Cursed Magic: A Paranormal Academy Romance (Daughter of Nyx Series Book 1)

by Charlie Daniels

  “Not so vocal now, are we? What, cat got your tongue?” Keaira tilts her head at him, and I snort. “As much as I enjoy watching you struggle like an infant, Serena needs answers. So, are we doing this the easy way or the hard way?” She lifts her paw to within an inch of his eye, and her claws extend from between the pink pads of her feet, the tiny daggers looking quite sharp, even in the dim light of his shed-like office.

  Worgren glares at Keaira and then to me, then back to her sharp claws. His jaw clenches, then releases. “Even if I told you everything there is to know about the trails, I’d never consent to your participation.”

  “The hard way it is, then...” Keaira sighs, but her feline smile shows her sharp teeth, and we both know she’s not sorry at all.

  My lips twitch. “You are so bad,” I whisper.

  “I am aware.”

  I focus on Worgren’s dark look, pointed directly at me. “Keaira, maybe back off a little. We can ask how to sign up nicely, you know?”

  She chuckles. “Oh, I know. And I know that in order for you to participate in the Trials, the professor here has to approve it. And you’re going to approve it, aren’t you?”

  Keaira trails her claws down the professor’s cheek, and I’m surprised to see him shiver. Sweat has broken out across his forehead, and a vein bulges on his temple. His eyes are wide, shining in the small square of light coming through the window.

  “I only need you to sign my form. Then I’ll be out of your hair… well, what there is left of it, anyway.” I crouch, eying the bald spot at the crown of his scalp, and hold the sheet of paper out to him.

  After a moment’s hesitation, he slowly reaches a shaking hand past Keaira and takes it. I smile and reach into my pocket. “And you’ll need this,” I say, chucking over a pen which taps him on the forehead.

  He grinds his teeth, and his muscles bulge beneath his training shirt, but Keaira lets out a soft hiss, enough to force his attention to my sign-up form.

  “You haven’t completed it,” he grumbles without looking at me.

  “Oh, I know,” I say, “I’m still in the process of choosing my teammates. I’m being extra picky.”

  Worgren grunts, then glides the pen over the paper, scrawling his signature at the bottom. He chucks the pen back at me, which I catch swiftly in my hand at the same time as reaching over to retrieve the paper.

  “Pleasure doing business with you.” I fold the paper and place it into my pocket, then wipe my hands on my skirt to rid them of grit gathered from the floor. “Oh, I do have one question, though.”

  “What?” Worgren barks.

  “What will the prize be?”

  Worgren grinds his teeth but doesn’t respond. Keaira, sensing his reluctance, raises a clawed paw once again. He eyes her, the finally says, “The Trident of Truth.”

  I hum. “Cool. Thank you.”

  As Keaira retracts her claws to back away, Worgren heaves himself back to his feet, using his desk for support. He glowers at me where I stand at the door with my hand on the handle.

  “You’ll not get away with this,” he says.

  “Get away with what? I came here to speak to you about joining the Trials, and you signed my form… which,” I laugh lightly, “you of course did because you wanted to support the Alliance’s plans, and not because you were scared shitless of a kitten. Isn’t that right?” At that moment, Keaira jumps into my arms. I catch her and cuddle her to my chest, feeling her purr. “I’ll be seeing you,” I say as I step out the door.

  Back on the training grounds, my pulse only now quickens at the act I just pulled. I turn and hurry away from the Worgren’s office and toward the academy, eager to put some space between us, just in case he changes his mind. I would be lying if I wasn’t at least somewhat wary of him. The Worgren family tree is infamous from the Dark’s point of view.

  When we’re far away, I let out a whistle and shake my head. “Damn, Keaira,” I whisper, my grin widening. “You’re a freaking badass.”

  “Indeed. Now, take me for food. I’m a growing lynx and need sustenance.” She hisses at some of the students milling on the steps, and they shuffle back in fear.

  Snickering, I hold her tightly in my arms and hurry to the cafeteria where a familiar mop of red hair sticks out from the crowd. He waves me over.

