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Chapter Fifty-Two

RAIN

W e got the plants put in the ground so they wouldn't die, but the whole time, Torian was rehashing what Nevaeh had said. One thing stood out. She'd mentioned "it." None of us had a clue what it was, or what would happen to Aspen, but there was a thing at the center of this.

Then there was the bigger problem. According to Torian, no one but the monarchs could control the Wild Hunt.

That meant Ms. Valentina couldn't. Harper certainly couldn't, but Nevaeh had been so sure of it.

Never mind that the Hunt had already been here twice.

In less than six weeks, they'd come twice .

That was a lot.

Wilder pointed out it could be a coincidence.

The weather had been favorable for it, since storms carried them around.

Keir countered with it never having happened before, even when the weather had been worse.

Hawke mentioned how gaunt and destroyed the Hunt looked, so they couldn't be using their own magic.

All of those led back to one thing: Nevaeh might be telling the truth. But when Torian wanted to head up to his room and do something about it, I had a better idea.

"We need to talk to Ms. Rhodes."

Each and every one of my friends looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Look," I insisted, "if Harper was here, Ms. Rhodes would know.

She's the one who expelled her. If this is something Harper - or her mother - can do, Ms. Rhodes would know.

Plus, it's her school, so if something is calling the Hunt here - and Ms. Rhodes' students are in trouble, she'd want to know. "

"This isn't her problem," Torian grumbled.

Aspen gave him a tired look. "It kinda is, and I think Rain's right."

"I'm with Rain," Hawke said.

That made Torian's head snap over. "Really?"

Hawke nodded slowly. "She's got a feeling for when adults will help or block us. I mean, she even got you to talk to Liam, right?"

"That was different," Torian said. "Liam's on our side."

"So is Ms. Rhodes," Wilder said calmly. "Tor, that's why she lets you stay." Then he glanced over to Keir. "Don't ask."

"Wasn't gonna," Keir assured him. "I don't like being cut out, but I also get it - and better than Rain does. I can't break promises either."

"So let's do this," I said, taking a step back.

"Because if no one else will, I'll go talk to her.

I mean, she and I have this deal, and I think it kinda plays into this.

So..." I scrunched up my nose. "Please? I really don't want there to be a magical something out there trying to kill my girlfriend! "

And those were the words that got Torian on my side. "Yeah. Let's do this."

Stepping forward, he patted my back and all but propelled me forward. Wilder and Aspen hurried to pick up the scattered supplies, but Keir fell in behind me. With a loud caw, Jack sailed out of the trees, heading towards me.

I looked back to check on both him and my friends, wanting to help them clean up, yet Torian didn't give me the chance.

The guy all but marched me out of the atrium and to the elevators the same way I'd done when I'd taken him to see Liam.

Jack just angled his course to follow, darting through the door with me before landing on the ground in front of the elevator.

"What are you going to do if she can't help?" Torian asked when he pressed the call button.

I could only shrug. "Talk to my dads next?"

"You, Rain, are the Morrigan, not them."

"Rain-Jack!" my bird chided.

Keir grunted, proving he was still with us. "Lay off, Tor. She's also seventeen. Now is when she's supposed to be learning how to do this, not have it all dropped on her shoulders. "

Jack nodded emphatically, keeping his body planted in front of the elevator. "Court. Court-Court. Rain-Court-Dad."

Torian hummed under his breath, but it sounded like he had his own thoughts - and was begging us to ask.

We didn't. But when the elevator came, only three of us piled on - and Jack, who stayed on the ground this time.

Torian pressed the button for the fourth floor, so I whipped out my phone, sending off a text to my group chat with the court.

Next, I added a second text to my dads, letting them know I might need backup at Ms. Rhodes' apartment.

Of course, it didn't send in the elevator. I never got good signal in there, but the moment we stepped off, both Torian's and Keir's pockets made noise. I chuckled at the different notification sounds they'd set, but didn't slow down. Marching right up to Ms. Rhodes' door, I rapped on it loudly.

"Court!" Jack crowed from the floor, sounding like he was announcing us.

A moment later, the door opened to reveal Ivy Rhodes looking like a college girl herself.

