Awakened (Unbound, Book 3)

Chapter Fourteen

Tracy stood as I entered the waiting room of Dr. Stanzo's office, looking every bit as Stepford as the last time I had seen her in a pastel skirt and blouse covered by a cardigan with flowers around the neckline. The pearls at her neck and ears matched, and her hair was backcombed to be so high, it almost reached the ceiling. She looked at Calin like he was candy and opened her mouth to speak.

"Is she with anyone right now?" I asked quickly, wanting to be in and out as fast as possible.

"Uh..."

"It's yes or no, Tracy."

She clamped her mouth shut and looked away from Calin to glare at me. "Yes. Dr. Stanzo is with a patient right now."

I leaned forward and pointed, hooking my finger towards her phone, and lowered my voice to a mock whisper. "Why don't you let her know I'm here and that I need to talk to her for like... two minutes. Tops."

"But—"

"I'm sure whomever she is with can handle two minutes of solidarity while she steps out. If she blames anyone, it'll be me. I promise."

Tracy continued to glare at me for another minute, but then nodded. Perhaps she was remembering my last visit, and the fact that I had arrived with no memory. Unfortunately for her, this was nothing like that, and I was lucky she didn't know that yet.

"What are you doing?" Calin asked, and I turned to find him studying me with narrowed eyes. He nodded to Tracy but kept his gaze from moving. "We can wait."

"No." I pinched my lips together and shook my head. "I can't wait. I have to learn how to remain calm without needing you there to soothe me."

After meeting Mrs. Hendrey and learning what she expected of me, not to mention how well we didn't get along, I would need to be a quick study. Then I would have to spend all my time practicing. If not, any control I have would whittle away like a lit fuse clearing a path to detonation. There was no doubt in my mind. If he didn't teach me, like, yesterday, I was going to explode, leaving only smoke and ash behind.

"Nora?"

I blinked, shaking my head, and Calin came back into focus. "Huh?"

"What's going on?" He reached out and I jumped, taking us both by surprise.

"I-I'm sorry," I rushed, hoping if I said it fast enough it would remove the hurt in his eyes. I put my hand on his arm. "I—"

"Dr. Stanzo will be out in five minutes," Tracy said, slamming her receiver down as though happy to interrupt. She glared between us and darted her eyes to the couch. "Have a seat."

She plopped down in her chair and rolled in a half circle so that her back was turned. I nodded to the couch and swallowed, trying to lick my lips and generate non-existent moisture. Calin sat down. Looking to the ceiling, I counted to ten, and then followed.

Turning in my seat beside Calin, I put my hand on his knee and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about... that. It's just... I'm on edge. Devland rearranged my afternoon classes so now I'm not taking art and have to see the counselor during fourth."

"Art is in fifth."

"Yeah..." I sighed and turned to face forward. "Not anymore. As of today, I am now in the tower during fifth period."

He winced but understanding replaced the pain. "They can't force you to catch up on years of study, Nora."

"Oh, I'm not being graded," I said, laughing as I met his gaze. "They don't expect me to catch up." Technically, though, Mrs. Hendrey viewed 'not being graded' differently.

"Then, I don't get it. Why switch at all?"

Devland wants to show me he has power over me even if I recover. I looked down to the floor and whispered, "I've been placed with the freshman in WC-1. At the end of the term I'll be 'assessed' and placed into whatever level the test reveals appropriate next term."

I felt Calin watching me for a few minutes but couldn't look up. Before the accident, I had let people think I was a dud, that not even Devland's powerhouse heritage could help me. But it hadn't been confirmed. Now, I was mortified. By placing me in a fledgling class, labeling me as below the bottom rung of the ladder since even the beginners had begun before me, Devland was making a statement. To everyone else, it was that I was insignificant. To me? He showed his power by making me feel powerless.

Did he think I would be deterred? Subdued?

Once I set my embarrassment aside, his actions only deepened my resolve. I looked back to Calin. "Do you have your books from the tower classes?"

"Uh..."

"How many classes are there?"

He shifted in his chair. "You mean levels? Ten."

"And you're in?"

"Level nine."

"And Maible?"

"Ten." He smiled. "You know, we aren't allowed to bring out textbooks out of the tower so no one outside the Craft can stumble upon it. No one will be able to help you."

"Okay." My eyebrows knitted. "Then why are you smiling?"

Dr. Stanzo's office door opened and we both stood. He glanced at me, his smile even wider than before, and winked. "When we get to the clearing, remind me to explain a game Maible used to play, hoping it would help trigger her abilities."

"Tell me no—"

"Nora."

Dr. Stanzo came towards us with a smile, her reading glasses stuck in her hair as per usual, and a shadowed patient lingering behind. I caught Calin's gaze one more time, just so he understood we weren't finished. I might not know where he lived, but Wickenton wasn't that big. Plus, he was a founding family—they lived at the corners—and that gave me a one-in-four chance of lucking out on the first try. Three, really, since Devland's Manor was one of them.

I turned back to Dr. Stanzo and smiled, keeping it in place until she stopped in front of me. The moment it dropped, and I grew somber, she grew wary, darting her eyes to Calin. Taking a deep breath, losing all emotion from my tone, I said the two words I came to say.

"You're fired."