Bryn decided that meant she was dismissed, too, so she went over to join Clint and Ivy at a table. Ivy pushed a cup of coffee toward her. “This is for you.”
“Thank you.” Bryn grabbed a packet of sugar and ripped it open. Half of the sugar crystals landed on the table. “I’m glad Jaxon wasn’t here to see that.” She dumped the remaining sugar into her coffee cup and stirred before sweeping up the stray sugar with her napkin.
“Nice speech,” Ivy said.
“Thanks. My goal was to make sure that no one felt as uncomfortable as I did last year.”
“Hard to believe that a year ago Jaxon had a hissy fit when he found out who you were, and now you’re planning on getting married,” Clint said.
“Agreed,” Bryn said. “But I’d appreciate it if we could bring up that fun fact as few times as possible. I like living in denial. It helps me cope.”
“Understandable,” Ivy said. “So what’s next on the agenda? Do we have to stay here, or can we go roam the campus?”
Her grandmother would say that since she was sort of hosting, it was her duty to stay until everyone left, but her grandmother wasn’t here. “I’m going to grab some food. After we eat, I think we’re free to leave.”
Bryn scarfed down half a dozen pieces of bacon and a stack of pancakes without dripping anything on her blouse, which was an accomplishment. She finished off her coffee and smiled. “All done. Now what?”
“Let’s go flying,” Ivy said.
“Good idea.” Bryn spotted Jaxon across the room, talking with some Blues. “My grandmother’s voice in my head is telling me that it would be polite for me to let Jaxon know I’m leaving.”
Clint frowned. “You should look into having that voice removed.”
“I’d love to, but it seems to be part of my new Blue life.” Bryn pushed to her feet. “I’ll meet you guys outside in a few minutes.”
Jaxon noticed her approach and frowned. She smiled just to annoy him.
“Did you need something?” he asked before she could get a word out.
“No. I just wanted to let you know that I’m leaving, so if anything comes up, you can handle it.”
He nodded and went back to his conversation. It’s not like she was thrilled with this situation, but if he didn’t start being a little nicer, she was going to have to come up with ways to annoy him…like telling his mother that he wanted to go shopping for baby clothes for Asher.
Before she made it to the door, a girl with auburn hair and brown eyes stepped directly into her path. “Your mother asked me to give you this.” She held out a folded piece of paper. “She said you should read it later when you’re alone.”
That probably wasn’t going to happen. How could she be sure the letter was real? “Thank you. Who are you and how do you know my mother?”
The girl smiled. “I’m Veronica. I met your mom in Sanctuary when she and your dad helped fix up my family’s cabin. She hoped to come meet you today, but the Directorate seems to be blocking the adults from leaving the town.”
“My grandmother thinks that those restrictions will be lifted soon,” Bryn said.
“Your grandmother?” the girl said in a snotty tone. “Wow. You really have gone native.”
What the hell? “You don’t get to judge me because you don’t have a clue what I went through when I thought my parents were dead, or what my grandmother went through when she mourned my mother twice. I suggest you drop the attitude because I may look like a Blue, but I still have a Red’s temper.”
The girl smiled. “Your father will be happy to hear that.”
Wait a minute. “Did you just set me up to see if I’d lose my temper?”
“Yes. Some of us were afraid that you’d lost your connection to who you were. I’m glad to see that’s not true, even if you are going to marry a Westgate.”
“I really wish people would stop mentioning that,” Bryn said. “Well, thanks for delivering the letter. Tell my parents I hope to see them soon.”
The girl nodded and went back to her table. That was weird. Bryn headed out the front door and down the steps of the dining hall. There was no way she could wait to read the letter from her mom, so she walked around the side of the building and stood under a shade tree.
Her heart beat fast as she unfolded the piece of paper.
Dear Bryn,
Your father and I can’t wait to see you. If what we’ve heard is true we should be able to meet with you soon. I’m not sure where we can meet because my father still hasn’t spoken to me, although my mother has responded to my letters. There’s so much we need to discuss. I’m proud of the young woman you’ve become. I’m afraid you’re trapped by choices your father and I made. Please don’t agree to anything you don’t truly want to do.
Too late on that front, but she wouldn’t go back on her word. If Jaxon wanted to bail, she’d be okay with that. Not that he’d ever consider doing that since his loyalty was to his Clan. And after having her heart broken, she wasn’t looking to jump into any sort of romantic relationship, so the frenemies thing she had going with Jaxon suited her just fine…for now.
She glanced back at the letter. If her grandmother or Jaxon came upon this information there would be hell to pay, so she focused on one of her elements, which was fire, and shot flames through her fingertips, burning the note to ash. Now to join her friends.
Clint and Ivy had already shifted into dragon form and were flying overhead. Their black scales gleamed in the sunlight. Bryn closed her eyes and focused her life force, allowing it to grow and expand as her body shifted to what felt like her true form. She stretched, enjoying the warm sensation of the sun on her wings and then launched herself into the air. Pushing down with powerful wing strokes, she gained height, catching up with her friends who were flying figure eights. Nothing compared to the sensation of flying. Bryn looped around in a lazy circle, not trying to fly fast, just basking in the sensation of freedom brought on by the air flowing over her body.
Ivy performed a diving roll, and Bryn followed suit. They played the dragon version of follow the leader. Other dragons joined them in the sky, but kept their distance interacting with their own friends. There was a single Blue dragon flying along the edge of campus; without seeing his face flash across his dragon features Bryn knew it was Jaxon. She couldn’t imagine the pain he must be feeling right now.
Ivy came to tread air near Bryn. “Can you think of anything that might help him?”
“No. And I know Valmont broke my heart, but there’s a chance he and I could become friends again one day. If he’d just vanished from the world…that sense of loss and lack of closure would make me crazy.”
Chapter Five
The next morning the alarm went off in its usual annoying arrhythmia-inducing fashion. Now that she was back to living alone, she had to turn off the alarm in the empty bedroom, too, which was ridiculous. If there was no occupant, the alarm should be disconnected. What did they do for the empty rooms? There had to be a way to turn the blasted things off.
She met Clint and Ivy in the dining hall at their usual table. It took two cups of coffee before she felt capable of stringing words together in a sentence.
Ivy yawned. “I forgot how much I hated those stupid alarm clocks.”
“Me, too.” Bryn checked the time. They’d need to leave for class in fifteen minutes. “How come time flies when you’re eating or being social and it drags when you’re in class?”
“Good question.” Clint slid lower in his chair. “Do you think Mr. Stanton would mind if I napped on my desk?”
“I’m going to go with yes.” Bryn leaned closer to her friends and spoke in a quiet voice. “Do you think the Directorate still has spy cams everywhere?” They’d been installed when tensions had escalated with the rebels during the last school year.
“I’m sure there are,” Ivy said. “But maybe they aren’t watching them as closely.”