by A. J. Macey
“Hey, Cutie!” he called, flopping on the couch next to Olive and kissing her cheek. “Who’s this?”
“I’m Aris, nice to meet you,” I said, giving a quick smile.
“Oh, Drayce’s girlfriend, right? Wasn’t your hair pink?” he asked, confusion marring his features.
“The blue is from potions,” I said, my smile growing as my guys showed up. It dropped slightly at the calculating looks a few of them were giving Allain. What the broomsticks?
“Hey, Allain,” Drayce said, oblivious to the tension emanating from the others. He gave Allain a fist bump, then took the free spot next to me. Kye claimed the other side while Caspian and Xan took the third couch.
“Who is he?” Kye whispered, giving Allain an angry look as if he was trying to flirt with me or something.
Why are they acting jealous?
“No tingles or anything, right?” Drayce asked, cluing into the others’ worries. I huffed, flopping back in my seat, angry they were jumping to conclusions. It’s not like I bonded with the others on purpose. Not to mention, I’m not exactly bonding with every guy I meet.
“I’m actually done with my notes. See you on Wednesday, Olive,” I said, giving her a bright smile as I tried my best to hide my annoyance. I hastily grabbed my stuff and stormed out of the library.
Their worrying about that was rubbing me the wrong way. I hadn’t even had a single hint of bonding to anyone other than them since that night in the crystal caves. This is ridiculous!
“Cupcake, wait. What’s wrong?” Caspian said, the first of them to reach me. I ignored him, not trusting myself not to say something I’d regret.
“Talk to us,” Drayce said, taking my hand as I stepped out into the courtyard.
“The way you guys acted back there was ridiculous. You have to have a little trust in me. Do you think I just walk around, shaking hands, and making bonds?!” I fumed, stopping my power walk and turning to face them as Kye and Xan joined us. Xan was the only one who bothered to look guilty for it.
“I mean, it wasn’t your fault, but you bonded with four more after me,” Caspian pointed out. Despite his matter-of-fact tone, it didn’t sit well with me. I wasn’t going to have them worrying like this or jealous our entire lives.
“Those were different,” I shot back, turning as heavy footfalls pounded down the path toward us. Turning, I spotted Torryn hurrying forward, looking annoyed.
“What are you all fighting about?” he ground out, eyeing the guys after seeing my harsh frown.
“They were acting freaking jealous in the library over someone who had literally only said less than ten words to me, all freaked out about another potential bond, like I just spread those around like a bad case of Bat Pox,” I huffed, my arms crossing over my chest to hide my trembling hands. It was too close to the near panic I had in class and too close to feeling the headmaster’s fingers on my shoulder for them to make me feel like I fucked up something that wasn’t even in my control. I knew I was a bit more sensitive than usual, but it felt like they didn’t trust me, and that hurt me more than I cared to admit.
“Did none of you listen to anything I said in that cave when we did the bonding?” Torryn hissed under his breath, his venomous tone aimed at the guys, all of who looked shocked at his hostility. “We all bonded to each other, so we’re now a closed circuit—no more tethers, meaning no other bonds for Aris. There are five elements, five of us. Besides, the bonding in the cave wouldn’t have worked if she wasn’t bonded to all of us.”
“Oh,” one of them murmured, but my eyes were tearing up too much to tell who it was.
“Oh, is fucking right,” Torryn snapped, his hand rubbing down my back softly, but I could feel how tense he was, knowing he wanted to pull me into a hug but couldn’t. “Next time use your fucking brains, and if I see you make her cry again, I’ll drop a rock on you. Come on, Aris. Let’s get you back to your room,” he cooed softly, nudging me down the path. “No, you four can wait until she’s ready to talk to you.”
“But—” Drayce started, but Torryn’s power leaked slightly, and their mouths snapped shut as the ground rumbled beneath our feet.
“Thank you,” I sniffed, rubbing my eyes to clear the unshed tears away. “It’s been a long couple of days, and I just couldn’t deal with any tension or jealousy.”
