Page 49 of Facade

One of the caster prefects led the way to the room Brandon and Paul would be staying in. The boys went upstairs behind them to unpack and organize their things. Clarke and Jace waited until the elementals left, and it was quiet outside.

“Watch your back, Ray,” Jace said seriously. “Mitch probably won’t let it end here.”

“I’d be shocked if he did,” Ray said.

“Text us if you need anything,” Clarke told him.

“Will do,” Ray replied.

“We’ll be patrolling the dorms heavily until this matter is settled,” the shorter guard said.

By the time she got to bed that night, Clarke was emotionally and physically exhausted. Using every bit of power she possessed to create the barricade of desks would have been tiring on its own. That, combined with her fear for the students, made for quite an adrenaline crash when the danger was over.

The day had been a series of revelations, most of them unpleasant. It was too much stress within a few hours, on top of her other worries. Spending time alone with Jace would have helped calm them both, but they hadn’t had the leisure to meet.

Despite being so tired, Clarke’s mind was too busy for her to relax. After tossing and turning restlessly for an hour, she finally drifted into a fitful slumber.

Thursday was a three-cup-of-coffee morning. The students seemed relatively calm when Clarke made her rounds of the dorm. That helped settle her own nerves.

Per the dean, she, Jace, and Ray would be on limited duties until further notice. It was logical for them to focus on the students, but the disruption in routine threw her off. Clarke didn’t know how to occupy herself in the extra time she now had.

Jace and Ray texted that they would meet her outside the dorm with the rest of the boys. They could walk together as a group. Since Mitch had to be out for blood, it was smart to stick together.

Clarke had been checking her phone, but didn’t have any messages from Bruce Walker, or the Dean’s office.

“Have you guys heard anything?” Clarke asked Ray and Jace when she and her underage students met them in front of the dorm.

“No, but it might take a few days,” Jace replied.

Clarke knew that was reasonable, but hoped it would be resolved sooner. Just watching the students on the quad made it clear that everyone was feeling the strain of the current situation.

There were no leisurely strolls, students sitting in the grass strumming guitars, or games today. Boys walked swiftly with their heads down, or talked in hushed whispers. Shoulders were tense, and eyes darted at any sudden noise.

Several casters walked with wands held at the ready. Shifters sniffed the air. Given the variety of abilities, many of them psychic, powered students were less obvious with their actions, but still clearly anxious.

Understandably, elementals showed the most disquiet. Air gusted in random directions, a few small funnel clouds hovered before dispersing. Water in the fountains rippled, occasionally shooting upward in miniature geysers.

Boulders and large stones that were placed as landscaping features trembled, some of them rolling to different locations. Clarke didn’t see any fires erupting, which was a blessing.

Affected by the pervading tension, their group walked quickly to the Humanities building. Conversation was minimal, and kept to low tones. Jace, Ray, and Clarke watched for anything suspicious, but currently, there was no sign of sabotage.

“We’ll wait outside at the end of class,” Jace said.

Clarke nodded. It was strange to rely on Ray, and feel a sense of camaraderie with him. He had texted the night before, thanking her for suggesting that he prepare a room for the elemental boys.

Brandon and Paul were happier this morning than they’d been in weeks. They seemed to feel secure with Ray, and comfortable in the caster dorm.

Jace had messaged, giving her a summary of the talk he and Ray had. That explained Ray’s radical change in attitude, and it made sense.

Clarke felt like there was more to this, but that could be her hesitance to trust this sudden turnaround. She told herself to be grateful that Ray seemed to have gotten his priorities in line, and not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Having another ally who had the best interests of the students at heart, was a good thing. Even if this was temporary, Ray seemed by far the lesser of two evils. Jace felt that Ray had been honest with him, and Clarke trusted his judgment.

Guards patrolled around the Humanities building. The additional security was reassuring and disconcerting at the same time. Clarke couldn’t pretend that everything was normal.

Changing classrooms was one more thing to get used to. But there was a sense of peace after stepping inside the building. The new classroom was on the opposite side of the building, near the front entrance.

No water features were in sight. The door had glass panes that should make sabotage obvious, and could be broken in an emergency. Clarke appreciated the strategic thinking employed in selecting this room.