Of Life and Death: [A Dark Academia Paranormal Romance]

Chapter 19

EMMA

So how did you and dad meet?

The words stare back at me blankly, seven words on a glaring white screen. I press delete until everything disappears, but even in the empty screen, the question lingers, held in place by a gnawing fear.

"Come on," Sophie says.

I throw my phone into my bag, going over to smooth a hand over my purple button down. I debate whether to tuck it into my jeans or let it just hang out. When I turn, I see Sophie watching me thoughtfully.

"What?"

She opens her mouth to speak then decides against it. She shakes her head. "Nothing."

We head to the dinning hall. Time seems to pass by in a whirl. I barely taste the food, my head buzzing. At the forefront of my mind is my discovery. There are others like me, were others like me. I wonder if there are still others like me. Or have they all been killed in a similar way?

On the bright side the 'puzzle' of my identity has been answered. I'm a... Death bringer. If you asked me, being called death bringer trumps being called dick trap. Rylan's words from yesterday flit in. My eyes go to his usual spot. When it's empty, I scan the cafeteria, coming up blank. Where is he?

Like the others, he'd mentioned a prophecy. When Faerin said she couldn't fight the prophecy anymore, Was it that prophecy she talked about?

Looks like I'm just going to have to wait to get my questions answered.

We leave the dinning hall, making it to the homeroom. The hairs on my nape stand on end once I see Headmistress Alba. There's a significant difference compared to when Sophie wore her skin. Where she'd been missing the poise and authority, the real Miss Alba radiates unflinching confidence.

What is she doing here?

Isn't she supposed to be in her office?

Just then she spots me and recognition spreads across her features. "Emma Richards. Just the person I was looking for."

The world comes to a horrifying stop.

Sophie tenses beside me.

The headmistress draws level with me. "Miss Richards, to my office, please."

Her heels continue to clack forward hastily, leaving me with no choice than to follow. Even though I'm taller, I struggle to catch up with her stride. My heart pounds with each step I take.

I look back to catch Sophie mouthing the word, 'Shit.'

As we approach her office, my skin grows tighter. She knows. In my mind's eye, I see Sophie and me hunting through the archives, riffling through student files. I feel faint the moment we walk in through her office door.

"Take a seat please," she tells me.

When I do, she lowers herself into the leather chair on the other side of the table. When her eyes land on my face, they turn puzzled. "Dear, are you sure you're alright?"

My lips move. "I can... I can explain."

"I don't quite understand..."

"You--I--Why am I here...?"

She brings out a file from her drawer--a drawer that I'd ransacked. When she places it on the desk, she locks gazes with me. "Your records... They came in this morning."

Her voice sounds disbelieving.

My records? But I was never tested.

"It says here you're a sphinxe. I thought you were Bovidae. I'm usually right about these things," she mutters. Her eyes turn more scrutinizing on my face. "I thought you said you weren't tested?"