Hunt (Academy of Unpredictable Magic Book 5)

by Sadie Moss

  I lean up to press a kiss to his lips, to reassure him without words that my feelings for him have never been in doubt. His arms tighten around me, and our kiss deepens for a moment, each of us pouring so much of ourselves into it that we’re both breathing hard when we pull away.

  My face is still close to his, our noses almost brushing, as I gaze into his dark eyes.

  “I’m so fucking happy you’re not a married man right now. I just… worry you gave up too much for me. You gave up your family. Your inheritance. The whole world you grew up in.”

  He shrugs, and I feel the movement more than see it, since I’m practically lying on top of him.

  “Sure. But that world was worth jack shit if it meant I couldn’t live my life the way I wanted. I couldn’t be myself.” Then he grins, cocking an eyebrow at me. “This wasn’t about you anyway. I didn’t do it for you.”

  I gasp in mock offense. “What? I will never forgive you for this insult!”

  Dmitri laughs softly and lifts his head off the pillow to kiss me again.

  “I did it for myself,” he admits, his voice a little rough around the edges. “I should’ve done this a long time ago, if I’m being honest. I spent way too many years of my life under my parents’ thumbs. Especially my father.”

  My pretend outrage fades away, and I can’t help the rush of pride that sweeps through me. I know Dmitri cares about me—but honestly, hearing that I’m not the reason he called off his arranged marriage makes me happier than I can express.

  “I kept trying to fit into a role I was never meant for,” he continues. “A role I didn’t want. I was making myself miserable. And for what? Was the fate of the world resting on my shoulders? Were people going to suffer if I didn’t live up to my father’s expectations? No. I didn’t owe anyone anything, least of all someone who never had my best interests at heart.”

  He shakes his head, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of brown hair behind my ear.

  “Meeting you made me want to be a better person. I know you don’t always see it, but you’re fucking incredible, Elliot. You’ve stood up for Unpredictables for as long as I’ve known you. You did what was right even when it could hurt you. You went out of your way to fight to protect us. To protect our school. You’re brave and honest. And you don’t give a shit about social niceties or what anyone thinks.”

  I bite my lip, trying to contain my blush. Normally, I kind of suck at accepting compliments, but I don’t want to ruin this moment by hemming and hawing and deflecting. It’s a bad habit anyway.

  “I wanted to be someone like that,” Dmitri adds softly. “Not just someone like you. But someone worthy of being with you. Someone who brought as much to the table in our relationship as you did. You made me want to fight for the life I want. A life where I’m myself.” He cups my face, gazing so deeply into my eyes that I feel like I’m floating and falling at the same time. “And I—thank you for that, Princess. Thank you.”

  Oh, holy shit.

  It feels like my heart is going to slam right through my ribs. I brace myself on his chest and kiss him, slow and deep, savoring it.

  He’s smiling softly as our kiss breaks and I settle back into his embrace, and it’s hard to describe that smile. It’s sad, but not in a heavy sort of way. If anything, he seems lighter now.

  Freer.

  Despite whatever grief he might have at saying goodbye to his family—it’s not outweighing his joy at finally being who he wants to be.

  And I’m so fucking glad for that.

  Chapter 3

  A weight has been lifted from all of our shoulders, and I can sense it in the atmosphere as we all relax around the house the next day.

  It feels amazing.

  Last year, I was attacked by an anti-Unpredictable fanatic—yippee—and ended up in a coma all summer as a result. Roman brought me here to keep me safe, and the guys all stayed because they were worried—plus, in Dmitri’s case, it was a good excuse to stay away from home.

  The four men all bonded while I was in the coma, not just with each other but with Mads as well. I was pretty envious at the time, actually. When I woke up from my coma at the end of the summer, it felt like they’d all grown so much closer while I was still sitting at square one.

  But this… this is so much better.