Her hair was up in a messy bun. She was wearing loose pants and a strappy tank.

Lounging clothes, definitely. The weird part was that like this, she did not look like a teacher.

I had to blink a few times to make sure this was the headmistress of Silver Oaks Institute.

"Rain?" she asked. "Torian? Keir? Is there a problem?"

"Uh, yeah," I muttered just as the elevator opened again, spilling out Aspen and the guys. "We all need to talk, Ms. Rhodes. Someone's after Aspen."

The headmistress looked over at Aspen. "What do you have?"

"Just more plants for the atrium," Aspen said. "You know, not too many. But it needed more flowers."

"Ok." Ms. Rhodes sighed. "Aspen, put those away, then come in. Rain, Torian, and Keir? Please, step inside." She pulled the door open wider. "Jack, do not touch anything you aren't invited to touch. You may sit on a chair like the other fae in my presence."

"Jack..." Sounding sad, the bird hopped in first, giving me the courage to follow.

But Ms. Rhodes' apartment was nothing like my dads'. Sure, the floorplan might be the same. The decor was not. One wall was covered with weapons set in decorative positions. In front of them were those mannequins without heads holding suits of armor. And the colors!

The metals reminded me of Keir's magic. The furniture was all black leather. The rug was crimson red. I'd expected Ms. Rhodes to be more of a beige sort of person, but I'd been wrong. Her tastes were harsh and vibrant at the same time, even if I wasn't sure I liked it.

"Sit," she ordered. "What's going - " A knock at the door made her pause. "Sit," she said again even as she went to answer that.

"...Got a message from Rain," I heard, and it sure sounded like Bracken.

"Come in," she said. "Aspen, hurry up. I'm getting the impression this is serious."

"Is it?" Liam asked as he entered the living room. His eyes jumped from me to Torian and then over to Keir. "Ok, very serious. Rain?"

"Um, someone's after Aspen," I said. "Nevaeh told us."

Torian just groaned.

But Liam didn't get the chance to ask more, because that was when Aspen, Hawke, and Wilder piled into the living room, with Bracken and Ms. Rhodes behind them.

Suddenly, the apartment felt very full. Still, Aspen claimed a spot on the sofa beside me.

Torian went on her other side. Keir stood next to me while Hawke and Wilder found a place against the wall in front of us.

That left the remaining seats for my dads and Ms. Rhodes.

"Rain said someone's after Aspen," Liam started for me.

"Explain?" Ms. Rhodes demanded.

"Nevaeh came to beg for her power back from Torian," I said.

"How?" Ms. Rhodes asked the guy.

He just canted his head. "She was under the impression jevadu can do that."

"Ok," Ms. Rhodes breathed, sounding relieved. "And then?"

"Then," Torian said, "my sister decided to give it back."

"No," Aspen broke in. "Nevaeh told us Harper had called her, talking about getting revenge on me."

"She said Harper and her mom put "it" here," I explained. "She didn't know what 'it' was, but Harper came to see if she could get back in, supposedly. I thought you'd know if that was true, because if it's not..."

"It is true," Ms. Rhodes said. "Ms. Valentina and her daughter came to petition for another chance. I did not offer one. Trying to kill students in my school is not something I'm likely to forgive or forget. So no, Harper Valentina will not be welcome at Silver Oaks again."

"When?" I pressed. "Because Nevaeh said that was when they brought 'it,' and that 'it' was going to make the Hunt get Aspen!"

Seeing a woman as powerful and confident as Ms. Rhodes pause in shock? It was not a comforting feeling. When her shoulders began to slump, her eyes flared, and her breath fell from her lips, I knew this was very, very bad.

"Which is why the Hunt has been here twice already this semester," Keir said. "Nevaeh's telling the truth, isn't she." It wasn't a question so much as him voicing what we'd all just realized. "I need that sword, Ms. Rhodes."

"It will be in the armory by morning," she assured him.

"Bracken, I'm going to need the sentinels supplied for multiple attacks.

Rain, your lesson plan is about to change.

I'm sorry, but if there's any truth to this story, I would much rather have Silver Oaks prepared instead of mourning another loss. "

"What about my sister!" Torian demanded.

