Page 22 of Buried Secret 295

“Oh, before I forget.” He snaps his fingers, and the shadows swirl around his fingers like smoke, revealing a small box. He hands me the black velvet box.

When have I last received a gift? My eyes look at the box, and a lump appears in my throat. I stare at it like it’s precious, yet I can’t seem to open it. “I promise it will not bite you.” Constantine jokes as I try to push down the emotion I feel.

I clear my throat and look into his dark eyes. “It’s not that. You have done so much for me and are still giving me a gift.” My fingers pry the box open to reveal a silver chain necklace. The pendant almost resembles a star, yet not the traditional five-point. The stone inside is a deep blood red with black diamonds on the outside. “It’s beautiful. I don’t know what to say.”

He looks pleased, with a small smile on his face. “Well, it also has functions other than being pretty. It’s spelled. It will help channel your empathic gifts. Quiet the noise and focus on the important energies. It will help keep you safe and warn you of energy you need to be aware of, which will benefit you. It’s also a symbol of the Seven Deadly Sins. The stone is called Hellfire and is said to add extra protection to the user. I figured it couldn’t hurt. Also, I have spoken to the rest of them, and you are now officially listed as my heir. This is a small symbol of that withoutannouncing or being super ostentatious. Figured you would prefer it that way.”

“Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say. I have been nervous about my emphatic abilities hindering my life here on campus. Constantine thought of that and came up with a solution. “I’m not used to someone looking out for me. Once again, thank you.”

“On that note, I will take my leave.” He chuckles. “Before I say something to ruin this.”

I spend the rest of the day hiding away in my room, wanting to avoid other students and parents. I end up popping back into the realm of dreams to sleep, using the phone Monica gave me a few days ago to set the alarm so I won’t be late.

Chapter fifteen

Of all the thingsI have faced over the years, why does attending classes suddenly feel like it may be the worst? Today, I feel slightly frantic as I pop into my room a few hours before class starts. Constantine left my schedule yesterday, and I have caught myself staring at it in a panic daze too many times. My hands crumble the paper before I fold it to store it neatly in my pocket for later. It feels like my first day is looming over my head as my anxiety builds, and I have no idea what to expect today. It’s a fresh start, but I can’t mentally prepare for the unknown. At least that first class is something I can wrap my head around: Weapons and Hand-to-Hand Defense. It feels like an excellent and familiar way to start, so maybe I can turn my mind off for a while.

I slip into some athletic pants with a red shirt. My closet is full of red and black because, according to Monica, they are mycolors. I couldn’t find it in me to argue because I enjoyed seeing the color in my closet. As I look into the mirror, adjusting my ponytail, I smile at myself.You can do this. We are going to have a good day.

The smile on my face doesn’t fade as my eyes take in my tattoos, which seem to move on my skin, almost like the wind is blowing the branches of the roses. The shades of gray to black make me look unapproachable, which I like. As much as I want to fly under the radar, I want to deter people from getting too close to me. I’m poison; ‘don’t touch’ is the vibe I want to radiate. People make me nervous, and I want to learn all I can in these next few years while searching for 203. I only have to keep my head down and focus on the prize.

My mind flashes to what Dean Campbell said: nothing links me to the paranormal prisons. The fake smile I had plastered on my face disappears as it feels like a lead weight falling into my stomach. There is no paper trail for me to follow or to gain access to. How am I supposed to find 203 now? He has to remain a priority. The longer I am away from him, the more I feel like he is a distant memory. I can’t go through this world without having him with me. Does he miss me as much as I miss him? Is he looking for me? Or is he stuck in a place where they wanted to send me, like Fae’s Edge?

I open the door to the common area, hoping to sneak out. However, a girl with beautiful auburn ringlets stands there, almost as if she has been waiting for me to arrive, as I open the door. Her skin is a lovely shade of brown, and she has freckles on the bridge of her nose and cheeks. Her hazel eyes are bright, and she smiles at me. The energy she is sending out is happiness, to the degree that it makes me cringe from the feel of it. “Hi roomie, I didn’t see you yesterday. I’m Skye.”

