Bloodline Diplomacy: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel (Bloodline Academy Book 3), Lan Chan [best way to read an ebook .TXT] 📗

She didn’t give me room to decide if that was what I wanted. Instead, she pretty much shoved me out the door. As if closing it would bury the memory that my question had dredged up.

I followed her back out to the mezzanine floor. There were a few others milling about. “Where are all the kids?” I asked.

Rachel stopped short. “What kids?”

I scratched my cheek. “You know, the little kids who are part of the Sisterhood.”

She searched my face like she wasn’t sure if I was being dense or not. “You don’t know,” she said finally. I shook my head. “Take a good look in the mirror, Alessia. You’re the last member of the Sisterhood in existence.”

This was just perfect.

13

I pressed my hand to my forehead and massaged it. “How is that possible?”

“Our powers are gifted to us by Gaia. She’s been missing for almost two decades. There are no more of us. Now you know why Samantha is so desperate to have you.”

As a recruitment policy, it seemed very short-sighted. Rachel started down the staircase and I followed her.

Sean was amongst those gathered on the lower level. “The dingo is being settled in for now,” he said. “You can see him whenever you want. We’ve got him in a small run of his own. I don’t know how he’ll do with other animals.”

“You have other animals here?”

“Did you see the stables?”

“I thought that was just part of another field owned by somebody else.”

He chuckled. “We own most of this side of the coast.” He said it like it was a matter of fact.

“Ah, Alessia,” Samantha’s voice called. “I hope you’ve settled in. Let’s eat.” She breezed into the room from outside. Today she wore a one-piece turquoise jumpsuit with fuchsia ankle boots. Her fingers waved glittering jewels in the air.

Everybody trudged into the kitchen that was warmer than it had been outside. To offset the heat, all of the windows had been flung open. There was no screening on the windows, and yet there wasn’t a single fly buzzing around. I suspected magic. It would be the only sign I’d had of anything magical since I’d gotten here. It really hit home just how artificial Bloodline had been. And how different high-magic users lived their lives.

Everybody pitched in to help set up lunch. There were a few dozen people in the kitchen at once, but they all moved in a fluid rhythm that I envied. By contrast, I flattened myself against the wall beside the door and watched them.

“Here, love,” Melissa said. “Get these on the table.” She handed me two woven baskets full of little bread rolls. The scent wafting off them had my knees going weak. I’d been too nervous this morning to eat. Now my appetite was back with a vengeance. I did as I was asked and then took a seat when everyone else did so. As I sat beside Rachel and glanced around the table, I saw that she had been right. Everyone else was older than me. I caught Samantha’s eye.

She raised a glass of red wine. The others did the same. There was one sitting in front of my table setting as well.

Just to fit in, I lifted the glass. “To new friends,” Samantha said.

“To new friends,” everyone chorused. I took a sip of the wine. Maybe it was my taste buds, but it tasted like feet. I set the glass back down and concentrated on not making a face as I quickly washed it down with water. They didn’t stand on ceremony but started to tuck in. The roast chicken meal was delicious. Not any better or worse than what I’d had at Bloodline, but there was something nice about sitting around a table. Even if it was a table of strangers.

Samantha tapped the table in front of her. “We understand you brought a pet with you,” she said. “A dingo is an unusual companion.”

“I didn’t have any other choice.” I set down my knife so that I didn’t feel the need to roll it around in my hand.

“They don’t allow Earth animals in Bloodline Academy, do they?”

I shook my head. “Apparently animals are more sensitive to supernatural energy.”

“But don’t they have a million other weird monsters there?” Harlow asked.

“There are lots of supernatural species,” I corrected. She grinned, and I knew she had done it on purpose.

Since we were all here, I decided this was the best time to bring up the treaty negotiations. The way Jessica glowered said it all.

“Seems like a pointless exercise,” Sean said.

“What’s the alternative?” I countered. “Also, what’s the harm?”

I could tell he wanted to launch into a whole thing, but Samantha cut in before he could. “You must understand why we’re reluctant. Their track record hasn’t been stellar. We might not be long-lived but our memories are just as clear. The last time we had a treaty they broke it and tried to massacre us.”

I had no explanation for it. There was no excuse. “Please.” I was never going to be an expert negotiator.

Samantha blinked at me. She leaned forward. “Only if you promise to give Terran a real chance.” How did this become about me?

“Okay. Although, I haven’t technically been invited to the negotiations.”

“Of course you have,” Samantha said. “You’re one of us. Therefore, you will be there.”

“What about Terran?”

“What about it?” She looked at me expectantly.

“Shouldn’t someone stay behind to guard the place?”

I was completely confused by the laughter. The perplexed expression on my face must have alerted them to my state of mind. Samantha reached across the table and patted my hand.

“This isn’t a prison, Alessia,” she said. “We’re part of this world. We might possess powers that are unusual, but that doesn’t preclude us from living our lives.”

“You mean, I can just come and go whenever I feel like it?”

“Within reason. You’re obliged to go to your classes. We’re here to train, after all. But your weekends and free time are