Academy of the Elites: Broken Magic

by Alexis Calder

  Gritting my teeth, I turned to find whoever had said that, ready to give them a piece of my mind if nothing else.

  A growl sounded behind me and a flash of fur passed alongside me as a massive wolf leaped over the desks.

  It stopped in front of the male mage, hackles back, teeth bared. Low, threatening growls emanated from the beast.

  The mage cowered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was just messing with her, you know, haze the new kid."

  My nostrils flared as I took deep breaths. A mixture of rage and panic warred within me, each fighting for dominance. Trying to channel more of the rage, I clenched my fists and walked toward the offending mage. "You had no right. You don't even know me and I'm not even that new anymore."

  The wolf growled and I could sense Ben under the fur and teeth. He felt a little different, but he was still in there. I set my hand on his side, feeling the wiry yet soft fur under my fingertips. "It's okay. He's not worth it. I don't want you in confinement for a worm like him."

  "She's right," the mage was shaking now. "I'm not worth it."

  The wolf snapped at him and the mage screamed. Then I noticed the front of his pants were wet.

  "He pissed himself," someone called. The whole class started laughing and the mage bolted, nearly running into Professor Herd on his way out.

  The professor spun around, following the mage out the door. "Martin?"

  "Shift back," I urged. Professor Herd was distracted. "Shift back before he sees you, please."

  I stroked the wolf's fur and tried to model calm for him. The creature whined and looked at me, pleading in its eyes.

  My brow furrowed. I could almost see Ben in those eyes. "Shift back."

  The wolf relaxed and then shook his head. A moment later, Ben was laying where the wolf had been.

  I let out a sigh of relief.

  Ben's uniform was disheveled, but at least he was clothed. I wasn't sure how that all worked until just then. Everything the night the thief attacked had happened so quickly the details blurred together.

  "Why are we not in our seats and ready to learn?" Professor Herd asked.

  "You okay?" I asked Ben.

  He nodded, then turned away from me, his expression impassive.

  My heart ached at how quickly I'd been dismissed. How impersonal that expression was. But he'd shifted to come to my rescue. That had to mean he didn't really want to cut me out, right?

  I shouldn't feel so worried about him not wanting to be my friend, but it hurt thinking he didn't want me around. I couldn't explain it. I needed him. At least there was a flicker of hope in his fast shift and rush to my defense.

  It was like the Thief's attack all over again. I guess some girls had guardian angels looking after them. I had a broody, angry wolf shifter.

  As I settled into my seat, I smiled to myself. Something told me he'd be there for me when I really needed him. Whatever he was going through, he needed time and space. I'd give him that and soon enough, he'd come around.

  I tried not to think about Ben while Professor Herd droned on and on about the theory of using portals for transportation to other realms. I still hadn't quite wrapped my head around the fact that there was magic in the realm I did live in. I wasn't sure I was ready to think about other realms with other kinds of magic.

  "Before all of you were born, the realm to Faerie was sealed and any of the Fair Folk who lived in our realm were forced to choose between staying here with the lives they'd created or returning back to Faerie. That's why so few Fae remain in our realm and why their magic is so prized," Professor Herd said.

  I tried to take notes, I tried to focus but my head was spinning. Ben kept finding his way into my thoughts. Especially the image of him on the night we played strip poker. Why had I turned him down? I was seriously regretting that now.

  It seemed if I wanted to get in his pants, it was going to have to wait for him to figure out whatever he was dealing with. Which was fine. I'd sworn off men for now, right?

  "Portals can be dangerous for even the most experienced magic user and they should never be attempted by a beginner. I'd say usually they require a few centuries of practice before someone is really ready so if anyone ever invites you to join them though a portal, check their credentials," Professor Herd said.

  I wrote down portals bad in my notebook. This wasn't helpful. I wanted to learn how to get my magic back and unless a portal was going to get me there, I wasn't interested.

