Of Storms and Triumphs (Thunderbird Academy Book 3)

by Valia Lind

  "Once again this was a trip for biscuits and I have no idea where to go from here. At this pace, we'll never reach the Winter Court. And who's to say we could even manage to get halfway there, now that the barriers are down."

  I expect Aiden to comment, but when I turn, he's just watching me curiously.

  "What?"

  "Trip for biscuits?"

  "A task that yields nothing," I mumble forgetting once again that not everyone studies old slang as one of their hobbies. Aiden chuckles, and even though I'm frustrated, I'm glad I can bring a smile to his face.

  "Let's make something out of it then," he begins coming to stand beside me. But then suddenly, his head jerks to the side, as if he's hearing something beyond my capabilities.

  "What?"

  "Come on, I think we need to see this."

  He reaches for my hand, and then we're moving through the forest, me following his lead, trying to stay as quiet as possible. What we find not even five minutes later stops my heart in it's tracks. There are creatures everywhere.

  We manage to creep around them, moving toward the school. It takes us a good fifteen minute trip, before I hear noises rise up in the forest around us. Getting as close to the border as we can, Aiden leads me in and then I can do nothing but stare.

  As I study the academy, my heart hurts at the damage that has already been inflicted on it. The doors are still on lockdown, as far as I can tell, but the walls look weathered from the constant beating. I can see faculty and staff, at various windows, and can feel the magic that's protecting the building. Some students can also be seen, but I can't decipher much more than that.

  "Aiden?"

  "From what I can see they set up protective barriers as far as halfway around the building. I can feel my pack shifted, at least half of them, patrolling the halls. But I can't sense much more than that."

  My head spins with the information, and the picture in front of me. Once again, I've put my friends in danger with my magic. Will I ever stop making these mistakes or will I always be cursed with being put into situations I have no way out of?

  "It's not your fault."

  "You keep saying that," I reply, crawling backwards and out of the bushes, "But I don't think it means what you think it means."

  He rolls his eyes at my lame attempt at humor, but he's not to be deterred. He wants me to understand that I'm not at fault, even though I am. I know I am.

  "We need to find our friends. We should head to Liam's and see if he's there. I don't think he'd be at the academy. Not after Headmaster Marković put it on lockdown after we left."

  Aiden watches me for a tense moment, before inclining his head. For an alpha, he's too accepting of my leadership and this isn't the first time. I wanted to ask earlier, but I didn't think it was the right time. Maybe there will never be the right time. Maybe I should just start diving into these situations without overthinking them.

  "Why are you so quick to follow my lead, alpha?" I blurt out as Aiden moves to walk past me. He freezes in place, his eyes on me, and for some reason I think that whatever he's about to say will change things for me. He's thinking about it, I can see it. I can also see the moment he decides that he's not going to answer, shutting it all down. But I'm not going to let him get away with it.

  "Aiden," I whisper, taking a step forward him, my hand on his upper arm. Even though the material of his shirt, I can feel the heat coming off him. "What is it?"

  "Now is not the time nor place," the shifter replies, giving me such a piercing look that I catch my breath. Everything in me wants to push, but something stops me. Maybe it's just the simple truth in knowing that I can't make him tell me something he's not ready to say. No matter what kind of scenarios I make up in my mind.

  "When we get though this," Aiden speaks up again, since he can read my disappointment without me having to speak it, "I will tell you everything. And you can decide what to do with that information."

  I nod my head, and he turns to head toward Liam's without another word. I'm not sure what this push and pull is between us, but I'm trying not to focus on it too much. There's a war going on, and I need to figure out how to fix all of the mistakes I've made, before I can figure out what to do about my ever growing feelings for Aiden. With one last look behind me at the academy, I hurry into the woods.

  18

  It doesn't take long to reach Liam's place, because we walk at a much faster pace than before. The mansion is situated between the tallest trees, almost blending in from the forest into the building without a pause. From the last time I was here, I know the back of the house opens up into a cleared off area for a garden, fae's version of a backyard. But the front area goes forest to building immediately.

