Slayer (Slayer 1)

“Why, because he was your mother’s Watcher?”

She freezes. Leo stares down at the slip of paper like it’s filled with text he’s suddenly compelled to read. I can’t believe I’m doing this in front of him.

Actually, his presence is why I finally feel able to do this. He makes me stronger. Braver. I refuse to back down or explain myself. “If I don’t understand, it’s only because you never talk to me. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me your mother was a Slayer.”

Emotions battle across her features, and then finally her tight, distant expression returns. “Because it doesn’t matter. Leo, please let me know as soon as you find Cosmina. Invite her to the castle, if she’ll come.”

“What?” I shout.

They both turn to me, surprised. Eve opens her door and peers out into the hallway.

“You can’t invite her here! We don’t know anything about her! You’re the one who’s always going on about secrecy and how we can’t work with Slayers because we can’t trust them to keep our secrets safe!”

“Dublin has gotten dangerous, Nina. Would you rather me leave Cosmina vulnerable and alone?”

“Yes!” I stop, take a deep breath. “No. But, gods, are you really so desperate to replace me that you’ll find the nearest Slayer and bring her in instead?”

“That’s not what this is about.”

“That’s exactly what this is about! Well, guess what, Mom? Producing another Slayer won’t change anything. I was already Chosen. Past tense. It’s done. You might hate it, you might hate me, but like you said: It doesn’t matter.” I turn on my heel and stomp out of the fancy residence wing.

I almost run into Artemis in the main hall. Her face is flushed, sweat on her forehead. “No sign of the demon. Or Honora.”

Rhys walks past us, chipper and oblivious. “Come on,” he says. “We’re going to be late for class.”

Class? It feels almost laughable right now to behave like students when we’re already deep into real-world scenarios. “Where’s Cillian?” I ask Rhys. “He’s okay?”

“High as a kite. I left him in my room to rest. In the meantime, I’m going to class, where you can fill me in on what you and my boyfriend have been up to.” He doesn’t sound happy with me. I don’t blame him. I violated his trust and put Cillian at risk.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter.

“Class,” Rhys snaps.

It feels tremendously unimportant, but Leo didn’t follow me out of the residence wing, so I can’t train with him. I could go out and search for Doug, but Artemis is watching me, perched like a hawk ready to swoop in. And I don’t want Rhys any madder at me.

r /> “Great.” I force the words out. “Let’s go to class.”

Artemis slips into the library a few minutes after us, not sitting next to me. Her arms are folded, her lips forming a tight, stern line. Rhys is scribbling in a manner that can only be described as aggressive. Poor Imogen stumbles through her lecture on the difficulties of translating runes into verbal language.

I’m churning with anger too. Honora. My mother. Cosmina. Maybe it’s selfish of me—definitely it’s selfish of me, knowing what I do about Cosmina’s life—but I don’t want her here. First boarding school, now a new Slayer. My mother is determined to make sure I have no place in the castle.

I flip through my notes but pause when I get to my last entry. It was the prophecy translation assignment. My eyes bug out as I read it.

Child of Slayer

Child of Watcher

The two become one

The one becomes two

Girls of fire

Protector and Hunter

One to mend the world

And one to tear it asunder