Absorb: Book One of the Forgotten Affinities Series

by Analeigh Ford

  He glances over at the only one of us who seems to fully grasp what is going on. “Well,” Flynn says, “That is technically true. But there would be limitations to what she can actually do. Some bonds, especially those romantic in nature, and stronger than others.”

  “I, for one, am not a fan of the idea of having to share her.” Draven flops back, makes a face, and then very carefully props himself back up. Of all people...I thought Draven would be the one most okay with this idea. I guess I did just also learn that he is basically working for the mafia this morning. I wonder what else I don’t know about him. I look around at the others. I wonder what I don’t know about all of them.

  “So I guess it is up to you then Kendall.” Flynn nods at the only member of the party who hasn’t spoken his thoughts.

  “Wait a second.” I hold up my hand. “Don’t I have some say in this? These are my powers we are talking about, after all.”

  “Actually, it isn’t just about you.” Flynn turns to me, and there is a sternness there that I remember very plainly from the first day I met him. “Let me ask you this. If you were to choose just one of us, I am guessing they want to rebind the remaining three?”

  I nod hesitantly.

  “But if your powers aren’t a mistake, then the fact that we are all paired up with you isn’t either. We may never be paired again, and even if we are, it’s never as strong as the first. Am I right?” When no one disagrees, Kendall continues. “They are essentially trying to handicap all of us to keep with tradition.”

  I guess I hadn’t considered that before. I had thought that wanting all of them was selfish. I never imagined that by choosing one of them I would be essentially robbing all the others as well. “Before any of us makes a decision, there is something you should know,” I say.

  I tell them the rest of the principal’s threat. I am surprised when no one immediately reacts to the prospect of having their powers stripped, and then even more surprised when it is Kendall who speaks next.

  “But losing our pair is already basically being stripped of our powers. None of us would ever be able to practice magic to our fullest potential.”

  The hardness in his voice is suddenly replaced with something else. It is soft and soothing, filled with that same reassurance that I’ve come to crave from him. “Besides, I think we can all agree that we are not interested in Octavia for her powers alone.”

  He says it without jealousy or malice, but look on his face pierces my heart. Whatever he is about to say, it is killing him to say it. “I for one will consider myself lucky to have Octavia—even if that means having to share her.”

  He can’t meet my eyes when he says it. The feeling in his voice is not lost on me, or the others. Draven and Cedric look at the floor, and even Flynn shifts uncomfortably. Up until a couple days ago I was sure he hated me. Now he is trying to find a way to save me, and I think, be with me.

  Then Draven nods. “Fine. I don’t like it...but I am the last one to try and stand in your way if this is what you want, Octavia. Kendall and Flynn have made their points, and I agree. I say let’s try, even if we do end up getting our power’s stripped.”

  “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” I say, forcing fake cheer into my voice. “Now we have some proof that my affinities may not be a mistake. All that’s left is to start preparing a homecoming demonstration that will show that I can control them.”

  24

  Octavia

  Flynn has the idea to do some research into very old magic—something that existed long before organized magical society, before the affinity ritual was developed. I leave Draven with Cedric with the promise that he will be taken directly to the school nurse by whatever means necessary.

  “Whatever means,” I reiterate on my way out.

  Kendall accompanies Flynn and me, but he is even more quiet than usual. Now that I think about it, though, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him say so much all at once before. I guess I should just be grateful that he did.

  The school library is actually pretty pathetic. I don’t think there would have been any books on runes here in the first place, even if the teachers wanted to remove them after the whole affinity ritual debacle. When I ask Flynn about it, he tells me that it’s only been in the last century that mages were mostly left alone to practice. “It’s like people forgot about mages at the turn of the twentieth century. A collection this size, although small, is actually quite impressive.”

  Flynn seems overly familiar with the library, though it wouldn’t take long, and leads us directly to a tiny shelf in the very back. It is labeled “Arcana”, but there are so few books here that the shelves appear mostly empty.

  “What happened, was there a fire or something?”

  “Many fires,” Flynn said. “Many people wrongly assume it was the witches they burned in Salem, but it was actually their books.”

  “And the witches?”

  “Hanged.”

  “Oh.” Right, more information I don’t know. I remember something he said back at the dorms. “Flynn, I didn’t know your family didn’t have a magical background.”

  He glances over at me over a stack of dusty books he’s pulled from the shelves. “I didn’t think it was important.”

  I shrug. “Sometimes I feel like I am the only person here at a disadvantage because I don’t know anything about magic.”

  “I was studying magic long before I began attending school,” he says. “As soon as my parents discovered my abilities they found me a mage tutor.”

  He must see my crestfallen expression, because he quickly adds, “But there are moments where I understand how it feels to be an outsider. Some people never accept mages from non-magical families.”

  Kendall snorts from two shelves away. He’s disappeared off into a section about Earth Magic. “I didn’t know Wednesday and I ever made you feel like an outsider, Octavia.”

  “Well...not on purpose,” I say, treading lightly. For all Kendall said in the dorms was sweet and I do believe he meant it, I also know that there is no way he is actually okay with this whole situation.

