The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain

Author:Bree Despain [Despain, Bree]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60684-406-9
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Published: 2014-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

chapter thirty-one

HADEN

“He’s not even singing,” Tobin whispers to Daphne. They sit on the other side of the half circle of chairs in the music room. It’s amusing that he thinks I don’t know what he’s saying. I can’t actually hear their words over the singing, but I have spent the weekend mastering the art of lipreading. What isn’t amusing, however, is that Tobin has caught on to the fact that I’m merely moving my own lips along with the rest of the choir. Daphne looks up at me. I stare down at the songbook in my hands. Maybe I should try singing along, but I don’t know how to make my voice do what hers does, even if I want to. I feel her gaze leave me and I glance back at her.

“Maybe he’s just intimidated,” Daphne says. “It’s his first day in the program.”

My hands grow hot at the idea that she thinks I am afraid. I take a deep breath, tempering myself before I set the songbook on fire.

“Maybe he doesn’t know how to sing.”

“Then he shouldn’t be here at all.” The hard-lined look on Tobin’s face makes me wonder what exactly his problem is.

“Leave him alone,” Daphne whispers to him. “I think I was mistaken about him. He’s not the bad guy I thought he was.”

“I think he’s exactly who you thought he was.”

Mr. Morgan shoots them a cross look for talking while the others are singing. This song is supposed to be for the rock opera that Daphne’s father is writing—or so the teacher had explained at the beginning of the class period. It’s a chorus piece, which apparently means that Daphne is not part of the song. I find myself wishing she were. I want to know if her voice is as enchanting as I remember.

When the song ends, Mr. Morgan addresses the class. “Very good. Very good. But we still have a lot of work. I want this song ready to present to Mr. Vince for his approval by the end of the week. Now for another matter,” he says. “The mayor has asked me to find volunteers to provide entertainment for the Light-up Olympus Festival at the end of November. Does anyone want to sign up to do a musical number as part of a showcase the night of the festival?”

Tobin’s hand shoots up. “I will.”

“Thank you for your enthusiasm, Tobin. I’ll mark you down. Anyone else?”

Tobin’s hand goes up again.

“Yes?” Mr. Morgan asks.

“I think we should hear from the new student,” he says.

I look up at him. I keep my face expressionless, but I can only hope that the glint of panic doesn’t show in my eyes.

“I’d like to hear what he’s got. And where better than in front of the whole town? He must be something pretty special to have earned a spot in the department without auditioning.”

I sit up straighter. My gaze shifts to Mr. Morgan.

Mr. Morgan looks flustered. I wonder what kind of “requests” Simon made of him to get me in the program.

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