“Well you experienced how real everything felt. I mean that is your consciousness. Can you imagine if he called you out and meant you harm? Think about it, he could create any scenario; he could create the inner most circle of hell if he wanted. And you willingly went, without the slightest hesitation.”

I pouted my lip, ready to defend Kiran, but decided against it. The reality was he could have created anything, but instead of my own personal hell, he created the most beautiful place I had ever seen or been. And maybe I did go willingly, but I was never disappointed. Kiran was not the bad guy Avalon saw him as.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Avalon finished his thought and then sniffed several shirts before deciding if they made the bag, or returned to the floor.

“What do you mean?” my ears perked up, and a slow creeping sensation of jealousy made its way up my spine. If Kiran pulled this trick with every girl, I was going to be pissed.

“I mean with Mediums in general.” Avalon shook his head as he simultaneously felt my jealousy. I relaxed and then felt foolish. There was no reason to feel jealous, he wasn’t mine or anything, and in fact he was betrothed to another girl. “Remember that. But before, when the Monarchy took over, I guess they used their power of Dream Walk to torture all kinds of people. That’s how the first Immortals died,” his voice was sad but reverent and it was his turn to emote his pain on to me.

“Kiran’s not like that,” I said defending Kiran with my heart, but realizing with my head that I didn’t really know.

“Sure, sure. You don’t really know him though, do you Eden?” Avalon threw a dirty pair of socks at my face, but I batted them away quickly, afraid of all of the possible diseases they carried.

“So you really leave tomorrow?” I asked, sad that I would soon be alone, even if only for a little while. Even Kingsley would be empty. I hadn’t even seen Kiran, well in person, since he left me on the football field and Avalon would be gone tomorrow. I knew it would only be for a few days, but the thought of being here alone and helpless to save Lilly made my heart hurt.

“Yeah, right after the Chemistry final,” Avalon walked into his bathroom and I could hear him open and close cabinets until returning with a packed shaving kit.

“Why can’t I go?” I whined in desperation. Avalon held up two shirts in my direction and I nodded to the one I thought fit him best.

“I don’t know, but nobody wants you there,” he said, not the least bit concerned. He walked over to his closet and pulled out the dark cloak and mask that were the final touches to his full duffle bag.

“There has to be a reason,” I whined further.

“Of course there is. Amory doesn’t do anything without a purpose and a reason; so if he says ‘no’ it’s for a good cause,” Avalon struggled with the zipper to his duffle bag for only a second before waving a hand over it and closing it with simple magic.

“Sure it is,” I folded my arms across my chest and pouted my lower lip. “Promise me you’ll save Lilly,” I looked pleadingly at him and he rolled his eyes.

“My first objective is the team, and then yes, I’ll do my best to save your friend.” I knew that’s the best I would get from him, and although I was glad he would try, I felt more discouraged than ever.

“I’m sorry Avalon, I’m the reason your friends are there to begin with,” I looked at the ground and played with the corner of his comforter.

“That’s alright. I’m the reason your friend is there,” Avalon patted my head like a child, but I felt strangely comforted despite.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The substitutes presiding over mid-terms were clearly human. Having been raised human my entire life, as I was reminded almost daily, I never noticed a difference between the two species. But after half a semester of Immortal teachers who not only knew everything, but saw everything, the humans they found to replace them were clearly blind and deaf to all of the activity around them.

Thankfully for them they were not actually teaching anything, otherwise I would have been afraid for them. The Immortal students left at Kingsley took advantage of the poor souls at every opportunity. They lied, they cheated and they just got up and left all together. It was a cruel joke to human teachers assuming they still had complete authority. The teacher monitoring our Chemistry final was particularly sad. A woman in her late fifties, and nearly blind to begin with, didn’t seem to notice any of the chatter and foul play happening around her. I did my best to focus on my test, remembering that not too long ago that poor human was me.

It wasn’t easy however, since Mr. Hayman had left a particularly nasty mid-term for us to take. To top it off Adelaide Meyer and Evangeline Harris sat behind me in constant conversation. Their high, excited voices scraped my nerves like nails on a chalkboard and it took everything inside of me not to turn around and give them a piece of my mind.

I did my best to focus on the test in front of me and refrain from magic. It would be easy to magically remember the answers, but that somehow seemed like cheating. I knew that the other students used magic for all of their classes, but I was determined to learn on my own.

“No way,” Evangeline’s shriek pulled me away from concentration once again.

“What?” Adelaide amazed me with her dramatic concern.

“We’re not going now!” Evangeline was near tears and her voice found a painfully high pitch.

“What!” Adelaide repeated in an equally high voice.

“Dad and Mom have to fly to India instead. Apparently it’s on business for the King, but that means I can’t go to the Festival!” I could hear her voice crack. I peeked over my shoulder to confirm the tears running down her cheeks. I saw her frantically typing on the small keyboard of her cell phone.

