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Well, I’ll try my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
How though? If it’s an unconscious thing, then—
There might be a spell that blocks teleportation. I could bind myself each night before I go to sleep.
Is that safe? What if something happens and you have to get away fast? One of the school caretakers could find you in the library. You’ll want to be able to teleport out quickly in that instance.
I just don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable if it happens again.
I won’t feel uncomfortable, Peter. I spoke softly in his mind. I’ll know it wasn’t intentional.
What I really wanted to say was, You’re welcome in my bed anytime.
Our communication was interrupted when my sister walked down the centre of the classroom. “You’ll find a collection of herbs in the cabinets below your desks. I’d like you to separate and identify each of them, making a list of their uses and properties.”
I was busy with my assignment for the rest of the class. Peter didn’t say anything else, but I knew he wasn’t happy leaving his sleep teleportation to chance. I was putting some books in my locker during dinner break when I reached out to him.
Where are you?
In the library, he answered.
Want to grab something to eat with me?
A short beat of silence followed before he replied, I can’t. I have to go to my house while my dad is at work to pick up a few things. I also wanted to check in on my mum and brothers.
Oh, well, I could come with you. For moral support. I wasn’t supposed to leave the school, but Peter could teleport us in and out fast. Nobody would have to know.
It’s not a good idea. If my mother tells my dad that I brought you to our house, he’ll go berserk.
Right, how could I forget the ever-hateful Peter Girard Senior? I won’t come with you, then.
It’s for the best, Darya.
See you in class later, I said before cutting off communication.
“It seems I missed out on all the action,” Grace said when she appeared at my locker. I’d been standing there for who knew how long, conducting a silent conversation with Peter. I must’ve looked so odd. Grace didn’t seem to have noticed. “Nic told me you guys got stuck in the school last night.”
“We did,” I replied, closing over my locker.
Grace’s expression turned solemn. “I heard about what happened to Angela, too. It’s so awful.”
“I’m going to visit her after school if you want to come with me. My dad said she still hasn’t woken up yet.”
“Sure, I’ll come,” she replied, squeezing my shoulder before a smile edged her lips. “Nic also mentioned something about a game of Truth or Dare.”
I shook my head. “Of course, he did.”
“You kissed him!” Grace whispered.
“Technically, he kissed me. And it was a dare.”
“Uh-huh,” Grace waggled her brows. “How was it?”
“Honestly? Pretty good.”
“Oh, em gee, do you like Nic now?”
“What? No. It’s not like that with Nic. And besides,” I said before lowering my voice, “you know I like someone else.”
Grace gave a long-suffering sigh. “I thought you might’ve gotten over that by now.”
Her words made me deflate. I’d been about to tell her about my other kiss last night, but instead, I asked, “Why? What’s so bad about him? He’s hardly any better or worse than Nic Baumann.”
Grace appeared taken aback by my outburst. “I’m sorry, but it’s just hardwired into my DNA to distrust a Girard. I grew up hearing my parents talk about how awful his great uncle was.”
“Well, you need to rewire because Peter’s a good person. There’s nothing you need to distrust about him.”
“But Nic is so adorable. If I were into boys—"
“It doesn’t matter how adorable he is, and yes, I do find him cute and handsome, but that’s all. He doesn’t give me butterflies like—”
“Like a certain someone else does.”
“Yes, now I’m going to the cafeteria. Want to come and watch me eat?”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Grace deadpanned.
***
After my visit to the hospital to see Angela, my dad drove me home. My mother and Rita were out helping the Guard track Angela’s attacker. They were under the impression that it was a vampire working on behalf of the demon who marked me. Unfortunately, the trail had gone cold, and they suspected the demon had used his powers to erase whatever scent the vampire had left behind.
“He’s a trickier adversary than we expected,” Dad told me on the drive. “He’s not from here, so it’s hard to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”
“What if you let me try to follow the scent?” I suggested, eager to assist. “I might have a better nose than whoever is tracking it currently.”
Dad shook his head. “As I said, the demon has meddled with the trail. It doesn’t matter how good your nose is. You’ll only meet a dead end.”
