Of Wolves and Witches: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Arcane Arts Academy Book 1)

by Elena Lawson

  “Ms. Granger, can I ask you a favor?”

  “Diana,” she corrected, and I beamed. “Of course. Ask away.”

  13

  Diana was more than happy to show me the sigil and it’s accompanying incantation to send messages to someone outside the academy. She seemed surprised I didn’t already know it. But I’d never had anyone I needed to communicate with before. Leo and Lara were either always with me, or they weren’t far.

  She’d offered to show me where the communication booth was at the academy. It being the only place where the wards wouldn’t block the transference of messages. It was where all the other students went to ‘call’ their parents and friends. I’d lied and said I already knew where it was.

  No one could know who I was calling. I was supposed to be an orphan with no guardians. I was sure Sterling wouldn’t hesitate to throw them into Kalzir if it meant being rid of me. Which was why I was rushing through the vacant hallways on my way out to the woods. I’d have to get outside the wards, and I didn’t know how far they stretched. I hadn’t paid enough attention to remember where exactly I’d felt it before.

  Looking back to make sure no one followed or was watching from the windows overlooking the backyard, I ducked into the trees and sped deeper into the foliage. The ward extended further than I thought it would, but after only a few moments, I felt the telltale bristling of my skin as I passed through. It wavered and shimmered as it spat me out on the other side, quickly going back to being completely invisible.

  Here goes nothing, I thought, rubbing my palms together.

  The only private place I’d be able to reach them would be in the caravan, so, I hoped they just happened to be in it on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

  Remembering Diana’s instructions, I began to draw on the power I would need to do the spell. Letting it climb my veins as though they were vines—to bloom and expand. I tipped my head back at the rush of power as it settled in my core. There was nothing better than the feeling right before doing a spell, when your body was the most full of magical energy. It was tantalizing, like a lover’s touch. Beckoning. Coaxing you to your release.

  I’d have to be quick, I reminded myself. If I was caught performing magic unsupervised off of academy grounds…again… I wasn’t sure what would happen. But I knew it wouldn’t be good.

  I drew the sigil Diana had drawn in ink on my palm into the air in front of me. The tip of my finger leaving a bright, shimmering blue trail as it moved. And then, I drew a large circle around it, and whispered the incantation like she taught me. “Ostium revelare.”

  Visualizing the inside of the caravan, I closed my eyes and tapped twice on the sigil as though knocking at a doorway. When I opened my eyes again the symbol was gone, and inside the glowing ring materialized an image of the inside of the caravan. It worked!

  The top bunk where I used to sleep was still covered with my dark blue hand-knit blanket, a gift Lara had made me when I turned thirteen. But unlike usual, the bed was made, and boxes and bins of jewelry and potions were weighing down the old mattress.

  Leo’s french press sat in the sink with two dirty mugs instead of three.

  The image moved slightly, and I realized I could see the road through the windshield as they took a turn. I grinned, holding back a shriek, almost bouncing on my feet. The radio was on low, but neither of them were singing like they usually did. I could just see the edges of their faces from where the communication mirror had opened up near the back of the caravan.

  “Leo?” I said gently, not wanting to spook them and cause an accident. “Lara?”

  Lara whipped around her seat, her small blue eyes bugging out of her tiny head. “Harper?” she exclaimed, fighting with the button to unlatch her seatbelt. Leo slammed on the breaks, and yanked the wheel to the right to pull the caravan onto the side of highway, the breaks screeching in protest as he ground the old metal beast to a jarring standstill.

  Lara finally got her seatbelt off, and they tripped over each other in their haste to get to the mirror. “Oh, honey!” Lara said, her hands clenched into little fists near her face. I could tell she hated that she couldn’t reach out and hug me. I hated it, too. But that wasn’t how this spell worked. It wasn’t a portal, but more like… magical FaceTime.

  “How are you? Is everything alright?” Lara blurted.

