Oberon Reformatory Book Three: Final Offense Page 4

  Seeing none, I quietly ask, “Any news from our mutual friend?”

  A muscle ticks in his cheek as he clenches his teeth and gives me a small shake of his head.

  So, Great-grandpa Robin has gone silent. And it must be unexpected, if the stiff posture and tight features of Jax are any indication. I brush a hand down his arm, hoping my touch will soothe him.

  “I’m sure he’s fine, and he’ll be in touch soon,” I whisper.

  “You’re probably right,” he says. “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Rob—uh, April.”

  “What about her?” I ask, panic flooding my chest.

  “Everything’s fine, Rory,” he says, his tone ordering me to calm down. “At least, for now it is. But Echo has taken notice of her power during training. He’ll be watching her more closely, which is bad for all of us. You need to talk to her.”

  “Of course,” I say, nodding thoughtfully.

  If Echo tries to pull Robbie in under his wing like he did me, if he gives her that animalistic smile and purrs at her with unhidden attraction…I will lose it. I’ll blast him with everything I have, regardless of the consequences.

  I have to keep my sister off his radar, for all our sakes.

  Jax nods as he comes to a halt beside my door. I return the gesture and walk inside, shutting the door behind me. I slump onto the bed, grateful to finally be away from Echo and his prying eyes. I lay down and stretch out, my hand brushing against a slip of paper hidden under my pillow.

  I double-check for cameras before pulling the paper out and unfolding it.

  I need to see you. After dinner, come to my cell. —A

  Panic blooms in my chest as I read the words again. It’s Asher’s handwriting, so I know it’s real, and I can only imagine the worst as I try to figure out what’s happened to make him risk hiding a note for me under my pillow.

  I stress over it the rest of the afternoon and all the way through dinner, where I sit alone, nibbling my food while fending off my new admirers—faeries who ate my truffles and now think we’re best friends. I need them to look to me as a leader, not a buddy.

  Meanwhile, my real friends sit across the room, looking…normal. Cedric, Acadia, and Jolene talk amongst themselves while Lark and Robbie laugh and jab at each other with fingertips and elbows. Asher looks as broody as ever, his blue eyes locked on his tray as he pushes the food around with a fork.

  My heartrate once again picks up its pace as I wonder why he needs to see me. Something bad must have happened. Maybe he saw something he shouldn’t have or overheard a private conversation.

  Whatever it is, I can’t wait any longer. I stand up and, taking my half-eaten tray, make a point of catching Asher’s eye before dumping it and leaving the mess hall.

  Stretching my senses, I find no Glamour in the hall. There are no hidden cameras watching me. I continue to feel for magic as I head toward Asher’s cell, but there is none, other than the faint buzz of it coming from the walls.

  Maybe Echo really is out of town, and maybe he trusts me enough now that he doesn’t feel the need to track my every move anymore. Some of the tension knotted in my chest eases at the thought, and I pick up my pace. When I reach Asher’s cell, I push open the door and step inside.

  Closing it behind me so no one walking down the hall can look inside and see me there, I walk over to his bed and sit down. Now, I just have to wait.

  Thirty seconds later, the door swings open and I leap to my feet, panicking as my blank mind refuses to come up with a valid excuse for my being here. When I see it’s Asher, I exhale letting the tension drain out of me.

  “You scared me half to death,” I breathe, resting a palm against my chest.

  “You’re in my room,” he points out.

  “I know,” I say, “but I didn’t expect you to come this soon. I was sure I was busted.”

  He closes the door and leans his weight against it. Tilting his head, he asks, “Why didn’t you just Glamour yourself invisible?”

  “I don’t know,” I admit, then promptly forget the question as he stalks toward me.

  “I got your note,” I stutter.

  “Obviously,” he whispers, taking another two steps in my direction.

  “I’ve been stressing all day, wondering what is so important that you’d risk sneaking into my cell,” I say, my words coming fast and furious as my breathing speeds up.

  “It’s very important,” he says, stopping in front of me.