“I understand, Gorgeous,” he whispered the last word, only loud enough for me to hear in case of prying ears. Rage burned through me that we had to hide. Our bonds are nothing to be ashamed of, no matter what that batshit asshole headmaster thinks. “Shh, calm, Aris.” It was only with his hurried murmurs, I realized my hands had started to spark, flickers of flames starting to dance around my fingers.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he stated simply. “Are you going to tell me what else is bothering you?”
We walked in silence for a few minutes as he led me back to the dorms, stopping next to the building, just out of view. I was trying to figure out how to word it, but Torryn seemed to pick up on my hesitance and pulled me into his arms. I sighed in contentment as I hugged him back, the darkness in my mind receding a bit as he held me. Curse this stupid sling, I grumbled, finding myself angry I couldn’t just hug him like a normal witch.
“I had a little flashback in potions,” I admitted, his arms tightening even more as I spoke. “I didn’t want to worry anyone and tried to play it off as nothing, but I’m struggling a bit. Please, can we keep it between us? I don’t want to talk to the others about it yet.”
“I don’t think we should have secrets, but in this case, I think you should tell them when you feel ready. Until then, I’m always here for you, Gorgeous,” he whispered, his voice soothing my frayed edges a bit more.
Even though I thought the others were wrong for jumping to conclusions, I felt a bit guilty about how strongly I’d reacted. Knowing the guys, they’d forgive me, and we could talk it out. For now, though, I just wanted to be here in Torryn’s arms, letting him be my safe space for tonight.
“Are you ready to head in and let the others come up?” I nodded, my face rubbing against the soft material of his dress shirt.
When I finally released him, he walked to the front doors of the dormitory, holding it open for me to enter. Thankfully, the halls were barren, all the other students in the library or their rooms for the night, so we didn’t have any wandering eyes or gossip following us.
“I should probably head back. Are you ready for them to come up and say goodnight? Or do you want to be alone?” he asked when we were in my room, giving me a soft smile.
Not wanting to answer right away, I wrapped my fingers around the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, pressing my lips against his. He wouldn’t let the moment get too heated, guiding me to a sweet kiss that was still full of passion. It made me miss him more, even though he was still right here.
“They can come up,” I finally answered with a sigh. He gave my cheek the briefest of kisses before heading back down the stairs of my tower. Walking over to my bed, I curled up under my blankets, Mr. Stripes hopping from my floor to the bed as he followed me, nestling in my arms as I got settled. I stroked his soft fur until I heard a soft knock at the door.
“Come in,” I called out.
The other four of my guys walked in, looking remorseful and sad, making my heart squeeze. We didn’t talk at first, the awkward tension growing until Caspian finally spoke.
“We’re sorry, Cupcake.” He didn’t try to make excuses or explain.
“I understand. I’m not saying it’s okay, and I’m still upset, but I do understand,” I explained, knowing I would be super jealous if I had to share them with anyone outside of our group, Caspian and Drayce being the only exception.
“Do you mind if someone still stays with you?” Xan asked though it was strained. I knew they didn’t want me alone, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be.
“No, I don’t mind,” I admitted, trying to shake off the remnants of my annoyance.
“If you guys want, we could maybe watch a movie before you go?” I mumbled, not wanting them to leave just yet. I might be upset, but I still wanted to spend time with them. As if I said the magic words, they perked up, immediately agreeing before getting situated around the room.
They may be some moody witches, but they’re mine, and that’s all that matters.
November 8th
Friday Midday
Aris
“Open wide!” I ordered playfully, aiming a blueberry at Caspian, who opened his mouth to catch it right before I threw it. The guys and I had quickly moved past the misunderstanding and were back to our normal crazy selves, playful antics and all.
“Ow,” he whined as it bounced off of his nose, leaving a purple stain behind. Drayce leaned over and licked it off, sending Cas’ cheeks into a full blush. His ocean eyes heated before they looked down at the table to avoid the gazes of the others. He was comfortable with Drayce and how he felt about both of us in private, but as a group, Caspian was still a bit nervous. No matter how dark he blushes or tries to look away, that won’t stop Drayce and me from teasing him. He’s too adorable.
“Don’t we have a no flirting during meals rule?” Kye huffed, putting down his sandwich and giving Drayce an exasperated look.
