The Watcher moved right up close to me. I fought the urge to back away.
“Can you read him?” Alistair asked.
The Watcher tilted her head. “I haven’t felt anything like his energy in years,” she said. “I’d say calling birds won’t be hisonly talent, but the rest of it might remain dormant.” Her mouth pulled straight, as though she might say more, but changed her mind.
My pulse now raced even faster. This had been a mistake. I hadn’t counted on her digging up my ability.
Alistair sighed. “So he’s staying, then?”
Caught up in assessing me, she didn’t answer right away. Something moved behind her, and a critter that looked like a cross between a donkey and a yak pushed its way up to her and stood for a head scratch.
“You bringing him in, Cara?” called a voice from further down the path. “I can put on tea.”
Tea? This was rapidly taking on a surreal status. A diminutive woman appeared on the path behind the Watcher. She looked vaguely familiar…
“It’s okay, Nettie. I’m going to take him straight to the academy. I’ve got to get back, been away long enough.” Cara smiled at me.
“Whatever your story is, young man, we will get to the bottom of it,” she promised.
I sincerely hoped not.
Alistair crossed his arms and glowered at me. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he rumbled.
Cara waved a hand at him. “Half the students at the academy set off your alarm bells, Alistair. You are a naturally suspicious person.”
He quirked a brow. “I’ve had reason to be.”
The Watcher raised her hand, and Nemi flew back to my shoulder. “Anyone who has been befriended by a hummingbird,” she said, “can’t be all bad.”
26
Bree
I slept in, and so, apparently, did Adilyn.
At least, I thought she was still in her log. Impossible to know, really. There didn’t appear to be a doorbell, and knocking would?—
Well, safe to say that knocking would not go over well.
It was nice to know that our official rest day didn’t start with a bell. And after the Night Games’ adventure, the extra sleep was appreciated.
Thoughts of the mission filled me with a sense of accomplishment. We may have only grabbed a useless bit of broken machinery, but working together as a team had been exciting and invigorating. A promising glimpse of my possible future…
I cautioned myself, because I’d been down this road before. Had followed Vic and Isobel, thinking I could save the realms.
It had been a foolish dream—I knew that now. But here, at the academy, I might come close to achieving it. To using what Isobel had given me, to help others.
I snorted a laugh. Or rescue useless bits of machinery.
Out of nowhere, I sensed a slithering deep inside me, as the monster coiled and uncoiled. A tingle of worry had me swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
Caliel?I asked.
First order of the day is crystal dust.His tense voice wasn’t reassuring—and it was still weak.
I decided to bypass the shower and proceed straight to breakfast—the cafeteria had stashes of the stuff for the Dragon shifters and anyone else who needed it. Which, it seemed, included me.
When I flung back the covers to reveal naked skin, my mouth dropped open. I’d gone to bed clothed with a fresh growth of scales and fur, but overnight they had vanished.
