Gray studied me for a moment. ‘He’s going to be there?’
I nodded. ‘And I can’t let my walls down. Not even for a moment.’ I held his gaze, needing him to understand. It wasn’t why Gray had trained me for these past ten months; that had been to help me fight so I could get close to exiles and remain hidden. But it had had a two-fold effect, which I imagined he’d suspected: it had also helped me block my connection to Lincoln. So much so that Lincoln had suddenly stopped tracking me. He’d always stayed close, pursuing me relentlessly, and then one day, when I was getting ready to bail on London … it all just stopped.
If I wanted to have any chance of surviving while being in his proximity now, I’d need to keep my walls up – I couldn’t imagine what might happen if they were to come down. In many ways, Gray had taught me how to cage my soul.
‘You’re headed for trouble, Violet. You won’t be able to control it twenty-four seven, especially at night.’ He gave me a loaded look.
I didn’t need to think further than last night to know what he meant. As Phoenix had explained, the time between rest and sleep was when my guards faltered. A definite problem.
I turned to Onyx. ‘Any chance you have somewhere we can stay?’
Onyx, who’d been watching, enraptured, grinned. ‘I have the perfect place.’
It was late evening and stepping out of the car outside the Academy buildings felt strange. I couldn’t help but remember the first time I’d arrived there. How different my view of the world, and of life, had been then. Manhattan, such a densely exile-populated city, had completely overwhelmed my angelic senses.
I pushed down the immediate memories of Lincoln – how he’d kissed me in the very place I now stood; they way he’d taken the burden of the senses from me and released them. I still had all five, not that I openly shared that information. It was just one more thing I knew I might never understand.
At least now, thanks to Gray’s help, they were muted. I registered the flavour of apple on my tongue, the sounds of birds crashing into trees. I smelled flowers, the fragrance so mixed it was as though I was in a city-sized florist, but without being overwhelming. Not even when the contradictdory sensations of ice and heat ran through my bones and blood, or when the images of morning and evening played in my peripheral vision was I taken away from myself.
I felt a boost of confidence. Yes. I could do this. I was stronger than ever. I was faster. I had more weapons. More control. And stronger defences. My powers in every way had developed.
And Onyx was right – I was most definitely not the girl I had been.
CHaPteR SeveN
‘Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.’
Matthew 10:28
goddamn it. He was everywhere!
I could feel his presence even on full alert and with my guards up, supposedly working as protective shields around my body and senses. My soul was unkindly defiant. But I kept it under control, confident that I was doing enough to keep myself hidden from the city’s exiles, and most importantly, from him.
‘This way,’ I said, causing both Onyx and Gray to look at me questioningly as I led them around the back of one of the Academy buildings.
When we reached a small door that could only be opened from the inside, I knocked.
It was unlocked immediately, light beaming out brightly as it opened.
‘Bloody hell,’ Gray mumbled behind me.
‘And I’m so thrilled to see you brought your friends, Violet,’ Josephine said, lips pursed as she held the door open. ‘I hope you understand that he,’ she lifted her chin in Onyx’s direction, ‘is very much unwelcome within these walls. We do still have some standards.’
Onyx snorted. ‘There is a saying that I do look forward to sharing with you one day soon,’ he taunted.
I sighed, knowing it was a runaway train.
Josephine, of course, boarded. ‘And I’m dying to know,’ she said sardonically.
Onyx tapped his fingers lightly against his temple as if deep in thought as he glanced between Josephine and me. ‘I believe it goes something like: “The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen.”’
Hell.
I really did not need to start things off this way.
Josephine plastered a cruel smirk on her face. ‘Well, I can imagine that thoughts of death do consume much of your time, Onyx. Is that a grey hair I spot?’
‘Seriously?’ Gray intervened. ‘Did we just step onto the playground?’
I turned to Onyx. ‘We’ll meet you later on,’ I told him, leaving no room for discussion. Then I looked back at Josephine. ‘It’s midnight and we’ve had a long day, Josephine. Gray comes with me or I don’t come in, and we both know you wouldn’t be standing at this door if you didn’t want me here.’