“Don’t cry.” His voice was comforting, not angry. “I remember how overwhelming college could be. We hoped we’d see you, but do what you need to do.”
I wiped my hand across my face, then dried it on my sweatshirt. “I’m trying to get everything done. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to in time.”
“Let us know as soon as you do.” He paused. “And don’t sweat it. We understand.”
I hadn’t expected this. I thought he’d try to talk me into going home. I thought I’d have to argue. I figured we’d both hang up angry. Instead, we talked about school, my life—the parts I could tell him anyway—Cody, and what they’d been doing for the last few months. It was nice to hear his voice and to remember that there was more to my life than magic, demons, and dragons. I hung up the phone, hoping I’d be able to go home next week to spend some quality time with my parents.
D
Cody, Malcolm, Cash, and I jogged around the indoor track at Lupine Fieldhouse. They let me set the pace, and I took it slower than normal. Last night’s dream and this morning’s conversation with Dad both weighed heavily on my mind.
“What’s up?” Cody bumped his shoulder into mine.
Placing my hands on my hips, I slowed to a walk and tried to steady my breathing. “I wanted to go home for Thanksgiving.”
“So, go.” He shrugged like it was that easy. “Argentum’s imprisoned. What’s stopping you?” He wiped the sweat off his face with the tail of his shirt.
“Bad feeling.” I remembered last night’s dream. “It’s not over.” I started jogging again. I didn’t want to continue this conversation. I didn’t want to consider that I could end up like Draconian. Had he really been decent at one point in his life?
The others caught up to me. Malcolm’s strides were perfectly synchronized with mine. “What did you dream?”
“Can’t talk and run.” I shook my head and sped up.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “Problem solved.”
The ground near my feet held my interest while I told them about my dream. The lane of the track I stood in was gray, but staring down at it, I saw flecks of white, blue, black, and pink intermixed.
Malcolm placed his hand on my shoulder but didn’t say anything until I finished and looked up into his bronze eyes. “Argentum wasn’t wrong. Draconian wasn’t always the monster he became, but even before madness and power corrupted him, he was never someone I would have sworn to protect. He was never the type of person who would go out of his way to help someone else. He always had selfish tendencies.”
“You are nothing like him.” Cash’s voice was nearer to his dragon’s, a deep growl that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “Nothing.”
“Maybe not.” I moved to let a couple of girls run past. “But Argentum thinks I am, and I think he’ll do whatever he can to keep me from following in Draconian’s footsteps.”
Malcolm stared at Cash for a minute before focusing on me. “We need to train.”
“What?” Cody looked at Malcolm like he’d missed something. I assumed my expression looked the same.
Malcolm put his hand on my back and led me off the track. “We don’t know where Tye is, and if he’s working with Argentum, they can combine their powers to control yours.” He nodded at Cash. “If we work together, we may be able to help you figure out how to prevent that from happening.”
We went to the locker rooms, and I just pulled sweats on over my shorts and T-shirt. When we stepped outside, the cold air hit my hot skin. I lifted my face to the breeze, savoring the feeling. I was stuck in my head on the way back to my room. I must’ve replayed Draconian’s death a thousand times. I’d killed him, and at one time, he’d been good. He’d probably even had people who’d loved him and supported him. What had changed him? Would it do the same to me?
We’d barely gotten the door closed when Aurelia teleported into the middle of the room. “Argentum is gone.”
“Great.” I set my bag down by the door. “I thought I’d have longer.”
Cody squeezed my hand. “Better train now.” He tried to conceal the worry on his face and in his voice. He sat down at the desk and pulled one of his books from his backpack.
“How?” I asked Aurelia. “When?”
She stood absolutely still. Her long, golden hair looked perfect, not one single strand was out of place. Her face was stony with wrath. “When his guard changed, they noticed he was gone.” A muscle in her jaw ticked, and I wondered if I’d seen her this angry before. “The guards’ memories have been searched, but we found nothing.” She shook her head. “I warned them that he was too powerful. I told them he needed additional guards. I have to get back to see if I can track him.”
“Be careful.” I watched her disappear, hoping she’d be able to find him before he found me. Then I turned to Malcolm. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“How do we do this?” Cash sat on the couch.
Malcolm positioned himself on the other end of it. “You’re just going to lend me your power.” He waved toward me. “Why don’t you do ice, so we don’t accidentally catch the room on fire?”
I stood in front of them and held my hand out in front of me with my fingers spread wide. Ice crystals manifested in my palm, drawing together until they formed a sphere. Malcolm’s power tugged on it, and the ball flattened, molding to my skin. Frost crept up my arm, encircling it.
I tried to call my power back to me, but the ice spread faster, branching out, then merging together, leaving no skin exposed as it climbed my arm.
I claim