  "I know he has protective wards in place," I halt Aiden, before he steps out of the shadows. "I'm not sure what kind. Or how they would react at us passing through."

  "Okay," Aiden immediately stops, his eyes scanning the area around us. "What do you suggest?"

  "I need to find a way to contact him. It's not like I can call him up and see if he's home."

  Honestly, I have no idea what to do. If we just step onto his property without knowing the magic used, we can be in big trouble. Fae magic is already unpredictable when mixed with everything that's been going on. Who knows what Liam may have cooked up to keep the queen from reaching his borders.

  "Wait," Aiden suddenly says, his nose in the air as if he's sniffing the space around him. I don't interrupt, while he does whatever shifters do. When he turns his eyes on me, they're shining. "Ben and Owen are here."

  "What?" I stand up straighter, glancing back at the house. "Can you..." I turn to ask, but Aiden has already shifted and his wolf form takes my breath away, as always. I don't think I can ever get tired of seeing him like this. His wolf is bigger than any I've seen, coming up past my waist, his grey fur the silkiest thing I've ever felt and even now, all I want to do is reach out. As if he's reading my mind, he takes a step forward, bumping my hand with his head and I sink my finger into the fur instantly. Both of us seem to sigh at the same time, as if this is what we both needed, before he steps back and focuses on the house. He raises his head next, letting out a howl that some how is quieter than I've ever heard, but also resounds in my mind. I visibly jerk at the sound and he whips his head in my direction, as if he's surprised by my reaction. But before either one of us can do anything else, the front door of the mansion opens and Ben is there. He scans the area around him, and I know the moment he sees us. He yells something back into the house, before he's racing out the front door.

  The ripple of magic passes over me as the barrier Liam put up comes down and then Ben is there. He's out of breath with excitement, glancing at me and then Aiden, as his alpha sheds his wolf form and is standing beside me once again.

  "You're both here," Ben says, before bowing his head in submission to Aiden and then to me. Confused, I open my mouth to speak up, but Aiden makes a noise at the back of his throat that I'm sure I wasn't suppose to hear, making Ben stand up straight immediately. The beta looks at me a little sheepishly, before grinning.

  "We've been worried."

  That's when I notice Liam at the front of the entrance, with Jade and Noel coming to stand behind him. The moment Jade sees me, she's running towards me and I to her. Then, we're hugging and I feel so much better, knowing my friends are safe.

  "What happened?"

  "Oh, Maddie. So much! We have to tell you everything." Jade links her arm through my elbow, turning us toward the doorway. When I reach it, Liam is still standing there, his eyes on me. I don't think he's blinked since he saw me. Now that I'm in front of him, he reaches out and take my hand, squeezing it tightly. He doesn't have to say the words, but he knows. He knows I did something and he's worried. As he should be. We all know I shouldn't be allowed access to magic at this point.

  "Come on," Jade says, after Noel gives me a quick hug. "We have so much to catch up on."

  I follow my friends into Liam's house,
heading for his sitting area. The last time we were here I didn't take the time to look around. But now, as I study the elaborate walls and the old fashioned furniture, I feel like I've stepped into the early 1800s.

  "You know this is not my type of decor, right?" Liam comments, when he sees me gazing round.

  "No? You're not a fair maiden with love for old classical literature?" He rolls his eyes at me, which makes him look so human, I often forget just how much fae he is. But the small joke does put everyone at ease somehow. As if it's a reminder that we can still be us, even in the middle of a crisis.

  "Well," I say, taking a spot beside Jade on the love seat, as the rest of the gang take their appropriate places. Aiden stays by the doorway, in direct line of sight from me and I can feel his eyes taking in everything as well. Mostly, me. He can't seem to look away from me for more than a few seconds, and I feel exactly the same. But I force myself to at least focus on Liam as he begins to speak.

