AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I frown. “I guess I never really thought of that all that much.” But I should have. It should have occurred to me that magic isn’t inherently American and there must be witches all around the world. And seeing as I can count the number of international students at Seven Stars on two hands, they aren’t coming here.
“Well, there are other schools all across the globe, even on the East coast.” She coughs out a word that I think sounds likeYaleand then breezes by that revelation. “Anyway, you wouldn’t be any safer at any of the other schools, either. If someone is after you here, they’d be after you there.”
I’m not sure that’s entirely true. I think the only reason I’m a target is because Mr. Harris saw me on parents’ day and saw something he didn’t like in me. Likely my power. If I was at a different school, like Yale apparently, I would probably just be a normal student. I would have no idea about the magic that they seem sure that I have. But I’m still not sure I do.
Merritt shifts and looks at me. “I think they really are trying to help you this time around, and I think they are going to do it the right way. If you can’t trust them, you can’t trust them. But at least give them a chance. You’d want a second chance with someone you care about, right?”
I groan and tip my head back. “You are wise beyond your years, Mer. And it’s not fucking fair.”
She chuckles and scoops up another slice of pizza. “I am, aren’t I.”
I chuckle, shaking my head.
A knock sounds at the door and Merritt looks at me expectantly, waiting for my nod of approval before she goes to open it. All four of the assholes who have taken over my life stride through the door.
Ezra has a couple of books in his hands, and Gideon is carrying a bag that clinks and rattles as he moves. They all look at me, checking to see if I am still uninjured. I arch a brow as they run their gazes over me, taking in my sweat pants and t-shirt.
When none of them say anything, I shift and place my glass on the table before saying, “any particular reason you‘re here?”
Fielder’s lips tighten at my cool tone, but Ezra pushes forward, holding up the books. “We were hoping you’d be okay with us doing a few protection spells on you?”
Merritt sits up, pushes toward the edge of the couch and holds her hand out for the books, already sensing I’m going to need more information from a trusted source. “Which ones are you thinking of doing?”
Ezra scowls at her, but hands over the books, watching as she flips open to the pages he’s marked. I wait until she looks up at me. “Standard connection spell. It’ll give you the ability to reach out to them if you need help. It’s only used for communication and nothing else.” It’s like she could tell I was going to have a problem with that. I’ve read books where connection spells mean things like mating and bonding and all kinds of shit I am not ready for. I nod my understanding and wait while she looks at the others.
Hardin inches closer to me, reaches out and pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “How’re you holding up, love?”
I give him a tired smile. “Well, it’s my first day back and someone has already tried to kill me, so par for the course, I guess.”
He settles onto the arm of the couch next to me, not touching but still close. Like he’s trying to respect my boundaries, like he’s trying to give me space. I’m surprised when it hits me in my chest. I want him to touch me after what happened this morning. To be physical, to climb behind me on the couch and wrap his body around me.
Holy penguins, there is something wrong with me. Something very, very wrong with me.
Or maybe there’s not. Maybe what Merritt said is true, and they won’t hurt me again. They aren’t going to suddenly pull the rug out from under me.
Maybe a part of me knows that, even if my mind is still fighting it.
I lean toward him, just the slightest bit, my shoulder pressing into his thigh. She looks down at me in surprise, but doesn’t pull away from me. I glance over at Merritt. She’s still reading over the spells. Her brow furrowed. Thank god for her. Really. I would have no idea if they were just doing protection spells.
Hardin’s hand smooths down the back of my head, then rests at the nape of my neck, while the three other guys watch. Fielder has his hands clenched by his sides and I get the impression that he wishes he was the one that was touching me. But out of all of them, he’s hurt me the most. Telling Morgan about my dad is something I’m not sure I’ll be able to ever forgive him for that.
His green eyes meet mine and he nods like he knows what I’m thinking, like he accepts it.
Merritt sits back and nods before looking at me. “They’re all normal spells. In addition to the communication spell, they want to do one that will, umm,repelmagical attacks like a shield. It’ll only work a handful of times before it needs to be renewed. And… they want to do a tracker spell. That’s the only one I’m not one hundred percent behind, because I believe you need to have some autonomy.”
I straighten away from Hardin and shake my head. “Are you kidding me? You want to put a tracker on me like I’m a dog with the tendency to run away?”
Fielder holds out a hand and shakes his head. “No, we want to put a tracker spell on you like a person who is in danger at all times. We need to be able to find you to keep you safe, Sweeney.”
“If we have a communication spell, can’t I just tell you where I am if I need help?”
He shakes his head. “Today you were at the bottom of a pool, drowning. Would you have had the frame of mind to tell us what exactly was happening and where you were?”
“I think me sending the message, ‘I’m drowning,’ would have been a pretty big hint about where I was.”
Fielder runs a hand down his face and I think he might be on the verge of exploding. Ezra steps forward, taking over like he senses the same thing I do. “Ro, think about it. There are rivers, ponds, a freaking lake and a swimming pool all on this campus alone.”
My mouth opens and then closes as Hardin’s arm slips around my shoulders, pulling me back into him. “What if we promise to only access it when we know you’re in trouble?” He looks up at Fielder, Gideon and Ezra. “Not when we just have a burning itch to know where you are?”