  “We’ve been worried sick,” Leo added, his gaze roving over my face and shoulders, making sure I was alright. Leo wasn’t the buff type, but I had no doubts that if anyone were to try to harm me, he’d protect me the best he could. With his small frame and crafters hands, he was more a lover than a fighter. They both were.

  My eyes pricked, and I reigned in the urge to cry at the sight of them. “I’m alright,” I told them, maintaining the smile when it tried to falter with the lie. I tipped my head toward the woods behind me. “I suppose you already know where I am?”

  Lara nodded quickly, her thin white-gold hair falling over her teary eyes. “How is it?” she asked in a hopeful voice. “We were so relieved when we found out where they’d sent you. When Gato transferred your message to Leo to not to come after you… well, we didn’t know what to think.”

  “We had to use both our powers combined and an amplification spell to find you. They must have strong wards around the whole place.” Leo said, and I could hear the awe in his voice. He’d always wanted to be able to send me to a place like AAA, and often talked about finding ways to make extra money so he could do it—even though we both knew it was an outlandish thought.

  I nodded. “They do.”

  “Good thing we had some of your hair or we never would’ve been able to find you.” Lara added in a rush.

  “I knew you would.” I tucked my hair back and readjusted my headband. “And—um, the academy’s great,” I told them, and found truth in the words. The place really was starting to grow on me, or at least, some of the people in it were.

  And now, looking into the hopeful eyes of my makeshift family, I realized it would be foolish—not to mention idiotic to not take this opportunity to learn and strengthen my magic. A thousand other less fortunate witches would kill to be in my shoes. Little did they know all they had to do was get arrested and have some old council coot take pity on them and wave the tuition fee.

  As though sensing what I was thinking, Leo’s and Lara’s expressions changed in synchronicity like only they could do. “We aren’t upset about what happened. We wanted you to know that.” Lara said.

  “No one was hurt, and we know your magic is… difficult to control. It was our fault for leaving you alone.”

  I sighed, unable to meet their gazes. “No. It wasn’t you fau—”

  “Yes, it was,” Lara interrupted me in that gentle way she often did. “And we are the ones who should have been punished.”

  “Your quick thinking saved us from—” Leo dragged in a tight breath and rubbed at the bit of scruff on his narrow jaw. “Well, if it weren’t for your…” I could tell he was having trouble saying it. He was always crap at saying thank you.

  I smiled at him. “You’re welcome,” I said to them both with a little laugh. “I mean, it’s not like I was sent to Kalzir or burned at the stake. Pretty sure I’m the one who got the better end of the stick. Who’s going to label your potions, now?” I joked.

  They both laughed, grinning. The relief plain on both their faces.

  The edges of the mirror began to fade, and the glowing ring around it was waning. Time was running out.

  “Anyways, don’t worry about me. I’ll call as much as I can, but if I get caught using magic off the grounds—”

  “Don’t worry yourself. We don’t want you getting in any trouble,” Leo said, sounding gruff, his throat thick with tears he’d never admit to having. “Just study hard, and get good grades, and… and…”

  “I’ll see you before you know it,” I finished for him. It was our trademark phrase anytime one of us had to leave for more than a day. The words came out strained, and I clenche
d my jaw.

  “See you before you know it,” they both replied, and I swiped a hand through the glowing ring—dissolving the image a second before the sob broke free from my chest.

  I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed them. But seeing them made it so much more real. I wouldn’t see them again until I graduated in four years—barring some sort of miracle. I clutched my chest and allowed myself to sink down to my knees against the mossy ground.

  I cursed the tears that fell. What was this shit? I didn’t cry. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had. It might’ve been years. It didn’t matter what life threw at me, I always took it in stride. Finding the silver-lining or making one myself. This isn’t so bad, I convinced myself. This is not the end of the damned world.

  And the tears began to dry, and my breathing evened out. There you go. That’s it. Just breathe.

  I didn’t know how long I’d been there, but the sun had already begun walking along it’s well-worn path back down toward the horizon, lighting the sky pink and violet in its wake. And I remembered something Lara always used to say when I’d had a bad day. The sun will rise on a new day whether you’re ready to face it or not, my girl. Best to show it some teeth.

