Page 24 of Laid Bare

The sound of a cell phone ringing cuts through the turmoil raging inside of me, Bane’s quiet murmurs washed away in the conversations slithering through the dining hall. It’s a short conversation, one that ends with him repocketing his phone. He looks over at Zane, and that seems to be all Zane needs to know what that call was about.

“We’ve been summoned to the headmaster’s office…” Zane mutters with a scowl. But before he can finish his sentence, the bell rings for the start of classes.

I blow out a breath and chuckle humorlessly, shaking my head. His summons only reiterates my previous thought.

Mondays freaking suck.

Of course thestupid rock bird wants to see me this morning.

From the time I arrived at Stonewell until the gala, I barely saw the headmaster. Maybe three times? Four tops, if I remember correctly. Hell. The gargoyle lives across the hall from me, and never once did we cross each other’s paths as we were leaving.

But now? Good gods. It feels like I can’t freaking escape him.

Zane and Bane flank me on both sides as we weave our way through the halls and up the stairs toward Jasper’s office. Anyone that comes even remotely close to us, one of the guys snarls, and that unfortunate person spins around and hightails it in another direction.

It’s laughable, really, to see how scared they are of them.

Before I realize it, Bane is knocking on Jasper’s door, and he calls from within, beckoning us inside.

The man himself is seated behind his large desk, his customary suit that he always seems to wear in place, with his large stone wings flared behind him. A slight breeze wafts through his office, pulling my gaze toward the open balcony doors. The same balcony he first flew me to when I first got here.

I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth just remembering the scary ass moment he wrapped his arms around me and shot off into the air like a rocket. And all the motherfucker could do was laugh about it. Even now, that shit ain’t funny.

“You rang?” Zane snickers, throwing himself into one of the empty chairs and propping his feet up on the desk. The death glare Jasper throws his way sends a shiver down my spine, but it doesn’t seem to faze the demon in the slightest.

With a flick of his wrist, Zane’s feet thump to the floor, jolting the man in the process. He grumbles but doesn’t say a word, and neither does Bane, where he stands stoically leaning against the wall.

“Have a seat, Miss Matthews.” Jasper nods to the empty chair next to Zane, but I keep my feet rooted to the floor, refusing to sit.

“I’m good.”

Jasper brushes off my rudeness and rifles through a file on his desk before extending a piece of paper toward me.

“Your new schedule. The Acheron’s already have a copy, but I wanted to make sure you did too.”

My eyes dart to Zane, who seems to catch my unspoken plea. He snatches the schedule from Jasper, folding it and putting it in his pocket.

The gargoyle gives a huff of displeasure but doesn’t comment on my refusal and continues. “A few of your classes have remained the same, but I’ve taken you out of potion making and free study and changed those to rune practice in the containment room. You’ve also been moved up to Portalling 102 as per Professor Winterton’s recommendation.”

My heart aches hearing Thaddeus’ name. But it also reminds me…

“I would like to request a change of instructors.” My comment goes off like a shot, confusion flickering in Jasper’s eyes. “Professor Winterton is an amazing instructor, don’t get me wrong. But…” I wrap my arms around myself in an attempt to keep my heart from shattering behind my ribs. “I think it would be best if I was removed from his classes, so he has a chance to fix things with Miss Izzicle.”

Jasper’s already shaking his head before I even finish. “Miss Izzicle would have been fired if she wasn’t sent back to Faerie. Stonewell Academy doesn’t tolerate racism of supernatural types. She knew that, along with the others that were involved.” Others? There were others there that moved through these halls that were hoping I’d be executed? “Students have gotten a pass because they can learn, but those that are already established in the hierarchy? No. They’ve been removed from the academy.”

“Fuck,” I breathe, not having grasped the whole picture.

“Fuck, indeed,” Bane hisses, his anger palpable in the office. “Our job just got even harder. Now you’ve got others gunning for her because her existence caused their unemployment. We could have protected her better with them still here. I doubt they would have acted if they didn’t want to lose their damn jobs.”

“Listen,” Jasper argues, “I don’t tell you how to run your security firm, and you don’t tell me how to run my academy. I did what I thought was best.”

“Your best is going to get her killed!” Zane booms, jumping up from his relaxed position in front of Jasper’s desk.Oh shit. Angry demon on the loose. But his explosion of anger doesn’t scare me like it should. Why? I don’t know. But it’s not aimed at me, so I’m grateful.

“Regardless…” Jasper brushes off Zane’s outburst like it never happened.

“Regardless…” I mock under my breath, even more agitated that once again my safety seems to mean shit to him. Shouldn’t he himself have been fired since he didn’t stick up for me? I mean, come on, he fucking sat there on his high seat instead of protecting me.

“Is there anything else?” I ask, bringing the conversation back. “I need to get to class.”

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