Axel’s and Héctor’s hostility toward Paxton raged fiercely, but Zak tried hard to stay in the neutral zone. As the Demigod of Justice, he didn’t want the band to disassemble, despite his personal likes or dislikes.
“Can we please not get sidetracked again, lady and gentlemen?” Esme asked.
“It’s always like that when Marigold is involved,” Marie offered. “Chaos breaks free from every corner ...” She covered her mouth with a hand at the headmistress’s hard look. “Sorry, Headmistress, I didn’t mean to say that. I didn’t know what got into me.”
I grinned.
People usually got loose tongues around me.
But I disagreed with her about me being the bringer of chaos. I’d had bad luck in the past, but everything was going to change.
I’d met Héctor.
“You’ll continue your education at Half-Blood Academy in North America, Marigold,” Esme said. “We’ll pave your path to becoming a productive member of society.”
I wasn’t sure about being a productive member of society, but I played along. Words were only words.
“We’re here to help you achieve your potential,” she continued.
“That’s very nice of you,” I said, biting my bottom lip. What else could I say?
A faint smile danced in her eyes.
“You’re unlike any others, Marigold,” she said softly. “It’s not in me to waste such a talent as you. To be honest with you, we still don’t know what you are or which house you’re from. We attempted to trace back your history before you joined the Academy, but you don’t have a birth record. No one seems to know anything about you, other than the general consensus that you are crazy, feared, and trigger-happy.”
I gritted my teeth at her depiction of my reputation, and Axel chuckled.
“We talked to your former team,” Esme continued, “but they had nothing to contribute either. Their mouths are sealed like clams. Of course they’re loyal to you. But I have a hunch they don’t know much about you either. You remain a puzzle to us.”
At the mention of Circe and Jasper, a tight lump formed in my throat.
“Has my team settled down well?” I asked. “When can I visit them?”
“In three weeks,” Esme said. “They need space so they can adapt to their new environment, fit in, and find their places with their own kinds.”
I wanted to say that they were my kind, but I’d learned that there was no point in arguing.
This was our new reality now. Our lot in life was different.
“We can figure things out together,” said the headmistress. “You have great potential and we can’t wait to help you realize it....”
My thoughts jumped to the memory of the demons calling me the lost princess. If Esme and the demigods ever thought I was the “Lost One” the demons had been hunting...
A chill cut into my spine.