Birthright (Residue Series #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

chest expanded and his head tilted upward , proud , now fully redeemed. The rest of us ignored him.
    My cousins and I gave the Caldwells time to find a spot in the courty ard before making our entrance; t he tension in the small, enclosed area seeming to expand rapidly.
    “Do you feel that?” asked Estelle. “Icky…” She groaned , shaking her limbs theatrically.
    Oscar laughed, seeming far less affected. “It’s running through my arms and legs.”
    “Me too,” said Estelle, openly disgusted.
    Knowing I was confused, Spencer leaned toward me and explained, “Their ability in manipulating the elements lends a heightened awareness of our environment.”
    I smiled at him, knowing I could always count on Spencer to explain something concisely.
    “What do you think’s causing it?” Nolan asked, already surveying the courtyard in case it held the answer.
    “The putrid aroma of burnt wood?” suggested Vinnia.
    “The fear of encountering Ms. Veilleux?” Spencer guessed .
    I shook my head and voiced my feeling. “No… it’s more than that.”
    As our assessment continued, Miranda, a thin girl with wavy brown hair from the same evening class as me, stopped in front of us after she hurdled a fallen beam .
    “You guys should sell tickets the next time a fight breaks out.” Her hand swept out across the destruction as a smile played on her lips.
    “Funny…” Vinnia muttered.
    “It’s the tension,” said Estelle , suddenly giving us our answer. “You’re worried we’ll fight with the Caldwells.”
    “Sure,” Miranda said , oblivious to the reason why this conclusion wouldn’t already have been reached. “And we’re not the only ones. You have special guests.”
    Her playfulness was irritating me, until I saw what she meant. As if purposely timed, one of the Vire s emerged from Ms. Veilleux’s office , heading directly for the room where my evening class was held . The moldavite on his belt buckle was sparkling bright enough to be seen across the courtyard.
    Of course, Miranda and the rest of the students here had no idea of the real reason for their arrival. Only the Weatherfords and the Caldwells were privy to it. Under the guise they were keeping the peace between two feuding families, they were actually here to ensure our families hadn’t made peace. They were also keeping a close eye on the primary suspects of their associates’ deaths.
    “Might want to be on your best behavior,” she warned , tilting her head. Though, this time, I noticed she wasn’t smiling.
    Immediately after seeing the Vire, my eyes went in search of Jameson, hoping he was safely surrounded by his family.
    Of course…he wasn’t.
    When I not ic ed all the Caldwells – except Jameson – gathered near a barren planter , my body stiffened and my eyes darted toward every dark corner … starting first with those in the Vire’s path.
    Ironically, when my eyes landed on Jameson, I found that he was searching for me just the same .
    Standing against the farthest wall, engaged in a conversation with Ms. Veilleux, our eyes met. His attention peeked beyond her shoulder, just long enough to be reassured of my safety , before promptly returning to his discussion without noticeable hesitation.
    It was not common to find a student and Ms. Veilleux conversing in private , and this particular meeting seemed even more curious. It looked like they were conferring with each other. But they weren’t the only ones. The rest of the students, huddled in clusters wherever a spot of clear and undamaged ground could be found, were also questioning the Vire ’ s presence . It seemed reasonable that Ms. Veilleux would be doing the same. I decided that Jameson was probably just filling her in.
    Ms. Veilleux sharply turned around , and with Jameson in step, headed to the center of the courtyard …or at least as close as she could get to the center considering the destruction around us.
    “Students,” she called out, shifting her black and