  They were an odd sort, my guardians. But I wouldn’t change them for the world. I wouldn’t change anything about the way I was brought up. How much of this country I’d gotten to see. I smirked. Maybe... maybe I was the lucky one—not these spoiled academy kids.

  With my resolve strengthened, and the phantom voice of Lara in my head, I felt ready to return to the academy and whatever waited for me there.

  The muffled sound of footsteps against dirt had my hackles rising. I spun at the crunch of a twig to my right.

  But it was only Fallon, his ears laid flat against his head as he neared me. I didn’t reach out to him, afraid to scare him off. The silver fox sniffed at my hands and looked up at me with curious dark reddish-brown eyes. He was beautiful. A few seconds later Elias stepped into the small copse of trees, and Fallon skittered back over to stand behind him.

  Elias held a branch away from his face as he stepped through, looking only mildly surprised to find me alone in the woods for the second time that week.

  “I thought I might find you out here,” he said lightly, stuffing one hand into the pocket of his leather jacket and extending the other to help me stand. “I heard what happened last night. Are you alright?”

  The ball reformed in my chest, expanding painfully. I winced and looked away from his worried blue eyes. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

  He rubbed the backs of my knuckles with his thumb. His hands far warmer than mine. It was soothing and electrifying all at once. I wanted to melt into his touch—for him to take all the bad things away—make me forget, if only for a little while.

  “I’m sorry all of this is happening to you. It must be a lot to deal with.” He reached out with his other hand and wiped what remained of the tears from my cheeks, sighing. “You are so strong, Harper. And brave.”

  Was I? I didn’t feel strong... and certainly not brave. I felt small and weak. Frail.

  When I gathered enough confidence, I lifted my chin to look him in the eyes, catching him as his gaze fell quickly to my lips before darting away.

  He couldn’t have been more than twenty-five, maybe twenty-six. The youngest teacher at the academy by far. If we were just two people, not a teacher and his student, would he finally give in to his desires? Would I?

  I’d only ever been kissed a handful of times, and they were sloppy, inexperienced boys. What would it be like to be kissed by a man? I didn’t know, but I sure as hell wanted to find out.

  As though sensing my thoughts, Elias’ lips parted as he moved in closer, dipping his head low so his dark hair fell forward to shadow his eyes. But the inner turmoil he faced was still visible, gleaming behind his storm-cloud iris’.

  “What the hell was that last night?”

  Elias and I jumped apart, and he shoved me behind him, assuming a fighting stance at my front, his hand raised—the glow of his activated power swirled around his fingers. “Fallon, home,” he commanded his familiar, and the fox hissed at the Endurans before he sped back through the trees. His bushy silver-dipped tail bobbing behind him.

  “Who the hell is this clown?” Cal said, coming out from behind Adrian, his eyes glowing faintly with his urge to shift.

  I pushed Elias out of the way, stepping forward to face them. “It’s alright. It’s them,” I told Elias. “My familiars.”

  “Ugh,” Cal said with a twisted scowl. “Don’t call us that.”

  Elias didn’t back down but didn’t stop me either. He remained at my side, and I could feel his magic electrifying the air around us both.

  Cal and Adrian looked me over, something like relief flashing in their eyes. I felt it, too. The internal release. The bond strengthening me—and them.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “We sensed you were outside the wards, and we had to talk,” Adrian explained, and a blush crawled up my neck when I noticed just how low his cut-off jean shorts rode on his hips. Showing the dips leading down to... I shook my head. The bond between me and my familiars was a hard thing to ignore. Why couldn’t they have been ugly? Or, you know, not incredibly sexy wolf shifters. I’d have taken literally anything else.

  “Last night—what was that? You were... in so much pain. We could feel it.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek, not wanting to get into it. What did they care, anyway? “Nothing. Just a bad migraine,” I said, wanting so badly for it to be the truth. Knowing it probably wasn’t. Before either of them could answer, I added. “This is Elias.” I cleared my throat as I snapped myself out of it, gesturing to him.

