Page 97 of Shattered Stars

My hand drops to my thigh and I stare out at the passing traffic, blurring and merging into one as I think.

Is this dangerous? Is she in danger?

I don’t know.

I glance down at my phone. Should I call them now? Tell them to run? To get the hell out of Los Magicos? Would that work? How far would they even get?

I rub my knuckles over my forehead. The caffeine has long ago waned and now I’m hit by the full force of my tiredness, making every thought a struggle.

He knows nothing. The chancellor knows nothing. If he did, she’d already be in some cell somewhere, and, hell, so would I.

For the time being, there’s nothing for him to discover. Not if we’re careful. The Moreau boy and his secrets are far away at the border. And as for my cousin, if he were going to blab to anyone it would be his father, and as I’ve had no word from my family, I can assume, for whatever reason he’s chosen not to.

I’ll take her. I’ll take her to the chancellor. But I’ll stand right outside the door. Right there in case … I stare right ahead. If he touches one hair on her precious head, I will end him, damn all the consequences.

I answer his message and then tuck my cell back inside my jacket and start the bike.

The last part of my journey, through the country lanes towards the academy perched up there on its hill, seems to pass much more quickly, as if fate is choosing to torture me with the passing of time.

I’m going to have to report to the principal, do this by the official route. No time even for a stolen kiss, to hold her against me and tell her how much I’ve missed her.

The gates at the outskirts of the grounds open for me automatically and I climb the drive up to the front of the mansion, parking up and finding the principal waiting for me on the steps.

“You were expecting me?” I ask, walking towards her as I tug off my gloves.

“Yes, the chancellor said you were on your way to collect Miss Blackwaters.”

“Correct.”

“Do you know why he wishes to talk with her?” she says, an anxiety I’m not used to observing in the woman hovering in her eyes.

“No.”

“He’s shown an unusual curiosity in the girl,” she mutters, peering over her shoulder. “I don’t understand why. I haven’t observed anything unusual about her.” She peers back at me. “Have you?”

I keep my face blank. “No,” I hesitate, then add, “apart from her age. Most unregistered magicals I pick up are much older.”

“Yes, I suppose they would be.” The sound of gravel crunching catches her attention and she peers around again to catch sight of Rhianna walking towards us. The summer’s passed now and she wears a worn jacket. I need to buy her a new one. “Miss Blackwaters,” the principal beckons her forward. “The enforcer will escort you to see the chancellor.”

She catches my eye for a flicker of a second and nods. The principal hesitates as if she’s considering saying more, but then she turns and leaves the two of us.

“Rhianna,” I whisper, my bond straining towards hers.

She peers over her shoulder, checking the principal has gone, then smiles up into my face.

“Azlan,” she says and why does my name sound so good in her mouth?

“I missed you,” I say, daring to take her hand in mine and stroke my thumb over her knuckles. Her entire body trembles with my touch and this is going to be agony I can tell.

“Why does he want to see me, Azlan?” she asks.

“I don’t know, sweetheart, but I’ll be right by your side. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

A crinkle forms between her brows and she squeezes my hand. “But what if he tricks me, tricks me into telling him something I shouldn’t? What if he already knows?”

“Rhi,” I say smiling back at her, unable to help myself, “you’re very good at keeping a secret.”

She frowns harder still and before she can take umbrage with what I’ve said, I tug her towards the bike and we’re both climbing onto the saddle, back here again, her arms wrapped around my waist, her thighs pressed to mine.