Sebastian however, was quicker than me and stopped the brown liquid with his magic, before it reached the end of the table. He then made the soda disappear completely, leaving only a half-empty, still-foaming can. He looked up at me with a quizzical expression, but I laughed it off nervously and took my seat once again.

“Eden, you forgot again,” Avalon teased through gritted teeth. “She was raised human, did you know that?” He addressed Sebastian by giving him far more details than I ever would have, until I realize what Avalon saved me from doing…. If we would have shaken hands he would have gotten to feel my magical imprint. I knew it was impossible for him to recognize a similarity between me and either one of my parents since they had been missing for over one hundred and fifty years. But better to be on the safe side. I quickly took my half eaten-croissant back from Avalon and busied my hands with holding it. "I'm Avalon St. Andrews by the way," Avalon introduced himself to Sebastian, who only stared back suspiciously.

“Avalon, you say 'humans' like it’s a bad thing,” I laughed casually, trying to hide my nerves.

“Humans? How is that possible?” Sebastian once again searched my eyes deeply in a way that I suddenly found invasive.

“Her parents both died of the King’s Curse, or so we assume because she was abandoned in the woods. A hiker found her and then when no one came to claim her, she kept her. Eden didn’t even know she was Immortal until she came to this school,” Avalon told the story dramatically and I couldn’t help but smile at my overly expressive brother.

“That’s unfortunate,” Sebastian’s eyes continued to narrow in suspicion, but he maintained a friendly smile. “So if you didn’t know you were an Immortal, how did you end up at Kingsley?” Sebastian specifically addressed me, even turning his body to exclude Avalon.

“A…. Principal Saint found me, I mean he didn’t find me of course, but he followed my progression in the papers and had his own suspicions, I mean his own thoughts on me. I kept um…. breaking things before I knew the truth. I guess once he figured it out, he talked my aunt, I mean not my aunt, my guardian, into sending me here. She thinks this is just a school for the gifted,” I babbled nervously.

“Lucky for you Principal Saint was there to help you,” Sebastian said coldly.

“Yep,” is all I managed.

“So your friend, I mean I was told she was your friend, the Shape-Shifter, where is she today?” Sebastian pried, inching closer to me. I dropped my napkin onto the floor casually and bent down to pick it up, while doing my best to move, discreetly away from him.

“Her name is Lilly,” I said a little snottier than I intended.

“Where is Lilly?” he corrected, with renewed politeness.

I glanced at Avalon who smiled congenially in our direction, but was telling me to be vague inside of my head.

“I wish I knew,” I responded, hoping this would be all the answer Sebastian needed.

“What do you mean? Isn’t she your friend? Aren’t you the one who interrupted her trial claiming she was innocent or something along those lines?” Sebastian looked at me pointedly and I took a big bite of chicken salad to cover my nervousness, nodding my head as if I were embarrassed.

“She heard her mother has come down with the Curse, I think she is hoping to be able to visit them.” Avalon spat out suddenly and then shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Stupid right? Girls and their sentiment,” he grunted rudely and if I didn’t know my brother so intrinsically, I would have believed his arrogance.

“That is stupid,” Sebastian agreed, although I was not sure he was entirely convinced. “She’ll probably find herself locked back up. Well, that’s why they are the ones in hiding, right?” Sebastian looked at me for approval.

“Ha. Damn right,” Avalon played patriotic and prejudiced, slamming his fist on the table and revealing one of his many tattoos. I just nodded my head enthusiastically, biting off more than I could chew of what was left of my sandwich.

“Cousin, join us please,” Kiran called from across the lunch room. He sounded enthusiastic and looked like he really did want Sebastian to join him. I found that strange because all I wanted was for Sebastian to un-join us. But I supposed they were cousins. Kiran probably really did like him. I smiled through a mouthful of food and kept nodding my head as if to say he should go.

“If you will excuse me then,” he smiled apologetically at me. “It was a pleasure to meet you Eden. You are even more exquisite than they say,” I realized I had never given him my name, and before I could respond he bent down and kissed my cheek. I sat stunned realizing he had finally accomplished his goal of touching my skin and also embarrassing me. He had been able to memorize my magical imprint. He turned around swiftly and left us staring after as he made his way to Kiran’s table.

“Damn it,” Avalon said softly, but menacingly, under his breath. “Well, I guess we have our answer.”

“I guess so.” I replied, while rubbing my cheek roughly where Sebastian’s lips had just been. I stared after him as he joined Kiran's table, where he fit in flawlessly.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on him,” Avalon mumbled, appearing to lose his appetite and simply push the remainder of his lunch around his plate with a half-eaten pickle. I could see the wheels turning in Avalon’s head and I heard his thoughts deciding which Resistance members he would send.

