by Kat Adams
That perked her right up. “Leo? Did something happen to him?”
“Stop.” I brought up my hands, creeped out that my mom coug’d on my boyfriend. “Leo’s parents are stuck in the void. It was pretty terrible, and somehow, Bryan forgot.”
“Oh no.” She lowered her head, shaking it. “My spell. I took it too far. Oh God. I’m so sorry, Katy. I was only trying to help.”
“I know.” I reached for her, but stopped myself before touching her. That was when I recalled the dirt and grime on her hands and arms. “Why are you all dirty?”
She inspected all the smudges covering her skin. “Do you know how far you have to go to take out the trash around here?”
I had no idea, having never had to do the dirty deed myself. “Why are you taking out the trash?”
“I wanted to do something nice for Syd since he’s letting me stay here rent-free. I went to all the rooms and emptied the trash cans, then took the bag to the dumpster. It’s surprisingly farther than you think. I couldn’t see and tripped on the uneven ground.” She shrugged. “Call me a klutz.”
“Something else we have in common.” I laughed, relieved by her explanation and not sure why. “Hey, I have another question.”
“You’re quite inquisitive tonight.”
I shrugged. I had a lot of years of questions to make up for. “How’d you get Bryan out of the void?”
“Oh that. I tracked Alec’s echo to a deserted warehouse in Seattle, thinking I might find you. Instead, I found Bryan guarded by two dark elementals. I defeated them and pulled Bryan out.”
That didn’t answer the question. “But how?”
“The void takes the mind but not the body, and the senses are still there, just unresponsive. I told him who I was and asked him to help me find you. That’s what brought him back, sweetie. You.”
Holy hand jive. As if I didn’t already have enough reason to love the guy with everything I was. “That’s, um…something.” I couldn’t say anything more without my voice cracking.
“That most definitely is. Now, I want to get a shower and a few hours’ sleep before the next round of testing. I suggest you do the same.”
We said an awkward good-bye with a wave instead of a hug. I was relieved that Trevor was just having a bad dream. He’d be going home today. The tribunals would be over this time next week. Life would get back to semi-normal in no time.
I went to my dorm to clean up and change into a fresh creepy dude’s fantasy schoolgirl uniform. The gray pleated skirts were too short, the stark white socks too high, and don’t even get me started on the ugly yellow blazers that’d make your eyes bleed if you stared at them too long.
I really needed to get my shit together and move to Terrae. In fact, since I had no intention of sleeping, I decided I’d pack and have everything ready to move by the time the sun came up.
I tiptoed into the room so as not to wake my slumbering Barbie roomie and froze. Her side of the dorm was completely empty, as in not even a bed, no boy band posters, fuzzy pillows, nothing. Did she move? It wouldn’t surprise me. We weren’t the best roommates to stick in the same room together.
I flipped on the light and gave another cursory glance before crossing to my side and grabbing my duffel bags from under my bed. Although I’d love to have this room to myself, I still didn’t want to live in Ventus.
Shoving my stuff into the bags and setting my sketch pad on the top, I paused and studied the image on the page. It was Amethyst, the heroine I’d drawn to look just like my mom. Now that the real thing had returned, did I still need the superhero I’d used to replace her? I’d defeated Alec—several times—so did I need Onyx, the baddie I’d created for the soul purpose of killing him off?
In one word: yes.
Now that I’d given the characters life, I didn’t want to take it back. I couldn’t take it back. I had thousands of followers and, truth be told, I loved coming up with weekly webisodes, posting them, and reading the comments from the viewers. It was my thing. And, since I was no longer the prophecy, it was my only thing.
It didn’t take me all that long to pack up everything, so I had plenty of time to shower and get ready for my last day as a resident of the dorm full of air elementals. The showers were empty at this hour, so I took my time, relishing the hot water, shaving the appropriate areas where I’d rather not have any hair, and even had time for a deep conditioning of my ginger locks. It was heaven.
