Mrs. Quill took over speaking.
“Adira brought you here to offer you a new opportunity. A new life. You could live here in Uttira. You would have your own home. All your bills would be paid. You would receive a human education and would want for nothing. In return, we ask that you help us teach the young of Uttira what it means to be human.”
Kelsey met my gaze.
“What’s the catch?” Her voice shook still.
“The catch is that you can’t leave. Ever.”
“Untrue,” Adira said. “You can leave at any time. But we would remove any memory of your time here as a precaution to keep us, and you, safe.”
“So we’d live here for the rest of our lives with everything paid for as long as we teach your young?” Kelsey hesitated over the last word, and her gaze flicked toward the door where Oanen had disappeared.
“Correct,” Mrs. Quill said. “You would not teach all day, every day. While you’re underage, you will focus on school and be asked to spend eight hours a week helping us. Your free time would be your own. Once you graduate, we would ask that you work forty hours a week, choosing from the jobs available in Uttira. You would receive pay in addition to the housing and support to which you will have grown accustomed.”
I could see in their eyes that they would say yes. My stomach soured, and I felt like I’d just lost an important battle.
Four
The next morning, Eliana’s car already sat in the otherwise vacant parking lot. She leaned against her trunk, obviously waiting for me. I parked beside her and killed the engine.
“You shouldn’t have taken off so fast last night,” Eliana said as soon as I opened my car door.
“Eh, I’m pretty sure it was the safest choice for all of us.”
I still felt pissy that the Council had trapped two more humans because of the desperation of their circumstances.
“Well, you missed the exciting news,” Eliana said. “At dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Quill talked about Ashlyn and her need for more interaction. They’ve decided to let her attend the Academy if she wants. And not just Ashlyn. The new girls, too, once they’re ready. And the Quills were asking me all sorts of questions about the things I remembered about the human world. I think they’re considering building a library.”
She grinned at me.
“Not bad liaising, Megan. You’ve started making some positive changes in just a few days.”
“That’s great.” I returned her smile with one I didn’t feel.
Although the changes truly sounded great, they didn’t alter the way I felt about this place. Like a fish in a bowl with too little water, Uttira was beginning to feel suffocating. Maybe it wasn’t Uttira but my own skin. After Oanen’s spontaneous change from human to griffin last night, I couldn’t stop wondering when that would happen to me.
“I need to get to the library,” I said.
“Yeah. I know. Oanen’s waiting for you inside. Maybe we can hang out soon?”
“Sure,” I said, already moving toward the doors.
My rush wasn’t to reach Oanen faster but to get to the books. However, the need for answers vanished when I turned the corner to the hall for the library. Oanen paced before the door. As soon as he heard me, he stopped. His gaze swept over me before settling on my face.
“Are you angry?” he asked as I approached.
“Want to hit something angry? No. Feeling a little frustrated? Yes.” I stopped in front of him and tried not to notice the way the sleeves of his t-shirt hugged his biceps.
“I’m sorry about last night,” he said.
His sincerity made me smile.
“What part exactly? Where you started stripping in front of two other girls or when you bit my hair?”
He cocked his head and considered me for a moment.
“You’re not frustrated with me,” he said with certainty and just a hint of relief.
“No. I’m not. I’m frustrated with this town and this stupid library filled with useless books.”
He reached out and pulled me into his arms without warning. I melted into the embrace and let myself lean against his hard chest. I might have even closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of him. I couldn’t be sure exactly because I was drowning in pure Oanen. The way we fit together. The way he held me, so tender yet so firm. It felt like I’d found where I belonged. Like I finally had a reason to be in Uttira.
His hands drifted over my back in a soothing, non-groping way.
“Don’t let frustration get to you. You won’t be stuck here forever.”
He pulled back slightly, and I reluctantly released my hold on him.
“We’ll get our marks soon enough and be able to go anywhere.”
I nodded, not voicing my doubts. Would they let me leave if I no longer looked like me?
“I’ll come get you at lunch. And we’ll talk about our dinner date. Tonight. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
I threw the book in frustration. Before it could hit the wall, it changed course and slipped into its correct place on the shelf. I’d skimmed through over half the books in the library without seeing a single new reference to furies. There were more creatures than I thought possible. And if furies weren’t mentioned in this collection, there was the very real possibility others weren’t mentioned as well.
A knock sounded on the door. Ready to be finished with the day, I hurried to answer it.
“Any luck this afternoon?” Oanen asked.
During lunch, I’d vented about how my search for specific information was turning up nothing. Of course, I’d gone mute when trying to say what information. But, Oanen and Eliana had both encouraged me to keep trying before talk had turned to the impending date night and Eliana had fled.
“No. No luck.” I stepped from the library and joined him in the hall. We started the walk to the parking lot exit.
“Don’t give up. Talk to Adira. She might be able to point you in the right direction.”
I rolled my eyes. To date, Adira hadn’t been forthcoming with any information about me. Everything I’d learned, I’d learned on my own.
“Since you didn’t say a time when you wanted dinner, I thought I’d come over at five,” he said, changing the subject and creating a storm of nervousness that swirled in my stomach.
“Want me to bring anything?” he asked when I remained silent.
“No. I’ll make everything.”
Mostly just so I’d have less time to worry about what we’d do after dinner.
“Your heart’s racing again,” he said as he opened the door for me.
“Because the idea of having a dinner alone with you in my house is making me nervous,” I said frankly.
“Would you rather go to a restaurant?”
“And risk someone ticking me off in the middle of our first date? No.”
Oanen chuckled.
“I’ll see you later then.”
He didn’t try to hug me goodbye, but he sure made it awkward by pulling off his shirt.
“I really don’t like when you do that.”
“I thought your issue was with someone else seeing.” He handed me his shirt and cocked a brow, his hands hesitating at the fly of his jeans.
Many of the cars had already cleared the lot, including Eliana’s.
“Just do whatever you’re going to do, bird boy. I have a dinner to make.” I turned around, ready to get in my car and leave. A pair of jeans hit me in my back.
I shook my head at the sound of his beating wings and turned around to pick up his discarded clothes.
“I changed my mind,” I called. “You bring the dessert. And make it good since I keep having to pick up after you.”
His eagle scream answered me as he climbed higher. Taking his clothes to the car, I sent a quick text to Eliana, promising to hang out with her Friday night, then started the trip home.
The internet and a stocked fridge kept me busy for the next two hours as I put together the mozzarella-stuffed chicken parmesan and a Caesar salad.