by Olivia Ash
I stare a hole into the back of his head as he continues to drag me across the garden to a bench overlooking the ocean. “Fine. Then tell me what your plans are for next year.”
“You won’t leave it alone, will you?” He stops and turns my face toward his with a gentle touch of his fingers. He then gives my arm a small tug, pulling me close to his chest.
His eyes take hold of mine and don’t let go for several long, beautiful moments. He lowers his lips to mine and says, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
With that, he walks off and leaves me to the amazing view alone. I look around and slap my thighs. “What was the point of bringing me out here?” I shout after him, knowing full and well he won’t answer. His form has already blended in with the shadows.
“Hello, Miss Blackwood.”
The voice and the rush of my magic send electrifying sensations through me. I turn and face Gideon as he approaches me.
“Let me guess, you’re here to fill me in on Soren’s little secret.”
He shakes his head. “No. Sorry to disappoint.” He stops right in front of me and leads me to the bench. We take a seat, and he leans in a little toward me. “I came to have some time with you.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “What’s really going on? You men been in the punch?”
He shrugs. “Nope.”
“I don’t get it.” I heave a sigh, shaking my head in confusion.
He wraps his fingers around mine, using the back of the bench to hide the small, affectionate gesture. We still can’t reveal our relationship. Not yet. “Your first year is behind you. You have three more years until you leave Blackbriar behind. It’s going to be two months before Jesse and Milo see you again. And it’ll be two long weeks until I get to spend time with you for training.”
“Good point.” Now that he says it like that, it sounds like forever. And limited. My heart skips a beat at the realization that Blackbriar is temporary. I shove that thought aside to focus on the present.
“You’re leaving in the morning, and we all want just a few moments of time with you before the night is over.”
I smile and lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. “That’s sweet.”
He leans his head on mine and we sit there watching the ocean for a few moments. “This is one of my favorite places on the island.”
“I can see why.” With a view like this, it’s a hard one to beat.
Footsteps approach, and judging by my magic’s reaction, it’s Jesse and Milo. They stand on either side of the bench. Before long, Soren returns to us with Lady Alene and Savannah.
My family.
I smile at each of them. Savannah rushes in for a hug, and I nearly topple over from the force.
“I’m going to miss your face so much!”
I chuckle. “I’ll miss you too.”
She pulls back and settles her violet eyes on mine. “You better write to me this time, damn it.”
“Okay, okay!” I raise my hands in surrender.
Lady Alene approaches. She holds out her hands toward me and I slip mine into them. “Your growth has been a gift to watch. I look forward to the next school year as we will be working together more often.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” I smile. And it’s true. Having more time with the patron of our academy is beyond amazing. I feel like I hardly had a chance to talk to her beyond an exchange of simple pleasantries.
“We’re all here.” Soren’s voice echoes between us.
I realize I’m standing in the center of a small circle, and everyone around me has joined hands. Magic lights up within their hands and all at once, they quickly raise their hands above their heads, and more fireworks fly into the sky. Beautiful blends of white and red, sparkles of purple and orange, all gliding through the air in a synchronized way that reminds me of fireworks shows I attended as a kid.
I shake my head as I crane my neck to watch the colors burst across the night sky. Tears sting my eyes as I realize they are celebrating their connection to me. They did this for me. My family.
I adore each and every single person surrounding me, thankful for their very presence in my life.
I don’t know what I’d do without them. But with them, I’m unstoppable.
Wren, Soren, Gideon, Jesse, and Milo will be back in The Hex of Blackbriar Academy, coming soon!
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Read on for a special note from the author.
Author Notes
Hey, Babe!
Another book is done! Yeah, baby! I’m so happy that you are still with me and you loved the first book so much! I hope you love this next book just the same!
Wren is such a strong woman, and she continues to show us this in this next book as she tries to figure out how to rescue her father and get to know her aunt, who seems a bit too guarded. It was a joy to watch things unfold for Wren as she tries to uncover just what keeps her aunt so guarded and how she takes bits and pieces of information and really tries to digest them into nuggets of facts.
I’m quite proud of our badass.
What are your thoughts on the Aunt Patricia? Do you think she’s got some hidden agenda going on or do you believe she’s just guarded from whatever troubles happened to her in her past?
What do you think Wren’s father’s story is? Is he a criminal or is it all a part of the great conspiracy?
Wren’s balanced her life quite well, I think, and I hope you are satisfied with the growth between her and Jesse. He’s a bit of a horn dog and he knows all the right delicious ways to bring that passion out of Wren. Don’t you agree?
His story is gut-wrenching, but his heart is in the right place. I warn you though, tissues!
Swoon!
I especially love how determined Wren is to stand up for what she believes in, but also is willing to accept a bit of constructive criticism from her men. She’s learning to be a part of a team, which is new to her after spending years with brutish trolls. Besides, relationships and friendships are still very new for her, but I think she’s adjusting quite well. What do you think?
Wren and Savannah’s friendship is truly starting to form into besties forever. Savannah is always a nurturing and loving personality, she’s that bubbly girl next door who everyone wants to know. And the way she steps up for Wren and her men makes me super happy.
How about you?
So, have you decided on a favorite guy yet? It’s such a hard (pun intended) decision, I know. But, I’m curious.
What about Anderson’s deal? What are your thoughts on him? What do you think is in store for our power team next? Which guy do you think is gonna seal the deal with Wren next?
You’ll have to read the next book to find out!
Until next time, babe!
Keep on being your beautiful, badass self.
-Olivia
PS. Amazon won’t tell you when the next Dragon Dojo Brotherhood book will come out, but there are several ways you can stay informed.
1) Soar on over to the Facebook group, Olivia's secret club for cool ladies, so we can hang out! I designed it especially for badass babes like you. Consider this as your invite! We talk about kickass heroines, gorgeous men, our favorite fantasy romances, and… did I mention pictures of gorgeous men?
2) Follow me directly on Amazon. To do this, head to my profile and click the Follow button beneath my picture. That will prompt Amazon to notify you when I release a new book. You’ll just need to check your emails.
3) You can join my mailing list by clicking here. This lets me slide into your inbox and basically means we become best friends. Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.
Doing one of these or all three (for best results) is the best way to make sure you get an update every time a new volume of the Blackbriar Academy series is released. Talk to you soon!
About the Author
OLIVIA ASH
Olivia Ash spends her time dreaming up the perfe
ct men to challenge, love, and protect her strong heroines (who actually don’t need protecting at all). Her stories are meant to take you on a journey into the world of the characters and make you want to stay there.
Reviews are the best way to show Olivia that you care about her stories and want other people discover them. If you enjoyed this novel, please consider leaving a review at Amazon. Every review helps the author and she appreciates the time you take to write them.