Page 58 of Rejected Darkness

"I didn't see anything about it in the handbook," Harper answers when Isis doesn't speak up. "Is this something new for this year?"

"You girls caught that did you?" she sighs, rising from her desk and pointing to the couches near the fireplace in her room. "Let's take a seat. Arabella can you lock the door I don't want anyone to disturb us." Doing what she says, I lock the door and take a seat on the other side of Isis, who is sitting in the middle of the couch with Harper on her other side. We all knew by Talia's reaction that we needed a united front for whatever she was about to say to us. "We have never done a final test like this before. It's something that the Seraphim Council has insisted upon starting now. Yes, Arabella," she looks directly at me. "This is about you. Your father didn't like that I cut off his access to you. He still won't be allowed here for the testing. No Seraphim Councilmember is, which is why the other councilmembers at these school are having to sit in on the testing. Whether this is their way of ensuring you don't return home yet, or not I have no idea. Just know that I will do anything and everything to protect all of you. The students at this academy are my world. I will fight for each and every one of you."

"What...," Isis pauses and tries again. The confidence she usually shows is completely gone. Reaching over I grasp her hand to lend her support. "What if we pass but we don't want to return home? I would never give the man who rejected me another chance. If I go home is that what would be expected of me?"

"No," Talia exclaims. "I would never expect you to return to a situation that you don't want to. The Seraphim Council may feel different but I will do everything in my power to protect you and help you find your happiness. I have resources that many would think are a little out there, but trust me, Isis, if you don't want toreturn to Aeris I will help you find where you want to go. Same for you Harper, though I think your situation is a little different."

"Thank you," Isis smiles through the tears. "I don't think my future is in Aeris and I don't want to go back. At least not yet. I was worried that I needed to purposely fail these tests just to avoid it."

"Oh, Sweetheart," Talia exclaims rising from her feet and kneeling down in front of Isis. "You don't need to purposely fail anything. Honestly, this test is stupid and I believe the student decides when they are ready to leave and no one else. Being at R.I.S.E. Academy isn't a punishment, it's a chance for you to discover who you are and who you want to be. When you past the test in two days time I will help you get to wherever you want to go, or you can come stay with my mates and I until you figure out where to go. How's that sound?"

"I absolutely love that offer. I think if I don't stay at the academy I'd maybe like to come stay with you for a little bit. I'm not ready to be out on my own. Plus wouldn't that mean I could still see Arabella since you said that you two are basically family?" Isis laughs, finally slowing down the tears and returning to her normal self.

"You didn't tell them yet did you?" Talia chuckles, turning to look at me. "One of my mates is brothers with one of Arabellas. Harper, I don't want you to feel excluded either. All of you are more then welcome in my home any time that you wish. Now before we all get into our feelings here, shouldn't you girls be getting to class?"

Looking at my friends I can see how happy both of them are. The news of the test was hanging over all of our heads. I'm glad that we came to talk to Talia and ease some of our concerns. I'm not surprised that my father is still trying to intervene in my life. I knew he would do something after he was kicked off school property. I just hadn't expected this. If he thought it would forceme to return to Aeris then he thought wrong. I'm with Isis, I don't want to return. Not yet. If I were it would just be to see my grandmother and nothing more.

"Thank you, Councilwoman Talia," Harper smiles. "I appreciate the offer. I hope I won't need to take it up at least not over Stark but I appreciate it being there and for all the help you've offered both my friends."

"Agreed," Isis chimes in. "But I will be taking you up on that offer to stay with you all. I don't know if I want to stay here at R.I.S.E. academy. Not without Harper and Arabella, so if you'll take me in for a little bit, I would appreciate it."

"Of course, girls. as an extension of Arabella, I can see the two of you becoming family and I fully expect you both at family gatherings," she looks at both my friends pointedly so they know to be there. "Let me write all of you some notes for classes. I'll make sure they get delivered to your teachers. Why don't the three of you take the rest of the day and go into town for some fun? You have all day tomorrow to study and practice with classes begin canceled. There's nothing you will do today that you don't already know."

