The Trials of Blackbriar Academy

by Olivia Ash

  He nods.

  Aww, he’s so sweet when he’s not so focused on being an asshole. I smile.

  Chapter Forty

  Four days later, I’m watching the ocean roll by the boat. The crazy captain is busy talking to himself and uttering more riddles, but I ignore him for the most part.

  Savannah and I share a smile after the captain cracks himself up. I shake my head and return my attention to the ocean.

  That man is something else entirely.

  Savannah and Soren were given permission to get me off the island for the day. Gideon saw it as a great opportunity for me to get some time away after the incident with Professor Lawrence. I suspect there was more behind that reasoning, but I don’t think about it. At least, I try not to. I didn’t even care to ask because I know it involves what happened.

  And since Soren hasn’t let me out of his sight for longer than fifteen minutes since I woke up in the infirmary, I needed some girl time.

  I cast a glance toward Soren. He has that ever-present scowl, all serious and no fun, but when he catches my gaze, as he always does, there’s a light within his eyes. Though I’ve seen hints of it before, it’s most definitely there now, without question.

  So much has changed between the two of us, and I’m grateful they did. He’s still an asshole sometimes, but he’s always softer toward me, and it seems only me. I wonder if he can feel the same thing I feel when we are near each other. That radiating heat that courses through my veins, my magic’s response to him.

  In fact, I wonder if all four of them do.

  Soon, we dock somewhere on the coast of Washington, in a town called Samish. Once we’re off the boat, Soren grabs me by the elbow and says, “I’m meeting up with a guy for something.”

  I nod. A silent clue.

  He’s been following leads into finding my father’s location and this is one of Gideon’s contacts that may have information on where he could be located.

  Savannah seems oblivious to it. At least, she doesn’t show that she knows more is going on with this trip than she intended.

  “Meet back here in three hours.” He nods to me once.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got her.” Savannah pulls on my arm. “Go do your thing.”

  I giggle at the cold glare Soren is staring into the back of Savannah’s head. He can’t faze her, and he probably doesn’t know what to think about that.

  We find our way to the local spa and are treated and pampered in ways I never thought possible. Who knew a massage could feel so good? I take a sip of iced tea as we sit in super comfy chairs with a robe around our body and faces covered in some sort of mud mask.

  “So, when did you and Soren become such an intense item?”

  I look to her and shrug. “I don’t know that we really are. I don’t even know what we are.”

  She levels her gaze on me and says, “Honey, that man has fallen hard for you. He practically has to pick up his jaw each time you walk past him, and let’s not forget the fact he follows you everywhere. It’s sweet and all, but damn girl.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask. Admittedly, the constant supervision has been a bit nuts. But I had let slip the mention of Anderson one time when I saw him spying on us in the hall the other day. It took everything in me to keep him from mowing the guy down. He deserves it. True. But not on Blackbriar grounds.

  Ever since then, we’ve been practically attached at the hip.

  He’s a senior this year, which means he has a lot going for him. He can’t go ripping off the head of everyone that touches me or looks sideways at me. I adore him for that, but it’s not necessary.

  “I mean, you walk through a room and if he’s not actively following you, his eyes are. He gives off a deep sense of protection for you.”

  I feel my cheeks warm. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  She sits up and faces me. “You should figure out real quick what you two are, because he’s already got it set in his mind. And if that’s not what you want, your best bet is to break it off now, before you break his heart more than it will if you wait until later.”

  I… wait. What? Break his heart? Never.

  I stare at her. “I don’t know what label to put on what is going on between me and Soren, but I assure you, I’m not quitting him.”

  She smiles. “Good.” She leans back and opens up a magazine, flipping through the pages quickly before saying. “I believe there is more to you two than what you are saying.”

  “There really isn’t.” I shrug, leaning back and looking at the posters of all the exotic locations that are hung on the wall.

  “If you say so,” she says. “So, ready to talk about your family?”

