Keaira moves to the pillow next to me before sinking into the softness. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to sleep. We have much to talk about, but that can wait until tomorrow.” A deep purr escapes her lips as she closes her eyes.
“Are you going to believe her?” Lore asks as she flies toward me, landing on my arm where her tattoo usually appears.
I shrug and lie back against my pillows as I stare at the ceiling. “She was sent by the goddess, Lore, so I have no choice but to accept her. But I feel like she isn’t telling me everything.”
My arm tingles as Lore sinks into my skin, and I can feel her exhaustion and relief at being home. “You’ve been venturing out more. Are you sure you’re okay? You feel exhausted,” I say.
Lore laughs in my mind, but sighs as she yawns. “We need to know everything there is to know about these objects and this school. There is much we don’t know, like why Rostova wants them, or what he’s going to do with them. And I want to know this before we hand them over without a second thought. That man is pure evil, Serena.”
I nod as our conversation plays in my mind. “He is, but you don’t think he’s going to do anything too bad, do you?”
“If you truly believe he’s going to do anything good with them, you are burying your head in the sand, Mistress. Nothing that man does is ever good, so whatever his plans are, they don’t bode well for anyone.”
Rolling over, I stare out of the window and to the moon. I know I’m not good, but I don’t want anything bad to happen to the guys. They don’t deserve that.
My mind fills with all of the possible scenarios, but one thing is abundantly clear, I’m no longer the soulless woman I thought I was. I care about them. And that means I’m in deep shit.
Damn it all to Hades.
As I pack up the last of my books, I feel the weight of Dane’s eyes on me, but I don’t look up.
“You should go on ahead. I have some things I want to discuss with the professor about our assignment,” I mutter.
His aura brushes against mine, and I try to shove down the sourness that’s been sitting in my stomach for most of the day. I couldn’t get past it, or let it go, for some reason. After the incident in the teacher’s lounge, and stealing Declan’s hair, and just plain old lying to them, it doesn’t make me feel good. And that’s not an emotion that I like.
I’m supposed to be evil. I’m supposed to live on catharsis, but I don’t like this heavy feeling in my stomach.
Dane doesn’t say a word, but his lips pull into a sad smile, and he leaves the greenhouse, the door closing softly behind him.
“Everything okay, Serena?” Ariella asks, her voice soft, the way that someone would approach a wild animal in the forest.
And I guess I kind of am.
I huff and glance up to see her shift into her dryad form. She fluffs her vines and the flowers in her hair brighten as she sighs. I guess I’m not the only one having trouble hiding who I am.
“So, what’s on your mind? You seem lost.” She leans against the desk and crosses her bark-like arms.
Maybe it’s that she’s a dryad, or that her aura is a soothing reminder I wasn’t always this way, but for the first time in a very long time, I want to confide in someone. To actually have someone give me advice that isn’t “slaughter your foe, kill the weak, or torture them until the screams are music to your ears.”
But I can’t confide in her—or anyone—about what I’m really doing here. Running my fingers through my hair, I draw in a deep breath and let it out, the smell of the greenery helping to ease some of the tension in my stomach.
“Do you know anything about the Trials or how they work?” I ask and glance up to see her eyes widen.
She opens her mouth and closes it several times, and I’m not sure what she sees on my face, but she nods. “They’re a test of endurance and power. They’re supposed to be the hardest experience a student will ever go through, not just in their youth, but in their lives.”
My stomach sinks. “And what of the relics? Is there any way to get access to them before the Trials? Besides the hidden staircase and the creepy-as-hell dark blackness?”
She stares at me for a few moments and shakes her head. “Serena…” she warns, her lips forming a grimace. “Please tell me you aren’t going after what I think you’re going after, because that would be dangerous and reckless.”
I laugh and shrug. “Dangerous and reckless are my middle names.” Picking up my bag, I throw it over my shoulder. “But thank you, Ariella.” I head out but stop as she touches my arm.
She holds my gaze as she says, “Whatever is happening, Serena, please be careful.”
I nod, giving her a reassuring smile that I don’t think reaches my eyes. Heading out of the greenhouse, I walk along the path and through the forest. My heart skips a few beats as the darkness envelops me. I play with my braid and hum a quiet song to distract myself.
Our house comes into sight as I continue to walk along the cobbled trail, and a black, feathery ball comes flying toward me, letting out a deep hoot.
I chuckle as she lands on my shoulder and nuzzles my cheek. “I missed you too,