  "After I left you, I got back to the academy. It was still on lockdown, but your friends managed to get out before your headmaster completely shut the campus down."

  "How?"

  "Ben and Owen got us out. There's a door, on the opposite side of the building..."

  "For when we're on shift, patrolling." Aiden finishes, realization dawning on him. He glances over at Ben, giving him a firm nod and I can see Ben's entire essence light up at the acknowledgment from his alpha.

  "Wait, where is Owen?" I ask, suddenly realizing what's been missing. "And Vera."

  I don't have a huge amount of friends, just my tight knit community, and I'm okay with that. But that means that every single person is that much more important.

  "Vera stayed behind," Jade says, brining my attention back to her. "The hawk shifters wanted to fight, and she stayed to help."

  "Owen is out patrolling," Ben chimes in, "We've been taking turns."

  That gets another glowing review from Aiden and I smile a little. He's a great alpha, of that I have no doubt. I love seeing his pack appreciate him and seek his approval. He gives it readily, as any supportive leader should.

  "What's happening at the school then?" Aiden asks, turning the conversation back to the issue at hand. I still can't take my eyes off him, and it's pretty obvious. I have to focus.

  "After everyone started looking for you, and we ran, the headmaster put the school on lockdown. Liam came back to get us," Jade takes over the story, giving my fae friend a quick smile, "And he brought us here. We were attacked in the woods, though. A bunch of magical creatures are roaming around all of a sudden. The academy got surrounded and we barely got through. We have no idea what caused it, but we've only been safe here because Liam's family magic is powerful."

  Aiden and I exchange a look, because we both know what needs to be done. After I tell them, they might not want anything to do with me. But I can't keep the information to myself. Needing the distance, I stand, walking over to the other side of the room so I can face my friends. Aiden doesn't hesitate to come stand by my side, and I almost reach out and take his hand. Not knowing where we stand, I don't, but I don't have to. Because he reaches at the same time, entwining our fingers together.

  "What is it, Maddie?" Jade asks, concern shining in her gaze. She glances down at Aiden and mine joined hands, before looking up again.

  "What I'm about to tell you, I'm sorry," I begin, my eyes going to each one in the room, before finally settling on Liam. "I'm so sorry. But it's my fault the academy is being attacked and why the creatures are roaming freely in the woods. I...I promised the Oracle a spell, and I delivered on that promise."

  "Mads, what did she ask you to do?" Liam hasn't taken his eyes off me either and I meet his gaze steadily.

  "To bring down the Spring Court's barriers."

  I expect him to blow up at me, or for people to start panicking, but neither thing happens. There's complete silence in the room, as if everyone has been frozen into statutes. Aiden's thumb continues to make comforting circles on my skin and I hold on to that feeling with all my might. I want to offer up a million excuses, but I know that's not what my friends need to hear right now. I'm not sure what they need, but it's definitely not my lame apologies.

  When the silence is finally broken, it's by Liam. He moves towards me, until he's standing right in front of me.

  "You didn't know," his words shock me, stopping the apology that was right on the tip of my tongue. Out of everyone here, he can blame me the most. I let the Ancients in into his court, into his home. But I've always know Liam isn't like the others. And he continues to prove that to me every day.

  "Liam, I..."

  "If anyone is to be blamed, it's me and Aiden. We went into that forest looking for answers."

  "Answers for me!" I wretch my hand away from Aiden, putting distance between us as I wrap my arms around me. "If I didn't need answers so desperately, you wouldn't have gone. You did it for me!"

  "And you made the bargain for us," Aiden speaks up, from where he stands next to Liam. Turning, I look at the two complete opposite boys in my life. One dark, with shifter blood in his veins and blue eyes that make my skin hot anytime he looks at me. The other, light and so beautiful it hurts to look upon, with green eyes the color of freshly blooming leaves. Yet, both, not what I expected. Both, willing to risk it all to protect me and to make sure I'm taken care of.

