I was frozen in place. Willa’s accusations hurt, but more than that I sensed how heartbroken Willa was. I needed to fix this. I had to fix this for my friend. But how could the Upholders have found out? Not from me. The realization hit me like a load of bricks. I glanced at the clock, it was almost eight. Today was a dragon lesson day. My dad would be here.
“You guys stay right here. I’m going to fix this!” I left and ran across campus. Shifting and flying didn’t even occur to me in my hurry. I continued running through the administration building and burst into the conference room.
My dad was sitting in a chair at the end of the table reading a paper. He looked up from the paper and smiled at me. The picture he made stopped me in my tracks. How could he be so peaceful right now?
“Sophie, what’s wrong?”
“What have you done?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Are you having me followed? You are the one who told the Upholders about Willa’s mom, didn’t you?” Dad didn’t say anything.
“I knew it! You’re not going to deny it, are you?” Dad just shook his head.
“I can’t believe this. You need to fix this right now, Dad!”
Dad sighed and sat back down in his chair. “There’s nothing to fix, Sophie.”
“My friend’s mother has been arrested. She didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She’s a danger to herself and others. She can’t be allowed to risk our exposure.”
“I’ve met her, Dad, which I’m sure you already know. She’s not dangerous. She needs help. And you’re okay if they just lock her away?” Once again, Dad was silent.
That was it. He wasn’t going to help.
“Is secrecy so important that we’re willing to ruin the lives of people like Emily and Willa? Willa is my roommate and one of my best friends, this is going to just kill her, Dad.”
“Your friend worked some very powerful essence magic that is illegal. Be thankful she’s not getting arrested, too.”
I stopped talking. Willa, arrested? Dad couldn’t be serious. “I should be thankful that you made sure my friend wasn’t arrested for doing the only thing she could to keep her mother safe?”
“Sophie, I’m surprised at you. I know the request from the Upholders took you by surprise, but I expected you to come to terms with it and do your duty. I’m surprised that both you and your brother didn’t immediately come to me with this security concern.”
“Security concern? That’s all you have to say about this? Emily isn’t a security concern. She’s someone’s mom. How would you feel if people were hunting Mom down like an animal? It’s not okay.”
“Sophie, come on. You’re acting like a teenager. You have a responsibility to all supernaturals, not just your friends. I expected you to realize that by now.”
As I watched this thousand-year-old man in front of me, I realized I didn’t know him at all. My dad was a stranger. I slammed the conference room door on my out.
The sound of Willa’s crying sounded down the hall. I leaned my head against the wooden door. I wiped my own tears away. I’d been defeated. I knew my father was hard, but I never imagined he was also cruel. Now I had to go tell my friend there was nothing I could do to help her.
“Sophie! Where did you go?” Gracie asked.
“I went to talk to my dad.”
“Can he help?” Willa asked. I avoided her gaze.
“He won’t. I’m sorry, Willa.”
“What do you mean, he won’t?”
“He sa—he said your mom risked exposing us and he couldn’t let that happen.”
Willa looked away from me and wiped her eyes. I stepped closer.
“Willa, I’m so sorry. I’ll try again. I won’t leave him alone until he helps.”
“How did he find out?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you tell him?”
“No, Willa, I swear.” The accusation in her eyes was startling. “You don’t believe me.”
“No, I don’t.” Her words were a slap in the face. I looked at Hudson and Gracie, but they looked at me the same way.
“Guys, do you seriously think I would betray you?”
“Sophie, you’ve been hiding things for months,” Gracie said. “You sneak out at night. You let your new friends be mean to us when you’re not around and you won’t tell us where you disappear to. What are we supposed to think? You said when you shifted that being a dragon didn’t change anything, but you were wrong. You changed.”
My eyes were burning. The world was spinning under my feet. I looked to Hudson, my best friend. He knew me. “Do you feel the same way?”
“You have been acting strange lately.” His voice sounded like it was coming from far away. “And Willa told us the story. You’re the only one who knew about the bracelet. How else could the Upholders have found out?”
My whole body was numb. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to fight and argue with them, but I couldn’t. Maybe they were right. I knew I didn’t tell the Upholders, but somehow my dad found out anyway. This was all my fault.
“Willa, I’m sorry.” She was sitting on the couch again, sobbing into her arms. I moved to go and comfort her, but Hudson raised his hand to stop me.
“Maybe you should just go, Sophie.” I fled.
Chapter Twelve
The wind whistled as it raced past my ears. It rushed past my face so fast it whipped off my hat, and my hair streamed out behind me. The bottom of the hill surged closer and closer. I was going too fast. I couldn’t stop. My eyes clenched shut as I braced for impact. This was the end.
I hit the bottom of the hill and landed face first in the snow. Laughter echoed behind me. Snow and hair clung to my neck and face. My gloved hand was useless. I jerked the glove off with my teeth and winced as the cold made my fingers cramp. I wiped my face and pulled
