Caged (Talented Saga) Read Online Free PDF

from the boy who’d broken my heart. I could hear the soft murmur of Donavon and the woman conversing, but their words were indistinguishable over buzzing between my ears. A loud, satisfying crack filled the morning air, followed by two strangled yelps as a large limb landed a foot from where Donavon and the woman stood. Pausing briefly to relish in my childish antics, I smiled, continuing to walk away. Maturity had never really been my strong suit.
    Instead of going to my next class, I ran to the Headmistress’ office. I barely noticed the lush green lawn or perfectly manicured flower beds that decorated the School’s grounds. I could not believe that Mac had done this to me – what was he thinking? Force an interaction between me and Donavon? Was he crazy? Mac was the one who’d continually insisted that my mental state was fragile; what made him think that being around Donavon was a good idea?? Donavon’s betrayal had nearly destroyed me, and now when I was more vulnerable than I’d been in my entire life, Mac was forcing me to relive that pain. What was wrong with him? I continued my mental rant the entire way to the administration building.

 
    Chapter Four
     
    I pushed the wooden door open with more force than necessary, and it gave a satisfying bang as it hit the door jam. The secretary seated behind a sleek wooden desk jumped when I entered.
    “Can I help you, dear?” she asked, with a sickeningly pink lipsticked smile.
    “Is Janet in?” I practically growled at her.
    “You mean Headmistress Evans, dear?” she replied, her pleasant demeanor becoming disapproval.
    “Yeah, whatever. Is she in?” I demanded.
    “Is she expecting you, dear?” The smile remained plastered to her face, but suspicion clouded her brown eyes. My temper was already bubbling over and her condescending tone made me want to throttle her.
    Whoa, Talia. Calm down, she’s just a secretary , I warned myself. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pinched the bridge of my nose and took three deep breaths before answering. Seizures weren’t the only lingering effect of my trip to Nevada; my temper had developed a hair-trigger since the ordeal, although that was more likely a byproduct of cabin fever.
    I replaced my scowl with a near manic smile of my own. “I would imagine she is expecting me,” I replied as calmly as I could manage.
    “Your name, dear?” Ugg, stop effing calling me dear!
    “Talia, Talia Lyons.” Pink Lipstick pushed a button on her console. I heard a buzzing noise and then the secretary lifted a handheld unit and spoke into it.
    “Excuse me, Headmistress Evans?” she asked. She paused as Janet replied a greeting.
    “There is a student here to see you, ma’am. She claims to have an appointment.” Pink Lipstick paused again. “Ms. Lyons,” she answered.
    Awesome, she thinks I’m a student.
    “Yes, madam, Talia Lyons,” the secretary said firmly. The secretary’s face flushed as Janet admonished her for making me wait.
    Janet’s secretary didn’t appear to be more than late forties at best, but her hearing must already be failing if she kept the volume turned up loud enough that I could hear both sides of the conversation from across the desk. She quietly replaced the handheld unit, looked up and gave me another big pink smile. “The Headmistress will see you now.”
    Marching past the secretary’s desk, I twisted the large brass doorknob below the nameplate reading “Headmistress Evans.” Janet Evans had become Headmistress of the McDonough School when Mac had been promoted to Director of the Agency. I’d first met her during one of my family’s bi-annual visits to the Agency Compound. Janet had been a Hunter then, and along with Mac, had been one of the Operatives assigned to guard my family during our trip, and I’d taking an instant liking to her. After I’d been enrolled at the School, Janet had become somewhat of a role model for me.
    After my parents had been killed, Janet left the Hunters to become