  As I approach, Keaira leaps from my arms and disappears. Rory watches her run off before turning to me. “Where’ve you been?”

  “Ah, just exploring,” I say. “You guys didn’t tell me you have a butterfly garden here. We have a tarantula cave back at the Academy of the Dark.”

  “A tarantula…” Rory’s face pales, and he shakes his head. “Where’s Lore?” he asks instead. “Isn’t she usually giving you a report of all the things she’s discovered in the library around now?” he asks while heading into the cafeteria. Other students bustle around us to get to the front of the lunch line before they run out of the good stuff.

  I shake my head as I pull up the sleeve of my jacket and show him the tattoo. “No, she decided to stick by me today. We were both getting tired,” I reply and shrug at his questioning look. “It takes a lot out of me and her when she’s in her feathery form. It’s like a constant drain of energy. But we’re getting better.”

  “But why do it? If it’s so draining?”

  I pick up a juice box and some beef and scalloped potatoes, the latter’s cheese, egg, and buttery goodness making my mouth water. “Because it’s handy to have her, you know? I can go to class, and she can learn from ‘one of the greatest libraries in the world.’ Her words, not mine,” I point a finger. “At the end of the day, we learn twice as much, and it makes us stronger. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

  “Aww, is my mistress getting soft and sentimental on me?” Lore teases.

  “Hush, or I won’t let you emerge for the rest of the week,” I whisper, and she laughs, her amusement mixing with my own.

  “So, I take it you can’t talk to her in your mind? That’s why you talk out loud?” Rory asks.

  I grab my tray and head toward a table where the others are already sitting. “No, I can’t. But she can feel my emotions, so that helps.”

  Declan looks up, having overheard that last part. “And what about, Keaira? We can all hear her but only in our minds… How does that work?”

  I shrug. “No clue. And she doesn’t exactly seem to want to tell me.”

  We eat in silence as the dining hall fills with endless conversation and the clattering of knives and forks against plates. I take a small bite of my food, the smell of the cooked meat making me both hungry and nauseous. When will this end? My skin prickles an eerie feeling washing over me.

  Glancing around, I spot Sabrina and her minions watching me with matching smirks. “Are they always that insane or is it just me that thinks that?”

  Paxton chuckles beside me and shakes his head. “I don’t like them, either,” he whispers, his body shuddering in mock revulsion as he glances over to where I’m looking.

  “You seriously have poor taste in women, Declan. What did you do? Lose a bet or something?” I ask, and the guys chuckle.

  “Something like that,” he mutters and looks away.

  I clutch my hand to my chest. “Who would dare order his majesty around?”

  “My father,” he answers before pushing up from the table and walking away. I glance around the table; the others wince as he drops his tray off and walks out the door.

  “Was it something I said?”

  Picking up my tray, Paxton helps me to my feet, and we follow after Declan. I bite my lip, not used to feeling guilty for making a joke. Dane wraps his arms around my shoulders. Warmth spreads through me as he squeezes me, and I have half a mind to run away screaming. But the other half of me wants to bury myself into his earthy smell and continue to enjoy the comfort he offers freely.

  “He’s under a lot of pressure. Sabrina is from a good family and would be an excellent wife… according to his father,” Dane says as w
e make our way back toward the arena, our classmates giving us a wide berth.

  My favorite teacher glares at me as I step into the arena. I plaster on the widest smile that my lips can pull and wiggle my fingers at him.

  Paxton smirks, and Rory laughs as they head into the boys’ locker rooms to get dressed, but Dane sighs; a sound I’m getting quite accustomed to. “You know, you really shouldn’t antagonize him.”

  My grin dies as I stare up at Dane, his lips pursing as he glances between our teacher and myself. His arm drops from around my shoulders, and I immediately miss his warmth.

  I feel my cheeks heat as his grin grows. He looks away, hasty to smother it.

  “Shut up.” I duck around him toward the girls’ changing room, and he laughs, the sound fueling my annoyance.

  “Stupid guys…” I growl as I walk into the changing room, an evil little idea filling my mind as I walk past the girls with their sports bras and gym clothes in hand.