"Are you coming with us?" I ask, knowing she probably has to stay here. It would be nice to get to know her outside of the school, but I know that we probably need to keep things as a student-teacher relationship while here. Especially if my father is still meddling with things.

"Not this time. I have too much to do to prepare for this testing. Councilwoman Louve, is in charge of scheduling the guards to escort you to each of the lessons but I need to make sure the room is set up for everything that we need. Next time, though, I would love to join you girls and get to know each of you more in a setting outside of school," she smiles and rises to her feet. "Now, get out of here and go have some fun for all of us."

"Thank you, Talia," I hug her quickly. Each of my friends to the same and I catch Talia discreetly whipping tears from the corner of her eyes as she walks us to the door.

"Have a good day and I'll make sure your teachers get those notes shortly. Bye girls," she waves before shutting the door as we exit.

"So who's ready for a girl's day?" Isis smiles. I can see a wicked look in her eyes and know she is already formulating plans. This is either going to end on a good note or a bad note. As long as no alcohol is involved I think we should be okay. "Let's go get changed out of these uniforms and find some comfier clothes to wear. I think we should start with shopping and see where it goes. Arabella, get Warrick's car keys and credit card before you go change. We are going to need those."

"I love that you assume he is just going to give them to me and not ask any sort of questions," I laugh, already knowing that I'm going to ask for the car keys. Not sure about the credit card that feels weird to me but if I know Warrick he is probably going to offer it to me. He's been trying ever since he found out about my dorm being destroyed and I've refused up until this point.

"That man is head over heels in love with you. He will. Now, let's go!" Isis pulls us down the hallway to the main stairwell. "Go do your thing, we will see you back at the dorms." I don't have a chance to say anything else before Isis is pulling Harper down the stairs and telling her to hurry up. Knowing I won't have much time before Warrick is possibly in with a student, I walk down the counseling hallway to his office and knock on his door. I will forever be grateful to Talia for being understanding about each of our worries today and offering to give us the time we need. Any other teacher probably would have scolded us for coming to them with our concerns and but she listened and chose to give us the afternoon. Now, hopefully, Warrick has thesame idea and doesn't question us ditching classes, even though it's with permission.

Chapter 34

Arabella

Two days ago when Talia told the girls and me to take the rest of the day it was exactly what we had needed and then some. I was wary about going into town again after what happened at Phantoms Pub on Friday night but considering we were just there to window shop, my fear disappeared quickly. Isis was right that Warrick lent me his car and gave me his credit card for us to go have some fun. He didn't question us going out which made me think Talia told him we were going before I could, especially considering he was standing in the doorway to his office holding both in his hands waiting for me. We didn't stay out long and I did buy myself one cute outfit. It was a black and white knee-high plaid skirt and a black turtle neck long-sleeve shirt to match. With fall coming around the corner I knew I needed to pick up some warmer clothes and I couldn't pass up the outfit when I saw it displayed. I just hope that my mates like it when I wear it, not that I got it with them in mind. I bought it for myself but it would make me happy if they liked it as well. Especially because I have every intention of making some moves on them if they don’t start making some of their own. I appreciate them taking things slow and giving me time but I’m ready. I want to be with them, I want this, and a girl has needs.Needs that my vibrator definitely isn’t fullfilling to the extent that I want.

When we had gotten back from shopping I headed to the suite I shared with Rhys and Phoenix to find them waiting in the kitchen with dinner still on the stove. Rhys gave me an earful for going off campus and not telling them about it. Phoenix just laughed and told me to go freshen up before dinner if I was hungry, the whole while Rhys followed me down the fall to Phoenix's bedroom, or well my bedroom, and continued to lecture me. Clearly, Talia had told Phoenix where I was as well and he didn't find it in him to tell his brother. Nope, he left that for me to deal with later. I'm still not sure why Rhys is determined to know my every move. He hasn't exactly been trying to kick me out of school anymore but he is being very very annoying. Even though I wasn't hungry I did join them for dinner for conversation and because I felt bad that they had cooked enough food for me as well. Rhys continued his lecture until Phoenix yelled at him. I’m not sure which had shocked me more that night, that Phoenix yelled or tht Rhys stood there mouth agap and listened to his brother. Either way it worked in my favor, and the headache he was giving me stopped forming.

