Chapter 55

Clementine

I panicked when Circe told me she needed to run. Cold fear rippled through me, which was then replaced by a burning tingle throughout my nervous system. She told me to stay calm and find Liam, that I would be less nervous with him around. After the next hard spasm of pain, I succumbed to her suggestion, ripped the Band-Aid off the stupid mark on my collarbone, changed my clothes, and slipped out of my window to find him. The idea of seeing him was making me a little giddy with nervous excitement.

Although I had messaged him, I hadn’t physically seen Liam for two days. I had spent my time practising punches with Sophie. I found that punching was a good way of releasing my stress, but talking to Sophie was even better, and there was a lot to talk about. When I told her about how I had received my mark, she groaned into her hands and shook her head exasperatedly. But she had also laughed when she saw my attempt to hide it, telling me that although the Band-Aid was masking the