  I close my eyes and focus on my powers, finding the little weed inside Dane, and I enable the curse. My lips twitch as a deep yell echoes from the boys changing rooms, followed by an even louder roar, calling my name. The girls eye the door with wide eyes as the yelling grows louder, and then me.

  My evil little soul rejoices as I get changed and take my time walking back into the field. I pass wide-eyed girls who glance between my Cheshire-cat grin and the dark, brooding cloud that is Dane. His arms bulge as he crosses them over his chest, and his eyes narrow as I try and fail to suppress my smug grin.

  I take my place next to Rory and focus on the Professor as he explains today’s session.

  “Today, we will be focusing on agility which means no sparring.” His eyes flick to me and I send him a disappointed pout. “Agility,” he continues, “is what will help you defend yourself, as well as land attacks. It is also a vital skill required to survive the Trials that, need I remind you, you must survive twice if you are to graduate at the end of your time at the academy.”

  I ignore the seething mountain that comes to stand at my side.

  “Right, a lap around the track. Now!” Worgren claps his hands and thrusts an arm to point at the opposite end of the arena. I follow along with the group of runners as I sense a large shadow descend over me.

  “Something wrong, Dane?” I ask as he maintains pace beside me.

  Staring forward, I can feel the anger rolling off him as he leans down to hiss in my ear. “What the hell did you do to my dick, Serena?”

  “Whatever do you mean?”

  “My fucking dick is gone, Serena. Give it back,” he whispers harshly, and the runners nearest us laugh, the sound dying off as he glares in their direction.

  I straighten up until my lips are near his ear, and the hammering in my chest grows as I feel his body vibrating so close to mine. “Promise to be a good boy from now on?” I sing, and he practically growls out my name.

  Turning forward, I sprint after Paxton who is hunched over, his shoulders shaking, and his soft laugh greets my ears.

  “Serena!” Dane calls, and I grin as I glance over my shoulder and wave, his eyes darkening in a way that thrills me.

  “You can have it back at the end of the day!” I grin as I spin back around and jog on, my cheeks hurting from the curses erupting from his mouth.

  Some days, I love being me.

  A familiar presence follows behind me as I whistle my way through the overgrown path to First Aid.

  “Honestly, Mistress. I think if that boy didn’t like you, you ought to be watching your back,” Lore informs me with a light chuckle as we enter the open field, languishing in the warmth of the sunlight.

  A laugh escapes my lips, and I can feel Dane shooting a mega-watt glare into the back of my skull. I peer over my shoulder. “Dane, is something wrong?” I ask with mock worry as we near the greenhouse. Our classmates see his glare and the powerful energy rolling off him in thick waves and scatter out of his path, hurrying through the open doors of the greenhouse.

  “Serena…” he growls, and I can hear the warning in his voice. “Give me back my dick. Now.”

  A bark of laughter and a few giggles erupt from our classmates who quickly quieten down when he growls again, the sound remarkably beast-like. I know he has an affinity for earth magic, but I wonder if he can shift. He’d be a bear… or maybe a lion.

  I glance back over my shoulder at his muscular body and shake my head. “Nope. Definitely a bear.” As we take our seats, I search for the curse within his body, and release it with a sigh.

  Dane’s eyes widen as he reaches under the table to pat his crotch, and he sags against the chair. Turning to me, his eyes hold both a challenge and the need for revenge. The prospect of both erupts sparks across my skin.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” he says softly as Professor Ariella begins her lecture on common healing plants that can be found out in the forest.

  I huff as I give him my full attention. “Really? I did say that if you tried to read me again, I would happily curse you. I didn’t say how, though, so that’s on you for thinking it would be something innocent.”

  Dane’s eyes darken as he leans in close, and I watch in fascination as his eyes fill with heat. “I don’t think there’s anything innocent about you, Serena Stollmeyer.”

  I lick my lips. Something about his tone draws me in, and all I want to do is push him until he snaps. To see what would really happen if he lost control.

