Chapter 542: Politics
Shenka wasn't even in our room when I arrived home and didn't show up until long after I went to bed. I almost confronted her on her cone of silence, but just didn't have the energy.
Drama. Jeeze, did I hate drama.
Instead, I lay in bed and focused on the next morning and my alternating worry about something diabolical happening during Venner's lecture and the fear I was overreacting, after all, and putting Mom and Quaid on edge for no good reason.
All I had to do was think about the note Ameline sent and I swayed back to the diabolical.
What had she meant? That she knew about Liam? It was the second time she'd said it, once in person, now in a note. Knew what? I assumed she was aware he was the Gatekeeper. Kind of hard to keep that little tidbit a secret, honestly. And if she was in contact with Venner, even more so. What was it she knew I didn't-or wasn't taking seriously enough?
Fretting never suited me but I couldn't seem to avoid it.
The fact Ameline was working with Venner, or more likely, he was working for her, only made things worse. Even if Venner wasn't up to something, even if I'd horribly misjudged him, there was no way Ameline's involvement spelled anything but trouble.
And while I lay there and told myself I had to alert Mom about this new development, there was no proof.
No. Proof. A note signed with a single letter "A" only I could identify as Ameline. I could have put Charlotte's nose, the fact she didn't smell a thing, an impossibility only tied to Ameline, but she was a werewolf. Not a witch. And the lack of a scent wasn't much in the way of concrete evidence anyway.
How much did this politics stuff suck?
Another night with little sleep left me grumpy and out of sorts, but at least Shenka fled early yet again and saved me the effort to be nice to her despite her frigid treatment of me. I grumbled out loud around my toothbrush at my reflection in the mirror, but the conversation got me nowhere except in a fouler mood.
Peachy.
I avoided breakfast, not wanting to go through the whole Tippy and Liam scene again, instead stopping at the on-campus cafe for a banana and a bran muffin, eating my cold and tasteless meal alone while my mind churned around the possibilities. If I wasn't going to be able to act, things could get very bad, very quickly. And though I knew I had to do something if the need arose, would I now hesitate, flinch, thinking about Mom and her warning?
Would it blunt my edge? Because in a lot of cases, my edge was all I had to keep me alive.
I really needed to find a new hobby besides giving myself an ulcer over things I couldn't control.
Coven Hall buzzed with excitement as I entered, only one door open and available for entry. The massive lecture theater on the other side looked familiar, in that it shared the same décor as every other classroom on witch campus, but was three times the size of what I was used to. The little trick Coven Hall used to only allow students into their assigned classes seemed to be able to alter the size and shape of the rooms themselves.
I spotted Liam and Tippy, Shenka huddled next to them, near the middle of the room. Nicci looked up and waved, but I just couldn't bring myself to sit with them. I waved back, wondering how I could avoid them without hurting more feelings when I spotted a familiar face three rows back, dark brown gaze fixed on me. I pointed at Quaid so Nicci would understand and saw her turn, spot him, then roll her eyes at me with a wink. Let her think what she wanted. All of my friends heard some version of my Quaid saga, so she was well aware I still waffled when it came to him.
Let Liam choke on it.
Syd. Bad, Syd. Bad.
I spotted Mom as I slid through the row toward Quaid. She sat at the front with the rest of the Council and the three board of governors members I'd met. I flopped into my seat just as Tippy pointed back over her shoulder. Liam turned around and spotted me. My first thought was how pale he seemed, cheeks hollowed out, bags under his eyes. My second was irritation at the flash of jealousy passing over his face.
He did not get to be jealous. No. Freaking. Way.
It didn't help matters Quaid grinned, waving at his rival. Seriously? Children, both of them. I jabbed handsome and jerkly in the ribs as Liam turned back around with a surly look on his face.
"If you don't mind," I snapped. "Can you focus, please?"
"Just having some fun." Quaid's smirk had made a comeback.
