by Meg Xuemei X
Mr. Helmer’s eyes almost bulged out in rage. Damn, I was being sincere and trying to make a compromise, and he thought I was making fun of him.
I sighed softly, and a bit sadly. “Why am I always misunderstood?”
Amber climbed to her seat beside me. The sheep had some pluck, encouraged by me, of course. I was always a good example. So now Amber and I were taller than anyone, including Mr. Helmer.
“Please don’t punish Cass, Mr. Helmer,” Amber pleaded. “It’s my fault.”
I frowned at Amber. “Why is it your fault?” Then I smirked. “I got it. You pinched me while I daydreamed. You should never have done that. It was rude.”
“Shush,” Amber said. “Don’t bring more attention to yourself than you already have.”
I laughed. “The sheep grows fangs. Show me how many you have.”
“Will you ever be serious about anything?” Amber hissed. “This is a dire situation if you haven’t realized it. I was trying to help you.”
“I know it’s a crisis, sheep,” I said. “That’s why I’m trying to solve it with Mr. Helmer. Right, Mr. Helmer?” I winked at him to show my willingness to work things out.
Amber turned to the sizzling Mr. Helmer. “Cass is new. She has no idea of the rules here. I should have told her beforehand, but we didn’t have time. You can whip me if you must, Mr. Helmer.” She flinched, her face paling, which meant that she was terrified of the punishment. Yet she was willing to take the whip for me.
But that wasn’t how I would solve a conflict.
“I’ll make sure next time Cass—” Amber didn’t finish her promise.
Helmer’s whip lashed out, its harsh sound whispering through the air. He saw only red instead of reason by now. Besides, he loved any excuse to inflict pain on others to gain power, and this class gave him the license to do so.
Only I was going to take away his license.
Amber threw herself in front of me, but I was faster, way faster. I grabbed her, shoving her to the desk behind me. My hand seized the tail of the whip before it slashed my face.
Mr. Helmer wanted to scar me. And now I was slightly pissed off by his intent.
My magic poured out of me, black fire twirling around my fingers as another flame overlapped it—the white fire that came from Earth whenever I summoned my kin’s magic.
I had once melted Jade’s blade with my dark fire. But with Helmer’s metal, the white Earth flame would perform better, eating away his foul metal magic.
Everyone in the class widened their eyes as Helmer’s whip turned to ash inch by inch, and the shocked expression on Helmer’s pale, narrow face added a good, comical effect.
Hector charged in, and I grinned at him.
“You missed the best part of the show, Hector,” I said. “I handled the situation like a pro.” I gestured around the class. “See, it’s quiet and peaceful, and I didn’t burn down the classroom as you were afraid I would.”
Hector watched the last inch of Helmer’s bronze whip turn to ash, floating down to the ground. Helmer still held the wooden handle, only because I wanted him to have a souvenir.
I opened my fist and let the ash in my hand drop to the desk.
“My book!” Amber jumped back to her seat, snatched her book from the desk, and blew the ash off the pages.
“Sorry, Amber,” I said. “I forgot about the book. I’ll make it up to you and bring you a cake tomorrow.”
Hector looked at Mr. Helmer, cold fury in his blue eyes, the scar across his cheek darkening. “You dared to whip Cass?”
“I think I came to the wrong class,” I said, following Amber and sliding back down into my chair since there was no need to stand anymore. “I don’t like classes with long hours. And Helmer is incredibly boring, and he bullshits a lot. He worships little Phobos. After you’re done talking to him, you’ll take me to the headmaster since I need to cross out some classes, like this one.”
I wouldn’t call him mister again since he’d tried to whip Amber and me. If I had been any weaker and slower, I’d have been one of his victims.
Well, school wasn’t exactly what I’d pictured. To be honest, it was quite a disappointment. But I decided to stick around a little longer and see what else it had for me. I’d bail out when there was no fun and no surprise left.
“You’ve come to the wrong place, little girl,” Helmer snickered. “This is the military Academy for talented commanders and the best magical fighters. You need to go back to your corner of the street.”
