Page 77 of Faerie Marked

We had a plan in place. A plan to end this ridiculous situation once and for all without anyone else getting hurt. At least I hoped no one would get hurt. In the dorm, I removed my sling, flexing my hand to test my strength. The bone had knit itself back together all right, healing with unnatural speed thanks to the hours I’d spent without the potion.Good. I would need every kind of advantage to get through what was coming.

Bait. Detective Wilson wanted to use me as bait.

I pushed any lingering doubts and fears aside. I wasn’t helpless. Not in the least. Thinking back on my last interaction with Kendrick, where he’d had me trapped in the hallway, I’d felt like a victim. One who let the situation overwhelm her instead of standing up for herself and her boundaries. I had felt like I didn’t have any kind of options.

Weak, my mind supplied.

But I wasn’t weak. I had power. I had a plan.

I didn’t see the others until dinner. Melia already knew the setup, as she and I had spoken before lunch, and soon it would be time to put the rest of it into action. Against my better judgment, she had a part to play, although I knew she would have flipped her lid if she found out I had a plan that didn’t include her.

Not like I could even eat. Nothing wanted to stay down and my stomach churned in anticipation. According to Nurse Julie, I still had to be wary of garlic while taking her potion, so I stared down at my habitual salad in distaste. God, I wanted a burger. A big juicy burger with extra cheese and a side of fries that hadn’t been doused with garlic salt.

“Where are the boys?” I asked Melia through a mouthful of lettuce, forcing myself to chew and swallow. “Have you seen them?”

She jerked her head backward, indicating a different table. “They’re over there. I guess Mister Pain in the Butt is too good to sit with us again. Doesn’t matter anyway.”

I ignored the crack forming in my heart. Mike was still ignoring me. To the point where he didn’t want to sit at the same table. Wow. Talk about taking things too far.

“However! If you’re going to spread the word,” Melia said in a hushed whisper, leaning forward so I could hear her, “then do it now. Don’t wait any longer. The moon is rising. It’s almost time.”

The first part of the plan was about to commence and we didn’t have time to waste.

Good. I was eager to get it over with. At least I wouldn’t have to finish my salad.

I agreed with her statement with a sharp nod. “Hey Meli, I’m going for a walk.” I made sure to raise my voice to be overheard.

She blinked at me, the response exaggerated. “By yourself? Are you sure it’s safe?”

“I need air, a little breathing room. No worries. It’s a nice night.” I sighed and knocked my tray aside for emphasis. “I’m not hungry anyway.”

It wasn’t a lie.

“Fine, whatever you want,” she agreed easily, using her fork to arrange the macaroni and cheese around her plate. “I’m going to hang out here for a while and then try to talk to you know who.”

“Barry? Good luck, girl,” I told her.

I felt the invisible tingling caress of her magic from across the table. A goodbye. And good luck to me as well. I pushed away and walked toward the exit, seeing Mike and Roman out of the corner of my eye.

I looked rough. I knew it, and had fended off more than my fair share of well-wishers asking me if I was okay and telling me to get better. It played right into the plan. News had spread about my fall from the balcony and though I’d healed, I’d amped up the shadows under my eyes, the slight hitch in my gate, and kept the sling in place despite no longer needing it for my arm.

Let them think I was still weak. It would help with tonight’s mission.

Mike might have been ignoring me, but he noticed the bruises. And he noticed the arm sling. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him rise from the table, his fingers gripping the tabletop until his knuckles turned white.

Seconds later, he ran up to me with Roman right behind him. “Tavi, are you okay?” he said immediately. The voice of concern. “What happened to you?”

“What do you care? I’m sure you already know.” I kept my gaze pointed straight ahead and left the noise of the cafeteria behind me. “Wouldyoube okay if you were pushed off of a balcony?”

His eyes went full moon wide and he tried to grab me, to force me to stop. I shrugged him off with a sharp hiss, as if he’d caused pain to my injury.

“What? No, impossible. You weren’t pushed. That’s, ah, that’s not what I heard.”

“It’s quite possible, let me assure you.”Don’t look at him, don’t look at him. I had to keep the mantra going because all I wanted to do was turn to him and drink my fill. He was touching me again. “I broke my arm, thank you very much. So be careful.”

“Tell me what really happened,” he demanded, lengthening his stride to keep up with me.

“Tavi, talk to us,” Roman piped in, a step behind. “We’re worried about you.”

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