Second Chance Fate Read online

  As my breathing settled, I watched him sit on the edge of my bed, smiling, so happy to see me. My heart rate ticked up again, wondering how I’d been so lucky to have found somebody like him.

  For a moment, I wanted to confide in him. But there was still this niggling voice in the back of my mind, warning me that Julian might do it again. Might go to the panel and denounce me. I couldn’t risk it. I didn’t trust Strickland, but what if he were right, and there were people in the faculty who meant me harm? I couldn’t afford to tip them off.

  Julian left soon after, and I remembered too late I’d wanted to ask him about his warped-magic problem. I paced in circles, trying to decide if I could trust him or not, until Slug hurled himself at me. I caught him midair and ended up cuddling aggressively on the ground. Or rather he cuddled while I tried to fight him off before his tuna-scented breath knocked me unconscious. On my back with his weight on my chest and his heavy head pushed underneath my chin, I swore for the nth time I’d put him on a diet.

  The distraction didn’t last long. I couldn’t get the conversation with Strickland out of my head. Who was after me? Was it Lawson, the security guard? Was it one of the cafeteria staff who narrowed her eyes at me every time I walked past?

  In the late afternoon, Beth opened the door, dragging a large suitcase behind her.

  “Hey, stranger,” I called out to her. “Did you bring any goodies from home?”

  Beth smiled in response, but she was uncharacteristically quiet as she emptied her suitcase. I watched from my bed as she put boxes of candy on the shelf above her bed, and new clothes with the labels still attached into a flat plastic box under her bed.

  There were shadows under her eyes I didn’t remember seeing before she’d left. She looked defeated, her shoulders slumped forward, and the corners of her mouth downturned. There was very little left of the carefree teenager I’d met only a few months ago.

  “Are you okay?”

  Beth’s head flew up. I flinched at the terror in her eyes. She blinked, and it disappeared. But I had seen it. Her lips were still trembling. I jumped off my bed and knelt next to her. Pulling her into a hug, I said, “You can tell me, Beth. What’s going on with you? Can I do anything?”

  Her shoulders shook, and she swallowed a sob. For a moment, she leaned against me as if drawing strength from me. Then she straightened up and rubbed her hand over her eyes. “You can’t, but thanks for asking. Maybe one day, I’ll tell you everything.”

  If she wanted me to lose interest, that wasn’t the way to go. But before I could push for more information, Slug stuck his head around the corner. Seeing both of us on the floor, he slunk next to Beth, rubbing his head against her side. When she lifted her arm, he slid underneath it and rolled up in her lap.

  A genuine smile bloomed on her face as he purred in response to her caress. I knew from experience how therapeutic stroking the tomcat was. I couldn’t bring myself to push harder and make her sad again. Sighing, I got off the ground. Leaving them to it, I went for a walk before it got dark.

  When I got back, Sharon had arrived. She hadn’t suddenly turned into my bosom buddy, but she was at least polite. That was, until she wanted to eat some candy and found her peanut butter cups melted to a pulp. The way she narrowed her eyes at me made me glad I probably wouldn’t be around that much longer.

  I still hadn’t figured out how to make it happen, though. Strickland had been sent away from the academy on some errand, and I took the opportunity to do some surveillance myself. Pretty soon I knew when the guards changed, and how many there were at any one time.

  A second walk in the wooded area behind the main building confirmed what I already knew. Even with my newly honed powers, there was no way to break through the invisible barrier. And man, did I try. I threw water, fire, earth, and even tried to zap it with lightning. All I did was give myself a massive headache.

  Kiernan arrived two days after the second term had started.

  "Amber."

  I was waiting in the line for dinner when I heard his voice. A huge grin broke across my face as I watched the broad-shouldered boy stride towards me. In front of the entire school he lifted me off my feet and pressed a kiss on my lips. When he put me down again, his cheeks were as red as his ears. I couldn't stop myself beaming.

  "Get a room," somebody called from behind me. Kiernan took my hand and dragged me out of the hall. "Damn, girl. I missed you. How did your break go?"

