AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My thoughts are racing again. I bet those books could help me. I could finally find out more about this test, maybe even how to prepare for it. But sadly, they’re unattainable. I have Mr. Brian’s history class tomorrow morning. I picture his arrogant, scornful expression. He’ll probably get a kick out of having those books with him during class, knowing how much I need them. And then it hits me. Mr. Brian said he wanted to hand them to Mr. Collins personally, and he won’t be here until midday. That means Mr. Brian will actually have them with him the whole morning because he has no office at the school. So if I can distract him somehow, maybe I can get into his bag.
Adrenaline floods through my veins at this thought. My compunctions about stealing from a teacher are fleeting. Or rather, I hope to photograph the pages in question. Because I can’t take the books with me. A few months ago, I would never have considered doing something like this. But so much has changed.
The question is – how do I get Mr. Brian out of the classroom? I need someone else to distract him. I think of Kate. She’d definitely agree to help me, but I know she’s going through a tough time right now. She may not even show up for class tomorrow after her pain attack. And if she does, she’s still really worried about the fact that she has no control over her visions. They scare her, which is totally understandable. Is it a good idea to burden her with something else?
Then I think of someone else. He’s probably better suited to the task. I know he can stay calm in stressful situations and keep a straight face. And he could probably come up with a way to delay Mr. Brian if he tries to end the conversation.
I’m rooted to the spot, and it takes what feels like about five minutes for me to force a decision. I want to keep Ayden out of my life and not involve him in my problems, but this is really important to me. I need those books!
I hurry back to the corridor where our rooms are located. I pause outside Ayden’s door, take a deep breath, and knock. At first, nothing happens, and I start to suspect that he’s not there. But then the door opens, and for a moment, I don’t know where to look. Ayden’s jeans sit low on his hips. He probably just threw them on after a shower. His hair is wet, and his torso is naked. With every breath he takes, I can see the play of muscles under his flawless skin, and I know just how it feels to the touch. He pulls of this wet-hair look really well, and for a moment, I completely forget why I’m here.
Ayden leans his arm against the door frame and couldn’t look more seductive. He gives me a questioning, almost concerned look.
“Tess? Everything okay?”
He tries to catch my eye. I avoid his at first, arming myself against the power he typically exerts over me.
“How was the interrogation?” he asks, and I finally dare to look up at him.
Thinking about the Council’s interrogation makes me angry again. “They asked loads more questions,” I begin vaguely, and I’m glad that now I can finally find out what they asked him. “Did they question you for long? What did they want to know?”
“About fifteen minutes. Much shorter than yours. And they seemed to swallow our story.”
“That’s not the feeling I had,” I remark.
“What do you mean?” He raises his eyebrows questioningly.
I sigh and tell him about the way Alfredo inserted himself into the proceedings, how he made indirect accusations, and that I figure he blames me for Alessandro’s death. “You should have seen the way he looked at me. So cold and hateful. Alfredo’s looking for someone to blame for his brother’s death, and he seems to think I’m a good fit.”
Ayden shakes his head doubtfully. “That makes no sense. That would mean they suspect me too, but I didn’t get that impression. They just listened to my answers and accepted them.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re a hunter and not an outsider.” I spit out the word furiously.
Ayden looks at me warmly. “You’re no outsider, and you know it. You’re just as much a part of this world as I am.”
“Not everyone sees it that way.”
“That’s their problem, not yours.”
“Alfredo is planning something,” I explain. “The Fabricis know that our story doesn’t add up, but they can’t openly admit that without dragging Alessandro’s name through the dirt.”
Suddenly, it’s as if the scales fall from my eyes, and I catch my breath for a moment.
“What is it?” Ayden asks.
“That’s why they want the test,” I say.
He frowns. “Test? What are you talking about?”
I quickly explain Mr. Fabrici’s suggestion regarding the test and my training. “If I wind up under their control, they can try to extract the truth from me, and at the same time, they’ll have power over a person with a gift. It doesn’t get better than that.”
Ayden looks anxious. “What kind of test are we talking? Did they say what you have to do?”
“Honestly, I was hoping you might be able to tell me something about it. They didn’t say much. Only that it’s rarely used, and it’s supposed to be… really unpleasant. I’ll somehow be pushed to my physical and psychological limits, whatever that’s supposed to mean.”
“Okay, then we urgently need to find out more about it. My father won’t tell me anything, but I can see if maybe he has some kind of paperwork.” Ayden is already thinking on his feet.
“Well,” I begin hesitantly. “Apparently there are some books containing information about the destiny test.”
