by Nika Gray
They were still trying to send us all to the Borderlands as soon as they could, but the reason for that was still vague.
I finished my breakfast and slung my bag over my shoulders. As I stood, a wave of exhaustion swept through me and I swayed on my feet. A recurring nightmare had been waking me up every night for the last several days, and it was disturbing.
The dream was always the same. Whispered words of magic surrounded me. Fear followed the whispered gossip and words of magic, flowing from my feet up throughout my body. Small, strange creatures hopped all over me while the wind howled, and I fought to stand and run. Then the screams would start. A clash of metal. A ripping sound and then trees creaking in the wind. I ran and ran in the dream. Sometimes toward the sounds, sometimes away from them. Filled with terror I wondered who was screaming until I realized it was me.
I’d wake gasping for breath, my heart racing, my muscles clenched. I’d sit frozen in my bed, eyes wide open, afraid to close them again and see the trees in darkness and hear my own screams.
I steadied myself and sighed. My lack of sleep sure wasn’t helping my mood, either
I walked out of the dining hall and into the quad. Battle Magic was about to start, and I was still fifteen minutes away. I’d be late, again. I hurried along the path and as I made my way towards the main quad, I caught sight of Fergus. He was headed towards the professor’s village instead of class. But his father was teaching Battle Magic. Why wasn’t he headed there then? Who was he meeting?
“Fergus!” I called after him, but the wind drowned out his name. He was too far away and didn’t turn around. I checked to see if anyone had heard me. I was the only one left on the path.
I watched his broad shoulders as he walked away from me. I thought of how his dimples came out each time he smiled at me. I hadn't been close enough to him to touch his golden skin or smell that delicious summertime smell of his in too long to see those dimples.
Stop torturing yourself, I thought. Those thoughts wouldn’t help my situation. I picked up the pace once I’d crested the hill to the main quad and rushed towards Bloodstyne Hall.
I hated the situation I was in. I needed friends, dammit. Declan was still my shadow, but he kept his distance from me. I felt his eyes on me, but half the time I couldn’t see where he was.
And god only knew what was happening with Cole. He’d all but disappeared from classes. I asked Declan about him on the rare occasion we actually spoke. According to him, Cole’s mother sent him on some errand outside of school.
I couldn't believe that Headmaster Hotchkiss allowed Cole off campus, especially with the accelerated schedule we were all under, but apparently with the Magic Council, anything went.
The only positive thing out of this mess was I had plenty of time to focus on my classes. My progress impressed Professor Tremaine, my Healing Arts instructor. She'd given me frogs, mice, plants, and other creatures to bring back from the brink of death and I had healed them all.
I used the magic from inside me and not the mage’s spells flowing through the conduit ring. I could do this because in Healing, I laid my hands on the creature or plant and let the energy flow through my fingers. My magic was easy to hide, and I didn't have to filter everything through that damn conduit ring.
In Conjuring, I’d been able to conjure up a glass and then have water appear inside. I impressed myself with the water, seeing as how during my Battle Magic test I only managed a few droplets.
Speaking of Battle Magic, I still hated that class because it caused me so much anxiety. And now I was about to be late again.
I picked up my speed and sprinted through the front door, down the hallway and into the large auditorium where the class was held.
I stopped, my breath coming out in small pants, and slid into the seat before either of the professors noticed. Aidan Wilkinson glanced at me, but I couldn’t read his expression. Professor Gregory Mathonwy seemed to take pleasure in embarrassing me whenever he got the chance, and I hoped he wouldn’t today.
To my relief, Professor Krysz was in charge and not Gregory Mathonwy or Aidan Wilkinson. He stood in front of the class and explained how this week would go. We’d have the same sparring partner as the week before
Kyna and Sonia continued to spread all sorts of rumors about me, and none of the girls wanted to pair up with me, much to the delight of Professor Mathonwy. When a mage refused to spar with me, Professor Mathowny asked her why and enjoyed watching me squirm. Some said it was because I was weak, others said it was because I was a troublemaker, or some other excuse. Kyna Bloodstyne had said it was because I smelled weird. Eventually the professors stopped trying to partner me with another female.
Instead, Mathonwy paired me up with another strength mage named Lewis Cargoen. We'd gone after each other inside the mirror world for the last five days. There wasn't one part of my body that didn't ache, and I had bruises all up and down my arms and legs.
I shifted in my seat and focused back on Krysz as he called out names. He was switching up the groups.
Good.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to even walk if Lewis and I went at each other for another day. When my name was finally called, I paled.
He’d assigned me to partner with Declan. We hadn't touched since that electricity between us emerged weeks ago.
“I’ve matched you with mages of different powers to yours. As you might remember, every battalion has one of each power in it. You will be bombarded with all sorts of different powers coming your way in real battle, and you need to be prepared for that. So good luck and I hope you’ve studied battle preparation against the various magic users,” he said.
“Excuse me, Professor,” a mage said from the front of the class.
“Yes, Mage Long?” Professor Krysz responded.
“Where would you like us to spar today?” he asked.
