Weirdly enough, Bella seems genuinely interested in my boring break of working five days a week. She clings to my words as if my break was just as fascinating as hers. Maybe she likes to see how the ‘other half’ lives.
“For real?” Bella asks as I recount my reality show binge. Luckily for us, Master Hardin doesn’t seem to notice. “You’re seriously telling me one of the Bog Hags married a Scarlet Wizard?”
“A modern Cinderella story,” I confirm.
Bella shudders dramatically. “I just can’t believe Jean-Baptiste would marry her. Gross.”
“Yeah, sort of expected something to catch on fire halfway through the episode,” I admit. “That, or frogs to flood the palace.”
“He’s the best for a reason.” Bella goes quiet for a minute, listening to Master Hardin talk about the ‘shining hope’ in all our eyes. I like the man, but he definitely could cut this short. Still, I’m having a surprisingly un-horrible time with Bella.
“My dad knows Jean-Baptiste, you know,” Bella says, namedropping so casually it’s obvious she’s well practiced in the art. “He says he can maybe get me my own show. If me and Dirk work out, that is.”
“Dirk?” I raise a brow. “Let me guess. A stud you met at the Incandescent Shores?”
Bella snickers. “Oh, god no. My dad would never let me date a dragon. He’s all, ‘pure-blooded magic wielder or nothing.’ And since Thorn’s not working out so well…”
She gives me a dark look, and I think maybe she’s going to go back to hating me, but she shakes her head and goes on. “And the only other people at the shore are these freaks, I don’t even know what they are. I think the dragons eat them. I hear they have four arms growing out of their heads, and I’m not talking about the one on their neck.”
I cringe at that one. Thank God Rocco didn’t bring that up on our first night back.
“Dirk’s a freshmen this year,” Bella explains. “Didn’t you go to the Unleashing?”
“Ohhh,” I say slowly. “No, I had to work. Silas couldn’t stop me last year, but since I’m not a freshman, I didn’t have a good reason to go this year.”
“Well, anyway,” Bella says, waving a dismissive hand. “We went to high school together. Our families are friends, we go way back, all that. And then he just started texting me, so we talked all summer.” For a hot second, she looks my way warily, as if suddenly remembering who she’s sitting next to. “I seriously doubt he’s your type, so I wouldn’t bother trying to recruit him, or whatever you’re doing with your little sorcery squad.”
Okay, there’s the bitch I know and love. Still, I can’t really blame her. I did kinda bogart the most desirable men on campus all for myself. And I have to give Bella props for trying. She could’ve just straight-up called me a slut or threatened me if I get anywhere near her newest boy-toy, but she didn’t. The restraint is appreciated, as lax at it is.
“I’ve got my hands quite full,” I assure her. “Not looking to step on any toes this year. Besides, yours are a little scary. I’m pretty sure you could put an eye out with those.”
“They are fab, aren’t they?” Bella asks, lifting her foot to admire her red heels.
Holy crap, this year is already starting out worlds ahead of last year. My room is my own, Rocco and I are getting to know each other really well, and the biggest bitch of a Bella is being… Friendly, if I dare think it. Sure, Elowen is still having problems, but I trust Asher and her to figure it out. If that’s going to be my biggest hurdle, I’m going to have a kick-ass sophomore year.
“And now, I’d like to announce our new headmaster here at the Academy of Sorcery and Other Magical Arts,” Master Hardin says, his voice echoing across the room with some sort of incantation cast on his throat. “Please, students and faculty alike, give a warm round of applause to one of our own, who proved himself fully qualified for the job thanks to the actions he took last year. Professor—now Headmaster—Darius!”
And the start of this year just keeps getting better.
Everyone stands from their chairs to cheer, myself included. I want to be the loudest of them all, have Darius look straight at me and know I’m his biggest supporter in this room. As he steps up onto the podium to shake Master Hardin’s hand, we lock eyes for a moment… Just a moment. It’s suddenly just me and him. The rest of the world disappears as I get lost in those beautiful, kind eyes of his. I remember them locked on mine as he slid his cock into me for the first time, telling me I could trust him as I let myself be completely and utterly vulnerable in a way I never had with anyone.
