Dark Nebula (The Chronicles of Kerrigan) - By W.J. May Page 0,1

for speed.

“What do you think?” Devon let go of the two suitcases and spread his arms. He looked up and down the car, a smile playing on his lips.

“Whose is this?” She tilted her head sideways, pretending to admire it, all the while trying to figure out the make of the car.

Devon laughed, “It’s mine. My dad and I made a deal. I could pick out a car I liked, and he’d pay for it.”

“I doubt your dad, the new dean of Guilder, would agree to this.” She laughed, playfully elbowing him in the ribs.

“Well, you’re half right.” He held his hands up in mock defense. “I paid for half of it with the money I made working with the Privy Council this summer. My dad offered to pay the other half. A graduation gift, he said.”

“What kind of car is it?” It looked like he had taken it right off some futuristic race track.

“It’s a Lotus.”

“A Lotus?” Rae squinted, trying to place the name.

“They make formula cars and a few road ones. It’s a Lotus Exige Cup two-six-zero.” He stood grinning like a kid in a candy store.

Big boy needs an expensive toy. Rae gently touched the black paint, careful not to let her fingernail scratch it. She half expected Devon to pull out the bottom of his shirt to buff her fingerprints out of his paint job. Instead, he just winked at her and moved to the back of the car.

Devon began loading her suitcases into the boot and back of the car. “If I recall, you only had half this amount of luggage last year.”

Rae shrugged and stretched the kinks out of her back from the long flight, ready for the drive to Guilder Boarding School. To the rest of the world, Guilder was an ultra-exclusive, all-male boarding school deep in the unpopulated English countryside, which had only opened its doors to women the previous year. What they didn't know, was that Guilder catered only to the tatùed community. Rae had successfully navigated the tricky waters of both a new school and a totally new way of life, despite being the focus of almost everyone’s attention, be it for good or ill. She actually had friends at Guilder, something she could not say of her old school in New York. It helps that everyone at Guilder’s kinda like me. Maybe not exactly like her, but enough that they had something in common. She had missed that over the summer, the sense of camaraderie. It felt good to be back— in England and with Devon. “What can I say?” She held up her palms, trying to make her face look innocent. “Molly taught me how to shop, so I took advantage of the great sales in New York this summer.” She opened the passenger door and climbed in. The expected new-car smell mingled pleasantly with the scent of expensive leather. Molly had been her roommate the previous year, and they had become best friends. “Speaking of new changes…I know we’re keeping our boyfriend-girlfriend-thing a secret,” to say any romantic relationship between tatùed individuals was taboo would be a categorical understatement, “but how come you didn’t email me a pic of the car…Or something?” Anything. Or contacted me more than twice this summer? Two short and basically meaningless emails had been his only attempt at communication. She didn’t say it, but even seeing him now didn’t erase her disappointment. Typical guy.

“I wanted to surprise you with something cool when you flew in. You know how hard it is to get a Lotus?” He leaned over and planted a quick, hard kiss on her lips before starting the engine. “Missed you. I’m glad you’re back.” He drove out of the airport and onto the motorway with precision and ease.

Either you really wanted to surprise me or you just made that up and you’re avoiding the loaded question. Rae straightened in her seat. Why do I always have to notice and question everything? I’m only making myself miserable. She forced herself to change the subject. “You just graduated last year and already you’re working for this Privy Council?” She still couldn’t grasp his job description. Maybe some sort of private eye or intern superhero? It wasn’t like he had actually answered the question either.

“Hey, what can I tell you? I aced all the tests; they offered me the job. They know at Guilder I’m acting as your mentor, so I got the green light to continue here. Your protection is one