Rain of Fire (Star Crossed Academy Book 6)

by Wendy Knight

  He finished brushing his teeth and shook his toothbrush off, thinking how useless he would be if they were called out to help in another disaster when he was so tired. Flint came around the corner, looking harried and as exhausted as Galvan felt.

  “Problem?”

  Flint ran a hand over his face. “Mara.”

  That was enough to explain the fading annoyance across Flint’s face.

  “She found you, did she?” Galvan had heard her looking for Flint earlier, but Flint had been with Aquis, looking through the library for anything regarding double Elementals. Galvan, given his conflicted feelings, had decided it best to stay away from them both as much as possible.

  Which, it turned out, was not much.

  Flint rolled his eyes. “Yeah.”

  “She’s cute,” Galvan said. “Her mom’s got powerful connections. You could do worse.”

  Flint scowled at him. “She’s manipulative and her mom’s power-hungry. Getting involved with a family like that could ruin my future.”

  Galvan moved down the hall, longing for sleep. “There are a lot of other girls. Pyras. They’d all gladly fall all over themselves for the mighty Flint’s attention.”

  Flint rolled his eyes, pushing Galvan into the wall. It was meant to be playful—probably.

  “They’re not Aquis.”

  No. There was no one like Aquis. Annoying, obnoxious, know-it-all, beautiful, loyal, fierce Aquis.

  “I was going to ask her to the ball.” Flint hesitated outside his door, looking more unsure than Galvan could remember seeing him. “And then I was going to tell her.”

  Galvan swallowed hard. He didn’t want to stand in Flint’s way. He wished he could swallow his own stupid feelings as easily as he could swallow the words that kept trying to spill out.

  I wanted to tell her too.

  Except he didn’t want to tell her, because she would laugh in his face. And he didn’t want to tell her because his best friend had been in love with her for years. Flint had loved Aquis when all Galvan had wanted to do was bury her in the sand and forget about her. It wasn’t fair for Galvan to have the feelings he did now.

  Fair didn’t seem to care though.

  “Well,” Galvan said, the words strangling him. “You could always tell her before the ball. Or—or the same night. Just don’t—don’t go to the ball.”

  Flint absently twisted the doorknob but didn’t open the door.

  “Yeah. Maybe.”

  Galvan stumbled away, desperate to escape the conversation without looking like he was desperate to escape the conversation. “I’m tired,” he said lamely. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah. ‘Night.”

  Galvan expected to hit the pillow and fall asleep. He was so tired he couldn’t think straight.

  Except for Aquis.

  He never seemed to have trouble finding the energy to think of her. Finding the energy to not think of her was much, much harder.

  He tossed and turned all night long, finally crashing hard into dreamless sleep just before dawn.

  But as always, she was the first thing he thought of when he opened his eyes.

  FLINT seemed determined to prove Cora and Ren wrong about Aquis over the next few days. In practice, he pushed her hard, nearly scalding her several times, and in class, he was constantly on her case. Galvan could see the annoyance in her eyes long before it came to a head, which to her credit, was days after he himself would have blown up.

  It was an after-school practice, which meant Aquis was already tired. Galvan had come in after playing football, wondering why she hadn’t joined them.

  She usually joined them.

  The game had been pretty uneventful and borderline boring without her there. He was pretty annoyed that he felt that way.

  She and Flint were in Invictus Hall with Cora and Ren. Galvan hesitated at the threshold, wondering if he really wanted to get involved with whatever was going on inside. Tension had been high the last few days and he was trying to stay out of it.

  “Hey.” Aquis blew her hair off her forehead, breathing hard. “Come in. We could use your level-headedness.”

  Galvan pushed away from the wall, walking toward the center of the room.

  Aquis met him halfway, saying under her breath, “Flint is on one today.”

  Galvan smirked, searching for Flint in the smoke and ash and mist from Aquis’s evaporated wave. His friend stood on the far side, striding through it all like angry Death.

  “Don’t let him get to you. He’s got a lot on his mind.”

