Harmon rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes as I entered. “Justice?”
“Sniffed me out, did ya?”
“How’d it go on patrol?” He scooted up and patted the bed. “Fill me in.”
I kicked off my boots and climbed up beside him, pillowing my head on my arm. “Well, we found something pretty strange.”
I filled him in on the tunnels, the blue spray, and what it all might mean.
“Shit,” Harmon said. “It would explain a lot.”
“Yeah.”
“And how are things with Brady?”
“He’s giving me space.”
“Hmmmm, and how is that working for you?”
I buried my head against his chest and made a strangled, frustrated sound.
“You need to fuck him.”
“Harmon!”
“Brady’s straight up. He wants you, and you clearly want him, so what’s the problem?”
“Hyde.”
“Forget Hyde, the guy’s a pussy tease.”
“Yeah, he so is.”
Harmon’s expression was suddenly serious. “Life’s short, Indie. Especially for the likes of us. You got to take the pleasure while you can. Milk the connections while you’re breathing. It’s the only way to live. No regrets. No running away.”
“I know. But this means more than just a fuck to Brady. It’s deeper than that.”
Harmon smirked. “Yeah? But ask yourself, if Hyde wasn’t in the picture, would you even be hesitating to give Brady what he wants?”
“I don’t think Hyde is in the picture anymore. Not really, I just.” I touched my chest. “I need time.”
Harmon wrapped his arm around me and hugged me close. “As soon as I make knight, I’m gonna punch that fucker in the face. No risk of reprimand then.” He gave me a squeeze. “Close your eyes for a bit. I’ll wake you in time to get to class.”
I closed my eyes. “Just one hour. I have to meet Payne.”
“Just an hour.”
I drifted into darkness.
* * *
“And how has it been going?” Payne asked from his perch on his lab stool.
“Which part?”
He laughed. “Yes, I suppose there’s a lot for you to deal with.”
“Shadow cadet stuff and then the weaver lessons.” I watched him adjust the microscope he was using and peer into it. “Why didn’t you become a shadow cadet?”
He pushed the microscope aside and smiled at me. “I knew this was coming.”
“And?”
“And there’s no deep, dark reason. I just didn’t want to be a knight. I wanted to be a weaver, and not being able to weave … Well, it was awful. Being a shadow knight was a consolation prize, and I didn’t want it. So, I turned to science and alchemy; it was the closest I could get to wielding some kind of magic.”
“Do you think I should be a weaver? I mean, do you want me to be one?”
He smiled warmly. “Oh, Indigo, it doesn’t work that way. Not with me. I want you to be happy, no matter what path you choose. I’ll support you in your choice. But it has to be your choice.”
My choice. All my life, others had pushed their ideals and decisions on me. All my life, I’d tried to conform and then rebelled when I realized nothing I did would make them happy, and now someone was here to cheer me on no matter what. My choice. One that would make me happy.
“And what if I don’t want to be either?”
He smiled conspiratorially and leaned in. “Then we’ll pack our bags and hit the road. You and me, road trip for two. Father-daughter bonding time.”
My throat tightened with longing. “Can we do that anyway? Can we … Can we take a trip sometime?”
Shit, I sounded like a kid asking for a cookie from the cookie jar, but in that moment, I didn’t care. Everything inside me yearned for this.
His expression sobered. “Indigo. I would love to take a trip with you. We’ll plan one for end of term. You and me and the open road.”
Excitement bubbled up inside me. But I shrugged and made a nonchalant face. “Cool. Yeah. Whatever.” I grabbed my hoodie. “I got to get to class.”
“You want to go get some food later?” He looked hopeful and then winced. “I know you don’t technically eat, but …”
He was so adorable that my cool façade slipped. “Yeah … I’d love that.”
* * *
I stood outside the archway that would port me to the weaver class and rubbed the cuffs on my wrists. This would hurt. Damn cuffs. They were designed not to let me off Academy grounds but reacted to this port too. I’d had a one-on-one with Madam Latrou a couple of days ago, and I’d been zapped then too. I ran my gaze over the fractures in the arch. Were they wider?
