Page 233 of The Blairville Legacies

“Bayla!” I heard Mum call from downstairs. “Dinner's ready!”

I slammed the book shut and decided to take it downstairs with me.

I looked out of the window one last time at the street, which was covered in colorful autumn leaves that were whirled up by the wind every few seconds.

I actually liked fall. But Blairville was in a doomsday mood because of all the thunderstorm warnings and there were ravenseverywhereyou looked, which scared me more than the massive Halloween decorations in the streets of this little neighborhood.

Larissa called me paranoid because I had once told her that I felt stalked by these creatures. She was probably right. This town made me paranoid.

“Bay!”

I jumped up from the carpet next to my window, feeling dizzy and a painful tug rushing through my chest.

Since this morning, I'd been feeling a strange pressure between my breasts, like something was stuck there that didn't belong.

Something was wrong with my body, because I was also freezing all the time.

Larissa had said I wasn't used to the weather here, but it felt more like chills.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but ever since Mum's witch friend had almost broken my neck on the altar of sacrifice in the witch temple, the symptoms of illness had been alternating. Headaches and tiredness went hand in hand day and night, and now I was also freezing.

The smell of freshly baked blueberry pancakes and hot butter filled the entire first floor, and my mouth automatically watered.

Mum definitely knew how to wrap me around her finger.

Last night, she had called me and told me to go with Julian, which I had done.

I didn't mind sitting next to Julian in a slightly older tin car, not at all. He hadn't exactly been talkative, almost over-focused on the road. We'd exchanged a few words about the Copelands, and I'd asked him questions about the English professor. He'd only meant that I should stay away from the Copelands and their pack, if Julie and Grace said so.

Very helpful.

He'd answered the question of what part he played in all this with a curt “none”and I'd accepted it asI don't feel like talking to you.

Before Julian had let me out at Mady's, I had used the time to read Professor Copeland's book.

From what I'd understood, it was about a group of young students whose mission was to bring their families together, so they formed a secret alliance.

It was easy to get into and the author, whose name I still didn't know, had a relaxing writing style. It really wasn't bad, but I was barely on page 30 of 400.

I sat on the couch with my professor's book and successfully blocked out the fact that he was a werewolf.

“Et voila!” Mum came into the living room with two heavy plates, a smile on her lips that I had missed a little.

How could she be in such a good mood with all she knew and after the torture last weekend?

I still hadn't forgiven her for lying to me about being sick. Especially because there really were people out there battling cancer.

“You can read on later. For now, I have something for you that I'm sure you won't be able to saynoto.”

With reluctance, I placed the book on the table next to me and moved so that Mum could sit down on the couch.

She handed me a knife and fork, as well as the plate full of pancakes, which smiled at me with their roundness dripping with maple syrup.

“At least maple syrup is cheaper in Canada,” Mum laughed, plopping down on the couch next to me with a carefree expression.

“Can witches even get cancer?”

Mum made a face because she knew what I was indirectly criticizing her for.

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