Reading, Writing and Necromancy Read online

  I was no longer myself. I was Derrick, surrounded by another world of dark magic and temptation.

  The Raven Queen’s mouth tasted cold like winter. She was as sweet as honey and more bitter than black coffee, sour like lemons, and saltier than a lake of tears. Every sense came crashing down on me at once. Talon-tipped fingers raked across my flesh.

  I wanted more.

  The chaos of pleasure and pain melted away. There was nothing left. I was filled with an empty aching hunger that consumed me.

  Thatch’s arms lifted me—no—Derrick from the floor, heaving him into a standing position. “Get up, Derrick. I need you to help me.”

  My perspective wavered, first anchored inside Derrick and then shifting so that I observed the scene from the outside.

  Derrick leaned against him. “Where are you taking me?” Derrick’s words came out slurred.

  “Somewhere safe. To the school.”

  “I’m not going to do what she asked,” Derrick said. “I won’t ever hurt Clarissa. I won’t take her here.”

  “I know you won’t.”

  Thatch walked slowly, allowing Derrick to limp along.

  The taste of winter returned to my mouth. The song of tears washed over my skin. Colors flashed before my eyes, and I tasted music. Everything crashed together. The world didn’t make sense. Pleasure built inside me, but laced in the thrill of revelry came dark waves of pain. The searing stab of electricity rushed through my veins again.

  I screamed.

  “It’s okay, honey,” Josie said. “Derrick is fine. It was just a memory.”

  I blinked my eyes open. I sat on her lap in the chair in front of Khaba’s desk, my arms hugged around her. I was shaking and crying.

  Khaba held the crystal ball in his hand, frowning at me. “That was unexpected.”

  Derrick blinked, and his brow was furrowed as he took in the sight of Khaba’s pink office. He left his chair and crouched on the floor next to me. “Clarissa, are you all right?”

  “What happened?” That was all I could manage. My throat was a dry desert.

  I looked from one face to the next and wiped my eyes. They all looked so calm. I didn’t know how anyone could be calm after that. Cold sweat made my shirt cling to my back, and I shivered.

  Derrick lifted me to my feet and hugged me to his side. “What did you see?”

  “Feathers and music made of tears and blood and promises.” I tried to find words to make sense of it. “Someone was kissing me. I liked it and I didn’t like it. I think I was you.”

  Derrick’s brow furrowed. “I don’t remember that.”

  Khaba rubbed his chin. “Clarissa saw more than I saw, apparently. More than you did.” He returned the crystal ball to the holder on his desk. “You have more memories locked away in there. What we saw is incomplete and . . . patched together.”

  Derrick rubbed my back.

  “Let’s have you come back tomorrow for another stab at this.” Khaba gave me a sidelong glance. “Without Miss Lawrence.”

  I pushed a handful of sweaty pink hair out of my face. “Why?”

  “I don’t want you absorbing my magic or Derrick’s memories to try to make things easier on him.”

  “I wasn’t—”

  Khaba put up a hand. “Not on purpose, no. But memory magic is tricky, especially when you’re close to someone. It isn’t uncommon to take someone’s pain because the witness struggles knowing they’ll relive it. That was your fear, wasn’t it?”

  I shook my head. But I knew he was right. That had been my concern as the memory had started to go downhill.

  “I can tell the memories aren’t accurate, but it would be easier for me to decipher what is and what isn’t real without you screaming.” Khaba arched an eyebrow at me.

  “Oh,” I said.

  Me and my big mouth. Literally.

  “But we saw enough to know Derrick is safe, and Thatch is trying to help him?” I asked.

  “No,” they all said at once.

  “You can’t be serious, Clarissa,” Josie said.

  “Thatch tortured me.” Derrick stared into my eyes, the vivid blue of his own so bright it reminded me of a cloudless sky. “Didn’t you see that in the memory?”

  “To prove to the Raven Queen he still serves her—which he doesn’t. He took you here to the school to keep you safe. And you haven’t tried to lure me to the Raven Queen.” That had been Thatch’s fear, the reason he had said he didn’t want me to see Derrick, but I’d cured him. We weren’t in danger of that anymore.

