by Erin R Flynn
I dropped the phone. I owned planes? For real?
“Are you okay?” Darby asked, glancing at my phone like he might reach for it.
“Yeah, sorry, just getting filled in on some assets I didn’t know I had,” I mumbled as I picked up my phone again. “Are we no longer doing the weekend crush thing? Apparently I need to fly out to Phoenix this weekend to handle some matters in person.”
“That’s fine,” he agreed, giving me a curious look before returning to editing the first draft of my debate and another paper I had done.
I texted Geiger back and then Mel asking if she was up for some crazy. Her reply asking when she ever answered no to that made me chuckle. She was one of a kind, that was for sure.
Between that and how frustrated Hudson was that I kept ducking him and he couldn’t sniff me out, I was seconds from falling over laughing. My life was so weird but it was so much better than it had been a few months ago.
Hands down better.
The next morning was our first presentation in Runes 101 and I couldn’t help being nervous. Witches and warlocks were able to use them the moment they had magic and most seemed to have used a conduit even if they weren’t supposed to until college and they had a lock on their natural abilities.
Right, because no one drove before they were supposed to either.
“Good morning, let’s get right to it,” Craftsman said to us after the bell. He smirked at me. “And you are going first, my power assessment champion. May this teach you not to tease your professor when he asks you for something.”
Oh, that was soooo loaded I almost choked. Jackass. I was going to spank him for that for sure.
I stood as if it was no big deal, maybe thinking it was a blessing so I didn’t have to worry while waiting or when others nailed it and that would intimidate me. I grabbed the conduit and cheat sheet of the rune I was going to do so I kept up appearances.
“You know the twelve you can pick from?” he checked, nodding when I did. “Good, start us off then.”
I moved to the middle of the front area and focused on my magic as I let out a slow breath. I traced the rune in my hand and pictured the fire I wanted.
It was hard not to flinch when the fireballs I conjured were much larger than in the practice room, since that also had a dampener spell to keep us controlled. I barely had them fully formed when what felt like a lake was dumped on my head.
I growled when the water stopped, ready to pound someone as I glanced around for the one who did it… Only to find Craftsman with a sheepish look on his face.
“My apologies, I should have thought to have the fire extinguisher ready,” he muttered before the huge lecture hall broke out in laughter as I stood there like a drowned rat.
I pursed my lips and tried to keep my temper as I wrote the rune for air and used it to dry myself off, the laughter dying almost immediately.
“Why did you do that? They were just a bit bigger than in the practice room! You act like I was burning down the damn building.”
His jaw dropped open before he shook himself. “Fine, show me.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you going to use a lake to try and drown me again?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “No, show me.”
I frowned but nodded, not getting what I was missing. I made sure to draw the rune again for show and conjured the fireballs.
“Bloody fuck,” he whispered as he moved closer, glancing from the fireballs to me as if looking at someone else.
“Great, now we all have to go after that,” someone in the front row bitched.
“What? What am I doing wrong?” I asked, as I flicked my wrists and closed my hands to put out the fireballs. “I conjured fire. That was the assignment, right? I mean, I got the gist of all twelve and that was the goal.”
Craftsman did a double take. “You can make all twelve work already?” He sputtered when I nodded before shaking himself out of it again. He looked at the lecture hall. “How many of you were able to conjure two of the runes?” Almost all the hands went up. “Good. Four?”
It was my turn to be shocked when over half of the hands went down. And they were all down by six.
“Oh, um, sorry?”
“Don’t be sorry but you’re going to have to show us,” Craftsman said with a snicker like he was losing the battle with laughing.
I nodded, reminding him I’d already done air so that was two before throwing water at him. Fair was fair. Then I moved to ice, light, shadows, fog, and earth where a bunch of dirt piled up in his classroom. I shrugged when he shot me a dry look.
“You friggin’ demanded it. You get to clean it up.” I cleared my throat nervously. “I don’t want to do electricity inside without the dampener spell.”
He nodded. “Focus it on me, I can absorb it.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t come from me when I do it,” I warned. “I feel more like I’m conducting the energy instead of sending a zap or something.”
He nodded again. “We’ll practice in the woods tomorrow morning with no one around. Finish the last three unless you’re tired.”
I frowned at him. “Why would this tire me out?” I flinched when half of the lecture hall groaned or cursed. “Wait, what did I do now?”
“You’ll see when the rest of us have to follow after you,” one of the guys drawled.
Okay then. I was worried and rushed through the last three before about booking it back to my seat. People clapped but most of them looked like they wanted to murder me. The only saving grace I probably got was I wasn’t bragging I did all twelve.
Craftsman gave me a nod before he called the next name. She looked less than thrilled to go but I started to understand when she barely conjured a small flame in her hand and was struggling to do it.
That seemed to be the average and I found myself sinking down in my seat as more people went.
Katy came up and—while not hitting anything near what I did—was far above the ones who had gone so far. She smirked out at us like she was queen of everything before strutting back to her seat.
“Yeah, yeah, you rule the class and grade when the unknown conjured two fireballs way bigger than that like nothing,” a guy “whispered” to his friends.
