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“We’re good,” Eldon says with a sigh, planting his hands on his hips as Burton purses his lips. When it’s seemingly clear that we’re not going to sit, he knocks his fist on the desk.
“Okay, I’ll get right to it then. Do you realize how incredibly stupid you were today? Do you realize the unknown you were walking into? We have wards around the academy for this exact reason. I can’t block your magic entirely, but I can guide it where necessary. Do you require a binding on your gateways so you can’t leave the grounds, Mr. Carlsen?”
“Isn’t that against the Monarchy rulings?” Zane interjects, cocking a brow at Burton, who barely manages to bite back his sneer.
“Alternatives can be arranged, Mr. Denver. I’m sure if your father found out you took an unsupervised trip to Shadowmoor mere days after the outpost attack, I don’t think he would be too happy about it, do you?”
“I think he would want us to have more information after such an attack. I think he would want us to be better prepared, and I certainly think he would not take too kindly to your threat to restrain our magical abilities with such great danger lurking.Do you?” I almost want to high-five the fuck out of Zane for his mightier-than-thou response. It’s a huge difference from the mouthful he would have gotten from me, so I’m more than happy for Zane to lead.
“It’s also against academy rules to leave campus in the manner you did ”
“If you explained to us what the hell happened at the outpost, we wouldn’t have to,” Eldon counters, making Burton’s nostrils flare with agitation.
He sighs deeply, shaking his head as he grips the arms of his chair. “Nothing I’m saying is being heard, is it?”
“No,” Creed chirps in, making the professor sigh even heavier.
“I didn’t think so.” Burton’s gaze settles on Zane, his lips pursing as silence stretches between us to the point it’s almost uncomfortable before he continues. “Your father resisted me extending the offer earlier, but it seems now may be a good time.”
“For what?” Zane asks, his forehead crinkling as my eyebrows pinch in confusion.
Burton stands, bracing his hands on the glass desk for a second before he straightens, adjusting his tie as he circles around the desk. Only when he’s sure he has all of our attention does he speak.
“To join the Nightmares Guild.”
The what now?
“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to say that again,” Zane states, his head tilting as he assesses the professor.
“The Nightmares Guild, Mr. Denver. It’s a secret society within the academy. Its purpose is to face the greater terrors that lurk beyond these walls.”
I think I’m going to need that chair now. This just became very overwhelming really quickly. A secret society? Here? The confusion on each of the Bishops’ faces only confirms I’m not the only one just hearing about this.
“Who else is a part of it?” Eldon asks, and Burton shrugs.
“That’s the kind of information you would become privy to upon acceptance, not a moment sooner.” He crosses his legs at the ankle, seemingly waiting for an answer right now.
“We’ll have to think about it. Can we leave?” Creed replies, taking a step toward the door behind us with a blank expression on his face.
“You have five days.” I take that as our dismissal and march for the door, but before I can follow Creed through the opening, Burton hollers my name. I spin to look at him and the inquisitive look on his face makes my stomach clench before he even speaks. “Your father advised your abilities could make an appearance at any time since he ensured the magical barrier was lifted from you. Has there been any change in that?” I gulp, bile burning the back of my throat as I shake my head, unable to speak. I hadn’t considered my father telling Burton I was a Void, but I shouldn’t underestimate his reach and want for power. Does he know what my magic is? “Very well. Should that change, Miss Hendrix, I expect to be one of the first to know.”
One nod and I’m out of there, flying past Creed and racing down the hall until I burst through the doors at the end of the corridor, the fresh air filling my lungs.
“Are you okay?” The question comes from Zane as I slowly push up off my knees. I hadn’t even realized I’d crouched over to heave in every breath, and I quickly glance around to make sure no one else saw my dramatics. Thankfully, we’re alone.
“I’m good,” I murmur, not truly feeling the words, and the gentle smile on his face tells me he knows it too.
He reaches for my hand without a word and pulls me toward the path to our house, the others falling in step with us.
“We have five days,” Creed mutters when we’re halfway home, and I nod in acknowledgment. “I think you’re going to need to speak to your father, Zane,” he adds, and Zane’s grip on my hand tightens.
“I will.” The determination in his voice is thick.
“None of this makes sense,” I breathe, still at a loss, and Eldon rakes his fingers through his hair.
“How the fuck has there been a secret society operating here without us knowing? I feel stupid as fuck,” he grunts. It seems clear to me that Zane’s father may have had a hand in keeping them from the Guild, until now at least. But that fact only raises the question of why. What is he trying to protect his son from? Why hide this?
Not wanting the conversation to get too heavy as we pass a few students wandering along the path, I nudge Zane with my elbow. “Maybe you aren’t as cool as you think you are.”
