Dark Angel Academy (The Complete Series) - G. Bailey Page 0,25

academy all looks the same to me. We stumble down a corridor and find a door at the end, which Vesnia opens up, and we peer inside. The room has mirrored walls, and in the centre is a massive black, sleek piano.

“We had a piano at home, and I always loved playing. Watch!” I say, stumbling into the room as Ves follows, giggling away. She sits on the floor by the stool as I press a few keys before I start playing my favourite song to perfection. It’s not a song anyone would know because my mum said she learnt it from her mother, and her mother taught her before that. The song always spoke to me in the way that music can speak to everyone. No matter who you are in the world, good music always links us all. It shakes us to our core, making us feel emotions we haven’t before, and this is why I always loved it. The end part of the song makes me pick up speed on the notes, my fingers flying across the piano faster than I ever thought I could do before. As I press the last note, I sigh, letting out the joy of the memories I have with my mum teaching me that song.

I will see my parents again. It’s impossible to imagine that I won’t, and I can’t wait to see how happy they will be when they know I haven’t died. Clapping interrupts my thoughts, and I turn to see Thallon in the doorway, a big smile on his face. I glance at Ves, only to see she is fast asleep on the floor.

“When did you learn to play like that?” Thallon asks, stepping into the room.

“Erm...I...well,” I mutter.

“Sounds like erm is a good teacher,” he teases, and I blush. “But would you like me to help you carry your friend back to your room?”

“Yes, that would be great,” I say, standing up and feeling a little wobbly. Thallon notices and grins as he picks up Ves and flings her over his shoulder.

“First dark angel party, I’m guessing?” he asks, and I nod. “I always loved learning about the dark angels, and trust me, there is a reason for the parties.”

“I thought it was just to have fun,” I say, as that’s all I saw tonight.

“Then you need to look below the surface,” he suggests as we walk down the corridor. The only sound is our shoes against the stone and Ves’s snoring.

“Why don’t you have wings? Are you human or something else?” I ask, knowing the booze in my system is making me braver than I usually am.

“I never made a choice between the light and dark fire because they both call to me. I said I would choose, but it’s just never felt right over the years. Eventually, I’ve come to understand there must be a higher reason I can’t choose, and when the time is right, the light above will show me,” he beautifully says.

“It must be so beautiful to believe in something you have never seen,” I whisper, but he hears me.

“You believe in love? In trust? In hate and in lust? These are things we can never see, but we know they are real. My belief in the light above and his plan for us is the same,” he gently tells me.

“Then you are stuck here,” I reply, crossing my arms from the chill of the academy in the middle of the night. I’m so glad I can have a lie-in tomorrow and not have to worry about waking up early for class.

“For a reason, yes. Tell me, have you figured out what you want to do with your life yet?” he asks.

“I’m eighteen and currently had a weird year, so nope,” I answer, making him laugh. Gosh, he has a sexy laugh.

His lips twitch in amusement. “Thank you,” he tells me, and I stare in horror as I realise I must have said the sexy laugh thing out loud. To my great relief, we get to the top of the staircase to our rooms, and Ves chooses then to wake up as Thallon carefully puts her down.

“Thank you for the lift, sexy gardener guy,” she mumbles and then walks shakily down the stairs.

“I should go and make sure she gets into bed and there is a glass of water waiting for her to wake up to,” I say, and Thallon nods.

“Tomorrow I need help with the gardens. I know it’s your first