by A. L. Knorr
I doubted that, but I didn’t say so. I hadn’t realized she’d done so poorly but I wasn’t concerned about Jade. I had a bigger foe to deal with. Ryan. The thorn in my side.
As Basil chatted about my schedule and objectives for the semester my mind turned my problem with Ryan over and over like a Rubik’s Cube, twisting it this way and that, shifting things around. How might I disabuse him of the crazy notion that I was the only one who could help him survive a Burning? How could I either force or coerce him into retracting his threat?
While no solution which didn’t involve braining him and hoping to give him amnesia presented itself, a new idea took nebulous form; the busier I was, the less available I would be and the less likely he’d be able to corner me. First he’d have to find me, then he’d have to get me alone while I wasn’t expected somewhere. If he couldn’t do either of those things, then he wouldn’t be able to force arrangements on me.
I sat up straight as this light bulb went off in my brain. “I’ll do it. Give me as many incompetent students as you can find.”
Basil stopped scrolling on his tablet. “Excuse me?”
“The tutoring.” I put on an eager smile. “I’m in. Stack my schedule, I want as little free time as possible.”
A line appeared between his brows as he looked up from my file. “I appreciate your sudden enthusiasm, but let’s not exhaust you. You’ll want to wake refreshed and ready every morning, not like a pony that’s been ridden hard and put away wet.”
“May I see that?” I held out a hand.
“Certainly.” He passed the tablet over.
Scrolling through my schedule, I pointed at the empty squares. “Here. I have four spares running Monday through Thursday. Open those for students who need coaching.” I handed the tablet back.
He took it back, eyes on mine. “You’ll need those for studying and homework. The spares are given for that purpose. I was thinking you might take a student on two evenings a week for one hour before dinner. Experience has also shown me that those students who use some of their spares for social time do not suffer for it, in fact they greatly benefit from spending time with their peers. You missed out on too much of that last semester. You don’t agree?”
I wilted again. Yes, I had missed out on socialization last semester, and when Ryan had baited me into a fight, I had suffered for it. Everything was on the up and up with Gage now too and if I had no free time, then when would I see him? I already had one semester under my belt, I knew how exhausting it was. Sitting back in my chair, I just nodded, not sure what to say.
“Yes? Keep the spares for yourself?”
“Yes,” I said. “You’re right, they are important.” Under normal circumstances I would glory in spare time, but nothing about my circumstance was normal, not until Ryan and his stupid ideas about attempting to become Burned went away. I hoped Ryan’s schedule and my schedule had no spares at the same time. I could further help myself by booking spares with Gage or Tomio or April or anyone other than Ryan. If I was expected by somebody, I couldn’t be helping Ryan burn himself to death and ruining my own life in the process.
“Good.” Basil flipped through the screen on the tablet. “Then let’s discuss your skills class...”
I was about to leave my room the next morning when the sound of gravel popping underneath the tires of a vehicle drew me to my window. My heart did a little dance as I saw the sliding door of a taxi van open and Gage step out. He looked incredible wearing a navy jacket with a red stripe around the collar and a pair of jeans with white sneakers. A dark gray knit hat made his smile look even more blazing white than normal. His breath misted in front of his face as he slid the van door shut and walked around to the trunk. I felt my smile fade as Ryan met him at the back of the van and the two of them pulled their luggage from the vehicle.
Gage spoke kindly to the taxi driver as Ryan rolled his luggage toward the door. Typical Ryan behavior.
Would it seem too eager and uncool of me to run down and greet Gage in the main lobby? I decided I didn’t care. Shoving my arms into my favorite cardigan, I headed for the door. I locked it behind me and speed-walked the corridor, slowing down as I passed Alfred. The moment Professor Knight was behind me, I picked up speed.
Emerging in the lobby on the second floor balcony, I had a clear view into the foyer. A flash of Ryan’s jacket caught my eye as he disappeared through the door leading past the lecture halls and toward his upgraded suite at the far end of the men’s block. Gage stepped through the front doors of the villa pulling his rolling luggage behind him and tugging down the zipper of his jacket. His cheeks were flushed and ruddy and eyes sled-dog bright.
He looked up as I hit the top of the steps, our eyes meeting. His grin was enough to confirm that he was just as eager to see me as I was to see him. I practically skimmed over the carpeted stairs on the way down.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he said as he waited at the bottom of the stairs with open arms.
I swept into them, glorying in the feel of his solid frame against mine. Pressing my lips against his neck as I hugged him, I melted as our mage-bond whisked through my face and swirled down the back of my neck. Somehow it was a relief to feel that the strength of our bond never changed.
Gage pulled back and planted a kiss on the tip of my nose. “How were your holidays?”
I chuckled as I released him. “You already know the answer to that. We texted almost every day.”
