Spearwood Academy Volume Three (The Spearwood Academy Book 3) by A.S. Oren Page B

rushes around me, and my folded arms press even harder into my chest. I can’t move my upper body. An unseen force pulls me back toward the guys, and I land against someone’s chest. Their arms go around my waist and manipulate my body to turn around and face them. Bullock stands in front of me. Even in the dark, the smirk is evident on his face.  “You aren’t going anywhere, Miss Clementine .” He drags out the ‘Clementine’ just to piss me off.
    “My name is Avalon Roseman,” I growl.
     
    ‘ No, your name is Avalon Clementine!’ my voice yells in my head.
     
    “I’m not named after some dumb fruit!” I mumble.
     
    ‘ Avalon, you moron, means Island of Apples. It is also a derivative of the Welsh word Afal, which means apple. Obviously you’ve never cared to know what your name means. You’re named after two dumb fruits. Congratulations!’ counters my voice.
     
    ‘This can’t be happening. I’m not having a conversation with a voice inside my head.’
     
    ‘Yes you are. Dante helped me get some of my traction back. I may not be able to control my own body anymore, but I can annoy the shit out of the thing that is.’
     
    “What’s wrong with her? She looks constipated,” Lusk says .
     
    My head snaps in his direction, and I send him a glare. I fight against the invisible binds, but nothing loosens. “What did you do to me?”
     
    “I worked the air to bind you like a lasso. Lucky for me, you don’t know how to undo it.”
     
    “I knew you were gifted with air magic, but you never did anything like this.”
     
    “We don’t know each other, so don’t assume you know me at all. The Ancients cast a spell over me to lock my powers. I could only use them to a degree. Here, in the tunnels, their magic can’t reach me. I’m more powerful than you think.”
     
    ‘Wow, I had no idea. Glad I’m around to hear this.’
     
    ‘I did not hear that. I’m not crazy.’
     
    ‘ You may not be crazy, but I’m still here.’
     
    “We should get moving again. We still have several miles to go before we can rest for the day, and we still haven’t entered the territory of the outcasts who live down here. Are you good to move again, now that I have her under control?” Bullock Dante asks.
     
    I struggle with the binds again, but nothing sets me free. “I will not forgive you for this, Bullock!”
     
    ‘ I will. At least someone has got your whiney ego under control.’
     
    “Shut up!” I snap. I so did not mean to say that aloud. My cheeks heat up. I can tell that their heads are turned in my direction.
     
    “Who are you talking to?” Amr asks.
     
    I keep my mouth shut. ‘I’m not going to dignify them with a response. I’ll ignore all of them. The voice in my head included.’
     
    ‘Ha! I’m going to drive you mad. Perhaps I can cure myself without the help of this Sea Witch? I hope I don’t have to trade my soul in exchange for her help.’
     
    We walk again. Bullock pulls me behind him like a slave through the desert.
     
    ‘ It’s nowhere near that bad, Drama queen. I hope you like ride along music! 999 bottles of beer on the wall—’

The Outcasts of New York
     
    ‘ 500 bottles of beer on the wall! 500 bottles of beer! I can’t believe I’ve gotten this far down. I usually give up after the first 900. Take one down and pass it around.’
    ‘Please shut up.’
    ‘Not a chance. It’s weird, being in this state; gives me an abundance of energy.’
    “We’re coming up on the Outcast territory. Let me do all the talking.”
    None of the guys object to Bullock taking the lead, but I can’t help but wonder who died and made him leader.
    ‘Well, if you want to get technical, I did, sort of. I’m not dead, just suppressed. Roseman didn’t do a very thorough job. He created you, yes, but he left all these loose ends floating around, and he didn’t destroy me, so why did he get into my head in the first place? What was his motive? I don’t think it was to make