  “I don’t really have one,” I say. I do, but until I can have him standing in front of me and I can physically touch him, I won’t believe my father is safe.

  “What happened to them?” she asks, and there’s not only concern in her expression, but her eyes and her voice hold it as well.

  “My mother died when I was fourteen. My dad disappeared shortly after that.”

  “Well where did you live?” she asks, leaning closer, sitting up in her chair and facing me now.

  “I lived with forest trolls,” I say through a sigh. As much as I tried to keep it from her, she probably already knew with the way she knew everything else. Why pretend any longer? Besides, she’s been nothing but a friend to me, and I figure I should reciprocate. After all, she told me about her family.

  As I meet her gaze, she doesn’t so much as even blink an eye. “I wondered when you were going to say something about that.”

  “Let me guess, you already knew?” I ask. But I can’t keep the smile from my face.

  “Sort of,” she says. “Aside from my power, I also have an over-developed intuition.”

  I chuckle. “That explains so much.”

  She nods and smiles. “Yeah. I want to use it to help and heal people. I still adore you, by the way. Regardless of your past. You can trust me to never let anything bad happen to you again.”

  I laugh. “In that case, have any zacar repellent in your arsenal of goods?”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” She sits back in her seat and takes a sip of her tea.

  “As long as it’s before Soren gets a moment alone with him,” I mutter.

  She just chuckles.

  “What else have you seen?” I ask, curious.

  She touches my hand. Her eyes turn a dark amethyst color and they focus on a spot near my feet. I can’t tell what though. A few moments later, she removes her hand and shakes her head. Her gaze meets mine and she smiles somewhat apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t get anything this time.”

  “Is that bad?” I ask.

  “No.” She sighs. “It’s like you have a suit of armor protecting you now.”

  “Huh.”

  Well isn’t that something.

  We sit back and enjoy casual conversation as we finish our teas.

  Before I know it, our spa day is over and we are heading back to the island. Savannah and I continue to be girlie and talk and poke fun at Soren’s broodiness, but we’re back to the island in a blink and we have to go our separate ways.

  “Bye, lady!” she says and blows me a kiss before waving goodbye.

  I chuckle. “See ya.”

  Soon, I crash into Soren’s bed and breathe in his scent. He joins me, a wicked smile on his face. I shake my head. “I’ve created a monster.”

  “Maybe.” He shrugs as he kisses me on my shoulder and nuzzles his nose along my jaw line, sending sensations of warmth and desire straight to the space between my legs.

  “How did your meeting go?” I ask, forcing out breathy words.

  “We have a location.”

  I smile and suck in a breath as I sit straight up and face him. “When?”

  He chuckles. “Soon. We have to finalize a few things first.”

  I throw my head back against the pillow with a groan. “Why did you wait so long to tell me?”
<
br />   He shrugs. “You were doing girl stuff.”

  I playfully smack him on his shoulder. “You’re such an ass.”

  “And you’re the pain in it.” He pulls me to him and kisses me with fierce need. I run my fingers along the base of his head, enjoying the way the tiny hairs feel against my skin. He pulls himself over me and teases the hem of the shirt I’m wearing even higher on my body.

  He leaves a trail of kisses as he lowers himself down between my legs. And as soon as he situates himself, he teases my sensitive folds with the tip of his tongue and traces the outline of my entrance. I cling to the sheets and moan for more.

  Obliging me, he flicks his tongue expertly until my orgasm peaks. He falls to his back on his pillow with a sigh.

  “Oh, no. We’re not done,” I say and straddle him, inching the length of his cock inside me and riding him through several more climaxes, until he finally releases inside me.

  I collapse onto his chest and work to catch my breath. He lovingly wraps an arm around me and kisses the top of my head. I close my eyes as a smile stretches my lips. Just as I told Savannah, I could never harm him or break his heart. As long as I have him, and my other men, I will be content. And once we find my father, we will challenge whoever thinks they can take this all away.

