“Stop doing shit you shouldn’t be doing, and I’ll stop attacking you in hallways,” I said. I pivoted and started walking, Eliana’s hand still plastered to my back.
I’d only managed to clear the ring of gawkers when I realized I had no idea where to go.
“Which session is starting?” I asked.
“None. That was the final bell,” Eliana said.
Adira had sent me here just to expose me to the students. Anger lit me from the inside again only to quickly disappear.
“Adira is such a bitch.”
“Do you want to go home?” Eliana asked.
I immediately shook my head. I wasn’t ready to face Oanen, who was likely still there with Adira.
“Want to come with us to Eugene’s?” Ashlyn asked.
“Yeah, I’ll ride along.”
We took the back halls to the pool area before using the main hall to the parking lot. By then, most of the students had already left. Still, Eliana kept her hand on me, and Ashlyn gripped her phone, most likely ready to speed dial Oanen.
The trip to Eugene’s was short. Ashlyn pulled up in front of the house then looked back at me and Eliana.
“You two waiting out here?”
“Yep,” Eliana answered.
As soon as the car door closed, Eliana removed her hand and turned to me.
“What’s going on?”
It wasn’t an accusatory question, only a concerned one.
“I don’t know. Sometimes I’m fine. Sometimes I’m not. That guy in the hallway? His wickedness was way less than Trammer’s, but I was still ready to kill him.”
“I noticed,” she said.
I exhaled heavily.
“Oanen thinks I can control whatever this is because my mom obviously did. But, it’s getting worse. You saw his face.”
“Oanen’s right. If furies couldn’t control themselves, they would be on the human news. There’s got to be a trick to it.”
“I’m sure there is. And I’m sure my mom knows. Too bad Adira has zero interest in allowing me to ask her.”
Eliana set her head on my shoulder.
“I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but I have faith in you. You’ll figure it out without the help of your mom. Just like I’ll figure out what kind of succubus I want to be without my mom’s help.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. It was so easy to get caught up in my own problems and forget Eliana had problems of her own.
“I’m sure you’re right.”
She lifted her head and gave me an understanding smile.
“I think this calls for some chocolate,” she said.
“Good luck with that. Unless you have a stash at home, you won’t find any at the store. I’ve been checking.”
Her grin widened.
“You up for some more people time?”
The idea of going to her house made my stomach turn.
“Not really. Especially not anyone associated with the Council.”
“That’s perfect because where we’re going, the Council avoids. Let’s move to the front.”
We did a seat switch, and she sent a quick text to Ashlyn, letting her know our plans.
“She’ll text when she’s ready for a pickup,” Eliana said, handing me the phone.
She drove through town then stopped in front of a shop near the bakery.
“You should know that the lady running this shop is bringing in non-Council approved goods from the human world and selling it at crazy high prices to teens like us.”
“Are you telling me she’s wicked?”
“I’m telling you she’s breaking Council rules. Personally, I think anyone who’s willing to sell chocolate to a craving teen is as close to a saint as this place gets.”
“The Council’s rules are stupid. I’ve broken several, myself. I hope that isn’t enough to make a person wicked.”
“Let’s find out,” she said with a smile on her face as she got out of the car.
I did the same but with a frown. Fall’s chilled breeze swept over me. Now that my temper had cooled a bit, I felt every digit of the low temperature. Especially in my feet. Given the time of year, it wouldn’t be long before snow covered the ground.
“I’m still pissed Adira didn’t even let me put on shoes,” I said.
Eliana glanced at my stockinged feet and grinned before entering the shop.
As soon as I stepped through the door, I could smell the chocolate. I inhaled deeply in appreciation and looked around at the homespun mittens, stockings, and hats hung on the walls.
“Can I help you?” the woman behind the counter asked.
“Hi, Mags,” Eliana said. “I’m interested in the usual.”
The woman glanced at me before answering Eliana.
“More mittens?” the woman asked.
“Gods, no!” Eliana said. “This is Megan. She’s fine. We’re interested in cocoa powder if you have it. If not, anything milk chocolate will do.”
“Sounds like you have a craving,” Mags said. As she spoke, anger threaded its way under my skin; and I reached out to hold Eliana’s hand.
“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t,” I said. “Being wicked isn’t healthy around me.”
Mags grinned. “So, you’re the new fury? I have some cocoa powder in back. Stock’s low so I was going to charge double. But I’ll give it to you at the regular price.”
She shuffled to the back room, and almost thirty minutes later, we left the shop with not only cocoa powder but five pounds of sugar, too.
“Ready for some brownies?” Eliana asked.
“As long as we’re talking the chocolate kind, yes.”
We got into her car and drove to Eugene’s to pick up Ashlyn.
“Please tell me that you convinced him there are better options,” I said as soon as Ashlyn got in.
“I know you don’t like it here, but for a lot of us, it’s not a bad deal.”
“You were almost drowned by a mermaid.”
“And Eugene will escape gang rape if he stays in Uttira. He said he saw it happen to another boy his age. That’s why he was sleeping in the cold by the dumpster in that alley. The men you saw, they only beat the boys.”
“You know what frustrates me the most?” I said. “That there are people here who have the money and influence to make a difference, but they aren’t. They’re too caught up in their own petty problems.”
“To them, controlling the creatures here is making a difference to the people out there,” Eliana said.
Her phone beeped.
“Can you check that for me?” she asked.
I turned it over and found a new message from Oanen.
Where did you take Megan? I’m home and you’re not.
“It’s Oanen stalking me,” I said.
“You better answer him,” Eliana said. “You don’t want him worrying and hunting you down.”
“Unless you do,” Ashlyn chimed in.
I rolled my eyes and started a text back.
“What are you saying?” Eliana asked.
“That you’ve tied me up and stuffed me in the trunk but were stupid enough not to notice I grabbed your phone. And that I’m running out of air.”
“Don’t send that!” Ashlyn said at the same time Eliana tried taking the phone from me.
I laughed at their reactions.
“Relax. I’m telling him to calm down his stalkerie, that we’re on our way to my place to make brownies, and that he’s not invited.”
“You’re making this hard on him, aren’t you?” Ashlyn said with a grin.
“Making what hard on him?”
“Nothing,” Eliana said.
I hit send and stared at her. When she didn’t cave under my scrutiny, I turned to Ashlyn. She held up her hands and shook her head.
“She’s my ride to school,” she said.
“I’ll drive you. Start talking.”
“She means you’re playing hard to get,” Eliana said.
“What’s to get? I already agreed to be his girlfriend.”
Ashlyn snorted.
“Griffins don’t do girlfriends.”
Eliana slowed and signaled for my driveway.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“Sweet mother Mary,” Eliana said softly.
At first, I thought she was frustrated with Ashlyn saying something about griffins. Then, I noticed her attention focused on my car in the driveway. Through the back window, I saw the spidering cracks in the windshield. It looked like someone had hit the glass repeatedly with a baseball bat.
“What the hell?” I said, opening the door as Eliana parked.
The three of us walked to my car, all staring at the mess.
“We should call Oanen,” Eliana said.