Wings of the Wicked - By Courtney Allison Moulton Page 0,59
I don’t regret them.”
“You’re an idiot if that’s what you think,” I said, my anger flaring. “How we feel about each other makes us stronger. It makes us fight harder for each other. You’re standing there and telling me you can’t let Michael kill you because you don’t trust anyone else to be my Guardian. Will, you’re the best not just because you’re the strongest. You protect me like no one else can because you love me. Fighting it weakens us. We’re tearing ourselves apart!”
He took a deep, quivering breath. “We can’t argue about this now. Your parents could come back.”
I could see in his eyes that he knew I was right, and still he was denying it. “Then go. I don’t want you here,” I lied.
His hands rolled into fists. “Fine,” he said sharply, trying to hide the anger in his voice. “I’ll go, but I want you to know that if he does touch you again, I will kill him, because I know you won’t do it.”
Then he vanished, and an icy breeze billowed the drapes over my open window. I squeezed my eyes shut and let myself cry.
15
I DIDN’T SEE MY DAD FOR DAYS, BUT I DIDN’T CARE if I ever saw him again. Mom had told him her decision, and he was supposed to be gone soon anyway. Already I could sense her growing relief at the prospect of him leaving, but every moment he was home, she was stiff with fear. I couldn’t stand seeing my mom so afraid. I knew my dad was physically powerless against me, the Preliator, but the pain he inflicted on my heart was crippling. I was more than ready to move on from him.
On Wednesday after school, I sat at the kitchen table with my English lit book out while I worked on a paper. During my grounding, I tried to focus my time on schoolwork so at least some good would come out of all this.
“Hey, Ell,” Mom called as she sauntered into the kitchen with a knowing grin on her face. “You got something in the mail today.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Why are you smiling like that?” I set down my notebook and got up. My mom had something white and narrow in her hand, and when I got close, I saw that it was an envelope.
“You sure you want to see it?” she said with a laugh. “It’s from Michigan Sta—”
“Give it,” I ordered, and snatched at it.
She yanked it out of my reach and high over her head. My mom, even when she was wearing flip-flops, towered over my petite height. “I thought you didn’t want it, Ell.”
“Not cool,” I grumbled as I hopped up to grab the letter. “You cheat!”
She laughed. “Oh, you’re no fun.”
She dropped her arm, and I grabbed it out of her hand. “My kind of fun just doesn’t include making fun of vertically challenged people.”
The letter in my hand was thick and addressed to me from Michigan State University. I let out a long breath, then tore open the top. I fumbled with the papers inside, surprised at the butterflies filling up my belly. This was my future, after all—if I even had a future.
I stared at the top page in shock. “Oh, my God.”
“What?” Mom peeked over my shoulder.
“I got in.” My voice was barely audible, but my shock spun into excitement. “I got in!”
My mom scooped me into a hug and squeezed me as tightly as she could, crying out unintelligible things as she kissed my cheek and hair. “I’m so happy for you!” she cried as legit tears ran down her cheeks. Was she really that surprised that I got into college? “We should do something special and fun for dinner. How about pancakes? This is a good pancakes day.”
I beamed up at her. “Thanks, Mom. I’m dying for pancakes.” I said cheerfully. “I’m so excited. Hey, do you think I could get a little time off and run around the mall this weekend with Kate and stretch my legs?”
“Sure,” she replied. “You’ve been doing so well lately, and I think it would do you some good.”
I’d gotten into college and I was going to get a relaxing day at the mall. I’d never looked so forward to anything before.
The next Saturday, Kate and I wandered around the mall, dipping in and out of stores just to look. I didn’t have any money to buy anything, but the stale mall air and the absence of