He wobbled his head back and forth as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I know that you played a lot of cards with your family, some Ukrainian game called Hullah. I know that your parents gave Jack a puppy and that he named her Phantom because she’s a Border Collie with a half white, half black face. I know that you got a new laptop even though you didn’t need one. And I know that RJ finally finished work on his 1997 Mazda RX-7 rotary engine sports car.”
“You were paying attention.”
Gage nabbed the handle of his luggage as we passed through the foyer side by side, rolling it along behind us as we headed for his room.
“I was. It’s your turn. What did I get up to?”
“Is this a test?”
“Absolutely.”
“Hmm.” I tapped a finger on my lips. “You memorized every detail of your uncle and aunt’s drawing room, while a never-ending line of relatives you haven’t seen since you were in diapers—sorry, nappies—marched through the house like ants, pinching your cheeks and asking you to repeat yourself and speak up this time. Your parents’ plane got delayed, leaving you to fend for yourself for a whole extra twenty-four hours, during which time you built card-houses and did puzzles of fields of wildflowers while drinking tea for constipation since it’s all your aunt has in her cupboards. Did I get it about right?”
“You’re scary, and I’m sorry I asked.” He stuck the tip of his nose in my ear. “I can’t wait to hang out, just us.”
“You have to call and arrange it with my secretary,” I teased as we mounted the steps leading to the boys’ block. “You know how Basil had me tutoring April last semester?”
Gage cringed. “Should I be worried?”
“He says that yours truly did such a wonderful job with Ms. Brown that he wants me to tutor others.”
Gage turned serious. “My combustion could use some help.”
I threaded my fingers through his. Fire whooshed between our hands. “Your combustion needs no help at all.”
Glancing at the clock in the first-years’ lounge as we rolled past it, I said, “You better hurry up and drop your stuff off. The assembly is in 15 minutes. You Wendigs like to cut it close. Meet you there?”
He gave my arm a gentle tug. “Walk with me.”
I smiled and nodded. We made our way to the boys block, which was the mirrored replica of the girl’s block.
Gage stopped outside his room, fishing his key from a back pocket. He pushed his door open and I peered inside. His room was tidy with the bed neatly made, the closet an
d drawers tightly shut, the books sitting in a nice neat row on his desk and bookshelves. “I still like your dormer windows.” I shook my head. “You cleaned your room before leaving? You are a wonder.”
“Yeah, I got the Molly Maid gene. I helped Ryan move his stuff into his new suite before we left, it was a disaster. It’s always been that way.”
He left his luggage against a wall, and tossed his jacket on to the bed, before pulling the door closed and locking it. We joined the thin flow of students headed for the assembly.
“I used to get so mad at him. We shared a room up until we moved when we were twelve. I used duct-tape to mark off my territory and when any of his stuff migrated to my side I would throw it back. He used to bribe me to clean his side of the room for him whenever Mum and Dad were on his case. Somehow the deal was never as good for me as it was for him.”
“Imagine that,” I murmured as we passed through the double doors and into the ballroom.
Basil was already at the podium and the professors seated on the dais. I was surprised to note that Krispy was also on the dais among the teachers.
The headmaster tapped the microphone and spoke. “Find your seats please, ladies and gentlemen.”
Gage pulled me to the closest empty seats near the back of the room in a section usually occupied by third-years.
“Welcome back.” Basil’s voice crackled with feedback and he pulled back from the microphone. “I trust you had a restful holiday. Happy New Year.”
Some of the crowd parroted a response.
“This semester we have five new students joining the first-year roster, let’s give them a warm welcome and any assistance they need in settling into life here at Arcturus.”
Basil introduced the professors and their subjects for the new students’ sake before getting to the main business.
“A bit of quick housekeeping. You’ll notice that the ground floor of the east wing has been blocked off and a detour made through the stairwell which passes behind the kitchens. Renovations have begun which will add a diving tank and pool to the academy’s facilities, among other things. If you are bothered by the noise, my apologies, it’s difficult not to make a racket while doing such work. If you find your sleep is affected, please let Secretary Goshawk know and she’ll find you new accommodations. I tried to make arrangements to have the work done over the summer, but Bob’s Supernatural Renovating Team was fully booked up until this year.”
There was laughter and I leaned in to Gage. “Bob’s Supernatural Renovating Team? Is he serious? Sometimes I can’t tell.”
Gage shrugged and made a clueless face.
“That concludes the New Year’s updates from me, which leaves a couple of items from Kris Parker, who has taken on the monumental task of yearbooks.”
Krispy got to her feet and made her way to the podium, walking with her chest out. She tapped the microphone though it had just been working for Basil. “Good morning, students.” She cleared her throat into the microphone and made a few in the crowd visibly wince. “I’ll be quick, I know you’re all eager to get your semester started.”
She laughed, but the room remained quiet.