“Aw, Kye. Are you feeling lonely?” Drayce teased, blowing a kiss over to him. Kye glared back, but his cheeks turned a soft pink.
“Uh, fuck no, he’s my broody boyfriend,” I teased, leaning into Kye’s space and kissing him. He smirked down at me with his cute little half-smile, his cheeks an even deeper red. “I have to head to class. What are we doing tonight? It’s Friday!”
“No more Boos and Brews for a few days,” Cas whined. “Let’s do something a bit more exciting.”
“We could practice our magic?” Xan suggested, a slight spark of humor in his eye but kept his serious expression in place. I giggled as Caspian and Drayce looked at him in horror.
“Now, as much as I love what I can do, how about something that’s just fun?” Drayce said, trying and failing to hold back a look of complete horror. Xan glanced at me, and it was enough to set us both off, laughing until tears ran down our faces.
“Oh, my broomsticks, your faces were priceless!” I squeaked out between my chuckles.
“There’s a party tonight in the dorms. The third floor is throwing one in the common room. One of their students is ridiculously good at illusions, so the noise should stay contained. That means not getting into trouble. Who’s down?” Caspian asked eagerly, leaning forward and whispering out the information as if it was a top-secret conversation.
“I’ve never been to a party before! I can’t wait!” I said excitedly, looking at Kye and expecting him to be the downer on this one. His arms were already crossed in front of his chest as he looked less than amused at our idea. “You’re coming too,” I said, giving him a playful pout.
“Fine, but I’m not staying long,” he grumbled, shaking his head. “Why is it so damn hard to say no to you?”
“I’m irresistible?” I asked, giving him a shrug. “You don’t have to go if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“We’ll see,” he said, giving me a smirk as he stood to throw away his trash.
I couldn’t help but watch as he walked away, my head tilting to the side in appreciation. I hope he’ll be wearing something dark and sexy tonight.
“Stop watching Kye’s ass. We have class,” Caspian said with a teasing shake of his head.
“Never,” I mumbled, smacking Cas’ ass as I stood to gather my own stuff. I practically skipped down the hall to history. It was one of my only times to see Torryn, and I took advantage of it. Thankfully, Caspian took notes; otherwise, Torryn would be forced to fail me. It wasn’t my fault he was so adorable when he was teaching. Not to mention the sexy way his eyes heated anytime I said ‘yes, sir’ in class.
“Is it Drayce’s night in your room?” Caspian asked as we sat down in class. I nodded, giving him a confused look when he pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a note before sending the small paper airplane flying off. “Cool, hopefully, he lets me stay.”
“Don’t you need my permission, too?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow and crossing my arms. His eyes widened in panic at my teasing before I broke out in a grin.
“Please?” he asked, blinking over at me with his puppy dog eyes. I groaned at his attempt, rolling my eyes at his triumphant fist pump.
“Alright, let’s settle down and listen up. We have a lot to cover today, and there will be a quiz, next class,” Torryn said as he strutted into the room. It took a few moments for the quiet to settle before he launched into his lecture. For once, I actually paid attention as he started discussing the portals and other realms. There was mention of it in our primary schools, but nothing in-depth. It was always a bit of a mystery like an urban legend. Witches love secrets. “So, who knows how many portals there are?” No one raised their hand immediately, so Caspian sighed quietly and stuck his arm lazily in the air. Torryn dipped his head to his brother, giving the go-ahead to answer.
“Five main ones in the capital of each of the worlds, and there are rumors of a few unregulated or kept secret, but the ones for Akasha are in Centralis within the council building,” Caspian answered. His tone was matter-of-fact, professional even, and frankly, I was surprised the two were, momentarily, getting along. Normally he can’t resist any chance to poke Tor.
“Very good, Mr. Kersey. These portals are most often used for trade and heavily regulated by each world’s laws, as well as what has been decided during the bi-annual summit meeting, which leads me into the other use of the portals. Every six months since the Great War, the council and Prime Minister meet with the other positions of power to discuss any issues, bills, and ordinances that need to be addressed and to keep the peace between the five worlds. Each meeting is held in a different world, meaning Akasha holds the summit every two-and-a-half years.”
