by Alicia Fabel
“Don’t be.” Ian leaned over the paddock rails to watch a deer with a bandaged leg. A swoop of golden hair fell across his forehead, but he didn’t seem to notice or care. “Most people think before they say things, so it’s not what they really think.”
“I wasn’t trying to be rude.”
“I know.” Ian shook a twig of leaves to entice the deer over, but it ignored him. “And I’m telling you that I like it when people are forthcoming.”
“Trust me, no one wants to know what I think most of the time.” Which is why she kept her mouth shut—other than the occasional slipup.
“How do you know that unless you throw what you think into the ring?” Ian asked.
“Because I’m just me, and what I think doesn’t matter.”
A bull moose wandered toward them from the surrounding tree line. Annessa backed toward Ian.
“Are you scared of a moose?” he teased.
“I’ve read about them. They’re like the sharks of the mountains.”
“Huh.” Ian seemed to assess the moose anew. “They kinda are. You don’t see them everywhere, but if you do catch one’s attention, you are most assuredly gonna be sorry.”
“Then why don’t you seem worried?”
“Because this isn’t a normal ocean, and that’s not a normal shark,” Ian said. “Bruce was born at the Academy. He grew up around guilded types.”
“Bruce the Moose?” Annessa’s lips twitched.
“Best name ever, right?” Ian rubbed Bruce’s round nose. He sniffed Annessa’s direction but didn’t get closer. “You must not smell like you belong here yet.”
“Good.” Because once that happened, Annessa figured she’d be doomed.
“Have something against cinnamon?” Ian asked.
“Cinnamon?”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it.”
She had, but she’d just thought it was Elion. And he was everywhere because she was in his home.
“There’s a cinnamon grove in the middle of the Academy,” Ian explained. “Combine that with the wild basil and honeysuckle, and campus is basically Phyton repellant.”
“I’d think the poisonous stream and kill-happy psychics would be enough deterrent.” Annessa snorted. It was a little ridiculous in her opinion.
Ian assessed her. “Are you a Phyton sympathetic?”
“I don’t know a lot of Phyton,” she pointed out. “What about you? Think they’re all evil incarnate?”
“According to the guild, they are,” Ian answered.
That wasn’t the answer she’d expected. Not after Sam’s quick defense of all things Academy related. “What about according to Ian?” she pressed.
He seemed to consider her question seriously for a moment before answering, “I think the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.”
He was probably right. Of course, somewhere in the middle still wasn’t a very reassuring sentiment when it came to the Phyton. Something caught Annessa’s eye. She hadn’t noticed the black lizard resting on a rock nearby until it flicked a tongue, revealing a deep red gullet. “What’s that?”
“Magmamander—salamander made of magma,” Ian answered. “Don’t touch it unless you want to incinerate a finger.”
That was a comforting thought.
“Those and the flutterfires are how campus stays toasty this time of year,” Ian continued, while Annessa searched the ground for any other volcanic friends.
“Don’t people worry about stepping on them?”
“Nah. They live underground and provide us with naturally heated flooring.”
“Courtesy of psychic coercion,” Annessa supplied with a little sneer.
“You don’t think much of psychics.” It wasn’t a question.
Annessa winced. She’d done it again—said exactly what she thought without thinking first. Eyeing Ian suspiciously, she asked, “Are you doing something to me?”
Ian’s eyebrows flew up and then his smile widened. “Paranoid too.”
Annessa spun around to walk back to the mansion, but Ian caught the back of her jacket—his jacket.
“Whoa, slow down McFeisty. I’m not doing anything.” He shrugged one shoulder impishly. “Well, except for being my naturally charming self.”
“I don’t think I believe you.”
“That’s fine. I probably wouldn’t believe a big bad psychic mobster either.” Now he was laughing at her and Annessa tensed, but he held up his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you.” He made a face. “Okay, I am but in a friendly way. Promise. You’re one of the most interesting people on this mountain.”
“I doubt that.”