  Before I could answer, Kiernan had lifted my face and brushed his lips over mine. Then he pulled back and looked into my eyes with an intensity I hadn’t seen from him before. He was only a little taller than me, so I barely had to raise my head when we kissed again.

  Very different from Julian. With him I need to get onto my tiptoes. How weird was it that I was able to compare the two guys to each other. Kiernan derailed my musings by pulling me tighter against his body. His tongue pushed against my lips, and I opened my mouth.

  He kissed me harder, pressing his tongue against mine until I grabbed onto his shoulders to ground myself. A surprised moan escaped me as his kiss grew more overwhelming. I lost all track of time. He tasted the way a cool, shady day in the forest smells. The green freshness of fern, the pleasant scent of wood sap. The dampness of fresh earth. His taste surrounded me like a protective cloak.

  My skin tingled where his large palm cupped my cheek to turn me into a better position. My whole body reacted to him. I pushed my pelvis against his, moaning as I felt his hardness. I couldn’t believe he was turning me on with one single kiss. Sexy thoughts floated through my endorphin-addled brain.

  I’d never imagined it could feel like this. And now there were two guys that both held this amazing power over me. When Julian had touched me, I would have given him everything he’d asked for. And when Kiernan moaned into my mouth, I was ready to forget about going slow. When he pulled away, it took me a moment to catch on. His eyes had darkened to the color of moss. He stared at me with wonder and a softness I’d never seen in him.

  “Amber…” He took a deep breath while shaking his head as if to clear it. “I don’t want you to be here by yourself over the Christmas break. Would you like to spend the holidays with me and my family? They’d be delighted to have you.”

  His soft Irish accent had thickened since the last time we’d talked. I smiled.

  “Do you know you sound a lot more Irish?”

  Kiernan nodded. “Yeah, I know. Every time I go home, even just for a weekend, it gets stronger. I grew up in Co. Offaly in Ireland, and none of us lost our accent since moving here.”

  His grin was so contagious, I felt my lips stretch as wide as they could go. He was so damn cute, his lips kiss-bruised and his cheeks reddened. My smile slipped off my face when he asked again. “So, do you want to come along at Christmas?”

  How could I tell him I probably wouldn’t be here by then? And even if I were, I wouldn’t be allowed to leave the premises anyway.

  “You don’t have to, you know. It was just an idea…”

  I couldn’t bear the disappointment I read in his face. “No, I’d love to. But…”

  The urge to confide in somebody overwhelmed me. I was completely alone in this. I needed help. Wrapping my arms around myself, I said, "Kiernan, I—"

  I interrupted myself, unsure of how to continue. Maybe tell the truth for once? I swallowed hard, and then plowed on. "I found out my family is in danger."

  I held up my hand when Kiernan opened his mouth. "No, I can’t tell you how I know. But believe me, I need to go warn my parents before it's too late. The less you know about it, the better it is for you."

  All the color had drained from Kiernan’s face.

  Shit. What have I done? I shouldn’t have told him. I lowered my eyes, waiting for the unavoidable rejection. Maybe he wouldn’t snitch to the panel the way Julian had done.

  But then Kiernan took my hand. "Okay. Have you got a plan?

  33

  Kiernan’s face was filled with a qui
et confidence. He was ready to put himself out there, trusting me to tell him what I needed. He’d help me. Returning his smile, I told him more details about my plan.

  “I’ve been keeping track of the guards’ movements. I was going to use a distraction, maybe blow up a tree or something?”

  He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “That’s not a plan, though. How will you get past the locked gate? What about the perimeter wards? And how will you avoid the FBMA?”

  I stared at him. Didn’t take him long to find out I don’t have a plan. Not for escaping and certainly not for the time after I got away. I had kind of hoped things would fall into place afterwards.

  Fuck. How naive am I? How stupid? My head dropped as I fought back tears. Kiernan squeezed my hand and said, “Let’s go somewhere warmer and talk some more.”