My hand started to hurt as I scribbled notes, my curiosity burning. While my father was on the territory council for Ignis, he rarely talked about actual business, and if he did, it was never around me. I knew they weren’t necessarily the same, and every witch knew the basics of the council and how the government worked, but for the most part, everything was kept very hush-hush, so the more Torryn could tell me, the more I wanted to know.
“Are the summit meetings private? Or are they open for the public to attend, at least for whatever world it’s being held in?” another student asked after Torryn’s lecture hit a lull.
“Very good question!” Tor was really getting into his teaching today versus his usual boring lecture, where he would drone on and on. Well, today is just full of surprises. I flashed him a smile when he glanced at me.
“It depends on the location. Here in Akasha, it isn’t necessarily a secret, but it is closed to public viewing. In the human world, Aureus, and the vampire world, Altair, it is kept secret and closed from public viewing due to societal constraints and issues. As for the other two worlds, Arcadia for the elves and Althaia for the dragon shifters, it’s open during the actual sessions for public viewing. Their worlds rely heavily on well-maintained government-society relationships.”
Tor continued discussing some of the trade regulations put into place for cross-portal interactions, but the class ended before he could finish. Taking pity on everyone, he moved the quiz he had talked about to a future class, choosing to have us work on reading a chapter in the book instead.
Not that it was all that great, but a reading assignment always beat out a quiz. Packing up my bag, I curled myself under Cas’s arm, giving Tor a tiny grin before leaving.
“Four classes down, one to go,” Caspian groaned, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. “Let’s hope it goes quickly.”
You could say that again.
Nope, not quickly.
At all.
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After the mentoring session, I needed a minute to myself. Flopping on my bed, I let out a sigh as I thought about what to wear. I’d never been to a real party before, only the stuck-up cocktail parties my family loved to throw. Not that those really count since I was usually locked away in my room or under strict orders to stay quiet. The feelings that bubbled up from the memories of all those parties made me realize that I was still coming to terms with not being seen as a burden.
I jumped when a loud knock thudded from the door, startled to find Olive on the other side. She gave me a bright smile before barging in, talking excitedly about the party.
“I ran into Caspian downstairs, and he told me you guys were heading to the party tonight. He also told me where your room was. Dang, girl! You like won the room lottery with this one!” she said, turning in a circle as she stared up at my tower room. “Aw, hello there,” she cooed in a baby voice as she gave Mr. Stripes scratches. His little cooing purrs filled the space as he stretched in the cocoon portion of his perch, I had attached to the tree that was still growing from our powers.
“Oh, are you and Allain going too?” I asked, trying to figure out how to do this whole friend thing.
“Yup, so I thought we could get ready together!” she said excitedly. “Can I do your makeup?!” She was so damn enthusiastic, I couldn’t exactly tell her no.
“Uh, sure!” I said cheerfully. “I just have to pick out my outfit.”
“I’ll go grab mine and meet you back here. Then we can finish getting ready together,” she said excitedly, rushing from the room, the door closing with a loud bang and leaving me in stunned silence.
Not wanting her to walk in on me half-dressed, I hurried to my wardrobe. I guess it was a good thing I showered after mentoring after all. Normally, I would shower after dinner or before bed, but Torryn really worked me hard, leaving me a sweaty mess and totally not in the way I would have preferred.
Flipping through the hanging clothes, I finally decided on my black tutu and light pink off the shoulder shirt. I’d rather wear my pink converse than anything else, so I pulled them out. By the time I was done picking out jewelry, Olive was already back at my door, wearing a cute dress with matching flats. Her makeup was already done, so I was forced into my desk chair. She studied me with an artist’s intensity, her bright green gaze trailing over the planes of my face, her lip tucked between her teeth in thought. After what seemed like forever as I awkwardly sat as still as I could, she nodded to herself, waving her hand and whispering a small incantation. She wasn’t like me, who preferred to do it manually. She was a spell caster and used her magic to create the look she liked best, her head tilted slightly as she watched the brushes doing exactly what she wanted.
