Nightworld Academy Box Set 1

by L. J. Swallow

  Remi strides over to Clive and every muscle in my body tenses as I wait to see how they react to each other. All I did was wipe memories of Maeve from their minds, the pair still think they fought. Did it work?

  Shoving Clive, Remi’s instantly in his face and their angry voices drift towards me. Shifters. I laugh to myself. Dumb bastards.

  Another figure emerges from the trees. Maeve runs across the frozen ground towards the hall, her figure unsteady and pace slow. I blur through the dark and she stumbles to a stop as I appear in front of her.

  "I need to find Clive," she pants. "To stop him talking. I screwed up, Andrei." She’s out of breath, cheeks pink.

  Blood pumping hard.

  I hold my breath against her scent burrowing into the side I struggle to keep under control around her. "I spoke to Clive, and I’ve dealt with the situation. What happened?"

  Without thinking, I catch Maeve’s hand, and she looks down before squeezing my fingers. Maeve stammers out an explanation, and I look behind at Clive and his two friends. Well, he doesn’t look too friendly with Remi.

  "Like I said, I sorted the issue, Maeve," I say softly.

  She nods and grips my hand tighter. "Theodora frightened me when she warned how valuable I am to people. What my skills mean. But I wasn’t thinking, and when I saw Jamie—"

  "You were angry and didn’t think? That’s something most of your little gang have in common." I smile at her. "Everything is fixed. Don’t worry."

  Her mouth thins. "Apart from Jamie. I’ll tell Professor O’Reilly what those arseholes did to him and how they sabotaged us."

  I shake my head. "No, Maeve. You can’t talk about a situation someone has been forced to forget—Clive might remember again." I run a finger across the back of her hand, attempting to ignore how soft she feels. "If someone finds out I mind-wiped three students, I’m in serious trouble."

  Maeve’s eyes widen. Didn’t she realise? But the girl’s trembling with cold and shock. I take her other hand in mine and she looks at me, her eyes brimming with tears.

  I’d give anything right now to take Maeve in my arms and hug her until she’s warm again. Comfort her until the tears stop.

  Oh, and try not to devour her.

  Life sucks sometimes.

  Ha ha.

  Amelia and Jamie stumble from the shadows and Amelia rushes to Maeve, her face filled with panic. I hover at the fringes as Maeve explains my actions to Jamie and Amelia. Amelia’s expression breaks into relief, and she thanks me.

  I rub the back of my neck, uncomfortable at her praise. "Yeah. It’s okay."

  What Amelia doesn’t mention is she saw me drop Maeve’s hand when she approached. With repeated thanks from Maeve, the pair support Jamie and they stumble towards the sports hall. I could follow, but I don’t. Instead, I watch the girl I risked everything to help, and know I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  MAEVE

  Ash stands with Vincent and the shifters who attacked us, and I stride onwards with Amelia and Jamie. I can't stop. Can't engage.

  If they see us and Jamie's injuries, they might remember.

  Andrei’s mental magic is strong, but he's not allowed to use this on other students.

  Just as I'm not allowed to use my powers.

  Shit.

  Why can’t I control this aspect of my magic?

  I panicked when Jamie fell to the ground, the anger blinded me as I watched the shifters' arrogance and amusement, and the desire to hurt them in return frightened me. The fury flooded adrenaline into my veins, the magic took over.

  I need guidance, but not only how to utilise the skill. How to control myself. I’m thrilled I could use this in self-defence, but terrified what could happen if I lose control.

  I've spent my life fighting to control visions, and now this. I’m exhausted.

  My worn spirits sink further when I approach the sports hall and make out a figure standing outside, arms crossed. I don't need to step closer to Tobias to sense his displeasure; it flows across the space between us.

  Andrei left Amelia and me so we could help Jamie, and to compose ourselves, and he's now alone with Tobias. I keep a wary eye on the pair.

  Amelia's face is still deathly pale, her eyes wide. She tried to hide her tears before, but I saw them. Jamie's holding himself together well. His head injury isn't easily visible like Remi and Clive’s faces, but he's unsteady on his feet. He stares ahead, mouth pulled into a determined line, but he winces as he walks, slowing with each step.