"I will have the staff search for anything that might attract the Hunt."

He shoved to his feet. "That's impossible. The Hunt is given its mission by the Queen. No one can derail them!"

"But they can flag a sighting," she said with as much calm as she could. "The Hunt chases, but the people can signal when a criminal has been there. The problem is that all criminals in the area will be rounded up, which includes every fae on Earth!"

"Why would the Valentinas do that?" I asked. "Aren't they worried the Hunt will come after them?"

"They live just far enough away that our weather is not quite theirs," Ms. Rhodes explained. "So no. I also believe Ms. Valentina would see nothing wrong with 'making' a place for her daughter."

"So what calls the Hunt?" I asked, feeling a sudden panic growing in my chest.

Ms. Rhodes was supposed to say it wasn't possible.

I knew Harper could lie. Hell, Nevaeh probably could as well, but Ms. Valentina couldn't. She was pure fae, so lies would be as hard for her as they were for my friends.

But if Harper hadn't lied to Nevaeh, and Nevaeh hadn't lied to us, then this was real? It was happening?

"The list," I breathed.

"Fuck!" Torian snapped. "We need to know what that item is!"

"It will be a Summer token," Ms. Rhodes explained. "Typically, it's a sign of a house or loyalty, enchanted to signal a need for help."

"Which means it could be anything!" Torian growled.

"Where did the Valentinas go?" Bracken asked. "Ivy, this is important, because as out of line as he is, Torian's right. We cannot risk the student body like this. "

"They were permitted inside the gates," Ms. Rhodes said, "and came straight to my office. Sadly, I cannot say they immediately left. No one complained, but they were not restricted. I had no reason to, Torian."

"Harper tried to kill us," he grumbled. "That's reason enough!"

"And you are nothing special here." She lifted a brow.

"That is why you continue to attend, young man.

" She glanced at Keir, then kept going. "So please address me with the respect of my position, because I will do something about this.

I will have the entire staff help me find any enchanted items on the grounds. "

"And until then?" I asked, grabbing Torian's arm and pulling him back beside his sister.

"Ms. Rhodes, what are we supposed to do about the Hunt coming for Aspen?

Because what I'm hearing is that they are.

The Huntsman told Torian he wasn't on the list, but said Aspen was.

He had his hands on her the first time. I mean the first this semester.

Time before last." I groaned. "You know when I mean. "

"When Fin was killed," Keir said blandly. "The day a student was lost because the storm came with no warning and not forecasted."

"Shit," Liam breathed. "Brack..."

"I'm fine in the gym, and we can lock the doors."

"And her?" Liam hissed, gesturing to me. "Do you think she'll stay inside?"

"No, I won't," I told them. "I am the reason they keep leaving! My shadows can chase them off."

"But you need power," Aspen reminded me.

"I'm learning," Keir assured her. "Torian's given me a few ideas."

"But you," Torian told her, "need to stay inside. No classes out there, Ms. Rhodes."

"Not until we find this thing," she swore. "I will not lose another student. Torian Hunt, I gave you my word. I will do everything in my power to keep your sister safe."

"Then do something!" he snapped. "Or I will."

"Or both," I said, looking over to my dads. "Zez, I don't know how you can find one of these things, but I know the human way: we look. And I will look and look and look until it is found, so unless you want me out there every chance I can get, you will help me find it!"

"I will do that anyway," he said. "Rain, we don't know it's outside."

"Where else could it be?" I asked.

"Anywhere on these grounds," Ms. Rhodes said. "That includes this entire building. If Harper stopped to see a friend... "

"Well..." I stopped myself before cursing in front of the headmistress.

"Fuck is the word you want," she said. "We have an agreement, Rain. It is different from theirs, but just as binding to me. When your problems are the adult kind, I see no reason the language should not match."

"Good," I said, pushing to my feet, "because I think we have some fucking work to do." And I turned for the door.

That my friends followed felt good. The reason why didn't, but I was now a girl on a mission. And yet, just as I started to feel overwhelmed, I lifted my arm. Jack immediately landed, proving he would always have my back - just like the court did.