A shiver of heat goes through me, and I mouth “Congratulations,” at him as my cheeks flush at the memory.
The smile he flashes me makes me positively squirm.
I turn to Bella, hoping she won’t catch the shimmer of sexy magic rippling through the air around us. To my surprise, she looks ready to throttle me. I’m pretty sure she’s the only student who remained sitting, having crossed her legs and folded her arms tightly across her chest. If looks could kill, I’d be dead where I stand.
Before I can speak, she jumps up. “You ruin everything!” she hisses before shoving past me and weaving through the crowd, making her way towards the exit. I follow, leaving Darius to be flocked by the rest of the student body, females especially. Never thought I’d see the day I chose Bella Goodwin over Darius, but I know I can’t congratulate him properly in front of the other students, anyway. Seeing fifty thirsty bitches all over my man is not on my bucket list.
We pass under the archway and get a few steps outside before Bella spins around, her axe pointed my way. “Fuck off, Jade,” she snarls, the axe head glowing brightly. “Don’t take another step.”
“What the hell,” I snap. I raise a hand, and without even calling her, Cleo shoots into my palm like she’s on a spring. Okay then. My little bitch wants a fight.
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you,” Bella snarls, stepping towards me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, exasperated.
“Like you don’t know.”
If Cleo can cool it for a second, maybe Bella and I can talk this out. I plant a hand on my hip. “Bella, you asked me for a truce. Why are you acting like this?”
“My dad was up for Headmaster,” she growls. “I bet you made everyone vote for Darius with your whorish magic, didn’t you? I saw you ‘influence’ Bella Lu last year. I know you have no problem interfering in people’s free will to get what you want. And to think I almost believed we could be friends. God, I’m such an idiot.”
“Why would I use magic to get someone to vote for Darius?” I ask. “He got the job because he knows the school inside out. Your dad doesn’t even work here.”
“Whatever, liar,” she says. “If I see you anywhere near Dirk, I’ll chop open your throat in the middle of the night with my axe.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re crazy as a shithouse cat?”
“Don’t let me miss all the fun,” Asher’s voice calls behind me. He appears on one side of me, Ryker on the other, both of their weapons drawn.
“Who pissed in your cereal today?” Asher asks Bella, who’s breathing hard and glaring daggers at me.
“It’s a bit early to start this shit, isn’t it, Jade?” Ryker asks coolly, his eyes on Bella.
“Me?” I ask incredulously. “She drew her weapon.”
“And yet, you’re holding a sword,” he says with a smirk.
“Yeah,” Bella says, batting her eyes at him, suddenly all damsel. “I was just defending myself. She threatened to kill me in my sleep!”
My mouth drops open, but I don’t even bother responding. Rocco might be a big softie underneath, but his brother is pure steel through and through.
“If I were you, I’d get out of here before the rest of the crew shows up,” Asher says to Bella. “Wouldn’t want Daddy to watch his darling get dragged away in handcuffs for threating the High Priestess, now would you?”
At least one of my posse has m
y back. Thank fuck for small favors.
I can see Bella calculating the risk. She may be a bitch, but she’s not a dumb bitch. She takes a step back, her eyes darting around. Then she shoves her axe into her fancy holster and hurries away across the grass without another word.
“Can’t keep out of trouble for one fucking day,” Ryker says, looking at me with pure loathing before turning on his heel and disappearing into the crowd of other students coming our way.
Okay, then.
I try not to let it sting. I feel a connection with him since giving him pretty much every ounce of my magic to save him, but either he doesn’t feel it, or he’s denying it so hard it’s never going to happen. At the end of last year, he was standoffish, but he risked his life to save mine. Now he looks like he’d shove me onto Bella’s ax blade rather than touch me. I can’t help but wonder what changed. I can only conclude that he knows about me and Rocco.
