Awakened (Unbound, Book 3)

Chapter Forty-Eight

The bell rang for fifth period and I groaned. Calin squeezed my fingers and turned us around to head back to Mrs. Hendrey's classroom before the second bell went off. I let him pull me along, only slightly dragging my feet. What were the chances that she wasn't going to bring up what happened the day before last? Perhaps they'd gone over it while I was away. Did she manage to copy more books? It was Friday, so hopefully, the books I had the mini tornado sweep away were her last and the class would no longer have to draft the blessings she'd assigned.

"Relax," Calin whispered as we rounded the last corner before her classroom came into sight. "Think of ice cream or something and you will get through the class. In less than an hour, the weekend begins."

"Huh." I snorted. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to listen to her talk about your mom."

"So then ask her to stop. Obviously, she didn't get the hint after the first day."

"Sooner or later, the topic will run its course."

"Before you torch the school or after?" he asked, probably only half joking. "Considering what happened the last couple of times she brought up Vavila, perhaps it is in everyone's best interest for you to just talk to her?"

"No, I'll make it through—"

"Nora, hurry up, please. Take your seat," Mrs. Hendrey called from where she stood in the doorway to her classroom. "You missed yesterday, and we have a guest speaker today."

I looked up at Calin, raising my eyebrow as if to ask, "You see?"

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Calin asked, speaking loud enough for Mrs. Hendrey to hear, effectively giving me an out in the off chance that I decided I couldn't handle it after all.

"I'm fine," I promised, "but don't go far?"

"Calin can join us if he's free." Mrs. Hendrey smiled at Calin.

He shrugged. "I do have a spare."

"Seriously?" I asked, looking between them. "Like, you want to what? Audit a high school class you passed as a freshman?"

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't know..." I raised my eyebrow and then shook my head. It's his loss. "If you're willing to give up free time on a Friday afternoon to stick around a beginner's class, be my guest."

I let go of Calin's hand and walked into the classroom, taking a seat in my usual spot. I hid my smile behind my hair when Calin had to sit nearer the back in the middle of a group of younger girls. They quieted as he took his seat and I could feel his gaze boring into my back as thought blaming me for his predicament. Turning to the side, I glanced at him and smiled, nearly laughing as he sent me a silent "Help me!" plea, mouthing the words. Instead, I turned back to the front of the room and folded my hands on my desk, enjoying the class more than I thought I could.

"Alright," Mrs. Hendrey said as she shut the door, keeping any stragglers from coming in. "Yesterday, we went over the only book I had left containing memories shared of the late High Priestess, Vavila Fallamhain. Have any of you completed your assigned blessings?"

How had she gotten another copy?

I could hear rustling and assumed a few students put their hands up as Mrs. Hendrey looked around the room, nodding. When her gaze fell on me, she paused, but then lifted her eyes to someone behind me and smiled.

"Anders," she called. "Would you like to share?"

"I—I thought we were supposed to hand them in?" I asked.

"You will, after you read them to the rest of the class," she said.

Damn. What could I say to stop this? Shout? Scream? Create a bigger tornado or start a fire in the middle of the room? It wouldn't matter if Calin was able to duplicate himself and instilled calming powers in each of his clones until I was surrounded. Nothing was going to keep me from trying to keep the students from saying things about my mother when they didn't even know her.