The Windhaven Witches Omnibus Edition : Complete Paranormal Suspense Series, Books 1-4 by Carissa Andrews (graded readers txt) 📕

“I get it,” Wade says, grabbing a tray and making his way through the line. “Let me know if there’s anything you want me to do, okay?”

Shooting him a halfhearted smile, I nod and follow behind him in a daze. Truthfully, I’m not really even sure if I want to eat. My appetite has pretty much gone on hiatus during all of this, replaced instead by an insatiable appetite for worry.

What if they can’t prove me innocent? What if I can’t convince them? Could I end up going to prison?

I can’t go to prison.

We make our way through the line, and I barely manage to go through the motions. Wade and I find an open table by the windows. I shove my backpack to the far side of the bench, and as we settle in, I stare down at my tray. I somehow managed to grab an orange juice, a slice of pizza, and a handful of green peppers. I don’t even like green peppers.

Pushing the tray aside, I stare out the window. Even without looking, I feel the weight of the stares from people all around us.

“Not hungry?” Wade asks, taking a bite of his own slice of pizza.

At least he’s gotten his appetite back.

I shake my head, letting my gaze filter out across the room. The majority of people have the decency to at least divert their eyes when I glance their way. There are, however, the few who lean in, conversing to someone beside them as they point in our direction.

Rather than turning away, I force myself to look each one of them in the eye. I refuse to back down and shrink from their accusatory glares.

A few tables back, near one of the enormous stone pillars holding up the space, a student catches my eye. The bright pink chunk of hair tucked behind her left ear is the first thing to capture my attention, but it’s her discerning blue eyes that send chills straight through me. It’s like they could rip me apart and spit me back out. She sits completely alone, and instead of eating, her large black combat boots are propped up on the edge of the table, crossed at the ankles, as if she’s simply here to make me uncomfortable.

Shuddering at the chill creeping up my spine, I raise an eyebrow and set my jaw. I don’t know who this chick is, but I refuse to be the first to look away.

Oddly enough, the corners of her lips twist upward into a smirk. But she doesn’t turn away. If anything, it’s like she accepts the challenge.

“What are you looking at?” Wade asks, twisting his head around and surveying the sea of people.

Despite myself, I break my concentration and turn to him. “Do you see that chick? Over near the pillar, with the hot-pink hair?”

“Yeah,” he mutters with a nod. “God, she looks like she could rip us to shreds.”

“Right?” I say. “Well, she’s been staring at us for—”

Abruptly, the chick uncrosses her legs and stands up. She pulls her ultra-light-blond hair into a loose ponytail, leaving the pink chunk to stray loose. Adjusting her Pink Floyd t-shirt and the zipper edge of her grey leather jacket, she pushes in her chair as if manners in this place are actually a thing. Without a single air of embarrassment or apprehension, she walks through the cafeteria like she owns the place—and of course, directly toward us.

“Do you know her?” Wade asks in a hushed tone.

I shake my head. “I’ve never even seen her before. Have you?”

There’s an air of power around her that I can’t quite put my finger on. People move out of her way, giving her a wide berth without any verbal request or even really acknowledging they’re doing it. As she reaches our booth, she grabs a chair from the nearest table, spinning it around in her hand and sliding it up to the outward-facing edge of our table.

Straddling the seat, she folds her arms across the back. “Guess the jig is up, huh?”

“Excuse me?” I say, blinking back surprise.

She sighs heavily, rolling her big blue eyes as if my question offends her. “You know, guess I’ve been found out. Exposed. Discovered? Are any of these words ringing a bell?” She narrows her eyes and purses her lips as she waits for a response. “Wow, what do they teach you guys in this place? They really should start with language.”

My brain feels as though it’s seized up and all I seem capable of doing is staring blankly in her direction.

“Who are you?” Wade asks, pushing his tray aside.

Her face brightens a bit as she turns to him, almost peering at him through her pink bangs. “You know, that is the existential question, isn’t it? I mean, who are any of us, really?” She opens her arms wide, as if she’s commanding the space around her in some sort of orchestrated event.

It’s Wade’s turn to look dumbfounded as he turns his wide, silver eyes to me.

“Okay, so I can tell the two of you aren’t super-fast on the uptake, so I’ll do you a favor and see if you can play catch-up. My name’s Diana,” she says, as if the word should be completely self-explanatory.

When neither of us make a move in acknowledgement, she exhales in exasperation, extending a hand and stealing one of my green peppers. She pops it into her mouth, then extends the same hand out to me. Without thinking, I reach forward to shake it. However, Diana places her other hand over top of mine, locking it in place. Closing her eyes, she practically pulls me off my seat as she tugs my hand in to her body.

Instantly, my entire arm hums with a strange combination of heat and static electricity, igniting a domino effect of goosebumps across my flesh. “Um, excuse me,” I say, yanking my hand back.

Diana opens her eyes slowly, sitting up