by Olivia Ash
Fire burns in my hand and I throw a bursting ball of it toward them. It knocks two of them back, sending them sliding across the ground. Their whines fill the air, but my focus changes to the other two shadow wolves charging me. My arms tense as they lunge at me from a few feet away. I use my shield to knock one back, but the other manages to claw at my upper arm, leaving gashes. I cry out in pain. A burning sensation fills my injured biceps, and I know I can’t take another hit there because it will be rendered useless. Fighting with one arm isn’t my idea of fun.
I falter for a moment. My numbing arm draws my attention away from the fight. The other three have recovered and are charging me again. I strike out at them using lightning. A loud boom vibrates throughout the room. The flash of my magic nearly blinds me, as it hits two of the wolves.
When my eyes are able to focus again, I notice the two that were hit are on the ground, lying still. They dissolve into ashes and blend into the scenery as though they never existed in the first place.
Trembling with the buildup of pressure, my magic burns almost uncontrollably in my hands. I’m distracted by the sensation. I can’t lose control of my magic like I did with the lamia and Professor Lawrence. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt Gideon in the process.
Digging deep into myself, I reach for focus and calm. I know it’s here within me, somewhere. Breathing in deep, I soothe my magic, like the way my mother would calm me on nights when a storm scared me and I refused to go back to sleep. The sensation pulls me deeper, and I know I can’t let myself withdraw completely. These wolves are serious, and they do have a mean strike with their claws.
Slowly, like a small trickle of a leaky faucet, my magic subsides.
My arm stings and blood drips from the wounds as I face the last two wolves. Sweat drips down my face as I dodge their attempts at trapping me in their sharp teeth. Dodging attack after attack, delivering kicks to knock the creatures back. They only keep coming at me, with more ferocity than before.
I can’t keep up with the pace the wolves are setting. I’ll soon be exhausted and won’t be able to defend myself from another injury.
“Focus, Wren.” Gideon’s voice echoes to me, and I take a deep breath.
The shield isn’t serving me in this fight. I need to get rid of it. I shake out my arm, and it disappears. Magic light with purple and pink electrical currents fills my left hand, and fire fills my right.
I settle my gaze on the two remaining shadow wolves. They bow their heads low and hunch their backs as black, ink-like smoke rises from them. My body ignites in flame.
“Keep calm, Wren.” Gideon’s even tone reaches my ears from somewhere behind me.
“Oh, I’m calm.” Even I hear the dangerous promise in my words. Because what I said is true. I am calm, but I’m also determined. The light of my form reflects in their glowing red eyes as I step forward and the magic builds in my hands.
The wolves separate, trying to flank me on both sides. I move backward and keep both of them within my sight. I hurl the fireball at the one to my right while I shoot my ball of light at the one to the left, launching the shots simultaneously across my body and surprising the wolves.
The one to the left falls to the ground, dissolving into ash that eventually fades into the dirt.
“Good.”
The little bit of encouragement I get from Gideon lets me know I’m on the right track. Lightning. Powerful and dangerous. It damages them. But if that’s the case, why didn’t the men just do that?
Now isn’t the time for that question. I still have one more shadow wolf to defeat.
But I can’t help but wonder if it’s perhaps not a coincidence.
Focusing myself, I concentrate on the pulsing electricity inside me. I pull on that, urging it to cover me instead of the flame. And when it does, I’m almost shocked.
Almost.
But the buzzing nips at the surface of my skin, sometimes sharp and sometimes not. It’s distracting. A sharp nip causes my focus to falter, and an arc shoots out from me.
“Careful. Focus.” Gideon’s voice comes from the opposite end of the room this time.
“I’m trying.” I speak through clenched teeth as I search for the shadow wolf.
Movement in my periphery draws my attention to the left. The creature is hiding in the shadows between two trees.
Poor bastard. That won’t save him.
I let loose a bolt of energy. It shoots toward the tree, shattering the bark with a loud snap thundering against the walls of the room. The shadow moves.
Shit. I missed.
Hitting a hovering target? Sure. No problem.
Hitting a moving target? That’s a bigger challenge.
I find the shadow wolf again, hiding along the base of more trees. I smirk. Firing off another loud bolt of energy, I miss, again.
Again, and again, the shadow wolf scurries and hides. The more trees I disintegrate with my magic, the more frustrated I become, knowing that I missed. After the fifth time of missing, I stomp my foot and growl.
“Easy, Wren. Calm. Control.”
“Yeah, I got that. The damn thing won’t stand still.”
“Nor will they in a real battle. It’s always life or death. Lose control, and you could die. Keep yourself calm, and you will live. Remember that.”
I search my surroundings for Gideon, so I could send him an annoyed glare. But he remains hidden somewhere in the room. Probably watching from a perch in the shadows. He’s likely staying a safe distance back, so I don’t accidentally hit him with my magic.
My heart sinks into my chest a little, slowing in beats before quickly returning to normal. Worry fills me. In my anger, I lost sight of the purpose of this training. And in that, I could have accidentally blasted Gideon with fire or lightning, which would have seriously hurt him.