“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going in?” Kash’s breath tickled the back of my neck.
I tensed but didn’t jump forward like he’d probably expected.
I shrugged. “In a minute, maybe. I was thinking.”
“About how pathetic you are?” he drawled.
“No, about what a lackey you are.” I turned slowly to face him and canted my head as if pondering something. “Don’t your lips get tired of kissing Fiona’s ass?”
His honey eyes raked over my face, and his pink tongue peeked out to touch his top lip.
“Why? Do you wish I was kissing yours?”
He leaned in, uncaring of violating my personal space, and a frisson of awareness skimmed over my skin. I smelled peaches. Ripe, juicy peaches. Was it him, wait, was he wearing peach-flavored lip balm?
His gaze dropped to my mouth, thick dark lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. “I wouldn’t mind. It’s a very nice ass.”
Wait? Was he flirting with me?
He blinked slowly and then lifted his gaze to lock onto mine. “If I were you, I wouldn’t aggravate Fiona.”
“I’m not afraid of her.” Our breath mingled when I spoke. Why was he so close? And why wasn’t I backing away?
He looked down on me pityingly. “Then you’re not as bright as I thought you were.” He breezed past me and through the arch.
I exhaled sharply. Shit, that had been intense. The guy had presence; I’d give him that. I licked my dry lips and composed myself.
Class began in five minutes. No time to loiter now. I took a deep breath and followed him through.
* * *
Two students were late to class claiming they’d overslept. Another was a no-show, and there was a general air of lethargy to the room. Plenty of yawns and stretching. Either weavers were lazy, or there was some day partying going on no one was admitting to.
I caught Kash’s eye as he stifled a yawn and then winked at me when Fiona had her attention on her notepad.
Wanker.
Wonder what Fiona would do if she saw her lap dog making eyes at me? But what a lap dog. There was no denying he was good-looking with his bronze skin, honey eyes, and all that thick, dark hair that begged to be played with. And the peach lip balm … yeah. He was hot, and he knew it.
He smiled sexily at Fiona when she looked up and then blew her a kiss which had her dimpling.
Everyone was working in pairs, levitating objects and porting them from one point to another. It looked like fun. Me. I had notes to make. A plastic cup floated past my face and then shot up to the ceiling. I glanced up and watched it hovering below the dome.
“Too high!” one of the cadets shouted.
There was laughter as the cup flew below a crack in the plaster. My gaze followed the crack as it ran across the domed ceiling and down toward the wall. Damn, this place was falling apart.
I ducked my head and made notes from the book Joti had brought in about the source of magic and the history of the weaver. It was fascinating stuff, but what I wanted to be doing was learning how to control my power. I finished my notes and raised a hand.
“Yes, Miss Justice?” Madam Latrou asked.
“I’m done with my notes. Can I try connecting with the weave again?”<
br />
We’d worked on this in our one-on-one sessions, and I’d been getting closer to control when we’d been forced to stop for the night.
Madam Latrou nodded. “I’ll come with you.”
She walked over to me and held out her hands.
The murmur in the room died down as eyes turned our way.
“Get back to work!” Latrou barked.
I bit back a smile. She was a hard taskmaster, but you had to admire her control. Especially when it came to the weave. Having her go in with me gave me focus.
I slipped my hands into hers and closed my eyes. Her palms were dry and cool against mine.
It was easy to connect to the core of my power now, to the connection and the thread. The darkness surrounded me, and I could feel Madam Latrou’s presence beside me, even though she didn’t speak.
I reached out down the thread, pushing myself along until the weave came into view—magnificent and bright. Power. So much power. A surge of it shot through me as if welcoming me. Calling to me.
Yes, this was the moment I usually lost control. The moment I opened myself up and risked burning not just myself, but others. The allure was an insistent, tugging ache in my soul.