  That's when it struck me. Ben had shifted. His shifter magic was back. Just like that, it came back to him. How did he do that? What changed? Or had he never lost his magic at all? I had to talk to him. I had to know.

  I scribbled random words on the page until the end of class, not even hearing anything. My focus on Ben had shifted too. Instead of wondering about him in inappropriate ways, I had to find out how he'd used his magic.

  "Don't forget, we'll have a quiz over portals on Friday so start reviewing your notes right away. Study session Wednesday night after dinner," Professor Herd called.

  The sound of zippers and shuffling papers filled the room as everyone prepared to go to their next class. I tossed my stuff in my backpack and turned back to where Ben was sitting but he'd already left. I looked toward the door and he was in the line of students pushing their way out.

  "Ben, hold up," I called.

  I darted between the desks trying to catch him.

  "Ms. Winters, wait please," Professor Herd said as he locked his eyes on mine.

  Shit. If I wasn't making eye contact, I could have pretended I hadn't heard him, but I wasn't going to be able to pull that off. Forcing a smile on my lips I walked over to his desk. "Yes, professor?"

  He adjusted his glasses, his huge eyes staring back at me. It was unnerving and a chill ran down my spine. Something about him just never sat right with me. He seemed harmless enough. Aside from being old and having no concept of modern reality, he couldn't possibly cause me any damage. He was frail and his face looked like worn leather. His hands were lined with blue veins, clearly visible through his paper-thin skin.

  "I've been meaning to talk to you," he said. "I know you were in confinement, which can result in a dulling of a mage's magic. Are you experiencing any symptoms?"

  I frowned. Surely the nurse had communicated my total lack of magic to my teachers. "There was more than just the confinement. Did you not hear?"

  He adjusted his glasses. "Oh yes, the thief. Very exciting stuff, that. I would have liked to meet one in real life. The way they draw their power from others is fascinating." He paused as his brows lifted. "Oh."

  "Yeah, oh," I said.

  He leaned against the desk. "How much did she take?"

  My throat bobbed. "All of it."

  "Fascinating." He leaned closer to me, eyes narrowed as if he could see the remnants of the Thief's magic on me.

  I took a step back. "Listen, you don't have any way to fix this, do you?"

  "In theory, time will repair your magic. Eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water, and get extra sleep."

  "So, treat it as if I have a cold?" I asked.

  He smiled. "Exactly. Should be right as rain in a matter of days. Weeks, perhaps depending on how strong the magic thief was."

  "Weeks?" I felt like a weight knocked the air from my lungs. How was I supposed to wait weeks? I'd already waited long enough to learn how to use my magic. Weeks longer?

  He took his glasses off and his eyes shrunk down to the size of tiny dots on either side of his nose. I couldn't believe how small they were. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then put the glasses back on. His huge eyes looked back at me, his brow furrowed in concern. "Of course, there's a chance it'll never come back."

  "What do you mean? What kind of chance?" I asked.

  "It’s hard to tell. So many that have an encounter with a Thief don’t survive to tell the tale. I know of at least one case where the magic from a survivor never returned."

  I shook my head. "That can't be. I
can't have that happen." Feeling dizzy, I reached for a desk behind me to steady myself.

  "We'll know soon enough, I suppose," he said. "In the meantime, try not to worry about it."

  I cocked an eyebrow. "Not worry about it?"

  "I know, but that's all you can do. Test it out, it'll either come back or it won't."

  With his words ringing in my ears, I walked on autopilot out the door toward my next class. The students around me sounded like they were so far away. It was like walking in a weird tunnel where all I could sense was my own two feet stepping on the stone floor.

  I was worried before but now I was terrified.

  4

  Raven

  Spellcasting was going to be interesting. I fidgeted in the seat, trying not to recall the accident I'd had last time I was here. At least there was no risk of me setting myself on fire.