  “What do you mean?” He reappears at the end of the aisle, a hurt and confused look on his face.

  I stumble over my words. “It’s...Wednesday was always pointing out things that I couldn’t see because I didn’t have Sight yet, and it wasn’t exactly like you ever did anything about it.”

  He pauses and considers a moment before speaking. “Just because I never confronted her in front of you doesn’t mean I didn’t notice and ask her to stop.”

  I clamp my mouth shut. I never imagined Kendall as the type to notice, but I guess that is what you get from someone so quiet. All the time I spend talking and thinking about myself, he just watches and listens to everyone else.

  “Here, this might be useful.” Flynn takes one of the books out of the pile and hands it to me. It is the smallest one in the bunch. It looks hand stitched, and when I peel back the cover, it looks like it’s been hand-written as well. I’m surprised that someone hasn’t taken the time to go through all these books and make photocopies, but I’m guessing there is probably some good reason it hasn’t been done. Like, the person they hired to do it is lazy or magical books are resistant to copiers.

  We sit at one of the only tables. The library is so small that there isn’t a proper librarian, but there is a notice next to the door that tells us each book contains a tracking device in it and that there will be dire consequences should we try to steal them.

  I’d hate to find out what dire consequences are as opposed to regular ones.

  Most of the magic described in the book is very basic—the sort of stuff like fire starters, truth serums, and love potions. I scan the list of ingredients for the last one and am glad I don’t need to be brewing that any day soon. There is altogether too much dung used in all these recipes.

  This isn’t what Flynn thinks we’d find interesting, however. He flips to the back of the book and shows us a very brief pag
e that describes what the author calls “Pleasure Magic”.

  Just reading its name makes my ears burn. “Pleasure magic?”

  “Keep reading. I never thought this would come in handy before.”

  Flynn turns the page. Some of the spells described are illusions, some physical manifestations like fireworks in the shapes of mythical creatures, or even the ability to turn someone into a mermaid for a short period of time.

  “These all seem really complex,” I say, turning the pages for the mermaid spell. I mean, who hasn’t ever imagined what it would like to be a mermaid? But the spell itself has something like fifteen components—all of which have to be completed perfectly or else it can permanently turn the person into a giant bug-eyed guppy. Where is Draven and his expertise with Ritual Magic when I need him?

  In the infirmary. For getting stabbed. Right.

  “Maybe you should choose something a little less likely to end in one of us losing half of his or her limbs,” Flynn says.

  Kendall’s hand moves to rest just above my knee under the table. “I like you in your current state.”

  “Yes,” Flynn says. “I’m not sure a tail would suit you.”

  “Alright, enough about me...” I turn to the next spell and pause. Huh. This may be exactly what we are looking for. It is isn’t as complicated as the mermaid spell since it doesn’t actually involve turning anyone into a different creature, but it certainly will be showy. And it will require all five of us to work together in order to make it work.

  “Oh, wow.” Flynn pulls the book towards himself. “You sure?”

  I nod. “This is what I want to do.”

  Kendall’s hand squeezes my thigh. “You know Octavia, I like this side of you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Kendall leans over me to read the details of the spell better. I can feel the heat coming off his body. His hair is long enough that when he bends over my lap, I can feel the brush of it against my shoulder. Whatever shampoo he is using is amazing. I can’t help but take a deep whiff. It is like soap and pine and something earthier.

  He looks at me. His face is so close to mine I think he is going to lean in and kiss me for a second. But then my gaze flickers over to Flynn, also close beside me, and he doesn’t.

  “The diabolical side.”

  Flynn nods. “Kendall is right. You do this, and you will certainly prove your point. But you might rub some people the wrong way in the process.”

  “Good. About time people saw me for what I am.” I grab the book and start taking photos of the spell with my phone. “I am not a mistake, and neither are any of you.”

  I rest one hand on each of their thighs. Flynn tenses up, but Kendall does not. Instead he slides his hand higher up on my leg and leaves it there. Flynn’s gaze flickers down to my lap and then, tentatively, he does the same.

  God. Time to tell the others the plan before the library becomes any hotter than it already is.

  25

  Octavia

  We have barely a week to prepare the spell. I wish we had come to these realizations a little earlier...but then again, I’m not sure it would have changed anything. Honestly, I can’t believe I made it this far already.

  It doesn’t help that Draven is more injured that he let on. I mean, the condition I found him in was not promising to begin with. As soon as the nurse saw him, she admitted him and ordered him three days of bedrest and a half-dozen potions to be drunk on a carefully regulated schedule.

  Three days doesn’t seem like much considering the fact that he was literally stabbed and beaten within an inch of his life, but it does eat significantly into the time we have to prepare.

  When Flynn, Kendall, and I meet the others in the infirmary, they immediately agree to the spell and Cedric even offers to use his house to practice.

  “Well, seeing as four of us live in the dorms, wouldn’t it make more sense to practice here?” Draven says. He tries to sit up in bed but the nurse pulls the blankets tighter across his shoulders from across the room.

  “Without getting caught?” Cedric shakes his head. “Besides, my father is leaving town on business for the week.”