He focused on me instead of Hector because the fae captain was big and had a sword strapped on his back that he could pull out at lightning speed. Helmer had forgotten that I’d just melted his whip with my bare hand and defeated his magic.
Not so many people took me seriously because of my two-toned eyes, tri-colored hair, and my short height.
Hector stalked toward Helmer, towering over him, forming fists. “Say that again to Miss Saélihn.”
I knew he would punch Helmer’s face. That might be satisfying to see, but Hector simply couldn’t just go hit anyone who offended me. I’d need to talk to him later, in private. He and his five core warriors made fun of me all the time, but they didn’t seem to allow anyone else to do the same.
Helmer stepped back, but he didn’t take his hostile stare from Hector’s furious eyes.
“Are you threatening me, Hector?” Helmer said. “I haven’t violated the Academy’s policies. Instructors have the right to punish students as we see fit. High Council member Noah added the decree three months ago. His Grace endorses the practice.”
This was the second time I heard Noah’s name.
Amber sucked in a breath, which meant Hector was in a no-win situation since this Noah dude outranked him. In both mortal and immortal worlds where bigger dogs ate smaller dogs, it was all about hierarchy and power.
Helmer pointed at me with his pinkie. “This anonymous girl whom you befriended has disturbed the order of the class. No one even told me who she is. She just slid into my class and caused chaos. In my twenty years of teaching, no one has ever disrespected me as she did. It’s unacceptable.”
Chaos seemed to be my middle name now.
But I didn’t look for trouble. Trouble always came looking for me. If my four mates, particularly Lorcan, wanted to scold me when I returned, I’d use that punch line as an arguing point.
“Uh, there you are.” A rich, musical voice sounded behind me. “I’ve been tracking you.”
Everyone stood up and saluted, including Amber, Hector, and Helmer. Everyone except me. Amber grabbed my hand to make me salute, but I twirled a circle in the air instead.
“Your Grace,” they greeted.
“Who the fu—?” I started and turned toward the voice, but Amber slammed a hand over my mouth and muffled the rest of my curse.
“You’ll be dead if you offend High Council member Noah,” Amber whispered in my ear. “He’s the head of all mages and one of the most powerful men on Earth.”
I swatted away Amber’s small hand on my lips. “Oh, yeah?”
My mates were also the most powerful males on Earth. They could take down any dude in a heartbeat if he posed a threat to me.
Then I felt it before I faced the man. His power, like that of a flaming star, rippled off him. I widened my eyes. Instantly, I sent my power to meet it. His potent power brushed mine aside, then dropped into deep space, where my magic was afraid to go.
If it went, it might not come back.
I extracted my power in alarm. But while his power had brushed mine, I had vaguely felt something familiar, as if he and I were both cut from the same swath of cloth, only his was grander.
A giant, gorgeous male with red-golden hair down to his shoulders stepped into my view. His tanned face exuded masculine beauty. His eyes were the greenest I’d ever seen, so green they could bleach all colors.
For a fraction of a second, I almost saw a mirage of this male driving a chariot of fire like a glorious sun god, divine mu
sic in the wake of its wheels. But he couldn’t be a god. Or could he? I shook my head at the illusion, and my vision cleared.
He was a mage with a flawless body. That was all he was.
He was clad in a dark-red T-shirt that stretched over his broad, muscled chest and showed off his corded arms. His military cargo pants were evidently custom-tailored and displayed his powerful long legs.
He moved with fiery grace few could master.
I had thought my mates were flawless, and now I had to redefine perfection, because this specimen in front of me outshone all mortals and immortals.
However, despite his incredible package, my heart didn’t stutter for him, not as it beat for every one of my mates. Their presence always punched my stomach and sucked the air out of my lungs. I had never told them that and would never tell them this little secret of mine.
Noah smiled brilliantly, its voltage high and bright, and involuntary gasps vomited from the class. Everyone gazed at the mage with that kind of silly, dreaming adoration that bordered on idol worship.
