Training was gruesome for the next few days. I was panicking over the quiz on Thursday morning and Dracus could tell.
He stopped one of my feeble punches with a forceful blocking maneuver. “Fiona, get your head in the game. I can’t train you if you’re not present.”
“Sorry.” I shook myself out of my thoughts. He pulled back and frowned.
“Stretch for two minutes and meditate for eight. That’ll be all the training for today.”
“Why don’t you have to stretch?” I asked him as he waltzed over to the gym mat. He performed a flip effortlessly and landed into a crouching pose, a position that was too advanced for me in Dragon Fist.
“Because I stretch my body all throughout the day.” He said and cracked his neck. It popped with an audible sound. I made a face.
“Point taken.”
Theo didn’t join us today because he was busy cramming for the quiz. We’d studied last night with Priscilla, who’d been blissfully allowed to visit the manor. She stayed for dinner where everyone thankfully behaved. Ren was noticeably absent, but that wasn’t a surprise. I imagined he was off glaring into a mirror in some faraway bathroom in the manor.
I quieted my mind for meditation as instructed. When the timer that Dracus set went off, I lifted off the mats with a groan. The dragon-shifter strode over towards me with an easy air. I preferred gym Dracus over regular Dracus. He was more relaxed.
“You look handsome in these types of clothes,” I told him on the elevator up. He eyed me carefully.
“Are you suggesting that I don’t look handsome always?” The pride in this one.
I snorted. “You sound like Enrique! No. I’m just saying that it’s nice to see you more relaxed.”
His shoulders relaxed and his face softened. “Thank you.” It was true. In his training outfit, he was like a prince preparing for battle. Very different from the top-button leader in the dining room with his black coffee.
Was I becoming actual friends with the Council boys?
It sure felt like it. It seemed easier to talk to them after last night’s difficult conversation. After breakfast, I finally caught Moony in the kitchen. He smiled at me and we bumped fists.
“Got your protein shake in the fridge,” he said and jerked his thumb towards the massive stainless-steel appliance.
“Thanks, Moony. You’re awesome, as usual. How’s the family?” I grabbed the shake from the fridge. He smiled as he wrote something down on a notepad, likely planning more meals for the six hungry mouths in this manor.
“Great. The wife is pregnant.”
I gasped and threw my hand onto my face. “That’s awesome!”
“Thanks,” he said with a grin. “I’m happy to have another little one to the house.” I glanced at my watch.
“I’d love to hear more about it. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
On my way out of the kitchen, I ran smack into a solid body.
“Enrique, you have to stop waiting right here. You know I run right into you.”
He smirked down at me. “Why do you think I wait right there?” I pushed past him, but he quickly caught up with his long legs. “Theo said you have a quiz today.”
“Did he tell you that before or after beating you up?”
He gave me a lopsided smile. “After. He didn’t beat me up. We fought. Like we always do.”
“Healthy, I’m sure,” I mumbled. The gardens were peaceful as we walked through them.
“Are you doing anything on Friday?” he asked casually.
“Sleeping after this hellish week.”
He smirked. “That’s fair. Well, I’m holding a party on Friday.”
I stopped in the path and turned to him, folding my arms. “One of your special parties?”
Enrique’s parties were notorious for being a haven of sins. Sex and booze flowed there. I’d heard that sometimes people wore masks to conceal their identities.
“A calmer affair,” he assured me. “You can come if you want. Bring Priscilla.”
“Are you going to make a pass at her?” I asked snorting. It was hard to stay mad at Enrique. He was honest with his personality and his love of romantic affairs. He threw his head back and laughed.
“The nerd type is sexy, but I’m afraid that I’ve already got a few dates.” Was it my imagination or did my heart fall an inch in my chest? I nodded.
“Cool. I’ll try to stop by. What should I wear?”
“Something sexy, always. That’s the only rule for my parties.”
“Deal. I’ll see what I can do.” Maybe Priscilla had something she could let me borrow. It might be fun to go to a party. I wondered if the other Council boys ever went to Enrique’s parties. It was hard to imagine someone like Dracus or Ren there, but I could see Theo or Jasper stopping by.
We parted in the courtyard. He wandered off to two gorgeous redheads. Twins? I wouldn’t be surprised by him. The halls were relatively quiet. I felt the charge of academic anxiety fill the halls. It was no surprise since the professors generally planned their quizzes and exams to be on the same day. Outrageously unfair, in my opinion, but the professors weren’t asking for my perspective. I strolled down the hall, surprised that I couldn’t see Priscilla. Maybe she was in class already.
I went to the bathroom to pee. As I was washing my hands, a sharp pain entered my head. I gasped and clutched the edge of the sink as my knees buckled. The pain was brief, but something came after. The porcelain edge of the sink, spotless save for a stray smear of lipstick, swam in my vision. A film played before my eyes. The bathroom vanished. Someone was crouching beside me. Their hands splayed on my back. I could feel the warmth. I sucked in a breath, begging the swirling to go away.