“What’s up, babe?” Asher asks. “I thought I was going crazy when I saw you sitting with a Bella. Well, the only Bella now. She hold you for ransom or something?”
I stare off after Bella, trying to shake the generous feelings I had for my sworn enemy for the past hour. She really is alone. If she’d stop being such a bitch, maybe we really could be friends.
“No idea what that was about,” I answer at last. “I thought she might be trying to play me, but now I’m not so sure. But there’s definitely something weird going on with her.”
Chapter Five
“Uh, Jade? Earth to Jade…”
I blink, suddenly aware I’ve been staring into space for the entire class period. Everyone else is packing up, leaving Asher and me still in our high-rise seats.
And okay, it’s only Supernatural Beings 101, which is going to be a breeze for me after working for Silas for the past few years, but still. Not the best way to start sophomore year.
“Oh, sorry, Asher.” I start packing up my stuff, only for Asher to put his hand on my shoulder.
“Girl, you were totally out of it. You okay?”
Do I dare tell him that I was thinking about Bella? That her running away from us during orientation has been playing on constant repeat in my head? I can’t believe I’m giving her so much thought, but I think I’m actually upset that we’re back to square one. Sure, she’s a total brat, but it might be nice to bury the hatchet with her after a whole year of petty drama. I know it’s crazy to waste mental energy on her, that Bella will probably always be Ultra-Bitch Extraordinaire, but still.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say to Asher, shaking away the unwelcome thoughts. “You? Are you and Elowen still on bad terms?”
Asher rolls his eyes, probably sick of me bringing it up. But I’m not going to stop until they make up with each other. “I saw her and Topher walking together to class yesterday,” Asher says. “They weren’t holding hands, of course, but with their goo-goo eyes, they might as well have been.”
“And I’m gonna guess you spun around and took the long way to wherever you were going?” I ask as I sling my bag over my shoulder.
Asher lets out an irritated groan as we start our descent down the stairs and out the classroom door. “Like, how else am I supposed to react? ‘Oh, hey boy-I-had-a-killer-crush-on and best-friend-who-stabbed-me-in-the-back. Wanna get pizza? I make a great third wheel!’”
We stroll out to the lawn where a few classmates sit in the parched late-summer grass eating lunch, making out, tossing a ball of magic back and forth.
“Not to play devil’s advocate…” I begin.
Asher snorts at my unintentional brush with the truth.
Ignoring him, I continue. “Maybe you’re being a bit hard on Elowen. Don’t get me wrong, it was shitty of her to go behind your back when you openly showed interest. But eventually you’re gonna get back what you dish out. If you don’t forgive her soon, she may stop asking.”
“You’re totally siding with her,” Asher says, his jaw dropping with indignation.
I hold up a hand. “Whoa, not even. You know you’re my bestie for life. I just want to see you both happy, and I know you still care about her.”
Asher tugs at his eyebrow ring, his face pinkening and his combat boots scuffing against the ground. “Yeah, I know,” he mumbles under his breath. “Sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too,” I admit. “I didn’t mean to sound like I thought what she did was right. I know this is hard for you to deal with, and that you had a massive crush. I just think eventually you’ll regret it if you don’t forgive your best friend for going after a guy who, from what we know, is only into girls, anyway.”
Asher flashes me a smile and hooks his thumb through the strap of his messenger bag. “That is pretty dumb, huh?”
“A little,” I say with a laugh. “She’s not dating him to spite you. You know that girl doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.”
“For real. She’d burst into tears if someone swatted a fly out of the air.” His expression turns solemn, as if he’s finally realizing I have a point. “She’s never really dated anyone before, either. Not that I’m admitting to being wrong, but there’s a slight possibility I’m being an ass.”
I slug him in the shoulder. “You’re always an ass. All ass, all the time.”
“Not all the time,” he says with a wink. “Sometimes I top.”
“TMI,” I protest. “Besides, isn’t that still all ass?”
