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14
Raven
I spentmost of my morning assuring my friends that I was fine after the head injury. I even managed to avoid making eye contact with the sirens when I got breakfast. The only good thing was hearing that Coach Miller still made Delores run the stairs after dinner. And she did throw up.
Between trying to fake smile at everyone and pay attention in class, I was wondering about what I’d expect in my independent study. What more could Professor Halifax want to teach me? I supposed that I could benefit from learning how to control my temper a bit but that didn’t seem like it needed a whole semester.
During spell casting, I kept watching her expressions, hoping for some sign of what was coming after class ended. She lectured the whole period, not even giving us a minute to talk with our partners.
While I’d lost classes with Ben, I still had spell casting with the twins. It should feel like old times. But now, I was overly aware of how close they were to me with each passing tick of the clock.
Finally, the bell rang and everyone started packing up their bags to head to lunch. I remained in my seat, dreading what was coming next.
“You coming?” Zach asked.
“I have to make up yesterday’s class” I said, lifting my chin toward Professor Halifax.
“Want me to stay?” Zach asked.
“No, that’s okay, no need for you to sit through it again,” I said.
“I can stay,” Matt said.
“She’ll be fine by herself,” Professor Halifax said as she stopped in front of me. “Though, I will expect you here promptly after lunch for your independent study.”
Zach frowned and I could tell he didn’t like the situation. I wondered if he was jealous.
The twins walked away and left me alone in the room with the professor. “So, what did I miss? Should I take notes?”
She sat down next to me. It was the most informal thing she’d ever done. Almost like she was letting her guard down. “We need to talk.”
My stomach tightened. That wasn’t a great phrase. It was usually followed by words likeI’m breaking up with youoryou’re fired. “About?”
“The Yule Ball,” she said. “They whisked you away to meet with your probation officer before you could even process what happened.”
“That’s true,” I said.
“How are you doing?” She looked genuinely concerned.
I wasn’t sure how to react. It had been a long time since an adult, I mean technically I was an adult, but a long time since someone in a position of authority asked me how I was doing. “I’m okay, I guess.”
She frowned. “You’ve been through a lot in the last several months. I have a feeling you are not okay.”
“Well, I don’t really have a choice,” I said. “I have to be okay or I have to fake it, at least.”
“Right, but your magic won’t be as strong as it should be if your head isn’t in the right place.”
There it was. The reason she was concerned. My magic. For a moment, I thought maybe she was worried aboutme. Magic was an odd thing. And mine seemed especially curious to those around me. “I am doing my best.”
“I worry about you, you know,” she said, standing. “You and me aren’t so different.”
“We aren’t?” I didn’t mean to say the words out loud but it was hard to imagine her finding similarities between us. She was so composed and sure of herself. And she was powerful.
She smiled. “There are few with fae blood in the human realm. Those of us who are left here should help one another.”
“Like the magic thief helped me?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “The magic thief didn’t speak for the rest of the fae. It was a surprise to all of us to find out she was fae in the first place. Magic thieves are usually half demon, half mage.”