Well, at least I was useful for putting Katy in her place.
A few dozen more took their turn and I felt bad when a woman went and nothing happened. She was panicking too and my heart went out to her. I flipped the switch on my telepathy and found the problem.
“Don’t just think ‘fire’ as you trace the rune, picture the fire,” I called out. “I pictured the fireballs from an anime I saw since it was my only reference. Just picture—or think of that cute dancing flame from that cartoon. I think it was Disney. Oh, that guy from Beauty and the Beast. The candle guy. Something chill and cute and it’s not scary.”
“She’s exactly right,” Craftsman agreed, giving me an impressed look.
The woman nodded and a second later, a small flame appeared in her hand, shaking its nonexistent ass. She beamed at me and mouthed a “thank you,” which made me feel much better about my day for sure.
What I’d done was all over the school by lunch and a large group of faculty swarmed me the moment I sat down with my tray.
“There’s no way you can do that. You need to show us now,” a teacher I didn’t even know demanded.
“I need to, huh?” I purred as I picked up my sandwich, giving her a bored look. I took a bite and made them wait as I chewed. “Not even going to tell me your name or why you think I need to do something like you’re ordering a dog to do a trick, but just jump right to it?”
At least she looked properly chastised.
I found Craftsman in the group and saw how amused he was but I wasn’t remotely done. I glanced around and found Edelman. “What’s with this, really?”
“No one’s ever done all twelve before in a first presentation,” he explained.
I bobbed my head. “So that makes me the monkey that should dan
ce on request? And for the record, I did eleven because I didn’t want to do electricity indoors without a dampener.” I set down my sandwich and wiped my mouth before standing. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll show you whatever one you’re stuck on.”
“We said all twelve,” a male faculty member snapped.
“That’s great, and good for you for being extra rude,” I drawled. “But this is the offer and when I do it, you will apologize to Dr. Craftsman for basically calling him a liar in front of the entire friggin’ cafeteria.
“That’s what you’re doing by coming over here and demanding to see what he said happened in his class. Ignore the fact there were a couple hundred students who saw it too but you don’t believe him.
“So I get he’s the youngest of you and apparently you have no problem treating certain students like dogs to do tricks when you want, but you bully teachers and embarrass them by pegging them as liars?
“And for what purpose? What could he get by lying about it?” I left them to stew on that and focused on Edelman. “Do portal passes roll over to semesters or years?”
“Yes,” he sighed, knowing what I wanted.
“Fine, I want another one for being ordered to jump on demand.”
“Yes, fine,” he agreed. “The fireballs. That’s the one.”
I shrugged. “Don’t douse me with water this time.” I bounced that around. “Actually, that was pretty refreshing but I’m not cleaning it up.”
I moved away from the table and the group, making sure no one was coming up in the way. Drawing the rune for fire, I conjured the two fireballs and showed them.
I glanced past them when I heard squealing and saw a bunch of the hobgoblin kids were standing on a far table, the adult hobgoblins cheering for me too. I chuckled and put out the fire, writing the next rune on my arm this time as I sent a gust of air over to dance around them.
Next I went with ice, but made it into a heart ice sculpture instead of spikes that could hurt them.
“How are you doing this?” Natalie asked, her voice even as to not scare me. “You didn’t even write that last one.”
“I did, but on my arm,” I muttered. I shrugged. “I worked on my visuals. I didn’t know it would be a small flame in my hand. I’m new to this. I went with anime and cartoons kind of magic.
“I think it’s Fairy Tail that has the guy always throwing fire. He does this thing where he makes a huge fireball and with air, sort of rides it like a rocket. He also does…”
I wanted to see if I could make the fire dance like a lasso. Writing on the rune on my arm, I used one hand to make a slow line of fire come out of my hand like a gentle sort of flame thrower and make shapes form as it twisted all around in the air above me. I couldn’t do it far or for long without worrying I would lose control so I killed the fire.
The kids were cheering, so I did shadows and then played with the lights in the cafeteria so it was almost like we were in a club. When my stomach growled loudly, I finished with shooting them with a light stream of water like I had a squirt gun.
“You didn’t even pause to think on the rune,” White muttered, giving me an impressed look. “You worked hard.”
I gave a slow nod. “Izzy and I wrote each one a few hundred times on whiteboards so we knew them.” I shrugged. “No reason not to know the basics like the alphabet.”
“Yeah, but my demonstration didn’t go like that,” Izzy drawled, plopping her tray next to mine.
“Yes, but you were the only one besides Ms. Vale who was able to do six,” Dr. Craftsman praised. “So clearly that hard work pays off.”
“This is a great idea for visuals,” Natalie praised as she studied her phone. “You should not use basic runes to try and levitate or ride fire like this guy is. I wouldn’t even, as it’s focus and concentration, not just your raw power.”
“Makes sense. It would be wicked though,” I said with a chuckle as I sat back down.
“She’s only done eleven unless someone sees the electricity,” someone argued.
I sighed heavily and stood again, going out the side door of the cafeteria and moving by the windows they were all by. I remembered to write the rune and conjured electricity.
