Page 259 of Midnights
“Iknow you can fight. What else did your grandparents teach you?”
I pause mid-step, staring at him wide-eyed. But I don't hide my reaction fast enough.
He raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, so you’restillsticking to the story that you tripped the night of the ball?”
I open my mouth, ready to deny it, but honestly? I’m tired of hiding things. It’s clear he already knows about it. How, I have no clue, but there’s no point in pretending if he knows.
With a sigh, I rub the back of my neck, not sure where to start. “Umm… I know how to garden. I know a lot about herbs and how to use them for pretty much everything.” I glance at him, but his face gives nothing away, so I keep going. “I can defend myself with the basics. Um… I know how to meditate, and… I’m really good at swimming. I'm basically a Girl Scout.”
“Well, that’s a start.” He nods to a man passing by before focusing back on me. “Listen, I don’t know how else to say this, but I want to train you. Or at least see what you already know, just in case.” His voice sharpens. “I get that it might feel unnecessary, but trust me on this one."
"I also want to help you understand your magic. How to use it. How to control it. The more we work with it, the easier it’ll be to figure out what you’re truly capable of. Especially while we’re still piecing everything together.”
I don't know what to say. I'm surprised by his offer, and I really want to take him up on it. “Can we start today?” The words leave my mouth before I can second-guess them. Excitement and nerves hit at the same time. The idea of sitting around all day, aimlessly waiting for everyone else to figure out what’s happening to me… yeah,not happening.
“If you’re up for it. How are ye feeling? You should be feeling back to normal.”
I do actually. I feel a lot better.But am I ready for this?Because once I start, once I actuallydosomething withmagic, it’s going to make everything feel a hell of a lot more real.No more brushing it off as a fluke. And I can't keep pretending I'll just wake up from this.
But, when I think about everything that’s happened, it almost feels like a chance to finally figure something out.The unanswered questions, the strange pull I’ve been feeling for weeks, and if I really admit it… the way Iknewsomething was coming before I ever stepped foot here.
I can’t keep avoiding it.
“Now that you mention it, Idofeel good.” I square my shoulders. “So yes. Let’s do it.”
Cam walks me back to my room, and I spot the same man standing at the end of the hallway. He’s still there, standing like some kind of statue.Yeah, a statue that could kill you.
“Hi, you’re doing a great job. It’s nice to see you again.” I throw in an awkward wave for good measure before looking at Cam. I lower my voice and ask, “Is that really necessary? I thought this place was supposed to besafe?”
“Youaresafe,” he reassures me. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious.”
I nod, but the idea of needing a guard outside my room still feels unnecessary if you ask me. If I didn’t think he was keeping secrets before, I for sure do now. Why else would I need someone outside of my room? They're either trying to keep me in, or keep something else out.
“You can go change, I’ll be out here when you’re ready,” Cam says, looking over his shoulder. “If you haven’t snooped yet, Elle stocked your drawers and the closet. She also said I was a dick for not thinking of it earlier.”
I snort. “I mean, she’s notwrong.”
He shakes his head, muttering something about how this is his worst nightmare as he starts to walk over to the statue of a man watching over my empty hallway. He throws a glance back at me. “Hurry up, trouble.We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
I roll my eyes, but a smile tugs at my lips as I step into the room, heading straight to the dresser. I pull the drawers open and find them stuffed withneatly folded clothes. There's a bit of everything I could possibly need…and then some.
Warmth spreads through my chest, catching me off guard. It’s a small thing, but knowing someone thought about what I would possibly want and need feels really nice, and also a little unexpected. Especially since I don't even know how long I'll be staying.
I think Rachel and Elle would love each other. The second I let myself think of her, emotion punches through me. I miss her. But I’m relieved that Cam said no one will notice I’m gone—because if Rachel couldn’t get a hold of me, she'd show up with a pitchfork at Kane’s front door.
I giggle at the thought while I grab a pair of leggings and a different top, going for something easy to move in. I havenoidea what Cam has planned, and I’m not about to show up unprepared. I throw a sweater over the top, just in case.
When I step back into the hallway, Cam gives me a quick once-over before giving a short nod of approval. “Good.” He turns on his heel, heading down the hallway.
Without a word, I fall into step beside him and the nervous energy that's usually buzzing under my skin stays quiet for once. My thoughts, however, are a different story. A million questions swirl in my head, tangling and twisting until they’re impossible to sort.
We round a corner, and I see Elle walking down the hall. When she sees us, her face lights up, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Hey!”
“I couldn’t wait until our date later,” she teases, and I already know she's up to something. She looks me up and down and whistles. “Wait, damn. You lookgoodin that.”
I look over at Cam and he has the same expression she does. What are they up to?