We’d all been sparring in our own personal mirror worlds, but it had become crowded in the last week as people created their mirror worlds in the aisles of the auditorium. Even though mirror worlds existed between dimensions, a large amount of them in the same place could create havoc. We all wondered if our magic could seep out from one mirror world into another. I’d heard many mages complain about it over the last week.
“I’ve been granted permission for all of you to spread out within the training facilities scattered around Bloodstyne Hall,” Professor Krysz said. His announcement was met with murmurs of approval from the class.
“You all need to focus on what you’re doing. Before you know it, in just two months, you will be in active battle,” Professor Krysz said ominously. “I won’t waste anymore of your time. Go spar!”
That first week, Professor Krysz had been a stickler for teaching all the techniques of battle. Now he seemed to have lost interest in teaching. Since Professor Mathonwy had taken over, Krysz looked both furious and bored when sitting on the stage watching Mathonwy attempt to instruct. Apparently, Professor Krysz didn't enjoy implementing the Magic Council’s curriculum.
I wasn’t enjoying the curriculum either, I thought.
I felt Declan's presence before I saw him. That scent of freshly cut green grass filled my nostrils as he dipped towards my ear.
“I know a small training gym up on the third floor that we could use,” he said.
I grabbed my book bag and followed him out of the auditorium. We said nothing to each other, but I could tell by how tense his body was that he wasn’t excited about having me as a partner, either.
My heart sunk at the realization. I’d felt so alone for so many days. I knew the guys thought it was for my own good but being protected meant being isolated.
I was tired of it all. Anger sprouted in my chest and made my ribcage hurt. Why can't he just be excited that we get to be alone in a room together by ourselves?
I sighed.
Who was I kidding? Maybe this guy wanted nothing to do with me, I thought.
We went up to the third floor and Declan led me to t
he last door on the left. He opened the door and we entered a small, empty room.
“I’ll make the portal for us,” he said, avoiding my eyes.
I still hadn't gotten the hang of creating portals into the mirror world with my conduit ring. Truth was the conduit ring wasn't really working for me.
The portal opened and we both stepped inside. I heard Declan say a spell under his breath. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I'm putting up some wards so nobody can spy on us,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“In case something happens when we touch,” he said.
I noticed more than a hint of irritation in his tone. His eyes finally met mine and I could see the fire inside. He narrowed his eyes in hunger and desire. I gasped and stepped back from the intensity between us. Electric excitement sizzled through me.
“How do you want to do this?” he asked as he pulled his eyes away from mine.
“How are we supposed to spar with strength and shape shifting?” I asked.
“You didn't read the material.” A wry smile spread across his gorgeous face.
“I didn’t,” I admitted.
“I'll shift and use my senses to find an opening to strike. Use your strength to keep me away from you,” he said.
“Simple enough,” I said.
We stood there awkwardly, and then I turned away from him. “I've never seen anybody shift before. I guess you’d like some privacy?”
“Not necessary,” he said. “Mages are gonna shift in front of you in battle.”
I heard the rustling of clothing and when I looked back, I saw a massive silver-gray wolf standing where Declan had been. I could tell the wolf was him because the scar on his eyebrow was still evident in his wolf form.
He was stunning as a wolf, moving quietly around the room. He’d become a beautiful creature. He stalked around me as I lifted my arms. Here we go, I thought.
I marshaled the magic in my core and pushed it toward that damn conduit ring. I couldn’t fully control my magic when it flowed through the conduit ring. It pulsed out in powerful spurts and weak fits. Frustrated, I let the magic flow through my fingers. Declan had put that protection spell on us after all.
Declan stalked around me as I turned, keeping him in front of me. Each rotation brought him closer and closer. I focused on the energy in my core and tried to push a force out of me, but nothing happened. Great, I thought.
Declan charged me, leaping forward with his fangs out. I screamed and jumped back. A blast of energy exploded out of my hand and hit him square in the chest.
He yelped in pain as my magic threw him into the wall behind him. I froze and watched as he clambered back onto his paws and charged me again.
My hands were still down at my sides and I stood frozen, staring in horror as the massive silver beast threw itself at me.
The last thought I had before I hit the ground was that I hadn’t hurt him as bad as I’d thought I had. I pulled my face away from his gaping mouth and squeezed my eyes shut.
I felt his shift before I saw it. I only opened my eyes again when he spoke.
“Why did you hesitate?” Declan’s voice was raspy and insistent. “You can’t do that, Sadie. I could have torn your neck out.”
Electric heat tingled through my body from every place our skin touched.
Declan was naked and on top of me.
His pectoral muscle spasmed and the panther tattoo on his chest undulated as he struggled to calm his breathing. His eyes were a brilliant hazel, the green and brown specs vibrant.
I was mesmerized.
Sweet holy mother.
He was the sexiest man I’d laid eyes on.
“I thought I hurt you,” I whispered out as my brilliant red tendrils traveled up his forearms.
His eyes blazed with hunger as his lips crushed onto mine.
I arched my back to feel more of him as he cradled my head and sought my tongue with his. I moaned as I let myself embrace his desire. Our tongues entwined and I wanted to drown in the waves of warm pleasure, sweet ungodly pleasure.