I’d just shut off the shower when the door to the communal bathroom squeaked open.
“I knew it was a bad idea for her to be in this dorm,” one girl stated.
Oh, please don’t let them be talking about me.
“I bet she’s the reason Jess dropped out,” another girl said.
I froze. Jess dropped out? That must have been why her side had been cleared. I didn’t like the blonde twat waffle, and God knew she’d made my life hell since we’d first met, but I didn’t want her to leave the academy.
“I heard she’s a witch like her mom.”
My mom was so not a witch, and I’d cut a bitch for saying otherwise. Well, except for the fact she had magic and cast a memory spell on Bryan. And the fact I had magic and cast a spell to get my water element to obey.
So, okay. Fine. Maybe we were witches. That didn’t mean they had the right to call us witches.
Yes, I’m aware that makes no sense.
“I bet she cast some sort of charm spell over the quad squad and that’s the only reason they’re all into her. I mean, who has four boyfriends at the same time?”
I do, bitches.
Not interested in hearing any more, I slipped into my robe, twisted the towel around my hair, and tucked it up high on my head, then padded out. When they saw me, they both rounded their eyes and fell mute.
I smiled sweetly as I addressed them. “Be careful what you say in public, girls. We witches take shit to the next level when you talk about us behind our backs. Abraca-fucking-dabra.” I waved my hand and sent water spraying out of the showerheads above them, drenching them in their robes. My smile grew as they both squealed so loud, so high-pitched, I was pretty sure dogs on the other side of the island heard them.
Jebus jumpin’ Jehosophat. I think they busted an eardrum. I plugged one ear and shook my finger in it to get it to stop ringing as I walked down the hall and back to my room. When I got there, I was surprised to see I had company.
Stace rose from my desk chair as soon as I entered the room. Her dark eyes danced with uncertainty, as did her troubled expression. Her brunette hair, always back in a bun while at school, seemed exceptionally tightly knotted today. She’d donned her Cat Woman suit, reminding me we had another awesome day of tribunals to get through. On a Sunday. Yay.
“To what do I owe the honor?” I set my shower caddy on my desk.
“Where’ve you been?”
I waved at my robe before pointing to the towel on my head. “At the prom, of course. What do you think of my gown?”
“Katy, I’m serious.”
She was always serious. With a groan, I conceded, “I was in the shower. Geez, isn’t it obvi?”
“No, I mean where’ve you been since we talked last night?”
Oh, that. Whoopsie. “I sort of forgot to tell you I was going to the cabin to hang with the guys.” I braced myself for her to lecture me on leaving the academy grounds without her permission.
“And they’ll tell me the same?”
“Yes.” It came out as a question.
Something wasn’t right. She wrung her hands in front of her while pacing the length of the room. “There’s been an incident. Two water elementals were attacked early this morning.” She stopped and rested a worried gaze on me. “They claim it was you who attacked them.”
“Me?” My mouth fell open. Why did so many students at this academy hate me? I’d done everything in my power to protect our world, and yet they still found reasons to turn me into the bad guy. “I didn’t attack anyone.”
�
��That’s her!”
Ah, crap.
I winced and turned, smiling sweetly as the two bitches from the bathroom stood dripping in the doorframe. The tall boney one extended her index finger, pointing right at me. “She’s the one who attacked us in the shower.”
I stand corrected. That attack was totally me.
“Katy?” Stace prodded.
This was not going to end well for me. I just knew it. “Okay, yeah. I did douse them, but you should have heard what they were saying.”
“You don’t attack other students.”
“I know, but—”
“This is serious.”
“They’re fine.”
“The two water elementals aren’t.”
“I didn’t attack them,” I shouted, irritated I had to defend myself for, well, defending myself.
“But you did attack these two?”
“We’ve already established that.”
“I’m sorry,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’s hard to keep track of everyone you’ve attacked. I’ll need to verify you were with the guys all night.”
