My heart twisted, as my face echoed the sensation. “Sister,” my voice faded to a breath, “I can’t.” My heart slid up my throat. The ramifications of telling him were horrible. The look of betrayal on his face would be unbearable.

The nun had a sad look on her face. “I know he finds out. I’ve seen it.” She warned, “Control what you can, Ivy. Sometimes when things happen on their own accord, they need to. But, other times it’s best if we set the events into motion. Eric will be with you and another, when it matters most. You will need both of them.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

That night, I finished my homework, and jumped in the shower. Letting the scalding water beat down on me, I thought about what Al said. You need both of them. She wouldn’t tell me who the other person was, but I knew that Eric had to help. If he didn’t, it would be bad. While it was hard to accept Al not telling me who the other person was, I did understand her reasoning. During my Seyer lessons she revealed the importance of not telling the person who was in the vision too much information. If too much was revealed before the vision came to fruition an alternate future could happen—one no one saw. Seyers had the horrible job of choosing which visions to derail, and which to allow to progress. Right now, Al said I was too inexperienced to make those choices, but given the chance, I would derail my prophecy in a heartbeat.

As for Eric, I wanted to believe that he wouldn’t destroy me. It made no sense for him to rescue me then, and slay me now. I didn’t know what to think of him. I owed him my life. There was no way around it no matter how much I hated it. The debt made me feel trapped, because there was no way to repay him. It would linger forever… or until I told him what I was.

At the first crack of dawn, I got dressed. The house was still quiet. I padded down the stairs to the kitchen with a fist full of trash. Sifting through the papers, I found what I was looking for. It said CLASS TRIP on it. They were going to Albany, New York for a week to tour the state capital. A multi-hour, multi-day school trip—on a yellow school bus? No, thank you. The orange flyer crumpled in my fist, and I extended my arm over the trashcan. But, I hesitated before dropping it in.

My mom appeared behind me, and snatched it out of my hand. “What’s this, Ivy?” she asked. As soon as she saw what it was she squealed, “Ivy! You can’t throw this out!” She was fully dressed, and alert. She looked at me like I was nuts for not wanting to go.

The flyer was a reminder to pay for the trip so I could go—tomorrow night. The school needed the permission slip signed and returned, today. I bristled, knowing it was going to be a fight, “I don’t want to go, Mom.” Besides, if I left my house then I wouldn’t have the wards to protect me. I couldn’t go even if I wanted to, but I couldn’t tell her that.

“How can you not want to go?” Mom asked, standing in front of me. “It’s a seven day trip. And it fulfills your history assignment.” She paused, hand on hip, and looked at me, “You’d really rather write a fifteen-page paper about the state of New York? Did you write it already? It’s due tomorrow, if you skip the trip.”

I sighed. The paper. Crap. I forgot to write the paper. “No, I didn’t write it.” Sensing that I already lost this battle, I gave in. I’d have to make sure Eric could come with me. I couldn’t just disappear for a week. “Fine, I’ll go. I need the money and the slip.”

Mom smiled at me. Her cheeks were rosy. “You’ll love this Ivy. They are going to theatre shaped like an egg. You’ll get to see backstage too. I know that’s only a small part of the trip, but that alone makes it worthwhile.” Mom grabbed her purse, and took out some cash and a pen. She signed her perfectly scripted signature (that was impossible to forge) and crushed the cash into my hands. “Here is some extra to get yourself some snacks and souvenirs.”

“Thanks Mom,” I said.

Since I was officially the last student to turn in my permission slip, I had to walk it down to the office. I swung open the office door, and walked up to the counter. It was oblong, painted the unhappiest shade of yellow in existence. A honey-colored wooden swinging half-door was at the end of the counter. It held the secretaries in their pen, like zebras at the zoo. The women worked at their industrial gray desks, and ignored me. I walked over to the counter. The office was slatted in mid-morning sun as it shone through dusty metal blinds. The room smelled of musty cinder blocks and Xerox machines. I slapped my permission slip on the counter. The change in the envelope jingled, as it hit the blanched wood. I sighed, waiting to be acknowledged.

A pear shaped woman rose from her cramped desk. “Yes?” She snapped. Her fried red hair shifted as a mass. She immediately drew out her crimson claws and tapped the counter, glaring at me.

“I needed to turn in my permission slip for the class trip,” I said and pushed the envelope and slip toward her.

“Kinda late to hand this in; isn’t it, hun?” she scolded.

“Yeah, I was gonna write the paper instead,” I mumbled.

She replied with a humf, and took my stuff and walked back to her computer. “You’re in the system. Be here tonight by 5pm or they’ll leave without you.”

The day passed like all the rest. No sign of Jake. Eric was Eric. And Collin was absent. I told Eric that I’d be going on the trip, and he said he’d accompany me. He left after school to clear it with Al. At the final bell, I launched myself from my seat. I got home swiftly. Rummaging through my closet, I grabbed a few hoodies, jeans, and tee shirts.

