Page 34 of Poison

“I promise you, Poison, I will get you back to the Academy as soon as I can.” He rushes out the words. “My hands are tied on this right now. But I mean it, I will get you back here.”

The door bursts open and I launch to my feet on instinct, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head. The small petite girl is easily recognisable to me as she strolls into the room with a huge bodyguard and Ajax behind her.

“What the hell is going on here?” Ajax demands, looking between us all.

I don’t look at him as I meet the eyes of the person who is here to guard the magic user, but why has he been sent. I don’t pose a threat to her, if anything, she could kill me with a blink of her eyes.

“Tanika, what’re you doing here?” I ask the woman who is responsible for my shitty transportation here in the first place.

“I am here to see that Gael does the memory wipe correctly and then I will be taking you to your new home,” she says flippantly.

I take in the man stood next to her and my eyes widen in realisation he has to have something to do with the council, if he’s the one who is doing the wipe. It means he is more powerful than Tanika.

I whip around, my eyes widening as I stare at Mr Skullmyer, who can’t bring himself to return my glare. Ajax looks about a second away from flipping out, his gaze bouncing between Tanika and Mr Skullmyer.

“She isn’t going anywhere with you. She’s a student here,” he booms. The walls shake from the power of his bellow, forcing Mr Skullmyer to acknowledge what is happening.

“I’m sorry, Poison, it has to be done,” he says. The confident tone he normally has is non-existent right now. “Remember my words.”

“What the hell do I do, Kevin?”I ask in my head as he makes his way into the room. Thankfully, he doesn’t touch anyone because if Tanika finds out he’s here then my aunt will find out.

“Relax,”he says. I try my best to read his face, I don’t know if I should be calm about the fact he looks unconcerned with the situation.“I believe your headteacher.”

“Take a seat, girl,” Gael commands with a weird accent. I drop into the seat without so much of a thought as he comes over to me.

I lift my head to look at him, he’s all dark hair and tanned skinned. What really stands out though is the coldness in his eyes, they’re a grey colour, almost like charcoal. I can’t stop myself from shaking with apprehension as he lifts his hand. He places his palm on top of my head and closes his eyes, and I don’t move a muscle, my eyes locked on the spot where Kevin is.

Mr Skullmyer is still muttering his apologies to me, while Ajax looks on the verge of shifting. I don’t get it, why is he so annoyed about this?

“You really feel comfortable watching this?” I ask Tanika, trying to see if I can find a way to stop this. I don’t want to leave.

“My opinions on matters don’t hold any standing, Poison, you know this,” she says with a weird tone, and is that regret I can hear in it or is she bored? “I do as I am told, that is all.”

Gael starts muttering words, and I’ve heard enough spells being done to know he’s started. My fingers dig into the leather on the arms of my chair, the material creaking under the pressure of my nails as his words intensify. I can hear the words clearly now and, from them, I know he’s not like the other magic users I’ve seen before. His words are the ancient tongue, and a sharp pain like someone has just driven a knife through my brain shoots through my skull. I bite my lip with enough force to break skin to try and hold back the scream of agony.

Tears leak from the corner of my eyes as I pant through the agony, memories flashing across my mind at rapid speed. I cry out as one-by-one they disappear, the most painful ones are of my parents.

Then there’s nothing but silence in my mind.

CHAPTERTWELVE

Iopen my eyes, a white piercing light blinds me. I have to close them once again, groaning as I open them and holding my hand up to try and block the blinding light. The cover helps, my lids blinking rapidly as I let my eyes readjust.

“Pop?”

I shoot up at the sound of Kevin’s voice, my head throbbing at the sudden movement. He’s at the side of me with a soft smile on his face, I look around the room in confusion. Where the hell am I?Yet again!

The walls are a mix between magnolia and beige, it’s like a smoker has been in here and the place is full of nicotine. The furniture is dowdy and fractured, like it’s been sitting in the room for years.

“Where are we?” I ask, looking down to notice I’m sitting on old wood flooring. I roll onto my hands and knees and stand up.

Voices and laughter come through the window. I look at Kevin and he just smiles, nodding his huge head. I rush over to the glass, my eyes widening as I take in the scene before me.

“Welcome to Ravenshard,” Kevin says.

I’m in awe, watching hordes of people bustling about on the street below. Children are laughing as they skip on by or play with balloons, and I turn to Kevin, my face pinched together in confusion. Looking back at the scene, I watch as people go about their lives looking happy.

“Tanika portaled you here after Gael did his juju,” he says sadly. “You know who I am, don’t you?”

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