Yet he hadn’t tried to enthrall them. If he had, I would have sensed it. Just as when Lorcan had tried to enthrall me with his vampire power, and I’d put the vampire lord in his place.
Evidently, Noah had a natural charm. How could a mage have such power? Alaric was a demigod, yet even he wasn’t as magnetic as Noah.
But still my pulse didn’t rise above normal, unlike the way I reacted to my mates every fucking second.
I was immune to Noah’s lure.
His stunning smile dimmed a notch as he realized I wasn’t responding to his presence like others.
While everyone widened their wild eyes, I narrowed my suspicious ones at Noah.
“Why do you have to track me?” I demanded. “What did I do? And who are you exactly?”
And then everyone woke up from the trance.
Hector blinked and subtly shook his head at me.
Why was Hector even worried? First, I hadn’t cursed, which was rare and should have put him at ease. Second, I wasn’t showing my usual defiance.
“How dare you talk to His Grace without bowing? You must address His Grace properly!” Helmer hissed at my audacity, waving the empty hilt up and down. He’d just bounced back from losing a magic whip, and then was overwhelmed by the visit of the High Council member.
Now he just grated on my nerves.
“Kneeling and bowing are for weasels like you,” I spat. “I, Cass Saélihn, stand under the sky in my own right. I don’t bow or kneel to anyone—mortals, immortals, or gods.”
The class was once again shocked into silence. Well, they’d been quiet ever since Noah walked into the room. It was as if his power, even hidden, dwarfed everyone. And they sure felt it, even though they couldn’t perceive it as I did.
There was a hint of a smile on Hector’s lips, his fingers twitching. The brave, loyal warrior was ready to pull his sword and defend me. Anytime.
“How dare you—” Helmer gathered his metal magic.
“You need to expand your vocabulary, dude,” I said as if bored.
“Silence, Helmer,” Noah said. “You won’t speak unless spoken to. I won’t take kindly of anyone disturbing my conversation with Cass again.”
Helmer’s face paled, and his eyes grew round before he dropped his gaze to the ground. “Yes, Your Grace. I apologize.”
Noah honed in on me like a magnifying glass above the tips of matches.
“That’s too intense,” I told him. “Turn down your headlight.”
Noah only smiled. “I heard a lot about you, Cass.”
“From who?” I asked suspiciously and defensively. “I’m kind of new here.”
He laughed—a sound musical, sexy, and enchanting—and once again everyone else, including Amber, was utterly captivated.
“There was a commotion in the square earlier,” Noah said. “Everyone is talking about a two-tone-eyed girl who can spew fire.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” I said, trying to stand taller, but my height wasn’t helping nor was my speaking volume. But I managed to gaze at the giant in front of me by tilting my head at the right angle. I was getting better at looking down at people taller than me. “Your big gang of ten was bullying my sheep friend here.” I jerked a thumb toward Amber. “It wasn’t a fair fight, so I stepped in to even the odds.”
An amused smile danced in Noah’s green eyes. “It was a gang of six not ten.”
I had exaggerated a bit, but I hadn’t expected him to check the numbers. Didn’t he have better things to do as an important High Council member rather than correcting my math?
“But I was still impressed by how you turned one of the prettiest high fae ladies bald,” Noah said. “Mellissa comes from an esteemed family from the Sihde court. She’s never suffered such humiliation all her life. And she’s traumatized.”
“I had to return the fire to her since the cun—” I stopped in the middle since Hector was now shaking his head violently. “The bit—” Hector was still shaking his head. I gave up. “The wench was trying to mar my perfect skin.” I flicked my hair. “If I let her, I’d have to wear a wig forever. So when it comes to being bald, better her than me. And it’s easy to fix her PTSD. Don’t you have a shrink, considering the size of the Academy? I’m sure her family has enough money to afford one. I’ve done research. The top shrink’s fee is around five hundred an hour. She can even bargain for a discount.”
