Torian:
What's going on?
Rain:
I don't know. I thought Ms. Hawthorne couldn't come back? Poppy said she's here though.
And then Poppy finally replied.
Poppy:
I think they used a gate. I know Mom can make one, but she'd need an anchor. The only thing I can think of is that Ms. Valentina had Harper convince a friend to do something.
Shit. Ok, this wasn't good. I flipped back to my contacts to find one of my dads'. Bracken came up first, just because of the alphabet, so I sent a quick message to him.
Rain:
Poppy says Ms. Hawthorne is here. So is Ms. Valentina. I don’t know what to do.
Before my eyes, my zez twitched then grabbed at his pocket. I watched him check his phone and then his reply appeared quickly.
Bracken:
Got it. Enjoy graduating.
Yet all the movement had caught the attention of more people than just me. A few parents were twisting to see what they were doing. At the front, up there on the dais, even Ms. Rhodes was now watching them. Yes, she was still talking, but she now looked like her attention was split.
"Jack?" I whispered to the bird on my shoulder. "Is this going to be nothing and I'm freaking out?"
He shook his head.
"Is this going to be bad?" I asked.
He looked over a bit and up, then cawed like a normal crow. After a moment, he nodded.
So I shoved to my feet. "Ms. Rhodes!" I yelled.
There was a loud rustle as everyone turned to look right at me. I felt anxiety hit me in the gut like a sledgehammer, but I ignored it. Looking stupid didn't matter right now. This did.
"Rain?" she asked, my name carrying with the same magical enhancement as her speech.
Beside me, a guy made a gesture like he was wiping at me. "You're loud," he said.
So I decided not to yell. "I have reason to believe we have a problem, Ms. Rhodes." My voice carried the same way the dean's was.
"What kind of problem, Morrigan?" she asked, giving a heavy weight to my title.
Which was when Jack took to the sky. "Enemy!" he screamed.
"That kind," I said, just as the crowd began to murmur.
I knew I was causing a scene, and at first, I thought that was all it was, but then someone pointed. Turning, I followed their finger up. Behind and to the right of Ms. Rhodes, I could see the sky through the trees, but barely. Still, that part was no longer blue.
"Jack!" I yelled. "Check the sky!"
And for a moment, the crowd hung silently, their heads whipping from side to side. Sadly, we didn't have to wait long. One lone crow circled above the students, turning back to face the way I was sure I'd seen clouds.
Today's forecast had been for completely clear skies.
