No word. Not a single word from Toby. Hazel disappeared by Sunday morning, but something tells me she went to search for him. Everything else is normal otherwise. People are trying to forget that there is a threat to us. They’re trying to forget that their peers were taken, betrayed, and messed with.
We never forget. Maya, Henrietta, Jared, Tanner, Luther, and I all take a walk through the forest now. We’re heading to the lake to see if we can find anything. When we get there—nothing.
“They’re fine,” Luther breathes.
“How do you know?”
“I know,” he says plainly.
I give him a concerned, worried look. His eyes soften on me and he wraps both his arms around me and pulls me in. I look out over the clear waters, my head on his chest, the air warm, the sky bright and sunny. It should be raining.
Someone touches my shoulder. I look. It’s Maya. She smiles only a bit. “We’re all in this thing together, Lex. We’re all freaking out, even the ones who pretend it didn’t happen.”
“You know, it bothers me,” says Jared suddenly. “It bothers me that we’re not doing anything. The kingdom. Other kingdoms. Lexi, you were almost killed multiple times by whoever this guy is. Why haven’t your parents done anything about it?”
I bite my lip. Luther hugs me tighter as a lump forms in my throat.
Jared ignores it awkwardly. No one but Luther and his family knows. That’s all that I want right now.
“The point is,” says Jared, “Duke Kilter needs to do something about this. Find out where they live, smack them around, you know?”
“No, Jared,” says Maya. “Smack them around?”
“Yeah, like—” He completely full out drives his hand across Tanner’s face, making him grab his cheek.”—like that.”
“OW!” Tanner says with deep offense of being used like that.
“Sorry, man. But do you guys get what I’m saying? I’m sick of not doing anything. All of us are living in fear. It shouldn’t be this way!”
“Jared’s right,” Luther says, rubbing my back affectionately. “We need to talk to Duke Kilter.”
Everyone agrees.
I’m still upset, though. Jared just reminded me that my parents don’t care about me at all. They hate me. They disowned me.
The boys talk to Duke Kilter while Maya and Henrietta and I head back to the dorms like the guys told us to. I end up leaning against the wall, sliding along it, as we walk through the corridor. Maya and Henrietta seem worried about me now.
I’m not feeling sorry for myself anymore. Whenever I get like that, a huge layer of depression overwhelms me when I realize how freakishly selfish I am, so I let that go.
I’m worried about Hazel and Toby. Nilsilt boy is in big trouble, especially with Luther. I saw his face when Duke Kilter announced this. Luther was almost that kid’s roommate. Then I would’ve lost Luther sooner.
He’s special, just like me. The door opened for him. I didn’t die. Maybe this is why we’re so drawn to each other.
When we get to the dorm, I sit on my bed and read my journal. It’s not much of a journal. It’s where I’ve taped all of Luther’s poems, copied them down, or just put them in and hoped they didn’t fall out. The ones he gave to me when spring came around are beautiful. He describes my smile or my dancing in almost every single one. The last one he gave me…
YOU ARE READING
Castleside Academy
RomanceLexina Talon has always tried to be the best princess she can be. In a school full of princes and princesses, though, it's pretty simple. Just don't mess up, and you'll be fine. The goal is to graduate and at least be engaged to someone. That's the...
