The teacher turned to the dry-erase board and wrote down our homework assignment. I quickly pulled out my notebook from my backpack and copied it, managing to finish just in time for the bell sounding the end of class. Then I scooped up my things, and Selene and I hurried out the door together.
“Geez, what a jerk, huh?” I said, peering at Selene.
She pulled her pink-and-gray camouflage baseball cap out of her bag and yanked it down over her braided black hair, frowning. “He’s definitely strict. Made me take this off when class started.” She pointed to the cap.
I grimaced. Most of the teachers didn’t care if we wore hats to class, even though it went against school policy. I wondered if this guy would enforce the no-gum-chewing rule, too.
“Sucks about your detention,” said Selene.
“Yeah, no kidding.” I grimaced. “So what’s his name anyway? And if you tell me it’s Blackbeard or Sparrow I’m totally going to lose it.”
Selene adjusted the strap of her olive green messenger bag hanging over her shoulder. “Close. It’s Corvus.”
“How’s that close?”
“He said it means raven.”
I snorted. “Well then it is just as bad. What kind is he?”
“Didn’t say.”
“Weird. I wonder why he would keep it a secret.”
Selene glanced sidelong at me, a familiar patient expression on her face. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Uh…”
“He doesn’t want us to know.”
“Why not?” I said, stepping closer to her to avoid a collision with a tuba someone walking the other way was carrying.
Selene exhaled, her voice low, conspiratorial. “There are some kinds that always try to keep their identities secret, like vampires and hags, even some of the fairy races. And certain demonkinds, of course.”
I grimaced. “The darkest of the dark, you mean.”
Selene nodded. “The administration and all the teachers will know, but not students.” Then her expression hardened. “Not that I blame him for wanting to keep it secret. Stops people from judging you based on your kind.”
I didn’t say anything, understanding her bitter tone all too well. Nightmares had been hunted to near extinction all because the rest of magickind feared we would suck their souls out through their dreams. And everybody assumed sirens were manipulative and vain and that their only value lay in their beauty.
We walked along in silence for a couple of minutes as we navigated the crowd of students making their way to the cafeteria. The pre-lunchtime ruckus seemed at a fever pitch today despite the presence of the Will Guard watching from alcoves or trolling the hallways, their red tunics like warning flags.
But once we reached the underclassmen cafeteria, Selene said, “So why were you late to class?”
I looked around to see who was nearby. It didn’t seem like anybody was listening in, but you never could tell with magickind. Used to be I didn’t have to worry about people paying attention to me. I was just a nobody, a halfkind and a Nightmare, the lowest of the low. But after all the stuff with Marrow, my classmates had started taking more of an interest. I didn’t think it was a good idea to risk it. I shook my head as we stepped into the lunch line.
A hurt look crossed Selene’s face. For a second, I didn’t understand, but then I remembered our argument from the night before. “It’s not like that,” I said. “I just can’t tell you here. It’s secret and a pretty big deal.”
Selene pursued her lips. “Does it have to do with Eli?”
I paused, caught off guard by the question. Then I remembered English class. “What’d you hear?”
“That he stole someone’s wand and tried to kill Miss Norton with it and almost succeeded.”
I rolled my eyes and then relayed the honest, unembellished story about our English class. I resisted the temptation to point out that she would’ve seen it for herself if she hadn’t ditched this morning. She listened, intrigued as we traversed the line.
“I wonder how he was able to do it,” Selene said when I finished.
“No idea.”
Selene readjusted her ball cap. “Maybe it has to do with The Will being gone. He could have witchkind blood somewhere far back in his family.”
“I guess it’s possible,” I said.
Starving after my skimpy breakfast, I decided on a hamburger and a heaping mound of fries. To my surprise, Selene chose the same, forgoing her usual soup and salad combo. Maybe she needed to refuel after her busy night with Lance.
Ew.
We sat down at our usual table, side by side to make for easier whispering. Then with our heads practically touching, I told her about my meeting with the sheriff and Lady Elaine.
“I can’t believe they’re letting him go,” Selene said when I finished. She drummed her fingers on the table, each hard tap emphasizing her dismay.
Nodding, I picked up my water goblet and took a drink.
“And how dare they ask you to go all femme fatale on him. Minus the fatale, of course, since he’s the bad guy.”
I choked as an image of me in an exotic stripper getup flashed in my mind. Water dribbled out of my mouth, and I wiped it away. “Ugh, don’t describe it like that.”
Selene huffed. “And I can’t believe you agreed to it.”
“Like I had a choice with so much at stake. You know how dangerous he is. How dangerous all of Marrow’s supporters are.”