262
Lucy
My heart lurched. I felt trapped, but I couldn't explain what it was about his expression. His eyes, once warm and engaging, now held a cold hunger. He wasn't leering at me in a way that felt sexual, but it was unsettling all the same. It made me think of Oren and Selene and sent a shiver down my spine, and an instinctual alarm rang in my mind.
This man meant me no good, but what sense did that make? He was a human professor at a college.
Right?
No. Something in me whispered. Something flickered in his eyes, and my stomach flipped. I took a step back, trying to shake off the unnerving feeling that I was being assessed and measured for something I didn't want to be a part of.
This man, whoever he really was, knew something about me and planned to use that knowledge against me. His lips curled into a smile, but there was no warmth in it. It was a predator's grin, and for a brief moment, the facade of the charismatic professor vanished, leaving something behind me that was absolutely terrifying.
"See you all next class."
Sarah said something. I hurriedly grabbed the handout and made my way out of the room, the sense of unease lingering. Gasping for breath, I stumbled out of the classroom, my steps shaky and uncoordinated. I felt queasy, and as I reached the corridor, my stomach churned with an overwhelming nausea.
Ignoring the curious glances from passing students, I quickened my pace, desperately needing the refuge of the nearest bathroom.
My heart was racing. Something was screaming to get out and get out now, as far away from that man as possible, so I walked quickly, practically leaving Amy and Sarah behind. I couldn't shake the feeling that his gaze followed me.
I had to get away. I heard Selene's laughter in the back of my mind, but that wasn't what felt like it was haunting me.
My stomach lurched.
"Lucy?"
It was Amy's voice, but I couldn't stop to answer.
I rushed to the bathroom and into a stall as my stomach lurched. I barely managed to push open the door before the dry heaves overtook me. The cold tiles against my forehead offered a bit of comfort as my body convulsed, reacting to some unseen force that seemed to have taken residence within me. Every heave seemed to rattle my whole body, but nothing came up but vile. My whole body felt cold and shaky.
"Lucy!" Amy called, coming in behind me. "Oh, my god, are you okay?"
Amy and Sarah hovered nearby, their worried voices blending with the sounds of my distress. I couldn't answer, still shuddering and leaning over the toilet. As the queasy feeling started to die down, I felt feverish. Was I sick? I couldn't be. I was just fine before class, and the longer I remained in the stall, the better I felt.
It had to be Daedalus and his watch. The glow flashed through my mind, and I clenched my jaw. I had to find out what that watch did before our next class or find a way not to be affected by it.
No one else seemed to be affected, so why was it just me? His cold smile and the hunger in his eyes flashed through my mind, and I shuddered.
"Lucy?" Sarah's concerned tone pierced through the haze of my discomfort.
"Are you okay?" Amy asked.
I nodded, wiping my mouth. The unease persisted even as I cleaned myself up. My mind turned it all over in my mind again, but I realized that I just didn't know enough.
If I couldn't get some answers, then I'd have to look for answers myself.
As the waves of nausea subsided, leaving me drained and disoriented, I stumbled out of the stall and leaned over the sink. I looked up at my reflection in the mirror. The color had drained from my face, and my eyes seemed unfocused. I couldn't shake the feeling that Daedalus was a lot more than an algebra professor, but how was I going to explain that to Amy and Sarah? Neither of them was supernatural. Michelle was, but pulling them into this might put them in danger.
Amy handed me a damp paper towel, and as I wiped my face, I met her concerned gaze in the mirror. "Lucy, maybe you should see a doctor or something. This doesn't seem like a normal stomach upset. Could you have caught something?"
I shook my head. "I'll get seen, I promise, but I'm feeling better now."
Maybe Maggie could check me over. My phone chimed with a message. I opened it and smiled at the notification telling me that I had another dance lesson tonight. David sent me a message just after it appeared.
We're still on.
I shuddered a bit, cleaning myself up and pulling myself together. Hopefully, whatever the watch had done to me wouldn't linger for the rest of the day. I didn't want this to ruin my lesson with David. We headed out, and though they both looked like they wanted to stay with me, I assured them that I would be okay and headed to my next class.
I slipped into the classroom, the lingering unease from the earlier encounter making me hyper-aware of my surroundings. My eyes scanned the room, looking for Duke, but he wasn't there. I took my usual seat and waited for him to come. The rest of the class was filing in. I checked the time and tapped my fingers on the desk. The minutes seemed to tick by, twisting a tighter knot in my gut as student after student came in, but none of them were Duke. The usual chatter in the classroom seemed distant, replaced by a gnawing worry that something was going on.
The professor swept in and started the lecture, but Duke didn't show up. I bit my lip, feeling a little more uneasy than before. I checked my phone, looking for a message from him, but there wasn't one.
With everything happening, his sudden absence made my heart race. Had he been hurt somewhere? Hurt? Maybe he'd been taken by Oren's people, or Selene had finally taken him.
The minutes stretched into an eternity, the lecture a mere backdrop to the worry brewing within me. I debated whether I should reach out to Duke or shoot him a text to check if everything was okay, but I didn't want to seem panicked.
Maybe I was worrying for nothing, and he just overslept.
But the more I thought about it, the less likely it felt. Usually, I would have seen him in the hallways by now, even before my algebra class. I was restless in my seat.
As the class continued, my phone remained conspicuously silent. Duke's absence felt more and more like a weight on my mind. I couldn't concentrate, trying to justify it in my mind. It wasn't like him to miss a class without a heads-up or a message, but Amy and Sarah hadn't seemed worried. Maybe they were supposed to tell me, but that wasn't like Duke either. I checked my phone again. The last message I'd gotten from him was from yesterday, and he'd never mentioned being absent.
The worry intensified until my stomach started churning all over again.
I heard the lecture like a distant murmur as my thoughts spiraled.
I didn't hear Selene's laughter in the back of my mind, but that didn't mean anything. Maybe she didn't feel the need to gloat about it. Had Daedalus done something to Duke already? Was he teaching a class that Duke took? Maybe he'd just caught him in the hallway?
Panic settled in me. I was practically shaking in my seat at the thought.
When the class finally concluded, I hurriedly packed my stuff and rushed out. The corridor felt colder and more foreboding as I navigated through the bustling crowds. I hustled down the hallways until I got to the corridor that led to my next class. The walkway was open. I took in deep breaths of fresh air as I shook and pulled out my phone.
Hey, is everything okay? You missed class, and I'm a bit worried. Let me know when you can.
The seconds that followed seemed to stretch indefinitely as I anxiously awaited a response. I paced and tried to calm down, but it wasn't helping. Finally, I just called him. Each ring felt like it was going to drive me crazy. My mind was filled with all the horrible things that could be happening to Duke. My eyes pricked with tears.
"Hey, you've reached my voicemail. I'll get back to you ASAP."
I almost cried as I hung up. I couldn't get enough air. I couldn't think. I was about to call David when I heard a familiar voice coming from behind me.
"Hey, Lucy, did you mean to call me?"
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