  Aquis sighed, straightening her ponytail. “He’s not the only one.”

  Galvan wanted to ask what she meant by that, but Flint had approached by then and Aquis moved away from them both.

  “She’s not happy,” Galvan pointed out needlessly.

  Flint shrugged. “She’s mad that I’m extinguishing her waves. We were raised together. She should be as strong as I am. Amazis are usually the strongest Element.”

  “She needs to work harder,” Cora said from behind them. Galvan hadn’t even seen her approach.

  Galvan studied Aquis. She looked ethereal in her beauty, just visible through the shimmering mist and her long white hair tumbling down her back, but voices carry, and he could tell she’d heard them by the tense set of her shoulders.

  “Or you could just acknowledge that she’s pushing herself as hard as she can and see how far she can go without everyone making her miserable.”

  “We’re running out of time. She’s not good enough.” Flint shook his head and Galvan winced.

  “Did you seriously just say that,” he growled. “She’s the top of our school—”

  “Except for me,” Flint snapped. “And she should be better than I am.”

  Galvan raked a hand through his hair. “Back off, Flint. That’s not for you to decide.”

  “Since when do you even care?” Flint picked up his water bottle, turning it over in his hands. “I’m trying to make her better so she can chase those dreams she’s always talking about—”

  “I care because you’re all tearing her down, not building her up. How is it helpful to constantly tell her she’s not good enough?” Galvan snarled.

  Flint stared at him, dawning horror in his eyes as he realized what he’d done. He turned toward Aquis, who shook her head without looking at any of them, and then he threw his water bottle across the floor and spun on his heel, stalking out of the room in shame.

  “Aquis—” Cora started, and Ren, who had been silent since Galvan had walked in, reached a hand toward her shoulder.

  Aquis shoved it off, whirling away from them. “I’m tired. That’s enough for today.”

  Without waiting for a response, she ran from the room.

  Galvan watched her go, waiting for Cora or Ren to reprimand him.

  Neither did.

  Because he’d been right.

  When they didn’t go after her or call her back, Galvan left. She wasn’t in the cafeteria, although Flint was, sitting at Mara’s table and looking adequately tortured. Aquis could have gone to her room but Galvan guessed she’d gone to the courtyard.

  He told himself not to go out there.

  He should wait for Flint to fix his own mistakes.

  Aquis needed space anyway.

  Despite his excuses, Galvan found himself outside the courtyard gate, hand on the clasp.

  She was crying.

  He didn’t know what to do with a crying Aquis.

  Smart aleck Aquis, yes.

  Angry Aquis, yes... although it was terrifying.

  Know-it-all obnoxious Aquis, yes.

  But crying, defeated Aquis? Not so much.

  “I know you’re out there. You breathe like a rhino. Either come in or go, Galvan. Stop being weird.”

  Ah. There was the Aquis he knew and loved.

  He slipped through the gate, letting it fall shut behind him. Aquis was sitting on the bench, her face in her hands and her knees drawn up to her chest.
<
br />   “I don’t breathe like a rhino.”

  She didn’t respond.

  He stood awkwardly for a minute, wondering if Flint had escaped Mara and was on his way out. If Galvan waited long enough, maybe Flint would show up and...

  ...And probably just put his foot in his mouth and make things worse.

  He meant well. He hadn’t grown up with affectionate parents. He had a mother who wasn’t kind. He was doing the best he could, and Galvan didn’t fault him for that.

  Even if he had wanted to duct tape his mouth shut earlier.

  Sighing, Galvan sat next to her. “They’re just trying to help.”

  She shook her head.

  “I mean, they suck at it, but they’re trying. You’ve got dreams—”

  “I dream of being enough, Galvan. Do you know the only person who has ever told me I’m enough?” She raised her head, peering at him through her fingers. “You.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not the reason you’re freakishly powerful—”

  “Really? You’re not the one who stands back and lets me figure it out myself? You’re not the one who encourages me to crush my own boundaries? Instead of telling me I’ll never reach them?” She dropped her hands, scrubbing the tears from her cheeks.

