Page 105 of Magical Academy for Delinquents
Chapter 40
I staredup at the Pinnacle as I stood before it, ready for my “interview” aka my last little chance at recon. It was an intimidating building even in the daylight. The round marble structure had arch upon arch that led into what appeared to be a shadowy abyss. The gold friezes above each arch gleamed with ancient carved gods who looked real enough to jump off the building and eviscerate you with their lightning bolts.
Maybe it was the Pinnacle’s resemblance to the Colosseum and the bloody tortures that the original structure had held up as spectacle that made me so disgusted as I stared at it. Or maybe it was my knowledge that the Pinnacle was responsible for hundreds of missing vampires—my search on the dark web turned up new missing vampires each day—and was withholding a serum that could cure thousands of its citizens, instead charging their families a monthly fee for caging poor vampires like zoo animals. Yeah, I didn’t get any reverent vibes from the building.
I stood staring for a second as long lines of people in suits trotted in and out like ants. My eyes scanned the grass lawn that nobody walked on. I could see the prairie dog mounds every so often breaking up the turf. There was even one fuzzy brown bump in the distance that might have been a little head peeking out.
It made me laugh to think that the tiny rodents were the big bad protectors of the Pinnacle—its first line of defense. I watched the guards at the doors. Second line. Adrenaline buzzed through my body. I felt drunk and energized at the same time. I had to suppress my light and clench my fists as I looked up the seven stories. Twelve more hours. Twelve more hours and I’d either fly or fall to my death. I’d either get Matthew’s serum or be torn apart by cursed amulets in an underground bunker.There are worse ways to go.The memory of the faculty ripping apart entire slabs of meat—gnawing on the bones—came to mind and I shuddered.Maybe.
“Ready?” Claude asked beside me, lazily. He was smirking, thinking I was intimidated about this interview, probably.
He tried to put a hand on my shoulder, but I moved quickly to avoid his touch. I’d tried to spend as little time at the house as possible, avoiding him until the inevitable. I’d managed not to even see him until today, when he’d shown up at the front door with Mom smiling next to him and offered to take me to the ‘office.’
Even though I was the one who’d subtly hinted to mom that Claude walking me in might improve my chances in my interview, seeing the fuckwad was almost too much. Just thinking about him made my insides blister. It was like rubbing a raw wound with salt.
I took a deep breath and focused on what I needed to accomplish today. It was time to implement Zavier’s Leery. And, if I had time, I wanted to ensure we had the path to the breakroom correct. I wanted to count cameras. The list in my head doubled in length. I wanted—
Claude slid his hand onto my shoulder. I jumped like I’d been bitten by a snake. Some of his coworkers, who had turned to smile and wave at us, ignorant of the demon that inhabited Claude’s body.
Time to sow the seeds of discord. I happily let angry words slide out, while keeping my chipper mask. "Thank you so much for bringing me today. You know, without your help, I probably wouldn't be able to find anything. I mean, I can hardly walk and breathe at the same time as it is. Who knows what would happen if I had to press that number eight button on the elevator?"
"Hayley—stop," Claude growled. His glower, the one he reserved for me, descended for a second and I skittered backward, drawing a look or two.
But Claude quickly restored his fake smile and gestured toward the door, like he was some kind of gentleman. I knew better. And I was gonna make sure the people here did too.
But … Zavier’s voice rang out in my head. “Make sure you get in his head. Just like you did with Grayson. He shouldn’t see anyone else; he should be so pissed at you. You want to push him to show who he really is … once people see … the rumors will fly. But not too big, Hales. Not huge. That’s the key to a leery. Get the suspicion simmering. It’ll bubble up on its own after that.”
I ignored Claude’s outstretched and strode up to the building.Murderer,I mentally spat on him.Not too big. Not too big,I reminded myself.Get the rumor mill started. But if you push him in a big way, you’ll look like a jerk, too.
Claude’s anger prickled; I could feel it on my skin as the hairs stood on edge. But he didn't say anything as we reached the massive front doors. They were open for business hours, flanked by four massive men in uniform, breast pockets embroidered with the Pinnacle’s chess rook topped by a shining diamond.
I swallowed the lump in my throat that formed when I thought about tonight.Shake it off. Next five minutes. What can you do? Prick the boil. Boil the prick.
I joined the line for security, pulling out my wand and my ink. The ink pot was run through an explosives scanner and my wand was inspected to ensure it was solid and not a weapon spelled to look like a wand. The wand itself was checked against the wand registry to make sure it was mine.
A bored security guard with two wide iridescent scars running in parallel lines down his left cheek (magical mistakes, no doubt), handed back my wand and said, “Please head over to the shifter sniffing station.”
I grabbed my wand and ink and walked to another line. I should have bit my tongue and bided my time a little. But he was right there, smiling, making small talk, calling me his ‘daughter’ to people. The fucker.
He deserved any discomfort and embarrassment I could give him. He deserved more. My fingers itched to give him more. I smiled and gave a little wave when he introduced me to someone. Then I leaned up and asked through my wide grin—teeth clenched, "Other than abusing children like myself, what have you been doing for fun lately? Or who? Anyone else new I should know about, stepfather?"
Claude's face grew stiff. His hands slowly went into his pockets. He was clenching his fists in there, I could tell. But he made no move to retaliate.
I smiled up at him and giggled—a high-pitched annoying giggle that even hurt my own ears.
It must be nice to have self-control. To be so superior and sure of your murdering self that insults mean nothing.
I leaned up and whispered with mock sympathy, "Oh dear, Claudia, don't tell me you've been rejected by someone? With all that money you stole from my dad's estate, I'm sure you can buy yourself another companion." Inside I was both giddy and on edge. He had to be close.
The scent of singed cotton reached my nose. He was burning the inside of his pants.
A pathetic sense of satisfaction stole over me. It wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough to punish him. But it was something.
Another security guard called out, “Next!” and grabbed my arm, maneuvering me over to a little carpet with two footprints on it.
“Stand here.” The security guard stepped back and waved the fox shifter on duty over.
I was slightly distracted for a second. But they put the fox in a sweater with a Pinnacle symbol embroidered on the back. I realized their strategy—who would want to steal from a sweet little fox? I kind of wanted to pick him up and take him home.