  "I’m not going to the infirmary," he mumbles.

  "Take Jamie back to Walcott," I whisper to Amelia. "Is there any magic you can use to help him?"

  "I have a balm I use." She laughs at my doubtful look. "This is stronger than most because the lavender and arnica used comes from plants my great-grandmother blessed with magic years ago."

  "Your home sounds magical," I say. "Like a secret world."

  She wrinkles her nose. "Our family home is in an enclave cut off from the world, which is a good and bad thing."

  I've spoken to Amelia about her home before and imagined a coven of eco-witches living off the grid. And there’s the prejudice again, Maeve. But only her family live there. Amelia’s mother teaches her advanced nature magic to those with the chance to excel at a higher level. Private tuition held at their enclave.

  Having spoken to Jamie, I'm aware Amelia has big shoes to fill. Perhaps that's part of her affinity with Ash—they both live in the shadows of highly skilled family members.

  "What are you talking about?" asks Jamie.

  "We need to get you to Walcott house and fix you up," I say.

  Tobias watches as we approach and, head down, I attempt to take a wide berth around him.

  "Maeve." That voice. The way he says my name arrests me every time, as if he’s casting a spell to stop me moving

  Shit.

  I look to Andrei instead of Tobias, who gives a sharp nod.

  "I'd like to talk to you," he continues. Amelia halts and takes a deep breath. "Jamie and Amelia, you can go. And you, Andrei."

  "No." Tobias jerks his chin up at Andrei's response. "If you want to talk to Maeve, I'm coming too."

  "I'd like to speak to her alone, about tonight's events," he says tersely.

  Andrei takes a step towards him. "And I don't want you alone with Maeve."

  The conversation is too low for Jamie and Amelia to hear, but clear to me.

  Tobias flicks his tongue against his teeth, then raises his voice. "Amelia. You and Jamie look exhausted. I suggest you leave. The cold won’t help Jamie."

  "Maeve?" asks Amelia.

  I fix my eyes on Tobias's. "Andrei will stay with me."

  Amelia looks as if she's about to protest, until Jamie swears and rubs the back of his head, muttering about a headache.

  "I'm coming to Tobias’s room to find you if you're not back in an hour," she whispers.

  "You know I'm okay with Andrei," I repeat.

  "I can hear your conversation," says Tobias. "You are all exasperating. I am here to help."

  "You once trapped Maeve in a room alone," retorts Amelia.

  I bite my lip and look at the floor while Andrei snorts softly at Amelia's outburst.

  "I will see you in class tomorrow, Amelia," he says stiffly. "Tend to Jamie."

  The pair head away and my stomach churns with nerves. "To my room. Both of you."

  Tobias strides away and I look in wide-eyed desperation to Andrei.

  Andrei touches the side of his head with his index finger. "He knows everything. Tobias took it from my head."

  Shit.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  MAEVE

  Tobias locks the door to his classroom and, as I step into the darkness, I'm relieved he allows Andrei in with me. I stay close to him as Tobias lights a lantern. The metal carved with runic shapes filters the light and covers the room with an eerie glow.

  "I admire your decision to help Maeve's
situation, Andrei," Tobias says as he rests against a table. "But you behaved stupidly. Wiping a student’s mind with your magic isn't wise—and against the rules."

  "Keeping Maeve's powers secret is more important," Andrei replies.

  "Agreed, but your actions aren’t wise. Many at the academy are looking for an excuse to discipline you. They’re waiting for you to slip up and remove you."

  "Let them wait," he mutters.

  Tobias makes a derisive noise and turns to me. "Any particular reason for your stupid behaviour this time?"

  I bristle. He may stand in his classroom as Professor Whitlock, but I refuse to let him talk to me in this way. "Shut up, Tobias."

  His mouth falls open. "I'm sorry, what?"

  "Yes, I fucked up, but I refuse to let you lecture me."

  "Maeve," urges Andrei. "Stop."

  "Listen to him." Tobias’s tone drops in warning.

