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Lucas sucks in a deep breath and nods, squeezing Zina’s hand a little bit tighter. Kali’s face falls at that but she does her best to smile through it.
“There’s so much I need to fill you in on, Olivia,” Kali exclaims. “I got to meet my mother, and she showed me how to use my powers defensively.”
Kali waves her hand over a dandelion barely peeking through the grass, and with the swipe of her hand it grows up to her knee. My eyes widen and I grin back at her, seeing the excitement gleaming in her eyes as she bounces on her toes.
“I want to hear everything,” I reply.
Pain slices through my chest at just how much I’ve missed with my friends, and I make a silent vow to have a friends’ night at the manor as soon as today is over, not daring to let a negative thought wiggle its way into my mind.
There’s one person that’s missing, one that I really need to keep my eye on. “Has anyone seen Nelle?” I ask, looking around the groups gathered near us just in case she’s trying to go unnoticed.
“I haven’t seen her since yesterday,” Kali says, her brows furrowing. “I went by her room this morning but she didn’t answer. I figured she was just upset about not being allowed to take part in the action.”
My lips purse, and I slip my phone out from the pocket of my leather pants and send her a quick text.
Olivia:Please don’t try anything today.
I wait for her reply with bated breath, but let loose a sigh of relief when it comes in a few seconds later.
Nelle:Don’t worry. I was scolded earlier by Dion and told to stay in my room and not open the door until he comes for me.
Nelle:Like how does that even make sense?
Olivia:Idk but just listen to him lol
I quickly slip my phone back into my pocket. “She says she’s in her room. It seems like Dion already told her to be careful.”
“Thank goodness,” Kali says, clasping a hand over her chest.
“Let’s just hope she listens to him.” I grimace and shake my head, belatedly wondering if I should go lock her door just in case.
No, that would be wrong … wouldn’t it?
“Do you mind if I have a word?” Katrina asks, catching me off guard. She plays with the end of her blonde braid as if she’s nervous to speak to me.
Strange …
I try to keep the surprise off my face the best I can. “Sure, I have a minute.”
Katrina nods and strolls towards the line of trees, just far enough out of earshot of the others. I can’t help but glance back at my friends in question. Some of the tension radiating through my chest eases as Kali gives me an encouraging smile.
I mean, I’m not scared of Katrina Beauchamp, but I really don’t feel like getting into some petty squabble with her, especially with Maximus waiting on us.
“Is everything okay?” I ask stiffly, not sure what to expect from the seemingly former mean girl. If Kali of all people is willing to accept her, she must’ve seen some redeeming qualities, right?
“Yeah, I mean, not really,” Katrina sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face. “We just haven’t had a chance to really talk since that day in the hall … ”
My mind drifts to that moment, when Katrina first met her father, Orrin—who was less than enthused to find another offspring and pretty much wanted nothing to do with her.
“I’m sorry.” Katrina’s apology snaps my focus from the memory so quickly I don’t have time to disguise my shock. “I deserve that, but it’s true. I’m sorry for how I treated everyone when I first got here.”
I smooth my features into a calm, impenetrable mask, willing to withhold my judgment. Hell, I’ve changed so much since I walked through those doors. Who’s to say that Katrina can’t grow and adapt.
“I know it’s hard to believe it, but I was freaking out when I first got here.”
I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up past my lips despite my effort to clamp it down.
“Okay, fine, I guess it is easy to believe, but I thought I had everyone fooled.” Katrina narrows a glare on me, but it quickly vanishes as she continues. “I was never the popular girl in the human world, and I took this as my chance to change all of that. I emulated all the girls I used to hate, with their superior attitudes and hot boyfriends, and I latched onto the first person who was nice to me, knowing that if I said I was dating one of the gods I would be the envy of the school.”
