Covenant by Sabrina Benulis

politely. “You do look lovely, by the way. I’m flattered you wore that dress. Someone told me it would suit you perfectly, and I have to admit that person was absolutely correct.”
    â€œSomeone?” Angela said. A dull fear echoed inside of her. “Who?”
    Camdon shook his head and smiled. “It doesn’t make a difference. Besides, I’m sure Nina would have agreed as well. And my sister’s opinion always counted for more than people understood.”
    â€œStop it,” Angela whispered. “You can’t keep mentioning her like that, Camdon. I know you’re sad. So am I. But—tonight, I—”
    Please don’t make me keep feeling guilty, she wanted to shout at him .
    Camdon sighed. “It’s okay. I understand. I guess I just feel guilty sometimes. Nina was the opposite of other people. She actually wanted to be a blood head like us—she thought that would make her fit in at this Academy. Looking back, it all sounds so ridiculous considering how attitudes have changed. I suppose I just feel like I owe her something, every day. Because I couldn’t be there for her when . . .” He sighed. “Well, anyway, after tonight that will all change.”
    Angela peered at him, an even more strange sensation ripping through her.
    What did he mean by that ?
    â€œSophia,” Camdon said, nodding at her. “I hope you won’t mind if I ask your friend to dance. I’ve been looking forward to it for quite a while.”
    â€œNot at all,” Sophia said softly. But her eyes betrayed her wariness, and she stared at Camdon as if she could see right through him.
    â€œMay I?” Camdon said, holding out his hand to Angela.
    Angela hesitated and then accepted his offer. Camdon took her by the hand and led her farther out into the crowds of people. Then he grasped her waist, imitating the couples next to them perfectly, swinging her onto the dance floor.
    Here, the music was louder and the chatter more constant. But Angela couldn’t stop a strange feeling of being watched, and not in a good way, like a million hateful eyes bored into her back, vanishing into the shadows whenever she spun around. For a moment, she thought she could see Troy’s crow familiar, Fury, hopping from one window to the next, peeking with a flash of phosphorescent eyes through the panes.
    She prayed it was only her imagination .
    Angela glanced up at the vast and heavily shadowed ceiling. In far corners, angel statues hunched over the crowds. Remembering how the statues lining the Grand Mansion’s courtyard had made her feel, Angela relaxed a little.
    â€œSo have you taken my words into consideration, Angela?” Camdon smiled. “I think it would be good for every blood head at this school if you joined the Order. It would help our cause immensely.”
    His hazel eyes peered into Angela’s with the same strange intensity as the day they’d met.
    Unwillingly, Angela’s mind flashed to the night when she and her angel Israfel had danced together, when she had flown with him, and he had sung to her, turning his own falling feathers into a rain of crystals. How would he have felt to see her like this now? Not in a dirty school uniform, but elegant and feminine, and altogether . . . not herself.
    Maybe it didn’t matter anymore. Israfel was gone. Kim was gone. This was reality—for now. Yet it didn’t feel right .
    Angela glanced at Sophia.
    Sophia continued to watch them with eagle eyes from across the room. Slowly, she raised her eyes to the ceiling. Did she sense something up there?
    A cold and familiar chill worked its way up Angela’s spine.
    â€œCamdon,” Angela said, “don’t take this the wrong way, but I refuse to be convinced that segregating ourselves from the rest of the Academy will help matters. Why not create an Order open to any and all students, so that other students can mingle with