  His hands grip my hips and pull me against him as his lips land on mine. My mouth opens of its own accord, and his tongue dips inside to brush against mine. My whole body shivers with pleasure as my hands cup his face.

  He breaks off our kiss, pressing his forehead against mine as he whispers, “I had to see you. I’ve been dreaming about this all day, and I knew you could get here without being seen. I had April put the note in your room, since she can check for cameras, and I can’t.”

  “Smart,” I murmur, and his mouth seals to mine again.

  It doesn’t matter that we decided to keep ourselves in check. It doesn’t matter that we could set off a lustnado, or some other magical explosion, particularly after such a long time apart.

  All that matters is this moment. The feel of his body against mine. His hands on my hips and the feel of his skin against my fingers. His mouth, hot and panting as he shows me exactly how much he’s missed me.

  I love him, and he loves me.

  And I still haven’t said the words to him.

  I break off our kiss, panting hard as his blue eyes search mine. He looks confused and disappointed, though he hides the latter emotion quickly.

  “You okay?” he asks. “If this is too much, we can stop.”

  I’m shaking my head before he even finishes. I press my lips to his in a short, sweet kiss, then pull back to look into his eyes.

  “I’m trying to tell you that I don’t want to stop,” I whisper. “I want to feel everything…with you.”

  The confusion that clouds his eyes clears after a moment, and his nostrils flare as understanding dawns.

  “Rory, I want our first time to be special. Not in prison.” he says, his eyes sparkling with pleasure and lust despite his words. “But I do want to hold you, kiss you, and make you feel cherished. Can I do that?”

  “Call me Finley,” I mutter as I nod. “I love you, Asher York.”

  “I love you Finley Oberon,” he whispers back.

  Then his mouth is on mine, and all coherent thought takes flight and leaves me. There’s nothing but hands and mouths and feelings.

  I forget who we are. Where we are. All I know is Asher and the way he makes me feel.

  Loved. Cherished. Trusted.

  And I never want to feel any other way.

  Chapter Six

  Fire. Water. Wind. Earth.

  I toss the elements at Asher, forcing my mouth to turn down despite the constant, never-ending urge to smile. It could be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

  Last night was…perfect. Nothing can ever take that away from me. But I have to sell my disdain for Asher and my friends to the other inmates. While Echo is out of town and there are no cameras tracking me, there are people who could report back to him when he returns. I can never forget that.

  “Very good, Rory. You seem to be particularly inspired today,” Chase says as he wanders by.

  “Yeah,” Asher grunts as he throws a gust of wind at me while I’m distracted.

  I easily deflect it, then use air to lift myself up off the floor. With a fierce growl, I launch myself at him. He wasn’t expecting a physical attack, and his eyes widen with shock as my feet connect with his chest. He lands on his back with a thud, and I’m on him in an instant.

  My legs straddle his waist, and I press my weight down on him. Lodging my forearm against his throat, I use my free hand to conjure a fireball. The orange flames reflect in his blue eyes, which are shining with excitement.

  “Do you yield?” I ask in a loud snarl.

  “I yield,” he replies just as loudly. “That was so hot,” he adds for my ears alone.

  I shoot him a quick, discreet wink, then climb to my feet. I look around as Asher pulls himself up. Several sets of eyes are on me, filled with awe and wonder. And devotion.

  I made them trust me with the Glamoured treats. I made them respect me with this show of magic and fighting prowess. Everything is going exactly to plan.

  A loud squeal yanks me out of my thoughts, and I look toward the sound to find Lark wildly brushing her hands over her arms and legs. Her eyes are rolling in fear as another scream trills from her lips. My sister stands a few feet away, a triumphant smile curving her lips.

  As if sensing my stare, Robbie’s eyes turn toward me. I narrow my gaze and give her a small, nearly imperceptible shake of my head. She rolls her eyes, and Lark’s jerky movements cease just before she melts to the floor.

