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“But the Fabricis don’t want that,” I summarize.
Ayden lays his hands on my cheeks and gazes at me fondly. “They won’t hurt you. You’re important to the Council. What’s more likely is that they’ll try to get you on-side with their family. That won’t work if they treat you badly. And they know it.”
I sigh heavily. “I wish I had some control over my gift. If I could have demonstrated that in the test, then it wouldn’t matter what the Fabricis say.”
“And you’ll learn to do that, I’m sure of it.”
I look into his radiant green eyes again. My heart flutters, and I lose myself in that deep green. Right now, it’s all I want. I just want to be with him, to feel unburdened and free. Who knows how many more of these moments we’ll have? I put my hand on the back of his neck and pull him toward me, sealing his lips with an ardent kiss.
I take a deep breath. Ayden squeezes my hand and plants a kiss on the top of my head. “Everything’s going to be alright,” he promises.
I received a message from Mr. Collins before school starts, asking me to go see him. Ayden has walked me to his office, and the rest I have to do alone. I have a pretty good idea what’s coming.
“I’ll wait here for you,” he promises, squeezing my hand again. I pull away and knock on the door.
The secretary calls me in. Sitting behind her desk, she glances briefly at me before gesturing for me to go into Mr. Collins’ office. “He’s expecting you.”
I nod, knock on his door, and enter the principal’s office. He’s sitting behind his desk too, going over some paperwork. When he notices me, he puts down his pen, folds his hands, and looks at me.
“Miss Franklin, I’m glad you could make it. How are you feeling?”
I study his face, and I don’t get around to replying before he continues.
“Have you had a chance to recover from the test? You seemed very overwrought at the end.”
“I was in a lot of pain,” I retort. I want him to know what he and the Council did to me. “I was feeling pretty bad physically, and I was worried that it might take me a while to recover from the stress of it.”
He regards me with a look of boredom. “Well, I see it all turned out fine. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do.” He looks at me through narrowed eyes.
I frown and wonder whether he already knows about me and Ayden. I quickly dismiss that thought. Even if he does, what does it matter? This is about something else entirely.
“To be honest, I was a little shocked at the effect the test had on me. You’re the principal of this school. How can you let one of your students be subjected to something like that?”
Mr. Collins inhales irritably but tries to summon the necessary patience. “Miss Franklin, you are a student of this institution, and I have a duty of care. But that’s precisely why you can be sure that you were never in any serious danger. And that’s evident from your present condition. You’re standing in front of me, healthy and spirited, and you even have the energy to reproach me. I can understand that you’re unhappy about the test, or rather about how it turned out. But the outcome was in your hands.”
I purse my lips and clench my fists. No matter what I say, Mr. Collins won’t be shifted from his standpoint. The Council did nothing wrong in his eyes. I didn’t come to any serious harm, and as far as he’s concerned, that’s the end of the story.
“Why did you want to speak to me?” I ask, to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
“Well, Miss Franklin, I’m sure you remember the agreement that was reached in the event that you didn’t pass the test – which is unfortunately the case.”
“What exactly could I have done, in your opinion, to pass with flying colors?” I ask.
Mr. Collins sighs irritably and says, “We’re not trying to punish you, believe me. We would have been delighted if you’d met the requirements. And yes, at first you showed promise and demonstrated that you were capable of defending yourself. But then… well, apparently the destiny threads appeared, and it became clear that you were completely at the mercy of your gift. You were in pain and unable to do anything to control it. Even that, we could possibly have overlooked. But in the end, your rash… what can I call it? – assault on the harbinger showed that you have no impulse control. You act on instinct; you don’t shy away from danger or consider the risks, and you then resort to physical violence. Everyone would have understood if you’d used a hex against the harbinger. But what were you thinking, simply throwing yourself at it?! No, it just shows that you’re still unable to correctly assess the dangers of our world. You urgently need the guidance of someone who can teach you what’s required in order to survive, starting with the basics. And the school alone can’t provide that.”
I swallow hard and wonder whether to tell him about the book and the photographed pages. I wasn’t acting on impulse. I was drawing on the information in the book. But would that actually change Mr. Collins’ opinion? I doubt it. Especially since I sneaked the books out of a teacher’s bag and photographed them secretly, and embroiled Ayden in my deception too. No, Mr. Collins would see that as more evidence that I’m a rule breaker. So I just stand here, unable to do anything to prevent what’s about to happen. It’s already been decided.
“The Fabricis will take you under their wing and look after you. From now on, you’ll live with them, be trained by them, and otherwise attend school as usual. I expect you’ll soon realize how fortunate you are. I advise you to make the most of this opportunity from the beginning.”
I stare at the principal, speechless. There’s nothing I can do. Anything I say will be futile. So I just mutter one last question, “When do I move?”
“This evening. The family will send people to transport your belongings. We’ll inform your mother that you need extra assistance in order to meet the school’s expectations, that you’ll be billeted with a family of teachers who’ll take care of you and provide you with the support that you need outside of your normal classes.”
I guess everything has been said. I nod, turn around, and leave his office with a pounding heart. As simple as that, that’s how fast it can happen. From one second to the next, my whole life is turned upside down. And I have no choice but to accept it. Protesting would only reinforce the Council’s opinion of me and achieve nothing. Because I’m sure about one thing: I want to remain a part of this world.
Ayden is leaning against the opposite wall with his arms folded, and now he comes toward me. I guess my expression says it all.
“I’ll talk to him later,” he says.