  Galvan watched her, wondering how it was possible she was gorgeous even with mascara smeared around her eyes like a raccoon.

  “Well...”

  She glowered at him. “You are.”

  “Flint is your best friend. He—” Galvan almost said he loved her but froze. Flint would probably not appreciate that.

  She raised an eyebrow, pausing in her attempt to sweep the smeared makeup from under her eye.

  “He wants the best for you. Just because he’s a little brusque—”

  “He pushes me forward but then holds me back when I get there. He throws attacks at me but pulls them when I’m ready to fight because he’s afraid I can’t handle it. That’s why I like you to come to practice.” She gave him a lopsided smile. “You have no problem trying to kill me.”

  Galvan smirked. “I’m nice like that.”

  She nodded, sucking in a deep, shuddering breath. “I’m going to bed. They wore me out. See you tomorrow?”

  Galvan nodded, half-waving as she got up and escaped the courtyard.

  He didn’t move for several minutes, staring at the sky and trying to control his breathing. Trying to control his reaction to her. When he felt like his heart wasn’t about to shatter through his chest, he got up and followed her out of the courtyard.

  As he came around the corner, he caught sight of Flint just trudging up the stairs to the front entry, and Galvan froze.

  How long had Flint been there?

  How much had he heard?

  “Flint!” he called, jogging after him. Flint was almost to The Station when Galvan came through the doors. Reluctantly, Flint stopped and waited for him. “Everything okay?”

  Flint glanced at him and then away. “Yeah.”

  Galvan had no idea how to ask if he’d heard them. Or if what he’d heard had upset them. Maybe he’d been able to see Galvan staring at Aquis like a lovesick puppy. Maybe he’d known all along.

  Galvan couldn’t ask.

  “I’m heading upstairs. The ball is in a couple days. I need to find a date since Aquis can’t go.”

  Galvan started. Flint had never expressed any desire to go to a dance with a date before. They’d always just gone as a group with several other friends. Galvan had thought that was the plan this year, as well.

  Apparently, that was not actually the plan.

  “A date?”

  Flint shifted his weight. “I was going to ask Aquis. But—”

  “She can’t go.” Galvan nodded. “Right.”

  “No.” Flint sighed, rubbing his temple with one hand. “Because she wouldn’t want to go with me anyway.”

  Galvan winced. “You heard her.”

  Flint said nothing.

  “She’s just upset right now. She’ll—”

  “She’s right,” Flint interrupted. “You know what to say. What to do. I don’t. I am so scared she’ll get hurt that I pull my attacks but then I give her crap for not being able to compete with me. No one else in the school can even keep up with her. I don’t know, maybe I was born lucky or something and I’m extra powerful. I just—”

  “Flint. I was looking for you!” Mara squealed, bounding down the stone stairs past the threshold. Her heels clacked loudly with each step and it was a wonder she didn’t break her ankle. “Go to the dance with me. We can have dinner with my mom beforehand. I can introduce you to some powerful people!” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

  Galvan grimaced. Flint paled. “Uh...I—”

  “I already have my dress. It’s custom-made and cost hundreds of dollars. You’ll just have to match your tux—”

  “My tux?” Flint asked, tugging at the collar of his shirt like it was strangling him.

  She linked her arm through his, dragging him up the stairs, which was quite a feat, given that he was almost six feet tall and she was barely past five foot at the most.

  “It will be fine. There’s a shop in town and they should be able to get you fitted before the dance.”

  “I wasn’t going to wear a tux,” Flint said weakly. “I was just going to wear a suit. And I haven’t even asked you yet.”

  Mara laughed, her long red hair tumbling down her back, but it didn’t shimmer when it moved like Aquis’s hair. It just kind of tangled and lay limp. “I asked you, silly. I’ve already made plans with my mom.”

  Flint looked over his shoulder at Galvan for help.

