Page 32 of Blood of the Fallen
“Easy for you to say. No one expects you toturn the Academy to ashes!”
She put her hands down and frowned. “I wish they did.”
Her injured expression made me pause, and for the first time, I realized that maybe other pack members hated to think the augury was about me and would trade places with me in a heartbeat. Taking a deep breath, I willed my anger and distress to take a backseat.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t mean to whine or complain. It’s just…” I shook my head, unsure of what to say next.
“It’s a big responsibility,” Ila finished for me.
“I think she could use some help,” Bethel put in, throwing a suggestive glance at Ila.
Ila frowned. “Help?”
“Getting ready for the trials.” The witch came away from the tree, her ragtag dress swaying.
Ila stuck her hip out. “I thought you said she’s going to win.”
The witch shook her head. “I never said that.”
“Isn’t that the whole point of an augury?”
“Maybe it’s not about me,” I interrupted. “Maybe it’s not even aboutthispack’s triad. Has this occurred to anyone?”
Ila huffed while Bethel widened her eyes as if this was the most genius possibility anyone had ever mentioned.
“Don’t encourage her!” Ila chastised the witch. “You know better than anyone that it’s all about Sheela.”
Once more, I thought I detected jealousy in her voice.
“I don’t want it to be about me,” I protested. “You can be Bethel’s heroine, Ila. I don’t care.”
I wanted to bring down the Academy, but I didn’t want everyone’s hopes resting on my shoulders. It was too much.
Ila seemed to reevaluate the situation, maybe realizing I hadn’t asked for any of this. “Wecanhelp,” she said gently. “Anything you need.”
A lump formed in my throat. At the Academy, it had always been everyone for themselves when it came to stuff like this. Every initiate wanted to excel and stand out in order to become apprentices, so no one ever offered help.
Bethel walked closer, hips swaying as she moved in a slow cadence. Black eyes hooded, she placed two fingers on her temple, humming in the back of her throat. Suddenly, the whites of her eyes showed, and she spoke in a deep voice.
“I see obstacles and sharp spikes in the first trial.”
Sharp spikes?!I glanced at Ila in a panic.
Ila blew air through her nose and shoved the witch. “Quit!”
Bethel wrapped her arms around her middle and laughed. “Did you see her look of panic?” She laughed some more.
I frowned. “You mean… she was joking?”
“Of course she was!” Ila exclaimed. “She couldn’t divine a howl out of a wolf. Not anymore.”
I threw daggers at Bethel, already thinking of ways I could get back at her for playing me.
“Just ignore her,” Ila said as Bethel continued laughing.
I turned away from the witch and focused on Ila, bracing myself for the same admission I’d made to the Chieftess. “I don’t know how to… be a wolf. I don’t think I can win against Desna and the others if the trials involve... shifting.”
Finally, Bethel sobered and seemed to take the situation seriously. “We need to fix that.”