  As the class took their seats around me, I kept glancing toward the door, hoping to see the twins. I kept telling myself it was because we were a group and our grades were connected but I knew that was a lie.

  I'd thought about them more often than I wanted to admit over the last few days. Including one very delicious dream I was grateful Luka had not walked in on.

  I frowned. Luka hadn't been in any of my dreams since my confinement.

  "Class, take your seats. Notebooks away. It's another practical day," Professor Halifax called.

  My grip tightened around the backpack in my lap. How was I going to get through this? I glanced around again, desperately looking for my partners. Their usual place was empty.

  Footsteps and chatter floated around me as everyone moved into their groups. My pulse raced as I considered the fact that I could be thrown into another group. Or worse, stuck with the teacher.

  "Ms. Winters."

  I looked over at my professor. She was in red today. A tight Chinese inspired dress with a slit that was scandalously high on her thigh. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun with a pair of chopsticks sticking out of it. It was an unusual outfit for her. "Yes, Professor?"

  "Your partners had a family emergency and will return soon. In the meantime, I suggest you spend your time in the library researching any solutions to your current problem."

  My throat bobbed. I guess she knew there wasn't any magic for me to use. Both embarrassed and relieved, I ignored the heat in my cheeks and grabbed my backpack. Alone time in the library was a gift right now. Time to sort out my thoughts and maybe even find some answers. "Thanks."

  She nodded, then turned away from me. "Today we're focusing on summoning spells. Each of you will demonstrate your progress by the end of the week. Pass or fail on this."

  Blowing out a relieved breath, I pushed open the door and stepped into the empty hallway. All the classroom doors were closed. Everyone else was where they were supposed to be. Their magic in tact. Even Ben.

  I forced my feet to move one in front of the other down the hall toward the library.

  I'd only been there a handful of times, but it was a large room with lots of private corners. I could easily hide out in there for the whole period without having to speak to anyone.

  I walked through the wooden door into the dark, musty smelling library. The few windows in the large irregularly shaped room were stained glass and caked in ages of grime. I often wondered what they'd look like if someone cleaned them. Maybe they liked it dark.

  Rows of tables were lit with individual orange lamps and several corners were set with squishy chairs or benches. The library was filled with books as high as the ceiling and the rows of books around the space created lots of nooks and crannies. There wasn't any actual order to the organization. Some of the shelves were spaced wide with dead ends created by walls or more shelves. When you found these enclaves, it gave the impression of a private room. That's what I was looking for today.

  I wandered, ducking into corners and checking spaces. I didn't have it memorized yet, so it was always a bit of a guessing game to find a place to sit and set up camp.

  Turning a promising corner, I realized I wasn't the first to arrive. A couple of students were already occupying the space, clothing littering the floor as they rolled around. I nearly yelped in surprised and embarrassment heated my face.

  Quietly, I backed away, not wanting them to see me. If it was awkward for me to see them, I could only imagine how much worse it would be for them to get caught.

  Using a bit more caution as I turned every corner, I peeked first before entering. The next few were open on both ends, then I found another one where a student was taking a nap.

  I backed away, wondering if I should just grab a chair in a corner. Then I realized the napping student was familiar. I turned back and moved a little closer.

  His sweater was thrown over his head, but I had almost memorized the taught muscles in his body, which were not well hidden by the tight white tee-shirt he had on. "Luka?"

  The incubus shifted, moving the sweater away from his face. At first, he looked irritated, but his expression softened almost instantly. He sat up, setting his sweater down. "Kitten."

  I sat down on the ground next to him, feeling eased just by being in his presence. Luka always had a way of comforting me and getting me to express how I really felt in my dreams with him. Until just now, I didn't realize that same feeling carried over to real life.

  My shoulders dropped as everything swirling around in my head seemed to weigh even more heavily on me. I leaned on his shoulder and he put his arm around me.

  "Hey, it's okay," he said. "Tell me everything."

