Academy of Magic Collection

by Angelique S Anderson et al.

  Sage’s sigh emptied her lungs. She wandered back to Mason. “I can’t tell if she believes me.”

  Mason placed his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t look but she’s watching us through the door.”

  As Sage moved to look, Mason clutched her jaw in his hands and turned her to him. She was greeted with something she’d never seen before. His face was sullen, sadness oozing from his eyes to his rolled out bottom lip.

  “Pretend you’re still into me,” he whispered before moving his mouth toward hers.

  Their lips locked and he threaded his fingers up and through her hair. He was polite, keeping his mouth closed. But Sage didn’t need to pretend, and in a moment of weakness she clutched at his blazer and pulled him in closer, pressing her lips harder against his. The movement caused him to stir, a groan rumbled in the back of his throat. He opened his mouth then, caressing her lips in fluid motion.

  As they parted, Mason’s eyes danced between hers as if he was searching for something. His breath was heavy. He let his warm hands drop, leaving her cheeks to the cool air.

  Sage tore her eyes from him to see if Nadya was still watching, but they were all alone. Turning back, she gave a cheeky grin and playfully punched his chest. “Why would I need to pretend?”

  Mason stepped backward until his thighs hit a table. He clasped his hands together—fingers kneading knuckles. With a low voice, he said, “I need to talk to you.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know how to say it. You’ll be upset and I don’t want you to be upset with me.” His eyes drifted to the ground and he scuffed a heel onto the pavement. “I never intended to… get so involved with you.”

  Silence. Disbelief. A butterfly let itself loose inside her chest.

  She could barely get the words out. “What are you saying?”

  She knew what he was saying though. He regretted how close they had become. He regretted kissing her. Just when he’d helped her let go.

  “Ben is in incubation, by the rate of his symptoms the mark will appear tomorrow or the next day.” He said it so matter-of-factly, as though he was reciting a recipe.

  Sage wasn’t sure she heard right. “What?”

  “He’s been marked.”

  Heart rate rising, Sage relived the moment she decided to turn Mason. She felt the way her heart broke at the thought of this boy being beaten to death by his own cowardly brother. She saw the mortal blood that spilled from his lips. How time seemed to cease when he stopped breathing. But it was all a manipulation. She had been used by both of them.

  They wanted to become Guardians at all costs, no matter who they brought down along the way. Of course, Mason would mark his brother. She was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

  The betrayal felt sour, like over ripe apples being forced down her throat. Sage didn’t want to cry, but tears stung her eyes. She didn’t want to ask why—she didn’t want to know.

  She stepped away from him.

  Mason pushed himself off the table and rushed to her. “I’m so sorry. You have to understand that I never meant to hurt you or use you, but I know I’ve done both those things.”

  She turned her face to him, but her gaze couldn’t quite reach his eyes. “Don’t talk to me ever again.”

  Her heart broke as she tore herself away. She ran. From him—and the way he made her feel. Like an unwanted thirteen-year-old.

  “Sage? You don’t mean it!” he called.

  She ignored him and the reflection of his lying face in the glass door.

  He called for her again. “Sage, please?”

  She opened the door and stepped inside. And as she slammed the door shut, she heard a whimper.

  “Floss?”

  But even that sorry excuse for a nickname couldn’t make her stay.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Sage had already missed half her class. She wondered if there was any point in showing up for the rest. The Shadow Society lesson didn’t start until second period, which meant Makoto was free. She charged through the faculty wing, scanning the doors for his name.

  It wasn’t until she tapped on his door that she realized what was about to happen. He was either going to kill her or kick her out of the society. No big deal.

  As footsteps echoed inside Makoto’s office, Sage grimaced and took a lung full of air. This was it. She was going to tell Makoto everything. The door creaked opened and a woman peered into the small gap.

  “Hello?” The woman asked.

  She had brown eyes and flaming red hair. Sage froze. It was the same woman she saw with Makoto at the bar the night before.

  Sage waited for recognition to hit, but the woman just stared, holding the door half in front of her face. “Can I help you?”

