The Complete Chosen Trilogy (The Chosen #0) by N.M. Santoski

Author:N.M. Santoski [Santoski, N.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-12-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-One

Claire’s classes were going well, all things considered. As the school year went on, she lessened their work load—since History was not something that would help them practically during the Rite of Passage, their attention spans were almost nonexistent. Still, they were a good class, and she was happy to have them.

“Miss Connor?”

When she looked up from grading, her heart dropped. “Clara, good morning. Did you have a question about the material?”

“No, I—could I talk to you for a moment?” She was fidgeting, refusing to look Claire in the eye.

With everything in her, she wanted to say no. She’d known Clara a long time—as long as she’d known Gia—and she knew that look. Clara was afraid.

She was Clara’s teacher, and her friend. Her answer could be nothing but yes.

“Of course—step in and close the door behind you, please.”

Clara sat down and continued to fidget, her large dark eyes pinned to the ground.

“Clara.”

The gentleness in Claire’s voice led her to look up at last. Claire reached across the desk and untangled her hands. The nail beds were torn and bleeding—Clara had been biting her fingernails again.

“Talk to me.”

“I’m scared!” she burst out, so loudly she startled them both. “I’m worried about Gia, and my brother has been sending me the strangest letters, and I haven’t heard anything from Shui…”

“What has Arias been writing to you?” Claire asked, picking the most worrisome of the options. Arias Disanza was a dangerous man, and it would be unwise to cross him.

Clara reached into her messenger bag and pulled out a bundle of letters. “Here.”

Claire pulled one randomly from the pile and read it silently.

Clara,

I hope your studies are progressing well—as the future Lady Zephyra, your time at Caer Anglia is paramount. I have yet to hear news from you regarding the state of affairs there and the rumors regarding Nolan Aeron. I expect that to be remedied in your next letter.

She looked up, mouth pursed. “Why is he referring to you at the future Lady Zephyra? Your sister—“

“I know! I don’t know what he’s talking about!” Clara jumped to her feet.

“Clara Ann Disanza, sit down.” Reacting immediately to the authority in Claire’s tone, Clara sat down with an audible thump.

Once Claire knew she had the girl’s attention, she tried again. “Clara, I’ve known you a long time. I’ve known your family a long time. You can trust me. Now, what’s really going on?”

“My brother is unhappy with Gia.”

“What else is new?”

“No, really unhappy. He wanted to marry her off to Manas, and apparently she talked back to Lord Artifex when they were asking questions about Nolan Aeron, and now Lord Artifex is angry…”

“Breathe, Clara. First of all, Manas is going to marry Isabella Rodriguez. He was never going to marry Gia, no matter what your brother thought.”

“How do you know that? There hasn’t been an announcement yet!”

“I heard it from Manas himself, during our teach year. That’s one thing out of the way. Does your brother think Gia is helping Nolan?”

Clara put her finger to her mouth and began to pick at her fingernails.

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