Page 40 of Rejected Darkness

"Here looks good," she says, looking around to make sure we're alone. She pulls me into what looks like a small classroom or study room that is completely empty.

Walking around slowly I inspect the room she found us. Two small stained glass windows on opposite corners of the same wall provide light into the room. In the center of the room is a dark wooden table with four plush chairs surrounding it. On the right wall is a large tapestry depicting two angels, one of which is healing a fallen dragon. I gasp looking at it, shocked by what I see. I knew at one point the races had gotten along, but the war between them was so long ago I had doubted anything back then still existed. "Is that real?" I turn to my friend and see her smiling at me.

"It is. We learned about it in Species History class just last week. It's part of why I knew this room was here. According to Councilwoman Talia, in each study room there is a similar canvas depicting a scene of when the races got along," she explains, pulling out one of the seats and settling into it. "Now, before you try to deflect and hide the subject, care to talk about what happened this morning? Or where you've been?"

"Both are very long stories," I sigh, collapsing into the chair opposite of her. I place my bag on the table in front of me and begin to play with the fraying strap as a distraction.

"Well, if it's that long of a story, then let's wait a few minutes. Harper is on her way as well and I doubt you want to repeat the story twice," Isis smiles, focusing on unwrapping her protein barand taking a bite. She watches me stare at her eating and laughs, reaching into her bag to pull out a second protein bar and slides it across the table my way.

"I said I wasn't hungry," I laugh, spinning the bar on the table.

"Yeah, you did, but I also know you need to keep your energy up. So eat it while we wait," she says pointedly, staring me down until I begin to open the wrapper and take my first bite.

"This is actually better than I expected. Thanks," I smile, and focus my attention back on the breakfast. I really do need to learn to focus on taking care of myself more and trusting my friends. Which is exactly why when Harper gets here then I am going to tell both of them everything, and I mean everything. I can't keep secrets from them, not when I have a feeling the only way I'm going to find any sort of solace or answers is with their help. I can only hope they aren't going to take off running when I tell them about the journal or Phoenix being my mate. Maybe I should make a bet with myself to see which one freaks them out more.

Chapter 22

Arabella

"I'm here, I'm here," Harper states out of breath as she pushes the door to the study room open. "I'm so sorry I was late. I didn't see the text right away, and I had to rush back to the dorms to grab a few things first."

"All good," Isis smiles, "Take a seat so you don't fall over. We can discuss why you were late right after Arabella starts filling us in on everything."

"Do I have to?" I groan, dropping my head into my hands. I know I need to tell them. Out of everyone here at the academy, they are the two people who can give me the advice I need and not some bullshit answer as a way to make me feel better.

"Yes!" they both shout in unison.

"Okay, okay," I hold up my hands in surrender. "How much do you already know?" I'd rather find out what they know before jumping in somewhere and not giving the full story.

"We know you stayed with Phoenix and Rhys after our dorm was broken into. Both of them were there to speak with the guard and helped us go through items in the dorm to see what was salvageable. Other than that, nothing."

Okay, so they really don't know much, at all. Great. "So, on Monday I was called out of class and summoned toCouncilwoman Talia's office. My father was there waiting for me." Both girls gasp at the mention of my father but neither says anything. They both remember what he was like when he dropped me off at this school. "Yeah, he wasn't happy. Said that I was underperforming and making a mess of everything. His usual bullshit, like always," I sigh. I really don't want to tell them the rest of that but I also don't want to keep secrets even if it means outing my past. "When I tried to explain myself to him, he didn't like it and he struck me across the cheek. Councilwoman Talia stood up for me and kicked him out, banning him from school grounds. She gave me the rest of the day and told me to go back to my room to just relax and try to settle in as best as I could. I didn't want to but she insisted. When I got back to the dorms finally I saw that our place had been broken into. The whole thing was trashed. I didn't even step foot inside before I was dropping to my knees. Phoenix was behind me and caught me. He took me to his dorm and insisted I was staying there and he would handle everything. Even Rhys was being deceptively nice about it in his normal dickish way. Phoenix gave me his room and I fell asleep waiting for them to return."

"That explains why both of them were there when we got to the dorm. I couldn't figure out what their involvement was. Phoenix, I can understand slightly, I know he's taken a liking to you, but Rhys is a complete asshole so his position didn't make sense," Isis adds when I pause in the story. "We were so worried about you but they insisted you were okay and that everything was being taken care of."

"How was staying with them for the night? It seemed like neither of them was going to budge about you coming to our room," Harper questions from beside me.

"Considering I was knocked out cold basically the whole time that night it was fine. Phoenix gave me his room and didn't bother me at all. The next morning though... Well, that's whenthings sort of started taking a turn," I sigh, shaking my head. Yesterday was a rough morning.

"What happened?" Both girls ask in unison moving to the edge of their seats. I'm pretty sure they are way too invested in the craziness that's been happening to me at this point.

"Phoenix was gone when I woke up. Rhys was waiting in the kitchen... wait for it... cooking me breakfast." I pause waiting for their reactions, which are what I expected.

"He cooked you breakfast?!"

"I hope you tossed it in the trash, or better yet tossed it at him!"

"Yup, he cooked me an omelet that was actually pretty good. Trust me," I give a pointed look to Isis, "I tried to get away with not eating it but he wasn't letting me leave until I did, and considering the note he handed me, well I didn't really have a choice. Councilwoman Talia delivered a note to the dorms advising me I was to have private lessons that day with... drum roll please?" I pause letting them tap their hands on the table in dramatics. "Rhys. He was to be my teacher for the day. Yes, it was complete and utter hell. He kicked my ass for hours in the morning with combat training, but I did learn some new moves after he had enough of handing me my ass and actually took the time to teach me something. Talia also had lunch delivered to us before he began helping me with my prophecy magic. It's still not much but I could call upon small prophecies to come to me without being asleep which I'm taking as a win."

"Is that all? Please tell me that's all?" Harper pleads shaking her head at me.

"I can't believe she trusted Rhys to train you?" Isis gasps. "Do you think that she knows how he's been treating you? And why would she have a Fallen train you when there are plenty of Angels who can like I don't know, Warrick."

"I thought the same thing. The last thing I wanted was to be paired with Rhys and I won't ever repeat this again but after the bullshit in the morning, I actually learned something that not even Warrick has been able to teach me. Don't get me wrong, Rhys is still an asshole that I want to punch in the face but he also is a very powerful angel and has a lot he can teach others." I really will never admit that to anyone outside of them. Not even to Rhys himself. If word got back to my father that a Fallen Angel was teaching me magic, oh I'm sure he would try to bring the whole strength of the Seraphim Council down upon the academy. When I first got here, I probably would have let him. Now, I don't want that in the slightest. Talia stood up for me to him when no one ever has. She earned my respect. That's why I did what she instructed me to do when the last thing I wanted yesterday was to be spending time with Rhys. She knew I could learn something from him and I did. That's all that matters.

"I can't believe you just said that," Isis laughs. "Are you feeling okay?" She gets up and comes to stand next to me and places her hand on my forehead. "You don't have a temperature. Did you hit your head too hard?"

"Get off me," I laugh pushing her away. "If you're concerned about me after that then you're about to be even more concerned when I tell you more."

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