Fun. Holy. "Grow up," I said. "Or get lost."
He must have known I meant it. I was so tired of the pair of them battling over something neither of them could have, the way they were acting. Not without my permission, anyway.
"You're right," Quaid said, sitting back. "Sorry. He just makes me..."
"What?" I dumped my backpack on the floor, still zipped, not even thinking about taking notes. Shaylee knew more about the Sidhe than poser Venner could ever dream.
Her thought. Not mine.
My Seelie princess had an attitude. Surprise, surprise.
The place filled quickly, almost every seat taken, the full complement of students chattering in excitement as the door finally swung shut. I wondered, looking around me at the innocent faces, the rim of Enforcers lining the hall, if any of them had any idea just how dangerous their new teacher really was.
Or that he worked for someone worse.
I almost missed the grand entrance, and trust me, missing it would have taken some doing. Venner swept into the center of the lecture space in a rush of green fire, perfectly tailored charcoal suit a stunning counterpoint to his shining silver hair and milk-white complexion. Ms. Spaft appeared at his right hand to the gasps of most of the watching students. Did Mom's shoulders twitch at the pompous showmanship? Or did I imagine it?
I knew her better than that. Mine jerked in answer.
"Students," Venner began, his voice velvet and mist, power rumbling through the floor in a soft vibration of earth magic, "board of governors," he bowed to the three ladies and several more, all of whom waved to him, "and High Council," again with the sweeping bend at the waist. Mom didn't move. "I thank you for this invitation to guest lecture at the revered and honored Coven Hall."
Perfect mix of arrogance and humility. He had them eating out of his slim-fingered hands.
I have no idea what Ms. Spaft's role was. Not with Venner launching into a grandiose speech about his people and the goals of the lecture series. I really didn't pay attention to a word he said. Shaylee did, better believe it, and I had to snap at her on occasion over the next ninety minutes so I could focus. Hard to do while she snarled and snorted and called him names.
His power continued to embrace the whole hall, but that was it. At least as far as I could tell. It just sat there in a pool beneath us, humming.
Anything? Quaid's mental voice broke my concentration.
Nothing. Grumpy Syd was grumpy. There had to be something. Some proof. Some plan.
Just stay focused, Quaid sent, which triggered an internal tirade he really didn't want to hear.
Really, really.
It wasn't until the final moments of the lecture Shaylee stopped swearing and judging and started paying attention. And when she did, I felt what I'd missed without her. The power beneath us wasn't dormant. Not precisely. Ever so subtle, it radiated outward, a soft kiss of magic, touching each and every soul in the room.
My eyes widened as I looked around and caught traces of green Sidhe power. The barest hints here and there, but not everywhere. Just around certain students and faculty.
Do you see that? I jabbed Quaid's mind.
What? He looked around quickly. What are you seeing?
He's doing something with his magic, I sent back as my soul crowed. Finally, proof! But of what? The green tendrils didn't damage anyone they touched, just softly explored their surface. It wasn't until Shaylee's touch drifted over the closest of Venner's victims I understood what was going on.
I could see it because of Shaylee. Because, like me, like her, the dozen or so souls in the hall who Venner's power tracked had Sidhe blood, too. It was confirmed to me when a rope of magic slid up Liam's back and stroked his hair before falling away.
I had no idea why Venner needed to track Sidhe carriers at my school. But no way was it for good reasons.
He's locating those with Sidhe blood, I sent, stomach cramping with nerves.
Why? Quaid tensed beside me. What good will that do him?
I don't know, I sent, but I'm about to show him it's a very bad idea.
Shaylee didn't wait for me. She snaked her power down the rows to the source of the explorations and cut Venner's magic off like she turned off a faucet.
Everyone jumped when the hum of earth magic ended abruptly. Venner met my eyes, smiled at me even from the distance and bowed to my mother just as the ending chime sounded.
"And that," he said, "is our lesson for today."
Just what had he learned?
***