The two girls in the doorframe gasped. It was no secret I had four boyfriends. They’d even pointed out as much. Still, we didn’t advertise it. It was unconventional, sure, and some people were pretty damn judgy over things outside their perceived norm. Like remaining undeclared instead of choosing a primary. Like being decreed the prophecy before I knew how to control my elements. Like being with all the guys instead of forced to choose one over any of the others.
Considering how much the two gossiped in the shower about shit that was none of their business, the news of me spending the night with the guys would be all over the academy by lunch.
Thanks, Stace.
I pulled out my phone and held it up. “Would you like me to call them and put them on speaker?”
“That won’t be necessary.” She moved to the door and grabbed the knob as she regarded the two bitches that got my ass in trouble. “Please go back to your room. Thank you.” She closed the door in their shocked faces and turned to me. “We need to talk.”
“What’s really going on? Do you honestly believe I attacked a couple of water elementals with fire?”
“It wasn’t fire. It was earth. They were buried alive and had to dig their way out.”
Holy crapola. That didn’t sound pleasant at all. “I would never do that. Sure, I turned the showers on the two talking about me, but all they did was get wet. I didn’t hurt them. You know me better than that.”
“I didn’t want to believe you’d attack students. Period. But then those two?” She pointed at the closed door.
“Oh, come on. You should have heard what they were saying. They called my mom a witch.”
“Because she is!” She drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out as she rubbed her temples. “So are you. So am I. It’s not a bad thing.”
“The way they were saying, it is.”
“Did the water elementals say something against your mom too? Is that why you attacked them?”
“I didn’t do it!”
“I want to believe you. I really do, and I was fully prepared to come here, get your side, and go up against the Council for you. But then I find your bags packed and you nowhere to be found.”
“Should have checked the showers,” I grumbled and removed the towel from my hair, dropping it on the floor.
Stace called air and draped it over a chair. “I talked with Leo this morning. I also talked with Bryan. They both agreed you were with them last night, but when they went to check on you this morning, you were gone.”
“Because I came back here.” I dropped into the chair and set my elbows on the desk, resting my head in my hands. “Why are you doing this? Why treat me like I’ve done something wrong?”
She approached and stared at me through the mirror. “You know why. Spencer used dark magic on you. In his attempt to bind your powers, he instead implanted a darkness that nearly took over. If Syd hadn’t stopped you when he did, you would have killed one or all of the quad squad. It’s my understanding you nearly killed a dark elemental when you were with the patrol looking for me.”
“But I didn’t,” I fired back. Holy cripes, man. She made it sound like I was a monster. “And I didn’t attack those water elementals.”
“When the Council comes to question you—and they will come—be sure you tell them only enough to convince them of your innocence and nothing more. I don’t think they’ll be as forgiving if they discover your sixth element.” She grabbed my bags. “Get ready for tribunals. I’ll deliver these to your new room in Terrae. You’ll be on the sixth floor.”
“I thought Terrae only had five floors.”
“Your room is the only one above them.”
“The only room above the top floor is the…” I trailed off when it clicked. “Wait. Am I in the attic?”
“Think of it as the penthouse.”
“Stace!”
“Get ready and head to the field.” She teleported out, leaving me alone and fuming. Over being accused of attacking students. Over moving from a huge room all to myself in Ventus to the attic in Terrae, which I probably had to share with rats and other vermin.
One thought continued to plague me as I got ready. It wasn’t that a couple of students claimed I attacked them. It was the fact Stace believed them over me.
After doing a half-assed job at my hair and makeup, I changed into my uniform sans anything yellow. Since I was now a resident of Terrae and should be sporting the green color of the house—which looked way better on a redhead than yellow, which made me appear as if I had liver disease—I left all the sweaters and blazers for Ventus in the wardrobe.
By the time I emerged from my room for the last time, news of me attacking two water elementals had spread faster than a virus in a room full of sneezers. The fact I’d spent the night with the guys didn’t even get an honorable mention.
