Free The Forbidden Trilogy by Kimberly Kinrade Page A

left. I have to pack and complete my studies. I want to
spend time with my friends, and there's the art contest!"
    "You have a few months before you need to leave. It
shouldn't take you long, and it will give you some extra cash for your new
life. I'm throwing in a $10,000 bonus if you complete this assignment without
any problems."
    "That doesn't help with my art contest. I don't have
time to do this and prepare."
    Higgins looked down at his desk, shoulders slumped.
    Uh-oh.
    'How to tell her.... Will break her heart.... Wish I
could skip this.'
    "Tell me what?"
    He looked me in the eyes, the way a doctor looks at someone
whose loved one has died.
    "I have some bad news. There was an accident in the art
building while you were gone. There's a lot of flammable material there and—we
don't know what happened yet, but somehow... a fire started. Sam—"
    "No! Stop. This is insane. I don't want to hear
this."
    "Sam, your painting. I'm so sorry."
    I grabbed my book bag and ran out his door and toward the
art studio. I heard the headmaster follow me but didn't turn to acknowledge
him. I had to see the damage for myself.
    On the outside, the building looked fine. A small sigh of
relief escaped my lips. Surely it couldn't be that bad. Maybe I'd have to
repair some smoke damage or something, but I could handle that. Mr. K would
help me.
    I moved aside a yellow ribbon that marked the building as
unsafe and walked into the dimly lit studio.
    And stopped breathing.
    The inside of the building had been gutted and turned to
ash. I choked on a strangled cry.
    Higgins put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sam.
Nothing survived."
    The remains of my painting stood in the corner. I examined
the charred bits that had been my greatest work and couldn't stop the tears
from flowing.
    Higgins tried again to comfort me, but I pushed him away.
"Where's Mr. K?"
    "Sam, let's just go back to my office and talk about
this."
    Panic stirred in my heart. I raised my voice in desperation.
"Where's Mr. K?"
    "He quit. After the fire, he couldn't stand to be here
anymore, and he left. He's gone, Sam, and won't be coming back."
    "No, that can't be true. He'd never leave me, not
without saying goodbye. Not before I graduated. You're lying. What did you do?
Where is he?" I ran through the studio, searching for my mentor, but no
sign remained of him. All traces of his work, his passion, his presence—gone.
    I sank to my knees and sobbed. Everything I'd ever created,
all of my artistic expression, had been housed in this studio. My entire
portfolio was gone, just like Mr. K. Destroyed. I only had some pictures of the
best pieces, but almost none of the originals. My entire life's work to date.
    "I need to be alone."
    Higgins left me without a word and I cried into the ash.

Chapter 10 – Sam
     
    Luke walked through my door to wake me up. He'd have been
toast if my para-power included super strength or kickass reactions. Instead,
he got to suffer through my weeping. He probably would have preferred the
fight.
    He unlocked my door from the inside and let Lucy in, then
closed and locked the door again.
    My suite wasn't as grand as theirs, but it had everything I
needed as a fully stocked and decorated studio apartment, complete with mini
kitchen.
    I didn't budge from my bed, nor did I acknowledge my best
friends, but that didn't deter them.
    Luke pulled the covers off me and crawled into bed next to
me. Lucy joined him on the other side and spoke softly, as if to a frightened
kitten. "He told you?"
    I nodded, unable to speak just yet.
    "Did you see the damage?"
    Another nod.
    "Luke snuck in. He tried to salvage some of it,
but...."
    My voice came out in a crackle. "I know. I saw."
    "And Mr. K. We have no idea what happened to him. We never
saw him after the fire. I confronted Higgins about it. He says Mr. K quit, but
Sam... he's lying."
    That got my attention. If Mr. K didn't quit, did Higgins
fire him and lie to me?
    "Doesn't matter. I'm not doing art