  He pressed his lips against my forehead in a gesture so sweet and reassuring, my eyes welled up even more. What the hell was wrong with me? I wasn’t usually so emotional. But then I wasn’t usually trapped in an institution against my will, either. And definitely not with with my family’s survival depending on me getting out of here.

  Kiernan pulled me towards the library. That made sense: Nobody would be able to overhear us at our table at the back of the shelves. Once we were seated, he said, “I’ve only known you for a short while, but if you say your family is in danger, I believe you. Although your plan is going to need some work. You know that, right?”

  I felt so depressed, I couldn’t even snark at him. What was I going to do? He was right. It was pointless. Strickland’s plan seemed to be the only thing I had at the moment. But I could never hurt my classmates, not again. Not even to save my family. I was so caught up in my mental anguish, I completely missed what Kiernan had said next.

  “Are you listening?”

  I shook my head. “Sorry, I was distracted. What did you say?”

  “I want to tell you a story. Maybe it’ll help you see this from a different perspective.”

  I nodded, leaning forward to show I was listening this time. Kiernan hesitated, chewing his lip. “It’s not really my story to tell, but I’m sure Julian doesn’t mind. Especially given the situation you’re in.”

  Now he had my full attention. Kiernan wasn’t a gossip, so if he wanted to tell me Julian’s story, it had to be important.

  “There are a lot of people who think our magical powers are evil, against the natural order of things, something to be feared.”

  I shifted uncomfortably. My parents were a bit like that. Oh, who am I kidding. They’re totally like that.

  “Julian comes from a small community in the Bible Belt. When the explosion happened, they turned on everybody who developed magic. Julian was already an outsider with the way he dressed and his smart mouth. He’d been bullied for years. But it got a lot worse after the first time his magic spilled over in school.”

  I was listening with growing dread. This story isn’t going to end well.

  “A bunch of the town folks waited for him a few days later. These weren’t the usual bullies who would take his money or push him around. Don’t get me wrong—they were there as well, but so were grown men from the community he’d lived in all his life.

  “When they attacked him, they used chains and knives. Julian did the smart thing and ran home instead of standing his ground. But he didn’t realize how vicious the mob was.”

  Oh, no. I didn’t like where this was going at all. I waited with bated breath until Kiernan continued.

  “When Julian’s dad opened the door, he was shot in the head from a distance. He died in Julian’s arms. His mom arrived at the house at the same time as the mob. She was beaten so badly, she died a few days later.”

  My hand flew to my mouth as tears trickled down my face. Kiernan took my hand and squeezed.

  “Julian was about to be dragged away, and if the police hadn’t arrived at that stage, he would have died for sure. The FBMA dropped him at the academy and left him here. Ms. Farkas saved his life. She gave him the space to grieve and got him counseling. She made sure he found a reason to continue, to take it one day at a time. Without her, he wouldn’t have made it. He is a different kid now compared to when he got here. And it’s all thanks to the head witch.”

  Kiernan took a deep breath before looking right into my eyes. “What I’m trying to say is you can trust her. If your family is in danger, she will help. You need to talk to her, because this place? It’s a lockdown facility not just to keep us in, but to keep others out. There are a lot of crazies out there who would love to take us out if they could. Without Ms. Farkas’s help, you won’t be able to leave.”

  I was reeling at the images Kiernan’s words had painted. The horror of Julian holding his dead father, his sightless eyes staring up into his son’s face. His mother’s screams as the mob beat her to death. Julian’s helplessness in the face of the ignorant rage of people he’d probably known all his life. How he had turned out all right after this was anybody’s guess.

  And how close he’d come to not being here. Not being in my life. My chest ached at the thought of his dark eyes and that special smile he only seemed to have for me.

  The gratitude I felt for Ms. Farkas overrode my caution. She’d helped me when I’d stood before the panel. Instead of punishing me, she’d chosen to convince me by telling me the full truth. Which was more than anybody else had done since my magical manifestation.

  “Would you come with me to talk to her?”

