Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Nineteen

My breaths came in quick gasps as I looked at the words written there. Was someone threatening me? I backed away from the mirror quickly, crashing into the doorframe.

As pain reverberated through my shoulder, I ran at full speed out of my room. Down on the first floor, Ms. Rose looked up as I ran to her desk. She dropped her book instantly, and it clattered on her desk with a thump.

"Selene, what's happened?" She asked as she stood, her eyes wide in alarm.

I stumbled over the words. "Someone broke into my room, and they wrote something on the mirror."

She instantly moved past me, quicker than I thought someone her age could move. I followed her, my heart still beating rapidly in my chest.

My room was still dark, save for the scrap of light coming from the bathroom. Loki was still nowhere in sight and my heart squeezed in fear for him.

Ms. Rose entered the bathroom and looked at the mirror. Her face turned an ashy shade of white as she read what they wrote there.

Then she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Gather your things. You aren't staying here tonight."

I snagged my bag from where I'd left it on the desk. Glancing toward the closet, I wondered how much of the clothing I could carry. But Ms. Rose stopped me.

"I'll send someone else to gather the rest of it. Let's just get you out of here."

I murmured my agreement as Ms. Rose ushered me out of the room, locking the door behind her. And I could have sworn I heard her muttering something under her breath, but then she was leading me away from the room before I was sure.

"I can't find Loki," I said as she lead me downstairs. "Do you think he's okay?"

"I'm sure he was scared when someone broke in and he ran out of the room. He'll turn up, okay?"

I thought about the message and the dark red color that the words had been written with and a shiver slid down my spine. "You don't think whoever wrote that message would have hurt him, do you?"

Ms. Rose gave me a small, worried smile. "I hope that there's no one deprived enough to harm an innocent animal at this academy."

But what if there is? What if someone hurt Loki just to scare me? That thought didn't sit well with me. Mari, Alek, and Celeste didn't like me, but would any of them break into my room and hurt Loki?

I think any of them would have written that message on my mirror though. And considering that the other message had been left in my locker in the girl's locker room, I would place bets on Mari or Celeste.

But I wouldn't rule out Alek completely. He had stopped me in the hallway to threaten me.

It was also possible for Alek and Mari to be working together. It made sense that they'd stick together. But I didn't understand why they would be doing any of this. What had I done to either of them to want me to leave Whitethorn?

For Mari, was this about Jason? Was Naomi right and this was her retaliation for Jason spending time with me? And Alek... he'd made it clear I'd never been his friend. Could he be seeking payback for our childhood?

Ms. Rose led me into a room that was set behind her desk in the entryway. Inside looked homey and inviting, just like Ms. Rose herself.

"Is this where you live?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, this is my home. And I have a spare room that you can stay in tonight. I need to call Inara and let her know what's happened."