Page 37

If only Saint would sit with me, I couldn’t help thinking.If only he’d show some affection—hold my hand or even just sit close enough to brush his leg against mine—I wouldn’t feel so all alone.So outcast.

I’ve tried very hard all my life not to give a damn what anyone thinks of me.Being LGBTQ in the magic world means developing a thick skin at an early age.But having people know you’re gay is one thing.Having them staring and pointing at you and whispering behind your back and giving you disgusted looks non-stop is something else again—a whole new level of hell.

Still, I refused to let anyone see it bothered me.I kept my chin high and brushed my hair off my forehead so my new Mark was clearly visible.I was damned if I’d let anyone think I was hiding it and I was stubborn enough to keep going all day.

But finally, after Supper that night, I’d had enough.Enough of the stares and the disgusted looks and the jeers and the whispers.Even though Saint had been following me around and threatening anyone who dared to come after me, I still felt as though I had been basically alone all day in the cruel crucible that is high school life.

I wanted to go straight to bed and sleep and try to forget the awful day I’d had, but I didn’t want to go while Saint was still awake.So I waited until he went into our room and then sank down, exhausted, on one of the worn but comfortable sofas in the Norm Dorm common room.After a few minutes, Megan and Griffin came and sat on another one.

“Hey Avery, are you all right?”Megan asked timidly.She and Griffin settled on the couch across from mine and Griffin put his arm around her.He was stroking her long, auburn hair idly with one hand.

The easy affection between my Coven mates made me ache inside with longing.Why couldn’t I have something like that with Saint?We had Marked each other, damnit!Other couples who were Blood Marked couldn’t keep their hands off each other but not us.Wecould barely even be in the same room together!

“I’m fine,” I said listlessly.An obvious lie, but I didn’t have the strength to dissemble anymore.I was completely drained—emotionally worn out—and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so blue.

“A hard day, was it?”Griffin asked with sympathy.

“Going around with another male’s Mark on my head and his hickey on my neck while everyone stared at me and said nasty things under their breath?”I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.“Yes, you could say that.”

“I can understand,” Griffin said quietly.“I know what it’s like to be an outcast—a pariah.”Before he had become Blood-Bonded to Megan, he had been framed for murder and Censured by the Council of Elder Others.He probablydidknow how I felt.

“Thank you,” I said, nodding at him.

“Yes, and webothknow what it’s like to be Marked by someone you’re not supposed to be Marked by,” Megan put in.“People arestilltalking about Griffin and I being Blood-Bonded, even though we broke the power of the Edict.”

The Edict had been a special magical law that kept different types of Others from dating and marrying each other or from Blood-Bonding to each other for that matter.When Megan and Griffin had gotten together, they had broken the Edict all to pieces and now Others of all kinds were able to be together.That didn’t mean that peoplelikedit, however.The older generation still didn’t approve at all and to them, the Edict remained the law of the land, despite the fact that it was now only a concept and had no magical power over anyone anymore.

“That’s right,” I said dully.“Not only have I been Marked by another male, I’m also breaking the Edict.Thanks for reminding me, Megan.My parents are just going toloveit when they find out—especially my dad.”

“Avery, you know that’s not what I meant!”she protested.“I just want you to know you’re not alone in this.”

“Yes, Iamthough!”I exclaimed, sitting up on the couch.“Megan, I amcompletelyalone because the man who Marked me doesn’t want anything todowith me!”

“How can that be?”Griffin asked, frowning.“He accepted your Mark as well—thatmustmean he wants you, Avery.”

“No—it just means hisDrakewants me,” I said tiredly.“I’m pretty sure Saint’s just going along with the Marking in order to keep him happy.The same way you’d do or say anything you had to in order to appease the crazy lunatic who had moved into your house and might start killing people at any minute.”

“But I thought the Drake’s feelings always reflected his person’s feelings?”Megan objected.

“Not in this case, I don’t think,” I said, shaking my head.“That’s not how it seems to me, anyway.”

“Maybe you should just talk to him about it—try to get to the bottom of things,” Megan suggested.

I ran a hand through my hair.

“I don’t think it will do any good.He doesn’t seem to want to talk to me, or touch me, or be seen with me except when some other Drake thathisDrake considers a threat comes up.That’s the only time he comes around me—to warn them off like a dog growling at other dogs to keep them off his favorite bone.”

Griffin raised his dark eyebrows at me.

“May I say, Avery, that you arefullof colorful metaphors tonight.”

“Thanks,” I said glumly.“I’m gladsomethingis colorful about my dull, gray life.”

“Wow—you arereallygetting in deep, here.”Megan gave me a concerned look.“Why don’t you go to bed early?Maybe a good night’s rest will help things not seem so grim.”She frowned at the hickey on my neck.“I have a feeling you didn’t get as much sleep last night as you should have.”

“You sound like my mom,” I grumbled.“’Go get a good night’s sleep, honey, and everything will seem brighter in the morning.’”

“Well, itwill,” Megan said.“Justtryto get some rest.”Her face brightened.“Do you want me to whip up a sleep charm for you?”