I paused in front of the mirror. Apryl’s necklace peeked out from under my shirt. Touching it, I wondered if I should take it with me. The thought made me look at Collin’s ring. It had been sitting on the dresser since the night he revealed he was a Valefar. Suddenly, I wanted that ring on my finger. I didn’t know what to do. The ring was on the dresser because I didn’t know what to think. There was no way to tell if he was a friend or enemy. At a very basic level, he was my natural enemy. Just because he didn’t act on it didn’t mean he wouldn’t. I hesitated. There was no time to think. I could do that on the bus, and for the next seven days. I stuffed the necklace under my shirt, and slid Collin’s ring onto my finger.

It was 4:45pm. I had to haul ass to get back on time. Good thing I was a super awesome runner. I scrawled a note to my mom that I’d see her in a few days. Throwing my keys in my bag, I ran out the front door, slamming it behind me. My feet slapped the pavement in quick graceful leaps. Dappled light shone through the tree branches, as the crisp air swirled around my face. I ran across four lanes of traffic—during rush hour –managing not to get hit, which was something. Two blocks to go. It was 4:53pm. I shifted my duffle bag, and picked up the pace. Almost there. Turning toward the alley, I ran at full speed straight down it.

Five strides max and I’ll be in the schoolyard. As my foot slammed into the pavement on my third stride, something struck me from the side. I let out a yelp, as my body smacked into the asphalt. I felt who it was before he spoke, because the bond snapped tightly into place on impact.

His words touched my mind with urgency. They’re tracking you. Be still. I lay in Collin’s arms, facing the brick wall. His hand was over my mouth, and the other was still wrapped around my waist. His heart was hammering. Something cold slid around my wrist and I heard a metallic clink. The protest died in my mouth, as I saw two guys run into the alley. They ran straight at us faster than humanly possible. Collin’s arms untwisted from their protective hold around me, as he lunged at my stalkers. I pressed my body back into the brick wall, heart racing. Watching.

Collin was quicker than the attacker. Before the guy had a hold, he grabbed him and threw him into the alley wall. The second guy jumped on his back, and laced his arms around Collin’s throat. He couldn’t get the guy to release him. I started to step out of my hiding place, but Collin threw him off. The attacker landed in the dumpster next to me. Both of the unknown guys got to their feet quickly, acting like their injuries were no more than a stubbed toe. Maybe they were. I didn’t see any blood or bruising on either of them.

Before I had time to consider it, Collin had one of the guys by the throat. “How dare you attack me!” His voice was unrecognizable, his face contorted with rage. He dropped the guy to the ground, and kicked hard. It was at that moment that I realized they were Valefar.

The attacker swallowed a scream of pain. He finally bit back, “I didn’t know it was you. We were tracking someone. She came through here.”

“She isn’t here. Do you see her? Do you see her!” Collin yelled. The man shook his head. Collin’s boot connected with stomach and the Valefar made a gurgling sound. He didn’t try to get up or fight back. He lay prone on his side, as if begging for mercy. The second man stood there, saying nothing. “No one betrays me. No one attacks me! You know the penalty for such an error… ” He slowly leaned down.

I was going to be sick. Did they really kiss their own kind? I couldn’t watch him kill someone. I couldn’t. I pushed my voice through the bond. Collin. Don’t. Please don’t.

Collin turned his face towards mine. His expression was animalistic. Enraged. His eyes were rimmed in crimson, and were pooling blood red. A shiver ran down my spine, as the bond surged through me. It was stronger than the last time I saw him. We weren’t coming apart this time. I could feel it. Shoving my fear down, I stepped over the Valefar that had been chasing me, making my way to Collin. I held my hand out to him and said, “Let’s go.”

A jagged edged knife was in Collin’s hand, lingering dangerously close to his victim. It was a brimstone-laced weapon that Eric had once mentioned. It was crude bearing a jagged edge that looked like it was bitten with pointy teeth. The edge of the blade was lined in solid black - brimstone. I walked away slowly hoping that the bond would help. And it did. The bond pulled Collin into step behind me. After a few paces, his eyes started to return to normal. A faint red ring remained, but his bloodlust eased as his breathing slowed.

He terrified me. Every urge in my body told me to run from him and never look back, but the bond wasn’t the only thing holding me there. I needed to know he was alright. I had to see him again. My heart raced as we walked quietly. I forced my feet to maintain a normal pace, trying to suppress my fear. I was so going to need a shrink if I lived through this. Eric was right. I suppressed everything. I hoped that this wouldn’t blow up in my face.

He cleared his throat. “They deserved to die, Ivy. They betrayed their own kind. And, I know what they were going to do to you.” His face was contorted with anger.

I ignored his statement, not wanting to think about him killing them or anyone else. “Were you following me?” I asked. My heart was still racing. “And what’s this?” I pointed toward the gold bracelet. It had three big rubies on it. It was really ugly.

He nodded, knowing he couldn’t lie to me. “Yeah, I’ve been following you. And that will protect you,” he gestured toward the bracelet. “Leave it.” He began to pull me away from the school as he spoke.