I’d learned about the shrinks’ fees when I’d dream-visited the mortal realm. But that was a few years ago. They might have raised the price after the gods had come. I was a bit worried the information might be outdated, though Noah might not know that.
Helmer gaped at me, jaw dropping, then he made the sign of the cross over his gray and red robe, which was very improper. I wasn’t even a demon. He should make that sign before Celeb since he was a half-demon, but then Celeb might behead him.
I was too nice.
“This girl is going to destroy our way of life,” Helmer said. “She has no respect for any rules. She’ll disturb every possible order, which is the only thing we can hold onto. She can’t stay in the Academy. She must be expelled.”
“That’s not for you to decide,” Hector said coldly. “Lady Cassandra Saélihn belongs to Prince Reysalor and Prince Pyrder. And both Prince Reysalor and Pyrder are High Council members as well.”
“I doubt the princes would mind getting rid of a new pet for the future of the Academy,” Helmer said. “Prince Reysalor is particularly known for being practical.”
“Careful, Helmer,” Hector said. “If you attempt again to lay a finger on Prince Reysalor and Prince Pyrder’s one and true mate, you’ll lose that hand.”
Color drained from Helmer’s face. “The princes would pick that girl as their mate? It’s impossible. It must be infatuation, and their fancy will pass. I’ll report this to the Council, and the majority votes rule. I won’t put up with this horror. We’ve never stood for behavior even less obnoxious than this girl’s.”
My eyes went wide, and I gaped, not at Helmer’s threat but Hector’s statement. I stared at the fierce fae warrior. I hadn’t expected him to announce me as his princes’ mate, since I thought my mates would want to keep it a secret. I was even more shocked that Hector was proud of me, though I was barbaric and ridiculous most of the time.
Next time, I would let him have a small slice of my cake.
But my heart still sank. I couldn’t turn the unfortunate event around. I had no redeemable quality, and my days in the Academy were over. Being kicked out of the school on the first day might have set a record, but it wasn’t something to brag about.
It could be worse. I comforted myself.
At least, I was still a free woman walking.
“Enough, Helmer,” Noah said. “Utter one more word against Lady Cass and I’ll have you removed from the Academy that instant, personally. And Lady Cass is going nowhere. She’s staying.”
I blinked, as did Helmer. Both of
us had a hard time believing what we’d heard from the High Council member.
I recovered faster and pumped my fist in the air. “Yes!” I shouted. “Thank you, Your Grace Noah.”
He chuckled. “You can just call me Noah.”
“Fine, if you insist,” I said, grinning at him. It turned out that he was on my side. “If it pleases you, next time I won’t make Mellissa bald. It was too late to undo it now. Next time I’ll just remove her eyebrows, as a courtesy to you.”
Amber gasped with the rest of the class.
I turned to the sheep with an arched eyebrow. “You have a better idea?”
Noah roared with belly laughter. “You’re delightful, Cass, wicked delightful. I didn’t expect it, but you’re a find of the centuries.”
Noah turned out to be the most friendly dude, besides Reyes. And he had just saved face for me and changed my fate in the Academy.
“I can be sweet,” I said, “if people don’t judge.”
“I don’t judge,” he said, his lip ends pulling up. And when he smiled like that, it felt like being bathed in spring sunlight.
My temper cooled, yet my heart still didn’t flutter for him.
“Since you mentioned earlier about changing your class curriculum,” Noah said. “I can do that for you. Why don’t we go to my house, and we’ll sort it out while having tea and cakes in the sunroom?”
My eyes sparked. “Sunroom? And what kind of cakes do you have?”
“Come and learn the mystery yourself, Cass,” he said, my name rolling like honey on his tongue, and he offered me his arm as we strolled out of the classroom.
Human mothers always warned their daughters never to go with a stranger, but I had no mother, not anymore, and Noah was hardly a stranger. Was he?
And this Noah was an enigma himself. His power was a mystery. I needed to find out more about it. I needed to test him.