  Wren, Soren, Gideon, Jesse, and Milo will be back in The Shadows of Blackbriar Academy, available for PREORDER now!

  Join the exclusive, fans-only Facebook group to get release news & updates.

  Read on for a special note from the author.

  Author Notes

  Hey, Babe!

  First, I just want to say thank you for giving my first foray into academy fiction a chance.

  I dearly hope you fell just as much in love with the story as I did. And there is so, so much more in store. I can’t wait to share the rest of this series with you!

  Creating this beautiful, magical world full of whimsy and mystical creatures has been such a wonderful journey. Especially Lady Alene! I see her as such a warm, nurturing mother figure. She’s strong, knowledgeable, and a really fun addition to this story.

  Wren is a girl I think we all can connect to on some level. She doesn’t let her past define her, but only uses it to help her learn and grow. She never once falters in her belief of building a better life for herself and the people around her. I think that is probably the most admirable thing about her. She never lets her past hold her back.

  I especially loved taking her through the trials. Testing her, watching her grow. It was such a delight.

  Wren faces some pretty difficult challenges during the trials. She grows her confidence. Realizes how truly clever she is. Pushes her limits. And, of course, begins to discover the true depth of her power.

  We just don’t get to see how powerful yet.

  What lies ahead for her? Why does her magic react to her men like it does? What is the deal with her past?

  She’ll be doing a lot of growing through the series, and I hope you’re riding shotgun with me through the series so we can watch her tackle some pretty heavy obstacles.

  Especially with her four, incredibly hot men that her magic reacts to.

  Soren McCallister—yeah, he’s a hard ass, rough around the edges, but he eventually softens toward only her. He’s a soldier through and through and knows she has more power than she should. However, the more time he and Wren spend together, the more he lowers his guard. It’s a treat to watch such a bad boy get soft. Well, if only a little.

  Jesse Taylor—the carefree jokester. He’s an illusionist and knows how to get Wren to loosen up and laugh. We’re going to see a lot more of him in the next book!

  Milo Moreau— the hot nerd who really gives Wren a safe place to explore her ever growing power without fear or ridicule. He expands her knowledge by his resourcefulness and makes her truly feel. And he’s just so damn easy to talk to!

  Last, but never the least, Gideon Storm, headmaster to the academy. Strong, knowledgeable, and makes Wren feel simply untouchable.

  Yum.

  So, who is your favorite guy? Think anyone can stand up to this group? How is Wren going to fit four gorgeous men and classes in her new school schedule?

  You’ll have to read the next book to find out!

  Until next time, babe!

  Keep on being your beautiful, badass self.

  -Olivia

  PS. Amazon won’t tell you when the next Dragon Dojo Brotherhood book will come out, but there are several ways you can stay informed.

  1) Soar on over to the Facebook group, Olivia's secret club for cool ladies, so we can hang out! I designed it especially for badass babes like you. Consider this as your invite! We talk about kickass heroines, gorgeous men, our favorite fantasy romances, and… did I mention pictures of gorgeous men?

  2) Follow me directly on Amazon. To do this, head to my profile and click the Follow button beneath my picture. That will prompt Amazon to notify you when I release a new book. You’ll just need to check your emails.

  3) You can join my mailing list by clicking here. This lets me slide into your inbox and basically means we become best friends. Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.

  Doing one of these or all three (for best results) is the best way to make sure you get an update every time a new volume of the Blackbriar Academy series is released. Talk to you soon!

  About the Author

  OLIVIA ASH

  Olivia Ash spends her time dreaming up the perfect men to challenge, love, and protect her strong heroines (who actually don’t need protecting at all). Her stories are meant to take you on a journey into the world of the characters and make you want to stay there.

  Reviews are the best way to show Olivia that you care about her stories and want other people discover them. If you enjoyed this novel, please consider leaving a review at Amazon. Every review helps the author and she appreciates the time you take to write them.