“Kiran’s not like that,” I saiddefending Kiran with my heart, but realizing with my head that I didn’t reallyknow.

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

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

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

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

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

“There has to be a reason,” Iwhined further.

“Of course there is. Amory doesn’tdo anything without a purpose and a reason; so if he says ‘no’ it’s for a goodcause,” Avalon struggled with the zipper to his duffle bag for only a secondbefore waving a hand over it and closing it with simple magic.

“Sure it is,” I folded my armsacross my chest and pouted my lower lip. “Promise me you’ll save Lilly,” Ilooked 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 Iwould get from him, and although I was glad he would try, I felt morediscouraged than ever.

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

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

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The substitutes presiding overmid-terms were clearly human. Having been raised human my entire life, as I wasreminded 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 blindand deaf to all of the activity around them.

Thankfully for them they were notactually teaching anything, otherwise I would have been afraid for them. TheImmortal students left at Kingsley took advantage of the poor souls at everyopportunity. They lied, they cheated and they just got up and left alltogether. It was a cruel joke to human teachers assuming they still hadcomplete authority.  The teachermonitoring our Chemistry final was particularly sad. A woman in her latefifties, and nearly blind to begin with, didn’t seem to notice any of thechatter 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 offAdelaide Meyer and Evangeline Harris sat behind me in constant conversation.Their high, excited voices scraped my nerves like nails on a chalkboard and ittook everything inside of me not to turn around and give them a piece of mymind.

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

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

“What?” Adelaide amazed me with herdramatic concern.

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

“What!” Adelaide repeated in anequally high voice.

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

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

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

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

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

Adelaide began rambling on and onabout 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 havebeen a fool not to follow through. I glanced at the clock, only twenty moreminutes left. I knew I said I wouldn’t use magic on a human but this wasdifferent. It was life or death.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Once I reached the AdministrationBuilding 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, Iknew that the students leaving directly after class today put their respectivebags behind Mrs. Truance’s circulation desk.

Out of breath, and jittery withnerves I leaped over the wide mahogany, frantic to beat the clock. Any minutestudents would be pouring through those doors excited for a long weekendabroad. I had to get out of there before Avalon or Evangeline were one of thosestudents.

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

I felt my magic swirl around me, inand out of the piles of luggage. I sensed passport after passport and airlineticket or gate passes for private jets, but I forced myself to refrain fromtaking just anyone’s. Eventually I felt it, deep inside a brown leatheroversized purse sitting on top of Mrs. Truance’s desk. I crawled over the chasmof suitcases and used magic to pull the golden zipper back. I couldn’t haveanyone dusting for prints.