Academy of the Elites: Fated Magic

by Alexis Calder

  I nodded, surprised that he knew exactly what I was thinking. “How?”

  “Whatever you did to make it happen, can you do the opposite?”

  “I don’t know.” It felt different now. I felt different. Like the vibrations of the magic never fully went away. They seemed to call to me, connecting me to the objects that were held in suspension around us. The destruction around us.

  “Did I do this or did you?” I asked. “I mean, I know the time thing was me, but broken things.”

  “I think it was all you,” he said, taking my hand in his. “But we can fix it.”

  That’s when I realized that he wasn’t frozen. Every time I’d used time magic in the past, it impacted the people around me, freezing them.

  “You’re not hurt,” I said, squeezing his hand, and you’re not frozen.”

  “I’m not.” He grinned. “Either you spared me or the bond is keeping me safe.”

  I hadn’t considered that. It was clear that something had shifted after we sealed our bond. My magic had changed. I let go of his hand and tiptoed to the door. Standing behind it so I could cover the fact that I was naked, I poked my head out.

  Silence.

  Had I frozen everyone?

  I wasn’t sure how far my magic could reach and I was terrified to leave the room to find out. At least the lights in the hallway and the rest of the suite were still attached to the wall. I hadn’t continued the destruction beyond the bedroom.

  I padded back to the bedroom where Zach was patiently waiting for me on the bed.

  He extended his hand. “What if we try to fix it together? Didn’t Professor Halifax say that your magic would grow with your bonds? Maybe I can help.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” I said, settling down on the bed next to him. I accepted his hand and took a deep breath. We needed to fix this.

  “You take the lead, I’ll send my magic in as support but you’re the one who has to guide it,” he said.

  “Okay.” My whole mouth suddenly felt super dry. I licked my lips and swallowed, trying to send the nerves away.

  Taking a deep breath, I focused on finding my magic as Professor Halifax had instructed. It burned brightly within me, a raging fire instead of the usual spark. I gasped, surprised by the power I could feel in myself. It was obviously not the same as the magic I’d had prior to having sex with Zach. The bond with him had really changed me.

  I just hoped it was for the better.

  Using that fire, I guided it, thinking about reversing what I did. Turning back the destruction.

  My lower lip trembled as I felt the power coursing through me. Zach’s magic mingled with mine, sending in a boost of power. Focusing on the task, I pushed the magic forward.

  Suddenly, the broken glass and stuffing receded, floating through the air until it returned to where it came from. Before my eyes, the fixtures repaired themselves, the pillows refilled with fluff and the damage was undone.

  When everything was back to the way it had been, I let go of the magic, sending a wave of power from me like a ripple. I could feel it in the air, radiating away from me.

  I wasn’t sure what I did, but I knew I’d restarted time.

  My skin tingled as the remains of the magic crawled through me. I could feel it better than ever before. It was responding to me now, working with me instead of fighting me.

  Turning to the lamp next to the bed, I sent a burst of magic and the light exploded. I called to my time magic and halted it, freezing it in an arc of shattered glass. I waited a heartbeat then called it back, rewinding time to repair the broken glass. With a twist of my wrist, I started time back to normal. I turned at looked at Zach.

  He was still holding my hand, his eyes wide, lips parted. “You’ve got it now, don’t you?”

  I nodded. “I can control time.”

  “Yes, you can,” he said, a smile on his lips.

  I thought he’d be terrified. I was. This was a lot of power. Not only could I stop time, I could reverse it, which meant, I could change it.

  For the first time, I fully grasped exactly how powerful and dangerous this magic was. “We just have to hope nobody felt me doing that.”

  “If they were frozen, they won’t notice,” he said.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  “Open the goddamn door, mage,” someone shouted from behind the door.

  Zach let go of my hand. “Stay here, I’ll take care of this.”

  He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

  I scavenged around for something to wear and ended up pulling on one of Zach’s white button up shirts. Thankfully, it fit me like a dress.

  “Where is she?” Ben’s voice called. “Tell me she’s with you.”

  I opened the door and walked into the living area to see Ben, red faced and tense, yelling at Zach.

  “What is going on here?” I called.

  Ben physically relaxed the second he saw me. He walked right past Zach toward me. “The thief must be back or there’s a new one or something. Someone stopped time. I don’t think it was from outside the school because I wasn’t stopped and I could leave the school. Didn’t you say for the for bubble the exits were sealed?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “We have to get you somewhere safe,” Ben said. “I’m sure my dad can keep you hidden.”

  “Ben…”

  “We can’t let them get you, it was too close last time,” he said.

  “Ben!” I shouted this time, gripping his upper arm with my hand. He finally stopped talking and looked at me. His eyes were wild, his brow lined with worry.

  “Ben, it was me,” I said. “I did it. I didn’t mean to, but I can control it now.”

  He looked from me to Zach and then back to me. “You and him?”

  I nodded. “Apparently it unlocked all of my magic.”

  “About damn time,” another male voice drawled.

  I looked up to see Luka standing in the open door.

