Page 22 of Laid Bare

Before my knees can go out, I latch onto the counter, white-knuckling the granite to keep me on my feet. My towel falls away from my body, but my eyes never leave the blurred image in the mirror.

The longer I stand here, the more the picture in front of me clears. White hair. Pink eyes. Black etchings covering my body. But the most prominent is the pink light zigzagging just beneath my flesh.

One second, it’s going crazy, then the next, it just stops right next to a rune on my stomach. One that I have no idea what it means, though by the design, a cloud, I have a small guess. And I could be totally wrong, but I can’t deny the innate desire to find out what it does.

I know I shouldn’t be testing runes here in my dorm room, but why would my magic point me there if it’s something destructive.

Fuck it.What Thaddeus and Headmaster Stonewell don’t know won’t hurt them, right?

Right! Here we go.

Blowing out a breath, I give my magic the small nudge it needs to take action. The pink glow resting under my skin brightens as it slips over the rune, the black turning bubblegum pink completely. I squeeze my eyes shut, almost afraid of what’s going to happen.

Don’t blow up. Don’t blow up,I think to myself over and over again.

For a moment, nothing happens. I peek one eye open, spying the rune on my stomach still glowing brightly.Must be a dud.I snort. Only I would have dud runes. About to call the whole experiment a wash, a light, warm breeze starts to blow, centering me in the middle of the mini cyclone. My wet hair lifts from its place plastered on my back and forehead as the small breeze picks up pace.

The temperature kicks up a few notches, almost feeling like the heat from a hairdryer. A strand of hair slaps me in the face, and I squeeze my eyes shut and cross my fingers, hoping this will end soon without disaster.

When it finally dies down, soft, tousled hair falls around my shoulders, and it’s then I realize what my magic wanted to show me. My air rune. Also now known as my full body dryer.

That was so freaking cool.

The condensation that clung to everything is gone, and even my once wet skin is now dry as a bone. And it all happened in less than two minutes.

Welp, I’ll be taking advantage of that rune more in the future.

Knowing I don’t have any time to dwell, I make my way to my closet, wondering what the heck I’m going to wear today. My wardrobe doesn’t consist of much more than hoodies and comfortable clothes, so it’s not like I have a whole lot of options to pick and choose from. Not that I mind. Comfortability is key, after all.

I’m even more thankful for it today, though. Without my necklace, I need something else as armor to protect myself from the other students.

Once dressed in my usual hoodie and leggings, I head out in the main area of my dorm room right as there’s a knock on the door. Tossing my head back, I release a long sigh, internally debating if I actually have to open the door.

The knock sounds once again, and with a groan, I go and open the door, not at all surprised to see my babysitters standing there. They make a move to step in, but I swiftly snag my backpack from the floor and push my way out, closing my door behind me in the process. A loud click echoes the quiet hallway as I lock my room up tight, only to proceed toward the stairs without uttering a word.

What is there to say? I know a normal good morning would be respectful, but I still have no clue what Bane did on Saturday, and my alarm bells haven’t stopped ringing in my head since.

Conversations and the laughter of the other students assaults my ears the moment I step out from the staircase into the main hall of the academy. Oh what I wouldn’t give to be so damn carefree like they are at this moment. But even I know that won’t happen any time soon, or maybe even ever again.

Almost like someone grabs a remote and hits the mute button, every sound ceases, and numerous eyes turn in my direction, stopping me in my tracks. Open hostility, disgust, a little curiosity, and outright hatred rests in their gazes the moment they see me. Rumbling growls and agitated hisses send me stumbling back into a hot body before ruby wings wrap around me, shielding me from those prying eyes.

“I got you, pinky,” Zane murmurs, bending to whisper in my ear. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Before I can reply, a powerful aura crashes all around me, and whimpers and whines ring out in the hallway.

“What the fuck are you all looking at?” Bane booms, the deep tenor of his voice rattling the walls. “Get to wherever the fuck you’re going and mind your own damn business.”

Hasty footsteps answer his demand, but there’s no missing the furious whispers as everyone disappears. After a few minutes, that aura disperses like it was never there, and Zane pulls back his wings to reveal Bane crouched down in front of me.

“I don’t think I can do this,” I mutter, not trying to hide the tremble in my voice.

His deep, soulless eyes stare back at me, softening around the edges. “You can,” he says resolutely. “They’re all fucking sheep following the words of a mad councilman. Just keep your head up and keep being you. People will soon realize that you’re nothing like what he says.”

A harsh laugh escapes me. “You don’t even know me to be saying something like that. I could be just like he says.”

“Nah.” Bane shakes his head, his short hair ruffling. “I don’t believe that for a second.” He boops me on the nose, making my eyes cross. “If that was the case, you’d already be dead.” His hearty chuckle punctuates his words.

The mischievous twinkle in his dark orbs tells me he’s messing with me, but little does the demon know that he’s playing on my biggest fear.

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