The tile floor was replaced by hardwood floors that gleamed.
“Fiona. Don’t worry,” a comforting voice said. It was as if the person was right beside me. I choked on my sound of surprise. “Don’t forget your power.” When I turned to look at who was speaking, the bathroom swam back into view. I was squatting on the floor.
“Are you okay?” Another girl had come into the bathroom. I wondered how long she’d been there. She seemed like she was about to approach me. I think she was in my Mechanics class.
“I’m fine,” I said with a shaky voice. “Just a sudden headache.”
I pulled myself up as she made her way to a bathroom stall. No wonder she was worried. I looked green to the gills in the reflection. With a sigh, I whipped out my powder compact and dabbed a sweep of powder on my face. Better to not draw attention to myself.
I’ll go by Nurse Greta to see her. Right after Mechanics.
The quiz went well. Theo was wrapped up in his own stress for the quiz. Nobody noticed the pale color of my face. Good. When I took the quiz, I was surprised that I knew everything. Studying with Theo had been a great way to review. I’d essentially been acting as the teacher. No wonder Priscilla did so well. Theo and I walked together to our second class.
“Enrique’s having a party on Friday. Are you going?” I asked. He ran a hand through his curls with an exhausted yawn.
“Not sure. Might have a mission.”
“A mission?” I asked with a curious edge. “Is that what you guys call work for them?” He rubbed his tired eyes and nodded.
“Yep. Don’t tell Dracus I told you.” We settled into the classroom. To my surprise, Jasper walked in and joined us, closing me in on the other side.
“Morning, Jasper.”
“Morning,” he said easily. The fox rarely seemed tired. He folded his hands in front of him, staring ahead at the chalkboard with disinterest.
“Thanks for last night.”
“Always here to speak the truth,” he said. “You’re welcome.” Theo leaned over, his curls brushing my hair as he did.
“What are we talking about?” he whispered excitedly. Professor Sahni had walked in.
“Class,” I lied and pointed my fingers to the front. “Ready?”
He groaned beneath his breath and muttered, “I don’t have a choice.”
The lecture passed without incident, although I did catch Sam’s gaze from the corner. Jasper smirked when the other boy turned away quickly. We exited the classroom.
“What are you smirking at?” I asked
“Nothing,” he replied airily “I’ll see you guys later.” He walked off in another direction. Theo rubbed his face.
“I’m going to catch a nap, Fiona. I’ll catch you later too.” The bear-shifter took off towards the courtyard. I imagined that he might sleep through his next class if he wasn’t careful. Like he cared.
I smiled to myself and headed for Nurse Greta. It wasn’t hard to find her office, but I was afraid that she might’ve taken off for lunch.
Instead, I found her at the small desk at the entrance of the medical ward. She scribbled something in a notebook.
“Yes, Ms. Fiona?” She hadn’t even looked up, but shifters were good with their scents.
“Hi, Nurse Greta. I wanted to ask you a question.”
Her eyes flickered up from the notebook. “Are you pregnant?”
“W-what?” I sputtered, blinking. She rolled her shoulders.
“Oh, sorry. Thought I’d ask.”
“Do people get pregnant often at school?” I asked, almost scandalized by my personal innocence. She chuckled darkly and gave me a wink.
“I see a lot of things here,” she said. “Let me know if you need birth control before things get wild if you need it.” I blushed, but she continued without missing a beat like a true medical professional: “What can I do for you?”
“I’m experiencing something lately,” I said gently and licked my lips. “Something unusual.”
“Spit it out, girl.”
“I’m having visions…I think.”
“Visions?” she asked with a calm face and put her fists beneath her chin. “You’re on the calming agents and then the meds I gave you for your cycle? No others? I know there’s lots of fun substances at parties around here.”
“Nothing else,” I promised. “I wondered if it could be a side-effect of the calming agents.”
“Hm.” She crossed her arms, looking up in thought. “It’s not unheard of in extremely rare cases, but that would be something entirely different. You’re a late-shifter.” She was muttering to herself now, lost in thought. “No, no, you couldn’t be that. That’s impossible.”
“Human?” I ventured. “I still have a human body, technically.”
“No, not that,” she said and furrowed her brow. Finally, she waved her hand in front of her face, dismissing any of her hidden notions altogether. “No, no, it’s impossible. Look, I want you to keep track of any visions you have for a week in frequency. It’s not unusual for magic to affect a human body in a severe way, and there’s magic everywhere in this castle. If it becomes more than once a week, then I’ll be concerned.”
I nodded and thanked her.
When I left, there was a trace of something lingering on the nurse’s face.
Later, I thought it might’ve been disbelief.