Page 55 of Angel Lost

I’m still injured from the trial. And the medicine professor won’t let me do any practice until I’m healed. Nothing. I’m stuck in the corner reading a stupid book while they all stab each other and then practice healing. I scowl at Reye. The idea of stabbing is way too attractive. She’s so good at everything. And nice; she’s far too niceynice.

Reye leans forward, patting me on the arm as we wander down the greenery-filled paths between classes. “You’re far more capable than you realize. I have every confidence that you’ll handle it beautifully.”

I force myself to smile, to thank her. She’s trained to be like this. She doesn’t see it as false. But she’s not even nineteen, for Hades’ sake. This place has quashed all the personality out of her.

Only during lunch do I get a minute to slip back to the blissful solitude of my room. Having a small number of students at the academy seems to mean someone is in your business all the time.

I shut my door firmly, leaning my back against the pale ash and pause, basking in the blessed aloneness. Sighing, I heave myself upright and hunt out my phone. I upend my pillowcase, and it drops onto the duvet.

Here goes. Shaking out my limbs, I ease back into that semi-lucid state. The air crackles. Ley lines zip away from me, vanishing into the distance. Very, very gently I pick up my phone and cautiously manipulate the energy around my hands. The phone vanishes. Or it sort of vanishes. If I squint, I can still see the ley line version of it, tucked away between strands of energy. Shit. I can’t see the screen like this. What if I…Carefully I extend the pocket around myself, squeezing between the ley lines. Now I can’t see the rest of the room, except as if it were energy. But…I can see my phone.

Bingo.

There must be an easier way. I saw students do this like it was nothing. So much to learn. I groan and flip the hidden network on.

Ping.

Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.

I hammer the silent button. Shit. Not subtle. I flick through the messages. The first few are just chitchat, but with each successive message I can sense the alarm rising as I don’t reply. Finally, the boys let me know Kai told them I probably couldn’t message. That he’d teach me how when I got back.

Several missed calls in the first twenty-four hours, but ten yesterday. When they already knew I couldn’t pick up. All from Chano.

Something’s wrong.

I hit dial, but it rings out. My heart sinks. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he just got lonely yesterday. I fire out a quick chirpy group message, but my gut’s churning.

Ali-G Chat

Lorelei: I worked it out guys! Don’t need Kai’s help. Chano, what’s up? You called?

Zephyr has added Kai to the chat.

Seriously? Is that necessary?

There’s a long pause before three little dots appear next to Zephyr’s name. Everyone else leaves me on read.

Zephyr: You need to talk to Chano.

Lorelei: No shit. He’s not answering, and you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?

Zephyr: He should tell you…

Lorelei: So help me, Z…

Zephyr: It’s his sister.

Hecate, I don’t get on with the little shit, but I wouldn’t wish her ill.

Lorelei: Lottie? What’s happened?

Zephyr: She’s gone.

Lorelei: Gone where?

Zephyr: No one knows. And a bunch of her friends are missing. Since sometime on Tuesday.

Two days ago.

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