  Galvan couldn’t help. He was laughing too hard.

  Flint seemed not to appreciate it.

  CHAPTER NINE

  AQUIS had barely slid into her seat when Kenna leaned toward her.

  “Did you hear?”

  Kenna and Aquis didn’t talk much, but they were friendly enough, especially since Aquis had saved her life. Still, she wasn’t usually waiting to pounce as soon as Aquis walked in the door.

  “Hear what?”

  “Flint and Mara are going to the ball together. And he’s meeting her mom.” Kenna wrinkled her nose. “Honestly, I thought he was holding out for you. I was surprised.”

  Aquis frowned. That didn’t sound like Flint at all. He couldn’t stand Mara, and he hadn’t mentioned wanting to ask her.

  “Weird. Is—is Galvan going?”

  She wasn’t sure why she even asked. She wasn’t going.

  Plus, she didn’t care.

  She didn’t.

  Kenna shrugged. “I haven’t heard that he is. I thought we were going in a group like at the autumn ball. Now I have to find a date.” She wrinkled her nose. “Crap.”

  “Or you could stay with me in the library and work on a research paper about why it’s important to follow orders,” Aquis said hopefully, sending Kenna her best puppy dog eyes.

  Kenna laughed. “Yeah. That’s a fun alternative. If I don’t find a date, research paper it is.” She hesitated, absently picking torn pieces of paper out of her notebook. “Hey, do you think you could ask Galvan—”

  Aquis felt her cheeks flush. “No, I’m not going. That wouldn’t be a good idea, anyway. Galvan and I hate each other.”

  Kenna gave her an odd look. “I know. I was going to ask if you might, you know, maybe see if he’d go with me.”

  The words were like a fist to the chest, and Aquis couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t minded when she’d found out Flint was going with Mara—it had been weird, but it hadn’t hurt. The thought of Galvan going with anyone else though—why was it so hard to breathe?

  “I—I can ask,” she said weakly.

  Thank goodness the teacher walked in then and Kenna grinned, sliding back into her seat. Aquis slouched down, twisting her pencil over and over in her fingers, trying to figure out her reaction.

  Trying to ignore what her reaction was telling her, actually. Because that would ruin everyt
hing.

  Everything.

  AQUIS found Flint in the hall after class, leaning against her locker.

  “So. Mara, huh?”

  He paled. “I—yeah? I think so? I’m not sure what happened. You don’t—you don’t mind, do you?”

  Aquis laughed as he moved out of the way so she could get into her locker. Tossing books in, she ducked to grab her laptop.

  “No. If you want to be manhandled all night, more power to you.”

  Flint blew out a breath. “Yeah.”

  She stood, peering up at him. “You okay?”

  He stared down the hall, seeing nothing despite the hundred students tangled together like a colorful stream. “Yeah. No. Look, about yesterday, I’m sorry. I had no right—”

  She tapped him on the nose with her pencil and he scowled at her. “I was upset and tired. It’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about it.”

  Flint rolled his head on his neck. “I do worry about it,” he said, his voice low. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. That’s the last thing I’d ever want.”

  Which she knew. She’d always known Flint was her best friend and he always had her back. He just didn’t have Galvan’s easy-going, supportive and yet antagonistic nature. No, Flint was fire in every sense of the word—blasting through obstacles and attacking everything in his way, and it was one of the things she adored about him. One of the things that made him such a good friend.

  “I know.”

  He sighed, falling into step beside her as they navigated the hall. Students swarmed out of the way, but Aquis was never sure if it was because they were afraid of the Pyra burn or Flint’s powerful personality.

  “So...are your parents still firm on the no ball thing?”

  Aquis hadn’t even asked, but she assumed as much. Otherwise, they would have told her.

  “Yep. You’re forced to go have fun without me.”

  “Not possible,” Flint murmured.

  Aquis laughed. “Hey, do you know if Galvan’s going with anyone?”

  Flint’s eyes narrowed, his expression suddenly unreadable. “Not that I know of. Why?”