Page 29 of Spelled By Truth and Tresses

Before anyone knew how the death occurred, rumors circled from strangulation to stabbing to hexes. The rumors had gotten wilder and wilder, and even though his name was cleared in the end, the morbidity had attached itself to Thomas, forcing him out of his social circles and into exclusion.

I wondered how Jax was feeling. He consistently denied that he and Amara dated, but they had some kind of connection, even if it was just sex. I leaned out of the chair, nearly flipping it on top of me as I teetered on the edge. My fingers closed on one of the countless notebooks Lalita stored on the lower shelf of her short bookcase.

I flopped back into the circular chair heavily, the plush pillows and blankets surrounding me like a cocoon, then unclipped the pen attached to the cover. Light tapping sounded as I drummed the pen lightly against a fresh blank page.

Silver ink flowed from the pen tip as I wrote to Jax, then sent it into the ether.

How are you doing?

My question was unassuming, but sometimes it is the simplest questions that speak volumes. Even though I wanted to hate Jax, part of me had softened toward him. He was always there when I desperately needed help.

I didn’t wait for a reply. I doubted I’d get one after he was so cold yesterday. Instead, I got up and looked around the communal kitchen. Each dorm on campus had three master bedrooms and common spaces, like the living room and kitchen. I rarely saw Lalita’s roommates as they both had boyfriends and spent most of their time in their rooms.

A delicious smell wafted toward me from the polished butcher block counter. My eyes searched until I spotted a covered plate. I lifted the foil lid and the scent of scrambled eggs, bacon, and rye toast floated up to me. Damn, Lalita is the best.

My fingers gripped the edge of the counter as something inside my vision went black. A shard of glass flashed with moonlight as I held it shakily over my wrist. The image, or maybe memory, rippled like the surface of a lake when disturbed. As soon as the memory came, it faded.

What the fuck was that? I gulped, then rubbed my temples.

“Shit! King of Demons!” Jax’s reply manifested on the hot stove, nearly catching fire before I snatched it up. I ignored the slight burn from the blackened edges of the parchment as I read.

I had to figure some things out. We need to talk. Today. It can’t wait. Find an excuse to get out and write to me when you do.

CHAPTER 12

Ilifted a hand, shielding my eyes, as the thick cloud cover split and a single ray of sun arrowed toward my face. The leaves swirled in the wind along the short path as I made my way to meet Jax.

The skeleton of a desiccated leaf slowly drifted and came to rest on the shoulder of his leather jacket. His muscles flexed beneath his charcoal V-neck t-shirt as he plucked the leaf from his shoulder, Jax leaned against a thick pine tree as he twirled the leaf by the stem.

Jax looked up as I approached, and his dark eyes met mine. A smirk played across his lips as his gaze slowly traveled over me.

“Hey, Ax.” I flattened my skirt and fiddled with my charm bracelet.

“Zellie,” he acknowledged, his eyes heated. “Come with me.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Where are you taking me?”

I couldn’t see it, but I could tell he was smiling darkly as he walked ahead of me. “It’s a surprise.”

“Of course it is,” I muttered.

I searched for a conversation topic as we crossed under the carved stone arch leading to the academic building. Creatures of myth and legend were carved with so much detail and attention that it appeared they’d leap from their solid confines into reality. “First day back at the academy, hmmm?” I let out a heavy sigh.

He grunted. “Half the professors still canceled their classes today. The only students here are merely pretending to mourn. None of them likely knew Amara well, yet they placed flowers, teddy bears, and other useless shit by the site where she died, as if she spent so much time there.”

“I don’t know. I see it.” I mused. “It’s their way of mourning the loss of their own invincibility and the hard truth that even at our age, we are fragile and can be wiped out in a second. It’s not distasteful, and it’s not like Amara is alive to see it.” I said, trying hard not to sound insensitive.

He looked back at me over his shoulder and tweaked a dark brow.

“What?” I asked.

“Your responses continue to surprise me.”

“How?”

“You’re honest, sometimes on the side of too blunt.” He grinned and a wicked gleam entered his eyes. “And fuck if I’m not turned on by it.”

A blush quickly warmed my cheeks, then Jax lifted my chin with a knuckle. “It’s refreshing, pet. You’re not trying to please anyone or saying what society deems appropriate.”

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