  “You heard Mr. Khaba. That memory wasn’t real.” Derrick’s brow crinkled up in concern and he shook his head. He took my hands in his. “When are you going to stop seeing the best in people—even when there’s nothing there to see? This is just like Missy. You would never believe she was a wicked witch who intended to hurt you until it was too late and she tried to kill you. You’re doing it again, this time with Thatch.”

  I wasn’t biased. It was true I wanted to see good in Thatch, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t trying to help. I was nowhere closer to figuring out if Thatch’s intentions with Derrick were malicious.

  The yellow glow of sconces lit the dark hallway. Derrick held my hand as we walked with Josie away from Khaba’s office. His feet and the top half of his head were invisible because Khaba had given him an invisibility hat and shoes. It was seriously creepy seeing the top half of his head gone, but at least it covered his blue hair.

  “Maybe you should consider… .” Josie pointed her glowing wand at Derrick’s hand holding mine.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Being a little less obvious. You aren’t supposed to have a boyfriend. Your magic isn’t supposed to be able to handle men, right? Think of how much trouble you’ll be in if Jeb catches you.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m surprised Khaba didn’t say anything. Your chemistry is like a nuclear reactor. You’re going to attract attention.”

  I waved her off. “You’re being a worrywart.”

  “It’s hard to resist you, after being apart all this time, but I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Derrick withdrew his hand from mine, his smile sheepish as he gazed into my eyes. “After Vega falls asleep, you can sneak out, and we’ll hold hands as much as you want.”

  I intended to do more than hold hands with him.

  The hall was empty now that the students had gone to bed, which was kind of a shame considering how I would have liked to confiscate some troublemaker’s phone and keep it for myself as a weapon. We headed past the great hall and up a flight of stairs toward the dorms. Because of the randomness of architecture, we had to pass the men’s dorms to get to the next set of stairs that led up to the tower were Josie’s room was located.

  I froze when I heard a woman’s laugh coming from farther down the hallway of men’s rooms. The woman’s voice was high and sweet with the timber of a lullaby.

  “That sounds like Miss Periwinkle,” I said.

  Whatever she was doing up here instead of her private quarters through the library, I did not want to find out.

  Derrick grabbed my hand and tugged me backward. “That means Thatch will be with her.”

  All three of us ran in the opposite direction, back down the stairs to the main corridor that led around the great hall. As we did so, a putrid stench of rotting garbage and wild animal wafted toward us. We rounded a corner, nearly colliding into Pinky, the stinky Sasquatch.

  “Oh, hi, guys!” Pinky said with eight feet of enthusiasm.

  “Ugh,” Josie said.

  I fought the urge to cover my nose and mouth.

  “It’s nice to see you again, Jo,” Pinky said, voice as high and nasally as ever. “I got lost trying to find the restroom. Miss Bloodmire told me the only functioning toilet is in the counseling office. That’s going to be a drag if I ever wake up in the middle of the night and try to find it… .”

  Josie shook her head. Derrick and I ga
ve each other sidelong glances. I was sure Vega’s picture was in the dictionary next to the word “bitch.”

  “What?” Pinky asked.

  “Vega was playing a trick on you,” I said.

  Josie pointed down the hall. “There are restrooms on the teacher side of the dormitories and ones on the student side, in case the others are all full.”

  I wondered which one Pinky used, the male or female restroom. Maybe sasquatches didn’t have genders, they were all “xe.”

  “Oh,” Pinky laughed and slapped a knee in good humor. “Well, it wouldn’t be a new job without a little hazing. Jo, do you remember Mr. Booker from Zeme’s? Did he punk you on the first day too? He tried to sic a herd of unicorns on me. Fortunately, unicorns and sasquatches are like this.” Pinky crossed xir fingers. Xe looked to Derrick as if realizing he was there for the first time. “Oh, hi, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Pinky. I’ll be teaching history.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. I didn’t see anyone coming or hear Miss Periwinkle, but lingering outside the main corridor was risky considering how many people traversed this way to get to other wings.

