Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,132

wanted to hurt me—to kill us. I think she would have done it. But I can’t help feeling that I failed her somehow. I knew what she was planning, what she was thinking. Is there something I could have done, some way I might have helped her?”

“You can’t look at it that way. You gave her every chance to change her mind.”

“Maybe.” I wasn’t ready to concede.

“On another topic, I hate to mention this, but it might be that all the loose ends aren’t tied up. Amber and Cara asked if they could come to visit you this afternoon.”

I smiled. “I don’t call them loose ends.”

“That’s not what I meant. Amber caught me between classes and told me that Cara’s dad was very curious about the details of our little adventure. I guess once he had time to process everything, he realized some of the pieces didn’t fit. I think he’s afraid that maybe you were involved in Nell’s—uh, extracurricular activities. Not as the sacrifice, but as a participant. He’s been grilling Cara and Amber about you.”

I blew out a sigh and rolled my eyes. “Geez, I can’t catch a break. If it’s not an insane wanna-be witch trying to exsanguinate me, it’s a preacher trying to burn me at the stake.”

Michael softly rubbed my shoulder. “I don’t think it’s that bad. No stakes yet. He’s just curious. Apparently he told Cara he didn’t want her spending too much time with you until he was sure about—who you are.”

“Well, when he figures it out, maybe he can let me know,” I muttered. “Between how my parents are feeling about my recent actions and my guilt over Nell, I’m not sure if I’m the superhero or the villain anymore.”

“Hey.” Michael lifted my chin to look into my eyes. “You’re neither. You’re a beautiful girl with a good heart who tries her best to help others—and if they don’t want help, there’s nothing you can do about it. More importantly, you’re the one I love—my one and only. Never forget that.”

I needed that assurance when I returned to school the following week. Although I was happy to be with Michael, I was dreading the inevitable talk and questions—both what I would hear verbally and what I’d pick up from mind-buzz.

There were curious looks and I knew people were talking, but no one approached me directly. In French, Cara was happy to see me. She and Amber had visited me over the weekend, and she hadn’t said anything about her dad or his questions. A few of her thoughts went in that direction, but there was nothing concrete. Mostly she seemed to think he was overreacting.

I was dreading Chemistry most of all. I dawdled along the walkway, timing my arrival for the last possible minute before the bell rang and sliding into my seat just as Ms. Lacusta began her lecture.

Her eyes moved over me with only the slightest change in expression, but otherwise, she didn’t react. I kept my eyes down and took careful notes. Beside me, Liza shifted uncomfortably, and in front of us, Casey, now sitting by herself, didn’t even look my way. I couldn’t help feeling the same unease they were both experiencing, and I focused on not hearing their thoughts.

At the end of class, as we all put away our books, Liza half-turned in her seat so that she was facing me. Not meeting my eyes, she said quietly, “We had no idea what—what she was planning to do. I never—if I had known—“

In the same low tone, I replied, “I know. But you suspected. You had to have wondered what was going with Amber, why Nell suddenly wanted her in the group. And you didn’t do anything about that.” I stood slowly and my hands went unconsciously to the bandages still at my neck. “It could have ended much worse than it did.”

Liza nodded, and as Casey turned, their eyes met. The troubled expressions they wore were identical. I wasn’t worried about them; without Nell to act as ringleader, I had the sense that her former friends would leave me strictly alone.

I couldn’t say the same about Ms. Lacusta. Michael had heard through the town grapevine that she had been reprimanded by the administration for being too involved with a student, but that her job was not in jeopardy. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. In my mind, she bore a great deal of responsibility for Nell’s actions; even if she hadn’t introduced the idea