A guttural sob rose up my throat, and I forced it back down.
I can’t go back to him. Not unless I wanted him to incur the devil’s wrath any more than he already had. And yet each day he died a little more, now that our bond had broken, and each day my humanity stripped away a little more.
We’d made promises to each other not to give up. He kept on living despite his deep desire to join me in hell.
I could fight whatever it was I felt for the devil. And I would, not just because I made Andre a promise. He was my soulmate, and all the best parts of me loved all the best parts of him. And we embraced all the terrible aspects of both of us because those, too, made us who we were.
I drew in a shuddering breath and wiped my hands off.
I might have to avoid Andre for now, but I wouldn’t fall quietly into this fate, no matter how easy that would be, and no matter how badly certain parts of me wanted it.
And the first step was getting some answers.
Leanne made a noise. “Peel Academy, Gabrielle? Really?” she said, reading my immediate future in the cards. “That’s one of the least safe places for you to be.”
“I need to get inside,” I said.
There were two people I’d wanted to meet with, and the first was there.
“Seriously, this is your worst idea ever—and not one of the fun ones, either,” Oliver said as we walked past the storefronts that faced the shore. Ahead of us, Peel Castle jutted out into the water, looking decrepit.
“Ignore him,” Leanne said. “He’s just bummed that he won’t get to hang with you this evening.” Next to me, Oliver grumbled.
Leanne had dropped that little tidbit shortly after I’d made my plans known. According to her visions, I wouldn’t be seeing my friends again until tomorrow evening.
Probably for the best. I still grappled with my violent emotions. I didn’t want them to have to see me like this, or worse, be the victim of one of these moods.
When we came to the end of the street, where we were to split up, we stopped.
Oliver wrapped me in a hug. “I’m still pissed at you,” he muttered as he held me close. “Just do me a favor and stay safe so that I can be annoyed with you without feeling like an asshole.”
I huffed out a laugh. “I’ll try.”
He let me go, and I gave Leanne a tight hug. The affection soothed some of the hollowness in me.
I stepped away from her.
“We’ll see your skanky ass tomorrow,” Oliver said.
I nodded and turned to go.
Leanne caught my hand. “Wait.” She opened her mouth, searching for the right words before she spoke again. She gripped my hand tightly. “Please trust me when I tell you that I’m doing everything I can to help you.”
I nodded, giving her a tight smile. My eyes had begun to water—bleed—whatever. “I know.”
“I need you to hold that knowledge tight, even when things seem senseless.”
“I can do that,” I said softly.
She gave my hand a final squeeze. “Good,” she said, her own eyes watery. She let me go and grabbed Oliver’s arm. “We’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I watched them walk away, the mist rolling in behind then, before I resumed my trek up to Peel Academy.
As I headed towards the front gates, the enchantments of the place brushed up against my skin. Most of them were meant to keep me and other dark beings out. At first it felt like gentle resistance, but as I got closer it felt as though I slogged through water, and when I closed in on the castle grounds, it felt like moving through molasses.
The gates at the front of the school were closed. On the other side of them professors had gathered. Someone or something had alerted them of my presence.
“Back away, Gabrielle,” Professor Nightingale warned.
I was the bad guy. I got that. But seeing and hearing an old teacher of mine stand against me still cut deep.
I kept setting myself up for disappointment.
“I need to get inside. There’s someone a need to speak with,” I said, fighting to keep my calm demeanor. Already I was awash with anger that anyone would stand against me.
Behind the teachers, some students had gathered. Among them I saw Doris, an old nemesis of mine. She leaned in to speak with the group of girls, her eyes glued to me. An adult came by then and shooed her and the other lingering students inside.
“You’re not coming in here, sweetheart,” Professor Nightingale said. “Not without a fight. Turn around now before anyone gets hurt.”
The ground beneath me began to rumble. I couldn’t control it, this rage. It was too big for my body. It built and built beneath my skin. I lifted my arms, and the professors began to shout.
The ground trembled, pebbles tinkling away from me. High overhead, the clouds rolled in, and all around us I could hear the surf crashing into the cliffs surrounding the academy, the force of it growing with each wave.
The professors yelled at me to stop, but I was much, much too far gone to stop now.
I closed my eyes, my jaw clenching as the power became a physical pain inside me. It needed an exit.