Chapter 25
Chapter 25
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” Cynthia stood in the doorway, looking concerned. “Is everything okay? You’re white as a spreadsheet p>
“I’m fine. It’s just… nothing, I’m fine.” I picked up the collar and
tossed it back into the drawer.
“Are you sure p>
“I’m sure.” I closed the drawer and stopped thinking about it. “Is
there something I can help you with p>
“I’ve got some gossip for you. That book your seventh and eighth graders are reading–The Nameless Oscar p>
I laughed. “It’s The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing p>
“Right. That one. A few kids in your class have been talking to their cousins in Eagle Ridge. The book’s really popular over there.” Cynthia smiled a little slyly. “Tom Tremaine is pretty annoyed with
you p>
I’d never met Tom Tremaine–but I knew he was the English teacher
in Eagle Ridge.
Eagle Ridge was the second–largest town in Tikkonnit Valley.
“Why is he mad?” I asked, though I could guess–same reason the other English teachers in Chicago had been mad at me.
“Because his students are about to mutiny. They want to know why the kids in Graytooth get to read ‘cool books‘ while they’re stuck with ‘boring books p>
Chapter 25
I couldn’t help but laugh. Tremaine’s students were probably reading “the classics p>
I appreciated those books. Liked a lot of them, even. But I knew they made a lot of kids hate reading. “Tell Tom he’s welcome to borrow my reading list anytime p>
Cynthia grinned at me. “I don’t want to make Tom any angrier than he already is.” She turned to leave. At the door, she stopped and
looked back at me. “Good work, Tessa p>
The chill inside me lightened a little. I smiled.
A few hours later, I was in the combined seventh and eighth grade
classroom, listening to students debate the meaning of character
names. I looked up from my copy of The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: The Pox Party. “Alright, who can tell me–Caitlin?
Are you okay p>
The girl was gripping the edge of her desk, her face covered in sweat. I watched as an unnatural tremor rippled under her skin–like ripples on a pond. There seemed to be a shadow beneath her skin–a non–human skeleton with fangs, claws, and glowing
golden eyes.
I blinked. The shadow was gone.
She was just a normal thirteen–year–old girl–but she was very sick.
She trembled and let out a pained groan.
I’d barely taken half a step toward her when the rest of the class moved. The four kids closest to Caitlin helped her up and hurried her out into the hallway. The other students crowded around me, backing me into the corner behind my desk.
“What are you doing?” I asked loudly, trying to push through
them–but I kept getting blocked.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Romano. They’re taking her to Mrs. Tigg–Caitlin’s
Chapter 25
aunt,” Gwen Idineltot said, wrapping her arms around my waist and
pulling me back.
She was only thirteen. Half a foot shorter than me. But she was
surprisingly strong. It took a lot of effort to break free.
“Everyone move!” I shouted. “Get out of the way!” I finally squeezed
through them and ran into the hallway. Linnea Tigg’s classroom was
right next door. The door was shut tight.
I tried to open it. It was locked. The window was covered with a color wheel poster.
I pounded on the door. “Linnea! Is Caitlin in there p>
“Yes,” Linnea replied. “I’ve got it under control. Go back to your
room p>
A strange howl cut her off.
“What’s going on?” I shouted.
After a brief silence, there were sounds of struggling–sounds that
didn’t seem human.
“It’s a hereditary condition in our family,” Linnea shouted. Her voice was tight. “I’ll handle it. If you want to help, go get Cynthia and bring
her to my room p>
Her tone was sharp. She was about to lose her temper.
As much as I wanted to kick the door down, I backed off. Turned to go back to my classroom–and found my entire class standing in the hallway, watching me. Their expressions held a kind of knowing
wariness.
They clearly knew what was happening. But they didn’t want me to
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.