“Don’t,” he said seriously. “Once you’ve been around guilded folks long enough, you realize they aren’t so fascinating.”
She didn’t think they were fascinating. She thought they were dangerous. Like a bed of snakes.
“Forgive me?” Ian asked suddenly. And then he dropped to his knees and began to beg in an over-the-top way that had Annessa uncomfortable and blushing. Fortunately, Ian didn’t wait for her to verbally forgive him, like he didn’t care if she did. After a minute, he jumped to his feet, satisfied. “Now, before you storm off into the snowstorm, how about I give you a ride back?”
She was getting whiplash trying to keep up with him. “You have issues. You know that, right?”
“More than you know.”
Annessa held back when Ian headed right for Elion’s table. He dropped his tray beside Axton’s sister and slid onto the bench beside her. “Hey, Pipsqueak.”
Quinn curled an arm around the book she read, clearly trying to ignore him. Axton slid over, making space for Annessa at the end of the bench. He patted the spot. As much as she’d rather sit at one of the tables full of strangers, she forced her feet the rest of the way to the table. At least she couldn’t see Elion past Axton. Sam, however, was trying hard to catch her attention. Annessa focused on her lunch.
They were ruining tacos for her.
“Knock it off,” Quinn scolded Ian when he began running a finger over random lines on the page she was reading.
“I’m gonna need help before my next math exams,” Ian told the girl.
“Have you been going to class?” Quinn asked.
“Every single one.” He batted his eyes. “I even took notes.”
Quinn sighed. “Fine. But bring your notes.”
Ian gave a mock hurt look. “You don’t believe I took notes, do you?”
“No.”
“Aww, you wound me, Pip.”
Quinn rolled her eyes and went back to reading. Ian took a bite of his burrito before seeming to pick up on the tension around him. He looked up and down the table warily. “Well this is awkward.” He set his food down and then pinned his attention on Sam. “What’s going on, Samantha?”
“That’s not my name.”
Ian’s eyes widened, and he whistled low. “Dang,” he drawled.
“Like you didn’t already know,” Sam said.
Annessa had no idea what was going on.
“I didn’t actually,” Ian informed her. “Trouble over here doesn’t like to think about things that upset her,” Ian said, pointing at Annessa with his burrito. “It’s kinda nice to spend some time alone with a hot girl who knows how to use her mouth instead of her brain.”
Elion’s hands closed into fists before he slid them off the table.
“You’re a pig,” Quinn proclaimed.
“Don’t be angry,” Ian cooed at Quinn. “I do love it when you think dirty thoughts.”
Axton started to stand, but Elion held him back.
“And there it is,” Ian cheered victoriously. “Mr. Perfect lets his shields drop.” Ian watched Elion with delight. Then he turned to eye Annessa. “Wait, she is that girl?”
“Ian,” Elion growled with warning.
“Don’t worry.” Ian said “I know the rules.”
“Like that’s ever stopped you before,” Quinn remarked.
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“You’d be surprised.” Ian dusted his hands off. His mirth seemed to evaporate. “Welp, I’m done here. Don’t forget our session, Pip. Thanks for the ride, Trouble.” His lips twitched at that. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.” And then he walked away.
Annessa looked up and down the table at the pinched expressions. “I don’t suppose I can get the cliff notes about what just went down here?”
“Ian is a tapper. And unfortunately, we aren’t allowed to maim or kill him,” Quinn answered without looking up from her book. If she had, she’d see a circle of faces in various stages of worry. Quinn didn’t seem to have the same information filter as everyone else.
“So he can read thoughts?” Annessa replayed what she’d thought around him earlier. Hell to the nth degree.
“Yep,” Quinn confirmed. “But annoying people is his real superpower. Lets him slip into people’s brains easier that way.”
“He must be good to break into Elion’s head since he’s a Legend,” Annessa mused.
“Uh huh,” Quinn confirmed, only half paying attention. Her eyes slid back and forth over the lines of her book. Everyone else at the table looked as if they’d just stepped on a sea urchin.
