“That is quite enough.” Lady Magdalina stood between the two of us. I could feel red-hot energy radiating from her shield as it remained between Zander and I. “Prince Ethan, you shall go one way, and Mister Hengar, you will go the other. If I see you two dueling again on school grounds, there will be extreme consequences. I am tired of my students turning this university into a boxing ring.”
Zander shifted back, though he threw a resentful look at Magdalina… which he quickly rearranged when her sharp eyes hooked his. Oren had scuttled off. I forced myself into my human form and turned my back on Zander before I changed my mind.
The conversation in the hallway resumed, though it was muddled and confused. I busied myself on getting out of there as fast as possible.
I didn’t feel free until I’d burst onto the rooftop. The rain had stopped, though the roof under my feet was a frozen sheet of ice. The chill in the air cooled my hot head. I saw Emma standing by the bench, nerves abounding.
“Did you take care of them?” she asked.
“I made it clear we won’t be bullied, before Magdalina interfered,” I began. “But we’ll have to be careful from now on. If they’re poking around, Eli’s on the trail.”
Emma bit her lip. “That’s why I’m so worried.”
“You clearly had something in mind.” I crossed my arms. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”
Emma pulled her coat around her. “I know the stones come first. But we have to do something to help the people of Malovia. Things are getting worse out there.”
“I haven’t been paying attention to the news.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows narrowed. “That’s not like you.”
I wanted to tell her it was because I couldn’t turn on my phone without another headline featuring her and Finlay, but that was only partially it. Reading the papers only made me feel more helpless than I already was these days. “I just needed a break for some time. What’s going on?”
“His policies are nuts. I think he knows we’re the ones who set those monsters loose from the warehouse. He’s taking it out on the people,” Emma said. “Many are starving. He’s cut off all the housing programs that provide assistance to poor families. There are more homeless on the streets of Dolinska than there ever have been before. The taxes on the lower class have been raised so high, no one can afford to keep up with their bills. It’s like he’s changing this country overnight.”
“That is his prerogative, to grow his army.” Gods, my cousin was such a joke. A joke that was going to get us all killed.
Emma’s words were hedged. “Maybe the Phantom could do something about it.”
I scoffed. “The Phantom doesn’t help anyone but himself. Get real, Emma.”
Her cheeks flushed. “That’s a load of bullshit. I don’t care what bad he’s done— the Phantom can be used as a force of good, if you would just let him be!”
We were arguing again. Apparently, it was a favorite pastime of ours. “You wanted me to give up the Phantom forever, and now you want him to continue his work? I’d be appreciative if you’d make up your mind.”
Her face turned as red as her hair. “It’s obvious the Phantom is a part of our lives now. He’s not going anywhere. Instead of getting rid of him altogether, why not turn him into something positive? A hero instead of a killer?”
“My life! My. life. Not yours,” I growled. “You have no part in what the Phantom does.”
“This isn’t the real you!” Emma shot out. “The old Ethan wouldn’t just… sit on his ass and watch the world go by without him!”
“Perhaps I’ve changed!”
“Yes! Perhaps you’ve become scared of your own shadow!” she screamed.
Things changed then. My temper burst. It didn’t take much these days. I was going to scream something else at her, probably something personal that would hurt.
But that’s not what happened. It only took seconds for the leshane to take over. I went from myself to him in a matter of moments. I’d left the door wide open in my anger, and he had taken control. I knew he’d come fully into my body as Emma gasped. The color drained from her face as I felt my eyes turn red, teeth sharpen.
The demon went to attack, but Emma reacted first. She flung out her hand and a binding spell wrapped itself around my body, pinning my