“I hope whatever happened earlier didn’t scare you,” Ava said softly while we walked down the hall in the Elementai cellblock.
“I’m not scared of you, pidge,” I replied, thinking she was talking about how she’d almost lost control of her Fire.
“I was talking about whatever happened with our magic— how you just… took my powers from me. You’re not Koigni. You shouldn’t have been able to take my Fire. Will you check in with me in the morning? So I know you’re okay.”
“I feel fine,” I assured her. “But I’ll check in.”
“Thanks.” She turned toward her room, and Oberi tried to follow. “No, Oberi. Stay with Charlie tonight.”
It was weird of her to give Oberi up so easily. I got the sense she was really worried about me. Whatever happened earlier wasn’t normal— that much was for certain.
But then again,weweren’t normal. Ever since Professor Baine showed up in my apartment and dragged me into this supernatural world, I’d come to expect the unexpected.
Oberi whined when I ushered him into my room. He tossed and turned all night. I barely slept. I must’ve managed to drift off, because I woke to the sound of Oberi barking loudly across the room.
I groaned as I sat up. “What is it, boy?”
He barked again, and his tail thumped loudly against the floor. It took me a few seconds to wake, but when I finally did, I suddenly became aware of a sinking feeling in my gut.
I scrambled out of bed and fumbled around for my pants that I left lying on the back of my chair. I yanked them on, then realized they were backward and tried again.
As soon as I had my clothes on, I hurried out into the hall and pounded on Ava’s door. “Pidge?” I called. “You all right?”
Her emotions were all over the place. I could’ve been overreacting, but with Ava’s high bleeding through, I was so overwhelmed. I didn’t know which feelings were mine and which were hers.
“Ava!” I yelled, but no answer came. Beside me, Oberi whimpered.
“Hell,” I muttered under my breath.
Footsteps approached, and I whirled toward whoever was coming my way. “Have you seen Ava-Marie?”
“I just passed her in the hall,” an unfamiliar male voice responded. “She was headed toward the cafeteria.”
Oberi guided me around corners, but he slowed when I heard the sounds of chatter coming through the cafeteria doorway. I started toward the doors, but Oberi sniffed the ground and started dragging me in the other direction. I followed quickly. We turned another hall, where all I could hear was the sound of footsteps as a few people passed through.
“Excuse me, madame,” someone said in a high-pitched British accent. “Have you seen my brother?”
I stopped dead in my tracks. British accent or not, I’d know that voice anywhere.
“Sorry, haven’t seen him,” someone replied, then quickened their pace as they hurried away, as if they were frightened.
“Ava?” I called to get her attention.
“Oh!” she said brightly, without dropping the accent. “Hello, good sir! Have you seen my brother?”
“Is Ez okay?” My heart thumped in my chest.
Ava dodged my question as she approached me. “I’m looking for my brother. I must ask his permission to attend the ball.”
“The ball?”
“Yes, theball,” she emphasized.
“Pidge, what are you talking about?” I demanded. Hell, was she delusional?
She gasped dramatically. “Pidge?! What kind of a foul insult is that? I expect better from a man of your status.”
What the hell is wrong with you? You’re not British, and there is no damn ball.
