I knew I was at the close. I could feel my soul withering as the demon took over my body, and knew I could fight no longer. This had been a final act by the Phantom. A way to show mercy, though I was certain the leshane would give me none in the end.
I’d made my peace. After tonight, I was finally ready to join the gods.
Chapter Fourteen
Emma
Arcanea University was quiet on the Day of the Dead. I woke up expecting the Arcanea Alliance to be outside my door, just waiting to put me in handcuffs and haul me off to jail for stealing from the royal treasury.
But that morning was like any other. I turned on the news, and the burglary hadn’t even been announced… probably because the authorities wanted to keep it under wraps. It’d be no good for the king and queen’s image if a couple of vigilantes stole coin right under their guards’ noses.
Gabby and Elijah knew it had to be us, or they at least had to suspect. But Ethan was right. It didn’t matter if they knew, because with that video we had of Gabby performing dark magic, they couldn’t touch us.
I felt victory at the thought of having leverage over Gabby. What we’d done wasn’t enough to knock them off the throne, but at the very least, it was an insult. I could taunt her with the thought that we had dirt on her, and she could do nothing about it.
We’d hardly made a dent in the giant treasury. A few thousand dollars stolen out of what had to be millions. But it was enough to get those poor people off the streets.
I planned to visit my father’s grave, and drop off some flowers. Some fae chose to make the favorite dishes of their lost loved ones on the Day of the Dead, in order to draw their spirit near. Babcia had told me one of my father’s favorite things to eat was kielbasa with mashed potatoes. I planned to make a small dish and take it to his grave, so his spirit could enjoy the energy emitted by the food. At least, that was the Malovian tradition, anyway. Whether it was true or not, I really just wanted to make a meal for my dad.
Though it was hard. My brain was buzzing with brain fog as I got a box of instant potatoes down from the cupboard in the student kitchen off the Rec Room. It was here for people who wanted to cook something instead of going to the cafeteria, and was stocked with a couple of groceries. I wanted to cook actual potatoes, but my fingers ached so badly I didn’t think I could hold a vegetable peeler, so these would have to do.
I stirred the potato flakes into a pot of boiling water with a plastic utensil. I knew I had to turn the burner off, but my eyes lolled, and I wavered on the spot. My brain went blank. I didn’t think of anything at all except how tired I felt.
I was so exhausted…
“Emma!”
Delmare’s voice brought me out of it. It must’ve been minutes since I stirred the potatoes in, but it felt like mere seconds. My eyelids fluttered, and I yelped as I realized that I’d left the plastic utensil inside the pot, and the burner on. The spoon had melted into the pot, mingling with the potatoes, and the flame on the burner was so large now it was at risk of starting a fire.
I was staring right at it, watching it melt and yet not making the connection with my brain.
Delmare pushed me out of the way and rushed to shut the burner off. The whole room smelled like burning plastic and smoke. I coughed while Delmare hurried to open the window.
“What the hell, girl?” Delmare asked. She looked at the pot in disbelief. “Are you trying to burn down the school?”
“I’m really out of it,” I said. I hated how mystified my voice was.
“What were you doing?” she asked.
“I wanted to make a meal for my dad’s grave,” I moaned. “Instead I made Barbie potatoes.”
“Don’t ask me for help. You know I can’t cook,” Delmare said with a laugh.
Fuck no, she couldn’t. I’d rather eat my melted plastic than any food Delmare put her hands on. She’d tried to make Stefan a romantic dinner a couple of weeks ago. I’d told her it was a bad idea,