we’re going to my room.”
32
Mr. Vandozer Wins
Janet’s room is very similar to mine, cramped and dark, except her window is a tad larger and there is a couch where the second twin-sized bed would be.
“You don’t have a roommate?”
“Not since last year. They usually let seniors room alone if they want. There aren’t many of us as it is.”
I didn’t get that option, but I can’t really complain since I’m now technically alone too, ever since Corrine changed rooms.
She also has some more personalization than my room. Her bedspread is lavender with white flowers, and she has a vase of fresh daisies on the table. There’s a floating shelf of books and a couple pictures of her family.
Janet hops around to light several candles and then grabs a big leather-bound book from the shelf, drops it in the middle of the floor, and sits cross-legged in front of it.
Janet flips carefully through the worn, yellowed pages of her book and then places her palm in the middle of it once she’s apparently satisfied with her find. “So, if we’re going to do this, I’ve got a few requirements.”
“Okay,” I say. All of this is new to me, so I’m just trusting them to make sound choices.
“We’re going to blood bond first.”
“Janet!” Lola exclaims.