  "I don't know how to fix this," I whisper, glancing between the two. I love them both, in different ways, and I can't imagine my life without them in it. Yet, that's what it might come to if I don't fix this mess.

  "We fix it together," Aiden says, taking a step forward. "We do what we do best. We learn, we grow, and then we fight. Together." He glances at the fae behind him and that right there makes me believe anything is possible. They started out as enemies, and now they've become allies.

  Not that I should've expected anything different, but Aiden and Liam seem to always be on my side. I guess it's how you know you've found your people. Even if in this case my people are a wolf shifter and a fae. But it's those who stand by you no matter the circumstances that truly make a place in your heart. There's nothing I wouldn't do for them. But they're not the only ones I have to worry about.

  Walking back over to the other side of the room, Liam and Aiden flank me, as I focus on the rest of my friends. No one has moved from their place, as if they needed to work through everything before they could. I meet Jade's gaze as my friend finally looks up at me. I have no idea what I'd find there, but once again, it's just my own insecurities that are creeping up. Because she doesn't look at me like she hates me.

  "I can't even imagine what it took for you to do that spell," Jade speaks up, twisting a bracelet on her wrist. "I'm with the boys on this one. We'll figure it out. Together."

  A grin splits my lips and then I'm hugging her, as she hugs me back just as tightly. This is exactly how my sisters would react and this is what I needed. When I glance over at Noel and Ben, they both shrug.

  "You already know I'd follow you anywhere," Ben comments, receiving a slight growl from Aiden, that just makes me grin. I walk over and give him a slight shoulder punch, that makes Ben smile.

  "Noel?"

  "Well, I can't be the oddball out here. I get it. We all make mistakes. I can't exactly punish you for being human." He shrugs, and that's as much acceptance as I'll get from him. We're not as close as I am to the others, and he still has my back. If that doesn't show just how amazing these people are, I'm not sure anything will.

  "Don't worry, witch," a voice comes from the doorway and all of us turn as one. "I can do the punishing."

  Without a moment to spare, Natalie launches herself at me.

  19

  The shifter is so quick, she's on top of me before I can put up my shield. Her body slams into mine, still in human form and we roll over the couch and unto the floor. She swipes at me, but there's a reason why I've spent all that time training with Aiden. I block her easily, before slamming my elbow into her neck.
She stumbles off me and I jump to my feet, this time prepared.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aiden ready to pounce, but Liam is holding him back. This is my fight. Everyone in the room knows it. And we're doing it the old fashioned way. Hand to hand combat.

  "You think you're so perfect. Everyone will just automatically forgive you for the crap you've done to the school."

  "Not to shatter your illusion of me, but I have never pretended to be perfect and I'm only forgiven because I have amazing friends."

  "Right, because you don't just expect people to fall at your feet."

  "I think you have us confused on that one." I smirk, which sends her into another rage. She attacks, swinging with her right then left arm, but I block both. I don't actually want to fight her, but I know that if I back down now, I will never earn respect in her eyes. My friends have all moved out of the way, and are watching. A part of me wants to show Aiden what I can do, I want to make him proud, after everything he's taught me.

  Natalie twists around, kicking out, but I duck at the last minute. The movement brings me below her, and she takes advantage. She kicks again, this time straight out, and I barely block it with a cross in front of my face. The impact sends me sliding across the floor, and she advances on me without a pause. Jumping to my feet, I get a punch to the gut, my wind knocked out of me. She grabs my hair, yanking it back so I can look up at her.

  "How will you ever stand up to the evil out there if you can't even stand up to me?" Natalie all but spits out at me and the dig has desired effect. My own anger rises up. I've done nothing but try and protect my friends and family. Sure, I've made choices I'm not proud of, but I will never be ashamed for trying. But I also want to prove myself, so I don't hold back.