Page 88 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos
Grandma frowns, but no one follows suit.
“Am I missing something?” Dad asks.
“Nothing at all. Let’s enjoy the evening. So, I heard from someone that the attack on the Academy rattled the Council and all the alphas whose kids go there,” Renji says in an attempt to change the subject.
Grandad sighs, and Dad looks at him. Clearly, he just made them even more stressed.
“Yeah, it’s true,” Dad admits. “But that’s not Leo’s biggest concern.”
I glance at him sharply. “Then what is?”
“Aaron wants to step down. He thinks he failed the students and doesn’t think he can be responsible for every life there. With the pressure from those whose children attend, he has beenbombarded about why it happened,” Dad explains as he drinks his juice.
“And you think Leo will let him?” Carter asks, frowning slightly.
“No one can be forced into doing anything they don’t want to, but it will leave a problem on his hands,” Grandma adds. Grandad takes her hand, rubbing her knuckles gently.
“Yeah.”
“So, now what then?” Theo asks, for once, not messing around. We all know the gravity of the situation,
No one speaks, and I spin the knife that is in front of me. “Then maybe we just need a new headmaster,” I say, now looking around the table, voicing the opinion that has been on my mind since Tatum came to talk to me. “One who is far more reputable than just another alpha, one the students, their families and the Council know they can rely on. The Headmaster of the Academy is the general who is preparing the captains who will lead the army in battle. So we find someone befitting of that title. One with enough strength to see it through.”
The Concerns of Others
Sienna
The sun is burning down on me; it’s hard to keep up with him. His beige cloak flows behind him, the sweltering heat and humidity suffocating me as he motions me to keep following.
No, I don’t want to follow him this time. I want answers. This is no ordinary dream.
I force myself to stop, and the cloaked man stops as well. Looking at me over his shoulder, this time I can make out a golden-brown beard and full lips.
“Who are you?” I ask. I’m speaking a language that is foreign to me, but one that I can somehow understand.
“You are here. That’s good to know.” He chuckles, the sound soft yet full of warmth and mirth. “I am nothing more than someone who wishes to help you, to give you what you deserve.”
What I deserve?
“Come with me.” He stretches his hand out, and I frown hesitantly.
“How can you help me?” I ask softly, hesitant to take his hand.
“Take my hand and I can show you,” he coaxes. I can sense longing from him, and a sadness that makes me want to comfort him. I reach out, ready to take his hand, when I turn sharply, looking at the temple with that same symbol.
For a moment, my mind is blank, and then I remember. Oh yes… Jayce showed me it! It’s the symbol from the tome!
Jayce…
I retract my hand and look at the temple.
“Come with me!” the man in the cloak commands.
“This symbol? What does it stand for?” I ask. This time, the dream feels different. It’s almost as if I’m leading it.
“It does not matter; it is meaningless to our goal.”
His hand is still outstretched, and I tilt my head, watching passersby bow their heads in the temple yard. Strange, it’s as if they don’t see us standing right here. Now that I pay attention, the man in front of me is far taller than everyone else.
