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His mouth has scarred where his face tore. No one else’s Shadow has transformed the host itself. So why his? Beyond Frederick is one of the strangers I saw sitting at the Nova table. His gaze snaps up to mine and I flinch. His eyes are green and his hair is a soft, light brown, almost blond. He offers me a hesitant smile. He’s by himself and I don’t see the harm in welcoming him over with us, so I nod and return the grin.
He walks over and nervously greets us. “Hey, I’m Aervin. Mind if I join?”
Kai waves his hand carelessly, still leaning back in defeat. “Yeah, yeah. Join the band of losers while you still can, our numbers are growing,” he says sarcastically. Aervin laughs and sits beside me.
“I’m Finn, this is Kai, and that’s Corvus,” I mutter, nodding at the two friends I have left. Aervin nods and looks at the ground in silence. “So you’re a Nova?” I pry—why not, I figure.
Aervin hesitates. “I’m not actually a Nova, but I’m in the House because of Edgar. We met at Za’Afiel. It’s a manor on Grimrose Island.”
Kai’s brows pull together with curiosity. “Why did they have you all out there? Please don’t tell me they pampered you.” Aervin’s brows knit innocently and he doesn’t have to say more. “Godsdamn it,” Kai huffs.
Corvus finally joins us, looking annoyed with himself. “Shit. At this rate, we’re all going to die.” I give him a leveled look but he shrugs. “If you think Frederick is the strongest thing we need to overcome here, you’re a dumbass. We have to get stronger. Do you guys want to meet up after classes later and practice in the courtyard?” Corvus notices Aervin and raises a brow.
“Aervin, Edgar’s friend in the Nova House,” I explain and Corvus nods like he doesn’t really care.
“Anyone is welcome to join.”
Aervin smiles with gratitude. “I could use the practice.”
Kai and I both nod and return to watching Frederick and his group of aggressive friends. Their Shadows radiate power—it makes my skin curl.
We’re definitely fucked.
12
Terra
Raine is silent all morning. We had to wake up earlier than the rest, so today’s already off to a shitty start. I woke up in bed alone. Raine knows I was fucked senseless last night because my thighs are sore and when we showered together this morning, he could see all the hickeys and bite marks on my skin. Hence the silent treatment.
Apparently, blight classes need to be taught far away from the academy. We wait in the homeroom in silence. When Edgar and Ash join us, the air becomes suffocating with tension. I hate this so much. Maybe Edgar is willing to talk to me today though.
“Edgar, I?—”
Elias steps down from his staircase and cuts me off with a long sigh. We all look at him and shrink in our seats a bit. His eyes snag on me and my veins twist at the darkness I find in his cold, gray gaze. Back to the distant charade. All the vulnerability I saw in his eyes last night has vanished.
“Let’s go,” Elias says curtly and the four of us follow him outside.
The cold winter wind is brutal against my skin. We make our way across the bridge and down to the courtyard. The forest walls off the back of the usable area. A small path cuts through the trees and stretches far away up the slope of the mountain. Snow crunches beneath our feet as we march across the courtyard and up the path. I give up on the idea of warming my feet anytime soon.
We walk for the better part of twenty minutes. I’m surrounded by three men I have issues with and one stranger.
At least one is my blood and can’t really evade me.
“Can we please talk?” I slow down a bit and walk beside him. Raine and Ash don’t give us a second glance as they walk ahead.
Edgar doesn’t reply, but his expression is much softer than it was yesterday, so I’m praying that he will be willing to hear me out.
“I don’t know what you think happened in Navasik, but I didn’t know what would happen. If I did… I would have stayed and convinced Mom and Dad to run with us. I would never leave you intentionally, Edgar.” I stare at him and the tendrils of pain deep inside me fester, begging to be released.
He looks at me with eyes carrying the weight of the world. “Deep down, I know you wouldn’t… I don’t know why I was so convinced. There’s something dark inside me now, Terra. It won’t stop telling me things I know aren’t true. I—I feel so mixed up.” Edgar’s eyes meet mine and he looks so fucking exhausted. There are scars in his gaze that weren't there before, but now they’re evident, looming and cold. His eyes are rimmed with red. He just looks tired.
“Did you see what happened to them?” I ask, biting the insides of my cheeks. I only saw the aftermath, and that was awful enough. I can’t fathom what he’s seen.
Edgar lowers his chin and mumbles, “Yeah, I did. Heirah soldiers were there too, Terra. We never stood a fucking chance.”
My feet stop moving. “What are you talking about?”
He glances back at me, looking so much older than he is. The dark circles beneath his eyes make his skin appear paler than it should be. “I saw it—they helped Fernestia infiltrate our country. I’m certain that Finn’s father was a part of it. His men were there to clean up the aftermath,” he says with venom.
