retort. “Until then, I was away in Europe.”
Keva’s hand falls limp in her lap. “Yes, but there were summer vacations, and Christmas holidays,” she continues with dogged determination. “I mean, surely you must know something! Did he ever wear braces? Did he get grounded often when he was little?”
“I think I need some fresh air,” I say, rushing outside.
Thankfully, she doesn’t follow me, and I manage to have a respite from the onslaught of questions. Closing my eyes, I lean against the wall and take a shuddering breath.
Surely you’re not having another panic attack because of some crazy fangirl?
“Shut up,” I say. “I don’t need your sarcasm right now.”
But I can’t deny my guardian angel’s right: her probing shows that my family only sent me away to forget all about my existence, and letting others know would be like accepting it, and that would hurt too much.
When I feel I’ve regained some composure, I open my eyes again and see, like a vision from Hell, a large shadow fast approaching, dead silent along the cobbled walls, stretching from floor to ceiling. The half-man, half-animal shape, the long, double-pointed beard, the sniffling and grunting…there’s no doubt about it.
I shriek, and dash back inside the classroom.
“Demon!” I yell. “In the hallway!”
Keva and Owen rush over to poke their heads out the door. “Where?” they ask.
“It was this close to me,” I say, bringing my thumb and forefinger together until they almost touch. “And it was making weird noises, and it had horns, and—”
A shiver courses through me as a light
clippity-clop
reverberates down the corridor. Every cell in my body’s poised for flight, but I can’t make myself leave my new friends behind, defenseless.
I try to pull Keva and Owen away from the door and the danger lurking outside. “We need to get out of here!”
Owen bursts out laughing. “You mean Puck?” He’s so incapacitated by his chortling that he has to hold on to a desk not to fall.
I look back outside to find the owner of that terrifying shadow appear around the corner, its beady eyes staring me down beneath a pair of small horns. It lurches toward us on a set of hairy hooves, its fists swinging from side to side with every step.
My hands unclench as the strange creature reaches the level of our class. Belying his gargantuan silhouette, it barely manages to reach my knees, and I do feel somewhat foolish at my initial reaction.
“Puck?” I say.
The creature looks around at the mention of his name, but otherwise doesn’t stop.
“Our resident hobgoblin,” Bri says, wiping tears from her eyes.
“Hobgoblin?” I repeat feebly.
“Another Fey type,” Owen says. “Kinda like elementals.”
Keva tsks. “Daniel, I must apologize to you,” she says. “You were right. She is just a backwater dimwit who’s been held back. There’s no other explanation for it.”
Breathe, just breathe, I remind myself.
“You really don’t look too good,” Bri says when I sit next to her.
Eyes closed, I rest my head on my books. “I’m OK,” I say, more for my sake than hers.
“It’s really not that bad,” she says.
“So you keep saying.” I straighten up. “But I thought angels had”—I flutter my hands about my sides—“wings, you know?”
Bri cocks her head. “Well, some do, of course. Just like some of them look like us, but there are some who look… different.”
“And don’t forget about those who can change shapes,” Jack says, sitting before her.
“But then, how can you tell them apart from us?” I exclaim.
I hear Daniel snort on the other side of the room. “I would think it’s rather obvious, wouldn’t you?” he says, and his two friends snicker. “Puck doesn’t exactly look human.”
“Obviously!” I snap, then point at Bri accusingly. “But she said they could look like us!”
I bite on my lip to stop myself, but I know it’s too late when I see the hurt look on
Keva’s hand falls limp in her lap. “Yes, but there were summer vacations, and Christmas holidays,” she continues with dogged determination. “I mean, surely you must know something! Did he ever wear braces? Did he get grounded often when he was little?”
“I think I need some fresh air,” I say, rushing outside.
Thankfully, she doesn’t follow me, and I manage to have a respite from the onslaught of questions. Closing my eyes, I lean against the wall and take a shuddering breath.
Surely you’re not having another panic attack because of some crazy fangirl?
“Shut up,” I say. “I don’t need your sarcasm right now.”
But I can’t deny my guardian angel’s right: her probing shows that my family only sent me away to forget all about my existence, and letting others know would be like accepting it, and that would hurt too much.
When I feel I’ve regained some composure, I open my eyes again and see, like a vision from Hell, a large shadow fast approaching, dead silent along the cobbled walls, stretching from floor to ceiling. The half-man, half-animal shape, the long, double-pointed beard, the sniffling and grunting…there’s no doubt about it.
I shriek, and dash back inside the classroom.
“Demon!” I yell. “In the hallway!”
Keva and Owen rush over to poke their heads out the door. “Where?” they ask.
“It was this close to me,” I say, bringing my thumb and forefinger together until they almost touch. “And it was making weird noises, and it had horns, and—”
A shiver courses through me as a light
clippity-clop
reverberates down the corridor. Every cell in my body’s poised for flight, but I can’t make myself leave my new friends behind, defenseless.
I try to pull Keva and Owen away from the door and the danger lurking outside. “We need to get out of here!”
Owen bursts out laughing. “You mean Puck?” He’s so incapacitated by his chortling that he has to hold on to a desk not to fall.
I look back outside to find the owner of that terrifying shadow appear around the corner, its beady eyes staring me down beneath a pair of small horns. It lurches toward us on a set of hairy hooves, its fists swinging from side to side with every step.
My hands unclench as the strange creature reaches the level of our class. Belying his gargantuan silhouette, it barely manages to reach my knees, and I do feel somewhat foolish at my initial reaction.
“Puck?” I say.
The creature looks around at the mention of his name, but otherwise doesn’t stop.
“Our resident hobgoblin,” Bri says, wiping tears from her eyes.
“Hobgoblin?” I repeat feebly.
“Another Fey type,” Owen says. “Kinda like elementals.”
Keva tsks. “Daniel, I must apologize to you,” she says. “You were right. She is just a backwater dimwit who’s been held back. There’s no other explanation for it.”
Breathe, just breathe, I remind myself.
“You really don’t look too good,” Bri says when I sit next to her.
Eyes closed, I rest my head on my books. “I’m OK,” I say, more for my sake than hers.
“It’s really not that bad,” she says.
“So you keep saying.” I straighten up. “But I thought angels had”—I flutter my hands about my sides—“wings, you know?”
Bri cocks her head. “Well, some do, of course. Just like some of them look like us, but there are some who look… different.”
“And don’t forget about those who can change shapes,” Jack says, sitting before her.
“But then, how can you tell them apart from us?” I exclaim.
I hear Daniel snort on the other side of the room. “I would think it’s rather obvious, wouldn’t you?” he says, and his two friends snicker. “Puck doesn’t exactly look human.”
“Obviously!” I snap, then point at Bri accusingly. “But she said they could look like us!”
I bite on my lip to stop myself, but I know it’s too late when I see the hurt look on
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