"I will?" Wilder asked.
"Yes," Ms. Rhodes told him. "So take good ones, because Rain will need them." The way she smiled made it clear she'd set him up.
Yet Jack had opinions about missing class. I wasn't sure what they were, because he only cawed and chattered as we headed towards the office. Quietly, of course. He'd been called out too many times for disturbing classes, and it seemed the bird was starting to learn.
The moment I walked into the glass-walled administrative area, Liam called, "Rain, over here."
"Ok?" I already knew that.
I still headed his way, but when he shut the door behind me, closing the two of us into his office, I was starting to get worried. Thankfully, Dad had a smile on his face as he waved me to a chair.
"Sit. Jack, you're welcome to anything that works for you."
"Jack-Dad!" he replied, flitting over to claim the arm of Liam's chair. It was perch-sized, after all.
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked. "I mean, isn't getting pulled out of class bad?"
"I'm the counselor," Liam reminded me. "Ivy said you're feeling a lot of pressure, so I wanted to check in. She assured me you are doing well in Fae History, so you can miss a class without an issue."
"Oh."
So he leaned back, tilting his chair slowly so Jack could adjust with him. "So why are you worried about your magic, kid?"
Yep, Ivy had clearly told on me. "I was kinda trying to learn how to use it. That's what the class is for, right?"
"Ivy said you seemed concerned the shadows don't work on hunters." He let his head roll sideways against the back of his chair, looking completely at ease. "I can't really help with the magic part, but I can with the concern. So what is concerning you, Rain? I mean, the more you talk, the more classes you get to miss, and it looks like you have biology next."
I had to chuckle, because he was good. Well, considering he was a counselor for the fae? Yeah, he'd have to be. Some of these kids could lie. Others couldn't, but plenty could detect when someone else did. That meant he had to be on his A game.
"I don't know what's wrong," I finally said.
"So make it up," he suggested.
I groaned out a heavy breath. "Aspen is avoiding me, my magic didn't stop the Hunt, I suck at fighting with Keir because I'm worried I'm going to hurt him with my steel sword, and Hawke says I'm improving in math."
Liam thrust out his lower lip then nodded. "Well, it seems there's at least one thing going well, hm?"
Ok, that was actually a good point.
"Yeah, but what about Aspen?" I asked.
He pointed at me. "And there's the real issue." Then he kicked his feet up on his desk, gesturing to show I could do the same. "Rain, she just looked death in the face."
"I know."
"For the first time," he clarified. "Sure, the fae all know about the Hunt, but most haven't had one grab them and start walking."
"Yeah..." Ok, that would definitely suck.
"They also haven't stared the Huntsman in the eyes. They haven't been rendered powerless when they needed it most."
"People are saying Aspen tried to fight," I told him. "The guys made it sound like it was true."
"I wasn't there," Liam reminded me, "but yeah. Sounds like she's the reason a few kids in her class were able to get back inside. Here's the thing, Rain. They ran. They left her behind with the entire Hunt now looking at her."
"They didn't even try to help?" I gasped.
"Most people don't," he said. "You did. You barely know what you're doing with a sword." He lifted a finger. "Bracken says I'm supposed to point out your success so as to not make you tense and afraid of failing. I happen to think you have something else pushing you, so I'm just going to be honest, ok?"