  My body shakes with the exhaustion from the run, and from the magic that took over, and I rein in the emotional outburst. "Sorry, but I can't cope with you talking to me like this."

  Andrei sits beside me and lifts his fingers to touch mine. At the last moment, he drops his hand onto his knee. Tobias's watches with intrigue. "This event brought you two closer, I see."

  "We’re building trust, Tobias," I say. "That's what's happening."

  He purses his lips. "Then whoever planned tonight’s events underestimates your ability to work through curveballs thrown your way."

  "Planned?" I ask.

  He shakes his head. "Nothing that happens at the academy is a co-incidence. Andrei, would you please let me speak to Maeve alone."

  He eyes Tobias with doubt. "Why?"

  "I need to fix this fuck up, which means I need to hear the full story from Maeve. I only caught a little from your mind." Tobias’s terse tone takes me aback and Andrei side-glances me.

  I nod and he sighs. "Okay, but I’ll wait outside."

  "Maeve is safe with me, Andrei. Safer than she is out there."

  "I wish I could believe that," Andrei replies.

  Me too.

  Andrei’s determination to keep me safe warms through the cold of the night.

  "How cute." I scowl at his condescension. "I'm glad you're friendly with him, but don't become too friendly. Andrei believes he has more self-control than he actually does."

  "Is this meeting about Andrei or me?"

  Tobias sits on the desk and places his booted feet on the chair, less able to keep his authority when he's dressed like his students. Is the formal attire and manner he uses when teaching an act created to fool others about his age?

  "No. This is about you. Explain exactly why you broke the academy rules and caused Andrei to risk his future at the academy by doing the same to help you."

  I explain events to Tobias who listens impassively, even at the point my voice breaks when telling him I thought Jamie was badly hurt.

  He holds a hand up to pause my burbled explanation. "Are you telling me you had no control over your actions?"

  "I knew what I was doing once I took hold of Remi’s mind, but the desire to take control came from somewhere else. I didn't think—the magic just happened."

  Tobias swears. "Then we need to work on this."

  "How?"

  "Your desire to protect your friends is good, and the reflex response will serve you well if threatened, but what if this happens publicly? We need to find a way to limit your uncontrolled responses."

  "Such as?"

  "I'm unsure. I will talk to Theodora." He sits opposite me and leans forward, elbows on his knees. "You cannot ask other students to fix your mistakes, Maeve."

  "I didn't ask. Ash did."

  "What? Does he know?"

  "Ash is part of us, Tobias. Of course, we told him. I doubt he’d tell a staff member."

  "That’s not good."

  "Why?"

  Tobias arches a brow. "Because his brother is an imposter and is here to cause trouble. Ash could hand him this information."

  "You’re convinced Vincent is an imposter, aren’t you? Where’s your evidence?"

  He snorts. "If I can hide, so can he."

  The ex-Ravenhold inmate pretending he's an older professor.

  "Do you believe Vincent is working for the Dominion?"

  "No, I'm saying this isn't Vincent."

  "But Ash—"

  "But Ash, like others, is fooled."

  "He can't fool witches and shifters as strong as the ones who’ve examined him. Ash tells me Vincent remembers everything. Things an imposter wouldn't."

  Tobias shakes his head. "I have a theory about Vincent, but I don’t want to share this until I’m certain. Somebody is controlling his actions."

  "You mean he isn’t working alone?"

  Tobias’s lips tighten. "Once I have more evidence, I will ask for help. But if I’m wrong, I’ll make the situation worse."

  "You’re hiding something, Tobias. Is that dangerous?"

  He sighs. "You’re not in danger from him."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes." He’s empathic, but this doesn’t take away the fear I’ve had since doubts were cast on Vincent. "You’ve met the man. What did you think of him?"

  I chew my lip. "I saw him threaten Ash over his relationship with me. Physically. That isn’t the actions of a good person, but doesn't make him an imposter."

  "Vincent is attempting to pull you apart. All of you—not just Ash and yourself. Watch his actions carefully. I’m watching, and his behaviour is insidious. You must keep your group together. Build on the trust. Between you all, we can reveal who he is." He chews his lips. "Especially with your talents, Maeve. You’re probably stronger than the witch and shifter interrogators who’ve tried."

