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Sheriff Baker grabbed Chloe’s wrist and yanked it behind her back.
“Watch it,” Chloe snapped. “This bitch sprained my wrist.”
Lilian glared at her. If it was anyone else, she’d have their tongue cut out. But it was her granddaughter, and no matter what they thought of each other in this moment, they were still family.
Lilian turned to the crowd and spoke loudly. “Let it be known that violent displays of protest like the one you just witnessed are hereby outlawed. Anyone who interferes with the process of justice will be sentenced accordingly. The Imperium Council is working night and day to bring an end to the Waning and restore the coven’s magic. We ask for your full cooperation until this matter can be resolved.”
Murmurs of agreement traveled around the room, but my stomach clenched. Lilian was trying to sound kind, like she was doing them all a favor. The truth was, she wasn’t asking a damn thing. She was demanding it. And she would demand compliance until she stripped these people of their magic altogether… and of their very humanity.
“We thank you for your cooperation,” Lilian said, before turning toward the doors. Her cloak billowed around her as she ordered Sheriff Baker to escort Chloe and Professor Wykoff off campus.
Marley, Chloe’s cat, stood at the top of the stairs and yowled loudly as the priestesses marched the women outside. Professor Wykoff hung her head, but Chloe shot me a proud smile as she passed. She didn’t seem bothered at all by her arrest. She’d intended to get arrested.
The room burst into conversation once the priestesses left.
“She deserved it,” Avery told the other Executors. They loudly agreed with her.
Verla stepped to the middle of the room and raised her voice. “Everyone, back to your dormitories.”
The crowd began to disperse. Lucas rushed up to me and took me in his arms.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
I sighed. “I’m fine. I’m more worried about Chloe.”
“You did all you could,” Lucas assured me.
“There must be more we can do,” I insisted.
“Go back to your dormitories and get some rest,” Verla suggested. “Jonathan and I will discuss what we can do to keep the priestesses happy while also protecting the students.”
I didn’t know who she was talking about until Professor Warren nodded in agreement. I never knew his first name before now.
“I want to help,” I offered.
“You may be a priestess, but I’m the headmistress of this school,” Verla said. “I’m responsible for keeping the students safe, and I intend to do just that. We all have our roles in this, and this is mine. Please, Nadine. Let me worry about the students.”
“Okay,” I agreed, though I didn’t like it.
Professor Warren and Headmistress Verla left the Main Foyer together. By now, everyone else was gone. I took Lucas’s hand, and we started up the stairs. I stopped halfway, and he paused with a concerned look on his face.
“It’s fine,” I told him. “Just out of energy today. Damn, this place needs an elevator. I know the school was built ages ago, but accessibility for the disabled is seriously lacking.”
“I thought you were doing better since dialysis started,” Lucas said. He was genuinely trying to understand.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to walk the last few steps. “I am doing better. Magic doesn’t flare my symptoms as badly anymore, but my body is still trying to heal from the shit it’s gone through in the last two years. I’m still fatigued most of the time. I’m just really good at hiding it.”
“We’ll fix this,” Lucas said, sounding so confident. He didn’t understand what a losing battle advocating for yourself could be sometimes. “You can’t be the only one in school who needs accommodations.”
I practically snorted. “Maybe if the priestesses let me have a say, I could do something about it. I’m not holding my breath until this conflict is over.”
His room was empty when we arrived. Our friends must’ve gone to my room with our cats, and a piece of me felt slightly relieved. I didn’t want them to see me break down.
And that’s exactly what I did. I sank onto Lucas’s bed and buried my face in his pillow. I just wanted to scream or cry… or fight. And I felt powerless.
Lucas sat on the bed beside me and placed a hand on my back. “Talk to me, Nad.”
I rolled over. The moment Lucas saw the worried look on my face, he kicked his shoes off and lay on the bed next to me. He took me in his arms, until my head rested on his chest. He drew me close and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
