Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Seventeen

Despite getting a full night's sleep, I didn't feel anymore rested now than before I'd gone to bed. The strange, vivid dream of Inara's office and the other of the strange circle of grass had left me drained of energy.

In the bathroom, I changed into my school uniform, trying to avoid looking at myself in the mirror. Even a quick glance showed my pale skin and the dark circles under my eyes.

I quickly headed out of the bathroom, not wanting to see myself again. It was too depressing.

Loki hadn't moved from the bed. He was still curled up in a ball, fast asleep. I gave him a quick pat on the head before snagging my key, my backpack, and Jason's jacket. I felt a bit odd, carrying it around, but I really needed to return it to him.

Down on the first floor, Ms. Rose was sorting through some papers on her desk, her reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. Whatever she was looking through, it made the corners of her mouth turn down into a frown.

She looked up as I approached, smiling slightly. "I hope you slept okay after last night's incident."

I gave a shrug of my shoulders. "The new room didn't feel much different than my normal room."

"That's good. Inara has told me the maintenance crew is already hard at work on your room and you should be able to stay there tonight." She glanced down at her papers again. "Oh, and your things from home should be arriving sometime today too."

My stomach dropped. "My things from home?"

She gave a nod, unaware of the pit growing inside my stomach. "Yes, your mother mailed them. Though it's taken a bit longer than expected to arrive. So you should have all your things from home by the end of the day."

"That's great news," I lied, trying my best to give a smile that seemed genuine. But nothing about her words made me feel comforted. My mother had packed up all my things and sent them here.

Was sending the letter in my backpack a terrible idea?

But then there was the other note, threatening to expose my secrets if I didn't invite my mom. Nausea swirled in my gut and I swallowed down a wave of bile that threatened to rise.

"I should get going," I said, though my voice sounded strained. "I don't want to miss breakfast."

Ms. Rose's eyebrows pinched together, but she said nothing as she watched me walk out of the building and into the frosty morning air.

My thoughts swirled as I made my way across campus and into Whitethorn Hall. I chewed nervously on my bottom lip as I grabbed food and sat down at the table across from Naomi.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at her, meeting her green eyes. "I'm just tired."

"You look like you haven't slept in a week," Naomi said as she grabbed her fork and speared a piece of fruit.

Ignoring the insult in that, I poked at my oatmeal, too queasy to think about eating it. "The window in my dorm room spontaneously shattered last night."

Naomi's mouth dropped open in shock. "What? Like it just randomly shattered?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. I was sleeping and Inara and Ms. Rose were waking me up after the fact. They're having people fix it now."

"That's super crazy," Naomi said, her green eyes still wide.

We fell into a small silence, with Naomi eating her fruit slowly, as if deep in thought. I continued to poke at my breakfast, still not hungry enough to try eating it.