  “He—um—he’s helping me find a way to break the bond.”

  Elias nodded. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I can’t say I know how you both must feel, but I can assure you this was not Harper’s fault.” He reached out and grabbed my hand. My heart did a little flip. “And we’re doing everything we can—”

  There it was again. That we word.

  “It doesn’t matter who’s fault it is,” Cal snapped, regarding Elias with... with jealousy? No, that wasn’t right. What reason would he have to be jealous? Maybe it was a wolf thing. Territorial or whatever.

  “Look,” Cal said, cutting in front of Adrian. “We can’t take this much longer, and Atlas knows something’s up. It won’t be long before he figures it out or commands it out of us.”

  “We had a deal,” I began. “A week—”

  Adrian’s nostrils flared, and I could sense his temper wouldn’t be reigned in much longer. “The deal won’t matter if we receive a direct command from our alpha. We have to bend to his will—like it or not.” And I could tell, Adrian did not like it.

  “If he thinks the only way to sever the bond is to... to kill you, then that will be his command.”

  “What do you care,” I croaked, thinking about how it would feel if my own familiars tried to kill me because their alpha told them too. “You want this bond broken. What does is matter to you how it gets broken?”

  I stepped forward, jabbing a finger into Adrian’s solid, tan chest. “You don’t scare me,” I said, not allowing so much as a trace of the deep seeded fear I truly felt to taint my voice. He growled, and his eyes glowed vibrant gold in the growing dark.

  Cal’s hands curled into claws, his sharp nails pushing out from his nail beds.

  “Harper,” I heard Elias warn, but he didn’t make a move to intervene. Not yet.

  I ignored him.

  My haughty stare was unwavering as I held Adrian’s furious gaze. “I’m not going to be afraid of you. I won’t be afraid of my own damned familiars!”

  “You should be,” Adrian replied in a voice so deep and so calm, it made my insides tremble.

  I staggered back, the momentary burst of angered confidence fading fast. The magic laced adrenaline coursing through my veins wore off, and my sho
ulders slumped. I stepped back.

  The space between us was filled with unasked and unanswered questions. Tense. The silence roaring in my ears.

  It was Elias who broke it. “We haven’t found anything yet,” he said, and I saw Cal’s face fall and a muscle twitch in Adrian’s jaw. “But we’ll keep trying. What you’re asking—you have to understand, it’s never been done before.”

  Cal nodded to Elias. “We’ll do our best to honor the week we agreed upon. But we can make no promises.” Then he turned his attention to me, and I saw a longing in his stare, but more than that—I felt it. A thick vein protruded in his neck, and his claws lengthened. He was trying to fight the call of the bond.

  Adrian was, too. And I was weakened by their efforts to keep me at a distance. The harder they pushed, the more feeble I felt, and the more sluggish my magic. Fighting it wasn’t doing them any favors either. It was driving them to the point of madness.

  If they accepted it, it wouldn’t be so hard... or so draining, for all of us.

  “Have—have you thought about letting the bond take hold?” I asked them, directing the question more toward Cal, since he seemed more receptive to it. I felt Elias stiffen beside me.

  “We will never surrender to a witch’s will.” It was Adrian who answered.

  They didn’t understand. I hurried to explain. “No, I mean—just for now. It would be easier.”

  Adrian scoffed and Cal looked away, his lips pursed.

  “And the bond isn’t one-sided,” I added, stepping forward again, imploring them to understand. “The bond goes both ways. You would submit to me, yes. But I would also submit to you. It’s a... a partnership. Not a master and servant kind of thing.”

  “She’s right,” Elias said, and Cal shot him a cutting glare, looking doubtful, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “We see it differently,” Cal said.

  Adrian threw his hands up in the air, and shouted. “Enough of this. We’re done talking. We’ll be back in a few days, and you’d better hope you’ve got good news.”