Chapter 25

Arya

How could things possibly get any worse?

As I walked back to my dorm from Caesar's office, I felt like a chunk of iron was lodged in my belly, simultaneously weighing me down and crushing me from the inside out. Already, students were whispering that I was behind Letti's attack. Considering the gossip factory that was Cora and her minions, I had been expecting that.

What I didn't expect was suspicion from the teachers as well. Even Caesar thought I was somehow responsible. Maybe not directly, like everyone else did, but he thought Letti had been targeted because of me by association.

And now he was implying that my mom was killed by the vampires because she had been involved with them.

I shook my head. I couldn't believe it. Vampires would explain the reasoning for rule number one, but I couldn't imagine Mom ever being in league with vampires. Could it have been possible that she had pissed off one of them by accident? It was obvious, now, that Mom had been running from someone or something all those years. Could that someone have been a vampire?

And to make matters worse, apparently, Caesar knew more about my father than I did. Would I ever discover the truth of it all?

I crept into the mer common room, keeping my head down and trying not to attract attention as I grabbed my bag and headed off to meet Ashlyn now that classes were canceled. But when I got to my room, Cora and Adina were standing in front of the door like a Barbie barricade. My laptop bag was at their feet, with the few articles of new clothing I'd acquired messily stuffed into it and spilling out.

"What are you doing with my stuff?" I demanded, the feeling of violation summoning anger to overshadow my depression.

"Taking out the trash." Cora crossed her arms and kicked the bag so that it fell over, causing one of my new lace panties to fall out.

"You bitch!" I dropped to my knees to gather my things, ready to use those very panties to strangle her.

"Nobody wants you here," Adina hissed over me as I scrambled. "You're no longer welcome in this wing."

"You're not even a real mermaid, anyway," Cora added.

I hugged my belongings to my chest and rose defensively to my feet. "You can't kick me out. Celeste would never let that happen."

Cora narrowed her eyes and stalked closer to me, like a predatory shark on a weakened fish. "Well, Celeste isn't here right now. She's too busy taking care of the mermaid you almost got killed."

"I already told you I had nothing to do with that! And you're a bigger idiot than I thought if you believe that." I was seconds away from exploding molten crazy all over the hallway like an undersea volcano.

"Save it." Cora made a closing gesture with her fingers and thumb. "The truth will come out eventually, and when it does, no one at this school will want you."

I struggled for a moment just to get my breathing under control, tension wracking my entire body. While I had no reason or intention to hurt Letti, I damn sure was furious enough to lurch at Cora and rip all of her perfect blonde hair out right now.

But a fight would only make things worse. I knew I had to get out before I lost control, so rather than retaliate, I stormed out of the common room without another word, clenching my teeth so tightly they just might crack.

Hot, angry tears blurred my vision as I trod through the hallways. I didn't exactly know where I was going. I considered tracking down Celeste and telling her what Cora and Adina did, but what was the fucking point? The mer didn't want me here, and I sure as hell didn't want to be here, either.

And where the fuck was Kendall? He said he'd be my bodyguard if I needed one, and I'd never needed one more than I did now.

Fuck it. I'll fight my own damn battles. I don't need anyone!

I zipped into the girls' bathroom before the entrance to the Great Hall, quickly checking there were no feet visible below the doors of the stalls before bolting the door. Then I stomped into the space between the faucets and stalls and threw my bag onto the floor.

"Aaaahhhh!" I shrieked to my lungs' capacity, unbridled fury rippling through me.

I kicked the door of the closest stall with my might, sending it slamming against the stall wall, the sound echoing off the metal surfaces of the room.

Then, growling like a feral beast, I stalked to one of the faucets, gripping the edges for support as I hung my head and focused on my breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

When my breaths had steadied and my pulse stabilized, I looked up at the mirror in front of me. The girl I saw looking back at me wasn't the shy, obedient girl I used to be. She was fierce, confident, a force to be reckoned with.

All of the forces in my life had boxed me in, beaten me down, thrown shit at me over and over, but I was still standing strong. I wouldn't be broken by this latest storm. I'd weather it and rise above it. And I would be damned if my abusers saw even an ounce of weakness.

Straightening my posture, I smoothed my hair and schooled my expression until it was an aloof mask. Then I picked up my overstuffed bag, slung it over my shoulders, and left the shelter of the bathroom to face the onslaught with pride, heading for the avian common room.

If there was only one person at this school who wanted me around—and would let me bunk with them—it was Ashlyn. And if anyone at the avian wing had a problem with it, they wouldn't dare risk triggering Ashlyn's fiery temper.

As I approached the avian wing, fewer and fewer eyes were on me. Avians didn't care too much about the drama the mer caused, so they usually bought into the gossip the least of all the groups. I had made the right choice.

"Um, you're not supposed to be in here," a bespectacled harpy girl said to me when I entered the common room. The girl looked more puzzled than territorial.

"Oh, er," I hadn't quite figured out what I was going to say if someone tried to stop me.

"It's okay, Leya," Niko said, getting up from one of the couches and coming to my rescue. "She's just here to see Ashlyn."

