Sorry it was ruined.â
âRuined?â
âIs there a problem, Miss Monroe?â
I turned around to see one of the assistant principals, Mr. Abbot, standing behind me, looking from me to Will.
âWho is this young man?â Mr. Abbot asked, clearly seeing that Will was not a high school student. His accusing gaze lingered on the tattoos covering Willâs arm. To him, the tattoos must have been a sure sign of delinquency.
âA friend,â Will said. âI stopped by to bring some of Ellieâs homework she had forgotten at my house.â
Mr. Abbot looked questioningly at me. âIs this true?â
I nodded. âYes, sir. Itâs okay.â I didnât know why I was covering for him. Maybe his craziness had rubbed off on me like a bad cold, or something worse.
He turned to Will. âYoung man, Iâm going to have to askyou to leave campus. Youâve done Ellie a good service by bringing her homework. However, as you are not a student and have not signed for a visitorâs pass, youâll need to be on your way.â
Will nodded. âThatâs fine. Iâll say my good-byes and go.â He stared intently at Mr. Abbot, refusing to budge. Strangely, my assistant principal made a peculiar face before he turned and left. âEllie, will you talk to me after school?â Will asked me.
âNo way,â I said, turning my back to him.
He stepped around me so that we were face-to-face. âIf you donât, then you wonât know how to call your swords and you wonât be able to defend yourself.â
I felt a shiver crawl up my spine as his eyes bored into mine, locking our gazes, his voice low and downright invasive. âWas that a threat?â I asked cautiously.
His expression gave nothing away. âTheyâll come for you.â
That shiver turned into a brutal stab of fear straight into my gut. My pulse quickened and I pursed my lips together when I felt heat rushing into my face.
âNow that Iâve woken your powers, youâre fair game to the reapers. Youâre at your most vulnerable, and this is when theyâll strike.â
I took a deep breath. âIf you donât leave me alone, Iâm going to scream for security and theyâre going to call the cops.â
He watched me for a few moments. His jaw was clenchedtightly and he sucked in his upper lip in frustration. âIt takes a while for your memory to return sometimes, but itâs never been this bad before. I know youâre having the nightmares. Youâve always had them when youâre ready to face who you are. Of course, the last time I saw youâthe real youâwell, that was more than forty years ago. You were gone for twenty-eight years.â
My throat tightened.
He flashed me that astonishing smile, only this time it held something different, something secretive. âHappy birthday, by the way. Iâm sorry I didnât say that last night, but I have a gift for you. You passed out before I could give it to you.â
Will pulled something out of his pocket and held out his hand. On his palm lay a pendant shaped like a pair of white wings hanging on a gold chain. The necklace was gorgeous, ethereal, the wings so brightly white that they shimmered and appeared to glow in the light. When I blinked, the glow was gone.
âWhat is this?â I asked, marveling at the winged pendant.
âItâs always been yours,â he said, lifting my hand and placing the necklace on my palm. âSince before I knew you. It never tarnishes or fades. Always the same. Always permanent even when fate takes so much away.â He gently closed my fingers around the pendant, his warm hands lingering a moment too long. âIâll talk to you soon.â
Will turned and left. I opened my hand to stare at thebeautiful necklace. Brushing my fingers across the wings, I couldnât decide what it was made of. The pendantâs
Learning to Kill: Stories