  “Now we don’t have to worry about you so much,” he said. “Though, we should probably close this door if we’re going to talk about this.”

  Luka closed the door. “What do you need from us?”

  I glanced at three of my four mates and I could feel the connection brewing between us. Their magic was calling to me, as if I could easily reach for it and take it. Completing the bond with Zach had changed everything.

  “I can start time again,” I said, walking toward the couch without waiting.

  I sat down and closed my eyes.

  “What are you doing?” Ben asked.

  “Shh,” Luka said. “Let her do this.”

  I took a deep breath and found my magic, the way I had found the magic when time was last stopped. Only, this time it was my magic, and not someone else’s. This time, it was much easier to hone in on the vibrations.

  And this time, I grabbed hold and commanded the magic to my will easily.

  I opened my eyes, certain that I’d restarted time.

  “Is it done?” Zach asked.

  I nodded.

  “Nobody can say anything about this,” Ben said.

  “Agree,” Zach and Luka said at the same time.

  Something felt like it changed between the three of them, too. But I couldn’t put my finger on it. And I wasn’t certain they were ready to accept it.

  24

  Raven

  While all four of my mates seemed to be getting along for my sake, I still wasn’t sure how it was going to go when the five of us were in the same room with a professor for an hour or two.

  The week flew by, all of us slammed with work as our courses picked up in anticipation of the impending trials. There were still nearly three months before the trials, but if first semester was any indication, I knew the time was going to rush by.

  Though, at least this semester there wasn’t anyone after me. At least I hoped not. We still didn’t know anything about who had caused the time bubble outsi
de the school or why. But I was going to go with no news was good news.

  Plus, I finally felt confident in my own magic. I wasn’t supposed to manipulate time, but I could. And I might have tested it out a few times in my own room.

  Whatever the ability to shatter and destroy objects was, I didn’t know. As far as I knew that wasn’t illegal. It was destructive and dangerous, just like my time magic could be, but I’d never heard of it before. That didn’t mean it wasn’t something equally as forbidden so I wasn’t about to ask.

  With the elimination of my parole meetings, I was getting a bit braver or risker, in testing what my magic could do. I felt in control of it now and while all four of my mages urged me not to use it, I had to see what I could do. On a small scale. And never in front of anyone.

  A knock sounded on my door just as I was sliding my back pack over my shoulders.

  “You ready?” Ben asked.

  I opened the door and stepped into the hallway. “You’re going to be nice, right?”

  “I’m always nice,” he said.

  “I mean to Luka, Matt, and Zach,” I said.

  He frowned.

  “I’m serious, Ben,” I said.

  “I’ve never done anything to any of them, have I?” He asked.

  “No, but you’ve also never been in a room with just them and me before, either,” I said.

  “Did you ask them to be nice?” He asked.

  “Yes.” And I had. All week. Every time I was alone with any of them, I reminded them that I wanted them to at least pretend to get along.

  Since adding Zach to the mix, I’d had to be even more aware of my time. None of them wanted to share me, which I understood because I honestly didn’t want to share them.

  The conversation regarding what we were never really happened. All of us just sort of fell into an uneasy understanding that I was mated with each of them and that I was going to spend time with all of them.

  It would be a hell of a lot easier if they got along, though. Or if I could occasionally go out with all of them at the same time.

  I’d had one awkward dinner with both Matt and Zach that ended with me leaving before dessert and bolting to my room. They were both so territorial. I was hoping it would wear down eventually.

  We reached Professor Halifax’s classroom without any other conversation. Knots twisted in my stomach as I tried to tell myself it was going to be fine.

  Ben opened the door for me and I stepped inside to see Luka, Matt, and Zach already there.

  Playing hackysack.

  And laughing.

  Together.

  Huh. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as I thought.

  “Want in?” Luka asked.

  “No thanks,” I said. “I’ve never had the coordination to keep it going.”

  Luka kicked the little bean bag to Matt. “Ben?”

  “I’m good,” Ben said.

  I smirked, trying to picture my brooding alpha shifter playing hackysack with a couple of mages and an incubus. It was a ridiculous image.

  The ball landed on the floor and all three of them groaned.

  Matt grabbed it off the ground and held it up. “Another round?”

  “Toys away,” Professor Halifax said. “You five are my strongest group by far and I fully expect focus and discipline from all of you. My groups don’t fail the trials. You will not let me down.”

  “No pressure,” Luka said.

  “Tons of pressure,” she replied, clearly not amused by his tone. “This group is made up of a prince of the underworld, the would-be princes of the mage community, a half fae, and the son of the most feared man in the supernatural world. If any group has an unfair advantage, it’s you four. And I happen to know that Coach Miller will be designing a trial with you four in mind.”

  “Wow,” Luka said. “When you put it like that we sound like the dream team of magic students.”

  “Because you are,” she said. “This is the most elite school in the world for students with magic. And you five are the cream of the crop here. All eyes will be on you. You should expect jealousy from others.”