“Hey, Quinn. Don’t you have a class soon?” Axton tried nonchalantly.
Quinn glanced at her watch. “I’ve got fifteen more minutes.” And then she met her brother’s eyes and frowned at the expression there.
“Don’t worry about him,” Annessa cut in. “They just don’t think I know anything.”
“That’s moronic,” Quinn said. “You can’t very well have been through all you have and still be walking around Legend Academy clueless.”
“Thank you, Quinn,” Annessa said, “for not thinking that I’m an idiot, like the rest of the Scooby Gang here.”
Quinn still looked confused and then she pushed her glasses higher on her nose. “Look, I don’t know what all is going on, but I’m going to leave now. I’m not interested in being a part of the drama club.”
“Ian said something about a shield. Does that mean I can learn to block tappers out of my head?” Annessa asked point-blank after Quinn left.
“With lots of practice, yes,” Sam answered. “I’d offer to help you, but I’m not very good at it yet either.”
“I can teach you,” Elion volunteered.
And just like that, Annessa was screwed. She wanted to say thanks but go drown yourself. The problem with that was she needed help if she hoped to ever keep tappers out of her head. Since Elion was exceptional at shielding, he was logically a great choice. But the idea made her stomach turn. Annessa caught sight of Ian at the edge of the tables. He leaned over a guy with big round glasses and parted hair. The guy ripped several pages from a notebook and handed them over to Ian. When Ian looked up and caught Annessa’s eye, he looked guiltier than sin. There was only one thing she could think of that he’d be getting from a psychic nerd guy—the notes he’d sworn to Quinn that he’d taken himself.
“Thanks for offering, but I think I have it taken care of,” Annessa said.
“In the two minutes since you learned about shields and haven’t moved?” Elion asked.
“I’m resourseful.” And not above blackmail. If Ian was the best mindreader, he’d be the best teacher. Plus, he probably already knew everything she’d want to hide, so it’s not like she had anything to lose with him. Not like she did with Elion. She glanced furtively at Elion. His jaw flexed, and she remembered how it felt to press her hand to his cheek.
That was a big dose of nope. Ian it was.
A group of girls walked by, and Annessa did a double-take at the stacks of books floating along behind them. What guild could do that? She needed to keep a notebook handy so she could keep track of who could do what. And then maybe she’d figure out how to tell who was talking to ghosts and who was eavesdropping on her thoughts. Not to mention, she could not remember what to call all of the other crazy things. Like the gray beastie begging for table scraps one table over. They were all grotesque but also different from each other. That particular one was more monkey than lizard. When it caught her looking, it scuttled over. Annessa tried to back away, but it made grabby hands until she tossed one of her tacos to it. It’s eyes widened.
“You gave it your whole lunch,” Axton laughed.
“Will it go away now?”
Smaller beasties creeped from under tables and out of hidey-holes—all staring at her.
“Nooo,” Sam said. “Now they know you’re a pushover.”
Monkey beastie hissed and hurried away before anyone could steal his treat. A trail of beasties followed on his butt.
“That might cause you some trouble, Nessa.”
“I’ll have a chat with a buddy of mine,” Elion assured, breaking his silence at Annessa’s horrified look. “He’ll make sure they don’t mob you tomorrow.”
At the center of the quad, a clock tower chimed. Students began to scatter.
“I’ve gotta go.” Axton rose from his seat. “Last time I was late, Professor Marks made me play the attacker during defense class. Twenty people wailed on me for an hour.” As he stood he whispered in Annessa’s ear, “Last chance to run away.”
At first, she thought he meant from the Academy. Foreboding settled in her gut. She didn’t understand until it was too late that that’s not what he meant at all. All of a sudden, Annessa found herself alone at the table with Sam and Elion. No, no, no.
“Samara told me that you two talked this morning,” Elion began.
Gah, he didn’t waste time attacking the elephant in the room.
“We weren’t trying to hurt you,” Elion insisted.
