Eternal

“She’s not feeling well,” Tyler said, laying a steady hand on my shoulder. “I think I should walk her over there.”

Dr. Andrulis nodded, his brow knit with concern. “Yes, she does look rather pale. Go on. I’ll give you a late pass for sixth period.”

I gathered my things with shaking hands. Why the heck was I being summoned, and more important, by whom? Dr. Ackerman? Or did this mean that Mrs. Girard was back? I had no clue what was going on, and I hated walking into a situation blindly.

I needed to talk to Matthew, I realized. He was probably right in the middle of teaching a class, but what choice did I have? Besides, I was pretty sure that he’d want me to check in with him before gallivanting off to face who knows what.

“You ready?” Tyler asked, reaching for my bag. He slung it over one shoulder with his own, a late pass clutched in his hand.

“We’ve got a stop to make first.” I grabbed my coat and followed him out into the corridor.

“Dr. Byrne?” he asked as soon as the classroom door swung shut.

I nodded. “Yup.”

“You going to tell me what’s going on?”

“I would if I knew, Ty. I was just sitting there listening to Dr. Andrulis and . . . and then I felt a buzz in my head and I could have sworn I heard Aidan’s voice. You know . . . there.” I tapped one temple.

“Seriously?” He pushed open the door at the end of the hallway, and we stepped out into the courtyard, making our way around the fountain toward the science wing.

“Yeah, and that’s right when the phone rang. I have no idea if the two are somehow related.” Shivering now, I zipped up my fleece.

“Well, what did he say? In your head, I mean.”

“Nothing much. Just my name and then . . . here.”

“Here? Like, here at Winterhaven?”

“I have no idea, Tyler!” Was it possible? I didn’t dare allow myself to hope.

I followed Tyler into the science wing and up the stairs toward Matthew’s office. We passed it, and Tyler stopped two doors down, in front of a classroom. Through the pane of glass in the door, I could see Matthew standing at the front of the room wearing goggles, surrounded by equipment. I waved, trying to catch his eye, but it was no use.

“You stay here,” Tyler said before opening the door and slipping inside.

I watched as he approached Matthew, pulling him aside and gesturing with his hands as he spoke to him. Matthew removed his goggles and said something to the class before following him out into the hallway.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his brow creased with worry.

Quickly, I told him what had happened.

“I’m going with you,” Matthew said, reaching for the door.

“Wait.” I grabbed his sleeve. “You can’t go with me. I mean, does Mrs. Girard know about the Megved stuff?”

He shook his head. “No, but she knows I’m your psychic coach.”

“Well, that doesn’t really explain why you’d abandon your class to come with me, does it?”

“She’s right,” Tyler said.

“I’m still coming. I’ll stay outside the office, pretend that I’m there to talk to Ackerman or something.”

“In the middle of fifth period?”

He glanced down at his watch. “The bell’s in ten minutes, and I don’t teach sixth period. Let me go dismiss my class, and you go to the dorm to get your stake. I’ll meet you in the East Hall lounge.”

“My stake?” My voice rose in alarm. “This might just be a coincidence, right? Maybe Dr. Ackerman just needs to talk to me about something. She is the senior adviser.”

Matthew looked unmoved. “If that were the case, couldn’t it wait till after sixth period, Violet? C’mon, what do your instincts tell you?”

I took a deep, calming breath. For a moment, I closed my eyes, still breathing deeply. I explored my senses, searching for anything out of the ordinary, any hint of something not right. And there it was, a slight tingling sensation on my right wrist. Almost like a vibration running from my wrist to my fingertips. I recognized the signs now, knew what the sensation meant.

Vampire.

With an audible gasp, I opened my eyes. “Yeah, something’s up. I don’t know who it is exactly, but there’s a vampire back on campus.”

Matthew tapped his left shoulder. “I’ve got my baselard.”

Tyler looked confused. “Your what?”

“Just get her to the dorm, okay?” Matthew turned back toward the classroom door. “I’ll meet you there in just a few minutes.”

With a nod, Tyler reached for my arm.

“Let’s get this straight,” I said, shrugging off his touch. “I don’t need you to get me anywhere. I can get myself there just fine, okay?”

He raised two hands in surrender. “Hey, I got it. Just trying to help out here.”

I let out a frustrated breath. “I know you are. I’m sorry. I’m a little on edge right now.”

“Yeah, no kidding. Look, I told Dr. Andrulis I was walking you there. He thinks you’re sick or something. Let’s not give him any reason to think otherwise.”

“I know. You’re right. But let’s hurry, okay?” Because what if it was Aidan I was sensing and he was somehow back at Winterhaven? I fought the sudden urge to take off at a sprint, abandoning Tyler and Matthew and all of their careful caution.

I needed to get to the headmistress’s office. Now.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Tyler said. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, but we’re not doing it that way. We’re doing just what Dr. Byrne said. First we’re going to the dorm and getting your stake, and then we’re meeting him in the lounge. If the boyfriend’s really here at Winterhaven, there’ll be plenty of time for the happy reunion later. Okay?”

“Okay.” I nodded, swallowing hard as my mind latched on to the phrase “happy reunion.”

Was this it, finally? After two months of frustration, of worry and heartbreak? My stomach did a nervous little flip, my heart fluttering wildly in my chest.

“Isn’t that your stake hand?” Tyler asked, and I glanced down at my right hand, surprised to find that I had been standing there, flexing it.

As if I were gearing up for a fight.

I pushed aside the thought, refusing to examine it further. Instead, I reached for Tyler’s hand, clasping it tightly in mine. I was glad for the contact, relieved that the pressure on my fingers was dulling the strange sensations as I tugged him along beside me. “Just don’t let go of me, okay?”

“Whatever you say,” he quipped, grinning his cocky grin as he glanced down at our joined hands.

“I’m serious, Tyler. Forget what I said earlier—I really need you right now.”

He paused by the door that led out to the courtyard. “Hey, whatever happens in the headmistress’s office”—he took a deep breath, his steady gaze meeting mine—“I’m here for you. I know I act like an asshole sometimes, but friendship means a lot to me. Friends are all I’ve got, you know?”

“I know,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. Because I did—I was an orphan, after all, with no living blood relatives save my Gran. Rising up on tiptoe, I pressed a kiss to Tyler’s cheek. “I really do. Now, c’mon, let’s go.”

12 ~ Royal Blood

For several seconds, I paused outside the office’s medieval-looking door, gathering my courage to face whatever—and whomever—was on the other side of it.