“Fair point,” he says with a grin. “And by the way, you’re the only chick in Jacksonville who doesn’t like to share the details of her sexcapades with her BFF. I figure I’ll break you in by telling you about mine. Maybe I can give you some BJ tips.”
“I’m good,” I assure him.
“Speaking of BJs,” Asher begins. “You and Rocco are awfully chummy this year. Are you two, you know. Official?” He makes air quotes at the last word.
I give him a little shove. “And what if we are?”
Asher lets out a mock gasp. “What? The Sex Goddess in Residence can’t settle down with the first guy she dates. It’s… Blasphemy. I need sexcapades.”
“First off, no,” I say. “But don’t worry. I’m keeping my options open. And I’ve seen other guys.”
Shit. The look on Asher’s face tells me I’ve said too much. No way in hell can I tell him about Professor—Headmaster—Darius. I love Asher, and I’m certain he’d have some killer advice about how to navigate the world of juggling multiple guys. But I won’t get Darius in trouble. I trust Asher, even to keep my juicy gossip a secret, but there are people at this school who read minds.
“Well?” Asher asks, planting a hand on his slender hip.
I shrug. “I’m just not making any big commitments.”
“You’re not talking about your angry make-out session with Ryker, are you? Cause, honey, that doesn’t count.”
I can feel my face get red. “What? Who told you about that?”
Asher flashes me a wink. “Gossip is a terrible disease, babe. One that runs rampant at all schools. I mean, no shame if you’re just fooling around, but be careful around him. Pretty sure there’s an online support group for all the women whose hearts he’s decimated.”
Okay, good. So, he isn’t suspicious about anyone else. Darius is safe.
I let out a sigh of relief, and Asher’s brow raises as he studies me, looking suddenly interested again. “Unless there’s someone else…”
Crap. I really have to work on masking my emotions better. “Nope. Totally not.”
Asher scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh. My. God. You’re keeping a secret lover from me, aren’t you?”
“No,” I insist. “Definitely not.”
It’s not a lie. Darius said we were over. Just because we had sex once, that doesn’t make us lovers.
Asher gives me a long, hard stare before dramatically throwing his hands up. “You’re the worst.”
Well, that worked about as well as I expected. Rocco was way easier to convince.
“Asher,” I start.<
br />
“No, no, it’s fine,” Asher says sarcastically. “First Elowen keeps Topher a secret, now you’re doing the same. Totally cool.”
I hadn’t even thought about that. “Asher, that’s not what I’m doing.”
“I don’t know why I even bother,” he snaps. “You know, keep your secrets. Maybe I’ll just get my own secret boyfriend and make you two squirm. And trust me, I was in the closet up until high school. I know how to keep a secret.”
“Asher, come on. I’d tell you if I could.”
But it’s too late. He’s already striding off down the hall. I let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. This is not where I wanted this day to go. I’d tell Asher about Darius if I could. If it was just me at risk, I’d tell him. But I have to think about Darius here.
Speaking of the new Headmaster, I have some time before my next class, and I haven’t had a chance to visit him alone since the new year started. I should go congratulate him. Just because we couldn’t be together last year, now that he’s Headmaster…
With that reassuring thought in mind, I start towards the Headmaster’s office, unable to stop a quiver of excitement from growing in my core with each step I take.
I pause outside his office door. He’s no longer in the small office he used to use in the Great Hall. He now uses the Headmaster’s office in the main building. Just a few months ago, I was fighting the last Headmaster for my life. Now that Darius is in the position of power, anything is possible. Of course I’m happy that he’s climbing the ladder, but I can’t lie—a selfish part of me is thrilled for another reason. What are school rules and regulations when you can change them at the snap of your finger? A couple signatures on some official documents, and we could be together. Maybe as soon as this encounter is over.
Not only would I get to be with the man who took my virginity, the man I promised I’d be with for the rest of my life, but I wouldn’t have to keep so many damn secrets. And not having to wait three whole years to feel him inside me again… Fuck, this year would be great if we didn’t have to hide our feelings.
Shadow Magic: Year 3 Page 4