Annessa let out a dry laugh.
“We should’ve found another way,” Sam said, gaining a little respect from Annessa.
“We tried,” Elion argued. “Every other path led to complications.”
“And this path didn’t?” Annessa threw out her arms.
“You’re right,” Elion said. “And I didn’t see it coming. I’m so sorry, Ness.”
He said that word a lot—sorry—but it didn’t mean anything to her coming from him. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” Annessa said. “All I want to do is survive this place and then spend the rest of my life as far from psychics as possible.”
“About that,” Elion said. “The reason I asked my parents to let you stay at the mansion is because the more you learn about us, the more of a threat you become to the guilds.”
“And your community doesn’t let threats stand,” Annessa finished for him. “I get it.”
“I know I can’t ask you to stay holed up in the mansion but…” Elion’s brow pinched.
“Don’t worry, I already promised your dad I won’t go looking for anything that isn’t out in the open for everyone to see.” Annessa assured. “What else is off-limits besides anything to do with Legends?”
“Just don’t ask too many questions or poke around where you aren’t supposed to be, and you should be fine,” Elion replied.
“Is that what you see?” Annessa asked, despite herself. “Everything will be fine?”
He smiled a little. “You are going to make this difficult, aren’t you?”
“Gah, I wasn’t trying to get insider information,” Annessa protested. “I was just curious—since we are talking about my future.”
“Well, anything I see isn’t fixed in stone, but right now the odds are in your favor, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Annessa would too. She didn’t have aspirations to swim with the fishes. Not in a dead way, anyway.
“You really should think about letting Elion teach you to shield,” Sam added. “He’s one of the best.”
“Ian got through,” Annessa pointed out.
“Yeah, because he’s a pain in the neck,” Elion replied.
“You’re going to let Ian teach you,” Sam guessed.
Elion picked at label on his drink “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Gee, i
magine that. “Well, I think it’s a great idea, so yeah.”
Elion nodded. “Just be careful.”
Color her shocked. He wasn’t going to fight her on her decision.
“You’re sure he’ll do it?” Sam asked.
“I’m confident he will,” Annessa replied.
“You’re not going to explain why, are you?” Elion asked.
Annessa didn’t smile at the teasing tone. “Just like you, I don’t have to share all of my secrets.”
“No, you don’t,” Elion agreed. “You don’t owe us anything.”
Annessa hated how that made Sam’s shoulders droop, but she didn’t have time to wallow in guilt before a perky blonde strolled up and perched on the table beside Elion. Her knee brushed against his arm. Man, Annessa never really understood the term willowy until that moment. “Leon, who’s the new girl?”
Leon? Sam seemed to notice Annessa’s reaction because she ducked her head to hide a smile.
“Foreign exchange student,” Elion lied easily.
“Really? An English-speaking exchange student?”
“She’s from Canada,” Elion lied again smoothly.
“Oh. Well, that’s not very exciting.”The girl studied Annessa openly.
Annessa raised a bored eyebrow. She could read territorial-girl from a mile away. After all, catty girls cut their teeth with bikinis and body oil. Whoever the girl was, she felt she had a claim on Elion, and she was making it known. Annessa was dying to let the girl know she could have at him, but some perverse part of her enjoyed that she’d obviously unbalanced the girl. That only lasted a moment, though. Annessa quickly realized the implications of poking the girl and the blurred lines it could cause between her and Elion. She didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. So before Annessa gave into the niggling urge to knock the girl down a few pegs, she needed to leave.
Annessa slipped off the bench. “You all have a nice afternoon. I’m headed back home.” She winced at that word. It didn’t express her feelings about the mansion at all.
“I’ll walk with you.” Sam jumped up.
Annessa almost told her not to bother, but the hopeful gleam in her old friend’s eyes made her hold her tongue. She was such a fool for caring. But at least Sam was able to show her where to return her tray, so there was that. Annessa pretended she didn’t notice Elion attempting to detach territorial Barbie from his side.
