Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 51

I jolt awake, my throat stinging as I inhale sharply, the crushing pressure of a phantom arm still lingering around my neck.

I know that it's the memory of when Blaize had tried to strangle me, the sensation fresher than ever as I reach up to touch the skin tentatively. It's been two days since the early morning fight in the graveyard and since then, I've moved back into my dorm room with Astrid and Tessa. The swelling on Astrid's face has begun to go down, but there are still stitches in her lip as an ugly reminder of what her uncle had done to her.

Today is the last day that classes will be suspended since the entire academy was rocked to the core with the rumor of Clayton Hallewell being the driving force behind the murders. I take my time with getting up as the others do the same in a heavy silence.

Astrid has still been on the slow side, the painkillers she had been given keeping her numb to the pain that would otherwise cripple her as she heals. Tessa still has a limp from a sprained ankle as she favors her right foot and waits by the door for us.

"Hurry up," she gripes as she eyes me knowingly, "we're going to be late for the press conference."

I gnaw my lip as I pull on my coat and think about Diana's words, Unfamiliars are fellow witches and people need to act like it.

But what can I say to help people understand?

I shake my head and follow Astrid and Tessa out and down the hall to the elevator to take it to the ground floor. I can feel people look up as we walk past, but I'm not afraid anymore, the murderers have been found and we survived. Although Astrid's lioness still flickers into place as we load up in the elevator.

Indigo descends the stairs as we step off the elevator in the lobby and pause to wait for her. She looks tired and I fear for a moment that maybe we've come back to school too soon and that we needed to stay home for a few more days. But I don't get to think about it for long because I can see Ava walking into the lobby, her entourage of friends behind her as she comes to an abrupt halt in the entrance.

Indigo turns her head and looks in Ava's direction, her posture stiffening as she eyes the girls. I realize that she no longer looks afraid, the stitches on her cheek adding to a toughened look that has evolved over the past couple of days. She starts in the direction of the doors and we walk with her as she almost passes Ava, but stops at the last minute as she looks her directly in the eye.

"I hope that you've learned what hatred can do to people," Indigo says simply as she stares Ava down.

Ava looks away then, all of the previous smugness I've seen in her deflating in that moment. People had died because of a hatred similar to hers and if she isn't careful, she could almost become like them too if she truly feels like it.

"Be better than them," Indigo suggests as she turns away from Ava without another word.

Whispers rise up from some of the nearby students and I realize that most everyone had stopped what they were doing so they could watch what happened. Astrid glances at Indigo as she walks by, my sister's face a mask of serenity as we emerge outside. There is a tension in the air as we walk, the impending fact that Diana is here to give a speech on what really happened setting everyone on edge.

Most people have heard by now that Eleanora and Clayton were responsible, though it was likely not by anyone whose word they could trust entirely and even then, the truth really is unbelievable. Today is the day that the truth will be set straight to everyone, even if they don't like what they're going to hear.

"Kara!" I glance up in the midst of walking to see that Ms. Laroche is striding in our direction.

She gives me a brief smile, one that is full of pain and worry as I slow down.