Page 82 of Shadow Caster
Payne conceded with a slant of his head. He stood and steered me toward the door with a hand at the small of my back.
“Let’s get you back to the shadow wing.”
I could have shadow phased, but with Payne by my side, it wasn’t really an option. So we took the long route.
“How is shadow cadet life treating you?” Payne asked as he strode, hands in pockets, beside me.
“Good. It’s good.” Not much more I could say without breaking oath.
A gargoyle slipped out of the shadows and glared at us with orange eyes.
“At ease.” Payne flicked a wrist in its direction.
The stone monster melted into the darkness once again.
“They creep me out,” Payne said.
I looked up at him in surprise. “Really?”
He chuckled. “Really. We used to have one growing up. A gift from the council. They’re usually inactive during the day, but here at the Academy the weavers have adjusted and modified the goyles to remain active around the clock if need be.”
“They’re also usually smaller, right?”
“Only the ones employed in regular households,” Payne said.
“How do you know my parents?” The question just popped out. “Sorry, I just noticed you seemed to know them when they … In the office the other day.”
His step faltered. “Oh. Um, socially. Your parents and I attended prep academy together. Then I came here and they … They got married.”
“So, you were friends?”
He was silent for a long beat and then, “Yes. You could say we were friends.”
We rounded the corner that led to the shadow wing and its barred entrance.
Payne slowed his pace. “You look a lot like her, you know. Your mother.”
His words were like a cold bucket of water. “Yeah? Well, that’s where the resemblance ends.”
His eyes were sad. “We can’t choose our family, but you have a chance to make a new family here with your friends.”
He was right. Already, I felt as if Lloyd’s troop and Harmon and Thomas were my new family, and Hyde … Well, I didn’t even want to dwell on what I wanted him to be.
Payne meant well, though, and snapping at him was pointless. “Can you let me know what you find out about the gunk?”
He nodded. “Of course. But your trial is in two days. You need to focus on that.”
Shit. With everything that had been going on, the upcoming trial had momentarily slipped my mind.
I buzzed to get into the shadow wing.
“Lockdown, Justice. What do you think that means?” Larkin sounded pissed.
“She was with me,” Payne said into the intercom.
There was a long beat of silence. “Well, that makes sneaking out of the dorm okay then, doesn’t it?” Larkin said sarcastically.
The door clicked.