  Sighing, Sage almost laughed at herself. She was worried the woman had seen her at the bar. But it didn’t matter, not any more. Not now she was going to tell Makoto everything anyway.

  “Hi,” Sage said, trying to get a glimpse into the office. “I’m looking for Makoto?”

  “He’s… not… here…” the woman replied, squinting. “Do you want him… for any… particular reason?”

  Sage realized the woman was being cautious. She was asking something specific. Sage knew the answer. “I’m in the Shadow Society.”

  The woman sighed and opened the door fully. “Come in, I’m Tessa. I’ll be taking your classes today.”

  Sage stepped into Makoto’s office and Tessa shut the door. She pointed to an empty seat and took another one behind the desk. Sitting down, Sage asked, “Where’s Makoto?”

  “He’s got his own assignment, so he called me to help you guys out until he’s back.” Tessa rested her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “I’m an alumnus, so I know exactly what you’re going through.”

  Sage gave a soft smile and chewed on the inside of her mouth. There was no way she could tell Tessa about her problems. As if she knew exactly what she was going through. Sage bet Tessa never turned anyone before graduation.

  “Is everything all right?” Tessa asked.

  Sage sat up straight. “When will Makoto be back?”

  “I’m not sure. Assignments can take anywhere between a few minutes and a few years…” Tessa’s voice petered out, her eyes drifting to the back wall. She snapped them back to Sage and smiled. “But don’t worry, he’s fast. Whenever he left during my year in the society, he’d be back the same day or the day after.”

  “Oh, okay.” A day wasn’t so bad. She could wait one day to tell him her mistakes.

  “Is there anything I can help you with?”

  The caring question sent an unexpected shock wave of emotion through Sage. As the warmth of tears teased her eyes, she wanted to ask Tessa if she or anyone she knew had ever misread their own gut instincts. But she thought better of it and asked, “How do you know that assignments are assignments?”

  “Sometimes they are given to us by the Elders of the Veil, the ancient creatures who created Guardians. Have you learned about them yet?” Without waiting for an answer, Tessa continued, “Sometimes they just come to us.”

  Sage leaned forward. “What does that feel like?”

  Tessa tightened her fists and hovered them in front of her stomach. “It’s a feeling but also physical. It actually draws you where you need to go.”

  Sage remembered the almost magnet-like moments when she followed Mason, not once but three times. “Is that feeling ever wrong?”

  Tessa shook her head and her beach curls bounced off her chin. “Never.” She whipped her finger out and pointed at Sage. “And when you get that feeling you have to act quick. Those ones are the best ones and most important.”

  “Right.” Sage scratched her neck and glanced around Makoto’s room.

  A collection of watercolor artworks lined a wall. All abstract—all shades of black and white and gray. He had a taste. Dark taste. A shiver ran down her spine.

  Tessa inched to the edge of her seat and asked, “Have you had that feeling?”
>
  Sage scrunched her nose and looked back at the new teacher. Through a nervous laugh she managed to say, “Nah.”

  Camila was waiting for Sage outside the Shadow Society lecture room. As soon as Sage approached, Camila threw her arms up. “Where the hell have you been? You didn’t make it to class. What’s going on with Mason? Are you sleeping together? Oh my god, I feel so left out.”

  Sage swung her arm over Camila shoulders and urged her inside the room. She whispered, “There’s been a hiccup. Mason created this whole situation with his brother so I would turn him.”

  Camila pulled herself out from Sage’s hold. Her mouth dropped open as her eyes widened, drifting to the space beside Sage’s head. Her breath quickened, as though the room itself had earth’s last air. She finally said, “How is that possible?”

  “I don’t know.” Sage whipped her head to the door as Caspar and Arielle entered. She turned back to Camila, “I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.”

  Swallowing, Camila shook her head. She clutched Sage’s hand and dragged her to the middle row. As they dropped into their seats, Camila asked, “Do you think he’s dangerous?”

  The door clicked shut and Tessa walked in. She counted four heads. “Are we waiting on someone?”

