Obsidian Eyes Read Online Free

relief on seeing Eloise’s smiling face waiting for her outside the last class.
    “How’s your day been?” Eloise stared at her red stained fingertips with a frown. She licked one tip. “Ink,” she murmured, and smiled as though relieved the colour hadn’t leeched from anything else.
    Allie leaned on the wall next to her friend, watching the flow of students. “Tense. You seem to be the only one who doesn’t think I’m an abomination against nature, about to steal the school silverware.”
    Eloise frowned and took Allie’s hand. “You are my friend. Try not to let the rest of them get to you. If it helps, they don’t like me either.” She dragged Allie down the hall and then targeted one particular lanky student. “Zeb has never cared about your breeding, so that’s two of us on your side.” They caught up with the distracted youth. “He is fascinated by your background, aren’t you Zeb?” Eloise posed her question as they fell into step next to him.
    He blinked behind his glasses, stopped and flicked his gaze from one girl to the other. “Aren’t I what?”
    “You are more interested in Allie’s background than her breeding.”
    He pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with an index finger. “Oh most definitely. I read all about Master Donovan’s work with Champollion and then in Egypt. Marvellous stuff. Why do you ask?”
    “Allie is feeling a little overwhelmed.”
    “Oh.” Zeb frowned, not understanding Eloise’s statement at all.
    “Zeb promised earlier to assist me in replicating an alchemy experiment.” Excitement shone in Eloise’s eyes at having the attention of her idol. “Do you want to join us?”
    Allie smiled; she wouldn’t dare impose herself on their quiet time even if she had any interest in smelly chemicals and open flames. “No, I’ll head back to our room and tackle this pile.” She held up her arm load of books.
    “I’ll see you later then.” Eloise’s smile nearly outshone the sun.
    “Of course.” She watched Zeb push open the heavy metal doors of the Alchemy lab and hold it wide for Eloise. Her friend practically squealed as she ducked under his arm into the heavily reinforced laboratory.
    Allie’s feet trod the hallway as her mind flew over the lush fields of England to the hot desert of Egypt. Reaching an empty point in the corridor, she paused at a low window and pressed her forehead to the thick glass. If she closed her eyes, she could take the day’s press of bodies and constant chatter from the students and turn it into the raucous life of the Cairo market. For a brief moment, warmth once again kissed her skin and she inhaled the rich spice of coriander and garlic from a street vendor’s stall.
    Opening her eyes, she returned to her body, trapped in York. Outside in the quad, an ancient elm spread limbs dripping with emerald leaves. Students sat under the spreading shade, protecting delicate skin from browning in the gentle sun. She remembered the vertical greenery of soaring palms and heat so intense her skin glistened with a thin veil of sweat.
    She didn’t belong here, not on any level. The commoner amongst the nobles, the girl with olive skin amongst the pale beauties, hard won self-reliance amongst chaste obedience.
    A deep sigh welled up in her chest. Life had been simple and happy in Egypt; but she turned seventeen, and her father’s patience wore thin. Soon a lifetime of training would be called to the service of her guild.
    Unless I refuse .
    Turning from the window, lost in thought, she collided with a hard shoulder and her books scattered over the floor. An automatic apology rose to her lips as she dropped to a crouch and began gathering up the fallen items.
    Three pairs of shiny, polished boots surrounded her. No one spoke a word or offered to help and an icy trickle of warning ran down her spine at their silence. She took her time, stacking one book on top of the other before scooping up the pile and straightening her knees.