  Derrick reached out and shook Pinky’s hand. “Some people know me as Invismo. I work in security.” Derrick pulled more of the hat over his face, making himself look like the headless horseman.

  Pinky chuckled.

  “Maybe we should get going,” I said. “It’s almost time for teacher curfew.”

  “Are they really strict about that at this school?” Pinky asked.

  “It isn’t smart to wander the halls after dark. Too many accidents happen,” Derrick said.

  I couldn’t tell if he was being serious or joking. Sure, a few accidents had happened, but I was pretty sure that had been Julian’s work—and certain students. I had left my room after lights-out when I’d gone into Lachlan Falls to go dancing. Of course, Khaba had been chaperoning, and I had a feeling no monster out there would want to mess with his Fae magic.

  “Right,” Pinky said. “Can I follow you up to the dorms? It’s going to take me a while to get used to the layout here.”

  Derrick gave my arm a squeeze. “I’ll see you … later?” His brows lifted hopefully.

  I nodded. After Vega went to bed. That was what we had talked about anyway.

  Derrick skipped down the hallway. He glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at me.

  Pinky looked from Derrick to me. “Are you two … um … Jeb told me dating among colleagues isn’t allowed.”

  “That’s right,” Josie said quickly. “No dating. They’re just friends.”

  Pinky looked to her, head tilting to the side. “That’s too bad.”

  We walked in the direction of Josie’s room. I wondered if Pinky’s room was that way too.

  A moment later Derrick came running back to us. “Thatch,” he panted and kept running.

  I looked around, my heart thump-thumping. There was no telling what he’d do if he saw Derrick not invisible. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t care. Maybe he would laugh. He’d been in a good mood earlier.

  Somehow I expected his reaction would be less than pleasant.

  Pinky looked from me to Josie. “Mr. Thatch? Isn’t he one of the teachers here?”

  “Yes, once you meet him, you’ll know why anyone would run from him,” Josie said.

  Derrick disappeared down the hallway and up the stairs to the men’s dormitory. We followed at a slower pace.

  I whispered to Pinky. “If you don’t mind, could you not mention you saw Derrick tonight?”

  “Derrick?” Pinky asked.

  “She means Invismo,” Josie explained.

  Pinky took the stairs two at a time, pausing between each step for Josie and me. “Why?”

  “Um… .” I said trying to think of something plausible.

  “Uh… .” Josie said.

  “He’s supposed to be invisible. You aren’t supposed to see him,” I said. That was half the truth anyway.

  “Got it.” Pinky made a zipping motion across xir mouth, locking it with an imaginary key and throwing the key away. “No problem. I’m great at keeping secrets. Right, Jo? Just like at Zeme’s.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I don’t have any secrets,” Josie said quickly.

  I elbowed her in the ribs. She ignored me. My best friend had a secret. That was interesting.

  Derrick came running down the stairs. “Periwinkle and Bloodmire are coming. I need to hide.”

  He looked around frantically. Voices came from the hallway below. Male voices. My heart pounded frantically. We were about to get caught. What would Thatch do?

  Thatch rounded the corner. There he stood.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Sasquatch Ex-Machina

  Thatch spoke with Pro Ro. Both men halted on the steps. Pro Ro grimaced, looking at me. I wasn’t his favorite person considering the way I’d torn his turban off months earlier when I had succumbed to thinking my biological mother was under his turban. I had read too much Harry Potter for my own good.

  Pro Ro—Professor Darshan Rohiniraman—wore a navy-blue turban and the kind of full beard that would make a lumberjack jealous.

  Thatch’s smile faded. Ice settled in the pit of my stomach. I turned to look at Derrick, but he was gone. Pinky shifted on the steps, looking like xe was about to stumble forward. Xe righted xirself, edging toward the wall. A section of the pink pants Khaba had loaned Derrick was visible to the right of Pinky’s leg.

