“I guess I’ll just say…” It wasn’t his comment that caused my breath to hitch. It was how his expression changed in an instant, hardening, capturing a frozen smile in its wake. I stilled in shock and even a little fear. “Be careful what you wish for.” He stormed off.
Well, that was terrifying.
I held back, letting him walk ahead, to put distance between us. That was when I smelled it again. That scent. I know that scent. I riveted my shocked gaze to him. Could he be the one who’d attacked us?
I wasn’t going to take any chances. I had to warn the Council that they were about to declare a dark elemental as the prophecy. Well, if it was him. Until I knew for sure, no way would I let him step in as the prophecy. This wasn’t about pride. This wasn’t about fame or glory. This was about my world and protecting it.
“Spencer,” I called out and ran to catch up. If I planned to pull this off, I needed to ease up, maybe even turn off the bitch switch. Although that was my default setting, I’d have to adapt. He didn’t slow, so I had to jog to keep up, which didn’t please me. I hated running. “Would you slow down?”
“We wouldn’t want you cavorting with the enemy, now would we?” He set his jaw and stared straight ahead. He was either one hell of an actor, or I really did offend him.
I swallowed hard. Here it goes.
“Look, I’m just upset that I have to give up the prophecy.”
“To someone you don’t trust. Let’s not forget that sharp little point.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” I lied. I trusted him about as far as I could throw him without the help of an element. We reached the main hall and paused outside the front entrance.
“Then why don’t you want me to be the prophecy? Don’t you trust I’ll do what’s best for our world?”
Not even a little. “The prophecy is all I know. I wasn’t an elemental an entire day before the Council slapped me with the title. Without it…” I fell silent as the epiphany sank in. I didn’t know what to do if I didn’t have the prophecy driving my every thought, my every action.
“You feel helpless. Perhaps a bit lost?”
I nodded, hating how that was exactly it. Hating even more that he now knew my secret.
“Have no fear, little lamb.” He took my hand and squeezed harder than necessary. My cut, which I’d forgotten about until now, throbbed as a result. “I won’t leave you behind.”
I was no one’s little lamb, thank you very much. I took my hand back and smiled when Spencer opened the door for me. Together, we walked into the office and crossed the room to Dean Carter’s office. The door was closed, so I lifted my fist to knock. He did the same. As much as I didn’t want to give this guy anything, I stepped back and waved for him to do the honors.
He grinned like he’d just won an argument. I held back my eyeroll with great effort. I deserved an award for this role. Or a cookie, at the very least.
“Enter,” a man said from the other side of the door. It wasn’t Dean Carter. Great. The Council beat us here. There went what little homecourt advantage we had.
Spencer opened the door and walked into the room, leaving me standing there. So much for chivalry. I entered after him and made sure to stand at his side in the center of the room, my chin out as I squared my shoulders. If they were about to strip me of my title, I’d take it like an elemental.
I scanned the room, taking in all the men in fancy black suits. Where was Professor Layden? Weren’t women allowed? Or was this more of a good old boys’ club? My attention snagged on Virgil Graves, Vanessa Graves’s father and the reason I’d been stuck with her as a roommate last year. He’d wanted his daughter’s status elevated and had thought rooming her with the prophecy would do the trick. Boy, did that backfire on him. Joke’s on you, buddy.
He stared right back, disapproval settling in his hard expression. He didn’t like me much, and I was fine with that. I hated his daughter and hated him for using me to try to better Vanessa’s position in life. He pulled at the sleeves of his jacket, drawing my attention to the Men in Black attire. I’d always associated those fancy black suits with fear, doubt, and, ultimately, disappointment. Now was no different.
Man after stone-faced man turned to us, no expressions, no emotions of any kind. It was unnerving. The white-haired man that headed up the Council stepped forward, his cool eyes not on me this time, but on Spencer. He still didn’t crack a smile, just as before.
“Spencer Dalton,” Albert Stephens ordered. He didn’t look any different than he did last year when we walked through this same exercise. Hair slicked back with so much product, he’d burst into a blazing inferno if he got too close to an open flame. Perfectly trimmed eyebrows. A tailored suit that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“I do.” He held his head high as if he was about to be crowned.
“When is your next birthday?”
That question seemed to throw him off. He looked at Stephens in confusion. “M-my birthday?”
Stephens waited.
“December twenty-first.”
“Twelve twenty-one,” he breathed as his expression fell, the news delivering a crushing blow. “Are you sure?”
“Of my birthday?” The confusion deepened the lines on his face. “Quite sure.”
Stephens suddenly jumped his attention to me as he recovered. “Ms. Reed, remind the Council of your birthday.”
“March fifteenth.” I exchanged looks with Spencer, who rounded his eyes as if I just revealed some huge secret.
Just as before, the date of my
