me, she was uninjured and whole. No black scars on one hand. No bandages. No crutch.
I stepped into the kitchen and said lightly, “I can see I’ve been missed around here.”
Matt jerked away from the duplicate as if he’d been caught with his hand up her skirt.
The duplicate turned to face me. Her lips curled into a small, tight smile.
“I’ve been keeping up appearances for you because you’re so important.” From behind the kitchen island, she took out a duplicate crutch. She glanced at Matt. “Don’t worry, I’ll continue to serve as needed.”
Serving who as needed? I bit back the mean-spirited retort. Instead, saying, “Well, you can stop stealing my identity. I’m back.”
It was surreal. Like talking into a mirror, except that this reflection talked back.
Matt sighed. “Marilynn, please take off the glamour.”
The duplicate shifted back into her true form—a college-age girl with a svelte figure, straight black hair and long legs. Marilynn. The wizard school’s administrator. The one who had been crushing on Matt ever since I first met her.
“Why the clone?” I demanded.
Matt answered, “She’s a decoy. To protect you.”
Right. “Exactly how was she protecting me when I wasn’t here?” I held up a hand. “You know what? I don’t care. There’s no need for this act anymore. You can go.”
Her eyes hardened. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. Your boyfriend saw to that.”
My eyes flickered over Matt. I muttered, “As if Vane is the reason you’re at Ragnar Manor.”
She stalked towards me and the door. “I should get ready for school.”
I put a crutch out to block her. “Ryan DuLac will be going to school today. The real one.”
Marilynn looked down her nose at me. “You’re supposed to have a two-hour meeting after school to finalize everything for Prom. Think you can handle it?”
She knew I couldn’t. I had no idea what she’d been doing for two months, but I wasn’t about to cave. “I’ll figure it out.”
She smirked and sent me a “just try” look.
Once the door closed behind her, Matt pounced. “I need you to work on the Kronos Eye with me this morning.”
I ground my teeth. Standing in front of him, leaning on a crutch, looking like death warmed over, and he couldn’t bother to ask how I was doing. God, I needed a break. I said simply, “No.”
“Why?”
My appetite gone, I turned to head back to my room. “Because I need to remember why I should help you. I need to remember what’s at stake.”
And I need to remember it away from you.
***
The Land Rover swerved into the student parking lot, nearly hitting a smaller sedan. Very quickly, I was thrust back into reality. I shouted, “Grey!”
“Sorry, I was thinking about something,” he muttered.
“So was I.” I shook off the morning’s aggravating encounter with Matt.
Lately, it was one aggravating encounter after another with him.
Grey pulled up to the curb. I slid out of the SUV. Gia emerged from the back. Weighted drops of rain pelted us. Grey handed me my crutch and drove off to park the car. Gia and I hurried to get under a roof. Well, Gia hurried. I went slower to avoid stretching the muscles too far and tearing the stiches. At least my bruised ribs were healing quickly.
During first period, I watched an indoor lacrosse practice from the bench. The new coach wasn’t too thrilled with my latest injury. The team wasn’t doing so well. The co-captain’s performance (my performance) plummeted after winter break—almost as if she played like another person—and they had a brand new coach. The previous coach (Vane) had been yanked out of the country due to visa problems.
Two girls, one grunge and one cheerleader, smiled at me with too much teeth as I hobbled into history later that morning. Neat rows of desk-chairs ran from the front to the back. I took a seat at the back of the class so I could lean the crutch against the wall. My hand against the bandages on my stomach, I maneuvered myself into a seat. The girls watched me with wide eyes and whispered to each other. I was pretty sure they never talked to each other before today, but everyone knew about the attack. The local news had been quick to pick up on it.
Ramanajan, the captain of the lacrosse team, sauntered into the class. She stopped short when she saw me. Giving me a small, forced smile, she quickly took a seat at the front, far away from me. Another girl on the team,