  I exhale on a sigh as I turn my attention back to Asher. I’m going to have to find a moment to talk to Robbie. She can’t put her powers on display like that, or she’s going to garner unwanted attention from Echo Oberon.

  Attention that could be detrimental. I know from experience. I’ve lived it over the last several weeks.

  And I can see some of the other inmates shooting furtive glances in her direction. The questions are written all over their faces. If April keeps this up, she’s going to let them see Robbie. And that would be bad.

  I can’t let that happen, which means I need to really commit to the idea of being a leader to these Fae. If I keep everyone—including Echo Oberon—focused on me, Robbie can fade into the background.

  I shake my head at the thought. Like my sister could ever fade into the background.

  But I have to try.

  I foc
us my power, pulling every bit of it into a tight ball in my chest. Asher shoots me a questioning look. As the one standing closest to me, he can feel the shift in energy, but I ignore him. I have to do this for Robbie’s safety. For all of us.

  I let loose a vicious yell as I release the pent-up energy. It spreads in a ring around me, knocking faeries to the floor with its impact. One after another, they go down, until everyone, including Chase, is groaning on the floor.

  I cross my arms over my chest to hide my rapid breathing as I survey my handiwork. I’d never done anything so reckless and impulsive, but luckily, it worked. I meet the gazes of several inmates, their eyes filled with awe. And fear. And reverence.

  With a single nod to Chase as he climbs to his feet, I walk out of the gym with my head held high. No one will question my leadership now. And when Echo gets back from wherever he is and hears about it, he’ll assume the stories have been exaggerated—which I’ll humbly confirm.

  With no cameras on today, there will be no proof. And if the population of Oberon Reformatory fears and respects me enough to follow my lead, Echo will be happy.

  And no one will even blink twice at Robbie.

  It’s a win-win situation. As long as no one finds me passed out in the hall.

  The random thought swirls through me as I lean against the wall. My head is spinning, and my body feels like it weighs seven hundred pounds. Using the wall for support, I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths.

  Expelling all that power at once took a lot out of me. I need to get it together before anyone sees me like this. Gritting my teeth, I push myself upright and stagger my way down the corridor.

  “Hey, I’ve got you.”

  The soft voice startles me as Lark’s arm circles around my waist. She pulls my arm over her shoulders, encouraging me to lean against her.

  “Lark?” I ask, my brain still fuzzy. “What are you doing here?”

  “April told me you might need me. Something about expending too much energy like a doofus. What’s a doofus?”

  A laugh breaks through my lips. “It’s an old human term our mom uses. She was calling me an idiot.”

  “Hmm. Sounds about right,” she replies.

  “Hey!”

  I feel my strength returning, and Lark’s teasing comments lift my spirits. I feels like old times.

  “Thanks for coming to help me,” I mutter, tightening my grip on her shoulders.

  “Any time, doofus,” she shoots back, winking. “Seriously, though, what was with the show back there?”

  I shake my head. “April was attracting too much attention. What was it? Spiders?”

  “Cockroaches,” she says, shuddering. “Gross.”

  “Well, it was pretty obvious how powerful the Glamour was. I needed to distract them. To get the attention back on me before word gets back to Echo that he has another uber-powerful Sylph in the palm of his hand.”

  “So, you decided to blow the place up?” she asks, arching a brow as we turn to hobble into my cell.

  “I didn’t blow anything up,” I said defensively as I plopped onto my bed and leaned back against the pillow. “I could sleep for a week right now.”

  “Well, you might as well have burned the gym to the ground. What you did had the same impact. People are definitely talking.”

  “Good,” I sighed, feeling my eyes grow heavier. “As long as they’re talking about me and not Robbie, I’m happy.”

  I think she said something else, but I was already dozing off, and the world went black.

  “Rise and shine. Shower time!”

  I blink a few times as Lark breezes into my room. It feels like only minutes since I last talked to her, but it must be morning, if her words are any indication. I rub my fists against my eyes, clearing the sleep from them. With a big yawn, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed.