She extends her hand, and I can only stare at it. I do not see the appeal of touching people after not touching anyone for so long.People are free with handshakes and welcoming touches from others. It’s something that I had forgotten that is expected when meeting people. The feeling of being a giant freak hangs heavy on me as I realize I can’t willingly return the handshake out of fear. What if I touch them and see something I wasn’t supposed to see? Carmen’s warning about glimpsing at things by touching them plays on repeat in my mind. I can’t help but wonder if I am supposed to wear gloves to help keep myself from learning any new gifts. I have enough abilities and issues from existing. No part of me wants to add anything new to the mix. “Salem.”

She nods as she pulls her hand back, not seeming upset with my lack of handshaking. “Are you going to breakfast? Mind if I join?” She doesn’t give me room to argue, even if I want to, as she grabs her bag before opening the door. “I hear the cafeteria is amazing! With fresh croissants and cinnamon rolls with that gooey icing.” She looks me up and down before saying, “You got that badass vibe going.” Once again, she motions me to follow her. “We are going to be friends, I can tell. Were your parents super bummed or just excited to drop you off? My mom cried, and my dad hoped I would learn some control.” She pauses and looks at me, expecting me to answer. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she would let me answer. I am slightly envious of her positive energy, though.

“Yeah, it’s only my father. My mother isn’t in the picture.” I don’t know what more to tell her. She looks embarrassed now, so I cut her a break and change the subject. “What’s your first class?”

“Oh! It’s music and enchanting! I’m a siren, so I’m trying to improve my gifts. What about you?” she asks as we enter the expansive buffet-style dining hall with four stations.

“Weapons and Hand-to-Hand Defense,” I tell her, trying to be vague. A smell has me drifting to the right while Skye goes after cinnamon rolls.

“See you in a second.” She takes off for the sweets while I drift to the right, finding bacon. I can’t remember the last time I had bacon. Grabbing a pile on my plate, I nod before finding a croissant, excited by the buttery fluffiness. I look around for Skye but don’t see her, so I sit at a table before diving into the bacon. It is as tasty as I remember, maybe even more so, since I can appreciate the salty, smoky flavor of the bacon. The croissant contrasted the two even better. I should have gotten an egg and made a sandwich. Tomorrow is a new day.

My eyes water for a second before I shake it off. Meals were something that didn’t always happen, and now I sit here and can gorge myself. It somehow makes me feel guilty. I will never forget the feeling of my stomach when it felt like it was eating itself. Now, I feel like I have somehow cheated the system, and I don’t deserve it. This place somehow feels as if it’s going to make me soft. That’s something I cannot allow.

I hear Skye approaching. She is talking to someone, which makes me snort. I’ve known her for five minutes and suspect she only stops talking when sleeping. “Yeah, you can sit with me and my roommate. Her name is Salem.” My eyes move up to who she is talking to, and I give an uninterested glance before returning to my bacon.

Skye sits down before smiling at me, pulling out the chair beside her. The guy doesn’t move; he only stands there, his knuckles white as he grips his tray and glares down at me. “Is something wrong?” Her eyes are wide and innocent, looking up at him. Even my gaze drifts up to the guy, wondering what’s holding him up.

“Yes. How can you sit here and act like I don’t even exist? I planned on doing that, but I suppose it’s true. You are a liar, after all.” His curly blonde hair stops at his ears. We stare at each other, not moving. There is no spark of recognition, but he seems familiar.

I point my bacon at him, trying to make my brain work, trying to place him. “I know, I know you, but I am unsure how. It’s there, but it’s not anymore.” My brain is reviewing pictures and images of everyone I have met. I barely recognized Marcus or my mother for crying out loud.

“Are you fucking kidding me? You’re really playing up that the anti-fae movement kept you prisoner, aren’t you?” His nose crinkles in disgust. “You’re such a pathological liar. I didn’t want to believe it.” He sounds like he is about to cry, yet anger is the only emotion he lets out. He pushes his emotions to me, which hurts, but thankfully, the necklace Constantine gave me does its job. It barely makes me cringe.

My eyes narrow, and I squint at the kid. “I am many things, but a liar isn’t one of them.”

“Here, I thought I meant something to you.” The kid shakes his head.

I tilt my head, remembering that I had siblings. “Oliver?” I question him, trying to determine if he could be anyone else.

His brows furrow, and he looks at me with confusion written on his face, but shakes his head. “Like you didn’t know.” I should feel some way about seeing my brother, but I think very little about him. Maybe it’s because I don’t have our memories anymore.

“I truly don’t.” My shoulders shrug, and I wish I could give him more than that. “It’s nothing personal, they—”

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