Trapped
“I’m worried about you, Aislinn.”
It’s early morning, and she’s sitting against a tree listlessly, dark circles anchored beneath her eyes. Looking like she hasn’t slept at all.
A week has passed, and Aislinn has made an uneasy peace with Jarod. He’s taken my advice, giving Aislinn space to think, although I can see it takes a great effort on his part to do so. Aislinn doesn’t stop coming to Chemistrie, but their note passing ceases.
Aislinn stares at me despondently. “I’m trapped.”
The words hang in the air, a wintry breeze swirling around them. It’s been a strange year—colder every day, but still we wait for snow.
I try to think of something to distract her. “You know, Diana Ulrich is living with me now.”
I’ve chosen my subject well.
Aislinn’s pained expression becomes more muted as her eyebrows arch up in surprise. “Really?”
* * *
The previous night Diana appeared at my door, two large travel bags in hand.
“I will hurt her if I stay,” Diana announced as she swept into the room and threw her things on my bed.
“Who?” I asked, looking up from my studies, as mystified as Ariel and Wynter by Diana’s sudden presence here.
“Echo Flood...all of them,” Diana informed us imperiously. “I will live with you now. Ah, good, chickens. A snack. I’m famished.”
Incensed, Ariel leaped in front of her chickens and thrust out her palms. A small circle of fire erupted around Diana. This surprised me. I’d seen Ariel start the fireplace fire on numerous occasions, but she never seemed able to summon more than a very small flame.
Diana looked down and viewed the rapidly disappearing ring of fire with disdain. “Why is she so protective of these chickens?”
“Get out!” Ariel hissed.
“No!” Diana replied, indignant as she crossed her arms in front of herself.
“Diana,” I said firmly, “promise Ariel you won’t eat the chickens!”
“But...”
“Just promise her! You cannot stay here unless you leave any birds that make their way into this room alone.”
Diana looked back and forth from Ariel to me like we were both completely unhinged. “All right,” she relented, humoring us. “I promise. I will not eat these chickens. I would just like to know one simple thing.”
I raised my eyebrows at her.
“Are there no normal people in this University?”
I glanced over at Ariel, who was crouched in front of her chickens, eyeing Diana murderously, the terrified chickens glued to her ankles. Then I looked over at Wynter, who was hiding under her wings, and finally at Diana’s glowing eyes. And then there was me, the magic-free Black Witch look-alike.
Laughter at the sheer absurdity of it all bubbled up inside me. “I don’t know about the whole University, Diana, but there are definitely no normal people in this room.”
Diana stared at me for a moment, one eyebrow arched as if mildly affronted. But I caught Wynter’s eye, and she gave me a small, tentative smile.
“I’m going out!” Diana abruptly announced with a dissatisfied huff.
“Where?” I asked.
“To find some rabbits!” she snapped. “Since you are all so protective of these chickens!”
* * *
“What did she do next?” Aislinn asks, enthralled despite her dark mood.
“She came back about an hour later with a rabbit, proceeded to strip naked and sat glowering by the fireplace eating it.”
Aislinn swallows, mortified. “Naked?”
“Naked,” I confirm, matter-of-factly. “I finally had a chance to speak to Rafe about her, too. He stopped by my room earlier, looking for her.”
“What did he say?”
“He thought the story about her moving in is pretty funny. He thinks everything’s funny. I told him that I’m worried about how much time he’s been spending with Diana. I mean, she’s the daughter of an alpha, and our people aren’t on the best terms with each other.” I hesitate before continuing.
“Go on,” Aislinn prods.
“I told him I didn’t want to see him do something incredibly dangerous...for love.” I glance sidelong at Aislinn, watching for her reaction.
“And what did he say?” she asks, her voice now muted.
“Oh, you know. Typical Rafe. He told me not to worry so much—that he’d be careful. But then he laughed and said that if he was going to do something incredibly dangerous, he really couldn’t think of a better reason to.”
“That’s not very encouraging, is it?” Aislinn says, looking away uncomfortably.
I follow Aislinn’s gaze down the long, sloping field before us, the wilds just beyond.
In the distance a lone figure catches my attention. It takes a moment for me to recognize who it is.
Yvan, walking toward the forest at a fast clip.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen him heading into the wilds. I’ve spotted him a number of times from the North Tower window, striding purposefully toward the forest, always curiously alone.
I watch Yvan’s long, powerful stride and think about how things between us have continued to change. His overt hostility is gone. I catch him watching me in both the kitchen and Mathematics now. His expression is often difficult to read, and he quickly looks away as soon as I catch his eye. Against my better judgment, I continue to do a fair bit of discreet watching, too. It’s thrilling to look at him; he’s so absurdly handsome.
And I can’t stop thinking about the mystery of him—how fast and strong he was when going up against Damion Bane. Unnaturally so. And I notice, more and more, how he’s able to pick up heavy things around the kitchen as though they weigh nothing. Just like Jarod.
I dwell on other things, as well.
How he always leaves the top button of his shirt undone, the shadows of the kitchen playing over his elegant neck and throat. The sinuous grace of his movements, never a clumsy, false step, his reflexes razor-sharp. The sharp line of his jaw. The perfect bow of his upper lip, his mouth so distractingly sensual.
A warm flush rises in my cheeks just thinking about it.
“Where does he go?” I wonder as I watch him, thinking out loud.
Aislinn turns to me. “Where does who go?”
“Yvan Guriel. He’s always going off into the woods like Rafe, but not hunting. He never carries anything with him. He just goes. It’s like he’s Lupine or something.”
“So follow him,” Aislinn says despondently.
“That’s bold advice,” I laugh.
Aislinn shrugs listlessly.
I get up and brush dried leaves off my tunic.
“Where are you going?” Aislinn asks.
“I’m taking your advice,” I tell her. “I’m going to follow him.”