“Because I came back here.” I dropped into the chair and set my elbows on the desk, resting my head in my hands. “Why are you doing this? Why treat me like I’ve done something wrong?”
She approached and stared at me through the mirror. “You know why. Spencer used dark magic on you. In his attempt to bind your powers, he instead implanted a darkness that nearly took over. If Syd hadn’t stopped you when he did, you would have killed one or all of the quad squad. It’s my understanding you nearly killed a dark elemental when you were with the patrol looking for me.”
“But I didn’t,” I fired back. Holy cripes, man. She made it sound like I was a monster. “And I didn’t attack those water elementals.”
“When the Council comes to question you—and they will come—be sure you tell them only enough to convince them of your innocence and nothing more. I don’t think they’ll be as forgiving if they discover your sixth element.” She grabbed my bags. “Get ready for tribunals. I’ll deliver these to your new room in Terrae. You’ll be on the sixth floor.”
“I thought Terrae only had five floors.”
“Your room is the only one above them.”
“The only room above the top floor is the…” I trailed off when it clicked. “Wait. Am I in the attic?”
“Think of it as the penthouse.”
“Stace!”
“Get ready and head to the field.” She teleported out, leaving me alone and fuming. Over being accused of attacking students. Over moving from a huge room all to myself in Ventus to the attic in Terrae, which I probably had to share with rats and other vermin.
One thought continued to plague me as I got ready. It wasn’t that a couple of students claimed I attacked them. It was the fact Stace believed them over me.
After doing a half-assed job at my hair and makeup, I changed into my uniform sans anything yellow. Since I was now a resident of Terrae and should be sporting the green color of the house—which looked way better on a redhead than yellow, which made me appear as if I had liver disease—I left all the sweaters and blazers for Ventus in the wardrobe.
By the time I emerged from my room for the last time, news of me attacking two water elementals had spread faster than a virus in a room full of sneezers. The fact I’d spent the night with the guys didn’t even get an honorable mention.
“Montana!” Clay met me as soon as I walked outside. “What’s up, buttercup?” When I didn’t slow, he grasped my arm to stop me. “Seriously, what’s got you angry enough to go on a rampage?”
“Haven’t you heard? Apparently, I already did.”
“Oh, that.” He waved off the news, just like he waved off anything with any level of seriousness. “I also heard you sprouted wings and flew around the academy, spewing fire like a dragon.” His expression stilled. “Wait, can you shapeshift into a dragon? Because if you can, that’d be very cool.”
When he teasingly winked, I relaxed slightly. He always had the power to find the humor in any situation. Even one as serious as me being accused of running around attacking other students.
Leo joined us and took in my appearance. He looked even pastier today, though his cheeks were flushed darker than yesterday. “Where’re your house colors?”
“I’m moving to Terrae today after tribunals.”
Clay groaned. “I still can’t believe you’d rather live in the dirt house than with me in the coolest house there is.”
“Said no one living outside Ventus, like, ever,” Leo quipped, earning a middle finger from Clay. “What’s going on, babe? I heard you tried to boil the blood of a couple of water elementals. I can tell you from personal experience, that shit hurts. Granted, River and Brooke are annoying, but did you have to use a forbidden call on them? Did they do something to piss you off?”
“I didn’t do… Just a second. Their names are River and Brooke? Water elementals named after bodies of water? Seriously?” I snorted. Some parents were downright cruel. I jerked my attention to my bearded air elemental as his name clicked. “Wait. Your name is Clay.”
“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.”
“You were named after your opposing element. That’s just mean. Who names their air elemental after earth?”
“Maxine and Gerard Williams, that’s who.” He set his jaw and looked away. “That’s what happens when two brainiacs try and be funny. At least I didn’t inherit their sense of humor. I’m funny as hell.”
“You should let other people tell you you’re funny.” Leo’s comment earned him another flip of the bird.
I was still stuck on the fact parents named their kids after elements. That was hilarious and disturbing at the same time.
“They were attacked with earth,” I finally pointed out. “The two water elementals were buried alive. It wasn’t fire.”
“You mean the rumor mill got something wrong?” Clay brought his hand to his chest and pretended to clutch his pearls. “Shocker.”
Leo wiped at his drenched brow, revealing sweat stains that’d even soaked through his blazer.
“Leo, is your fever worse? You’re sweating really bad.” I reached to touch his forehead, but he swatted my hand away.
“Stop fussing over me, babe. I’m fine. I’m just nervous to get my fake tribunal over with so I can start my finals.”
He had a point. I’d be nervous enough to produce sweat stains too if I had to go through another tribunal.
More and more students headed toward the training field as day two of the tribunals geared up. I hated this, hated it more than I hated running—and I really hated running. If I wasn’t being chased by a rabid honey badger or another animal equally as terrifying, I saw no need to run.
“When are you testing?” I