  So I did. I spilled it all. The thief, Ben rushing in then rejecting me, my magic not working, my worry that I'd never get it back. I told him how scared I was that I'd be kicked out and how empty I felt inside without my magic.

  He pulled me in for a hug as tears streamed down my cheeks. "It's going to be alright."

  "How?" I asked.

  "Cause you have me," he said. "And you have Makayla. And Violet and people that want you to be here. You're not alone here."

  My brow furrowed as I took in the deeper meaning of his words. It was as if I knew he was referring to my life before the Academy. A time when I always felt alone. When I had to do everything myself because I couldn't count on people to step up.

  "Come on." He let go of me, then stood. "We have a little bit of time before lunch, right? Let's see what we can find."

  He offered his hand. I took it, feeling like maybe I could figure this out.

  Hand in hand, we walked to the librarian's desk. The librarian, a squat gray troll with mossy green hair glared at us. Luka let go of my hand.

  I grabbed it back, squeezing it tighter.

  For a second, I swore I almost felt a flicker of magic, but it was gone before I could be sure.

  "Can you help us find some books on broken magic?" Luka asked.

  The troll sized me up, looking at me over her wire framed glasses. "You lost your magic, mage?"

  "Maybe," I said.

  She frowned. "I can't help you narrow your search if I don't know the details."

  I sighed. "Fine. Yes. I lost my magic. A thief got a hold of me."

  She pursed her lips making her hot pink lipstick look even more bright against her stone colored skin.

  "Do you have anything that might help us?" I asked, trying to be nice.

  She sighed. "Follow me."

  The librarian led us through the maze-like library until we reached a small shelf with about a dozen books. The empty space on the shelf was covered in a thick layer of dust. It didn't look like anyone had used these books in a long time.

  "This is everything we have on thieves," she said. "Not much research on the topic as few live long after their encounter."

  My throat felt tight, but I managed to squeak out, "Thank you."

  She nodded and walked away, leaving Luka and I with the sparse resources.

  "Well, there's ten books here and the check-out limit is five, so I think we're going to take all of these with us," h
e said.

  I nodded. "Good plan." Some of the books were thick and were going to take time to read.

  We each grabbed our five books, then I turned to look at him. "Thanks for your help."

  "Any time." He looked like he wanted to say more so I waited.

  "Was there something else?" I asked.

  "Yeah," he said. "I know you're not doing the dating thing right now and I have to admit, that's what I really want from you. But there's no reason I can't be your friend. Just because I get my magic from sex doesn't mean I have to do it all the time."

  "I've been meaning to ask you about that," I said. "Is it just sex that powers you? Do the dreams do anything or can other things do something?"

  He smirked. "Well, sex is the best, for a lot of reasons, of course. But it is the strongest way to charge my magic. Dreams don't do much, but I get a little." He leaned in closer to me and lowered his voice. "Believe it or not, I don't do dream sex with every girl I meet. That's for fun, not magic."

  My cheeks heated as he backed away. "What about other things?"

  "Like oral?" he asked.

  I shrugged. "Sure. Or kissing or touching."

  "I get a charge from anything that's rooted in sex. Depending on the passion and lust behind it, the levels vary."

  That was the answer I wanted to hear. I wasn't ready to hop in bed with him, but I wanted to give him something to show him how I felt. Rising to my tiptoes, I pressed my lips to his.

  Luka moaned in surprise as I moved my lips in harmony with his. It was a bit of an awkward position with a ton of books in my arms, but the kiss felt right. Just like everything else with Luka, it was comforting and safe.

  I pulled away from the kiss and stared into his blue eyes. "Thank you."

  "You have no idea how much I want you," he said.

  "Soon," I said, allowing myself to finally admit it out loud. It was a matter of time before I caved to my desires. But I wanted to do it for the right reasons. Luka deserved that. He acted tough, but I knew he deserved someone who wanted to be with him for him. Not just for his magic fingers.

  5