  I’d already experienced my share of jealousy. Delores had spent all week glaring at me. I knew as soon as we were alone, she was going to try to fight me again. This time, though, I would be ready.

  “The competition has always been every student for themselves,” Ben said. “I’m guessing something has changed?”

  “Yes.” Professor Halifax pursed her lips and looked at each of us in turn. “Coach Miller designs the trials. This year he has determined that it will be a team trial. You all pass, or you all fail.”

  “Well, good thing we’ve got the best team possible, right?” Luka threw his arm around Ben and Zach, pulling them close, a huge grin on his face.

  Ben looked like he was about ready to slug him. Thankfully, he just shrugged him off and took a step closer to me.

  Luka dropped his arms. “Seriously, though. This has to be aimed at Raven. Coach Miller has been out for her since the beginning.”

  “It makes it easier for her to pass with us along to help, though,” Zach said.

  “You haven’t seen how he treats her in gym class,” Luka said. “If he designed it this way, you can bet he’s going to go for our weakness to try to take us out.”

  “So we figure out each of our weaknesses and work on it,” Matt said.

  “We all have the same weakness,” Ben said.

  “Me,” I said, feeling anxiety twist in my gut. “If he wanted to make it fair, he’d have thrown us with random people.”

  “That’s true,” Professor Halifax said. “Thankfully, he’s not as attuned to magic and he has no idea that the four of you together are far more powerful than he could ever imagine.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Luka asked.

  “The five of you have to learn how to be a unit. To support the whole group using all your skills. Including your magic.” She put her hands on her hips. “Can everyone set aside their differences for a while to help the group?”

  “Of course we can,” Luka said. “We all want out of here, right?”

  “Right,” Matt and Zach said in unison.

  “Ben?” Luka turned to the shifter. “Right, buddy?”

  Ben growled. I elbowed him in the side. “Right,” he said.

  “So how do we do this?” I asked, hoping to get everyone distracted while they were sort of getting along.

  “Magic meld,” Professor Halifax said.

  “Wait, what?” My eyes widened. Magic melds were dangerous. Everyone knew that.

  “Not yet, but that’s the goal,” she said. “You four are bonded to Raven. But to be stronger, you need to connect all of your magic.”

  “I’m not sure I want to bond with anyone else,” Ben said.

  “You won’t bond the same way you did with Raven,” Professor Halifax said. “The mating bond is different than a magic bond.”

  “I don’t know,” Matt said. “It seems to have bonded us.”

  “Because you were already meant to be her mate,” Professor Halifax said.

  “Mages don’t do that,” he said.

  “Fae do,” I said, starting to feel uncomfortable. Were they regretting what we did? “But we didn’t know I was fae then.”

  Matt crossed to where I was standing and stopped in front of me. He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I’m damn grateful that you are. I don’t want to undo what we have.”

  I nodded, appreciating how easily he could feel my thoughts.

  “Alright, everyone’s feelings need to be set aside. Coach Miller brought in a dragon to try to take some of you out in the practice trials. There’s no telling what he’ll do this time.”

  “Don’t you have some say?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “I was lucky I was able to snap up your group for private sessions. He wanted you five for himself.”

  I couldn’t imagine what weekly sessions with Coach Miller would have looked like. Probably a whole ton of r
unning the stairs for no reason.

  “Where do we start with all this if the magic meld is the grand finale?” Luka asked.

  “You need to learn each other’s magic. You need to be able to sense it, feel it when it flares, and channel it with any member of your group.”

  “How?” Ben asked.

  “We start simple,” she said, walking toward the benches where we sat for class. “You boys sit.”

  My mates followed her instructions, sitting awkwardly with large gaps between each of them, on the front bench.

  “Raven, you stand here.” She pointed to a place in front of the guys, in the middle of all of them.

  I took the position.

  “Now, you need to use your magic and they are going to focus on what your magic feels like until they could identify it in a whole room full of mages using magic,” she said.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Just go with a basic fire ball,” she said.

  I moved my hand, the fire coming to me easier than ever before. There were so many benefits to that final mating bond snapping into place.

  “You four, hone in on her signature, find her magic. Memorize it,” she said.

  We repeated the exercise over and over. Me making fire balls, my mates staring at me. It was exhausting. As I continued the process, though, something started to change. I could feel other magic joining mine. With each round of creating fire, the tingle of magic grew, leaving an electric charge hanging heavy in the air.

  I could feel all four of them.

  And it was doing things to me.

  As the magic grew, my face flushed and my core heated. I bit down on the inside of my lower lip, trying to keep my thoughts on the task at hand and not the growing dampness in my panties.

  What was happening to me?

  The more magic they sent my way, the more aroused I got. My breathing grew heavy and it wasn’t from the exertion of the magic. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to jump on them. Any one of them. All of them. I never wanted them so badly in my life.

  Finally, we were dismissed.

  I said the fastest goodbye ever to the four of them and rushed to my dorm room, closing the door behind me. Stripping my clothes off as I walked toward my bathroom, I tried to push the arousal from my mind. What the hell had just happened?