  I look back at last summer, and while everyone was comfortable then, there was still so much left to discuss, so much left unsaid. Now everything feels a hundred times more settled. We’re a proper unit now. The relationship that I once worried was too strange is now familiar, and I love it. We’re making it work, all five of us together.

  Roman’s even put up a few more pictures of his family around the house as the summer’s gone on. At first, there was just the one on the mantelpiece. But at the end of last semester, he finally told me the truth about what happened to them, how his Unpredictable power to deliver death through touch killed them when he was just a small child. And now that I know, I think Roman’s decided he doesn’t have to hide—not from me or himself or his past.

  It’s nice. I like seeing those pictures around. Roman’s family were good people, as far as I know, and it’s good that he remembers them. That he wants to remember them. I’m sure they would want him to be happy and to not resent himself for what he didn’t even understand as a child, what he couldn’t control.

  In fact, the whole house feels more lived in. The guys have stuff scattered everywhere, and so do Maddy and I. Cam’s jackets are draped over the backs of chairs, Asher’s notebooks are left open on the couch, his sketches pinned to the fridge, and Dmitri’s paperbacks sit in stacks on the coffee table. Even when they aren’t around, there are tangible reminders that they were here and will be again. That this has become their home too, in a way.

  Our home.

  I did my best to make our old apartment a home for Maddy, but it never really felt like it. Not after Mom died of cancer and left us alone. But now, it’s like I finally have a proper home again.

  A place where I can relax, let my guard down, and be myself.

  As a matter of fact, Dmitri and I are currently relaxing on the large porch swing that faces the backyard. We’re each leaning against one of the thick arms, our feet tangled together in the middle of the swing. He’s reading some book—although it’s in Russian, so I don’t have a clue what it’s about—and I’m watching Roman help Mads with her meditation techniques.

  Maddy’s not Unpredictable. She has water elemental powers. But no matter what kind of magic a person has, controlling it can be difficult. Teaching control is what Roman specializes in, which makes even more sense to me now that I know what all of his powers are.

  He has three distinct powers, just like I do, except all of his revolve around death. Necromancy, demon summoning, and drawing out people’s life force. Because each of those powers could potentially be very dangerous, he had to work hard to learn how to control them and keep from hurting people.

  Maddy’s listening attentively as Roman explains some complex concept to her. It’s a good thing it’s a warm late-summer day, because they’re both soaking wet from her previous misfires, and small bubbles of water are hovering in the air around them. It’s hard not to laugh when Maddy slips up and soaks them both again.

  From the other side of the house comes the distant sound of a car pulling up. Then I hear the front door open and shut.

  I tilt my head back, leaning over the arm of the porch swing to call toward the house, “We’re out back!”

  There’s the sound of tromping feet, and a moment later, Cam emerges from the back door, followed by Asher. The blond mage appears frustrated, his brow stormy, and Asher looks a bit more withdrawn than usual, disappointed.

  “Hey! How’d it go?” I ask, dropping my feet off the swing and sitting up straighter.

  The two men went into Portland today to do some job hunting, and they’ve been gone for several hours. Of course, they could always get jobs outside of the magical community, but few magic users do.


  “Not well,” Asher says carefully, his moss-green eyes darkening.

  “Nobody wants to hire Unpredictables.” Cam flops down next to me on the porch swing, puffing out his cheeks with a heavy exhale. Then he leans over me to look at Dmitri. “Bet you wish you’d hung onto that family fortune now.”

  Asher sits down on my other side, squishing in between me and Dmitri. Cam kisses my neck as Asher wraps his arm around my shoulders. I lean into both of them, relaxing as the scents of sandalwood and citrus surround me. They’re hugely affectionate, these two, and I love it.

  “Damn. The brochures are a lie,” Cam mutters as we all turn our heads to watch Roman work with Maddy. “They make it sound like once you graduate, the world opens up.”

  “Maybe that was how it once was,” Asher points out. “Before the backlash against Unpredictables. At my interviews today, everyone was interested to hear about my family, but then when they asked me about my magic…”

  He trails off, and Cam takes over.

