BREAKING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 1)

Chapter 8

"Have you always been able to do that?" Arden asked, looking out of the window with his back turned towards us.

Whoever had been after us had fled to wherever it was they came from. Life had returned to the school. I'd used my magic, freezing my water gift to form a thick ice-screen across the door as Fawn fastened the buttons on her shirt with trembling fingers. Dark bruises circled her eyes and her face had paled except for where she'd wiped her face with her hands after sketching.

"Does it look like I've done this before?" She took a deep breath. "I don't feel good." Fawn swayed on her feet, both Arden and I rushed, catching her under her arms and lowered her gently to the ground.

"Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

I shook my head, kneeling beside her as though I was in prayer.

"Neither have I."

"I feel like I haven't eaten in days."

"Maybe the transformation has weakened you," I offered. "You need to rest."

"What core manipulation do you have?"

Fawn managed to raise her face to his direction. "Water, the same as Riley. I'm sorry I snapped at you before."

"Don't be. Everything you said was right. I'm the one who's sorry. I;ve always known Kat's behaviour was wrong; I should have put a stop to it. It won't happen again."

My ice-screen shattered as someone pushed on what remained of the door. It bounced off a tree trunk. A teacher walked in, scratching the top of his head. He stared at the draping vines and interweaving branches. Behind him, noise once again filled the corridors, the sound of clicking heels and squeaking rubber soles. A buzz of voices and the metal clang of locker doors.

"What the hell?"

"Get up, Fawn. We need to go," I hissed in her ear.

"What have you three done in here?" his voice lowered accusingly as Arden and I helped a shaking Fawn to her feet. Her teeth clattered together so I removed my denim jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"We found it like this," Arden gave me a gentle push to start heading out of the door. Together, we guided Fawn around the teacher and out into the corridor. Disorientated students filled the halls. Some circled in the hallway, unable to remember what they were doing or where they were going. Others rubbed their foreheads as though they were recovering from a migraine.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Fawn moaned, her head drooping.

I hugged her closer, meandering through dozens of sluggish people. "You'll get plenty of fresh air on the walk to Valestone."

Arden popped his head around Fawn. "Where are we going?"

"To the coven," I said quietly. "We have no choice now."

Suddenly, Fawn was a little more alert. "I can't go home. Not like this. Mum will think I've been drinking or taking drugs. She'll ground me forever and I won't be allowed to see daylight ever again."

"We're not going to your mum. We're going to the High Witch."

"Oh," Fawn rubbed her stomach. "And suddenly I feel worse."

"Riley Archer, you do not grace these walls except for special occasions and here you are again, in next to no time." Gran snapped a spell book closed. She was in her office, sat at her desk cloaked in the ceremonial robes of our coven. Long, floor-sweeping garments stitched in silver thread. What ritual she'd performed or honour she's bestowed I didn't know.