At Council, you cannot behave like this. You cant run around starting fights and mouthing off at people, he continued. There are rulesrules of our society that you must follow! They will not think twice about throwing you into servitude, and it wont matter who youre related to. Do you understand?
Exhaling slowly, I lifted my head and found Marcus by the aquarium. His back was to me. Yes, I understand.
He ran a hand over his head. You will leave your dorm for school,
training, and dinnerdinner at the assigned timeand that is all. As of now, you have no friends.
My gaze narrowed on his back. Am I, like, grounded or something?
He looked over his shoulder at me, lips thinning. Until further notice, and do not even think of arguing with me. You cannot go unpunished for this.
But how can you ground me?
Marcus turned around slowly. You broke a girls nose with an apple.
Suddenly, I didnt want to argue. I was getting off light. Being grounded also didnt mean anything. It wasnt like my social calendar was full. All right, but are you going to tell me if you found the
daimon?
He stared at me a moment longer. No. We havent found the daimon yet.
I gripped the chair. So its still around?
Yes. Marcus motioned me up, and I followed him to the door. He addressed one of the Guards. Clive, escort Miss Andros back to her room.
I groaned inwardly. Clive was one of the Guards I seriously suspected of hooking up with Lea. Every single conversation spoken inside Marcuss office somehow got back to Lea. Considering Clive had a thing for young girls who wore fake Prada shoes, he was the likeliest suspect.
Yes, sir. Clive bowed.
Remember our conversation, Marcus said.
But what about
Marcus shut the door.
Which part should I remember? The fact I was a disgrace to him or the fact there was a daimon running around? Clive grabbed my arm, fingers biting deep. I winced, trying to jerk my arm back, but he increased the pressure. The daimon tags still felt oddly sensitive.
I guess youre enjoying this. I clenched my jaw.
That would be a good guess. Clive shoved me into the stairwell. The pures were wealthy, and I mean, more money than anyone could comprehend. Yet there wasnt a single elevator in the entire campus.
You think you can get away with anything, dont you? Youre the deans niece, the Ministers stepdaughter, and the next Apollyon. Youre just so damn special, arent you?
There was a very good chance I might hit him, but with my fist instead of an apple. I jerked my arm free. Yeah, Im that damn special.
Just remember youre still a half-blood, Alex.
Just remember I am the deans niece, the Ministers stepdaughter, and the next Apollyon.
Clive stepped up, his nose almost touching mine. Are you threatening me?
I refused to back down. No. Im just reminding you of how special I really am.
He stared a moment, then gave a short, harsh laugh. Maybe well all get lucky and youll be a daimon snack on the way back to your dorm alone . Have a good night.
I laughed as loud as I could and was rewarded with the door slamming shut. Hurrying down the stairs, I forgot about Clive. There was a daimon on campus and itd already attacked one pure-blood, almost killing her. Who knew how long it would take before the daimon half needed its next fix? Mom had said a pure would keep a normal daimon going for days, but was it the same for a daimon half?
She hadnt said anything about that, but shed talked a lot about their plans to overthrow the Council and the pures while Id been captive in Gatlinburg. Mom and Eric, the only surviving daimon from Gatlinburg, had plotted to turn the halfs first, and then send them back to infiltrate the Covenants. Sounded like that was already well underway or could it just be a random attack?
Yeah, I doubted that.
What Id learned in Gatlinburg was the whole reason Id be attending the November Council session, but my testimony seemed pointless now.
I rounded the second floor level and came to an abrupt standstill. Apprehension trailed icy fingers down my spine, awakening the uncanny sense we half-bloods carried in our blood. I glanced over my shoulder, practically expecting a half-blood serial killer to be standing behind me or at least Clive, about to push me down the steps.
But there was nothing.
Trained not to ignore the freaky sixth sense that alerted us to all kinds of messed-up things, I admitted that maybe I shouldnt have pissed off Clive. After all, there was a daimon roaming around. I took the steps two at a time and flung open the door to the main level.
Dread still trailed along with me, coiling around my fingers. It didnt help that the
long hallway was lit only by flickering overhead lights, adding to the creepy feeling. Where were all the Instructors and Guards? It was tomb-quiet.
Clive? My eyes devoured every vacant inch of the hallway. If youre messing with me, Im seriously going to break your nose.
Silence was my answer.
Tiny hairs on my body stood
up in warning. Up ahead, the statues of the muses cast harsh shadows over the front lobby. Scanning every nook and cranny for a possible threat, I made my way down the hall. My footsteps echoed madly, almost as if the sound was laughing at me. I came to a sudden halt, mouth dropping open. There was a new addition to the Academy lobby, one that hadnt been there when Id been escorted to Marcuss office.