Page 129 of Firestorm
“Ah, there you are. Gather up your things and come with me, please.” Earl said, flashing a smile that I’m sure was meant to be disarming, but it only had me more on edge.
My hands trembled as I stood, shoveling my things into my bag while trying not to let my knees give out. My legs were completely numb as I made my way down the stairs in the center of the room, hundreds of eyes watching my every move in unnerving silence, though that only made the screams from my nightmares louder.
“Why aren’t you hurt?”
“Did she do this?”
“My son is dead, she’s not even bleeding!”
I forced out a shaky breath and ran a hand over my ear, then pushed away the voices as I made it to the bottom of the stairs. Headmaster Earl gave me what should have been a reassuring smile while the other man watched me with poorly veiled interest. My stomach churned.
As soon as we were in the hall, out of sight from the rest of the students, oxygen made it back into my lungs. I sucked in a quiet breath, the fog in my mind clearing more and more as I was able to breath.
“Thank you for your time, Ms. Aria.” Earl said. “This should only take a few minutes.”
“Has something happened?” I asked on reflex.
The other man turned to look at me, his dark eyes skating over mein a way that had my hackles rising. He looked familiar, though I couldn’t pinpoint from where, which was unusual for me. Maybe he resembled someone I knew from here at the academy? Or the café?
Zephyr,I called out to my brother, then tensed. When neither man reacted, I relaxed again. That was almost a stupid mistake.
“Not exactly. We’ll explain in my office.” Earl replied smoothly.
What is it?Zephyr answered after a beat of silence.
Who is this guy? I recognize him from somewhere.I opened my mind up further to my brother, allowing him to see through my eyes and showing him the strange man. The man turned back to glance at me at the perfect time, giving my brother a full view of his face.
Holy fuck,Zephyr replied.That’s the president of the World Affinity Association. You didn’t recognize him?
No,I replied.
We met him, Skye.Zephyr said quietly.He was at the funeral.
I stopped breathing.
I recognized him, now.
His perfectly styled black hair. His high cheekbones. His dark, bottomless, almond-shaped eyes framed by strong eyebrows. He looked like a man who’d been attractive at one point, but he’d lost it a bit as soon as he was out of his prime. Graying stubble dotted his jaw, with more gray streaking through his hair.
Hehadbeen at our parents’ funeral. He’d been less gray then, but it was him. He’d given us a half-ass canned apology before assuring us ‘they’ were diligently searching for Levi in the wreckage. He hadn’t even remembered Levi’s name, and he was one of only two missing people among dozens of dead.
Skye?Zephyr’s voice broke through my panic.
I can’t breathe,I replied, clutching my chest.
Skye, don’t do this now. Relax, sweets.
I can’t,even in my mind I was gasping. My legs were numb, my arms prickling like they’d go next. My vision blurred slightly. Headmaster Earl was speaking, but I could barely hear him. It sounded like I was underwater.
You have to,Zephyr said sternly.
I have to, I replied, more to myself than him.
I sucked in a long breath, and my vision returned. My legs were still numb, but I forced myself to move. Forced myself to keep going.
Later. I could worry about all of thislater.
Slowly, I boxed up my feelings in my mind. I placed my fear and apprehension into one box and closed it, locking them away. I went emotion by emotion, my body feeling lighter by the moment as I moved along.
