“You said you had a pet rabbit as a kid that looked just like this guy. What was its name?”
Erin reaches out a tentative hand, and the al mi’raj sniffs it. “Charles,” she says after a long moment.
“Cute. You wanna call this guy Charlie?”
She laughs. “Sure. Who’s a good boy, Charlie?”
The al mi’raj’s ears flick before it waddles closer and climbs onto her lap.
I couldn’t even make it a day without attacking Piers again. Something ignited inside me yesterday. It’s more than Helsing’s words, more than the run-in with Mason Dagh
er and my subsequent beating of the son that bears his name.
And then, even more so, in the moments after.
Owen … he’s already gotten his comeuppance. Any revenge I take against the others wouldn’t equal what he’s having to go through. I wouldn’t wish his condition on anyone, and I’m certainly not happy that it happened to him.
And then there’s Bennett. He hasn’t suffered like Owen, but something inside me won’t let me hate him. He might be nearly seven feet tall, but everything he’s ever done was out of loyalty to his friends. I can’t fault him for that. Well, maybe just a little.
But Piers and Sawyer?
Even Sawyer, as great as his betrayal, acted out of love.
But Piers …
Piers.
That is where my true enemy lies.
I grin. I know where to start, and it’s where I’ve already begun. Piers is going to get what he deserves, and these last two days were only a taste.
Sawyer doesn’t say anything to me as we walk together back to Professor Rodriguez after class. In fact, he avoids my gaze entirely, which suits me just fine. I don’t want to talk to him, either.
“I’ve gotten your detention all set up,” Rodriguez says, leading us to a little office inside the menagerie. He sits down behind a plain wooden desk and grabs a folder. “Tonight, you’ll go with one of the local hunters to investigate a church.”
I perk up. I expected more stall mucking, but this doesn’t sound like a punishment to me.
Apparently noticing my enthusiasm, Rodriguez smirks. “This isn’t an actual hunt, Miss Black. The villagers are just superstitious. They’re always saying there’s demons in the church, but there aren’t. Even so, we send someone every now and then to take a look, if just to appease them.” He leans back in his chair. “In short, it’s a huge waste of time.”
It’s still not mucking out stalls.
“David will pick you up in two or three hours out front. If you don’t show, there will be consequences.”
As one, Sawyer and I turn to leave. Before we go, Rodriguez calls after me.
“One moment, Avery.”
I stiffly turn back to face him as Sawyer walks free. “Yes, sir?”
“Your behavior lately is troubling,” he says seriously, leaning forward. “One more infraction like this, and you’ll end up on probation.”
My stomach drops. Students on probation aren’t allowed to go on hunts, and our first one is coming up soon. The Christmas break hunt is the first real hunt that second-year students plan out and execute themselves. It’s a huge opportunity. I’m not going to miss it.
“You’re a good student, Avery,” Professor Rodriguez continues. “I’d hate for you to miss out. And I’d hate for you to get expelled, but that’s the way you’re headed if you keep this up.”
I nod. “Thank you for the advice, sir.”
Rodriguez nods back, and I turn and walk out of his office, my mind buzzing. I admit it begrudgingly, but Erin and Luiza were right—I have to dial it back. I have to find a more constructive way to deal with this anger, this thirst for revenge.