Free Lissa Kasey - Dominion 2 - Reclamation by Lissa Kasey Page B

time to ten minutes.”
“Do I have to work with someone else?”
“No. You can work alone if thats what you prefer.” He followed me halfway down the hall, making me more than a little nervous.
“What did you do to your hands?”
“I had a chemical accident in the kitchen at home,” I told him curtly, really not wanting him to follow me to the library. “Have a good day, Mr. Mueller.”
This time he took the hint and wandered off toward whatever next class he had. I made my way to the library, wishing for my fingers back to send Kelly a text message. He had classes until noon.
    B
Y THE time he arrived Id checked out two books and downloaded three articles on equality within the Dominion. Our assignment for EAM was to write a charter that would change something for the better. I was going to propose all children of the Dominion, female or male, should be allowed to go to witch camp. Didnt every kid need help building selfesteem?
“Hungry yet?” Kelly asked, his easy smile brightening
    the day a little.
“Starving.” After last weeks exchange at the vending
machine, I hadnt ventured further than the restroom. In
fact, I sat at the tables nearest the librarians desk and even
asked her for help more than once, since typing was pretty
hard with my fingers being taped together. The stares felt as
damning today, but no one approached with the staff
lingering around me.
Kelly packed up my bag and slung it over his shoulder.
“Off campus for food, or cafeteria?”
“Off, please.”
We headed to Grand Avenue, a mecca of shopping and
food, for lunch. Had to park a good three blocks away from
the restaurant, Café Latte. The walk was brisk, but the cold
kept me awake. We only had to wait a few minutes before
being seated. I took the opportunity to browse the baked
goods case. They often gave me inspiration for new things to
try at home.
“The chocolate cake looks amazing.” Kelly drooled over
the three-layer devils food monster that sat on display. The
chocolate cherry torte looked about my speed.
Once we had our seats, our sandwiches, and dessert, he
chatted again about some sport thing for a while before
asking, “What were you working on in the library?” “Paper for Ethics. Have to write a charter.”
“Like first-year English? I didnt think wed ever use
that.”
“You will if you take EAM.”
He groaned, feigning dramatic angst, hand on his
forehead and all. “And Ill have to, right? Now that Im in the
magic studies program.”
I smiled and dug into my torte.
“You must be so happy youre almost done. Any idea
what youll do when you graduate?”
My mom talked about me serving the council. I didnt
think I could handle the constant sneers. “Not yet. I may go
for a masters, or another degree.”
“You should go to culinary school.”
“Id spend the whole time cleaning.” I waved my whitecovered hands at him.
He laughed. “True. So did you really not feel anything
when it happened?”
“Just the need to clean.”
“Yeah, compulsion is like that. My psych class had a
chapter on it. I think Im going to write a paper on OCD for
the final. But only if thats okay with you.” Kelly took a big
gulp of the milk hed gotten with his cake.
“Write about whatever you want. Doesnt bother me.” “How did Curses go today?” Curses was our nickname
for the class I had to teach.
“It was okay. Gave out the final project. I hope theyve
been listening.” I offered Kelly a bite of my torte.
He took it and savored it for a second. “Yum. Wish I
could have taken that. I bet youd make a great teacher.” He
offered some of his cake to me. I shook my head, too much
chocolate. “But if a few of the people in the class dont do
well, thats their fault, not yours.”
“If most of them dont do well, it will be my fault.” And
that really worried me.
“What will happen then?”
“The Dominion will decide on another punishment for
me, I suppose. At least capital punishment is off the table.” I
scraped the last of the cherry