“I think he’s having those same thoughts, Avalon,” I said in a small voice, realizing for the first time that Sebastian’s presence at Kingsley made me more than nervous. I was afraid.

Chapter Six

“Eden,” a strained whisper beckoned me into the theater the next morning at school. I recognized Kiran’s voice and obeyed immediately. Sending a thought to Avalon and instructing him to continue on to class, lest anyone get suspicious. I ducked into the theater and found Kiran just inside the double doors.

First things first, he pulled me into his arms with a passionate kiss. I gave in immediately, letting his mouth press against mine, relishing the stolen moment. I pushed Kiran’s back against the clothed wall and tangled my hands in his tussled hair. He pulled me closer with a firm hand on my lower back, his other hand getting lost in the tangles of my own hair.

Eventually he tried to pull back, remembering there was a reason he called me in there, but I refused to relinquish my hold, pulling his neck down once again. He didn’t resist and I found his lips strongly against mine once more. My shirt came un-tucked and his fingers found their way underneath the hem and on to my lower back. It was the first time Kiran had been brave enough to touch my usually-hidden skin so boldly and it made me only want him more.

I pressed my body closer to his, kissing him even more fervently than before. My hands tugged at the hem of his shirt, and then slipped underneath, until I felt his skin hot against my hands. Our passion was illuminated in a swirling cloud of mingled magic surrounding us.

Outside the theater doors several girls walked by laughing and talking loudly. We were suddenly several feet away from each other, doing our best to recover our composure. Kiran’s hands worked swiftly to re-tuck his shirt and straighten his tie, while mine struggled to regain the length to my skirt and smooth out my own shirt. I saw him smile adoringly at me even in the darkness, and returned it with my own version of a shy smirk.

“You’re awfully brave,” he teased, but the look in his eyes told me he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“There’s just something about those lips,” I replied coyly, walking over and giving him the smallest, but sweetest kiss I could restrain myself with.

“Stop distracting me,” he whispered sweetly, while pulling me into his arms again. The passion between us threatened to ignite, and I forced myself to remember he probably had a purpose in calling me in here. “I need to know what my cousin wanted at your lunch table yesterday,” he was suddenly matter of fact, making the anxiety from yesterday fresh in my mind.

“He was asking about Lilly, but seemed interested in me, Kiran. Why is he here?” I asked, letting the tension slip into my voice, not on purpose, but it was there all the same.

“I am not entirely sure. His interest in Lilly is perfectly natural, especially from someone in my family. I’m sure it’s nothing. He is obviously wondering what all the fuss was about I'm sure. And I know his mother was not happy with my father for sending me stateside. So he could be telling the truth about that, too. Where is Lilly, by the way? ” he asked, calmly dismissing my fears. “Did you know he was coming?” I returned to the subject carefully, not willing to lie to Kiran so early in the morning.

“No, I didn’t, which doesn’t exactly mean anything. He says his mother wants him to go to school with me, and I believe him. Like I said, she was more than upset at my father for leaving Sebastian behind.” Kiran tried to sound confident, but I could see him thinking deeply about this. “If father sent him, then he is only curious. If he truly suspected your identity, he would have sent more than Sebastian. Believe me, and he would have done it a lot sooner than now. We will just have to be more careful than ever. That includes not getting caught in the theater,” he reproached playfully and then kissed my ear sweetly.

“I suppose you’re right,” I mimicked his accent, before turning to kiss him on the mouth. “Besides,” I continued, returning to my deadpan lack of an accent, “we both know that Mr. Lambert is going to welcome your arrival to class no matter how late you are, and I will be blamed entirely for it. He will probably tell you I’m a bad influence on you,” I said dramatically as we exited the theater.

“Aren’t you though?” Kiran teased and we both laughed or rather giggled at each other until we made it out into the hall and found Sebastian wandering around the lobby. We both stopped dead in our tracks. Neither one of us able to come up with a sound excuse we suddenly felt that we owed Sebastian.

“We were just, um, we were just….” Kiran stammered. I recognized his flare in magic and his instinctive need to protect me.

“It’s all right, cousin,” Sebastian assured us soothingly, “Your secret’s safe with me.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes and gave him a menacing, evil look.

“No, it’s not; I mean there’s no secret. Eden sometimes forgets to use her magic and then she lets it build up and then she has to release it and she usually does so in the theater. I was actually looking for Talbott. We just happened to bump into each other,” Kiran explained quickly, but with confidence. “Where is he anyway? Have you seen him, Sebastian?” Sebastian shook his head negatively and I watched his smile diminish ever so slightly, but the suspicion in his eyes was unmistakable.

I began walking towards class, leaving Kiran behind me. I didn’t acknowledge him anymore, hoping to prove Kiran’s excuse.

“Is that true, Eden? Sometimes you forget to use your magic?” Sebastian was by my side in a moment, walking up the marble stairs to English.