Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
I gaped at her. “Seriously? You can go anywhere you want?”
“I can open portals and pass between the space that divides various worlds, but people still can’t see me so it’s not as fun as it sounds.”
“Okay, but why are you offering to help? You hate Sven. Why would you want to play a part in his rescue?”
She studied her nails. “Maybe I want him to be brought back so that he can finish his sentence for murdering my uncle.”
“You do realise where he is right now is way worse,” I stated while tightening my ponytail.
She gave an irritated sigh. “Listen, do you want my help or not?”
“Of course I do. I just don’t get why you’re offering it.”
“I want you out of my hair so I can make your mother prefer me better,” she replied, folding her arms and lifting her chin. “Happy?”
“You’re lying. What’s the real reason?”
She glided to the window, staring out at the quiet, tree lined street. “Okay, so the truth is I’ve had some time to think, and if our roles were reversed I’m not entirely sure I’d have gone to the Prison of Thorns to bring your killer to justice. Actually, I’m certain I wouldn’t have. Also, my mum is an ice queen. Even if she could see ghosts she wouldn’t have taken you into her home like yours did for me.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Belinda. If anything I owe you about a hundred more favours.”
“Yes, and you can pay me those favours when you get back here safe and sound.” She paused then, a dark look crossing her features. “I want you to murder that bastard Red Armand. He killed me and the least you can do now is avenge my death. My hate for him outweighs any I might feel for Sven.”
Ah, there she was, the Belinda I knew so well. Her words tapped into my own need for vengeance. My dark half wanted nothing more than to watch the life drain from Red Armand’s soulless, whiskey coloured eyes.
I swallowed thickly, suddenly apprehensive that going to Oreylia was a real possibility. Was I brave enough to go alone? Could I navigate the terrain without Carra to guide me?
“Let me think about it. Right now I have to get to school.”
“Okay, tell Liz and Anna I said hi.”
“Right, because I really need those two calling me a lying freak when I tell them I’ve been communicating with you from beyond the grave.”
She chuckled in amusement. “I miss those two.”
I arrived at school five minutes before the bell. I was on my way to class when I spotted Peter walking towards me down the hall. We both froze when we saw each other. My heart pounded in sorrow as I took him in. “Hi,” I said.
I didn’t want him to hate me. I could never hate him. In fact, I would always love him, even years and decades from now. Peter was the first person to ever see into my soul. He was good all the way through. How could I ever stop loving someone like that?
“Darya,” he said my name like the syllables were painful to get out.
“Um, it’s good to see you—” I began before an announcement came over the speakers.
“Can Darya Cristescu report to Principal Wolf’s office immediately.”
I frowned, wondering what that was about. I rarely got called to the principal’s office. Was he going to reprimand me for my unexplained absence yesterday? “I better go,” I said to Peter and he nodded, his voice low when he said, “It’s good to see you, too.”
Air caught in my lungs and tears threatened to leak out. I held his gaze for a long moment, and though the pain was fresh and agonising, I tried to embrace it, because the only way to get past it was to go through it. I focused on that journey, one where I would eventually reach a place where I wasn’t in this turmoil anymore.
Finally, tearing my eyes away, I turned on my heel and speedwalked to Principal Wolf’s office. His assistant, Chloe, told me I could go straight in and I inhaled a deep breath for courage, hoping I wasn’t about to get chewed out.
“Darya, hello, please take a seat,” Principal Wolf greeted as I entered.
“Am I in trouble?” I asked, warily lowering myself into the chair in front of his desk.
He set down the pen he’d been holding and rubbed his jaw. When his eyes met mine they were almost apologetic. Oh, no, I didn’t like that look.
“I haven’t had the chance to speak with your parents yet, but I thought it best to inform you first.”
“Inform me of what?”
His soulful brown eyes held mine. “I’m sorry, Darya, but it looks like you won’t be able to graduate this year.”
Time stood still. I stared at him, wishing I hadn’t heard him correctly.