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Chapter 23
Margo
Irritation bubbled up in my chest. I sensed Victor trailing behind me, as he had been all morning. I whirled around as soon as the corridor at school cleared of students. “Are you my shadow now?”
He shrugged in answer, his gaze solemn yet disconnected somehow.
“You’re so weird,” I complained. “Walk next to me like a normal person instead of lurking in the shadows.”
He caught up to me then mumbled, “Dorian’s not here,” as though that were some kind of explanation.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” I was about to lose my patience, but he seemed so pathetic that my exasperation with him died before I knew it.
The other pack teens didn’t appear to notice or care that Victor was hanging out with me. Though even I was surprised when he plonked himself in the seat next to me at lunch.
Withholding a sigh, I handed him half my sandwich. He took it without a word.
“People think you’re going to die,” he mumbled when he finished the food.
I’d thought the same thing myself a couple of times, especially when I read back over my health journal. The fact other people were discussing it behind my back made me defensive. “Not unless one of you kill me first.”
He looked up, his green eyes full of mixed emotions. “Sorry,” he said at last.
I knew he was talking about the time he’d attacked me, thinking I had something to do with the murders in his pack. I’d suspected him, too, but we both knew better now, and that was water under the bridge.
“I’m not dying in any case,” I told him. “So don’t get any ideas.”
“You smell like death,” he clarified, still speaking so quietly nobody at the table could hear him. “I don’t like it. It makes me want to…” He looked at me. “What does it feel like?”
“My thing?” I rubbed at my chest. The cold spot within had diminished, but it hadn’t gone away completely. “It feels like I’m tied to people in danger. I can stop what’s happening to them, but it costs me. Mostly it feels cold and scary, but it’s worth it, right?”
“No. You should stop.`”
I sighed, avoiding the curious gaze of Chloe who was pretending to listen to Emma going on. “So people keep telling me.”
“Dorian was scared.” He cleared his throat. “Before he left.”
Having a conversation with Victor was slow and annoying, but I supposed he wasn’t wrong. Dorian had been afraid for me, not of me, but I hadn’t been able to see his fear without feeling afraid myself, so I had gotten angry instead.
“What are you two whispering about?” Chloe demanded, giving up all pretences. “It’s annoying.”
“Nothing,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re going to rehearsals again, right?” She eyed Victor warily. “With Dorian gone, his lot are being lazy, so I need your help kicking them into gear.”
“Not lazy.” Victor sounded unconcerned. “We don’t understand what you want half the time.”
“I’ll be there next rehearsal,” I said. To translate, apparently.
“Good,” Chloe said. “Come eat with us after.”
I glanced at Victor. I’d noticed how badly he was doing at school. “I can’t. I’m studying with Victor afterwards. I need to catch up.”
She narrowed her gaze like she didn’t believe me.
“Yeah,” Victor said, playing along. “I forgot about studying.”
“Prepare yourself,” I warned him. “You’ll be doing a lot of it this year.”
