Marcus was the easiest to get to fess up, and Jaymin had figured that out. He hadn’t let anything slip during our counseling sessions, but he’d stopped himself before he’d said something incriminating one too many times, and she’d picked up on that.
Jaymin wore a harsh grin as she set her sights on Marcus. “I don’t know if you noticed, but in theMiriamic Messenger,Octavia Fall’s local newspaper, they dedicated a new park to one of the little girls you slayed in your little… accident.”
“Teena Mars,” Marcus said sadly. “I noticed.”
“Yes. She was only six when you blew her apart. Terrible thing, really. How does that make you feel?”
This was going too far. Jaymin was a mean counselor, and yet this bordered on cruelty. I went to say something in Marcus’ defense, but Kallie spoke up first.
“That’s nice they’re doing a memorial,” Kallie said. “Good people should be remembered.”
“Yes,” Jaymin replied slyly. “But she wouldn’t have to be remembered at all if Marcus hadn’t killed her, isn’t that right? She’d still be alive.”
“She would be,” Marcus replied back, haunted. “But she’s not.”
“That’s too bad. I’m only disappointed you can’t apply yourself at the Institute, and show the kind of potential you did during your crime,” Jaymin said, in a fake-ass, disappointed tone. “Wouldn’t it be nice to use that talent for good, instead of evil, like you did?”
Jaymin made a tittering sound. “Unfortunately, it just doesn’t look like you have the talent.”
Marcus hung his head, but Kallie wasn’t going to allow that comment to slide. “That’s not true,” Kallie immediately broke in. “Marcus is stronger than all of us.”
Jaymin let out a tinkling little laugh. “I’m sorry, but Marcus’ performance in his classes has left much to be desired.”
“Screw class,” Kallie barked. “It’s not like that matters.”
“She’s right, Kallie. Let it go,” Marcus said quietly.
“No, Marcus!” Kallie’s tone was so vibrant, it drew everyone’s attention. She fisted her hands in her skirt. “You’re stronger than all of us. You killed eleven people, including someone you loved. I couldn’t live with the guilt if I did that. I’d die of sadness and a broken heart.”
She drew herself and added, “But youdid, Marcus. You found a way to go on and keep living your life even after losing something so precious to you. You’re hated by your coven, you ruined people’s lives, hell, you even lost the one person that you thought really understood you, and yet you’restill here. None of us in this room could do that. Not a damn one of us. But you pulled through. Which makes you the best out of all of us.”
I thought about how I’d feel if I accidentally killed Charlie, and immediately agreed with Kallie. I wouldn’t survive that.
“Well, thanks, Kallie,” Marcus said, like he was honored. “That really means a lot.”
“Touching,” Jaymin commented, and she tossed her clipboard on the small table beside her. She stood to open the door. “I think we’re done for today. You are dismissed.”
Clearly, she was frustrated we hadn’t shown any weakness at whatever was in her pocket. We stood up to leave. On the way out, Charlie bumped into Jaymin, nearly knocking her over. He grabbed her shoulder to steady her while his other hand slipped into her jacket pocket. She didn’t even notice.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “Can’t see where I’m going.”
Jaymin’s lip curled. “Yes. I suppose we should all be more careful.”
I smirked. It was the same trick Charlie had used to steal my wallet long ago. Jaymin sneered at us as we left the room, and we took the winding tower downward.
“Gods, that woman is horrid,” Kallie complained when we reached the bottom stair. “It’s like we go in to get bullied every week.”
“Did you get the crystal?” I asked Charlie.
He opened his hand. Resting on his palm was a tiny purple gemstone. It was see-through, and at such a close distance, the ringing it emitted niggled at my brain. I wanted to pass out just looking at it.
“Do you think Jaymin will notice that you nicked it?” Marcus asked nervously.
“She has counseling sessions all day. She’ll suspect us, but she’ll suspect others as well,” Charlie pointed out. “We just have to hope she doesn’t realize it’s gone until the end of the day.”
“I couldn’t stop time with that crystal in the room,” Kallie said. “Whatever it is, it limits our demigod powers.”
“Jaymin didn’t seem affected by it,” I pointed out. “Neither did Rishi and Alette, but Oberi was. It’s the same with Kallie’s powers, so ithasto be something for demigods. I bet Jaymin’s carrying it around to see who gets sick.”