  “Let’s go,” Lark says, rushing me with a wave of her hand. “I need to smell that special shampoo you make me. Like now.”

  “Oh, so you’re using me for my powers, huh?” I shoot back, giving her a smirk as I stand up.

  “Of course. Why else would I hang out with you?”

  I laugh as I gather some clean clothes and move to stand beside her. She hip-checks me, then leads the way out into the hall. We walk to the showers in silence, not wanting to wake any of the other girls up. We need to be alone in order for me to conjure up some decent-smelling bath products. The soap provided by the prison smells like fake lemons and chemicals. Gross.

  When we enter the bathroom, we share a disappointed look when steam billows around us and the sound of running water meets our ears. Someone has beaten us here, after all. The sweet scent of peonies wafts up my nose, and I sigh with relief.

  “It’s Robbie,” I whisper to Lark as we walk toward the shower stalls.

  A quick check proves there’s only one stall in use. My sister’s voice suddenly belting out the lyrics of an old pop song proves it’s her. Lark and I grin at each other, and I quickly conjure up bottles of shampoo and bars of soap in two scents. Rose for me, peppermint for Lark.

  “Somebody put that animal out of its misery,” I call out loud enough for Robbie to hear over the racket she’s making.

  Her head pops out around the curtain, and I shoot her a grin. She disappears back into the stall, turns off the water, and then emerges wrapped in a towel.

  “Jeez, Finley. You scared me to death.”

  “Rory,” I warn in a low voice.

  “Sorry. Rory,” she says, rolling her eyes. “No one else is in here.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You need to get used to calling me that so you don’t slip up around the wrong people, April.”

  “Fine,” she says, holding up her palms in surrender. “Sorry.”

  “And next time, make the scent of your bath products more muted. I could smell the peonies from the doorway. If anyone notices the smell, you’ll be busted.”

  “I’d almost forgotten how bossy you are in the morning,” she grumps, scrunching up her face at me.

  “Ha. Ha,” I deadpan. Then I look at Lark and ask, “I’m not bossy, am I?”

  Lark’s eyes dart from Robbie to me, her cheeks turning pink as she stutters, “Uh, kind of.”

  She shrugs and darts into one of the shower stalls, whipping the curtain closed and starting the flow of water. I tilt my head, studying the closed curtain for a moment. I look back at Robbie, who has moved to the mirror to comb out her wet hair.

  Her own face is a shade darker, and I start to ask her what’s going on, but halt the words before they come out. I don’t have the energy to decipher what’s happening here. Maybe a shower will clear my head.

  By the time I finish and leave the shower stall, both Robbie and Lark are gone. I shake my head, brushing off the hurt that trickles through me that neither of them even said goodbye.

  What is going on? Why do I feel like they’re keeping something from me?

  I could Glamour them into telling me the truth.

  I brush the errant thought away, feeling guilty for even thinking it. I would never do that to my sister or my friends. I just have to wait until they’re ready to tell me…whatever it is. Until then, I could be patient.

  And I had a job to focus on. It was time for me to lead.

  Chapter Seven

  Oh, God. This is not what I wanted. Well, technically, it is what I wanted, but I had no idea it would be this frustrating. I suck in a deep, cleansing breath as three blondes crowd around me on a couch in the common room.

  “You are so awesome,” Maisy says for the third time. I smile in thanks, but don’t otherwise respond.

  I do not want to encourage her.

  “You already said that twice,” Angelina barks, making Maisy flinch and blush. “Sorry, Rory. She’s such an idiot, sometimes.”

  I grit my teeth together and nod at her harsh words. I have a hard time reconciling the fact that Maisy and Brooke want to be friends with a girl who constantly verbally abuses them. I’d have punched her by now, if I were them.

  “Can you show me how you braid your hair like that, Rory?” Brooke asks, and my breath catches in my throat.

  I can’t show her how I arranged my hair into two tight braids because I used magic to do this morning. I open my mouth to respond, but Angelina cuts me off—and this time, I’m thankful for her rudeness.