The next day, Rhys took Phoenix and me out to the lake to practice. All day long he put us through the paces over and over again until we had perfected every move he called out and then some. If one of us messed up it was a lecture and then being forced to do the move about a million times before we could move on to the next thing. I was almost positive that the only reason I even got dragged into the practice was because Phoenix insisted. Rhys has kept us out there practicing until well after dinner. Darkness had come and the stars were shining well above our heads by the time he called it quits. He let Phoenix finish well before me, instead choosing to push me in combat for a good two hours. By the time we were done, I was ready tofall into bed. Phoenix almost had to hold me up in the shower because I was so exhausted. With some peanut butter crackers afterward, Phoenix sent me to bed with a promise of a healthy cooked breakfast waiting for me the next morning. I had wanted to ask Phoenix to join me in bed, just to sleep but I was out cold when my head hit the pillow and he was already shutting my bedroom door.

Late this morning I did wake up to breakfast waiting on me and a note advising me that both of them had left to go to their tests. Since my test wasn’t until the afternoon I was taking advantage of being able to sleep in, it doesn’t happen often and I knew I would need all my energy to get through these tests. Which also meant that despite how nervous I was feeling, I was so thankful the boys made me breakfast. I was hoping at least one of them would be here before my test. I would have preferred for it to be Phoenix but at this point, Rhys and I had created a small type of peace that would have been preferable then being alone. It wasn’t much but it was better then nothing, he must have decided it was too late to get rid of me or force me out with Phoenix as my mate. Checking my phone after scarfing down my food I see Warrick had texted wishing me good luck and that he would see me at test time. I'm glad he thought to text me but it wasn't helping the nerves. After cleaning up the dishes I texted the girls to check in. Harper said Isis was getting ready to leave for her test and she was extremely nervous, but Harper was calm and wasn’t worried at all. Slightly jealous that Harper could be calm in the face of our destiny I tried to take her positive energy to help myself calm down, it wasn’t helping. When Harper checked the posted schedule for our test times, she and I didn't have testing until the afternoon. We were some of the last angels to go, with only a few fallen angels lined up to test after us.

Phoenix and Rhys both were signed up for slots right before lunch. If I was lucky I would get to see Phoenix before I left for my test, unless he waited for Rhys to be done. To pass the time I decided to just go over everything Rhys had reviewed with us yesterday. I was nervous. I knew better than to use too much magic before my test today and risk my magic going haywire. It's important to me to do my best today. When Talia told us my father was behind this I knew whatever my performance was would get back to him. He would forever hold this over my head. Even now, I can hear him telling me to not disappoint the family or tarnish the family name any more than I already have. There is no telling which other academy council members would report to my father and that isn't a risk I am willing to take. I don't need to give him any more reason to intervene in my life here.

Lunchtime has come and gone with neither of the guys returning. I shouldn't be worried but I was. Did this mean that the test was a lot harder than any of us expected? I had no idea but my mind was spinning with ideas. Harper and I had video-chatted about an hour ago before Stark showed up and took her attention away. I'm glad she could see him and he could help her nerves. It didn't help me but I'm glad my friend had that for herself.

Resuming my pacing around the living room, I finally hear a knock on the front door. If it was the guys they would walk right in and not even knock which means that whichever guard was assigned to escort me was here.Shit. I was definitely not ready.

"Just a moment!" I call out, rushing back to my bedroom to grab my bag and shoes. By the time I get back to the door whoever is on the other side is knocking again, this time harderthan the first time. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I call out right as I open the door. "Oh," I gasp, taking a step back. Out of every guard who could have been assigned to escort me to my final test it just had to be Guard Noah, the guy who gives me the creeps. Just my luck.

Divine, please why are you testing me like this when I'm already nervous?The last thing I needed was to have Noah escort me to this test. On a good day, it was hard enough having him keep his hands far away from me. After everything that had happened at the club, the last thing I wanted was for him to be anywhere near me. If it hadn't been for Stark and then Warrick, things could have turned out a lot worse. I had done well avoiding seeing him since Friday.

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