Mrs Donovan shakes her head. “Will someone please tell me what’s happening, or I’m going to suspend you all for the next week?”
“It was Lance’s fault,” Lucas instantly answers to my right. “He was saying nasty things about Juniper.”
My nostrils flare as I remember the words. Lucas looks at me. “I’m not sure I should repeat them in Jacobi’s presence.”
My breathing quickens, and Juniper looks at me. I’m losing control of my ability to maintain my control.
Damn, is this another side of my power?
“Just tell me, Lucas” Mrs Donovan orders.
Lucas gulps, and Juniper squeezes tighter to my hand. I yank my hand away from hers, though.
“He asked, when Jacobi’s finished with her, if he can he have a go. He assumed she’s not a virgin anymore, and if Jacobi dumped Taya for her, then her pussy must be golden.”
I don’t see or hear Mrs Donovan’s reply, because I’m on my feet and tearing apart the room. I smash the chair I was sitting on into the wall and send the headmistress’s desk flying across the room. Juniper jumps back into Lucas’s protection as Mrs Donovan looks on shocked. The anger inside me peaks again, watching Lucas hold Juniper, and stepping forwards. I rip her from his arms.
“Mine,” I growl and pull Juniper flush against my body. Why can’t I control anything? My skin tingles, and I feel like a rabid monster.
“Jacobi, I need you to sit down.”
Mrs Donovan steps closer to where I’m holding Juniper. She’s reaching her hands out in a placating manner, but I only see more red. It’s like someone has put a spell upon me, and I can’t control myself. My mind flashes back to Sebastian, and the spell on him. There’s a dark force invading Caspian Academy, and it’s making us into puppets for its own gain. But who is behind it?
Juniper whimpers in my arms. “Jacobi, please.”
She turns around and looks up at me, her eyes full of fear. I’m scaring her. I don’t ever want to do that. I can’t be responsible for putting that look in her eyes. She didn’t even have it when I changed into a Guardian in front of her.
Guardian.
That’s my way out of this.
I crush my lips against hers before running from the room.
I don’t know how long it is before I wake up in my bedroom with no memory of what I’ve done. Did I take a life or save one? Will I ever know?
When I open my eyes, it’s still light outside, and the brightness sets off a pounding in my aching head.
“Drink this?” Juniper’s voice floods into my half-conscious world.
I sit up gingerly on the bed, and she helps me to drink.
“Do you know what I did?” I instantly question.
Juniper shakes her head. “No, I didn’t follow you.”
I put my head in my hands. “I hope it was good. It was the only way I could think to stop what was happening.”
“And, what was happening, Jacobi? It was like you’d turned into some sort of monster. I didn’t recognise you. I mean, after the first comment from Lance, I can understand why you flew at him. But to completely trash Mrs Donovan’s office? It was crazy. It wasn’t you.”
I shake my head. “No, it wasn’t, and I can’t explain what happened. It felt like someone was controlling my rage, and it wasn’t me. I had a spell or something put on me. There was an aura in the room similar to the one when Sebastian died.”
Juniper’s eyes well with tears at the mention of our friend and his death. I pull her into my arms, and we settle back down on the bed together.
“It feels like someone is controlling us and our every move. They’re one step ahead of us all the time, and I can’t see us ever stopping them.” I kiss the top of her head.
“And I know exactly who it is, it’s my father.”
“He’s coming for you in a couple of days, and if he can turn me into the incredible hulk with his spells, I don’t know how I’m going to protect you from him at the tournament.”
Juniper pulls away from me and gets to her feet. She doesn’t look at me at all.
“Juni?” I can feel the tension radiating off her as she stands with her back to me. I slide from the bed, and wrapping my arms around her waist, I turn her to face me. “Talk to me.”
“You won’t be able to protect me, spells or not.”
I shake my head in confusion. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“Mrs Donovan has suspended you, pending a psychological report. She’s called your parents, and they’re waiting downstairs. They think Sebastian’s death has affected you mentally, and the headmistress can’t risk you coming back to the academy until you’ve had counselling.”
“What?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s insane. I’m not going crazy, despite everything happening to me. It’s the people around me who are causing the issues. It’s Juniper’s father and whatever plan he’s conjuring for Juni and me.
“You aren’t allowed on school property. If she sees you, she’ll call the police. Whatever happens at the tournament, I’m on my own. I’ll have to face my father alone.”
Juniper buries her head into my chest. “I’m scared, Cobi. I’m so scared. I’m not sure I’m strong enough. I don’t want to leave the academy, and I don’t want to lose you. I love you. What are we going to do?”
“Don’t go, Juni.”
“I have to,” I sigh.
“No, you don’t. You can stay away from school,” Jacobi pleads, grabbing my hand and tugging me into his body.
“Your parents are barely accepting of me staying here, and my mum is sleeping in their bedroom.” I bite down on my lip. “I really need to find us somewhere else to stay.”
His body stiffens. “You’re not going anywhere. Like I told my parents yesterday, you go, I go.”
I thread my arms around his waist and look up at him, my chin resting on his chest. “You can’t do that. They’re your parents.”
“What they are is fucking useless,” he bites out. “I haven’t listened to them or their demands for years, and you being here doesn’t change that. Anyway,” he shrugs, “this house is in my name. It was my grandfather’s, and he left it to me, not them.” He buries his nose in my hair. “I’ll kick them out before they get rid of you. There’s no one in this world more important to me, Juni.” I open my mouth to speak, and Jacobi frowns at me. “And the way I feel has nothing to do with whatever fucking possessive curse I had put on me yesterday.”
I shiver, remembering his rage. I know he thinks I was scared of him, but it’s not in the way he thinks, and I need him to understand. “The way you were yesterday,” I start, but he closes his eyes and shakes his head. “No, listen,” I command, capturing his chin between my fingers and making him look at me. “I wasn’t scared of you, I was scared for you.” He opens his mouth, but I don’t let him speak. “I was worried you were going to do something you would regret. I knew it wasn’t you.” I stare over his shoulder as I picture the events of yesterday again. “I knew something must have possessed you. It wasn’t you, but…” I break off and meet his eyes again, “even if it had been you…the real you,” I shrug, “I wouldn’t have cared.”