The meek harpy merely nodded and carried her books off to another part of the large room.

"Thanks, Niko." I was grateful for the save. If the avians also barred me from their wing, I didn't have a Plan C. "Is Ashlyn around?"

"Uh, no, I think she's training with Mr. Summers." His eyes lingered on me in a way that said he knew about the rumors, and what he said next let me know he didn't believe them. "But you're welcome to wait here for her if you want."

I casually nodded like I gave no fucks. "Thanks."

I looked around the common room, fingering the strap of my bag as I pondered what to do with myself while I waited for Ashlyn.

Niko put his hands in his pockets and rolled his shoulders. "I don't know if you're into video games, but Brett and I are about to kill some zombies. Want to play?"

I looked at the couch Niko had risen from and saw Tobias and Brett sitting there. Brett already had a controller in hand.

"I'm not much of a player, aside from Candy Crush," I replied with a shrug. "But I can watch."

"Sure, we don't mind an audience," Niko said. "Do we, Brett?"

"Not at all," Brett called back. "You're the one who's gonna lose. Now get your butt over here so we can start."

Niko chuckled and nodded at the couch before jogging over and reclaiming his seat beside Brett. I followed and sat on the armchair catty corner to the couch, next to where Tobias was sitting. I set down my bag as the boys dove into their game. Gunfire and splattered blood lit up the big screen TV in front of us.

I watched the pixelated action with mild interest, distracted by the street warfare that was going on in my mind. I considered trying to find Kendall and getting him to talk some sense into Cora, but the mer wing was the last place I wanted to be. Maybe tomorrow. For now, some space from my kind was what I needed. I had never felt like one of them, anyway.

Maybe a permanent removal from the wing was best… Or, maybe a removal from the school completely. It wasn't like I was excelling here. Maybe I was better off not being at the school, just as Cora had said.

But I wouldn't be eighteen for a few more months, and with my absolute refusal to go back to my house, where would I go? I guessed I could find a shelter or something. I could get a job somewhere, anywhere, and save up until I could legally rent an apartment. Then, when the house went into my name, I could sell it and find something smaller.

My eyes wandered over to Tobias, who had been very quiet all this time. His chin rested on his hand, his jaw clenched. His eyes were fixed on the screen, and I got the impression that he was purposely avoiding looking at me. Did he believe I was allied with vampires? Was that why he was shutting me out today?

Ugh, why do I care?!

Unable to help myself, I leaned forward and said in a hushed voice, "So, I'm sure you've heard about Letti."

He nodded without looking at me. "The whole school has."

I nodded and looked down. "Then I guess you've also heard the rumors Cora started. She blames me for what happened, which is just insane. You don't…believe it, do you?"

My eyes found his face again, almost begging him to give me the right answer.

He shook his head and pursed his lips in a noncommittal expression. "Everyone knows Cora is a hateful bitch. Whatever she's saying will blow over in a day or two."

I kept my gaze on him, not missing the fact that he still hadn't let his eyes slip in my direction. Come on, I know you're not that interested in this stupid game. Just look at me!

I wanted to push the issue, to make him give me a real answer. Because from the way he was acting, I definitely got the feeling that he blamed me for it, too.

"Arya?" Ashlyn's voice called my attention away from the dragon's stony face and toward the entrance.

Ashlyn rounded the couches to come to my side. "What are you doing here?"

I considered pulling her aside to talk in private, but I figured everyone might as well know if I had to stay here indefinitely.

"I was hoping I could bunk with you for a while. Cora booted me out of the mer wing." I even impressed myself with how dismissive and uncaring my voice sounded.

"She did what!?" Tobias snapped, suddenly unable to pull his wide eyes off me.

"That witch! She can't do that!" Ashlyn's anger was in full heat. "Did you tell Celeste?"

"No, and right now, I just don't care," I said. "I just want some space from them. So… I was hoping you wouldn't mind letting me stay with you until this whole Letti thing blows over."

The fire in her eyes cooled, and her face smoothed into a pitying pout. "Of course. You can bunk with me for as long as you need to. And if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me."

She narrowed her eyes at everyone around the room, but no one said anything. Though Tobias was barely perched on the edge of the couch, a storm of emotions raging on his gorgeous, surly face. We stared at each other for a brief moment, so many unsaid words hanging in the space between us.

"Come on, let's get you settled," Ashlyn suggested with a tap to my arm that broke the tenuous connection. "Then we'll steal a tub of ice cream from the kitchen and we can talk."

"Thanks." Flushed with gratitude, I threw my arms around her.

Our hug lingered for a moment, almost like she knew how upset I really was by this situation.

As we excused ourselves from the common room and headed for Ashlyn's room, Tobias stood.

"I'll fix this," he promised, sincere determination shining in his amber eyes.

Despite how he'd avoided me all morning, and this whole tug-of-war thing we had going on since we met, I believed he meant that. But he couldn't fix this. And I'd be damned if I was going to play the damsel a second longer.

So I turned away and followed Ashlyn down the hall.