Revealed (Unbound, Book 5)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

If I ever had the chance to get Calin to teach me how to manage my emotions again, I'd have to ask him for a crash course in diplomacy too. Where I couldn't help but lash out at Mr. Corbin—usually by way of black and white, not-at-all veiled threats—Calin's inuendo was more effective. Only, for Calin, it probably wouldn't end up in detention or being banned from school field trips or even being called a liar when I was sick on the field trip once I weasled my way through his ineffectual power play. Mr. Corbin wouldn't do anything to antagonize Islene, I didn't think, and unlike Devland, she would call him out. If Mr. Corbin were different—welcoming—would I have had an accident and lost my memories? Yes. Even if he'd believed me and tried to help, my bet was that Duvessa would have still been on the yacht even though Mr. Corbin could have stopped it from occurring by punishing her when the pranks began.

"We'll be at Nora's locker," Calin said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I turned my glare from Mr. Corbin and smiled at Calin. Nodding to the office door, I started to backtrack into the hallway. Despite the subtle victory, my nerves were jumping. My stomach was in knots and my blood felt electrified as it coursed through my veins. The door closed as we exited. I barely suppressed the urge to jump.

As my insides raged a storm, I felt like I was in a bubble. Conversations became whispers as we walked down the hall. All other noise drifted away. I felt like I was under the heat of a magnifying glass. Everyone was watching and, if the scrutiny continued, I'd burst into flame like the flower in my mother's garden bed that I'd turned to ash while trying to control my magic. Right now, I had as little control as I had then, and my heart picked up into double speed at the thought that I could hurt someone. My palms and back broke into a sweat.

Why couldn't they gawk at someone else? The schools had mirrors. They should go look into their reflection until their skin scrawled.

"Are you okay?" Calin asked, placing his hand on my back.

The calm I usually felt was now miniscule, only enough to keep me from turning to run outside. Slowly I nodded and took small steps forward. "Yes." I nodded again. "I just... I'm tired of everyone always looking at me."

"They aren't—"

"I can see, Calin. They are."

"Okay, but not to be mean. They're curious. Trust me, most of the students look and then look away. Nobody here hates you."

"Right." I rolled my eyes and we reached the end of the hallway. I paused slightly, then began walking faster, rounding the corner that took us down a new hallway. "You were saying?"

Down the hall and on the opposite side from my locker, Maible stood with a group of friends. As though she could sense me, she looked up. All the laughter faded, her face becoming expressionless and unmoving like stone. I knew siblings typically had a love-hate relationship, but this was beyond that. I couldn't understand. We'd been friends. Did Maible really despise me for not being hindered with magic even though I'd been just as bound from it as she was before I moved to Wickenton? For knowing Devland was my father? At least she'd grown up with a father in her life. I wasn't wanted until he had no choice.

"Don't even think about her," Calin said quietly. "Save that for when you return."

"Easy to say, hard to do."

Maible's friend—one of Duvessa's cast offs—nudged her. They both looked at me and her friend not-so-subtly circled the air around her ear. Maible widened her eyes in my direction and then rolled them. My stomach dropped as she turned her back to me and laughed with her new friends at the snub.

"Since when do they hang out with Maible?" I asked. "Why would Maible want to after the way they've always treated her?"

"Good questions," Calin said. "My guess is they figure they have an in with Devland now and Maible wants to be popular. She's certainly strong enough to dominate now that her magic has been triggered."