And that’s just not something I can live with.
I draw in a deep breath of air that tastes like earth, rain, and moss. On the exhale, I gain a little more control over myself. The electrical magic covering my skin ebbs to the point that it’s only covering my arms.
“That’s my girl.” The pride in Gideon’s voice forces a smile on my face.
I step into the woods, searching for the shadow wolf. It doesn’t take me long to find him. When I do, I aim a single finger at him. The creature blinks once, and I sense that he is accepting his fate. No more hiding. No more cowering.
Time to die.
I shoot a string of lightning from my finger. It hits the center of the creature’s chest. Ashes fall to the ground, disappearing like the others had.
All at once the trees disappear and Gideon approaches me with a proud smirk. His hands are clasped behind his back. I meet his gaze and my lips curve upward, parting in a wide grin as I take him in.
“You did well there at the end. Very well.” He angles himself to get a better look at my arm. He shakes his head. “How does it feel?”
I look at my arm. The gashes no longer bleed, and they don’t look as deep as I originally thought. I shrug. “Fine. Barely notice it.”
He nods. “We will train here as often as possible until Soren returns.”
“When will that be?” My heart skips a few beats at the sound of his name.
“Soon.” He gestures for the door leading back to his office. “It all depends on what he can find and where the leads take him.”
I take in his words as the feeling of something missing nearly overwhelms me. My heart aches a little, and I have to take a deep breath to calm the sensations coursing through me. It’s like an empty space inside me.
A thought comes to mind. Each of these men have found a place not only in my life but in my heart. They each make my magic react in different ways. Thrilling ways. I want to mention this to Gideon. He may have some clever insight that would explain the feelings, but I really don’t know if now is the right time.
We step into his office, and I turn and watch the room shift back into a closet. Magic just may never cease to
amaze me.
And I’m okay with that.
I return to my thoughts as Gideon walks toward his office door. I ponder telling him about my magic. As soon as I work up the courage and open my mouth, he checks his watch. “Training is done for the day. You’re going to be late to your class.”
Okay then, later it is.
“I’ll walk you to your next class and excuse you personally.”
“I appreciate that.” I’m reminded of the last class and I speak up. “Is there anything you can do about switching my alchemy class time to Milo’s?”
He gives me a sideways glance, and hmms. “Is there a reason why? Professor Remo is our only alchemy teacher for first year students.”
“No, no. It’s not the professor, although he could have a bit more finesse.”
“Oh? Then what is it?”
I take a deep breath, and on the exhale dive into it. “Anderson.”
I also tell him about catching the creep spying on me in the halls. Gideon’s hands clench into fists so tight his knuckles crack. “I understand.”
There’s something in his voice that is dark and dangerous, and I realize it’s never good to see Gideon pissed off.
“Not only will I switch your class, but I will have a word with him as well. As headmaster, of course.” He winks at me.
A giggle bubbles out of me. Pity the soul. He won’t know what hit him. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
We reach the door to my class and he opens it and pokes his head in. “Pardon her tardiness,” he says in a cordial tone to the professor.
“Absolutely, Headmaster Storm.”
He winks at me one last time before walking down the hall. I chew on the corner of my lower lip. I know beyond a doubt this man will undo me in ways I can’t possibly imagine.
And I can’t wait to find out.
Chapter Eighteen
I take the vacant seat next to Savannah at the first table in the room. Smiling at her, I silently thank her for saving it for me.
She smiles and nods once.
“Miss Blackwood, I was just doing my introduction. To catch you up, I’m Professor Brindle.”
“Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Indeed.”
His voice has a deep growl which makes him sound like he’s older than he looks, despite his salt-and-pepper hair and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth. He stands tall with his shoulders back, showing off the fact that for an older gentleman, he’s in great physical condition. I would probably say he appears to be around fifty years old, but the wrinkles around his eyes and his voice gives me a hint that he may be a little older. His skin holds a constant summer tan, far from showing the paper-thin skin that pales as age sets in.
The professor turns his clouded eyes to the classroom, shifting over every student. “I’m a master herbalist. In this class, you will learn that herbs have a wide array of uses, from healing the slightest sniffle of a cold, to deadly potions that are so toxic, a drop will take down a full-grown man in seconds.”
I chuckle to myself. I know one potion already. The birth control potion.
“You will gain a basic understanding of herbs, although those of you with some home-based herbology education may find this to be more of a review.”
He shifts toward the greenhouse attached to the classroom. “You will learn about using herbs in combination with runes and alchemy, bringing all of your classes into a full circle of knowledge. However, you will not practice these uses until your advanced courses here at the academy.”
Professor Brindle waves his hand toward the bookshelf. “Each student will partner up and share the texts.”
Savannah nudges me and I smile. She slides her arm through mine and we share in a giggle. Oh, the trouble we can get ourselves into with this class.
“Turn to page—yes, what is it?” The professor looks at someone sitting somewhere behind me.