  “Yup. On a lot of applications, they ask you to list what kind of magic you have.” He shakes his head. “I put down Unpredictable, and the look on people’s faces when I turned the applications in makes me pretty damn sure I won’t be getting many interviews.”

  “Whoever this asshole is who hates us so much,” Dmitri growls, “he’s succeeding in getting people to distrust us.”

  That asshole, whoever he might be—we don’t have a name, and I’ve only gotten the barest impressions of his face—is the one who’s been behind all the attacks on our school. He encouraged the provost of the Phoenix Training Program and fuck knows how many other people to turn against Unpredictables, claiming we’re dangerous and untrustworthy.

  And like Dmitri said, that shit is working.

  “I’m not sure if it’s just this guy, though.” I lean over Cam to peer at Dmitri. “Maybe I’m wrong, but… he didn’t create all this hate in a vacuum. It didn’t come from nowhere. If he was able to stir up anti-Unpredictable sentiments so quickly and so powerfully, they must’ve been there in some people’s mind already. Hell, even the fact that our school used to have a collection of dangerous magical artifacts hidden beneath it says a lot about what people think of us. They think we’re just as dangerous.”

  Dean Hardwick, who runs the school, had a deal with the Circuit for many years—as collateral to make sure Griffin stayed open, he agreed to let them store high-powered magical objects on campus. The Unpredictable magic of the students and teachers masked the aura of the magical objects, keeping them safe from thieves and treasure hunters. Or at least, that was the idea.

  It still kind of burns my butt that the Circuit was willing to put our safety at risk just to keep their precious artifacts hidden, and that Dean Hardwick really had no choice but to agree.

  Shaking my head, I settle back on the porch swing. “I think whoever’s behind the attacks has been intentionally taking advantage of the way people were already feeling. Inflaming it. Building on it. And now it’s like a snowball rolling down a hill—it just keeps getting bigger and stronger, and I don’t know how to stop it.”

  We all sit in silence for a long moment. Tension gathers on the porch as if the air itself is growing thicker.

  Shoot, so much for our peaceful, relaxing day.

  I know I’m not being particularly positive or cheerful about this, and I want to try, to put on a strong face for the guys and for Maddy. But it’s getting harder and harder to do that.

  “We’ll figure it out,” Asher says quietly. “We’ll find a way.”

  I can only hope so.

  Chapter 4

  A couple of days later, it’s time to take Maddy back to her school.

  My little sister goes to a different academy than I do, but she’s in her third year as well. I’m excited and nervous for her, although I know I should probably be more worried about myself. Mads has a regular magical ability, so she’ll be fine—get a good job after school and all that—and she’s so friendly and easy to get along with that most people instantly like her.

  But she’s still my little sister, so I worry.

  Neptune Academy is farther away from Portland than Griffin is, so she usually takes the shuttle provided by the school, but I decide to drive her so we can spend a few more hours together. After a lot of cajoling and promises to drive the exact speed limit, Roman agrees to let me borrow his car.

  Mads is quiet the whole way, which is unusual for her. Normally, she’s a massive chatterbox. I’m the one who’s not all that chatty, especially in social situations. It’s why I appreciate Dmitri’s ability to communicate without speaking, Asher’s quiet understanding, Roman’s way of gently coaxing words out of me, and how Cam fills the space all on his own.

  “Everything okay?” I ask her as we pull through the gate onto Neptune’s campus. “Aren’t you excited to be back?”

  “I am.” She nods quickly, turning to face me. “I just worry. About you.”

  “You don’t have to worry, Mads. I’m going to be fine.”

  In fairness, I can’t actually predict the future. But I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure I’m not a liar.

  “Are you worried about the intensive?” I press.

  “No, not really.”

  “Good. Because you’ll be amazing at it.”

  She rolls her eyes fondly. “I know, Ellie.”