Resist.
I had to resist. I stopped moving toward the weave and allowed it to simply wash over me, pushing back when it got too much.
Good. Hold it for a minute, Madam Latrou said in my head. Good, very good, Miss Justice.
My stomach quivered with the need to cave, but I held strong. I was in control. I wouldn’t allow it to control me.
Refuel, just take a little. Now shut it down.
I drew in power, refueling in the heat that coursed through me.
Shut it down now.
I imagined a set of steel doors in my mind and slammed them closed.
The power cut off, and my eyes snapped open to Madam Latrou’s satisfied smile. “Well done. Next, we work on utilizing your caster ability while monitoring your use of the weave.”
“I want to learn to carry people without passing out.”
“One step at a time, Miss Justice. Let’s get you proficient at carrying yourself without draining your energy reserves first. Shadow casting uses a lot of energy, and it seems your shadow knight gene has allowed you to remain standing after each leap. But as your connection to the weave grows, it will demand a higher payment each time you draw from it.” She walked back toward the front of the class. “By the time a regular weaver has matured, he would have an amulet to protect him, allowing him to form a controlled circuit with the power, allowing him to refuel directly from the weave. You do not have that luxury. Amulets do not work for shadow casters. You need to learn to create this circuit by force of will. So, we will work on this.”
“And when do we start?”
“I have time after class.”
Normally, staying after class would have made me groan, but this was important. This was an ability that could benefit the shadow knights. I needed to hone it and fast. The fomorians were getting bolder right under our feet, and even though the knights had held them at bay for centuries, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something awful was about to happen. That something was going to go wrong.
* * *
The one-on-one session with Latrou would take place in an hour. I’d popped in to see Payne, but he hadn’t been in the lab. No point trying to head back to the barracks. I considered going to the shadow cadet dorms. Maybe I could bug Larkin. In the end, Joti intercepted my loitering and steered me back to the weaver wing and into their lounge.
I’d never hung out in this part of the Academy before. It was plush, carpeted, painted, and plastered. The lounge had huge, cushy leather sofas and massive crimson floor cushions. Weavers sat around, sipping tea from china mugs, and there was even a silver serving trolley that was laden with cakes and sandwiches.
Nice.
Joti threaded an arm through mine and led me to a window seat past the curious gazes of weavers I’d yet to meet.
“Sit,” she said. “I’ll get some tea. How do you like it?”
“Two sugars and milk.”
“You got it.”
She left me to look out the window, down into the silver-tinged grounds below. The hothouse was visible from up there, and there was a tiny figure coming out of it, probably Master Herman, the herbs and toxins master.
“Is this seat taken?”
I groaned inwardly and then looked up at Kash. “Yeah. My invisible friend has it right now.”
He smirked and then sat down. “Your invisible friend has a comfortable lap.”
Why was he sitting with me? Was this some kind of Fiona trick? “What do you want, Kash?”
He pressed a hand to his chest, acting all wounded. “Ouch. I was simply wanting to keep you company.”
“I don’t need you to keep me company.”
His gaze was suddenly serious. “Then maybe I’m the one who wants some company.”
I arched a brow. “Then shouldn’t you be with Fiona? Won’t she get mad if she sees you with me?”
His jaw clenched. “Fiona doesn’t own me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really?” I summoned my sweetest voice and fluttered my eyelashes. “Oh Kash, you wouldn’t want to disappoint me, would you?” I stared levelly at him. “Ring any bells?” There was bite to my tone now.
The memory of what they’d almost done to me brought a rush of anger.
He had the grace to look uncomfortable. “I apologize for that.”
“Yeah, well, apology not accepted. You can’t go around bullying people and then just say hey, sorry, and have it be okay. Actions speak louder than words.”
His lips curved in a slow-burn smile. “You want me to show you I’m sorry. Is that what you’re saying?”
I smiled sweetly. “No. I want you to piss off.”