  “Serena, would you like to share with the class your thoughts on primrose?” Professor Ariella asks, a hint of amusement in her voice.

  Without turning my gaze from Dane’s, I answer, reciting word for word the properties, uses, and how it can be applied with a hint of magical enhancement. Dane’s eyes widen as I finish, and silence greets my ears.

  I shift away from Dane and glance around at our classmates, their expressions matching Dane’s. The only one who doesn’t seem remotely surprised by my answer is Professor Ariella, whose eyes fill with pride and also curiosity.

  “Good work, Serena. I can see this class was meant for you,” she says with a smile before turning away to continue her lecture.

  My thumb caresses the emerald jewel around my neck, the familiar warmth of my goddess flowing through me. A sharp pain constricts my chest as my nose tickles, and it’s like Her familiar smell is swirling in the air around me; a mixture I’d once called a drop of starlight in darkness.

  I recognize it straight away; the Moon Flower. It wraps around me, sending so much comfort and love that everything inside me wants to run and break away from Her. From this place.

  But I remain seated at my desk and stare down at the tablet in front of me, focusing on the images of the plants we’re meant to be analyzing. Their familiar shapes and colors burn into my brain, releasing a memory I’d longed to forget.

  The elderly dryad had been like a grandmother to me. Her knowledge had been vast, and every day I’d learned so much from her. I was like a sponge, thirsty for knowledge that she was all too happy to provide. Until I ruined it—for everyone.

  “Serena, are you okay?” Dane asks as his hand rests on my arm.

  I nod and turn back to Professor Ariella, shoving down the memory haunting me.

  But I’m not okay. And haven’t been for a long time.

  Not since…

  I shake my head, willing everything to disappear. Lore’s warmth floods my system, and I sigh in relief as the tension filling my body lessens, but the sadness remains.

  How can anyone possibly understand what I’m going through? Have gone through? I focus on the professor, and her dryad aura soothes me in a way I don’t expect.

  Can I share everything with someone I barely know?

  Chapter 11

  As Professor Ariella wraps up her lesson, a mixture of fear and worry war inside me, and I don’t know which scares me the most. Talking to someone or having them reject me?

  Dane pushes from his chair and waits for me to pack away my supplies. “Are y
ou ready? The guys want to do a movie night after we study.”

  I mull through my thoughts, but…

  I shake my head and point to the plants around the room. “I’m actually going to stay and prune a few of the plants. But I’ll meet up with you and the guys later. We can figure out what we’re going to do over the weekend then.”

  He opens his mouth as if to say something but shuts it and nods before leaving slowly, glancing over his shoulder on occasion until he exits the greenhouse. I sigh with relief as the door closes behind him, and I lean against the desk.

  “It must be hard having to pretend to be someone else all the time,” Ariella says softly. “I’ve only been here for a few weeks, and it’s already weighing on me. But you? You’ve been doing this for years.” She shakes her head, and the sadness in her eyes makes me uncomfortable. If only she knew.

  Rising from my chair, I move around the edge of the room, trailing my fingers across the plants. Their fragrances swirl together, mixing to create a unique and heady smell that can only be described as a lively greenhouse. I run my thumb over a moon flower, the petals blooming and blossoming as it absorbs some of my power.

  “Do you know an elderly dryad named Melia?” I ask as I glance over my shoulder.

  “Yes, she is the matriarch of the dryads. But how do you know her?” Ariella’s eyebrows pull together as her form begins to glow, and she sheds her human appearance. Seeing her natural presence washes away some of the weakness in my legs, her familiarity comforting.

  My fingertips trail over the edges of the flower’s petals. “Years ago, Melia was my teacher. But she wasn’t just that. She turned into my confidant; she was like a grandmother to me.” My eyes prickle with tears as I picture her smiling face and weathered wooden skin. “She taught me everything I know about plants, about life itself. I’ve never met anyone else like her.”

  I gaze at the glowing purple plant as I recall the memory of Melia teaching me about the moon flower. I’d thought the flower was beautiful. I’d wanted to pick it, to give it to my goddess—but Melia stopped me. God, I was so angry.