“But that’s not fair!” Adelaide confirmed Evangeline’s spoiled attitude. Maybe Evangeline and I should hang out while everybody else lived it up in Romania.

“I know! They said I can’t go unsupervised. It’s not like I’m flying coach, its first class for god’s sake.” Evangeline cried.

“You could go with us on Daddy’s private jet. We have plenty of room! Daddy’s jet is super posh; we don’t even bother with customs!” Adelaide was bubbling over with excitement at the solution to Evangeline’s problems.

“That would be so much better than flying on those dirty planes and standing in line!” Evangeline perked up and I heard her return to frantically texting. “They said that would be fine! Mom is going to call your mom,” she shrieked again, only that time in an excited even more irritating way. “I even brought my things! We were supposed to leave right after this test. Where are you staying?”

Adelaide began rambling on and on about their swanky accommodations inside the Citadel, while I rolled my eyes. But then suddenly, a plan formed in my mind that was so ingenious I would have been a fool not to follow through. I glanced at the clock, only twenty more minutes left. I knew I said I wouldn’t use magic on a human but this was different. It was life or death.

I quickly filled the rest of my test in, giving it a once over with magic before standing up to turn it in. The substitute shot me a curious look and opened her mouth as if to decline my gesture. I gave her a worried smile and walked quickly to her desk.

“Excuse me, but you need to sit down for the remainder of the hour,” she said in a warbled, but firm voice.

“I’m so sorry,” I gave her a frantic face and threw my test down on her desk. “I really have to use the restroom,” I said in the softest voice a human could still hear. Several students, who had super-human hearing, snickered around me.

“You’ll have to wait,” she replied even firmer.

“You don’t understand,” I pled, and then pushed a little magic on her. I saw her think it over again before offering me a pleasant smile.

“Of course, dear, if it’s an emergency,” she gestured with her hand towards the door, before returning to the erotic romance novel that was occupying her time.

I didn’t even bother to smile back as guilt filled me. I reminded myself that this was for a good cause and picked up my pace as I sprinted across campus. The crisp autumn air stunned me a little as I burst out of the Science Building and towards the Administration Building.

Once I reached the Administration Building I flung the door open with magic, too excited to slow down. Mrs. Truance and Principal Saint had not been here all week, but thanks to Avalon, I knew that the students leaving directly after class today put their respective bags behind Mrs. Truance’s circulation desk.

Out of breath, and jittery with nerves I leaped over the wide mahogany, frantic to beat the clock. Any minute students would be pouring through those doors excited for a long weekend abroad. I had to get out of there before Avalon or Evangeline were one of those students.

The floor was piled high with expensive designer suitcases and I realized I had no idea which one was Evangeline’s. I did my best to calm my nerves and focus. I let the magic center my mind and drift through the Louis Vuittons, Tumi and Coach Travel Sets in search of Evangeline’s carry on.

I felt my magic swirl around me, in and out of the piles of luggage. I sensed passport after passport and airline ticket or gate passes for private jets, but I forced myself to refrain from taking just anyone’s. Eventually I felt it, deep inside a brown leather oversized purse sitting on top of Mrs. Truance’s desk. I crawled over the chasm of suitcases and used magic to pull the golden zipper back. I couldn’t have anyone dusting for prints.

I began to reach my hand inside of the bag ever so carefully, when the brass doors to the lobby slammed open and a torrent of students flooded the lobby. In my excitement and nervousness I knocked Evangeline’s purse over, spilling the contents all over the floor. I joined them as quickly as I could, lying flat on my stomach and thinking as fast as my mind would work.

I had only seconds and my mind was reeling. Evangeline’s passport and airline ticket were conveniently tucked together in a discrete leather portfolio. The portfolio unfortunately slid underneath Mrs. Truance’s desk due to my clumsiness. I focused my frenzied magic on the portfolio flipping it open quickly. I reached for the ticket but it was too far away.

With a quick nod, reminiscent of I Dream of Jeanie, the ticket flew into my hand along with the passport and I scrambled to my feet, tucking the precious papers into the middle of my backpack. I breathed a sigh of relief and shouldered my pack. Luckily, the students I was so afraid of were only underclassmen and completely unaware that I was committing theft. I slipped through the crowd and then the back door leading into the courtyard.

I smiled graciously as I passed Adelaide and Evangeline on the brick walkway; they returned my look with confusion and disdain. If only they knew they had just solved my most unsolvable problem. I walked quickly to the car, the weather was very cool and I hadn’t bothered with a coat.

Normally I would have had to wait for Avalon and his keys before I could sit in the warmth and sanctuary of a car that would take me away from Kingsley; but since Avalon had to be dropped off at the airport today, I was in control. I pushed the button on my keyless entry and heard the glorious sound of the doors unlocking. I loved my Land Rover.