“As Headmaster Chaplin mentioned, I’m in charge of the yearbook. I’m looking for a couple of volunteers to help out with photography and journalism, capturing the essence of the activities of the school, that sort of thing. If you’re interested, please email me or find me in person. I’ll also be making the arrangements for the end-of-year party, which will include a dance.”
A murmur of excitement arose at this announcement.
“This year’s theme will be chosen democratically. All ideas are welcome. Secretary Goshawk will email you a link to a web page where you can submit ideas. The page will close on January 31st, then voting will commence. You’ll have until Valentine’s Day to register your vote. Anyone interested in volunteering to help making the party memorable, which we’re hoping can be hosted outdoors in late May, please make yourselves known to Secretary Goshhawk or myself. Thank you.”
Gage sent me a side-eye and winked.
“Do you like to dance?” I whispered.
“With you,” he whispered back.
As Basil dismissed the student body, Gage’s fingers wound through mine and we left our seats as one, heat welding our hands together. How had I gotten so lucky? A guy who was polite, sweet, funny at times, sexy, charming, clean and tidy, and who almost always said the right thing.
Sometimes he seemed too good to be true.
Come a little closer, my dear…
Want to be kept updated on new releases, be the first to know about sneak peeks and ‘read by yours truly’ audio snippets? I’m no Judi Dench but I do try not to make too many swallowing sounds. I host the occasional sale and sometimes join themed multi-author promotions that are good fun. Join my newsletter at www.alknorrbooks.com or request access to my private VIP Reader Lounge on Facebook (don’t forget to answer the three questions to get in). I also have Instagram for those who are curious about the life of a traveling fantasy novelist. I tend to visit a lot of ancient places, there’s inspiration to be found there, doncha know. See you in them virtual hills!
Love, Abby
Dear Reader…
First and foremost, thank you so much for spending some of your reading time with me. Many of you have been with me for years now, and are an important cog in the wheel of my success as an author. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you.
Some of you also know my editor Nicola Aquino, who has been with me since the early days and whose feedback helps to make these books as good as they are. Thank you, Nic.
I wrote Born of Fire and Pyro in 2017 with a view to sending Saxony to school and the time has finally come to share that tale. What was initially going to be a trilogy, soon doubled in size as the story and cast list expanded. The true heart of this story is Saxony’s development as a lovable (I hope) and strong character, so life-like that she practically bursts from the page with both hands blazing, but it is also the revelation of the mythology of the fire magi, as there are a lot of questions to answer and things to learn.
I’ve been told I take the reader to unexpected places and I think Arcturus will push the boundaries of this more than previous stories, as I continue to learn and grow in skill as a storyteller. I think I can safely say that the outcome of this series will not be what anyone expects, but the journey will be breathtaking and fun and exciting and emotional, and the ending… well, let’s just say that a friend of mine whom I recently shared the overarching storyline with said, “Wow, that’s a very bold choice and a bit shocking, I love it!”
We’ll see if you agree or not. As ever, precious reader, all of these plot acrobatics are for you.
When you’re finished Firecracker, I humble ask that you consider visiting Amazon to pen your review. Reviews are a critical way other readers decide what to read, and they help the book become more visible. We authors appreciate them more than we can really vocalize.
If hope you enjoyed Firecracker as much as I enjoyed writing it. See you in book 2, Fire Trap!
Love,
Abby
Also by A.L. Knorr
Elemental Origins Series, Season 1
Born of Water, Book 1
Born of Fire, Book 2
Born of Earth, Book 3
Born of Æther, Book 4
Born of Air, Book 5
The Elementals, Book 6
Elemental Origins Series, Season 2
Salt & Stone (The Siren’s Curse 1)
Salt & the Sovereign (The Siren’s Curse 2)
Salt & the Sisters (The Siren’s Curse 3)
Elemental Origins Series, Season 3
Bones of the Witch (Earth Magic Rises 1)
Ashes of the Wise (Earth Magic Rises 2)
Heart of the Fae (Earth Magic Rises 3)
Elemental Origins Series, Season 4
Firecracker, (Arcturus Academy 1)
Fire Trap, (Arcturus Academy 2)
Fire Games (Arcturus Academy 3)
Elemental Origins Spin Off Series:
Rings of the Inconquo
Born of Metal, (Rings of the Inconquo 1)
Metal Guardian, (Rings of the Inconquo 2)
Metal Angel, (Rings of the Inconquo 3)
Elemental Origins Spin Off: The Returning Series (Mira’s Story, Completed Series)
Returning, Book 1
Falling, Book 2
Surfacing, Book 3
Elemental Novellas
Pyro, A Fire Novella
Heat, A Fire Novella
The Kacy Chronicles (Completed Series)
Descendant, Book 1
Ascendant, Book 2
Combatant, Book 3
Transcendent, Book 4