  Students at her school who achieve and maintain a certain GPA get invited to take part in an intensive training program where they work with advanced spells and in high-pressure simulated situations. I don’t know exactly how it works, but it sounds like a great opportunity for Maddy.

  It means she has to go back to school a week early, but it’s worth it if it helps her get a better job when she finishes school. And I wasn’t kidding—I know she’ll kick ass at it.

  Neptune’s campus is larger than Griffin’s, and it’s much more organized and cohesive looking. All the buildings here have the same general appearance as each other, and they overlook the ocean, providing a gorgeous view. My campus is a hodgepodge of different styles and structures, as if the place was designed by twenty different architects—or a single very insane one. None of the structures at Griffin Academy match, and certainly none of them look like traditional school buildings or dorms.

  I can’t help but feel anxious as I get out of the car. My stomach and lungs are tight, and it feels like my skin is buzzing a bit. I keep my head down a little as I walk with Maddy, carrying her stuff to her dorm. She’s smiling but quiet, nodding at people she recognizes as we pass by them.

  A few people eye my cuff as I heft her bag higher on my shoulder—it’s too hot for me to wear long sleeves to cover it, and even if I did, the way I’m carrying this bag would probably pull my sleeve up anyway.

  Unpredictables have to wear small metal braces around our wrists that keep us from doing magic. At least, until we graduate. Then we’re deemed “safe” enough to use our powers without hurting people.

  Yeah, it’s just about as fun as it sounds, which is to say: not fun at all.

  They don’t hurt or anything, but they’re a constant presence. I’ve got a tan line on my arm from wearing mine. Some people decorate them to try and make them more personal—when I first met Cam, he had a dick painted on his, although that particular cuff has long since been destroyed.

  I suppose wearing a thick metal band looks kind of badass if you don’t know what it’s for, but to the people in our community, it’s like a brand.

  A marker.

  A signifier that we don’t belong.

  I wish I could take mine off. Not even to use magic, but just so I wasn’t labeled for everyone to see what I am. It should be nobody’s business what kind of magic I use, just like it should be nobody’s business who I’m dating—and whether it’s one guy or four.

  We reach Maddy’s dorm room on the third floor and put down her stuff.

  “You all set?” I ask, glancing around the room. Her roommate must not
be doing the same intensive Mads is, because the other side of the room is empty.

  She nods. “Yeah. Thanks, Ellie. I’ll walk you back to the car.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “I want to,” she says firmly. She doesn’t say anything more, but she’s far from blind. I know she saw the weird looks I got from the people around us. She wants to protect me.

  Ugh. I hate this.

  Most people would be glad their sibling loves them and wants to protect them—and trust me, I am glad to know she loves me this much. But I’m the older sibling. I took care of her after Mom died. I’m used to being the one doing the protecting, and I don’t want her to get hurt because of me.

  I get some more looks as we walk back downstairs, but nobody approaches us. Last time I ventured out into the magical community, shopping with Maddy in Portland, some asshole almost attacked us.

  Luckily, a few bystanders stepped in and stopped it, but my heart still pounds when I think about that incident. I still don’t know what I would’ve done if other people hadn’t intervened. Punched the guy? Well, I did do that, actually. But what good are fists when faced with someone who can do magic? Especially when your own magic is being repressed. It’s not a fair fucking fight.

  We’re just about to the car, and I’m ready to breathe a sigh of relief that we made it without incident when I hear someone say, “Maddy?”

  I turn along with Mads, only to feel her go stiff next to me. And not scared stiff—she’s blushing.

  The guy walking toward us is cute, in a nerd-type way. Which is Maddy’s exact type, by the way. The nerds, that’s who she always goes for. That TV show, Timeless? She thought Rufus, the engineer who flew the time machine, was the cutest. Star Trek? No Captain Kirk for her, she liked Spock. National Treasure, that hilariously bad movie where Nicholas Cage steals the Declaration of Independence? She thought the guy who played his computer-geek assistant was a ten out of ten.