  I glance over at Draven. He’s tucked neatly under the bedspread and not looking very happy about it. Although honestly, the way that things have been heating up with him at an alarmingly fast rate, maybe this little break will be a good thing. We haven’t exactly set rules for this relationship thing we are trying, but I’m pretty sure losing my V-card to one of them at this point would cause some serious problems.

  “I’ll send my car first thing in the morning.”

  “Wouldn’t the subway be faster?” Flynn says, always the voice of reason.

  “But not as comfortable.”

  I jump in before they start to argue about something so innocuous as how we plan on getting to Cedric’s house. “How about we take the car in the morning, and then the subway back? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not exactly a morning person and could use the extra couple minutes to wake up.”

  The nurse has had enough of us. She comes over and shoos us all away so Draven can rest. I hang back a second and let the others go ahead. The nurse lets me stay with the promise that I will only be a minute.

  “I don’t need a nurse, you or the other one,” Draven says.

  “I’m not here to tell you off,” I say. I glance over my shoulder, and when I am sure the others aren’t watching, I lean in to kiss him on the cheek. Only, he intercepts me and catches me on the mouth. Even with his injuries, he remains as strong as ever. I can feel him pulling me to him, willing me to climb onto the bed with him.

  But I can’t let myself.

  I break the kiss, as much as it goes against the racing of my pulse.

  Draven’s voice comes out low and seductive. “What was that for?”

  “For surviving,” I say. “And as an apology.”

  His eyebrow arches with the unspoken question.

  “For all of this. I know this situation isn’t...ideal.”

  His face falls slightly. For perhaps the first time since I’ve met him, he speaks without trying to be clever. “It isn’t. But I am willing to give it a chance.”

  I nod and stand to leave, but he catches me by the wrist.

  “Promise me something, though, Octavia.”

  “Anything.”

  “Promise me that you’ll give me a fighting chance.” And just like that, the glimmer is back in his eye. “Don’t think I won’t be looking to catch up on lost time once I’m out of here.”

  I roll my eyes and run after the rest of them without another word about it.

  I would have liked to get started right away, but there is too much to get ready for ahead of time. We briefly run through a plan for tomorrow and then Cedric has to leave to finish when he calls “business he must attend to.” But before he goes, he promises to purchase the necessary items for the spell. And a good thing too. I don’t know about the others, but my pockets aren’t particularly deep and I keep having to cancel shifts at the coffee shop.

  Flynn gives me another book on rituals and instructs me to read the whole thing before tomorrow morning—not very likely given that it is roughly the size of my tenth-grade pre-calculus textbook. He leaves us with the promise that he will be more organized tomorrow. I don’t know how that is even possible, but I just wave at him as he goes on ahead.

  “Looks like it is just me and you,” I say, turning to Kendall. But he avoids eye contact for a moment and scratches at the back of his neck in guilt.

  “This is...a lot to take in. I think I want to be alone tonight.”

  The words sting, but I remind myself that of all the boys here, Kendall has the most reason to need some time to process things.

  “Of course, take your time.” But as soon as he turns away and starts jogging across the street, I add, loud enough for him to hear, “But don’t take too long!”

  The half-smile he cracks is enough to reassure me I haven’t totally blo
wn it with him. Yet.

  So, it is a Saturday night and somehow, even with four paired, I have no plans. I am just about to text Wednesday to see what she is up to when I remember we are not speaking.

  I wish I could tell her everything we found out, our plans, and that I’m not being selfish. I wonder if Kendall will tell her, or if she is giving him the silent treatment too. The realization that I can’t go to her now, when I need her most, brings a stab of pain to the pit of my stomach. It seems like even when I think I’m doing the right thing for me, I somehow and doing the wrong thing for someone else.

  I wonder what other consequences my decisions are going to have. A chill rises from within me and makes me shiver. I hope I don’t get the chance to find out.

  26

  Octavia

  Cedric is the only one of us that looks awake when we arrive first thing in the morning. Even the driver that picked us up spends most of the ride over muttering curses at morning traffic under his breath.

  Thank god the housekeeper is back in town—because she greets us at the door with a silver tray of steaming coffees.

  “It’s one of Cedric’s special brews,” she says as she hands me a hot cup.

  I put my face close enough to the cup for steam to gather on the ends of my lashes. It smells so good, I almost don’t want to drink it, because then it will be gone.

  “Is this going to ruin coffee for me forever?” I ask as Cedric appears at the top of the stairs. He chuckles and waves us on to follow him up. I catch Kendall turning in slow circles, his head tilted back as he takes in this mansion of a place. Flynn seems unimpressed as usual. He’s probably read about grander places than this in one of his books.

  I start up the stairs, but not before I take a sip of the coffee. Yep. All other coffee is ruined now. I am pretty sure this “special brew” has some kind of magical quality. By the time I get to the top of the stairs, that fog that doesn’t usually dissipate until sometime after noon has completely lifted from my mind. The true proof however is Kendall. I don’t think he has ever been so chipper. I even catch him having a conversation with the housekeeper before he follows us up the stairs.