His gaze slid past me to the door, and his expression hardened. “Have it your way, Justice.” He stood and strode off.
I looked over my shoulder to see Fiona in the doorway, her gaze like daggers pointed my way. Kash strolled up to her, and she grabbed his arm. Like, actually grabbed it, hard.
What the fuck?
The woman gave possessive a new name.
“Here you go,” Joti said, holding out a cup to me.
“Thanks.” I took it and sipped. “Nice.”
“I make good tea.” She settled into the seat Kash had just vacated. “What did Kash want?”
“To be a dick, as usual.”
Joti settled into the seat beside me and gnawed on her bottom lip. “I’m surprised he sat with you. He doesn’t sit with anyone except Fiona.”
“Yeah, lap dogs tend to stay close to their master.”
She frowned. “He wasn’t always like that. He used to hang out with me.”
I was momentarily thrown. “With you?”
“Oh, Kash is my brother. There’s like fourteen months between us. He’s older and was always super protective of me growing up. I blame myself for Fiona being in his life. She used to be my friend. She’d come over all the time, but I realize now she was probably just trying to get her hooks into Kash. As you can see, she succeeded. They’ve been together for over a year now.” She fiddled with her teacup, and a dark shadow crossed her face.
“What is it?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Sometimes I get this feeling. Like … Like he’s not really that into her. But then he’ll do something crazy for her like the foyer the other day.” She winced. “Sorry about that, by the way. It was totally uncalled for.”
“Don’t be, you tried to stop him.”
“Yeah, and I failed. If Payne hadn’t come along …”
I preferred not to think about that scenario.
Joti was just getting warmed up, though. “Everyone does what Fiona wants, and honestly, I have no idea why. She’s nothing special.”
“And you? Why do you hang with her? I mean, you were with her that day in the foyer.”
She made
a sound of disgust. “Logistics. I traveled back with Kash, which meant traveling back with her.” She sniffed. “I have better things to do with my time.” She pulled a small notebook from her back pocket. “They’re going to be teaching us rune channeling soon. My mother is an expert, and I’m fascinated by them.”
“Runes?”
“Yes.” She flipped the book open to reveal neatly drawn symbols. “Each one does something if you channel the weave correctly. You can use herbs to heighten the connection. In the old days, weavers would ink them into their skin, but that practice was forbidden by the council. It can lead to magic addiction and abuse of the weave. But we still use them for minor things now and then. Particularly healing.” She pointed at one. “This is my favorite. The magnify rune. You can use it to make a slice of cake bigger or see farther. Or just magnify an existing skill or ability.” She grinned. “Super versatile rune.”
I tried to ignore the curious glances I was getting from the other weavers. “Is there a make people stop staring at me rune?”
She sighed. “Not that I know of. But don’t be uncomfortable, they’re just curious.”
We drank our tea in silence, and then a shadow fell over us.
“What do you want, Fiona?” Joti asked curtly.
I carefully set my cup down and looked up to meet Fiona’s eyes. “You come to join us for tea?”
Her smile was icy. “I came to offer you some friendly advice, Justice.”
“Uh-huh?” I looked her up and down. “Is it a tip on how to avoid stunted growth?” I tapped my chin. “Ooh, I know, you’re offering classes on how to be a mega bitch.”
Joti made a choking sound that sounded suspiciously like stifled laughter, and around us, the room had gone deathly silent.
“Everyone has a weakness, Justice,” Fiona said. “Even you.”
“Yeah, chocolate. It gets me every time.” I sighed wearily. “It’s my Achilles’ heel.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You think you’re witty. You think you can waltz in and take what’s mine, you— “
I stood abruptly, and she jumped back with a yelp. “I don’t think about you. Full stop, Fiona.” I took a step toward her, and she took one back. “I don’t waste mental energy on bitches, and I have no interest in anything that belongs to you. So, take your insecurity, your short stature, and your sugar-dipped voice and fuck off.”
Shadow Weaver: The Nightwatch Academy book 2 Page 8