I turn my attention in the direction the professor is focused on. A student, blond with blue eyes, and looking rather cocky with the way he sits in his seat like he can’t be bothered with posture.
“What about telling us what herbs have done for you, personally?”
Professor Brindle nods. “As you can see, I’m an old man. But herbs have enhanced my cognition and physical strength. At ninety years old, I still have the strength I gained in my teens.”
Oh, he’s much older than I thought.
Amazing.
He lifts the desk in front of him, which I know can’t be light. He nods as gasps ripple through the room. Once they end, he sets the desk down. “I will not disclose the ingredients in this class, so if that is your next question, Mr. Rowe, put your hand down.”
I glance over my shoulder to see that he does. I shake my head. Male pride. I’ll never understand it.
“The purpose of this class is solely an introduction,” he heavily emphasizes that word, even going as far as to write it upon the board, “to herbology with more basic,” he underlines that word, “applications.”
He turns and faces the class and claps his hands together. “Any questions?”
After a few moments of no one responding, he checks his watch. “Oh my.” Lifting his gaze to the room, he takes a moment to, I assume, mentally count the number of students in the room. “First half, head toward the greenhouse. Second half, read pages ten through twenty-four.”
A chorus of groans echo through the room as Savannah and I stand up and fall in line behind Milo and Jesse, which makes me realize why my magic has been tingling, two of my favorite men are in this class. Professor Brindle weaves through the rows of desks with grace as he heads for the greenhouse door. He enters and waves those of us standing in line into the room.
“Feel free to spend time familiarizing yourselves with these herbs. You will be quizzed on them at random times throughout the term.”
Milo is in nerd heaven as he stops by the most unique plants, doodling a sketch of them in his notebook and then jotting down the information written on the little tags sticking out from the soil.
“Such a nerd,” I say in his ear and wink at him as I wrap my arm around him.
He chuckles and adjusts his glasses. “These are going to be pivotal in my alchemy projects.”
I cock my head to the side, curiosity getting the better of me. And I can’t resist a chance to know more about Milo. “Oh yeah?”
He beams proudly. “This one here.” He points to a green plant that is short and stalky with spiky leaves tipped in red. “This is commonly known as dragon’s breath.”
“Interesting.” I finger the tip of a leaf.
“It’s a useful plant to ward off digging pests as well as for making a sleeping potion. Depending on the use, it could be a poison.”
I snap my hand back. “How do you know all this stuff?”
He shrugs. “I just find this fascinating.”
“And you keep all that information straight in your head?” I playfully narrow my eyes at him.
“Mostly.”
“Uh-huh.” I nudge him. “Keep going. I know you’ll be a great alchemist.”
He smiles. “Thanks, Wren.”
“No problem.” I turn my attention to Jesse as he meanders through the aisles with relative disinterest. I carefully make my way around the other students until I’m standing behind him. “What’s up?”
“Wishing my parents didn’t spend all that time drilling this stuff in my head.”
“You already know all of them?” I take in the rows of colors and various shades of green. There’s so much here, I know I’m going to struggle with remembering them. Besides that, it’s hard to think Jesse takes anything seriously, much less his studies long enough to memorize plants and their functions.
“Nearly every single one.” He taps his temple. “It’s all in here.”
He pauses at one and narrows his eyes on the tag as he gently brushes his fingers across the leaves. “I’ll be. Here’s number three.”
He pulls out his notebook and jots down a few notes on the plant. Once finished, he snaps it shut and tucks it back under his arm, sliding the pencil behind his ear. “This one,” he points to a bluish-green, vine-like plant. “This one is a great aphrodisiac.” He winks at me.
I shake my head. “There’s the Jesse I know and love.”
“Love? Kiss got ya that bad, huh?”
I playfully shove him. “Says the man who confessed his undying devotion to me outside of the library.”
He points out several more plants that are “great aphrodisiacs.”
“Just tell me which ones you want to try first. There’s no reason to try them all at once.”
I smack his arm. “Focus.”
“Okay.”
A pull enters my mind and I have a feeling I know what it is. I smile as I surrender to the sensation. It’s a vision of Jesse feeding me the aphrodisiacs as hands of a clock constantly spin with a faint outline of two lovers, entangled between the sheets, moving in erotic ways.
I shake my head and try to put my mind on other less naughty things as I fan myself to cool the heat burning my cheeks.
Jesse peeks over his shoulder at me with a devious smirk.
Savannah comes up behind me. “There are so many herbs here. Many of them I’m familiar with, so it will help me recognize the attributes in the ones that have healing properties. I’ve been researching unusual and rare magic in the library in hopes of finding a way to help heal my sister.”
I reach over, covering her hand with mine and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “I really hope it works out for you. If anyone can do it, it’s you.”
She smiles. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Just giving credit where it’s due.”
“Hey, so… we should hang out sometime. It’s been a while.”
I stop and turn to face her as I realize she’s right. “You know what? It has. Let’s do it.”