  Derrick was hiding behind the furry mountain! I scooted closer to Pinky to hide the bright pants. My eyes watered at the proximity to sasquatch musk.

  “My, my, what do we have here?” Thatch asked with a sinister gleam in his eyes. “Teachers out after curfew. You should be ashamed of yourselves, setting a bad example for the students.”

  I swallowed.

  His nostrils flared, and he sniffed at the air. As he eyed Pinky, his lips twitched downward. Pro Ro covered his nose and mouth, his eyes watering. Thatch leaned in and said something to the other teacher, and Pro Ro immediately removed his hand from his face, his gaze raking over Pinky.

  “What are you going to do?” Josie placed her hands on her hips. “Report us to Khaba? It’s not like you’re in bed yourself.”

  Pro Ro gave an uncomfortable laugh. “No one is going to report anyone. We’re all teachers. At least, I think we’re all teachers.” He looked to Pinky.

  Pinky introduced xirself. Pro Ro followed suit. I tried to look casual as I stood there, helping hide Derrick. Sweat trickled down my back. It was difficult to focus on Pinky’s friendly banter. Flashes of Derrick’s memories kept playing before my eyes. I felt the caress of feathers and the lance of pain as Thatch stabbed his wand into Derrick’s arm.

  Thatch’s eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Something is different about you, Miss Lawrence.”

  I shook my head.

  Vega’s deep voice drawled out from above. “If you ask me, she’s gotten shorter.” Vega stood at the top of the stairs, hands on her hips. She wore a black-sequined dress with fringe. From the sparkly headband and long string of pearls, it didn’t look like she was headed for our dorm room to go to bed.

  Gertrude Periwinkle stood at her side. Her attire was subtler, her dress long and collar higher. Her dress was just as Gothic, but an earlier era, perhaps Edwardian. Her lacy gloves reminded me of spiderwebs, and the flowers and skulls on her witch hat were simultaneously elegant and creepy. Her pale skin and fair hair glowed in the dim light, her siren beauty drawing all eyes.

  The two ladies looked like they were going out on a school night.

  Thatch touched a hand to his heart. “My, aren’t you ladies a vision of loveliness.”

  Josie made a face like she was going to retch.

  Pro Ro stared at Miss Periwinkle, his jaw dropping. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”

  “Hi, I’m Pinky,” said the sasquatch with a wave. Pinky fidgeted in place, looking very
much like xe wanted to walk up the stairs and greet her, but xe remained on the steps.

  From xir breathlessness, I had a feeling Pinky was male. Then again, maybe she was a lesbian. I wasn’t attracted to women, but I had a hard time tearing my gaze from Miss Periwinkle’s beauty.

  Gertrude Periwinkle glided down the steps, smiling shyly at Pro Ro and Pinky. Her coquettish affectation flickered to annoyance when she saw me on the other side of Pinky. Her gaze flickered to Thatch and back to me. He wasn’t standing that close, but I supposed he was closer to me than anyone else. From the daggers in her eyes, it looked like she still thought I wanted to steal her boyfriend. Craptacular.

  I started to shift away, and then remembered I couldn’t move because of Derrick’s hot-pink pants. Pro Ro raced up the steps to meet Miss Periwinkle, distracting Thatch and causing him to ascend after the other teacher.

  “I’m Darshan Rohiniraman, but my students and most of the staff call me Pro Ro.” He reached for her hand, but she didn’t take it.

  “I know,” she said. “You teach divination and soothsaying.”

  “And yoga,” Pinky said cheerfully.

  Rumor had it Pro Ro didn’t know anything about yoga, but that hadn’t stopped Jeb from giving him the class this semester.

  Thatch slid in between them, cutting Pro Ro out of view. “Are you going out?” His brow furrowed, his expression pensive.

  “Yes.” Miss Periwinkle’s smile grew strained. That was interesting. She hadn’t told him—her supposed boyfriend. I felt bad for my nemesis.

  Vega descended the steps, her heels hammering against them like nails on a coffin. “What is that nasty smell? Either the students set off another stink-bomb spell or someone needs to shower.”