“Montana!” Clay met me as soon as I walked outside. “What’s up, buttercup?” When I didn’t slow, he grasped my arm to stop me. “Seriously, what’s got you angry enough to go on a rampage?”
“Haven’t you heard? Apparently, I already did.”
“Oh, that.” He waved off the news, just like he waved off anything with any level of seriousness. “I also heard you sprouted wings and flew around the academy, spewing fire like a dragon.” His expression stilled. “Wait, can you shapeshift into a dragon? Because if you can, that’d be very cool.”
When he teasingly winked, I relaxed slightly. He always had the power to find the humor in any situation. Even one as serious as me being accused of running around attacking other students.
Leo joined us and took in my appearance. He looked even pastier today, though his cheeks were flushed darker than yesterday. “Where’re your house colors?”
“I’m moving to Terrae today after tribunals.”
Clay groaned. “I still can’t believe you’d rather live in the dirt house than with me in the coolest house there is.”
“Said no one living outside Ventus, like, ever,” Leo quipped, earning a middle finger from Clay. “What’s going on, babe? I heard you tried to boil the blood of a couple of water elementals. I can tell you from personal experience, that shit hurts. Granted, River and Brooke are annoying, but did you have to use a forbidden call on them? Did they do something to piss you off?”
“I didn’t do… Just a second. Their names are River and Brooke? Water elementals named after bodies of water? Seriously?” I snorted. Some parents were downright cruel. I jerked my attention to my bearded air elemental as his name clicked. “Wait. Your name is Clay.”
“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.”
“You were named after your opposing element. That’s just mean. Who names their air elemental after earth?”
“Maxine and Gerard Williams, that’s who.” He set his jaw and looked away. “That’s what happens when two brainiacs try and be funny. At least I didn’t inherit the
ir sense of humor. I’m funny as hell.”
“You should let other people tell you you’re funny.” Leo’s comment earned him another flip of the bird.
I was still stuck on the fact parents named their kids after elements. That was hilarious and disturbing at the same time.
“They were attacked with earth,” I finally pointed out. “The two water elementals were buried alive. It wasn’t fire.”
“You mean the rumor mill got something wrong?” Clay brought his hand to his chest and pretended to clutch his pearls. “Shocker.”
Leo wiped at his drenched brow, revealing sweat stains that’d even soaked through his blazer.
“Leo, is your fever worse? You’re sweating really bad.” I reached to touch his forehead, but he swatted my hand away.
“Stop fussing over me, babe. I’m fine. I’m just nervous to get my fake tribunal over with so I can start my finals.”
He had a point. I’d be nervous enough to produce sweat stains too if I had to go through another tribunal.
More and more students headed toward the training field as day two of the tribunals geared up. I hated this, hated it more than I hated running—and I really hated running. If I wasn’t being chased by a rabid honey badger or another animal equally as terrifying, I saw no need to run.
“When are you testing?” I asked Leo.
“First up,” he said with a nod, knocking blond curls into his stunning blue eyes. He thrust his fingers through his hair to push it off his face. “It’ll only take a few minutes for them to realize I’m not magically enhanced.”
“Let me give you a good luck kiss.” I pulled us together, welcoming the heat from his touch. I lost myself in the connection, as I did every time I kissed one of my guys. Our kiss deepened. When he opened his mouth and really kissed me, I responded by weaving my fingers in his hair and pulling him tighter against me. I pushed my control to him. The burn twisting inside me intensified and fought to break free. I couldn’t allow the fire to escape and end up hurting him, not my water elemental, especially after what’d happened in my dream. Imaginary or not, he’d suffered from enough fire calls to last a lifetime.
His kiss grew more urgent, more desperate, more passionate, and I drew in a breath to take him in. The heat roasted me from the inside out. If I didn’t find an outlet soon, I’d burst into flames and take Leo with me.