  Kiernan nodded. “I’d be honored to. You’ve got my support.”

  I stood up. Holding out my hand, I said, “Let’s go.”

  34

  “Come in,” the head witch’s calm voice answered when I knocked. I glanced back at Kiernan who squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. I opened the door and entered. Ms. Farkas sat at her desk, surrounded by paperwork. I’d been in this office several times, but this was the first time it looked like my father’s desk.

  Ms. Farkas laughed at my expression. “Yes, even magic won’t do your paperwork for you. Getting funding from the government means filling out reams of forms.”

  She shrugged as if to say, “What can you do?”

  I wasn’t laughing, and she sobered. “What’s up, Amber? Can I help you?”

  Suddenly my thoughts jumbled. It all sounded so crazy. A teacher trying to kill the kids in the academy to create a diversion? She wasn’t going to believe me. I just knew it. But I had to try.

  “I don’t know how to say this, but Mr. Strickland...”

  Ms. Farkas put her pen down. “Go on?”

  Kiernan poked me in the back to continue. I took a deep breath and tried again. “Do you remember the time I was called before the panel?”

  Stupid. Of course she does. “I’m pretty sure Mr. Strickland was the one who sent Paul to talk to me. He’s been telling me for weeks I’d be killed unless I get out of here.”

  Ms. Farkas’s face darkened as she listened to me. I shrunk into myself. I made a mistake. She’s in on it. Oh my God, I screwed up.

  But then the head witch stood up, walked around her desk, and put a hand on my shoulder. “Thanks for telling me. I’ve had my suspicions about Malcolm for quite some time, especially after his behavior when you appeared before the panel. What exactly did he say to you?”

  I spent the next ten minutes telling her as much as I remembered. When I finished, her expression showed anger and a quiet determination. “He’s not wrong, Amber. There are people out there who will try to drain your power, and yes, the process would kill you. I believe Malcolm isn’t working alone. And it’s very possible your parents are in danger.

  “Unfortunately, my colleagues in the department will want proof of Malcolm’s betrayal before they commit resources. Let me talk to them to see what they suggest. But I promise you, nothing bad will happen to you on my watch.”

  I believed her. The force of her words was powerful enough to make me feel sorry for Strickland. He would rue the day when he’d decided to tangle
with the head witch.

  After we were dismissed, Kiernan hugged me tightly outside Ms. Farkas’s office. “Well done,” he murmured into my ear.

  I clung to his shoulders, shaking with the release of adrenaline. After a few minutes, I’d calmed down enough to face the world. Kiernan put his arm over my shoulders as we walked towards my dorm.

  “Wait up.” A voice sounded behind us.

  Quick steps caught up with us. Julian slipped his arm around my waist and bumped his hip against mine. Just seeing his smiling face made me feel a little better. The two boys fist-bumped past my chest. Sandwiched between two strong bodies, my spirits lifted until I joined in with their banter.

  Laughing and trying to trip each other up, we fell into the hallway of my building. When we entered the room, Sharon took one look at us, grabbed her books, and left.

  “What’s up with her?” Kiernan asked.

  “She doesn’t like me much.”

  “Her loss,” Julian murmured before nibbling on my ear. I jumped at the sharp nip and rubbed at the skin. Glaring at him, I sat on my bed, avoiding Slug whose bulk was under the cover in his favorite nap place.

  Kiernan hopped onto the mattress next to me. “We should tell him,” he said.

  Julian’s eyebrow rose. “Tell him what?”

  I sighed. Kiernan was right. Julian had a right to know what was going on. So I filled him in. Julian’s eyes flashed with suppressed anger as he listened. When I was finished, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

  “So what you’re saying is that Strickland is threatening your family to get you to leave the academy?”

  I nodded. That was about it.

  “And the reason why you need to leave is so that non-specific spooks can’t steal your powers?”

  “Correct.”

  Julian dropped his lanky frame next to me. Slug stuck his head out from under his blanket and gave us the evil eye. I ignored him, too busy listening to Julian’s next words.