Initiation by Imogen Rose Page A

didn’t mean that he had my back. Or did it?
    Did I have his? Could I betray him? I searched myself for an answer, but found none. I guessed I wouldn’t know for sure until I was tested. I needed to know for sure. Perhaps Frau Schmelder could set up a test. I decided to ask her.
    In the meantime, I thought I should play it safe. I wouldn’t mention the feather to Jagger. Should I mention it to anyone, or just try to deal with it myself? Ugh. I decided to take a break from thinking and play tennis.
     
     
    I was a bit late, and Jagger was already waiting for me at the courts, seeming mildly bored. He perked up when he spotted me and threw me a wide grin.
    “Hey, Jagger. How’s it going with your brother? Ryker, isn’t it?”
    “Yes. He didn’t show, not yet, anyway.”
    “Oh. When was he supposed to arrive?”
    “Yesterday, with all the other Initiates. I have no idea what’s up. I guess The Smelt has contacted his mother.”
    “Do you know what his mom is? Is she a faery as well?”
    “No idea. I guess so, but who knows?” He bent and brushed his lips against mine.
    I pushed him away. “Not here! What if someone saw us and told Quinn? He’d kill you.”
    Jagger shrugged, looking bored again. “He could try.”
    “Look, I don’t need any drama, not right now. I’ve got my hands full with the trial and Faustine. So gimme a break.”
    “Whatever. Let’s play.” He dropped a ball on his racket and bounced it up and down. The ball bounced off the strings gently at first, but got progressively faster until a normal human wouldn’t have been able to see the ball at all, like the fast-spinning blades of a fan. But I could see every bounce, as if in slow motion. I gripped the butt of my racket and gently brought the head towards Jagger’s racket. While his ball was up in the air, I quickly slid the head of my racket under it and claimed the ball as it landed, bouncing off my racket. I scrunched my nose at Jagger.
    “Smarty pants!” He laughed and, quick as lightning, reclaimed the ball. He moved his arm up, so the racket was too high for me to reach.
    “Unfair!” I kicked his shin.
    The ball fell to the floor as Jagger flinched. “Ouch! You bad little demon!”
    I took off with the ball, barely able to run because I was laughing so hard. Still, I made it around the net before he body-slammed me to the ground from the opposite direction. Once again, he was on top of me. Once again, all I wanted to do was rip off his clothes.
    “Hey, what’s this? Playtime at the zoo?” Quinn’s sharp voice cut the air.
    I instinctively pushed Jagger off me, using my demon power, and he landed with a mighty thud on the other side of the court. I watched bemusedly as he got up, brushed himself off, and threw an annoyed glance my way before marching toward the main building.
    “Oops, he doesn’t look too happy,” Quinn chortled. “Why did you do that?”
    I shrugged. “Had to teach him not to mess with demons.”
    “What do you mean? Messing with you? How? I’ll teach him a lesson if he’s ann–”
    “No, no,” I interjected, before his pants caught flame. “Messing, as in trying to take my tennis ball. That’s all. Anyhow, never mind that. What’s up? Did you come looking for me?”
    “Yep. Well, The Smelt sent me. She wants to see you.”
    I checked my watch. I had to pick up Faustine soon. “Quinn, could you get Faustine from Dax’s room? I’m supposed to do that in a little while.” I gave him the directions, then made my way to the headmistress’s office.
    “Come in, Cordelia,” Frau Schmelder said when I knocked on her door. Then, she waved me to a chair. “So?”
    I raised my eyebrows in confusion, not having a clue what she wanted.
    She waved an envelope in the air. “What’s this all about?”
    “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    She pursed her lips, looking annoyed. “I’m talking about the letter you stuck to my door. At the