Except it was more like lightning and landed in a spot in front of me, burning the damn grass. I waved out my hands to dissipate the energy but I was pretty sure my hair was standing up all over the place.
I smoothed it down as I went back inside but I was going to definitely have some extra flyaways on my curly mane.
“Can I eat now? I have geometry next and Professor Richardson doesn’t allow food in his class and gives us dirty looks if we have drinks.”
“Water bottles like yours are fine,” he said from the back of the group. “I dislike open-top containers sitting on the floor which normally someone bumps into. I also don’t mind those snack bars you sneak. It’s quiet and you’re polite about it. I’ve had students bring takeout and loud chips, which are distracting.”
“I don’t blame you, that’s bull,” I agreed. “Thanks on the snack bars. I get peckish if I’m doing too much.” I glanced over at Natalie. “We should do an ice sculpture competition and have some fun. I’ll take whoever wins with me to where I’m using my next portal pass.”
She raised an eyebrow at me. “You have a place in mind?”
“Awww yeah, Fresno, California. I saw this thing about a restaurant that has a three-foot anaconda burrito and I want to become very close friends with one.” I wasn’t even offended when people laughed. “Let’s do it with the scholarship students.”
“Saturday?” she asked.
“I’m not on campus this weekend. Next Saturday?”
“You’re not?” Edelman asked a little too loudly. Even Craftsman gave him a surprised look.
I nodded. “I’ll sign out. I’ve got to handle something out of state in person with my inheritance. Mel’s coming with and so’s Claudia.” Now that I knew Geiger was such a big deal I wasn’t going to bring him up in mixed company.
“What’s the problem?” Professor White asked him. “Students leave all the time on weekends.”
“No, of course, I simply didn’t know.”
Professor White didn’t let it go though. “Can you name any other students you know won’t be on campus this weekend? Is she your ward you need to worry over her?”
“Habit working with her power assessment,” he fibbed.
I met Hudson’s gaze a few tables away and saw he noted how Edelman was acting… And didn’t like it.
“You’ll let me know if there’s anything you need that parents might normally handle, yes?” Edelman asked, trying to give a viable reason.
I nodded, but it miffed me like he was acting in that way when he hadn’t. “Mel’s a real adult and Claudia’s got it handled. It’s just some quick stuff better to do in person and not leave.”
“I’ll add a category to that competition,” Hudson declared as he stood, looking like he was trying to help me. I was seriously glad for that too. “A thousand-dollar Amazon gift card for the scholarship student who makes the best dragon ice sculpture. We’ll do it the weekend after yours.”
“Well, that’s a lot more than a thirty-two-dollar, three-foot burrito,” I drawled, rolling my eyes at him. “I’ll match that but I want the best Disney character.” I got what he was doing and giving focus so people could work on visuals.
“I’ll do a bear one the Saturday after,” Lucca added easily. “Or bear family, whatever, bear themed. A thousand-dollar gift card to Amazon or magical items provider for supplies.”
“Oh, I didn’t think of Veritas Portas. Yeah, I’ll do it there.”
Lucca winced. “Not everyone can shop there. That’s like Barneys whereas you can get a lot more at Dillard’s or JCPenney’s.”
I frowned. “Well, why the hell did I go there?”
Craftsman snorted. “Because you can afford it.”
“Dude, I want to keep my money by not wasting it.”
“Yo
u didn’t,” Izzy promised. “You’re thinking like clothes where it’s just clothes and designer is lost on you. Or spending too much on a car but you love that engine on your bike and that was worth getting more than a dirt bike or—I don’t know vehicles. Think of it as getting a good, reliable appliance with a warranty instead of other options.”
“Ack, fine. I’ll do whatever Lucca was talking about.” I rolled my eyes when several people gave me amused looks. “It’s kind of hard to picture without some visuals.”
“Fair enough,” Izzy agreed.
Hudson started something though—or I guess technically I did but his support pushed others—and every species had a big name step up. Even the vampires, which seemed to shock the other vampires.
The guy shrugged. “This is why people think we’re haughty, selfish assholes. Everyone else is joining in on fun and blowing off some steam and you’re all looking at me like you’re above it, too good for it.
“Lighten up. I want to see what people come up with, and I don’t treat the tutor I needed last year like a dog. She was a goddess savior. Enough with the petty crap.”
Wow, I might have found a vampire I finally liked. Cool.
11
I was walking out of the student union later that night when strong arms grabbed me. I was about to fight, freaking out someone caught me going through the portal to Faerie to drain my reservoirs in the world, when I realized I knew those arms well.
“Finally,” Hudson growled as he dragged me off to the side.
Shit, were we going to fuck against the student union? I was a bit shocked how into that I was.
Instead he put my bag over his shoulder… And me over the other one.
“Hey, cut that out,” I hissed. “Someone could see us.” He didn’t reply and I realized he was talking in my head to keep quiet.
“—lucky all I’m doing is throwing you over my shoulder like a caveman. How did you ditch me for three fucking days? I don’t know if I’m more turned on or ready to tear my hair out with need, and all the fucking skirts you’re wearing just taunts me.