  “Sorry?” Arielle said, glancing back at Sage and Camila. “What do you mean?”

  Tessa chuckled to herself and stood behind Makoto’s desk. “My name is Tessa. Makoto is on assignment, so I’m your teacher until he gets back. There’s usually five recruits.”

  “Oh, Nadya. She’s uh.” Caspar shifted in his seat. “She’s looking after a sick friend.”

  “Sounds like a True Guardian,” Tessa said, sifting through Makoto’s drawer.

  “Ugh,” Camila whisper-moaned. “Nadya’s her star pupil and she’s never even met her.”

  Still sorting through the drawer, Tessa asked, “So, where are you up to in your lessons?”

  Arielle cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear. Smiling sweetly, she said, “Makoto just told us about the first Guardians.”

  “The first Guardians,” Tessa repeated, lifting one piece of paper out of the pile. “Who’s Sage?”

  Sage felt her heart fall to her stomach. She slowly raised her hand. “That would be me.”

  Tessa looked up. “Oh, that’s you.” She read the note again, then waved the piece of paper like a fan. “Makoto mentioned that you guys have an assignment. Any reports?”

  “All good,” Arielle blurted. “Pretty much done with.”

  Tessa sat down, half smiling. “Pretty much?”

  “What she means is, done. It’s done,” Caspar lied.

  Tessa brought the piece of paper to her lips, and like Makoto had done many times, she took her time eying each of the recruits in the room. She stared at Sage last, lingering a moment longer than the others. Then, she dropped the note inside the drawer and slammed it shut.

  “Okay, animals.” She pressed her palms against the desk and stood up. “Makoto may humor your bullshit but I’m not buying it. Someone better spill really soon, or I’m gonna wolf out on all your asses.”

  The four of them balked. There was no doubt Tessa meant business. The question was, who was going to buckle first?

  In the front row, Arielle visibly shook, her eyes as wide as Sage had ever seen them. And that was saying something. Caspar kept a straight face, but his fingers strummed against his thighs. Tap. Tap. Tap.

  “You know,” Tessa said, moving around the desk. She leaned against it and crossed her ankles just like Makoto would. “I’ve seen some gnarly stuff. I’ve met a lot of Fallen.” She gave a tiny lop-sided smirk and looked down at her fingers as the ends sprouted claws. She picked at them as though they were well-manicured nails.

  “The one thing they all had in common was that they were faultless liars. They’d convince other wannabe Guardians of their innocence and turn them, creating an army of blood-thirsty monsters. Now, I know none of you would ever want to hurt a civilian, that’s not what we train for. But sometimes…” Tessa lurched forward, her eyes a bright pink flare. Her voice rose. “Sometimes when you are deceived, innocents get hurt because of your carelessness and inability to notice.”

  Sage felt like Tessa was talking directly to her. Mason had deceived her and now he was a Guardian, and soon his brother would be, too. How many innocents will die because of her actions?

  Beside Sage, Camila jolted, her butt lifting off the seat at least three inches. She clutched her chest and turned to Sage. “She scares the bejeebies out of me.”

  “Listen,” Caspar said, rising. He held his hands out in defense. “It all just kind of got out of hand.”

  “Caspar, don’t,” Arielle pleaded.

  Ignoring her, he continued, “Our assignment got marked and we don’t know who did it. We’ve been afraid to tell Makoto.”

  Tessa’s eyes returned to their normal brown hue. She nodded and slid her phone out of her back jean pocket. Shaking her head, she tapped the screen and held the phone to her ear. “Makoto? Yes. They spilled…. Took me five minutes…” Turning her back to everyone, she let out a few short cackles. “Umm, yeah, it’s totally fine. Nothing we can’t fix.”

  Caspar twisted around in his seat, looking back to his classmates. “What just happened?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Shadow Society recruits sat together at lunch time. Something they’d never done. Sage remained silent. With everyone’s focus now on AJ and his mark, the urge to reveal her secret had dissipated.

  Arielle shoveled the last of her chicken wrap into her mouth and stood. She muffled, “I’ll go relieve Camila.”

