students—”
The truth of his words rang in my ears but didn’t smother doubt about whether or not I was making the right decision in helping him. “You’re right, I do.”
Cheney’s laughter filled my car. “First you thank me. Now I’m right? Don’t apologize, or I might fall over dead. I might like your human half better.”
I smiled despite myself. The heat in his gaze made my lungs constrict, so I continued to focus on the road. “It was insightful, that’s all.”
“I’ve had a long time to think about it.”
“Am I like I was then?”
“Part yes, part no. You seem a lot more at peace with the world now than you used to be. I don’t see quite as much of the rebel in you these days.”
“If I awaken my power, what will happen? Will I remember everything? Will I change?”
“I don’t know exactly. I’ve never paid much attention to changelings. It’s possible it could all come back to you with the spell—that’s what I am hoping for. Or you may remember things in pieces as your mind processes. Memories can only be suppressed for so long, especially if there are triggers.”
“But will it change me?”
“Everything we do changes us.”
I sighed, hating the political answer. How could I trust anything he said when he just wanted to use my power too? “I’m not sure if I want any of this.”
Cheney didn’t respond, and I didn’t try to keep the conversation going. Instead I thought about what I had learned. The last couple days drifted through my mind.
Oh crap,Michael .
I was so preoccupied that I’d forgotten all about him—never even called. He probably hated me and would call off the engagement. I ignored the hopeful trickle at the thought. I dug my phone out of my pocket. I had missed calls from him and from the girls. I called Michael back first since he was the one I had promised to call.
“Hello.”
“It’s Selene. I’m so sorry I missed your call last night. Things just . . . came up.”
Cheney scoffed in the next seat, and I gave him a threatening look.
“I figured you were probably tired after being at the hospital all day. How’s your grandmother?”
Cheney looked at me as if he was going to steal the phone again.
I leaned toward my door. “She’s doing much better.”
“It sounds like you’re in the car.”
“Uh yeah, I’m coming home.”
“Great! Can I see you tonight? We can have dinner.”
Cheney flushed and turned toward the window, his knuckles on his clenched hands turning white.
“Uh, no. I don’t think I can make it. I’m exhausted and I need to work some. Rain check?
“Absolutely. I missed you.”
Cheney’s head swiveled back to me, his eyes drilling holes into me. Could he hear Michael?
My cheeks warmed. The words “I miss you, too” caught on my tongue and wouldn’t come out. “I’m sorry, I really have to go. Traffic is picking up. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
“Oh . . . Well, talk to you later.”
I ended the call, face still burning. “What’s your problem? I think we need to set some ground rules if this is going to work. You can’t flip out every time I talk to my fiancé.”
“What is my problem? What is your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem. I forgot to call him back until now. It wasn’t like you were talking to me, and it wasn’t fair to make him worry. Where do you get off looking at me like that?”
“Nowhere, of course. Why should I be allowed to have feelings about anything, princess? We all know the whole entire universe revolves around you and your perfect little idea of how the world should be.”
“Revolves around me?” Both my hand flew up and my foot pressed down on the accelerator, but I didn’t notice. I was furious. “Oh, that’s rich. This is as much about you as it is about me, Cheney.”
He lunged toward me, and I threw myself back so hard I hit my head on the window. I waited for the attack, but it never came. He was steering the car, weaving in and out of
The truth of his words rang in my ears but didn’t smother doubt about whether or not I was making the right decision in helping him. “You’re right, I do.”
Cheney’s laughter filled my car. “First you thank me. Now I’m right? Don’t apologize, or I might fall over dead. I might like your human half better.”
I smiled despite myself. The heat in his gaze made my lungs constrict, so I continued to focus on the road. “It was insightful, that’s all.”
“I’ve had a long time to think about it.”
“Am I like I was then?”
“Part yes, part no. You seem a lot more at peace with the world now than you used to be. I don’t see quite as much of the rebel in you these days.”
“If I awaken my power, what will happen? Will I remember everything? Will I change?”
“I don’t know exactly. I’ve never paid much attention to changelings. It’s possible it could all come back to you with the spell—that’s what I am hoping for. Or you may remember things in pieces as your mind processes. Memories can only be suppressed for so long, especially if there are triggers.”
“But will it change me?”
“Everything we do changes us.”
I sighed, hating the political answer. How could I trust anything he said when he just wanted to use my power too? “I’m not sure if I want any of this.”
Cheney didn’t respond, and I didn’t try to keep the conversation going. Instead I thought about what I had learned. The last couple days drifted through my mind.
Oh crap,Michael .
I was so preoccupied that I’d forgotten all about him—never even called. He probably hated me and would call off the engagement. I ignored the hopeful trickle at the thought. I dug my phone out of my pocket. I had missed calls from him and from the girls. I called Michael back first since he was the one I had promised to call.
“Hello.”
“It’s Selene. I’m so sorry I missed your call last night. Things just . . . came up.”
Cheney scoffed in the next seat, and I gave him a threatening look.
“I figured you were probably tired after being at the hospital all day. How’s your grandmother?”
Cheney looked at me as if he was going to steal the phone again.
I leaned toward my door. “She’s doing much better.”
“It sounds like you’re in the car.”
“Uh yeah, I’m coming home.”
“Great! Can I see you tonight? We can have dinner.”
Cheney flushed and turned toward the window, his knuckles on his clenched hands turning white.
“Uh, no. I don’t think I can make it. I’m exhausted and I need to work some. Rain check?
“Absolutely. I missed you.”
Cheney’s head swiveled back to me, his eyes drilling holes into me. Could he hear Michael?
My cheeks warmed. The words “I miss you, too” caught on my tongue and wouldn’t come out. “I’m sorry, I really have to go. Traffic is picking up. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
“Oh . . . Well, talk to you later.”
I ended the call, face still burning. “What’s your problem? I think we need to set some ground rules if this is going to work. You can’t flip out every time I talk to my fiancé.”
“What is my problem? What is your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem. I forgot to call him back until now. It wasn’t like you were talking to me, and it wasn’t fair to make him worry. Where do you get off looking at me like that?”
“Nowhere, of course. Why should I be allowed to have feelings about anything, princess? We all know the whole entire universe revolves around you and your perfect little idea of how the world should be.”
“Revolves around me?” Both my hand flew up and my foot pressed down on the accelerator, but I didn’t notice. I was furious. “Oh, that’s rich. This is as much about you as it is about me, Cheney.”
He lunged toward me, and I threw myself back so hard I hit my head on the window. I waited for the attack, but it never came. He was steering the car, weaving in and out of
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