  My mouth parches. "You're asking me to get close to Vincent and look into his head?"

  "Whatever you see will help. I’ve tried, but Vincent has a mental wall thicker than any I’ve encountered before. I’m hoping you can push your way into his mind." He drops to a gentle tone. "But don't tell Ash."

  "We agreed, no secrets in our group."

  "Even if the secret is to keep somebody safe?"

  I slump back and drag a hand through my hair. Is Ash safe? "I don’t know if Ash wants to be around us, anyway."

  "I said, stay close. Fight for him."

  "Whoa. You make this sound life or death."

  He watches me for a moment and taps his lips. "Why didn’t you come to me, Maeve?" His evasiveness raises the hairs on my arms, as his voice drops into the smooth tone that can entrap me. "Theodora told me about your vision. I’m disappointed you didn’t tell me."

  "You were ‘indisposed’ that evening," I say. "I haven’t had a chance to speak to you since, but there isn’t much to tell."

  He chuckles. "Apart from seeing me burn alive?"

  "No! That isn’t what I saw. I don’t think."

  "I would hope not." His mouth quirks at one corner. "The vision is worrying, though. Theodora has requested extra security and investigations into the school grounds, but this has speeded up my need to find out Vincent’s real purpose." I nod and his eyes widen. "Maeve. Are you still suspicious of me? I caught something from your thoughts just then—you believe I’m connected to the fire."

  "I don’t know what to believe about anything, Tobias. Including you."

  "Believe what Theodora tells you."

  I straighten in my seat. "Why were you at Ravenhold?"

  He blinks. "Because I broke the law and needed rehabilitation."

  "Don't evade my question."

  "Don't ask me, Maeve. I can't tell you."

  "But you have to."

  "Why? You don't need to know."

  "I do, if you want me closer to you."

  He slides his chair away from mine and it scrapes on the slate floor as he stands. "I thought we’d established that closeness isn't a good idea."

  I've no clue why I said that to him. But the night in the room, almost pressed together, was more. S
omething exists that I don't understand, the forbidden drawing us closer, instead of repelling.

  "Stay with your other guys, Maeve. Between them, they're right for you. I'm not." My heart thrums as his quiet admission "I want us to keep a distance, but I need you to trust me. Believe that I’m helping. Forget about Ravenhold."

  I stand to face him. "But are you dangerous? If you are, I shouldn’t be alone in a room with you, Tobias."

  His eyes drop to my mouth and I moisten my lips, desperate for him to tell me—but scared what his secret might be. Tobias pulls on his bottom lip and I spot the struggle on his face that matches the one happening inside me.

  "Are you dangerous?" I whisper.

  I reach into his mind and my head lurches as if I’ve hit my forehead against a wall.

  "No. And keep out of my head,” says Tobias, voice low in warning.

  "You’re confusing, Tobias. On the one hand you ask me to trust you, and on the other tell me to stay away."

  "We need to keep boundaries, Maeve, and if you push against them, I’ll be tempted to cross them."

  "I don’t push."

  "Not deliberately, no, but even standing with you now, the intensity from you feeds me and heightens my senses too. I don’t want you to hate me, but disliking me would help."

  "I do dislike you," I mumble.

  "Yet your body radiates the opposite."

  "So does yours."

  Tobias blinks at me and then turns away. He moves behind a desk, adding a physical barrier between us. "I can’t be distracted by you, Maeve. I have a job to do and once I’m finished here, I won't stay around." Before I can speak, he hastily adds, "I need to speak to Andrei about his dumb behaviour too."

  "Conversation over?" I ask indignantly.

  "Maeve. This is fucking hard. Drop it.”

  I reel at his loss of composure and harsh words, as if he’d taken both hands and shoved me in the chest. "Wow."

  His shoulders droop and he adds more gently, "Sorry. Do you see how easily I lose my control ? I can’t cope with what you do to me, even though it isn’t deliberate.”

  I take a shaky breath, my chest tight with hurt.

  “Could I speak to Andrei, before this becomes any more heated?" he adds.