  Caspar glanced at his watch. “She’s only been with AJ for half an hour.”

  Cheeks puffing like a chipmunk’s, Arielle shrugged and ran off.

  “That’s her third shift already,” Caspar said, watching her leave.

  Nadya gave a sad smile. “She feels like he’s her responsibility.”

  Sage picked at part of her wrap, staring at the table where Mason told her what he’d done. Part of her wondered whether she’d see him again, or if now he’d gotten what he wanted he’d leave Graystone Academy. The other part of her scolded her for caring either way. She did, though. Care.

  “Where’s your boyfriend?”

  Sage blinked a few times, snapping herself out of her daze. She moved her attention to Nadya, who was patiently waiting for an answer. A wry smile brightened her stern face.

  “Her boyfriend?” Caspar asked, intrigued.

  Nadya searched the courtyard. “There he is.” She began waving manically to the back corner. “Come over!”

  Sage spun in her seat. Sure enough, there was Mason, leaning against the back wall. She watched in horror as he sauntered over at Nadya’s call.

  “Him?” Caspar jeered. “Really?”

  Mason slid in beside Sage, a wary smile on his face. “He-ey.”

  Forcing a smile back, Sage replied through gritted teeth, “Hi.”

  “What? No sickening embrace?” Nadya teased, clearly enjoying the scene. “You guys were all loved up this morning. Did you break up telepathically or something?”

  “Nadya!” Caspar scolded.

  Sage squeezed her eyes shut and she curled a finger underneath her leather necklace. She could almost imagine Nadya’s face when she found out the truth. The golden girl shocked at Sage’s recklessness. She considered coming clean, right there and then—

  A gentle hand ran across her neck, fingertips kneading on her skin. Lips pressed against her temple. A warm exhale tickled her ear as Mason’s deep raspy voice said, “Of course not.”

  Mason moved his hand from her neck to pinch her chin, he turned her face to him. Sage peeled her eyes open, one by one, her breath hitching at the closeness of him. His eyes hooded as he whispered, “Please don’t give up on me.”

  Without thinking, she placed her palm directly onto his face—her fingers curving around his forehead—and pushed him back.
“Don’t embarrass me, Mason.” She rolled her eyes at Nadya and Caspar. “He gets so P.D.A sometimes.”

  Mason wrapped his fingers around her wrist and removed her hand from his face. He cleared his throat and said, “I can’t help it. I mean, look at her. She looks like a goddamn angel sometimes.”

  Nadya’s eyes turned to slits. “What do you mean sometimes?”

  Why did he have to say that? Sage thought. He was insinuating he’d seen her wings... That she’d shown him her wings.

  A shriek resonated behind them.

  Someone, a cheerleader, burst past their table, tears lining her face. Her guttural and heart-wrenching moans echoed through the courtyard. Sage knew there was only one thing that could make someone cry like that. Grief.

  The next table down erupted into a sea of uncontrollable sobs. Nadya rose to her feet, and with eyes square on the table, she marched over. As Nadya queried them, another cheerleader leapt from her seat.

  As the girl rushed past, Sage jumped up, stopping her in her tracks. She clutched the girl’s shaking shoulders. “What’s happened?”

  “Brian, Mal, and Ethan went missing last night. And…” her bottom lip quivered. “Mal was found this morning. He’s dead.”

  Sage let her go. Mal was on the football team. They all were.

  Nadya, shell-shocked, stood by the table of crying cheerleaders. Caspar scrambled to meet her. Sage looked for Mason, but he was already gone.

  A tiny thought flashed through her mind. One that made her blood run cold. If Mason used her this whole time to get his brother to become a Guardian, what more was he capable of?

  “We have to go.” Caspar clicked his fingers in front of Sage’s face. He grabbed Sage and Nadya by their wrists and headed inside, dragging them behind him.

  “They said it was a bear or cougar.” Nadya gasped as the three of them ran for the Shadow Society.

  “Yep,” Caspar puffed, charging ahead. “There’s a Fallen loose on campus. And if we don’t stop it soon, the worst is yet to come.”