Page 52 of Poison

Okay, I seriously like this guy. He doesn’t take crap from anyone and I can see that annoys my aunt, so that’s a win-win for me.

“Excuse me,” Ajax’s voice fills the air. “I was sent here to tell you from Mr Skullmyer, that Poison is showing her abilities and he thinks the Academy is the best place for her to learn.”

He pulls a piece of paper from his back pocket, holding it up for the council to see. Mr Lightfoot leans against the wood. He snaps his fingers and a guard gingerly walks around Kevin, who hisses at him and takes the letter out of his hand. I watch with a weird sort of satisfaction as he rushes over to the man to get out of Kevin’s way.

Mr Lightfoot opens it up, his eyes scanning the letter. Then he passes it to the woman next to him and she does the same. I tap my foot as the letter works its way down the whole line and then Mr Lightfoot turns his attention back on me.

“Miss Draken, can you and your friends please wait in the next room while we discuss this matter?”

I don’t need to be told twice, I jump down off the platform, sliding down Kevin’s coils. My feet hit the floor with a thud and I look up to meet blood red eyes.

“I think it’s best if you become a bit smaller while we are waiting,”I say to him in my mind, then I hear his internal chuckle and I thump him on his side.

The shimmer washes over him and I hear the room gasp as he disappears from sight. Then in the next breath, the shimmer disappears and a Basilisk the size of me is left in his wake. The double doors I came through swing open and a guard points to them. We all snigger as Kevin takes off first, his scales sounding like sandpaper on wood as they brush against the stone floor. Ajax steps behind me, blocking me in so I have someone behind me too.

We all walk through the door and the room we’re supposed to wait in is literally the next door along the hallway. We step inside, and the guard shuts the door behind us, leaving the three of us in the room together.

“So I take it this is the thing you’ve been talking to when you look like you’re spaced out?” Ajax asks the moment we’re alone.

“Erm,” I say.

“I am, Hotty McHot stuff, have you got problem with that?” Kevin asks, slithering up to him so they’re eye to eye.

“Why have I never been able to see you?” he asks, not bothered by the snake death-glaring him at the moment.

“Because I didn’t want you to,” he throws back.

Ajax’s jaw drops as he glares at Kevin, then he looks at me, waiting. I shrug my shoulders and walk to the other side of the room where the seats are, sitting down. The two of them are still in some weird sort of male standoff. Neither one of them wanting to back down, I fold my arms across my chest and lean back.

“Have you two finished?” I gripe, I don’t need them doing this. I’m already on edge about what’s going on in the other room. I don’t like other people deciding stuff about my life, especially when I’m not there to put my two pence worth in.

“But–” Kevin protests.

“Kevin, will you stop it,” I shout at him, and he looks at me like I’ve just kicked a puppy. With sad eyes he lowers his head, and guilt fills me. “Look, I’m sorry,” I say with a defeated breath.

“I’m tired, cranky, and I just want to know what is going to happen to me,” I say, leaning forward and dropping my head into my hands on my knees. “God, why can’t my life just have stayed as simple as it was before?”

“How long do you think it’s going to take?” Ajax asks.

That’s the million-pound question.

* * *

My entire body is aching from moving around the room for god knows how long. I’m filled with nervous energy, and we still haven’t been called into the other room to find out my fate.

“How long has it been?” I ask Ajax for the umpteenth time.

“It’s been over an hour and half now,” he says with a harsh breath. “They never take this long.”

Evenhe’slosing his patience now and that really isn’t helping my current vortex of emotions within. I feel sick to my stomach and I honestly think my aunt is going to do the one thing she’s wanting to do my whole life.

“She hasn’t got the power to get rid of me, Pop,” Kevin says as he comes over to where I’m sitting and nudges me in the shoulder with his massive head.

His words have me sitting up straighter and they catch Ajax’s attention too. I glare at him, telling him in my way he needs to explain himself. There is more to him then he’s let on and considering he is my best friend, he shouldn’t be keeping secrets from me. All he does is smirk at me and move to the furthest side of the room.

“The council is ready for you now,” the guard says.

We all make our way out of the room and head to the council trial chamber. The enormous oak doors are already open waiting for us. Kevin grows in height as soon as he starts to head towards the platform in the middle of the room. I notice how silent it is as I take in the room, and there isn’t anyone else here other than the council members and ourselves.

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