Suddenly, he jerked away from me. I stared up at him, dazed from the kiss. I couldn’t read his face.
“What’s wrong…” before I could finish the sentence, he shifted back into his silver wolf and bounded away from me.
The portal opened and he jumped through it, leaving me there all alone.
7
Sadie
My encounter with Declan LongBane left me furious for the rest the day. I could hardly focus on any of my other classes, and after another lonely dinner, I stomped back to my dorm room. I had to go on a run and somehow shake my miserable mood.
I couldn’t remember ever being this furious before.
No one was talking to me.
Cole and Fergus were nowhere to be found. Now Declan kissed me and then completely freaked out. Just turned into a wolf and ran away. He didn’t even take his clothes. I left them neatly folded near the door after having to figure out how to close a portal I hadn’t opened.
Why did he freak out on me?
I threw on my jogging gear. Even though it was getting cold at night, I wore shorts, and a tank top over my sports bra. My anger would keep me warm enough, I thought as I laced up my sneakers and put the headphones on, setting the music to something loud and angry.
Nine Inch Nails was loud enough. The industrial music exploded in my ears as I closed the door behind me and took off down the hall.
Who did they all think they were? This was my life, too. Was I supposed to just be a spectator? I wanted to be part of the action. Why should they push me to the sidelines on something so big?
I thought back to when we were all at Professor Hotchkiss’ cottage. We’d all been together as one. We were in agreement about the resistance and finding out what was happening between us. Now, I was basically being ignored. I winced at the thought of Declan jumping away from me. As if I was poison.
This makes no sense, I thought, as I sprinted through the quad, past the dining hall and towards the lake in the forest.
I remembered my first time with Fergus deep in these woods and my body's reaction to the memory made me angrier. If that was even possible.
I picked up my pace and sprinted hard. When the cramp in my side throbbed from my frenetic pace, I ran even faster.
My fists glowed red, the tendrils traveling up my arms. My raging emotions had activated my magic. That was good to know.
I plunged deeper into the forest and realized I probably shouldn't be wearing headphones in a dark wood at night. I pushed the thought away and dared anybody to come and try to hurt me in my current state.
Calm down, I told myself. With my luck, my magic would kill someone and then I’d be in even deeper shit than I was already. Even if they had tried to attack me. I picked up the pace, telling myself with every step that everything would be okay somehow.
Somehow.
Finally, my anger faded somewhere midway around the lake. The muscles in my legs screamed out in pain and I could barely breathe.
The rage was gone, though.
I needed to think clearly. The guys had their plan to protect me, but what was my plan? What was I going to do to protect myself from whatever the Magic Council had in store for me? And what exactly did they think I’d done?
I had to accept that according to them, I’d attacked Alexis Schoenberg. It that was true, even if it was in self-defense. But there were no witnesses.
The clearing that day was empty except for Alexis and me. It was my word against hers. No doubt that she was being protected by the council, and I was certain they’d convinced her to kidnap me.
If that was the case, then I needed to understand what they wanted from me. I shivered as memories flashed in my mind of my time in the lab and the experiments they’d done on me.
I shook my head to clear the flashes of doctors drawing blood, taking my vitals, and a memory of a doctor cutting me open. I ran my hands across my abdomen, search
ing for the scar that wasn’t there. I was sure it had really happened, though.
They wanted to know what I was. They needed to know what the red tendrils were. The magic that also brought out the strange magic in my men.
In Cole, then Fergus, and now in Declan, too. Cole's and Fergus' eye color turned vivid right before their own magic exploded.
Declan's beautiful hazel eye color had never been as vibrant as just after he’d kissed me. The magnetic pull to him was the same as with the other guys. We belonged together; of that I was sure.
What I needed to do now was discover what the magic was. Where had it come from? Why did the three of us now have it and what we could do with it?
As I jogged around the lake, I allowed myself to admit my suspicion. This magic was not of this realm and didn’t need conduit rings, or spells, or amulets. This magic didn’t come from nature. It felt like it was coming from inside of me, but it was also seeking something. Something inside the three of us.
From the bit of reading I’d done, a similar magic existed in the shape-shifting community and in the vampire community. The only other magical creature whose magic came from within was the Fae. I doubted I was a vampire. I couldn’t shape-shift and I wasn’t a hedge witch, either.
No, I was sure that I had to be Fae. How was that possible, though? Everyone told me Fae didn’t exist in this realm anymore.
I needed to speak to an expert on the Fae. Someone I could trust. My Magic History teacher might be able to help, although he was a crusty old guy. I couldn’t get a good read on him.
I could go talk to Professor Lark Tremaine. I’d excelled at the Healing Arts so far, and Tremaine had pushed me into more advanced lessons. She was approachable enough. Could she be trusted?
As I jogged, a plan began to develop. She was exactly who I needed to speak to. I could even spin it as just me preparing for the upcoming Borderlands deployment. That was the perfect reason to go talk to the professors about the Fae because my questions would seem reasonable due to our accelerated schedule.
